Dreamville – Revenge Of The Dreamers III (Album Review)

Released July 5, 2019

Yes, people your favorite blogger has returned. You’ve missed me and I’ve missed you and I ABSOLUTELY MISSED providing you all with the DOPEST and MOST ORIGINAL of CONTENT. It seems very fitting that the highly anticipated and the EARLY “Album of the Year Candidate,” ‘Revenge of the Dreamers III’ is the first project I review upon my return. Also, it’s not like this album didn’t just go#1 this week or anything! 😈

2019 kicked off with J. Cole and longtime manager Ibrahim Hamad announcing that Dreamville and its members were about to embark on a 10-day series of recording sessions for ‘Revenge of the Dreamers III’. This announcement came with a social media blitzkrieg of invites to artists, producers, execs and other creatives. With the task at hand to create their third compilation project, Dreamville and its guest had 10 days to generate a cohesive and powerful body of work. Below is a short documentary of their quest to create magic.

Dreamville Presents: REVENGE (Documentary)

Tracklist & Song Ratings

1. Under the Sun ft. J. Cole, Lute, & DaBaby (5/5)
2. Down Bad ft. Bas, J.I.D, Young Nudy, J. Cole, EarthGang (5/5)
3. LamboTruck ft. Cozz, Childish Major, & REASON (4.5/5)
4. Swivel (from the upcoming album Mirrorland) ft. EarthGang (4/5)
5. Oh Wow…Swerve ft. J. Cole, Zoink Gang, Key! & Maxo Cream (4.2/5)
6. Don’t Hit Me Right Now ft. Bas, Yung Baby Tate, Guapdad4000,Cozz & Buddy(5/5)
7. Wells Fargo (Interlude) ft. J.I.D, Buddy, EarthGang, & Guapdad 4000 (5/5)
8. Sleep Deprived ft. Lute, Mez, Omen, & Davionne (4/5)
9. Self Love ft. Ari Lennox, Baby Love, & Bas (4.5/5)
10. Ladies, Ladies, Ladies ft. J.I.D & T.I. (3.8/5)
11. Costa Rica ft. Reese LAFLARE, Bas, Jace, Mez, Smokepurpp, J.I.D., Buddy, Ski Mask The Slump God, & Guapdad4000 (3.8/5)
12. 1993 ft. Buddy, Smino, Cozz, EarthGang, J.I.D, & J. Cole (4.75/5)
13. Rembrandt…Run It Back ft. J.I.D, J. Cole, & Vince Staples
14.Sunset ft. J. Cole & Young Nudy (4.4/5)
15. Got Me ft. Ty Dolla $ign, Omen, Ari Lennox, & Dreezy (4.4/5)
16. Middle Child – J. Cole (4.2/5)
17 PTSD ft. Mereba, Deante Hitchcock, Omen, & St. Beauty (4.3/5)
18. Sacrifices ft. EarthGang, Smino, Saba, & J. Cole (5/5)

A project that seemed to have too many cooks in the kitchen, the Dreamville Chefs and their Guest Chefs have the recipe for success with ‘Revenge of the Dreamers III’. Right away ROTD III kicks of with the soulful production intro track, “Under the Sun” which samples The Argo Singers 1963 hit “I’ll Be Waiting for You.” Of course, it was fitting that the first verse we hear to kick off a project with such high expectations was from J. Cole himself. After a hard-hitting verse with impeccable delivery, we are ABSOLUTELY TEASED by an invigorating chorus from Kendrick Lamar. This is followed by impressive verses by Dreamville mainstay Lute and 2019’s breakout artist, DaBaby. I can’t even front I’m still upset that we didn’t get a Kendrick verse. I quickly got over it though once that beat dropped for my favorite track, “Down Bad.”

I felt like ROTD III was a project that was full of life as it represented the current state of music and how there’s a seat at the table for everyone. Of course, the table head is Mr. Jermaine Cole. He leads and facilitates the balance between promoter and participant on this album. With Cole playing both roles he’s able to create a level playing field for both the established artists and the upcoming artists to showcase their talents. For example, Baby Rose went full Nina Simone on “Self Love.” Emerging fan favorites such as Buddy, Smino and Guapdad4000 got the green-light of running full on savage mode throughout the entire project as they made sure to make their presence known. The overlooked and yet very talented acts such as Mereba, Saba, Maxo Kream, and Omen seized their moment to shine. There were definitely a few surprises on here. I would have never thought in a million years we’d hear T.I and J.I.D together as we did on “Ladies, Ladies, Ladies.” Speaking of surprises, Vince Staples on the tail-end of “Rembrandt…Run It Back” had me so excited but of course you would have hoped for more. There better be more J. Cole, J.I.D and Vince tracks stashed somewhere! I just want to say this now before I lose my train of thought, J.I.D is becoming elite right in front of our eyes. East Atlanta’s finest was in serious form as he delivered on every track he was featured on.

