#15: 1017 Thug – Young Thug

For better or worse, 2013 has undeniably been the year for trap music. Saturated with molly references, menacing bells, thudding bass and auto-tune, most of this music has been aggressively forgettable. Even the most passionate trap-enthused DJs haven’t kept most of these songs in rotation. Nevertheless, amidst this atmosphere of ephemeral mediocrity, one particular artist is etched into our minds: Young Thug. The Atlanta artist released 1017 Thug back in February, but it’s still a fresh project. Released a few weeks after Young Thug‘s signing to Gucci Mane‘s 1017 imprint, the mixtape reminds us of the unbridled experimentation that characterized trap’s initial emergence. Before trap music had a readily identifiable aesthetic, it was basically the sound of people trying to make money by any means necessary. Accordingly, no stone was left unturned; no idea was left unconsidered. Young Thug keeps that spirit alive, using trap sounds to create music that doesn’t easily fall into the categories of “street anthem” or “club-ready.” 1017 Thug features him truly exploring what trap can do beyond making people “turn up.” Of course, this mixtape will make you turn up, but that’s not all there is to it. There’s some genuine craftsmanship here.

#14: Summer Knights – Joey Bada$$

Young Brooklyn rapper Joey Bada$$ had a hectic 2012. The release of his mixtape 1999 was insanely successful, very quickly propelling him and his Pro Era crew from internet underdogs to widely acknowledged emcees. Yet despite these gains, the year ended with a tragic los:, the suicide of Joey‘s friend and fellow crew member, Capital STEEZ. Joey and company strongly kept chugging along, working with other artists, touring and just generally trying to capitalize on their hard-earned opportunities, but death is a strange and unpredictable experience, so when Summer Knights was announced, there was some genuine trepidation regarding how good the music could be in the wake of such a tragedy. Fortunately, Joey delivers. Whereas 1999 painted Joey and Pro Era as meticulous nostalgists, Summer Knights shows that the crew’s artistic roots extend far beyond 90’s New York. New York’s particular contributions to hip-hop are still central to how Joey creates, but Summer Knights depicts Joey with leanings toward reggae, dub, poetry and arguably even some punk rock, with flows to match.

#13: Cut 4 Me – Kelela

Kelela has the uncanny ability to establish harmony amidst the most elemental chaos. Featuring graceful melodies atop amorphous tracks from producer hive Fade to Mind, Cut 4 Me is 50 minutes of fearless exploration of voice and affect. Strikingly, most of the songs are remixes, yet Kelela stealthily colonizes them all, owning them for herself. Some of these instrumentals truly are intimidating, yet Kelela faces them like a veteran, variously taming them and absorbing their unbridled energy into her melodies. Cut 4 Me is the musical equivalent of the comic book character Storm controlling, unleashing and becoming one with the weather.

#12: King Remembered in Time – Big K.R.I.T.

The consequence of giving fans consecutively stronger releases is the escalation of their expectations. With the release of Live From the Underground, Big K.R.I.T. found himself fighting against the quality of his former releases, much to his chagrin. After all, he made many sacrifices for Live From the Underground, namely its necessarily small number of samples in comparison to his mixtapes. Dealing with the reception of his debut album, the Mississippi rapper doubled-down on King Remembered in Time, actively competing with and trying to best his previous works. He isn’t as successful as he could have been, but the tenacity and the gumption of the project resonate well. K.R.I.T. both gives fans what they want and gives them a potent “STFU,” all while remaining relatively innovative and open-minded. There are surely some misfires, but when K.R.I.T. is on point, he’s truly unmatched. Read our full review here.

#11: No Poison, No Paradise – Black Milk

Black Milk‘s biggest career mistake may have been titling his 2010 LP, “Album of the Year.” While that project certainly stands firm as a great body of work, it is on No Poison, No Paradise that the Detroit emcee/producer crafts his magnum opus and undoubtedly one of the best albums of 2013. From the Mel-assisted opener, the listener is taken on a morose journey through the childhood of Sonny, a fictionalized character brought to life by Black Milk’s own experiences. Think of this as a more flushed-out and hyper-realized version of The Roots’ Undun. “Deion’s House” tells the story of Sonny’s friend, who is a quasi-bad influence, given the fact that he pulls Sonny towards the street life, while at the same time pushes our hero to pursue his musical aspirations. Herein lies the narrative in a nutshell: dealing with the influences of your surroundings while striving towards a greater goal. While Black Milk’s production sometimes garners more attention than his lyrical skills, as do his collaborations with the likes of Danny Brown and Jack White, this is the album that proves that his pen game is just as lethal.

The post RESPECT. Roundtable: The Best 15 Albums of 2013 appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The post Eminem Reveals Marshall Mathers LP 2 Tracklisting and Back Cover Art appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

After giving us a heavy dose of nostalgia in his first video, Eminem gets gritty for the Call of Duty single, “Survival.” The rock-infused cut, produced by DJ Khalil, finds the blonde-again MC in front of a backdrop of graffiti, video game clips, and performance footage. There’s a very nice treat at the end of the video, where we see Em taking a stroll back to his old home which can be seen on the ominous Marshall Mathers LP 2 album cover. Check out the video below and look out for MMLP2 November 5.

The post New Video: Eminem – “Survival” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

What street did me & Mr. Porter live on together in Detroit when we were working as cooks at Gilbert’s Lodge? #MMLP2

— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) September 20, 2013

 The cover is clearly reminiscent of the series’ first–only time will tell if the music reaches back to that career-high too.

The post Album Artwork: Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP 2 appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Marshall is officially back as he gears up for the release of the Marshall Mathers LP 2 November 5. Here we have the official video to lead single, “Berzerk.” The vintage, Beastie Boys-inspired visual features guest appearances from Rick Rubin, Slaughterhouse, Kid Rock, Kendrick Lamar and others. Also, you can check out a purposely-awkward ESPN interview between Em, Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit below. Classic fucking Shady.

The post New Video: Eminem – “Berzerk” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Slim Shady is back in full effect. After a couple of promo videos yesterday, we get the full version of the first offering from the Marshall Mathers LP 2. “Berzerk” is a raucous, energetic record that finds Em switching voices frequently (but, don’t worry, it’s accent-free). The Rick Rubin-produced track samples Billy Squier’s “The Stroke.” Stream it below. MMLP2 arrives November 5.

The post New Music: Eminem – “Berzerk” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Eminem just skyrocketed past everyone and grabbed hold of the most anticipated album of the year title. During the MTV VMAs, a new Beats by Dre commercial aired and stirred up a lot of excitement. The brief 15-second clip announced that Eminem’s new album will be a sequel to his seminal Marshall Mathers LP from 2000. The album will be executive produced by both Dr. Dre and Rick Rubin and arrives November 5. Look out for the first single, “Berzerk,” arriving this Tuesday. For now, you can preview the song in the two trailers below.

The post Eminem Announces <em>Marshall Mathers LP 2</em> Release Date appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.