2015 was one of the most remarkable years in music history and no one can debate that. It seems as if everyone dropped music, this year (except Rihanna and Kanye West). Drake and Future definitely owned Hip-Hop, whether you’re a fan or not. There was beef. There was controversy. There was a little of everything. There were also projects that you might’ve slept on. No worries. Below are 9 projects you should’ve had in rotation, this year. If you didn’t, shame on you, but it’s not too late.

  
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly

Sure. Everyone is aware that Kendrick Lamar dropped his sophomore album, To Pimp A Butterfly, earlier this year, but that doesn’t mean you all weren’t sleep. It was like people woke up, hit the snooze button and rolled back over a couple of times. TPAB didn’t take Hip-Hop by storm like K. Dot’s debut, good kid, m.A.A.d. city did, and I have my own theories as to why. 2015 just wasn’t the year for conscious Hip-Hop. If the track wasn’t one that was about pills and/or lean, and produced by Metro Boomin, people didn’t care. If it wasn’t a song where Drake was going at Meek Mill, it didn’t matter. In any event, TPAB was the album of the year, in Hip-Hop but nobody got the memo, it seems.

http://http://open.spotify.com/album/7ycBtnsMtyVbbwTfJwRjSP

The Internet – Ego Death

Slowly but very surely, The Internet is becoming one of the breakthrough acts in music. This year the neo-soul band, and Odd Future offshoots gave us their third studio album, with Ego Death. If you didn’t have this in your music library, you did it wrong. Hopefully 2016 proves to be even bigger for Syd, Matt, and the rest of the group.

Travi$ Scott – Rodeo

I read other blogs from time to time and the one thing I notice is that Travi$ Scott doesn’t get a lot of love. Some say he wants to be KiD CuDi. Some say he wants to be Kanye West. Some say he wants to be Future. None of that shit matters. What does matter, is that in 2015, Travi$ Scott proved he can make a solid album, with the release of his debut, Rodeo. While I don’t think it’s as good a project as Days Before Rodeo, I do believe that it was money well spent.

Machine Gun Kelly – General Admission

Three years after dropping his first album, Lace Up, Cleveland flag bearer Machine Gun Kelly dropped his sophomore (and first #1) LP, General Admission. This was the one. This was Machine Gun Kelly’s coming out party. Lace Up was a nice project, but General Admission served as evidence that Machine Gun Kelly is more than just a fast-rapping white boy from the Midwest.

http://open.spotify.com/album/1HK1WLip5xwWQYixdF3Jsk

  
Alina Baraz & Galimatias – Urban Flora

I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many people I got hip to Alina Baraz and Galimatias, this year. Individually, they are a singer (Alina) and producer (Galimatias), but together they are pure magic. Their album Urban Flora is a gem. Alina’s angelic vocals paired with the dreamy and chill production of Galimatias, equals endless vibes, perfect for late night drives, having some company over or simply relaxing after a long day.

  
Taliwhoah – Melodies of Madness

Alright, so this project didn’t drop in 2015, but 2015 is when I got hip and put a lot of people on, so I’m including it. Hailing from Los Angeles, by way of London, is Talitha Cross, better known as Taliwhoah and she is good. Her latest project, Melodies of Madness is sonic bliss, as the young singer delivers song after song about love situations that people our age can relate to all too well. If you slept on Taliwhoah in 2015, don’t bring in the new year making the same old mistakes.

  
GoldLink – And After That, We Didn’t Talk

After bubbling under the radar for a little over a year, 2015 is when the world was formally introduced to DMV spitter GoldLink, thanks to XXL making him a part of this year’s freshman class. His debut album, And After That, We Didn’t Talk was an exceptional follow-up to his previous project, The God Complex. With Rick Rubin in his corner, sky is the limit for this young emcee. Be on the lookout for more from him in 2016.

http://open.spotify.com/album/3tlDQco8P9HFoR5CRC1BCj

  
Tae Miles – The Adventures of the Wahoo Village Warrior

If there is one artist who is a complete wildcard in music, right now, it’s none other than Tae Miles. You’re probably like “Who is Tae Miles?”, and that’s okay because at this rate, you won’t be saying that for too much longer. Tae Miles has created a lane all his own, and in 2015 he sent a warning shot with his album, The Adventures of the Wahoo Village Warrior. The genre-bending rapper and singer, should be at the top of any ‘Artist To Check For’ list that you might have.

  
Young Thug – Barter 6

Young Thug turned bontroversy controversy into the beginning of a hot streak, with the release of Barter 6. Remember, this album was initially named Carter 6, as an ode to Lil Wayne’s iconic series, but somewhere down the road the lines got crossed and it created a beef between the two rappers. Renaming the album and avoiding a lawsuit, Thugger used the beef as fuel and created one of the most entertaining projects of 2015, followed by numerous mixtapes. His official debut album, Hy!£UN35 is due out sometime next year.

And there it is. Is there anything else we slept on in 2015? Let us know!

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