DRAKE - NOTHING WAS THE SAME (2013)

Coming off of the Grammy-winning level of success 2012's Take Care brought him, Drake found himself in a position to become one of the most popular artists in hip-hop and rise to 'a-list' celebrity status.  His infrequent public appearances and occasional music releases through SoundCloud had more than just his core fans wondering what he was cooking up.  The end result was his most cohesive, concentrated body of work to date.  With the standard version of the album lasting only thirteen tracks, Nothing Was the Same placed the unofficial crown atop Drake's head.

1. "TUSCAN LEATHER"
Lasting over six minutes, Drake tears up all three verses with clever and boisterous lyricism.  Unforgettable production from Drake's newly official October's Very Own label imprint seamlessly transitions listeners from the first movement, to the next, and to the last.  

2. "FURTHEST THING"
Now that Drake has impressively summarized his status as a leader in hip-hop, he channels his former musicianship to create "Furthest Thing".  Infectious flows and catchy hooks perfectly fill this underwater-sounding beat.  

3. "STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM"
Arguably one of the biggest highlights from Drake's career, "Started From the Bottom" and the weight it carried upon its release months prior to Nothing Was The Same were easily selected for the LP.  This song is more of an anthemic representation of hip-hop than it is anything else, which is what caused it to transcend all international cultures.  

4. "WU-TANG FOREVER"
The album slows down with the fourth track, supported solely by an infrequent, echoey vocal sample and Drake's team's signature piano and drum combination.  Despite the slower tempo, Drake fills every possible corner with vivid storytelling and sonically appealing rhyme schemes. 

5. "OWN IT"
Track four and five blend together so well, further proving how cohesively complete Nothing Was The Same really is.  Between "Wu-Tang Forever" and "Own It", listeners are completely immersed in the album with the help of golden production.  Drake is still analyzing the various grey areas he is in with his previous lovers.  

6. "WORST BEHAVIOR"
Just before listeners get too comfortable, Nothing Was The Same switches back to boastful in nature and starts shaking car trunks once again.  In "Worst Behavior", the Canadian-born rapper reminds himself how selfish he must be in order to prove to his competition he never needed them. 

7. "FROM TIME (FEAT. JHENÉ AIKO)"
The drums find themselves at yet another struggle for attention against the piano in "From Time".  Los Angeles-born singer Jhené Aiko provides a can't-miss chorus as Drake continues to deliver effective verses in the forms of love ballads. 

8. "HOLD ON, WE'RE GOING HOME (FEAT. MAJID JORDAN)"
As if "Started From The Bottom" hadn't grasped enough people outside of hip-hop, track eight surely filled that role.  OVO in-house R&B duo Majid Jordan, also from Toronto, join Drake in delivering the most culturally transcendent and unique-sounding song of both of their careers.  

9. "CONNECT"
The ninth song begins with Drake getting back into his flow-heavy and emotional lyricism.  The almost lousy-sounding, late night vibe he gives off makes listeners want to hit the left lane in the highway.

10. "THE LANGUAGE"
"The Language" is riddled with heavy-hitting kick drums and a graphic pre-hook which captured the attention of his fans.  His consistency in confidence makes listeners lose track of this album, as any of these songs could be album's single and serve as an introductory.

11. "305 TO MY CITY (FEAT. DETAIL)"
Drake compares and contrasts the 305, or Houston, to his hometown city of Toronto.  Detroit-born artist Detail provides a solid hook as the OVO boss struggles to find a lover and a sense of belonging in either city. 

12. "TOO MUCH (FEAT. SAMPHA)"
Drake and Sampha's "Too Much" is by far the most personable and conscious attempt by either artist. In the twelfth track, Drake discusses his family issues as a result of his massive success over a luscious piano performance which was originally performed by British singer Sampha. 

13. "POUND CAKE / PARIS MORTON MUSIC 2 (FEAT. JAY-Z)"
The album ends with another installment to the historical collaboration that is Drake and Jay-Z.  Having only exchanged rhymes on Drake's "Light Up" back in 2009, the two put on quite the showing in the "Pound Cake" part of track thirteen.  As usual, Drake finds his independent musical pocket as OVO's production team moves its listeners from one half of the song to the other.  

