For years I wondered how a grocery list of three items could turn into me pushing a cart around Walmart for two hours. After changing this article from a top 10, to a top 20, to a top 25, I now understand.
I came into this article confident that this would be an in-and-out operation. I would list my top 10 projects of the year, drop a short paragraph under each to highlight the artist and the project, then I'd go back to my dominant life as a 7'2 rebounding rim protector. After realizing way too many good projects were being left out, I came to the harsh realization that 2k would have to wait.
Disclaimer: Music is art. Art is subjective. You may not agree with my list. It's okay for you to be wrong. Just kidding, I would love to hear your list.
Honorable Mentions:
Carter V - Hear me out. The Carter V, but 8-10 songs less. The album would immediately jump from honorable mention to inside the top 10. Nevertheless, the hour and a half album reiterated what many of us already knew -- Lil Wayne is one of the 10 greatest rappers of all time.
The Kids Are Alright - Remember those little kids that covered "Pretty Hurts" so well Beyoncé went out and signed them? Well, their names are Chloe and Halle Bailey and they're grown now(swear, I didn't plan this pun). In their debut project with a standout feature from Joey Bada$$, the sisters deliver one of the best R&B projects 2018 had to offer.
November - It's ridiculous how deep the talent of TDE is. SiR kicks his second album off with the brutally honest admission that he would trade his girl's love for a Grammy and doesn't stop confessing to relationship issues from there. Partly due to him being signed to TDE and partly due to his ties with legends like Stevie Wonder, it feels like November was just the beginning of SiR's acsension to stardom.
Beastmode 2 - Maybe it was Future fatigue or maybe it was the labeling of the project but Beastmode 2 didn't receive anywhere near the recognition it deserved. Future gave the world aux-material, lip-sync story material, and vulnerable confessions only to be met with a worldwide "y'all heard something?" When the average listener looks back on the legendary discography of Future, they'll be in for an underrated collection of gems in Beastmode 2.
Goodbye - It's ridiculous how deep the talent of TDE stretches. SiR kicks his second album off with the brutally honest admission that he would trade his girl's love for a Grammy and doesn't stop confessing to relationship issues from there. Partly due to him being signed to TDE and partly due to his ties with legends like Stevie Wonder, it feels like November was just the beginning of SiR's ascension to stardom.
25.) Testing
After a three year hiatus filled with multiple album teases and doing literally everything except rapping, A$AP Rocky finally made his solo return in 2018. Thanks to some of the best verses on both volumes of A$AP Mob's Cozy Tapes, fans of the mob's most popular member figured Rocky's third album would be a rap masterpiece. However, Rocky had other plans as he stayed true to the album's title and tested out a number of deliveries throughout the project. Songs like "Brotha Man", "Changes" and "Kids Turned Out Fine" showed the progression of Rocky as an artist and added to the intimcy of easily his most ambitious album to date. Had it not been for the Drake-Pusha T beef overshadowing its release, Testing would have received the recognition a project of its caliber deserved.
Fav Tracks: Buck Shots, Gunz N Butter, Tony Tone, OG Beeper, A$AP Forever
24.) DiCaprio 2
J.I.D's flow and voice generates a lot of Kendrick Lamar comparisons, but the comparisons die down when it comes to subject matter. Dreamville's young star lacked the willingness to match his superior rap ability with any semblance of a consistent rapping point. DiCaprio 2 changed that(somewhat). Rather than just using his undeniable skills as a rapper to punchline his listeners to death, J.I.D uses that ability to talk about the death he was surrounded by growing up, warn others about drugs, and admit his own personal failures. The Mac Miller post-produced and arranged project was a large step for one of rap's most promising careers.
Fav Tracks: Workout, 151 Rum, Westbrook, Off da Zoinkys
23.) Last Day of Summer
In less than 30 minutes of time, Summer Walker attacks gender norms on "Girls Need Love", creates a story where she serves as a Denzel Washington-esque relationship equalizer on "Karma", and details the emotional support she yearns for on "Shame". The project is 11 songs that are equally powerful as they are gentle. Considering that Last Day of Summer was created in Summer Walker's bedroom, it makes sense that the project sounds like a powerful diary entry from a normally soft-spoken person.
Fav Tracks: Just Like Me, BP, Deep, Karma
22.) Scorpion
Again, hear me out. Scorpion, but 8-10 songs less. Drake would undeniably have his second(maybe third, that's an article for another day) classic. Instead, one confusing beef and a deadbeat dad allegation subjected the world to rushed lines like, "I'm not with the ra-ra/I am a dada." Sigh.
