2016 was top year for rap

By Colin Shultz

This year, in 2016, we have seen some brilliant albums and this month especially has really summed up perfectly just all of the different directions an album can reach. With this wide diversity in one genre, let’s rank my top rap albums of 2016 (in no particular order.)

1.“The Life of Pablo” – Kanye West

The hype that surrounded this entire album was immense before it finally came out in February earlier this year. I will say, and many will agree, that the album lived up to the hype, from the very first song, “Ultralight Beam.” This album was a fantastic rebound for West after the somewhat disappointing album “Yeezus,” a few years ago. “The Life of Pablo” perfectly brings together the whole art aspect with the beauty of the music. Every song changes the pace of the album in a different way, which is refreshing.

2.“Birds in The Trap” – Travis Scott

“Birds in The Trap” is the type of album I could be cruising in my car listening to from beginning to end and not get tired of it. It is beautifully produced and just a chill album to relax and hang out to. It’s so well produced and an all around fantastic piece to listen to. “Goosebumps” and “Through the Late Night” highlight a brilliant album.

3. “The Perfect Luv Tape & Lil Uzi Vert vs the World” – both by Lil Uzi Vert

I decided to lump these two albums together because I like them both equally. Lil Uzi Vert’s energy and excitement he brings to both albums make them fun to listen to. His music is so upbeat and happy that it really just makes me smile and stay in a happy mood. It has its moments, but Uzi’s music has a uniqueness about it that makes it super catchy and just a good time overall.

4.“Blank Face LP” – ScHoolboy Q

Overall, the Schoolboy Q album mixes a very bluesy, smooth feel, with a raspy, bold part to it as well. The smoothness of the music gets you into it but then you start to feel and understand the actual words and messages in the words. The album does a fantastic job at inputting these narratives and shows what makes ScHoolboy Q his own person as well as showing off his own style.

5. “Still Brazy” – YG

YG’s album took the old West Coast traditions of rapping and fuzed it with a modern style that sets an example for younger West Coast rappers trying to make it. Still Brazy really goes back to the traditional style of West Coast rap. The album also is very well produced, “Still Brazy” went away from the DJ Mustard beats and instead went with beats that allowed YG to further stretch himself in different ways. The album represents that the California rap style still is very much prevalent and will continue to flourish even in today’s changing rap scene.