Whew, crazy summer! With all the twerking and the Syria and the breaking of the bad, you might have missed out on some great hip-hop. Or you might have accidentally bought a Drake album, God forbid. The team at Stanford Arts Review is here to help you out. I’ve spent the summer constantly refreshing DatPiff, patrolling Twitter, and studying XXL and Vibe, so as to provide you with the best scoop on 2013’s blockbusters. Editor-in-Chief Lawrence Neil has been listening to J. Cole and continuing to lament Lebron James’ departure from Cleveland. Happy listening.
2 Chainz, B.O.A.T.S. 2: Includes a cookbook. Go H.A.M. while cooking ham.
Should I buy it? Mos’ definitely.
Action Bronson, SAAAB Stories: Really, the only bad part of this is that it’s only seven songs. And that it doesn’t come with a cookbook.
Should I buy it? Mos’ definitely.
A$AP Ferg, Trap Lord: Man, this A$AP Ferg guy’s pretty great. I wish there were more artists similar to him. Maybe they could make some sort of collective or something.
Should I buy it? Mos’ definitely.
Authentic, Sir Cloud-Kicker: Wow, this is a really awesome mixtape, I wonder where this fresh new MC is from? What’s this, he goes to Stanford? I can’t believe this incredible new talent could be seen strolling through the Quad or grabbing some late night at Arrillaga! Of course I’ll support him and his music, and tell all my friends to download his mixtape and support local artists!
Should I download it? Obviously. Right here.
Big K.R.I.T., King Remembered In Time: Seriously, K.R.I.T. is like if UGK had a baby with Dipset. He makes me even prouder to be from the South. Also, I’d pay so much to see that sextape. Is that weird? [Ed. Yeah.]
Should I download it? Of course.
Big Sean, Hall of Fame: Let’s be real, did anyone listen to this? The only worthwhile track wasn’t even on the album.
Should I buy it? Ha, no. Just look at memes of Drake reacting to Kendrick’s “Control” verse, they’re hilarious.
Chance the Rapper, Acid Rap: Even though it came out in April, this mixtape is responsible for Lawrence’s hip-hop coma that apparently caused him to be incapable of appreciating beautiful music (see entry for Yeezus).
Should I download it? Without a doubt. Best mixtape of the year.
Chief Keef, Bang Pt. 2: If you like Keef, you’ll probably like this. If you don’t like Keef, congratulations on being a contributing member of society.
Should I download it? You already know the answer in your heart.
Curren$y and Young Roddy, Bales: Curren$y has done things since 2010! I swear!
Should I download it? Might as well.
Dillon Cooper, Cozmik: Oh great, another prepubescent Brooklyn native with lyrical ‘90s throwback flows over spacey chill jams. Statisticians estimate that by 2020, the number of rappers from the BK will exceed the number of people.
Should I download it? Def. Impress your friends while he’s still obscure.
Dizzy Wright, The Golden Age: Dizzy has the misfortune of being the artist you forget about, from the record label you forget about, run by the white-eyed rapper you forget about. Don’t let that dissuade you from downloading this. It’s dope.
Should I download it? Yes, and send cash to Diz to help with his rent.
Drake, Nothing Was the Same: Stanford Arts Review is currently expanding our recruiting effort to suburban high-school girls who have recently gone through break ups. Once we succeed in our efforts, we’ll post a more in-depth review.
Should I buy it? I think it comes free when you buy ten caramel apple spice lattes.
Earl Sweatshirt, Doris: I don’t even have words for how much I enjoy this album, so I’ll resort to sounds: wauooouuwwgh
Should I buy it? Yes yes yes. And start planning how you’ll propose to Earl.
Flatbush Zombies, BetterOffDead: I’ve learned not to listen to Flatbush Zombies when I’m just sitting doing work, because I immediately get too turnt to do anything. Also, Google Drive recognizes “turnt” as a word. You go, Google.
Should I download it? Def. Second best mixtape of the year.
Freddie Gibbs, Evil Seeds Grow Naturally: I almost left this album out. Thank Based God I remembered. Freddie Gibbs is terrifying. This album is a reminder to stay out of Gary, Indiana.
