This Is Hip Hop Culture: December 2013

1. GoldenHeart by Dawn Richard - From the Intro to Bonus Tracks (on the physical copy), Dawn takes you on a mystical, fantasy-like journey during medieval times with dungeons and dragons, along with knights in shining armor. Artistic huh? Exactly, has there ever been a CD you described using those words? This album is very innovative, influenced by greats like Prince and Phil Collins, Dawn Richard has created a masterpiece about triumph, love, heartbreak, and struggles. It has many genres within an R&B spectrum, it is like a progressive/alternative R&B sound, but it does have a hip hop vibe to it. Best Songs: Northern Lights, NLX, Gleaux, 86, Frequency, Warfaire, Tug of War, Ode to You, [300], Return of The Queen, Goliath, Pretty Wicked Things, Wild N’ Young

2. Talk a Good Game by Kelly Rowland - Hip Hop & R&B at its finest. It’s like Kelly will never get her shine, I’m not sure if she needs a new PR team or what, but song after song is single worthy. Her voice is so pure and her sound is so fresh, she can go from a smooth mid-tempo R&B track to a street anthem to a sexy bedroom jam. With some of the best producers and writers (Pharrell & The-Dream), Kelly released maybe her best album to date, which deserves at least 3 more videos going into the New Year. Best Songs: Sky Waker, Down on Love, Talk a Good Game, I Remember, Red Wine, Number 1, Street Life, Love Me Til’ I Die, This is Love, Gone, Stand In Front of Me

3. Long.Live.A$AP by A$AP Rocky – The most artistic Rap Album of the year goes to this Harlem native. With verses like "Roaches on the wall, roaches on the dresser/Everybody had roaches but our roaches ain’t respect us", A$AP offers visuals of the "struggle", even though he speaks highly about fashion designers & their high end brands too "$1,000 drawers just to hold my balls". He was able to put New York back on the map in the Rap industry. The album includes influences from Wu-Tang Clan with a dark gritty sound, while his playful lyrical content is reminiscent of other Harlem natives: Cam'Ron and The Diplomats. His signature chopped & screwed vocals (which orginated in the South), makes the album acceptable to Rap fans of any region. Best Songs: Long Live A$AP, Goldie, PMW, LVL, Hell, Pain, Fuckin’ Problems, Wild For The Night, 1 Train, Fashion Killa, Suddenly

4. Born Sinner by J. Cole – Best Songs: Villuminati, Land Of The Snakes, Power Trip, Forbidden Fruit, Crooked Smile, Sparks Will Fly, Trouble, Runaway, She Knows, Rich Niggaz

5. Nothing Was The Same by Drake – Best Songs: From Time, Too Much, Own It, Furthest Thing, Tuscan Leather, Worst Behaviour, The Language, Come Thru, All Me

6. Side Effects of You by Fantasia – Best Songs: Get It Right, Supernatural Love, Aint All Bad, Without Me, Side Effects of You, Lighthouse, Lose To Win, End of Me, In Deep

7.143 (I Love You) by Tiffany Evans - Best Songs: Do Better, I Can't Fight, I Ride 4 U, Tell A Chic, Lois Lane, If You Love Me, I Found You

8. Sail Out by Jhene Aiko – Best Songs: The Worst, The Vapors, WTH, Stay Ready (What A Life), Bedroom Peace, Comfort Inn Freestyle, 3:16 AM

9. Call Me Crazy, But by Sevyn Streeter – Best Songs: Shattered, B.A.N.S., Call Me Crazy, Sex On The Ceiling, Come On Over, nEXt, It Won’t Stop

10. Lucid by Lyfe Jennings – Best Songs: Boomerang, When It’s Good, Famous, College, I Wish, 17 to a Million, ABC’s

11. Love & War by Tamar Braxton - Best Songs: Pieces, Tip Toe, Where it Hurts, Prettiest Girl, All the Way Home, Stay & Fight, The One

12. My Name Is My Name by Pusha T – Best Songs: Nosetalgia, King Push, Suicide, Hold On, Let Me Love, Sweet Serenade, 40 Acres

.13. Beyonce’ – Best Songs: Drunk In Love, Partition, Mine, Blue, XO, ***Flawless, Rocket

14. Forever by Donell Jones – Best Songs: Closer I Get To You, Beautiful, Don’t Blame Me, You Know, I Miss The King, Ride This, Step the Fuck Off

15. Face The Music by Avant – Best Songs: More, Excited, Don’t Know How, Best Friend, Like You, When It's Over

16. Rebellious Soul by K. Michelle – Best Songs: The Right One, My Life, Damn, Can’t Raise A Man, Pay My Bills, Ride Out

17. Appreciation Day by Jaheim – Best Songs: Chase Forever, Florida, Blame Me, First Time, He Don’t Exist, Age Aint A Factor

18. The 20/20 Experience Part 1 by Justin Timberlake - Best Songs: Strawberry Bubblegum, Tunnel Vision, Spaceship Coupe, Blue Ocean Floor, That Girl, Let The Groove In

19. Bangerz by Miley Cyrus - Best Songs: Do My Thang, SMS (Bangerz), My Darlin’, #GetItRight, Someone Else, Love Money Party

20. Care Package 2 by Omarion – Best Songs: Love & Other Drugs, Know You Better, Leave You Alone, Diamonds in My Hennessey, Between The Covers, Still Love Her

21. Downtown: Life Under The Gun by August Alsina – Best Songs: Hell On Earth, Downtown, Nobody Knows, Let Me Hit That, Survival of The Fittest, I Luv This Shit