Notable Hip-Hop Albums of 2023
December 31, 2023
In 2023, hip-hop fans found themselves wondering whether small leaps in evolution can be as satisfying as the giant steps of the past.
ALL: Hip-Hop 2023
MIKE, Burning Desire
November 9, 2023
While defined by minute-long nibbles and familiar tics, MIKE’s Burning Desire has its share of buttery beats and standout bars.
Shabazz Palaces, Robed in Rareness
November 8, 2023
On Robed in Rareness, the Seattle rapper and bandleader Shabazz Palaces weds electronic funk with younger prospects of varying experience.
Westside Gunn, And Then You Pray for Me
October 18, 2023
And Then You Pray for Me yields another hour of Griselda street heroics by toggling between “drumless” boom-bap and punch-drunk trap beats.
Jay Worthy x Roc Marciano, Nothing Bigger Than the Program
June 20, 2023
On Nothing Bigger Than the Program, Roc Marciano’s engaging production can’t save Jay Worthy’s unconvincing performance.
Oddisee, To What End
January 27, 2023
On his first album in three years, Oddisee deepens his skill as an arranger and develops a warm, pleasant sensibility.
Skyzoo x The Other Guys, The Mind of a Saint: A Soliloquy
January 19, 2023
A collaboration between Skyzoo and the Other Guys, The Mind of a Saint explores the TV series Snowfall and the character Franklin Saint.