Should I buy it? If you want to live.
Gucci Mane, Diary of a Trap God: Gucci had a Joaquin Phoenix level meltdown shortly before the release of his new mixtape. This is his “I’m Still Here.” And he definitely is still here.
Should I download it? If you want to listen to some absolute bangers by a psychopath. In other words, if you’ve ever listened to Gucci Mane.
Gunplay, Acquitted: The last time you will see those words not separated by a “not.”
Should I download it? Maybe?
J. Cole, Born Sinner: My 40-year-old white female professor says she loves this album. Lawrence also says he likes it. I have no idea how he disguised the fact that he’s a 40-year-old white woman to me this whole time.
Should I buy it? Nahhh.
Janelle Monae, The Electric Lady: Hey, there are women in hip-hop besides Nicki Minaj! And they’re awesome!
Should I buy it? Mos’ definitely.
Jay-Z, Magna Carta Holy Grail: Pros of this Jay-Z album: Frank Ocean. Cons of this Jay-Z album: Jay-Z. (Side note: We at the Stanford Arts Review will defend the humble hyphen from those who would do it harm.)
Should I buy it? If you want to help reupholster Hov and Bey’s couch with greenbacks.
Joey Bada$$, Summer Knights: We could criticize this album all we want, but Joey is two years younger than us and released the visionary 1999 when he was seventeen. At least he sounds like he finally went through puberty now.
Should I download it? Ehh. Buy a cool “RIP STEEZ” shirt instead.
Juicy J, Stay Trippy: Juicy J, true to his claims in the song “Scholarship,” is offering a $50,000 twerking scholarship for college girls who exhibit a preternatural twerkability. If this isn’t the best news you’ve heard all summer, I don’t want to know you.
Should I buy it? Undoubtedly.
Kanye West, Yeezus: There are two camps of thought about this album: Those who realize this was a necessary and perfect move in Yeezy’s development as an artist and that he’s truly a visionary talent, and those, like our Editor-in-Chief, who think this album was “hard to listen to.”
Should I buy it? Are you kidding? I’ve bought it like four times already.
Kid Cudi, Indicud: See entry for Nothing Was the Same. Also, has there ever been a less appealing reference to weed? It sounds like he chewed it before rolling up.
Should I buy it? [come up with another joke about high school girls]
King Chip, 44108: King Chip gave Cleveland residents a reason to feel prouder than they’ve felt since Lebron signed with the Cavs. At least y’all still have Trent Richardson, right? …Oh. [Ed. Alec, you’re a douche bag.]
Should I download it? For sure.
Lil Wayne, Dedication 5: Listening guide: Listen to every song/remix that you think Weezy has to deliver on (Bugatti, his feature with Chance, New Slaves, etc). He will. Skip the others.
Should I download it? Def. Shouts out to the 504!
Lucki Eck$, Alternative Trap: Another 17-year-old, this time from Chicago. Sigh. These kids can stay in my iTunes, so long as they keep off my lawn.
Should I download it? Yerrrrp. While eating deep-dish pizza and watching a John Hughes movie.
Mac Miller, Watching Movies with the Sound Off: Mac Miller is surprisingly not just a frat rapper. His marijuana intake, however, has not decreased.
Should I buy it? Mos’ definitely.
Max B, Return of the Wave: Winner of the 2013 Johnny Cash Award for Best Mixtape Recorded Over the Phone from Prison.
Should I download it? Just listen to Mac Dre instead.
Maybach Music Group, Self Made Vol. 3: Dope, obviously. Perfect music for being Scarface, or wishing you were Scarface. Or for pouring one out for Lil Snupe and crying into your pile of cocaine.
Should I buy it? I’d say to pirate this, but MMG scares me. Ricky Rozay might sit on you.
Meek Mill, Dreamchasers 3: According to reports, Chip Kelly has introduced Philly native Meek Mill as a quarterback coach, as he is the only person who could intimidate a convicted dogfighter.
Should I download it? Yes. There won’t be numbers big enough for the number of DatPiff downloads this gets.
