Top 10 Hip Hop Albums Of 2013

1) Born Sinner
-"Born Sinner, opposite of a winner"
Cole delivered with an all around amazing album. He gave me solid bars, truth, and production.  With his two singles, " Crooked Smile" ft. TLC and "Power Trip" ft. Miguel, Cole's singles received plenty of spins on the radio and reached success on Billboard's charts. J. Cole definitely proved himself to the Hip Hop industry in his sophomore album. Born Sinner has creative interludes like "Mo' Money" which I truly thought was a tease for me. My favorite song was "Forbiden Fruit" ft. Kendrick Lamar and "Trouble". I just thought that Cole brought "the church" to Hip Hop and made it work. He is truly the lyrical king of 2013. Cole's use of metaphors, other poetic devices, and sceneries was just unbelievable. Yes, he rapped about his come up but what I love about this album was that he rapped about his down fall. That's why he is getting my number one spot.

2) My Name Is My Name
-"They love me on my Ric Flair shit!"

Pusha motherfucking T snapped on his first solo album, and I absolutely love Pusha T on his Ric Flair shit. Kanye West was the executive producer of MNIMN and I am thankful Ye helped Pusha T because it was a fantastic album. I am truly just glad Pusha T put out his first solo album,  it's been way too long. Now I know you guys are like "But all he does is talk about Cocaine". Well that is true, very true,  BUT this man has the best cocaine similies and metaphors in the game and you know it! I call him the "Poetic Dealer" but he refers to his music as "Higher fashion drug rap". His lyrics always do justice; he never fails me. My favorite songs are "King Push", "Sweet Serenade", and "Nosetalgia" ft Kendrick Lamar. I always said Pusha T was the best featured artist to have on a record because he always delivered with the bars. Nobody in the game has better cocaine analogies than King Push, but Kendrick did snap on Nosetalgia. I am not going to lie, I didn't know Kendrick was going out do the "featured king", but Kendrick really showed out. As I digress, "My Name Is My Name" blew me by surprise, but I should of known that the King was going to go all out.

3) Nothing Was The Same
- "Motherfuckers never loved us!"

I don't think I have to say much about this album because it was perfect. He seriously put his heart and soul into his album. The few topics of the album: love, women, and money....which didn't surprise me. Drake rapped AND sung about things women wanted to hear. I have no problem with that...I enjoyed the honest, but lyrically I wish he could of stepped out the box. Like Furthest Thing and Tuscan Leather had bars in there, Worst Behavior did too, but I just expected an "Ignorant Shit" album. Like at least Pusha T comes up with different cocaine analogies? Right? As I digress, my favorite songs are Worst Behavior and Own It. And even though Drake's sophomore album, Nothing Was The Same, wasn't as successful as Take Care which, which went triple platinum, Nothing Was The Same is my favorite album of his.

4) Because The Internet
-"Go home Roger....Tia and Tamera on my bed, I'm a Smart Guy"

Donald Glover, better know as Childish Gambino really surprised me with this album. He took a break from his amazing acting career and dropped Because The Internet. Even though I didn't have a chance to do a review, I honestly enjoyed this album. The concept of the album was amazing, "because the internet", social media is the center of this generation. From Google, Instagram, even World Star. Instead of saying "pause" Childish said "Spacebar". From clever, very clever bars, to the fantastic production. It gave me Channel Orange with a splash of Nothing Was The Same. Childish Gambino's vocals were on point, which leads me to say, "Donald Glover is a better singer than Drake". Songs like, "Shadow", "3005", "Pink Toes" ft. Jhene Aiko, "No Exit", and "Flight Navigator" showcasted Childish's vocals abilities. My favorite songs are "The Worst Guy" ft. Chance The Rapper, "No Exit", and "Biggest Troll" ft. Donald Glover. "Biggest Troll" was such a deep and emotional song for me; I felt like both Childish Gambino and Donald Glover were talking to me. Over all I absolutely love BTI, if I could I would place it before NWTS but you guys would get rallied up.

5) Yeezus
- "This is the craziest shit since in the club"

I am not going to lie but Yeezus rubbed me off the wrong way, but after listening to it about hundred times, I absolutely love YEEZUS. NOW if you know me, you know I am a Kanye West stan. I seriously ride for this genius of an artist and I might be bashed by this but Yeezus didn't reach my album placement criteria. No doubt about it, Yeezus is the most creative innovative, and complexed album of 2013. The sound blew my mind away, but it lacked lyricism. I heard catchy bars, but nothing that blew my mind. If you followed his career and his personal life, nothing in Yeezus was shocking. I enjoyed "I'm In It", "Blood On The Leaves", "Send It Up", and "Black Skinhead"....basically the whole album,  but I seriously can't say this is his best lyrical master piece. But I can say, it's his best produced album after "808&Heartbreak".