J. COLE - 2014 FOREST HILLS DRIVE (2014)

As the end of 2014 approached, J. Cole's rapidly growing fanbase was becoming increasingly impatient with the North Carolinian rapper.  Born Sinner, his most recently released project at the time, hit the streets in the summer of 2013.  Following the massive success of his second studio album release, Cole focused his time and energy outside of the booth and in the streets of America.  He placed his celebrity status aside and sought to find solutions for the continuously fatal relationship between African-Americans and law enforcement.  Musically, J. Cole fans received, "Be Free," a politically-charged standalone track which served as a response to the shooting of Michael Brown in August.  Cole's evasion of his life as a mainstream hip-hop music artist during the production of his third album is a major reason why it is regarded as an instant classic.  Further, 2014 Forest Hills Drive received RIAA's platinum certification just nine months after its release, most notably without any guest appearances.  

1. "INTRO"
Cole starts off his third album with an abstract concept for a song.  Backed by a mellow, slow-moving piano, "Intro" allows for the open expression of happiness and freedom.  This introductory song shows the audience which themes will be appearing throughout the LP, with the subject matter clearly referencing modern African-American oppression. 

2. "JANUARY 28TH"
Smooth sampling and laid back drums musically kick off 2014 Forest Hills Drive.  Cole wastes no time addressing how he views the entertainment industry as controlling, especially towards African-Americans.  His lyricism on "January 28th" shows that he understands how to balance his conscious frustrations with society without coming off as aggressive or destructive.

3. "WET DREAMZ"
"Wet Dreamz" is a romantic-based track, serving as a reminiscence of Cole's love life back in high school.  The track is familiarly supported by chopped vocal samples, and his vivid storytelling of losing his virginity served as a favorite among Cole fans.  

4. "03' ADOLESCENCE"

The fourth song uses a much more orchestral sound, which creates a largely immersive effect for listeners.  The looped string melody supports Cole's sudden loss of love and struggles with growing into a man.  Continuing the narrative from "Wet Dreamz," Cole's younger self has already experienced so much and is continuing to learn about life's struggles.  

5. "A TALE OF 2 CITIEZ"

The grungy, twangy, metal-sounding, beat of track five catches all listeners off guard for the first time.  Cole boasts his ability to flow over a modern beat, without losing sight of his politically-charged subject material. 

6. "FIRE SQUAD"
This time, Cole rides a smooth, New York-sounding beat as he delivers one of the catchiest hooks of his career in "Fire Squad."  As the song title suggests, Cole takes shots at multiple entities through name dropping and confident critiques of music and entertainment executives.

7. "ST. TROPEZ"
As the second half of the album takes over, the mood shifts to a slow, more focused and conscious perspective.  "St. Tropez" allows for Cole to express his lack of happiness with America as of late, which is complemented nicely by baroque horns and some smooth female supporting vocals.

8. "G.O.M.D."
Yet another impressive display of vocal sampling serves as the backbone for the song's beat.  Cole uses "G.O.M.D." to exaggerate and highlight the country's most popular stereotypes of African-Americans. 

9. "NO ROLE MODELZ"

Undoubtedly the most successful song of the eleven that 2014 Forest Hills Drive, "No Role Modelz" analyses and challenges the female gender roles in modern America.  Despite being romantic in subject matter, the song makes out to be fairly universal for consumption.  

10. "HELLO"
Track number ten recalls an old love of Cole's, which has put him in a self-reflective and depressive state.  Although fairly upbeat, Cole's emotional state is what becomes especially prevalent throughout the entirety of "Hello".  

11. "APPARENTLY"
Another wildly popular loose track from Cole's fourth studio album, song eleven allows for Cole to continue to look at his beginnings and where his life has let him.  He looks at his family's past in terms of a coming-of-age perspective.

12. "LOVE YOURZ"
"Love Yourz" is one of J. Cole's most culturally impactful songs, whose hook chants, "No such thing as a life that's better than yours," with the purpose to inspire hope among an entire generation that he felt needed it more than ever.  Piano runs throughout track twelve and seamlessly into the album's closing song.