Despite a few cringe-worthy last-second P̶A̶R̶T̶Y̶N̶E̶X̶T̶D̶O̶O̶R̶ Drake lines, Scorpion is still one of the best projects of 2018. There was a podcast we did where Drake was compared to LeBron James, and I went off on the very idea that Drake was the best in rap like LeBron is in basketball, but the comparison holds weight in terms of expectations. Lebron dropping 25/5/5 in the Finals is great for just about anyone else, but it's not great when the world has seen you drop 50-point triple-doubles. The same applies to Drake. Creating an album on the level of Scorpion is great for just about anyone else, but not when the world has heard Take Care.
Fav Tracks: Elevate, Jaded(click for great song background/theory), Peak, Finesse
21.) Drip Season 3
There are three albums on this list I'm certifying as "trap classics". Gunna's Drip Season 3 is one of them.
Fun fact: Following the release of Drip Season 3 on February 2nd, the question "what does no cap mean?" jumped from a zero percent interest on Google trends to a 32 percent and increased every week following. Was that fact relevant to the quality of the album? No, but it does show the impact Gunna's breakout project had.
Clocking in at barely over 50 minutes, the Young Thug protege's third installation produced 17 songs of head-nodding aux-material and made him a star in his own right.
Fav Tracks: Oh Okay, Spending Addiction, Top off
20.) Lost & Found
Real tweets illustrating the two ends of the Jorja Smith spectrum:
"Young Thug sings better than Jorja Smith."
"I would let Jorja Smith spit in my mouth."
Part of me wishes Jorja Smith went the H.E.R. route and kept her identity/face a secret. Her beauty causes audience reactions of either lust or jealousy that overshadows her genuine talent. This is illustrated in her debut album selling just 13,000 first week, despite co-signs from Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
Throwing audience opinions and low first week sales aside, the 21-year-old released a stellar debut project. With topics ranging from sudden death to capitalism to forced love, it's clear to anyone willing to listen that the UK singer is far more than a pretty face.
Fav Tracks: Tomorrow, Goodbyes, Don't Watch Me Cry, February 3rd
19.) K.T.S.E.
K.T.S.E. was Teyana Taylor's first project since her studio debut VII put the world on notice. Despite the album receiving the least amount of attention of Kanye West's famous Wyoming five, K.T.S.E. still managed to serve as an impressive follow-up to Taylor's first album. Even with West seemingly treating Taylor as an afterthought, brilliant samples like The Delfonics' "I Gave to You" on "Gonna Love Me" makes the singer/dancer/actor/tv star's voice and lyrics shine throughout the project.
However, a bobbled release date and the limiting nature of West's seven-song format(K.T.S.E. was the lone album with eight tracks) stopped Teyana Taylor from garnering the type of attention her content deserved.
Fav Tracks: Gonna Love Me, Issues/Hold On, Rose in Harlem
18.) Whack World
When Solange, Earl Sweatshirt, Andre 3000, and Lauryn Hill compliment your album chances are you're on the right path. With her debut project consisting of 15 songs at exactly one minute each, Tierra Whack isn't just on the right path -- she's paving a new one. Whack World is the definition of creativity. From the production used to the use of an alternating country to a European accent, the Philly artist keeps the listener on their toes. Then just as quick as you get engaged, the one minute song is over.
15 minutes of what is essentially a compilation of glorified demos are impossible to complain about because those demos are not only polar opposites to each other but they're also some of the best 60 seconds you've heard all year. Whack World introduced Tierra Whack as one of music's most creative minds and has anyone who listened wondering just how high a full-length Whack project could reach.
Fav Tracks: Flea Market, Cable Guy, Silly Sam, Waze, Fruit Salad
17.) KOD
Normally when thinking about how an artist can reach his or her full potential, I think a more personal relationship with their production's development and finding certain messages to talk about is the answer. J.Cole is the complete opposite. Thanks to being the youngest sibling, I've been a fan of J.Cole since 2007, making me a Cole fan before I could even write in cursive(the most useless learning objective).
With that being said, it's time for Cole to switch it up. KOD is a good album with a great message of warning about substance use, but J.Cole is better than a good album with a great message. Cole has the talent and potential to be an all-time great, but as his bodying of features suggest, his do-it-yourself mentality towards his own albums is holding him back. KOD is one of the best projects of the year, but with the talent he has, J.Cole is supposed to be making some of the best projects of a generation.