6) Magna Carta Holy Grail
- "Blue told me to remind you niggas"

Well, ite sad to say this but Great Hov didn't even place in my top 5. I am kind unsure about this album,  it was great but then I didn't care for it anymore. MCHG was like like WTT but it should of been entitled "Watch The Thone: Fame". I am not here to criticize the album at all; I already did a review on it anyways. I think Jay Z is a great rapper,  I am just not listening to MCHG no more. Yes he did link of with all the biggest producers in the music industry, but I don't care about that. I care about the music. I did love Jay's humor in his lyrics which people don't really notice. I would say my favorite song is "Oceans" ft. Frank Ocean. The message of the song is deep, and I enjoyed Frank's complex and amazing verse on this record. Even though MCHG met all the criteria,  the album turned into tue album of the summer to blah. I enjoyed the album at the moment, but I rarely return  to the album. Shit, it should of been number 8.

7) WOLF
- "Cats On Everything, Cats on Everything"

I actually bought this album. Ha!
You guys need to get with OFWGKTA, seriously. I am not playing with yall *Tyler The Creator voice*. Don't judge Tyler's music by his fashion, offensive lyrics,  and antics. Let's not forget when Kanye shutdown Kanyewest.com and deleted everything off his website just to put up Tyler's "IFHY" ft. Pharrell video. Tyler The Creator produced all of WOLF and directed all of the video off the album. Tyler is not a rapper; he is an creative artist. As I digress, WOLF is a very enjoyable album. Like the rest of the albums on this list, I didn't skip any songs. My favorite songs are "Rusty" ft. Domo and Earl Sweatshirt , "PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer" ft Frank Ocean (Tyler said in an interview that his four part song actually happened all in one night). Tyler The Creator has had an amazing year. Video promo by Yeezus himself, Pharrell, Erykah Badu, and Nas was featured in WOLF, he shared the stage with Pusha T,  Kanye and Kid Cudi, Pharrell was in his in video, and Tyler was also in Pharrell's 24 hour video "Happy". GREAT YEAR TYLER!

8) Indicud
-Kid Cudi

9) Trap Lord
-ASAP Ferg

10) OLD
-Danny Brown

Jay-z's Magna Carta Holy Grail Album Review Part II

Link to Part I of "MCHG" album review: http://thenewclassicera.blogspot.com/2013/07/jay-z-carta-holy-grail-album-review.html

"BBC" ft. Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, and Nas was a fun record. Didn't it remind you of Robin Thicke's "Burred Lines" or is it just me? I loved loved loved the fact that one, the beginning and end of the record had foreign languages featured in it and two, I could hear all of Pharrell, Timbaland, and Swizz Beats tricks of production in the record. These three producers made three different sounds sound like heaven. I would love of video or a comnerical of Beyonce, Jay, Pharrell, JT, and Nas just dancing and vibing out to the sound instead the some of those Samsung Galaxy commerical's with Rick Rubin's bare feet lounging on Jay-Z's couch that were all on our t.v. screens. As I digress, Beyonce was on her "Bow Down" shit saying her mother was a billionaire motherfuckerrrrr, in the beginning of the song. And if this song was about fashion and being fresh, I would of wanted to hear Kendrick Lamar instead of Nas. It would of had a younger fresher feel to the song, and it would be way more fun to see Kendrick in the video....have you seen the "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe Video"?. .. Yea!

Jay-Z sampled voices from the movie "Mommie Dearest" and also snuck a little bit of Biggie Smalls's voice overs for "Jay Z Blue".  This isn't the first song Jay's written about Blue Ivy Carter, he featured her on "Glory" last year. Production wise, this was the poorest production on the album. But on the plus side, the record did deal with real issues in Jay's life like entering fatherhood. The most brutal and honest line of the whole album might of been, "Father never taught me how to be a father". Fuck the Tom Fords, Bugattis, and the money.... We got a little glimpse of Shawn Carter through that line. That was the only time he kept it real with us throughout the entire album. "JayZ Blue" by Shawn Carter.

Jay-Z snapped on "La Familia".  I don't care what anybody says this whole record is about LIL WAYNE! So when Hov raps, "Niggas wanna kidnap wifey, good luck with that bruh" that isn't a reply to Lil' Wayne's song "It's Good", when Wayne said "Kidnap your bitch get that much you love your lady money"? Or when Jay says "Niggas snitching switching teams..." referring to Lil Wayne switching from Team Heat to OKC or Team Saints to Greenbay? Yea! I know I am right. Hov is just protecting his Roc Nation Family aka La Familia. Ye even referenced La Familia in the Rihanna Diamond's remix. I truly think Roc Nation is killing the Hip Hop game. "Phuck Yo Clique" (In my Rihanna voice).