13. "NOTE TO SELF"
Lasting nearly fifteen minutes in length, J. Cole gets more than enough off of his chest in "Note to Self".  He takes the time to extend his thanks to those who assisted in 2014 Forest Hills Drive's production and release, but more importantly discusses issues he holds dear to his heart. 

KENDRICK LAMAR - GOOD KID, M.A.A.D CITY (2012)

good kid, m.a.a.d city is the sophomore studio album release by Compton-based rapper Kendrick Lamar.  Between the years 2011 and 2012, Lamar took advantage of his recent signing to music label giant Interscope records by collaborating with other up-and-coming artists at the time such as Drake and A$AP Rocky.  The majority of the album was recorded and mixed in proximity to Lamar's hometown, and in preparation for his first major label studio album release, he insisted that good kid, m.a.a.d city would be billed as a "short film by Kendrick Lamar."  The concept album embraces California's hip-hop and gangsta rap musical styles through his depiction of a teenager wrapped in the drug-infested and gang controlled streets of Compton.  Small skits before, in the middle of, and after each song allow for one of the most cohesive narratives among all rap albums in history.

1. "SHERANE A.K.A MASTER SPLINTER'S DAUGHTER"
The album begins with the introduction of "Sherane," who serves as the romantic motif throughout the story's narrative.  Over some relaxing, slow-moving hip-hop drums, Lamar addresses disregarding the dangers of her family's history of gang-banging in order to achieve sexual pleasure.  As the introductory track continues, Lamar's dysfunctional parents are introduced via voicemail to his cell phone.

2. "BITCH, DON'T KILL MY VIBE"
Perhaps the most pop-culturally and commercially successful song off of Lamar's second LP, "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" purposefully halts the advancement of the album's narrative.  It is one of the only tracks from good kid, m.a.a.d city that is told from the time's present day perspective.  Lamar flows effortlessly with well-placed drums and a mesmerizing guitar sample to bring the song together.

3. "BACKSEAT FREESTYLE"
The third track seamlessly transitions from the second, and the hard-hitting beat is complemented by Kendrick Lamar's 16-year-old self rapping boisterously about the culture he has grown up in.  This track reflects the attitude and beliefs of young people growing up in a corrupt society.

4. "THE ART OF PEER PRESSURE"
Lamar decides to place the album's narrative in the driver's seat by providing a graphic and vivid description of his experiences with peer pressure.  The entirety of the song details a premeditated robbery of someone's house, and how his vulnerable conscience was manipulated into believing this sort of attempt was "necessary" as a teenager in Compton, CA.

5. "MONEY TREES (FEAT. JAY ROCK)"
"Money Trees," the fifth track from Lamar's four-time Grammy-nominated album, summarizes the themes explicitly mentioned in the previous two tracks.  He explains that this song is specifically about lust and the struggle with desires for material things.  His Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate, Jay Rock, offers an additional perspective about the brutalities of Compton.

6. "POETIC JUSTICE (FEAT. DRAKE)"
Lamar links up with Toronto-based rapper Drake to deliver a track dedicated to Sharane, the narrative's romantic focus.  Over a light, airy vocal sample, the two emcee's deliver wooing verses discussing the status of their relationships.

7. "GOOD KID"
good kid, m.a.a.d city's seventh track deepens the story's narrative by describing the immediate aftermath of being jumped by two hooded strangers.  In addition, Lamar uses this track to introduce the concept and theme of realization which sparks his character's initial motivation to escape his neighborhood.

8. "M.A.A.D CITY (FEAT. MC EIHT)"
The LP's eighth song fittingly features veteran hip-hop rapper and Compton's Most Wanted member MC Eiht.  Lamar further illustrates the several horrors he witnessed growing up in the city, some of which were traumatic events that happened to people he was close to.

9. "SWIMMING POOLS (DRANK) [EXTENDED VERSION]"
Serving as the album's lead single, "Swimming Pools (Drank)" addresses the psychological connection between peer pressure and alcoholism.  The club-friendly sonics juxtapose this introspective take on the social pressures and self-defeating attitudes that drive people to drink.