There were a lot of unique elements on this project that I really enjoyed. I love how a project dominated with a lot of lyrical spitters we still were able to get great hooks on cuts like “Don’t Hit Me Right Now” and KEY!’s offering on “Oh Wow… Swerve.” I loved hearing J.I.D and Buddy mimicking the demented spirit of Pinky & The Brain on the intro to “Wells Fargo” along with Cozz and Reason’s “Guilty Conscience”-style scheming to rob their respective label bosses on “LamboTruck.” The Production! Production on this project was probably some of the best this year. There were so many different minds behind production that you would wonder how this project would sonically. CHASETHEMONEY, ClicknPress, Bink! Elite, Ron Gilmore, Pyrex, T-Minus and many others made sure that we got everything from trap to boombap sounds. I could really talk about this project until the end of time but lets wrap it up.

‘Revenge of the Dreamers III’ was a collaboration unlike any other. The last time a star studded studio session came close to the magnitude ROTD III boot camp was Kanye getting everyone to come out to Hawaii to record ‘My Dark Twisted Fantasy’. ROTD III was 18 tracks, included over 50 contributors, and ran about an hour long. It actually seemed a bit surprising that this thing project was only 18 tracks honestly! There’s just so many different styles, cadences and sounds from the contributing artist and production I was expecting and some what hoping for a double disk. Chris Brown is out here giving us 40 track and 30 track albums back to back. I’d assume 60 people could give us at least 25-30 tracks. But nonetheless, the finished product that we received that is ‘Revenge of the Dreamers III’ is a rather remarkable body of work with three major takeaways. Cole and Dreamville as whole label have leveled ALL THE WAY UP, there may not be such thing as too many cooks in one kitchen and the most importantly, the state of hip hop is in amazing hands. Dreamville and Friends got us covered!

Rating: 9.4/10

Lil Pump – Harvard Dropout (Album Review)

Lil Pump…. The Harvard Dropout.

I don’t know what to expect any more from some of these mumble rap acts. We can’t deny that Pump is a rising star though. While some might question his ability, the 18-year-old artist has already gained the attention of some respected music figures like Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, J. Cole, and DJ Khaled. Pump also has himself a few top-charting singles to his name. Clearly he is killing it early! So, let’s get this out the way. Pump did not ever attend Harvard. This whole “Harvard Dropout” persona came from a bar he rapped on his first album. On “Iced Out” Pump rapped: “Could’ve been at Harvard servin’ juugs/ But I don’t give a f*ck…” Yeah that’s it. That was the bar…So profound, right?… Enough about that let’s dive into this review.

Tracklist & Song Ratings

DROPOUT (2/5)
NU UH (2.5/5)
I LOVE IT (4/5)
ION (2/5)
FASHO FASHO (4/5)
RACKS ON RACKS (4/5)
OFF WHITE (2/5)
BUTTERFLY DOORS (4/5)
TOO MUCH ICE (1/5)
MULTIMILLIONAIRE (2/5)
VROOM VROOM VROOM (1/5)
BE LIKE ME (3.5/5)
STRIPPER NAME (2/5)
DRUG ADDICTS (2/5)
ESSKEEIT (3/5)
WHO DAT (1.5/5)

Stream on Spotify:

Look I won’t sugar coat anything about this project at all. I’ll get to the point and we’ll keep things moving! Lil Pump’s sophomore slump leads him to flunk out of Harvard. Pump’s sophomore project flat out lacked direction and it was full of insubstantial lyrics, lifeless hooks and meaningless melodies. With a project that fails to really hold any weight there was some good that the “Harvard Dropout” provided.(Kinda..?) Whether it was Pump or his Label, gathering guest artist such as Lil Wayne, Quavo, Kanye West, Lil Uzi Vert, and Offset helped prevent this project being complete dead weight. There were a few tracks that I did like though, mainly due to catchy lyrics and hooks.