The last song of the album, "Nickles And Dimes" is produced by Mike Dean and this was an okay ending to the album. Jay sample a little of Gonjasufi in this record. He should of put "Heaven" or "Part II (On The Run)" at the end of the song. But Hov did deliver with bars spitting, "Got a thing for nickel plated nines and pretty dimes. Mac 11, I squeeze like lemon lines. Squirt obey your thirst, fashion lines."

Overall, "Magna Carta Holy Grail" sounded great, nobody can tell me nothing. Jay-Z brought the lyrics and gave us an amazing production from the best Hip Hop producers in the game. I have to salute to Pharrell, Travis Scott, Timbaland, J Roc, Swizz Beats, Mike Dean, and the rest of the amazing producers that layed down incredible beats. Thank you! Would I call this album a classic? Ehhh Ugh I don't know. But was this album a success? Absolutely! I can't wait to buy this album in stores July 8th. It's already Platinum by the way...HA! (Elliott Wilson laugh).

Jay-z's 'Magna Carta Holy Grail' Album Review Part I

Jay'z "Magna Carta Holy Grail" has now become available through the Samsung app, but has leaked everywhere else, last night. MCHG is now Jay's 12th studio album, and he claims he is rewritten the rules. Everybody has seen the Samsung Galaxy commercials of Jay, Pharrell, Timbaland, Swizz Beats and Rick Rubin (the white guy with the long bear that is always laying on the couch) introducing the MCHG.

"Magna Carta Holy Grail" started off with "Holy Grail" ft. Justin Timberlake, the only single off of the album. I predict that the radio will blow this song up because Justin is featured in it. "Holy Grail" produced by Timbaland and The Dream, was an amazing start to the album. The distinct piano keys play in the background while JT starts to sing an amazing piece was brilliant.

"I just want a Picassa, in my casa. No, my castle, I'm a hassa, no I'm an asshole". Hov was spitting fire in "Picasso Baby"! On a beat produced by Timbaland, Jay compared himself to Basquiat ("I'm the new Jean Michel"). But even before the comparison, Hov tells us he wants a wife that will fuck him like a prostitute (well damn Hov). Is it me or are Jay and Bey not giving a fuck in their tell-all lyrics. Anyways I enjoyed the bragging and all in this record.

One of my favorite songs on MCHG, "Tom Ford". In another Timbaland production, Hov went ham again (well he did in every song), "It's Hov's time in no time, it's fuck all yall seasons". With Timbalands's chopped and screwed production, Jay's flow couldn't get no better saying things like, "Guns on ya Tumblrs...Fuck hashtags and retweets, nigga. 140 characters in these streets nigga" (well it looks like Jay doesn't run his Tweeter, opps I mean Twitter). At the end of the track, Beyonce whispers and echos with her man saying, "Bad bitch, H-Town". Jay also referenced Molly, a drug that every rap mentions in their record, but this time it was mentioned because it wasn't used, "I don't pop molly, I rock Tom Ford". Thank you Hov for not promoting the use of Molly but promoting the use of Tom Ford. All.Hail Hov!

Now, "FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt" has been hashtagged a hundred times by me. Jay knows what he is going putting these words together. People will hashtag this, but he just said "Fuck Hashtags"...oh well. As I digress, this song is great! I actually want this to be a single. This is the type of song you listen to in a Maybach or Rolls Royce. This record opens up with a long intro from Pimp C, talking about the necessities of wearing jewelry. Rick Ross allows the beat to breath or maybe it's the other way around. Rick Ross's verse was a typical Rick Ross verse, he even mentioned Rebooks (I guess this record was before they fired him). Jay slayed of course spitting, "Hov just landed in Rome nigga. All Hail Caesar's home niggas". I am surprised that Hov matched Rozay's flow on this on. I wanted to hear Ross switch up his flow, but this shows us that Jay has a million of flows.

I think this is my second favorite song out the album man, "Oceans" featuring Frank Ocean. In the beginning Frank Ocean lays down a beautiful yet complexed verse about how the water tells his story, the story of Slavery. He sings, "This water mixed with blood. This Water tells my story. This water knows it all." This song so perfect; it's meaningful and poetic, though I can't relate because my ancestors were not slaves, I still take this song to heart. Jay-z makes a good point, that the only Christopher Blacks know is Wallace, forgetting about Christopher Columbus and George Washington. He raps, "Only Christopher we acknowledge is Wallace. I don't even like Washington in my pocket". Hov really showed as his lyricism, comparing his black Maybach to a slave boat, and much more other things. Is it me or are rappers rapping about "Strange Fruit" and Blackskin Heads"? It's weird how both Ye and Hov both references those two things....