10.  "SING ABOUT ME, I'M DYING OF THIRST"
Track ten is highly unique when compared to the rest of this LP.  "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" takes on the perspective of two people very close to Lamar, one positive and one negative.  It becomes clear that this song specifically wasn't intended to not offend people or please others, but was rather to be realistic.

11. "REAL (FEAT. ANNA WISE)"
Anna Wise assists Kendrick Lamar in track eleven with a powerfully delivered and highly catchy chorus.  This song denotes the incredibly important realization that Lamar has come to, which is how important it is to love yourself.  This the first time listeners are exposed to this theme in the album, which comes as a surprise when it is introduced.

12. COMPTON (FEAT. DR. DRE)
Lamar decides to end his storytelling masterpiece with music mogul and fellow Compton native Dr. Dre in "Compton." This closing track is the only song, aside from "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe," that is told from Lamar's present-day perspective.  It symbolizes the transformative experience that was Lamar's first studio interaction with Dr. Dre, which Lamar has personally explained to have been the start of his new life.

KANYE WEST - MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY (2010)

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the fifth studio album released by Chicago's one and only Kanye West.  Following the explosion of positive attention received by 2008's 808's and Heartbreak, West released My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in November of 2010.  As an established hip-hop artist and media personality, West dared to radically change the way he went about creating his next album.  He retreated to a "self-imposed exile" in Hawaii the year prior to the album's release, with hopes to create a more communal recording environment.  The Chicago native's fifth LP incorporated many aspects from his previous pieces, such as the unique implementation of symphonic, soul, baroque, and electro music.  All thirteen tracks progressively bring listeners on an expansive musical journey which explores themes such as celebrity, race, consumer culture, and the idealism of the American Dream.  Kanye West has birthed several classic pieces of music since his career began in the early 2000s, and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is undoubtedly one of the highest quality hip-hop albums ever released.

1. "DARK FANTASY"

The album opens with an epic sounding, multi-layered vocal oriented before being brutally interrupted by a hard-hitting beat and West's opening verse shortly following.  Strong production starts from the opening seconds of this LP, which is accompanied perfectly by West's lyrical wit and cleverness.  An effortless vocal transition around halfway through "Dark Fantasy" also prepares listeners for the implementation of multiple unique, personality-filled voices.  Among all studio albums, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy provides the widest range of emotional presence, which is represented through the drastic use of vocal effects.  

2. "GORGEOUS (FEAT. KID CUDI & RAEKWON)

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is informally referred to as one of the greatest modern rap albums because of not only the performance West offers, but also because of his ability to weaponize other artists.  In other words, this LP was groundbreaking for the reason that so many other artists were involved in its creation and each used their contributions effectively.  "Gorgeous" allows Kid Cudi, one of West's newest signees and among the time period's most promising hip-hop artists, to shine fully through a infectiously-catchy chorus.  West and New-York based Wu-Tang Clan member, Raekwon, pridefully boast their sense of style with unforgettable verses.

3. "POWER"

Arguably one of West's most well known songs, which is saying a lot, "Power" turns My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy up to eleven.  It was released in July of 2010, and immediately seemed to have merged West's fanbase and America into one.  Quick hitting claps ride a prominent vocal sample while West attacks social issues he believes people are too afraid to confront in music.

4. "ALL OF THE LIGHTS (INTERLUDE)"

The intensity of "Power" drops off abruptly as the prelude to another highly popular West track, "All of the Lights."  Lasting just over a minute in length, West establishes the melodies through crisp, authentic instrumentation.  His use of strings and piano harmonize and transition perfectly into the vocal sample which marks the beginning of the song.

5. "ALL OF THE LIGHTS"

Despite no features listed on this track, which would be made into a music video and see itself as a single some months after MBDTF's release, "All of the Lights" is a star-studded vocal performance riddled with graphic rhyming and an underlying orchestral presence.  Among the supporting vocalists is Rihanna, who would be later credited as a featured artist when the song eventually was marketed as a single.

