Best Albums of 2021

By Philippe Martin 24/12/2021

2021 has been a great year for music. Especially for the hip-hop genre. There was (and always will be) the mainstream attractions currently driven by Tik Tok and social media as a whole. The most intriguing part though, has been the other side of the industry quietly moving away from « party albums » and going towards more « meaningful albums » that connect with listeners with the help of deep lyrics and emotional performances by the artists. There was a lot of music released by big names like J Cole, Kanye West and Drake, but we also got many albums by independent rappers like Curren$y, Navy Blue and Ransom who are trying to have a slice of the pie from the on-going streaming wars. 

So with the year end comes the look back at the best albums of the year, according to my humble feeling and opinion. I write about projects that I enjoyed and I’ll continue to do so in 2022. Thanks for reading and let me know in the comments below what you think of these choices and if I’ve missed some 2021 albums worth discovering. Enjoy!

  • IDK - USEE4YOURSELF
  • J Cole - The Off-Season
  • Larry June - Orange Print
  • Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic
  • Curren$y - Stoned on Ocean
  • Westside Gunn - Hitler Wears Hermes 8
  • Isaiah Rashad - The House Is Burning

IDK - USEE4YOURSELF

IDK keeps on releasing high quality albums packed with incredible production and impressive collaborations. The list is long, but we can hear some of hip-hop’s most talented artists such as Young Thug, Slick Rick, Rico Nasty and Jay Electronica. The Mayland MC remains the main attraction here, with an album about childhood trauma and how it impacts on our adult lives. IDK is talented enough to have storytelling abilities and incredible melodies, all in the same songs. It’s contagiously fun at times with tracks like « Santa Monica Blvd » or « Shoot My Shot (with Offset)». He’s able to shift to a darker and more vulnerable side of his art with tracks like « Hey Auntie » or « Puerto Rico ». It all mixes together beautifuly to give us a very good record for old and new fans alike. The album got the 2021 treatment with a Deluxe version a couple a months later. We got a new very catchy song « Dinner Date » with Trippie Redd and we got remixes of the original album. Like it wasn’t enough, IDK also covers with ease the song « Rain » by SWV. This just confirms what I already thought, USEE4YOURSELF is a top contender for the best album of the year.

J Cole - The Off-Season

It may not be the most original release from the South Carolina rapper, but it achieves everything well and sets the bar high for what may come next. J Cole wants to prove to the world that he’s at the top of his game and he proves it right with tracks like « m y . l i f e », « c l o s e » and « p u n c h i n . t h e.  c l o c k » . The delivery is flawless and the emotion is raw, especially on « c l o s e ». This album is by far the shortest of his catalog and it’s alright that way.  An abundance of tracks could hurt the overall listening experience, but it remains very good from A to Z. Another difference with his past records is that we find verses and hooks from other artists, which makes a refreshing experience for old time fans. My personal favorite song off the album is the album closer « h u n g e r . o n .  h i l l s i d e », which finds J Cole and Bas on a melody home run. It’s also worth mentioning that the track is co-produced by Montreal producer « DRTWRK ».

Larry June - Orange Print

Uncle Larry does it again. His album « Orange Print » just may be his most solid effort so far, reaching the mainstream ears and pleasing the old fans. His rising popularity and the perks of good living are still the main drivers for the San Fransisco rapper. He doesn’t necessarily innovate outside of his comfort zone, but he delivers some of the best songs of his career with some incredible hooks and tight production. The best single of the album is « Wait On Me », showcasing his ability to craft catchy melodies that will surely stay in your head for days. Behind the boards, we find Mr Dr Rogers, Cardo, Sledgren and many others. Spotlights for me include « 6am in Sausalito », « You Gotta » and « Grand Nash Chronicles ». They all represent Larry June’s art form at it’s best and they are sure to put you in the mood to take a late night drive with a pretty thing by your side. A couple months later during the year, we got the album with Cardo « Into The Late Night », which could of been a bonus side to « Orange Print », but his first album of the year was more ambitious.

Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic

I’ve been an Anderson Paak. fan ever since I heard his incredible album « Malibu » and I’ve always respected Bruno Mars for his ability to reach the inner dancer in everybody. Seeing them team up for their collaborative project « An Evening With Silk Sonic » made me realise the potential they could bring out of each other and the result is far from disappointing. They tap into the nostalgic sound of the 70s by paying homage and making it their own for 31 minutes straight. Singles like « Leave the Door Open » or « Smoking out the Window » sound so good that they dont even compare to a lot of mainstream singles you could hear on the radio. The production and the style are so unique in 2021 that the duo stand out automatically. If, like me ,you’re too young to have lived the 70s and the amazing music that came out during those years, Silk Sonic creates a bridge between the generations that brings old and new together. It basically makes timeless music. My only hope is that I get to see the duo on stage in a city near me (Montreal please).

Curren$ - Still Stoned On Ocean

Many artists are busy releasing tons of music to stay relevant. Who can blame them? Incredible music is being released and automatically forgotten the next week when something hot comes out. Curren$y pushed the strategy further in 2021 with the release of 7 projects. I was happy when he released the third one « Highest in Charge », but I never thought he would go and release 4 more before the end of the year. « Still Stoned On Ocean » is my personal favorite of the bunch, because it does everything right. The New Orleans rapper can put me in the mood of a sunny summer day, right in the middle of October. He makes rapping look easy on tracks like « The Beach (feat. Jim Jones) », « World is Ours » and « Brian De Plama ». The beat selections are more diverse than his other albums, making this one feel fresh like an ocean breeze. My favorite track is « Angels On The Hood », where Curren$y flawlessly raps over one of the best beats of the year, nothing less. He probably knows it, has we get to hear the beat loop for a whole minute before the last hook. 2021 was a good year to be a Curren$y fan, so I won’t blame him if he wants to take a vacation in 2022. Well deserved Spitta.

Westside Gunn - Hitler Wears Hermes 8

Hip-hop is well alive thanks to this impressive release by the Buffalo native, Westside Gunn. All the elements of his gritty universe merge: violence, profit, wrestling and designer clothes. For anyone who hasn’t heard an album by Griselda records, Hitler Wears Hermes 8 is a great place to start. For the rest of us, this double album format packed with 33 songs was like seeing the Avengers assemble. Triumphing. The combination of talent and energy makes this the best Westside Gunn album yet. I loved all the contributions from the featured artists, especially from Rome Streetz, Mach-Hommy, Stove God Cooks, Lil Wayne and Conway the Machine. The production is also on point with returning Griselda collaborators Beat Butcha, Daringer, The Alchemist and Conductor Williams. They create the perfect setting for the rappers to flourish and deliver solid vocal performances. Just take « Right Now » or « Celine Dion » as examples of greatness delivered by the whole creative team. The vibe of the album is also carried by a handful of skits that are as funny (Julia Lang) as they can be philosophical (End How You Start Intro). 

Isaiah Rashad - The House Is Burning

2021 finally marked the return of the very talented TDE rapper Isaiah Rashad. His new album reminds us that a pause can be beneficial to create something cohesive and profound. His music is simplistic on the surface, but he delivers bars worth revisiting twice on music that grabs you by the soul. It’s quite a ride from start to finish, especially with 4 additional tracks on the deluxe edition we got later during the year. The second song on the album, « From the Garden » , is a trap banger  featuring Lil Uzi Vert that could of been a mainstream reach, but ended up being an excellent mosh pit creating single. Three 6 Mafia’s influence can be felt on « RIP Young » and « Lay Wit Ya », two songs sampling the group. The Tennessee rapper quite honestly pulls it off by paying homage and setting a dark vibe behind the beautiful melodies. There are plenty of other collaborations on the project, including his label mates Jay Rock and SZA who fit perfectly in Isaiah Rashad’s universe. I had nice car rides at night listening to the album, especially with the addictive « Headshots (4r Da Locals) » and the outro « HB2U ».