"F.U.T.W (Fuck Up The World)" produced by Timbaland had a jazzy feel with swirling chimes. In this record, it seemed to me that Jay felt has though he had to carry the torch MLK had lighted for Blacks; he is going to finish what was started. Jay raps, "Martin had a dream, Hov got a team". To hear him say that makes a lot of sense; the idea that a black man could make so much money, and be the face of many things is so inspiring. He also spits "When you front row at the Knicks game, those the Spike Lees. You front row everywhere, you in the H.O.V's"......."Make a million another million let my niggas make a million til we all check a billion". Blame Hov still got it!

"Somewhereinamerica" produced by Hit Boy and Mike Dean has a jazzy and old school hip hop vibe to it. I don't know why this song was in the album to be honest, it sounded like a freestyle. He should of released this like a month ago or even today and let this album drop next month. Some positives was the bars, he delivered a little bit. Hov spits, "Knock, Knock! I'm at ya neighbor house. Straight cash, I bought ya neighbor out. You should come to the housewarming, come and see what your new neighbor bout" and "By the way, fuck math. You ain't gotta count it my nigga I can add. 1 million, 2 million, 3 million, 20 million. Oh, I'm so good at math". But what everybody's favorite part was the last line of the last verse and the outtro.... "Cause somwhere in America Miley Cryus is still twerkin'.....twerk Miley, Miley, twerk!" I kind of like this part.

Many people think "Crown" sounds like something off of Kanye West's "Yeezus" album because of the comparison to God multiple times. *Sign* I don't know who listened to who's album first but I do hear some similaries between them. Yeezus comes from Jesus but claims to be God but Hov comes from Jehovah and claims to be God.... At least we know who did their Bible research. Ha! Anyways, I am starting to familiarize myself with Travis Scott's beats because he produced 3 songs off of Yeezus and I could definitely tell this was a Travis Scott production. The production goes hard don't get me wrong but shall I move on to the lyrics? Hov brags, "I sold a million records like a million times....I ball so hard on ESPN. Sell my name come across on CNN, about 6 minutes, you gonna see it again".

"Heaven", produced by The Dream and Timbaland, is one of my favorite songs off the album. Jay talks a lot about religion, kind of comparing his lifestyle to certain parts of the Christian religion, in this sampled Aerosmith's "Dream On" track. Hov raps "I turn arenas into churches. I'm like Michael recycle....these are not 16's, these are verses from Bible. Tell the preacher, he's a preacher. I'm a motherfucking prophet, smoking a tree of knowledge". He even brought up the fact that people question if he is in the Illuminati saying, "Conspiracy theorist screaming Illuminati. They can't believe this much skill is in the human body. He's 6'2, how the fuck he fit in a new Bugatti? Aw fuck it you got me".

"Versus" interlude produced by Timbaland was kind of pointless. Jay, we know whoever's last shit ain't better than your first shit and whoever's best shit ain't better than your worst shit. The only important part of the interlube was him saying, "The truth in my verses Versus your metaphors about what your net worth is....HA!"

Now I enjoyed listening "Part II (On The Run)" ft. Beyonce. Listening to this record took me on a journey, not just their journey but Bonnie & Clyde's journey. I remember when "Bonnie & Clyde" came out and everybody thought Jay and Bey were dating, and in actuality they were. Look at them now, married and have a baby girl. Wow! On to the Beyutiful, opps I mean beautiful intriging lyrics by Beyonce. I was way more interested in what Beyonce was singing rather than what Jay was rapping. The only think I got from Jay was "My baby momma harder than a lot of you niggas" and "She was a good girl til she knew me, now she is in the drop bussin' Ue". In all actuality, I would love to see Jay and Beyonce reform this live. It would take me to that place and just vibe out. I blame Timbaland for making me talk like this ha!

Mike Will Made It! Yes he did, he made it alright...to the top with excellence. This production is fireeee! People are saying that "Beach Is Better", a 55 second song, was the best song of the album. Come on Jay! 55 seconds though? I'm just glad the lady saying "Mike Will Made It" wasn't on the interlube because it would of taken up 10 seconds of the song. Anyways, Jay proved to me that 40 is the new 20, he sounded so young with bars like "I bought sand to the beach 'cause my beach is better. You can keep ya beach 'cause that beach whatever". He made me laugh with the Halle Berry, Beyonce bar, "Girl why you never ready! For as long as you took, you better look like Halle Berry..........or Beyonceeeeeeeeeee!" Ha! You played yourself Hov!

Link to Part II of "MCHG" album review: http://thenewclassicera.blogspot.com/2013/07/jay-z-magna-carta-holy-grail-album.html