`Fav Tracks: Motiv8, Brackets, Window Pain, The Cut Off
16.) Dying To Live
A summary from Kodak Black aficionado, Darnevin Camille:
I’ll cut to the chase, this is top to bottom Kodak’s best album. When most think of Kodak, they don’t think of much. Some think he’s nothing more but a catchy hook, others think he’s just another mumble rapper with a few club bangers. Dying To Live proves that Kodak has more to give than many think. From the intro “Testimony” to his outro “Could Of Been Different”, Kodak shows the substance he can bring on any given song. This album lacks the hit records we usually see from Kodak, but we see an introspective look inside a troubled young man that is finally seeing his worth and that’s something the radio won’t understand. Core fans(like myself) know Kodak can be a street poet but we are also seeing an evolution of the finesse kid that can make him a superstar of the mumble era.
I enjoy the entire album, but a few songs stood out. One song being Malcolm X.X.X. This song is dedicated to the late XXXtentacion and Kodak has excerpts from an interview of civil rights leader Malcolm X. My favorite line from the song would be “You would hate to see reach my full potential, you want me robbin, poppin mollies, poppin pistols”. People just see Kodak as a rapper who’s in and out of jail and don’t see that he’s a 21-year-old young man with lots of potential. That line shows he’s done with the shenanigans and focusing on his career. The other highlights of the album were Calling My Spirit, Identity Theft, and Testimony. Dying To Live was 9/10 and if we get to see Kodak continue to trend upward like this, we have a legend in the making. Glee.
Fav Tracks: Malcolm X.X.X., Calling My Spirit, Identity Theft, Testimony
15.) Hive Mind
In her debut solo album "Fin", Syd delivered arguably the most underrated project of 2017. Also in 2017, an 18-year-old Steve Lacy single-handedly showed the world how dazzling his talent is with just 15 minutes of iPhone recorded songs. Factor in Matt Martians' respectable "The Drum Chord Theory" and the potential around any 2018 Internet project was as high as that of each individual member.
The Internet materialized and lived up to that potential with the creation of Hive Mind. Sticking to the definition linked to the title, The Internet created a collective experience for its audience. Members effortlessly swap from instrument to instrument as the group runs with sounds and ideas from each member. That band chemistry can be heard from "Come Together" to "Hold On", as Hive Mind proves The Internet is at the top of their game.
Fav Songs: It Gets Better(With Time), Mood, Come Over, Stay the Night
14.) Championships
We're officially in the stage of the list where each of these projects could be viewed as a top 10 project of 2018. Personally, I view each of these projects as an 8.5 or greater and have argued with myself over the positioning of numbers 14-1 up to this very moment.
Championships is the best album Meek Mill, one of rap's most talented artists, has made. Whether the success of the album is from choosing classic production or speaking on a much-needed topic like prison reform, Meek Mill aced every element of his post-prison album.
Starting an album with a Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight" sample is equivalent to walking up to the mound and pointing to the stands(a baseball metaphor, I'm really growing as a writer). Meek Mill knocked Championships out of the park(not my proudest sentence). With that being said, if Meek would have ended the album after "24/7", cutting off seven tracks, he would have arguably had the album of the year and one of the best I've ever heard. Nevertheless, Meek Mill delivered.
Fav Tracks: Trauma, Championships, Splash Warning, Respect the Game
13.) Dirty Computer
In the practice of being completely honest, I didn't even know Janelle Monae had dropped an album about a month ago. In fact, when told Janelle Monae had a really good album I was picturing the woman who was trending for deep throating a mic(I now know that was Jill Scott). So it's safe to say I had zero expectations of what I was getting myself into when I pressed play on Dirty Computer.
What I had gotten myself into was a creative, confident album that had successfully stood up for multiple cultures. On "Django Jane" she unabashedly "takes the mic" from men as she raps lines like "we gon start a motherfuckin' pussy riot", "black girl magic/I know they hate it", and "nigga, move back, take a seat, you were not involved/and hit the mute button/let the pussy have a monologue". The monologue Monae performs on Dirty Computer deserves a standing ovation and cements her as a major voice within multiple mistreated communities.
Fav Tracks: Django Jane, Make Me Feel, I Like That
12.) Room 25
If Macklemore's "The Heist" winning Rap Album of the Year over "Good Kid M.A.A.D City" wasn't enough to destroy the Grammy's rap credibility, Noname not receiving a single nomination definitely should.