“I Love It” (with Kanye West), “Racks on Racks”, and “Fasho Fasho” (featuring Offset) were some of the albums highlights. But no matter how I spin it, the bad and ugly is what I remembered most from Pump’s ‘Harvard Dropout’. Diablo, CBMix, and Fizzle delivered production wise but Pump just couldn’t deliver anything solid.

From “wtf” lyrics on “Drop Out” to the cringe-worthy choruses on “Nu Uh” and “ION” to the pointless cuts like “Vroom Vroom”, “Drug Addicts”, and “Off White,” ‘Harvard Dropout’ is a project where Pump’s weaknesses are the albums focus. The “Harvard Dropout” should consider re–enrollment…

Rating: 5.2/10

Social Club Misfits – MOOD (EP Review)

Social Club Misfits……

This Miami based Hip Hop duo is an act that I was introduced to via Instagram. Yes, I said Instagram. Marty Santiago and Fernando Miranda, also known as Marty Mar and Fern, have released their latest EP MOOD. Before they dropped this EP they released two singles “Everytime,” produced by Young Sidechain, and “Que Lo Que,” a summertime party anthem that flows over a Latin-fused rhythm. Their last release, The Misadventures of Fern and Marty (2017) peaked on the Billboard Rap Charts at #4 and received rave reviews from Rap Revolt, Hip Hop DX, and Rapzilla. After some research I was intrigued to see what the “MOOD” is with this 5-track, 15 minute EP.

Tracklist & Ratings

Everytime (5/5)
Que lo Que (5/5)
Up (3.8/5)
Chinatown Freestyle (3.7/5)
So Our God Came To Us (4.2/5)

Stream On Spotify:

This EP did its job. What was the MOOD EP’s job? Well I’m a new listener of this talented duo and they definitely have caught my attention. This five-track release offers a diverse sample of sounds that showcases both Marty and Fern’s talents. On a track such as “So Our God Came To US,” the duo delivers a BAR-full reminder about needing God and God coming down to rescue us in times of need. On the EP opener, “Everytime,” we have a high energy track with a strong message of not giving up and remaining positive. Currently this a track I play every morning to get my day started. It’s definitely my favorite track but coming in second had to be the “Que lo Que,” the Latin infused track I mentioned earlier. On tracks like “Up” and “Chinatown Freestyle” the duo just flat out showcases their rapping ability. This EP clocks in at 15 minutes. It’s a quick listen. The “MOOD” EP is an EP of Marty and Fern doing what Marty and Fern do as they represent those who feel insecure about themselves and point them to the Savior. This wasn’t supposed to be their best work but it’s that nice filler EP that can only boost their discography as it serves as a sampler project for those who may not be familiar with them. I’m looking forward to hear more from SCM!

Rating: 8.8/10

Lebanon Donn- Party Pack (EP Review)

Around this time last year, Lebanon Donn released his first project titled ‘Journey To Forever’. His 12 track debut was something special! With stand out tracks such as “Sunday Morning,” “Off The Muscle,” “Dundee,” “Waves” and “Old News,” Lebanon created a classic as he showcased his versatility as an artist.

“Party Pack” is a three track EP running just under 10 minutes. It’s really a quick listen so I’ll be brief. The EP kicks off with the TONE-SETTER of the EP in “Bullshit.” I’ve always thought Lebanon Donn had a great ear for production. This comes into play here as he skates on this high energy track letting everyone know he’s back on his BS and its all business here on out! The next track “Break The Bank Freestyle,” was personally my favorite song on this EP. One thing that allows Lebanon Donn to standout is his sound and delivery. The fact that this was an actual freestyle is just nuts. The EP closes out with “Dope” featuring Say Solos a long time friend and collaborator who also is extremely talented. (Check him out) All three tracks cared the same energy but all presented different sounds and showed the many different flows Lebanon Donn can tap into. This past Sunday Lebanon announced a new project on the way and shared a snippet via Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

Tunnel Vision…. I Can’t See Who I’ve Become!!

A post shared by Mardyny (@iam_mardyny) on Apr 14, 2019 at 2:16pm PDT

Party Pack is the perfect sampler to hold us over for Lebanon’s next album. I have a feeling that there will be no Sophomore Slump for the Donn and this next project will be his best one. If you were not familiar with Lebanon Donn before this review, do yourself a favor and get familiar! His music is available on ALL streaming platforms.