6. "MONSTER (FEAT. JAY-Z, RICK ROSS, NICKI MINAJ & BON IVER)

The sixth song officially marks the transition of West's beautiful fantasy into a dark and twisted one.  "Monster" avoids the acknowledgement of any politically correctness in the music industry, and has a beat filled bass and tom drums to darken the mood even more.  Respectively accomplished emcees such as Jay-Z and Rick Ross show their scary side with offensive illustrations of backstabbing and double-crossing.  Queens-based rapper Nicki Minaj had an explosive year with the newfound success of Lil Wayne's Young Money imprint, and West has later stated himself that Minaj's verse on "Monster" was among the most impressive of all time.  Her uneasy, shaky vocals and unexpected changes of tone match perfectly to the instrumental.  Additionally, American indie-fold band Bon Iver provides a notable, fitting outro to the song.  

7. "SO APPALLED (FEAT. JAY-Z, PUSHA T, CYHI THE PRYNCE, SWIZZ BEATZ & RZA)

Each consecutive song in My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy introduces more of some of the most influential artists in hip-hop.  Orchestral strings are brought back in to lighten the mood created by "Monster," however the coexistence of rapid-hitting kick and snare never left.  West recruits his G.O.O.D. Music label signees Pusha T & CyHi The Prynce to trade off impressive rapping skill with veteran New York hip-hop trailblazers such as Jay-Z, RZA, and Swizz Beatz.  For over six-and-a-half minutes, "So Appalled" puts listeners in a trance filled with microphone passing and a constant barrage of lyricism.  

8. "DEVIL IN A NEW DRESS (FEAT. RICK ROSS)

The constant rapping and rapid instrumentals take a well-timed tempo drop, and West's vocal performance adapts perfectly.  Yet another beat with chopped vocal sampling creates such a unique listening environment.  Although making a brief appearance on "Monster," Rick Ross finds a comforting, homestyle flow to pick up the nearly two-minute instrumental break that followed West's verse.  

9. "RUNAWAY (FEAT. PUSHA T)

"Runaway" is a nine-minute song disguised as a lifetime of romantic disappointment, regret, and lust.  Although West pours his emotions out onto the song's chorus Pusha T comes back to deliver another bulletproof set of raps, it is the vocal-less instrumental that creates a nearly unreachable level of immersion.  An overly-simple piano loop, which consists of only one key being played across just four different pitches, floats above an ocean filled with drum-oriented and orchestral instrumentation. After West lays down the chorus for a final time, he uses the remaining four minutes to loosely hum along through a distorted jungle of vocal effects.  "Runaway" is by far the most effective in forcing listeners to lose track of their sense of time and instead focus on appreciating the present moment.  

10. "HELL OF A LIFE"

The tenth track of MBDTF uses a dissonant synthesizer progression to wake listeners up from the transformative experience given by "Runaway." Feeding into one of the central themes of the album, West's opening line explains his newfound infatuation with a porn actress.  Heavily controversial depictions of race and immoral ways of living allow West to finally let go of his virtues and embrace his vices.  

11. "BLAME GAME (FEAT. JOHN LEGEND)"

West depressingly finds himself facing the repercussions after his drug-induced, party-filled experiences of "Hell of a Life."  Emotional strings are dragged out to provide support for the complex piano loop.  His depiction of a toxic relationship filled with lies, cheating, and make-up sex is reinforced through various levels of vocal adjustments.  It is clear to listeners that West's consciousness is frantically searching for solutions to his problems, with different pitches of his distorted voice talking to one another.  

12. "LOST IN THE WORLD (FEAT. BON IVER)"

The tempo changes once again, this time picking back up.  Bon Iver continues their effective contribution to MBDTF by harmonizing with West's cruel and introverted take on society.  The Chicagoan is still struggling to find purpose, and takes advantage of the song's chorus to communicate this.  The multiple layers interconnect to provide an energy-filled showcase of musical expression.  

13. "WHO WILL SURVIVE IN AMERICA" 

The song's title is chanted as track twelve fades seamlessly into the preaching of Justin Vernon, the lead singer of Bon Iver, atop a familiar drum pattern.  Track thirteen serves as less of a song and more as a verbal summary of the previous hour of music.  The analogy of comparing oneself to being lost in a forest to West's lack of sense of belonging is articulated very well by Vernon.