Noname isn't a rapper; she's a poet who can rap. Room 25 illustrates just that, as she flows through her tales of heartbreak and fearlessly dives deep into her mind. With lines like "I know you never loved me but I fucked you anyway/I guess a bitch like to be lonely," Noname is letting the world read an open letter to herself and the guy that broke her heart. Her voice is smooth throughout the project, but don't let that confuse you -- she is talking her shit. On the track "Ace" she boasts, "Room 25 the best album comin' out" and no one can really argue against it.
Fav Tracks: Blaxploitation, Don't Forget About Me, Window
11.) Harder Than Ever
In case you forgot or skipped over number 21 on the list, "Drip Season 3", there are three trap classics being crowned in this article. Lil Baby's "Harder Than Ever" is number two. The musical year of 2018 belongs to someone else(we'll get to him later), but if there's a second spot for who had the best year it's Lil Baby.
To be 1000 percent honest, if someone held a gun to my head and told me to name five tracks off "Harder Than Ever" I would pull the trigger myself. And I say this after looking at the tracklist literal moments ago; however, that lack of memory is what makes the album so special. Knowing the names of single songs isn't important when each song generates the same euphoric experience as the last.
There's something for every ear, as Lil Baby features mainstream artists like Drake, Young Thug, and Lil Uzi along with hard-spitting underground artists like HoodRich Pablo Juan, Moneybagg Yo, and Starlito. However even with an impressive collection of features, Lil Baby is the star that shines brightest as he creates trap anthem after trap anthem.
Fav Songs(Irony): Life Goes On, Right Now, I'm Straight, Leaked
10.) Isolation
I, like many others, became a fan of Kali Uchis after her standout feature on Tyler the Creator's "See You Again". However, no standout feature could've prepared me for the quality of Isolation.
In just 47 minutes of music, Uchis creates an almost cinematic listening experience that few artists possess the talent to construct. With features like Jorja Smith, Steve Lacy, and Tyler the Creator, the Uchis-orchestrated project is filled with a talented supporting cast, but it's clear who leads the way. The stellar production matched with Uchis' silky voice immerses the listener into an experience that feels like something straight out of Scarface(before everything took a turn that is).
The Uchis directed album provides a new way of looking at "gold-digging" women, talks about both successful and failed love, and uses her single "Tyrant" to discuss her opinion on the sad state in which she views the world. It's safe to say Uchis came out the gates swinging with one of the best debut albums of 2018.
Fav Tracks: Flight 22, Gotta Get Up, Dead To Me, Your Teeth In My Neck
9.) Some Rap Songs
Three and a half years. The world waited three and a half years for Earl Sweatshirt to drop 25 minutes worth of music, and no one complained. That alone tells you all you need to know about the 24-year-old's third studio album.
Some Rap Songs is an artist fully coming into his own. In Doris, Sweatshirt's first album, Earl's lyrics spoke on depression, but the overall production from voice to instruments to features painted a different picture. Earl's second album, I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside, was far darker, but felt lacking in the instrumental department as he relied on his monotone voice and stripped production. From the brilliant instrumentals to the naked mental confessions about his depression to the lack of features, Some Rap Songs is the defining Earl Sweatshirt album. He says just that on "Nowhere2go" when he raps, "tryna refine this shit/ I redefine myself/ first I had to find it". Sweatshirt found himself and the quality of Some Rap Songs proves it.
Fav Tracks: Azucar, Shattered Dreams, December 24, Eclipse, Veins
8.) TA13OO
Maybe the meme'ing of "Ultimate" forever damaged Denzel Curry or maybe h1m typ1ng lik3 th1s turns listeners off or maybe his music is just too loud. Whatever the case may be, Denzel Curry and the projects he puts out are far too underrated.
I figured it would be hard for the Florida rapper to outdo his debut album Imperial, but TA13OO outdoes just about every rap album of 2018. Separated into three four-song sections, Curry put out one of the most ambitious albums of the year and that ambition pays off. Curry details the separation as "the light, the gray, and the dark side," but the introductory track darkly positions him as a possible sexual shoulder to cry on for an abuse victim. The darkness of TA13OO persists as Curry contemplates suicide, homicide, and the state of his home state.
TA13OO isn't all dark though, as Curry returns to his SoundCloud origin with bass-filled playful tracks like "SUMO" and "Super Saiyan Superman". Ironically, Curry shines brightest when he uses his talent to focus on dark themes; nevertheless, TA13OO paints Curry as one of the most talented artists to get famous from SoundCloud.
Fav Tracks: CLOUT COBAIN, PERCS, MAD I GOT IT
7.) Daytona
Daytona is the best pure rap album of 2018. If I would've made that prediction at the beginning of the year a majority of the world would've asked one of the two: "What year is this?" or "Who?"