Rating: 10/10

Stream on Spotify:

ADÉ – Something New (EP Review)

DMV rapper ADÉ, formerly known as Phil Ade, is an act that I have always been impressed with through his collaborations with some of my favorite music acts like Wale, Mac Miller, and GoldLink. ADÉ has returned with ‘Always Something’ to showcase the refreshing energy to validate his change in direction. The six track EP features guest appearances from Lil Baby, Rich The Kid, GoldLink, Wale, and Fatman Scoop. Production is handled by the likes of Super Miles, Ayo N Keyz, DJ Money, and more.

Tracklist & Ratings

PLAY SOMETHING
SOMETHING NEW (feat. Lil Baby)
SOMETHING FROM NOTHIN’ (feat. Rich the Kid)
SOMETHING’S UP
SOMETHING SWEET (feat. Fatman Scoop)
SOMETHING REAL (feat. GoldLink & Wale)

Stream On Spotify:

From start to finish, ‘Always Something’ is quite the treat sonically. Its full of colorful synths and dope backdrops that makes it easy and enjoyable. Strong diversity among the production allowed Adé to show his skills across a range of styles. The vibrant opening track “PLAY SOMETHING” serves its purpose as it showcases Adé’s SMOOOOOTH delivery over a very instrumental heavy beat. Personally this excited me as I moved forward listening. On the Lil Baby featured track “SOMETHING NEW,” the vibes that were established in the intro track were felt here as well. Lil Baby’s contributions melodically gave the track a nice dynamic in that second verse. It seemed very fitting and he was totally in his element as his vocals slide beautifully in the pocket. The best track on here was the Rich the Kid featured “Something From Nothin.” Rich the Kid delivered per usual with arousing 16, gleefully bouncing above the beat with engaging vocal inflections and ad-libs. Adé absolutely held his own here as well with his verse and chorus. My only beef with this project arrives on “Something Real.” A track that is one of the most enticing with a D.C. linkup of Adé, GoldLink and Wale did not meet my expectations. I hated the stuttering instrumental. It doesn’t allow any of these artist to really get into their bags and showcase themselves. It actually upsets me that this is how the EP closed out.

‘Always Something’ is just a mere sample size of what Adé brings to the table with the EP clocking in at less than 20 minutes. Though short and sweet, this EP showcased his versatility. That alone gives plenty of reason to see to be excited for what Adé has in store for 2019. For those unfamiliar, get familiar. Adé is no rookie but he is a “seasoned vet” looking to have himself a coming out party this year.

RATING: 8.5/10

Q Da Fool & Kenny Beats – Bad Influence (EP Review)

DMV’s very own Q Da Fool clearly has next! The newly signed Roc Nation act made a great decision to record an EP with the extremely talented and versatile Kenny Beats. The Connecticut-born ex-EDM producer, is killing it right now. He’s that producer that consistently shows the will to work with whomever and whenever. This results in him often exploring the other regions and sounds in the many variations of hip hop. With Q Da Fool wanting to prove his commercial viability and Kenny Beats eager to showcase his ability to experiment with different sounds, these two released the collaborative EP ‘Bad Influence’. ‘Bad Influence’ is just six songs capping at about 14 minutes of Q’s high energy and might and Kenny Beats to hold his own with some rumble and hard hitting beats to create a sampler to gain some mainstream love.

Rating: 7.8/10

Stream On Spotify:

In Suave We Trust Presents…. “The Top 50 Albums of 2018”

I’m back like I never left! Well actually I haven’t done a Top 50 list since 2016…. 2017 was a very tough year with posting and 2018 was no better, by my standards at least. But best believe we’re getting things poppin‘ in 2019 and we are closing out 2018 with a bang. I present to you my Top 50 Albums for the year.

So the albums selected released between January 1st thru December 15th. I do not really follow the window that Grammy Committee does so please keep in mind the date range I mentioned. So yes next year I’ll be going from the December 15th of 2018 thru December 15th of 2019…. Also there is the possibility I may go from January 1st 2019 to December 31st 2019 since I like to post these rankings a few weeks into the new year anyway!

First I would like to shout out New Branches for letting me use this image! Go Give them a follow!

But as you can see there were plenty of amazing projects that dropped this year! I would like to take the time to applaud all these artist for their work BUT I CAN ONLY GO WITH 50! This year I found myself struggling at times to make these picks and It was difficult to do. Some popular projects may not be ranked where some would like or they may not have even made the 50. Well, too bad. Tell your favorite artist to do better….

