Best Hip-Hop Releases: November 2020
Every month we get a brand new crop of hip-hop albums released for the public’s listening pleasure. Usually there are anywhere between five and ten really solid releases that fans of various different genres can appreciate. Every month I am going to write an article highlighting some of the ones I feel deserve a little extra recognition post release. Most of the articles I write attempt to stay completely objective, or at least mostly objective. This is the exception to that rule.
Every month I will go over a list of three to five albums from the previous month that I genuinely enjoyed more than all of the rest. These articles won't be long in depth re-reviews of the albums I highlight. Instead they will be a quick glance at the things that make the album worth listening to. This is not intended to be a deep analytical piece. These articles going forward will stand as a pamphlet type advertisement for a specific few albums. In an effort to keep these albums shorter and sweeter than most, let's get straight into my monthly highlights.
Aesop Rock - Spirit World Field Guide
This was the first album review I posted to The Rap Up. For that alone it holds a special little place in my heart. Aesop Rock proves with this project that age is just a number. His production is as wacky and crisp as ever. Aesop will never lose that touch for outlandish lyrics as long as he lives, and this album puts those elements together flawlessly. The idea of the album feels a little scattered but with the subject matter Aesop is tackling, that almost feels like a positive for the album as opposed to a detractor against. This album is what happens when someone tries to guide and acid trip but through a hip hop album. It is a fun, albeit long, and insightful listen. This album is not for the faint of heart; but those who love getting into the weeds of lyric focused underground hip-hop will probably adore this album.
Megan Thee Stallion - Good News
Megan Thee Stallion decided to gift hip-hop with her debut album this month and it absolutely did not disappoint. Some of the critical reception was a little mixed for this album, as it was for Spirit World Field Guide, and yet that shouldn’t matter to any pop rap fan in the world. Megan comes through with an album that no fan of hers could be disappointed in. The album gets off to a very punchy start as Megan indirectly takes aim at Torey Lanez and his album he released about the incident between the two. If you don’t know what I am referring to, just look it up. The whole situation is way too messy for this blurb. After that we get the traditional club anthems and trap bangers we have all come to know and love Megan for. However, beneath the surface lies a much more personal experience for the fan. Megan is not afraid to use a lot of the brighter and more bombastic beats on the album to get things off her chest. This album is a wonderful listen from start to finish and absolutely worth the price of admission. It debuted at number two on Billboard for a reason.
DaBaby - My Brothers Keeper (Long Live G)
I would be remiss if I did not mention this one. I am a big DaBaby fan and this little EP was a bit of a shock. The project is dedicated to Baby’s late brother who took his own life. DaBaby mixes in his typical style of production but makes the lyrics a lot more personal. There is a very intriguing conversation between the two brothers on the fourth track of this album. There is not too much to say about this other than it is a deeply personal project for the DaBaby and worth a listen for any of his fans.