Rapsody, She Got Game: Look, here’s a good litmus test: If an album came out this summer and Chance the Rapper was anywhere on it, it’s a good album. He has the Midas touch. Or the Pharrell touch, as it’s also known.
Should I download it? Mos’ definitely.
Ray Lewis and Pharrell, Natural Born Hitters: Superbowl XLVII wasn’t your last chance to hear from Ray “Triangleface Killa” Lewis! Download this three-track mixtape, because if you don’t, he might go back to his other pastimes: making the Ravens the least deserving team to win a Superbowl since the 2009 Giants, and murder.
Should I download it? If you’re a Ravens fan feeling nostalgic.
Sage the Gemini, Gas Pedal EP: Ugh. You already know “Gas Pedal” is going to be this year’s song you’ll hear exploding from every frat on Friday nights. At least it’s better than “Thrift Shop.”
Should I download it? Why bother?
Statik Selektah, Extended Play: To be honest, I haven’t listened to it yet. I asked for a review from my Boston friend: “That album’s wicked pissah.”
Should I buy it? Yeah kid, then get some fahkin’ Dunkin’ Donuts and catch a game at the Green Monstah.
Stalley, Honest Cowboy: Entirely because of his beard, Stalley is obviously the James Harden of the rap game. Expect MMG to trade him to Fool’s Gold instead of just amnestying French Montana, destroying their hopes at title contention rather than just paying the luxury tax.
Should I download it? If you liked that awesome basketball reference. Or if you didn’t, too.
Trinidad Jame$, 10 pc. Mild: Why would you download this? Don’t. Don’t do that.
Should I download it? Ironically.
The Underachievers, The Lords of Flatbush: Overachieved. Also, Talib Kweli recently said in an AMA on Reddit that they’re the group he’d most like to collaborate with, causing every backpacker hiphop fan to climax simultaneously.
Should I download it? Mos’ definitely.
Vince Staples, Stolen Youth: Good God, this is a long article. So much stuff came out the past couple months.
Should I download it? Mos’ definitely.
Wale, The Gifted: Instead of downloading The Gifted, I downloaded The Mixtape about Nothing again and changed the album title in my iTunes folder. Man, this new Wale is awesome!
Should I download it? Sure! Listen for the Julia Louis-Dreyfus cameo!
The Weeknd, Kiss Land: Abel Tesfaye just came back from a world tour and has a lot of self-deprecating feelings he wants to tell you about, right after he inhales some helium.
Should I buy it? I think Lawrence sleeps with a copy of this under his pillow.
COMING SOON:
A few to look forward to.
Danny Brown, Old: By the time you’re reading this, ODB will have come out. I have already decided it’s the greatest hip-hop album of the still-nascent century.
Deltron 3030, Deltron Event II: Whoa, this was still being worked on? Is Del tha Funkee Homosapien still alive?
Eminem, MMLP2: Judging by the leading single, “Berserk,” somebody finally introduced Em to the music of the Beastie Boys. Because we needed another freaking comeback album from him.
Pusha T, My Name is My Name: I think hip-hop fans have been waiting for his solo debut for about four presidential terms. Also, “King Push” is produced by Joaquin Phoenix. I… I don’t even have a joke ready.
RiFF RAFF, Neon Icon: The first of seven planned collaborations between JODY HiGHROLLER and Diplo. Just look at the list of features and tell me you’re not excited for this.
ScHoolboy Q, Oxymoron: I really hope this album does well, because I’ve got a bucket hat that I’m hoping becomes fashionable sometime soon. Smoke DZA never succeeded…
Vic Mensa, INNANETAPE: This mixtape from Chance’s homeboy has the dubious honor of coming out the same day as Old. So I should listen to it by spring quarter at the earliest.
(‘16, Undeclared, Literature Editor) hails originally from Lafayette, Louisiana. When not gator wrestlin’ or crawfish boilin’, Alec spends his time playing and listening to music, reading, writing, and dominating at fantasy football. He writes for the Stanford Review and is a member of the local jazz ensemble Skeleton Crew.