That’s enough shall we dive in!?

50. Camila Cabello – Camila

Favorite Tracks: All These Years, Havana and In The Dark

49. Saint JHN – Collection One

Favorite Tracks: 3 Below, Surf Club, Roses, Reflex, and GOD BLESS THE RATCHETS

48. Towkio – WWW.

Favorite Tracks: Symophony, Hate to Love, 2 Da Moon and Forever

47. Mick Jenkins – Pieces Of A Man

Favorite Tracks: Barcelona, Understood and Soft Porn

46. Joey Purp – QUARTERTHING

Favorite Tracks: 24K Gold/Sanctified, Elastic, QUARTERTHING, Look At My Wrist, and Fessional/Diamonds Dancing

45. Rae Sremmurd – SR3MM

Favorite Tracks: Up In My Cocina, Perplexing Pegasus, Buckets, 42, Powerglide, Chanel, Changed Up and Guatemala

44. Playboi Carti – Die Lit

Favorite Tracks: Long Time, R.I.P, Shoota, Poke It Out, Home (KOD), Fell In Luv and Pull Up

43. Dave East Paranoia II

Favorite Tracks: Talk To Big, Prosper, Powder, Corey, I Can Not and I Found Keisha

42. Post Malone – Beerbongs & Bentleys

Favorite Tracks: Paranoid, Spoil My Night, rockstar, Psycho, 92 Explorer and Candy Paint

41. Buddy – Harlan and Alondra

Favorite Tracks: Real Life S**t, Black, Hey Up There, Trouble On Central, Trippin’, and Find Me 2

40. A$AP Rocky – Testing

Favorite Tracks: Distorted Records, A$AP Forever REMIX, Tony Tone, Praise The Lord, Buck Shots and OG Beeper

39. Kali Uchis – Isolation

Favorite Tracks: Tyrant, Nuestro Planeta, Feel Like A Fool, and After The Storm

39. Jorja Smith – Lost & Found

Favorite Songs: Lost & Found, Wandering Romance, Lifeboats (Freestyle), and The One

37. Teyana Taylor – K.T.S.E.

Favorite Tracks: Gonna Love Me and Rose In Harlem

36. Denzel Curry – TA13OO

Favorite Track: Clout Cobain, Cash Maniac, Sumo and Percs

35. Leon Bridges –Good Thing

Favorite Track: Bad Bad News and You Don’t Know

34. Drake – Scorpion

Favorite Tracks: Survival, Nonstop, God’s Plan, Mob Ties, Sandra’s Rose, Is There More and Jaded

33. Currensy, Freddie Gibbs, and the Alchemist – FETTI

Favorite Tracks: The Blow, Bundy Sincere and Location Remote

32. Blood Orange – Negro Swan

Favorite Tracks: Saint, Hope and Charcoal Baby

31. Kids See Ghosts – Kids See Ghosts

Favorite Tracks: 4th Dimension, Freeeee, and Reborn

30. Vince Staples – FM!

Favorite Tracks: Run The Bands, Don’t Get Chipped, Feels Like Summer, and Tweakin

29. Tom Misch – Geography

Favorite Tracks: Before Paris/Lost in Paris, South of the River, Movie, It Runs through Me, and Water Baby

28. Jeremih &Ty Dolla Sign – MihTy

Favorite Tracks: The Light, FYT, Goin Thru Some Thangz, Surrounded and Intimate

27. Royce Da 5’9 – Book of Ryan

Favorite Tracks: Cocaine, Caterpillar, Boblo Boat, Summer On Lock, and Woke

26. Octavion – Spaceman

Favorite Tracks: Stand Down, Build, Break That, Lightening, and Move Faster

*GET FAMILIAR WITH THE BOY*

25. Flatbush Zombies – Vacation In Hell

Favorite Tracks: HELL-O, Vacation, Headstone, Facts, Ask Courtney, and Crown

24. Benny The Butcher – Tana Talk 3

Favorite Tracks: 97 Hov, Rubber Band & Weight, Joe Pesci 38 and Broken Bottles

23. Masego – Lady Lady

Favorite Tracks: I Had A Vision, Old Age, Just A Little, Lady Lady, Tadow

22. Ariana Grande – Sweetener

Favorite Tracks: Blazed, Everytime, God Is A Woman, Borderline, Pete Davidson

21. Lupe Fiasco – Drogas

Favorite Tracks: Drogas, Manila, WAV Filies, Haile Selassie, Alan Forever, Stronger, and XO

TOP 20!!!

