These are some of my personal favorite albums of the year. I am not trying to present my opinion as fact or act like I have any authority on deciding what is good music or not. This is simply me making a list of some my personal favorite albums of the year. Cardinal Times would love for you to share your favorite albums with us @[email protected]

Some Rap Songs – Earl Sweatshirt

This long awaited release uses psychedelic samples and lo-fi production to amount to Earl’s most personal, heart wrenching and thought provoking album to date. Earl has proved himself as one of the best lyricists of this generation and has settled nicely into a unique and cutting edge sound.

Championships – Meek Mill

This album is well described by its title. Meek’s first release after getting out of  jail is a triumphant and reflective project which offers both high energy bangers like “Stuck in My Ways” and “Going Bad” featuring Drake, as well as introspective songs like “Oodles O’ Noodles.”

The Carter V – Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne has been trying to release his fifth addition to his ‘ The Carter’ series for a long time but he has been unable to release it due to a constricting situation with his record deal  with Birdman, CEO of Cash Money records. After finally getting released from his deal he dropped The Carter V and showcases why Wayne has been so beloved for so many years through clever one liners and hard beats.

Pieces of a Man – Mick Jenkins

Pieces of a Man is a great addition to Jenkins smooth discography; it’s his fourth studio album. He brings a variety of tracks including loose jazz spoken word tracks reminiscent of the late Gil Scott Heron. “Plain Clothes” and “Gwendolyns Appreciation” were two of my favorite’s off the album.

Die Lit – Playboi Carti

This album put Carti into the mainstream more than ever before. He delivers song after song of bass heavy heat. With star studded features including Bryson Tiller, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Chief Keef and Skepta, Carti is making his own lane with this one. No doubt one of the best albums of the year.

Astroworld – Travis Scott

Astroworld had a lot of hype before it’s release. For many fans the hype was met with a great project. It is a spacey album full of catchy melodies and impactful features such as Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Gunna, Tame Impala, and Kid Cudi. “Sicko Mode” has been playing on repeat for many and has been one of the biggest songs of the year elevating Travis Scott to a level of celebrity only occupied by the likes of Mega Stars such as his fiance Kylie Jenner.

Daytona – Pusha-T

Executive produced by Kanye West, this album is Pusha’s  self-proclaimed “Purple Tape,” referencing the purple packaging of the cassettes released for Raekwon’s legendary  1995 album “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.” This album pays homage to the hardcore Hip-Hop that Pusha grew up on such as Wu-Tang and Mobb Deep using hard hitting drums and harrowing samples to back Pusha’s immaculate lyrical skill. On ‘Infrared’ he throws shots at Drake’s exposed reference track by Quentin Miller for his song “10 bandz” This track was followed up by a full diss track from Drake and a viral response from Pusha. Drake has yet to respond in a full track.

The Wolf of Grape Street – 03 Greedo

The Wolf of Grape Street is Greedo’s second to last album before his recent incarceration and really shows his broad range of talents in singing and rapping. Production wise many of the tracks contain the funky bass  of signature West Coast sound to carry the melody on which Greedo details his experience on living in South Central LA. Greedo is currently doing time for drug charges and his release is highly anticipated by his fans.

Shark Fin Soup – Lerado Khalil

Many may not be familiar with this artist but Lerado is slowly rising in the underground and this tape may be his best project yet. Shark Fin Soup has loud reckless songs like “Mayhem” as well as sad tracks such as “Lost” and “17” which are perfect songs to listen to when you are down or are feeling lost. This short tape is a great introduction project for many listeners who are unfamiliar with Lerado’s music and his name will be surely continue to gain notoriety in the near future.