At 41-years-old and well over a decade in the game, it's safe to say the world knows what Pusha T is going to rap about for the most part -- selling drugs and the lifestyle that comes along with it. The fact that everyone knew the subject matter and still managed to get through the 21 minutes impressed speaks volumes about the talent of Push's pen.
However, it's the mind of Kanye West that brings Daytona life. Three of the songs, "Hard Piano", "Come Back Baby", and "Santeria" don't even have hooks - just well-placed samples. Production wasn't the only way Kanye positively effected his G.O.O.D. Music affiliate as the seven-song layout gave Push just enough time to out rap the field, but not too much time to bar the audience to death.
Pusha T's 2018 will be remembered by most as the year he beefed with Drake, but when his catalog gets looked back on the classic that is Daytona will stand out.
Fav Tracks: Hard Piano, What Would Meek Do?, The Games We Play
6.) My Dear Melancholy,
When the title "My Dear Melancholy," was announced, The Weeknd had my attention. When the ominously dark cover art started popping up, The Weeknd had my interest. When "Call Out My Name" started playing, I knew Abel would soon have my soul. I thanked Selena Gomez for breaking his heart. I thanked Bella Hadid for moving on. I thanked God because dark The Weeknd was back and that popstar Starboy was dead.
In just the time of your average Family Guy episode, The Weeknd quenched the world's dark romantic thirst. No other artist is capable of capturing the blend of confidence, somber remembrance, and unapologetic apologies like The Weeknd. On "Call Out My Name" he spills his heart out over how he was willing to give a piece of himself for his ex's life only to say she wasn't even half of another one of his exes just two tracks later. He then makes it his mission to let the better ex know that "this dick is still an option" and "if you call me up/I'm fucking you on sight." From apologizing for the mental stress he caused his ex to his admission to unhealthy coping mechanisms, The Weeknd talks about the dark elements of a relationship that only someone with his blend of talent and gloomy persona can.
The relationship cries. The sexual cockiness. The ever-present drug references. The Weeknd the world loves appeared in full force on My Dear Melancholy,.
Fav Tracks: All
5.) Astroworld
Astroworld isn't Travis Scott's best project; it may not be his second-best project either, and if I was feeling really edgy, I could even argue that it sits fourth on his personal catalog ranking(an article for another day). With that being said, Astroworld lived up to the hype.
Remember when I said 2018 almost was the year of Lil Baby, but someone else took that title? Travis Scott is that someone else. From quadrupling his projected first-week sales(125k to 537k) to his single "SICKO MODE" being the number one record in the world four months after its release, Travis Scott made the difficult leap from star to bonafide superstar.
Say what you want about Travis: "he doesn't even rap", "he's not making these sounds from scratch like he says he is", "he cheated the sales system with sweaters", it's evident that he has an ear for music that only a handful of others possess. The beauty of the Stevie Wonder harmonica on "STOP TRYING TO BE GOD" and the feature of the year verse from Don Tolliver on "CAN'T SAY" all points back to Scott curating the best sound experience possible for Astroworld. Travis Scott may not be the best rapper alive, but Astroworld proves he may be the best sound curator of this generation.
Fav Tracks: CAN'T SAY, ASTROTHUNDER, R.I.P. SCREW, 5% TINT, SKELETONS
4.) Die Lit
On Die Lit, the south Atlanta rockstar rapper not only embraces his distinct voice but he exaggerates it, making his style impossible for other artists to replicate without sounding inauthentic and forced. This progression in style sets Carti up for a genuine classic(not marginalized by the trap category) third album, as he continues on his path to megastardom.
After the success of his self-titled stellar debut album, Playboi Carti's development as an artist was going to be one of the most interesting. How could Carti improve on an entire album of recitable aux-material? By making another album filled with recitable aux-material, but with an energy and style that only he can pull off. No other artist can pull off the cottonmouth voice Carti uses on "Flatbed Freestyle" or make buying a cardigan sound like a flex. Only Playboi Carti.
On Die Lit, the south Atlanta rockstar rapper not only embraces his distinct voice but he exaggerates it, making his style impossible for other artists to replicate without sounding unauthentic and forced. This progression in style sets Carti up for a genuine classic(not marginalized by the trap category) third album, as he continues on his path to megastardom.
Had it not been for an out-of-place iPhone 4 quality feature from Bryson Tiller and Nicki Minaj delivering one of the worst verses of the year, Die Lit could have finished even higher on the list.