20. Anderson .Paak – Oxnard

Favorite Tracks: The Chase, Tints, Who R U?, 6 Summers , Trippy, and Cheers

19. Kendrick Lamar/Various Artists – Black Panther: The Album

Favorite Tracks: All The Stars, Kings Dead, Pray For Me and Big Shot

18. 6LACK – East Atlanta Love Letter

Favorite Tracks: Pretty Little Fears, Nonchalant, Sorry, Switch, Seasons, and Stan

17. Meek Mill – CHAMPIONSHIPS

Favorite Tracks: Intro, Trauma, Uptown Vibes, On Me, What’s Free, Going Bad and 24/7

16. Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer

Favorite Track: Pynk, Americans, I Got The Juice, and Make Me Feel

15. The Carters – Everything Is Love

Favorite Tracks: SUMMER, APESHIT, LOVEHAPPY, BLACK EFFECT AND FRIENDS

14. The Internet – Hive Mind

Favor Tracks: Come Together,La Di Da, Bravo, Come Over and It Gets Better (With Time)

13. SiR – November

Favorite Tracks:D’Evils, Never Home, War, Better, That’s Alright and Dreaming of Me

12. Smino – NØIR

Favorite Tracks: KOVERT, KLINK, TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD, HOOPTI, FENTY SEX, AND PIZANO

11. Tierra Whack – Whack World

10. Saba – CARE FOR ME

Favorite Tracks: Broken Girls, Life, Prom/King and Logout

9. Noname – Room 25

Favorite Tracks: Montego Bae, Don’t Forget About Me and Prayer Song

8. J. Cole – KOD

Favorite Tracks: KOD, Photograph, ATM, Motiv8, Brackets and 1985

7. J.I.D – DiCaprio 2

Favorite Track: Slick Talk, Off Deez, 151 Rum, Off Da Zoinkys, Tiiied, Skrawberries, Hot Box and Hasta Luego

6. Jay Rock – Redemption

Favorite Tracks: King’s Dead, Win, The Bloodiest, OSOM, Wow Freestyle, and Redemption

TOP 5!!!!!

5. Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy

Cardi B had herself hell of a year! I found it difficult putting her ahead of so many good albums but I had to be honest with myself and to you all. (Yes I am specifically referring to putting her ahead of Jay Rock’s ‘Redemption’) Cardi B makes a strong case as the Music Industry’s MVP in 2018. “Bodak Yellow” took all the way off. She had two #1 singles in “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like That.” She was the 5th female rapper in history with a #1 album. On top of that half her album was on Billboard Top 200 at one point and she had amazing features. Cardi B is a star and you can make a strong case for ‘Invasion of Privacy’ being #1 on my list but its my list, so NAH! Anyways, Congratulations Cardi on your success and thank you for delivering an amazing album. She is already off to a great start in 2019! Expecting big things!

4. Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap

“Last Time That I Checc’d,” this was arguably Nipsey’s best project! Maybe? Probably not. Let me chill because the hardcore Nipsey fans probably want to kill me for not having “Victory Lap” at #1! For me this was a phenomenal album but not THE BEST OF 2018. IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST, hence it being at #4 out of 50. This project had amazing production to go with flawless lyricism. Nipsey has been slept on for so long but I’m glad that “Victory Lap” allowed the casual hip hop/rap fans to get really really familiar with what elite talent looks like!

3. Mac Miller – Swimming

Damn… the untimely passing of Mac Miller will forever hurt. He was such a good guy and was truly loved by everyone. ‘Swimming’ was my favorite album this year for many reasons but I would like to make one thing clear. I am a Mac Miller stan but i didn’t let that cloud my judgement here. Also, this wasn’t a sympathy pick. I truly believe Mac had a Top 5 album this year. I’m prepared to debate anyone. This album was flawless and displayed Mac really mastering his craft with production and just overall song making. This was a real emotional body of work as he was battling a lot. It did seem like he was overcoming these obstacles but unfortunately we lost a young talent who really was underrated as a producer and an artist. I’m getting emotional talking about this so I’ll stop here. R.I.P Mac and thank you for everything!

