This past year was a bit of a blur. Tis the season for self-reflection and all the heartache that comes with it, but also a time to look back on all the music released. Unfortunately, my listening habits in 2018 were worse than ever. I rarely sat down and listened to an entire album, nor did I visit many new artists or releases. Although there were some notable artists releasing music, the year seemed to be plagued with mediocrity. Perhaps that has to do with people like Lil Baby and Gunna storming the gates of the Billboard kingdom, and Travis going Sicko Mode.

Regardless of these sentiments, there’s no denying that quality music was produced. Looking back, there were two albums that stood out to me for vastly different reasons. I’d like to believe that the choices were the result of an internal dilemma I’ve faced this year. On one hand, I’ve tried to grow and individualize myself, become something great: a creator, curator, and an innovator. However, it’s so easy to sit and watch the world go by with nothing to say about it, merely existing. Laziness and comfort prevent a breakthrough to something more, and this sentiment has shaped my view of late.

But, it's still fun to fuck around sometimes. These two albums were personal favorites of 2018.

The Hedonist:

Playboi Carti – Die Lit

As I listen to more music, I hone in on one key aspect: is it something I’ve heard before? With a lot of the mainstream rap I’m hearing right now, there is no innovation, no character. But Playboi Carti showcases something new and interesting, yet in he does it in the simplest way possible. He doesn’t really do all that much. His previous self-titled mixtape offered an invitation to the woozy, drugged-out world of Carti. He stumbled his way through low-fi, bubbly trap beats with lyrics and ad-libs delivered effortlessly, albeit sometimes poorly.

On Die Lit, Playboi Carti perfects his carefree aesthetic. The album starts off with “Long-Time Intro” a bittersweet reflection on Carti’s rise to stardom. He litters the track with ad-libs over a soothing instrumental. This song is one of my favorites this year, and frankly, it just sounds so pleasant. When “R.I.P.” follows, all serenity is lost as the beat immediately introduces a hectic bassline embodying this current so-called “punk-wave” of rap.

"Lean 4 Real" is the first song from the album I fell in love with. The song feels like walking into a party when you’re already way too gone, going through the night in slow-mo. It’s haunting yet inviting, leaving you thirsty for another sip. The ice shaking in a cup of lean at the beginning is a nice touch.

"Lean 4 Real"

Carti’s music is the manifestation of “ignorance is bliss.” He only cares about three things: drugs, girls, and money, otherwise known as the Holy Trinity. But his ability to coexist with the beat and make nonsensical words and noises blend so well is astonishing. Pi’erre Bourne deserves just as much credit, considering he produced nearly the entire record. His production is recognizable, including his signature succession of three 808 drums (see wokeuplikethis* for clear example). Carti and Bourne are seemingly meant for each other. Their styles flourish together, with Carti’s vocals bouncing on top of Bourne’s incredibly catchy instrumentals.

Playboi Carti makes fun earworm music. I’m not trying to say he’s a groundbreaking creative that is changing the game. But if I’m judging music purely from how much I enjoy listening to it, then Die Lit is certainly at the top of 2018. Amongst the immense saturation of trap music very similar to his own, Carti finds a way to individualize himself and remain unique.

Favorite songs: Long-Time Intro, Flatbed Freestyle, Foreign, Lean 4 Real

The Creator

Lupe Fiasco - DROGAS WAVE

This album is bonafide literature. Lupe Fiasco presents a 24 track, hour and a half record with textbook Lupe lyricism. Think about how many words that is. And at the worst, you’re getting solid, quality bars. He is far and away the most underrated rapper that I’ve ever listened to. His previous full-length album, Tetsuo & Youth, was one of my favorite albums of 2015, and it’s upsetting that an album at the artistic level of DROGAS WAVE was critically a flop, failing to reach 5k sales in the first-week.

DROGAS WAVE is a concept-album that explores many themes. This contributed to its lackluster reception, since audiences thought the project lacked cohesion and didn’t really make sense. The album’s first act is a story about the "Longchains, slaves who jumped off the ships and lived underwater, sinking slave ships and saving others." The first song on the album is Lupe rapping in Spanish, shortly followed by a song in Patois, a native Jamaican language. These songs display Lupe’s talent level, since both songs sound natural.

Many people get stuck on the slave ship concept, which Lupe discards about 10 songs in. At this point, Lupe addresses the struggles of black people throughout history and the community today. “Sun God Sam & The California Drug Deals” addresses drug usage in society (this song also has my favorite beat on the album- seriously, especially those hi-hats). Towards the end of the album, Lupe looks back on his own career. Much of his struggle, and perhaps his lack of fame, stems from conflicts he had with his record label, Atlantic. He felt creatively restricted and was unable to make his music. “Stack That Cheese” is an homage to “Hip-Hop Saved My Life” and is supposedly part two of that song.

As expected from Lupe, his wordsmithing and storytelling are top notch. Two of the best songs on this album, “Alan Forever” and “Jonylah Forever” are heart-wrenching when the meanings are understood. The former revolves around Alan Kurdi, a dead three-year-old Syrian refugee washed ashore. In the song, Alan lives on to become an Olympic swimmer and saves a boy from drowning on the beach. The song is incredibly upbeat with an almost joyous instrumental, despite the grim subject matter. On the other hand, “Jonylah Forever” is the saddest-sounding song on the album, detailing the death of a 6-month-old girl that was shot six times. In the song, Jonylah grows up to be a doctor and saves a baby, who is herself.

Although the storylines and intense subject matter can get confusing, the album revolves around overcoming failure and hardship and breaking into something greater. Lupe uses multiple narratives, from the story of the Longchains, to the resurrections of children taken too early, and episodes from his own career to explain the theme of DROGAS WAVE. But no one truly knows what this project is about, and Lupe himself leaves it open to interpretation.

Lupe dropped possibly the most intricate and dense of album of 2018. Alongside stellar production, the lyricism and narration on display makes this the best pure rap album, and next to the likes of Kids See Ghosts overall.

Favorites: Alan Forever, Stack That Cheese, WAV Files, Sun God Sam & The California Drug Deals