Fav Tracks: Flatbed Freestyle, Home(KOD), Top, R.I.P., Long Time
3.) Swimming
Even though the quality of Swimming could compete with any project of 2018, attempting to compete with the release of an album that's been hyped for years(Astroworld) wasn't the best decision. That's about all Mac Miller did wrong in terms of Swimming. He sets the tone early when he melodically delivers the lines, "I just need a way out of my head/I'll do anything for a way out of my head". Following his breakup with the 'The Divine Famine' muse Ariana Grande, Miller doesn't take any shots at his ex or her then-fiancé on the hour-long album; instead, he fills the album with an intense detailing of his personal mental battle and paints a picture of only having himself to lean on. Swimming feels like a therapy session where Miller fully accepts the battle ahead and lets his doctor(in this case, it's the audience) know exactly where he is emotional.
1.) Swimming is Album of the Year quality.
2.) The posthumus acknowledgement Miller is receiving is what he should've had from the beginning.
Even though the quality of Swimming could compete with any project of 2018, attempting to compete with the release of an album that's been hyped for years(Astroworld) wasn't the best decision. That's about all Mac Miller did wrong in terms of Swimming. He sets the tone early when he melodically delivers the lines, "I just need a way out of my head/I'll do anything for a way out of my head". Following his breakup with the 'The Divine Famine' muse Ariana Grande, Miller doesn't take any shots at his ex or her then-fiancé on the hour-long album; instead, he fills the album with an intense detailing of his personal mental battle and paints a picture of only having himself to lean on. Swimming feels like a therapy session where Miller fully accepts the battle ahead and lets his doctor(in this case, it's the audience) know exactly where he is emotionally.
Throughout Swimming, Mac Miller provides the openness fans plead for and in doing so generates one of the most memorable projects of the year.
Fav Tracks: Self Care, Small Worlds, Perfecto, Dunno, 2009, Come Back To Earth
2.) East Atlanta Love Letter
You know what I'm going to say it, if 6LACK had a better name he'd be bigger than Bryson Tiller. Both artists are two projects in and the mean quality of 6LACK's is better than that of Tiller.
East Atlanta Love Letter was far from being highly reviewed; Pitchfork said the album "had little to say" while Anthony Fantono gave it a 4/10, but the reviews don't do the album justice. The Weeknd comparisons hold weight for 6LACK. He's cocky, dark, and brutally honest to his relationship partners. That honesty is shown in lines like "if you love me better fuck me like you 'bout to lose your place to the girl next door". However, 6LACK differentiates from The Weeknd in vocal performances and the substitution of drug references with talks of the pressure he faces. The tone of East Atlanta Love Letter is set after each nonchalant bar and note from the east Atlanta singer/rapper.
The album also is home to two of 2018's best features, as Future and J.Cole perfectly fit into two of the album's top songs -- East Atlanta Love Letter and Pretty Little Fears. 6LACK lives up to the name he's most compared to as they both deliver two of the year's best R&B projects.
Fav Tracks: East Atlanta Love Letter, Disconnect, Pretty Little Fears, Sorry
1.) Kids See Ghosts
Had it not been for the actions of Kanye West, I firmly believe Kids See Ghosts would still be talked about to this day. The Kanye West-Kid Cudi collab project surpassed all the hype their past partnerships created.
Not only did the legendary duo create an album filled with great music, but they paired that music with a much-needed message of mental and spiritual healing. Since his emergence into music, Kid Cudi has been one of the lone voices brave enough to speak on his battles with mental illness, making him the artist many people turn to in their time of psychological need. With the emergence of artists like XXXtentacion and Earl Sweatshirt, Kid Cudi isn't the lone rap warrior in the mental illness struggle anymore, but his message still has the same life-saving effect.
With his 2018 diagnosis of bipolar disorder, Kanye West joined in on the fight. The decade-long brotherly chemistry between Cudi and West is clear throughout Kids See Ghosts, as the two deliver phrases to live by back-and-forth. "Keep moving forward" and "Lord shine your light on me" on "Reborn" and "Cudi Montage" are two of the most alleviating hooks I've ever heard outside of the Gospel genre.
Kid Cudi does what he does best, as he creates a melodic peaceful setting for every track on the project, while Kanye West raps some of his most inspired verses since The Life of Pablo's "Saint Pablo". The turmoil surrounding Kanye West may have overshadowed the project initially, but the legendary careers of West and Cudi added another classic to their resume in 2018's Kids See Ghosts.
Fav Tracks: All