2. Pusha-T – DAYTONA

Outside of ‘Swimming’, ‘Daytona’ was the project I played on repeat daily since its arrival this past summer. This album could easily be #1 as well. Though it is only seven tracks, there was a lot of things occurring in all seven tracks. Production was flawless. I know you all hate the producer but I’m not gonna let his political views seal off my ears. All seven tracks were so well produced. And the sampling?! Forget about it. It was dope. As expected too, Pusha-T delivered! Push is an artist who understands what his winning formula is and never creates without it!

For more insight on what makes ‘Daytona’ a Top 2 project this year, check out the album review.

https://insuavewetrust.com/2018/06/04/pusha-t-daytona-review-stream/

1. Travis Scott – ASTROWORLD

ASTROWORLD WAS THE BEST ALBUM OF 2018 WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!!!! I initially wrote a crazy long argument but deleted it because I think I covered everything in my album review for ‘Astroworld’ explaining why its the best album this year. Production may be its biggest strength here over lyricism but no one is checking for Travis to be all miracle lyrical on tracks. Its his ability to make songs that make him an elite artist. On top of that numbers don’t lie… You see how much he sold and how long he had held on to the #1 album spot! He may be the favorite to win “Best Rap Album” and “Album Of The Year” at the Grammy’s if #6 thru #2 on this list don’t win. Out of all the albums on this list outside of ‘Daytona’ and ‘Swimming’, ‘Astroworld’ has the most replay value. So yes ‘Astroworld’ was the #1 album of 2018! If you disagree, hit me up we’ll talk about it.

https://insuavewetrust.com/2018/08/21/travis-scott-astroworld-album-review/

Thank You For Reading! Please, Please, Please Provide Me With Your Thoughts and Criticism! It’s All Love. Also Please Share This List With Your Friends & Family. Hopefully I Did A Good Job With Rankings Or At LEAST I Have A Better List Than Other Publications.

Dreamville Presents: REVENGE (Documentary)

Rating: 9.4/10

Rating: 5.2/10

Rating: 8.8/10

Rating: 10/10

RATING: 8.5/10

Rating: 7.8/10

50. Camila Cabello – Camila

49. Saint JHN – Collection One

48. Towkio – WWW.

47. Mick Jenkins – Pieces Of A Man

46. Joey Purp – QUARTERTHING

45. Rae Sremmurd – SR3MM

44. Playboi Carti – Die Lit

43. Dave East Paranoia II

42. Post Malone – Beerbongs & Bentleys

41. Buddy – Harlan and Alondra

40. A$AP Rocky – Testing

39. Kali Uchis – Isolation

39. Jorja Smith – Lost & Found

37. Teyana Taylor – K.T.S.E.

36. Denzel Curry – TA13OO

35. Leon Bridges –Good Thing

34. Drake – Scorpion

33. Currensy, Freddie Gibbs, and the Alchemist – FETTI

32. Blood Orange – Negro Swan

31. Kids See Ghosts – Kids See Ghosts

30. Vince Staples – FM!

29. Tom Misch – Geography

28. Jeremih &Ty Dolla Sign – MihTy

27. Royce Da 5’9 – Book of Ryan

26. Octavion – Spaceman

25. Flatbush Zombies – Vacation In Hell

24. Benny The Butcher – Tana Talk 3

23. Masego – Lady Lady

22. Ariana Grande – Sweetener

21. Lupe Fiasco – Drogas

TOP 20!!!

20. Anderson .Paak – Oxnard

19. Kendrick Lamar/Various Artists – Black Panther: The Album

18. 6LACK – East Atlanta Love Letter

17. Meek Mill – CHAMPIONSHIPS

16. Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer

15. The Carters – Everything Is Love

14. The Internet – Hive Mind

13. SiR – November

12. Smino – NØIR

11. Tierra Whack – Whack World

10. Saba – CARE FOR ME

9. Noname – Room 25

8. J. Cole – KOD

7. J.I.D – DiCaprio 2

6. Jay Rock – Redemption

TOP 5!!!!!

5. Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy

4. Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap

3. Mac Miller – Swimming

2. Pusha-T – DAYTONA

1. Travis Scott – ASTROWORLD

Thank You For Reading! Please, Please, Please Provide Me With Your Thoughts and Criticism! It’s All Love. Also Please Share This List With Your Friends & Family. Hopefully I Did A Good Job With Rankings Or At LEAST I Have A Better List Than Other Publications.

Follow Me On Twitter and IG: @Suavemontana