A lot of thought went into creating a top ten list of the year’s best music. But obviously not everyone agrees. So, for the next week, NOW will be posting top ten lists from all our individual music writers – all the different opinions that went into creating that master list. Watch NOW Daily for a new list every day.
1. THE-DREAM Love King (Def Jam/Radio Killa)
The final installment in Terius Nash’s love triptych might be his finest hour. Love King features immaculate production, songwriting and arrangement.
2. KANYE WEST My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Rock star arrogance, mad scientist genius, flourishes of dementia, misogyny and self-loathing make this Kanye’s most oddly cohesive work to date.
3. WAKA FLOCKA FLAME Flockaveli (1017 Brick Squad/Warner/Asylum)
Flocka brings his friends along for the ride on this hard-as-fuck debut. Lex Luger’s production is the icing on the cake.
4. DRAKE Thank Me Later (Cash Money/Young Money/Universal)
Toronto’s golden boy exceeds our impossible expectations without breaking a sweat. A five-star debut.
5. ERYKAH BADU New Amerykah Part 2 (Return Of The Ankh) (Kedar/Universal Motown)
No one can interpolate early 90s rap music like Badu. New Amerykah is a simply beautiful offering from start to finish.
6. STARLITO & DJ BURN ONE Renaissance Gangster (Trashbag Gang)
The one-time Cash Money artist pairs with equally hungry DJ Burn One, delivering measured, super-articulate raps over subdued country beats.
7. JANELLE MONÁE The ArchAndroid (Bad Boy)
A weird, at times tear-jerkingly exquisite romp through Monáe’s influences and idiosyncrasies.
8. TYLER THE CREATOR Bastard (Oddfuture/independent)
Nineteen-year-old California rap phenom shows no timidity when it comes to tackling controversial issues like rape and Nazism on this self-produced debut that raises the bar for aspiring artists.
9. L.E.S. The Beautiful Struggle (Boss Hogg Outlawz)
This member of Slim Thug’s Boss Hogg Outlawz unit takes us on a tour of the South by way of late-night Cadillac drives and Diana Ross samples.
10. VADO Slime Flu (E1/Diplomat)
Cam’ron’s protégé knocks it out of this park on his full-length debut, which drips with millennium-era Dipset bravado.
