10.

Guvna B — Hands Are Made for Working

Top Tracks = Summer in the Streets // Been Hustlin' (Black Del Boy) // King of My Heart

This record deals with loss and grief through the lens of faith and isn't shy about it's beliefs. It's rare to find a mainstream "christian rap" record that isn't trying too hard to replicate secular sounds or that feels incredibly forced. There are moments when this feels more like a worship album than anything else and the message and honesty in the lyrics are refreshing in the current music landscape

9.

6LACK — East Atlanta Love Letter

Top Tracks = Scripture // Nonchalant // Pretty Little Fears

I'll admit the cover drew me into this one but the record itself is a brilliant, dark and moody journey of rap and R&B. The production is bass heavy and minimal and although the lyrics are sometimes a bit laughable the flows and melodies make up for it

8.

Swizz Beatz — POISON

Top Tracks = Preach // Echo // Come Again

Swizz Beatz has always been one of the best producers in rap music and he doesn't disappoint on this latest project. With the signature Swizz drum patterns and ad libs he brings in some top notch features from a varied range of old and new rappers. His creativity and positivity is infectious and shines through in the music

7.

Freddie Gibbs — Freddie

Top Tracks = Weight // 2 Legit // Diamonds 2

Don't let the cover fool you...this was probably the hardest rap record of the year. In fact the album cover and marketing drop were my favourite part (based on the old R&B sleeves for artists such as Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross). Gibbs holds the crown as one of my favourite rappers and this record continues his streak of consistently good releases

6.

J. Cole — KOD

Top Tracks = ATM // Motiv8 // 1985 - Intro to "The Fall Off"

"Kids on Drugs" takes aim at the current glorification of drugs within music, with Cole feeling out of place in the current landscape of Soundcloud rap and concerned about the artists that inhibit it. The sound is very different to what is popular in rap music right now which is massively to its advantage. Another record from J. Cole which went platinum with no features

5.

Evidence — Weather or Not

Top Tracks = By My Side Too // Throw It All Away // Powder Cocaine

The production of this record is on point with Evidence producing many of the tracks himself and a large number being handled by The Alchemist. The bars, wordplay and features are all top notch. Evidence's son is a very similar age to my daughter which I think adds to my appreciation of his craft and makes the final track "By My Side Too" hit home as hard as it does

4.

Drake — Scorpion

Top Tracks = Is There More // Emotionless // Talk Up

In terms of streaming numbers there probably wasn't a bigger record this year and that is almost its biggest flaw. At 25 tracks long it has obviously been designed to rack up millions and millions of streams rather than give fans a landmark double album (as promised). You could quite easily cut 40% of the tracks. That being said there are still some very good moments on here, including a decent Jay-Z feature and a long teased DJ Premier beat. I can even forgive terrible filler tracks like "Ratchet Happy Birthday" for the sublime "Is There More" where Drake brings back the introspective style of the So Far Gone era and proves he is still top of the game

3.

Nas — NASIR

Top Tracks = White Label // everything // Simple Things

This album dropped the same week that I spent in Stoke Mandeville hospital with my daughter 150 miles away from home. Every evening once she was asleep I would listen to this and escape reality for half an hour. Nas has always been very good but this record is something special. Another of Kanye's 7 track productions, the theme is loosely based around the seven deadly sins. Nas' lyricism and flows are as good as ever and the samples and production compliment perfectly

2.

Flatbush Zombies — Vacation in Hell

Top Tracks = Chunky // Facts // The Glory

Flatbush Zombies have always been one of the most interesting groups in the rap landscape and on this record they prove they are truly multifaceted, rolling through multiple styles and sounds. A fiercely independent group and wildly creative, this record is a rolleroaster spanning 19 tracks and 75 minutes. It never gets boring and always leaves you guessing where they will take it next. Accompanied by a short film, world tour and a whole load of merchandise this was easily one of my favourite records of the year

1.

Pusha T — Daytona

Top Tracks = If You Know You Know // Infrared // Come Back Baby

This record was released in a whirlwind. After years of teasing his "King Push" project Pusha tweeted one evening that it would drop by the end of the week having been renamed to "Daytona". A day or two later the controversial cover was revealed (a photograph of Whitney Houston's bathroom at the height of her drug addiction which Kanye West allegedly paid $85,000 out of his own pocket to license). Whilst Drake dropped a bloated 25 track double album chasing streaming stats, Pusha went in the opposite direction releasing a meticulously constructed 7 track record where every single syllable has been obsessed over. The resulting beef with Drake only served to make the album even bigger and increased its reach. With production exclusively from Kanye West (the old Kanye), it is an almost perfect record and an instant classic. The first time I heard it I knew it would be the best rap album of the year... nothing else really came close

*BONUS*

Freddie Gibbs + Curren$y + Alchemist — FETTI

Top Tracks = Location Remote // Saturday Night Special // Bundy & Sincere

I haven't heard a better collaboration record than this in a long time. Killer production from The Alchemist and genuine chemistry from Freddie Gibbs and Curren$y makes for a near perfect 25 minutes.