Top 5 album releases - April 2022
By Philippe Martin & ManWiseUncivilized
08/05/2022
The fourth month of 2022 has brought many lyrical albums and great displays of hip-hop greatness from all the artists listed. For anyone that says that “real rap” is dead and that the pop elements are taking over, please read through all the incredible projects that have been released and let us know what you think.
With summer being right around the corner, here are the best albums of April 2022. This list contains many independent placements from artists that dropped great albums and some mainstream releases that fairly deserve the attention they have been getting. Let us know in the comments what you think about these and if any other albums deserved to make this list.
- Dreamville & J. Cole - D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape
- Pusha T - It’s Almost Dry
- Future - I NEVER LIKED YOU
- Ransom - No Rest For The Wicked
- Wiz Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T., Smoke DZA & Girl Talk - Full Court Press
- Honorable Mentions
Dreamville & J. Cole - D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape
By Phil
The Dreamville team is back in full effect with a surprise mixtape hosted by DJ Drama. Apart from being very nostalgic for anyone who listened to mixtapes online in the past decade, it’s also a great format to showcase many artists from the same label, as they all get their chance to shine in their respective niches without the project sounding all over the place. J. Cole assembled a lot of impressive talents throughout the years with Bas, Cozz, JID, EARTHGANG, Lute, Omen and Ari Lennox. They are all great individually, but together, they create something greater that stretches flawlessly from trap bangers to R&B ballads.
The intro “Stick (feat. Kenny Mason & Sheck Wes)” is an absolute hip-hop gem that sets the energy through the roof for the rest of the project. JID and J. Cole both have great verses and the two other featured artists bring a welcomed punk vibe to the solid beat. The Dreamville leader will only appear on two other solo songs later during the mixtape with the excellent tracks “Freedom of Speech” and “Heavens EP”.
To keep building the momentum, the intro is followed by EARTHGANG’s “Ghetto Gods Freestyle (feat. 2 Chainz)” and the third track continues on the trap streak with Bas and A$AP Ferg tradings bars about their easy rap star lifestyles. “Starting 5” reunites the lyrical power of the label on the same song with Lute, Cozz and Omen bringing classic hip-hop punchlines on a boom-bap beat. It’s a nice change of pace and a great sound selection for the three showcased artists that will lay down brilliant verses further more throughout the mixtape.
The project keeps on evolving as Ari Lennox is featured on the solo track “Coming Down” that is a stylish R&B love song about the impacts of drug habits on her relationship. The 808 bass makes the ground rumble, but her sweet melodic voice balances out the energy perfectly. She’ll appear again later on the tracklist with “Blackberry Sap”, another efficient R&B ballad. With “D-Day”, The Dreamville team is maintaining its status as one of the best music labels of the past years with diverse talents and incredible chemistry between its members. All of this thanks to J. Cole and his continuous efforts to deliver quality music to rap fans.
Released 01/04/2022
Pusha T - It’s Almost Dry
By Phil
The G.O.O.D. Music president is officially back with one of the best albums of the year. He recruits his longtime collaborators Ye and Pharrell Williams for a 12-song LP that is sure to be a reference in the “coke rap” sub-genre as one of the masterpieces of our times. He already released the amazing singles “Diet Coke”, “Neck & Wrist (feat JAY-Z & Pharrell Williams)” and “Hear Me Clearly (with Nigo)” and the rest of the songs blend in perfectly to give a cohesive listen from start to finish. The first track “Brambleton” is an absolute banger with Push delivering lines with deadly precision over the savage beat by Pharrell.
“Just So You Remember” is truly captivating with Ye on production heavily using the sample for the hook and instrumental. It’s equally catchy and raw to add to the already amazing Pusha T catalogue. “Rock N Roll (feat. Kanye West and Kid Cudi)” is a good song without any surprises from what you would expect from a collaboration between the three artists. The sad part is that it may be the last time Ye and Cudi collaborate as the latter mentioned on Twitter that he was tired of the difficult relationship with his mentor. Nonetheless, “It’s Almost Dry” marks a tour de force for the king of cocaine rap as he sets the bar higher than ever before for his competition.
Released 22/04/2022
Future - I NEVER LIKED YOU
By Phil
The Atlanta native and modern trap king is back with a new album full of what you would normally expect from a Future project: heavy bass, muddy flows and one-liners that will either make you laugh or cry depending on your mood. His go-to collaborators Ye and Drake respectively appear on the excellent bangers “KEEP IT BURNING” and “I’M ON ONE”. The Canadian superstar is also featured with Tems on the slower R&B song “WAIT FOR U ” that brings a really nice change of pace to a majorly trap record. Other standout cuts include the hard hitting intro ” 712PM ” and the hypnotic ” PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ ” that recalls the vibe of his excellent 2015 song ” The Percocet & Stripper Joint “.
Future didn’t evolve much since his last solo album ” High Off Life “, but his comeback is weirdly refreshing in a filled landscape of artists that drew inspiration from his sound since he rose to fame in the early 2010s. The deluxe version of the album arrived a couple days later, adding 6 new tracks to boost the streams with the high profile rappers Lil Baby, 42 Dugg, Lil Durk, Young Scooter and Babyface Ray. All the songs never match the quality of the original tracklist, but they add some fun for anyone who has been suffering from withdrawal symptoms after Future’s two year absence.
Released 29/04/2022
Ransom - No Rest For The Wicked
By ManWiseUncivilized
Ransom’s new project ” No Rest For The Wicked ” is a Hip-Hop work of art, the likes of which we’ve been accustomed to in the last few years. The title is quite befitting as well. After finishing last year with the hit album ” Coup De Grace “ featuring cocaine-rap master Rome Streetz, Ransom didn’t rest long before releasing a wicked new project. As with most of his work, the flawless transitions between the songs and his smooth flow make for an easy listen from start to finish, even if the album is almost 40 minutes long. This is helped by the fact that the New-York emcee introduces a contrasting energy compared to other rappers in the game.
Being older than most his counterparts, listeners can feel the album is made out of passion for the art, and not to ” catch a break ” in the industry. This is all the more evident on the track ” Success Overnight ” where the line ” It took me years to get success overnight ” is repeated throughout various rhyme schemes with high emotional impact. The forty-one year old lyricist lays down wise and knowledgeable bars in a polished yet affirmative way over brilliantly sampled beats. Standing out, in an already illustrious project, is his collaboration on three tracks with Montreal-based producer Nicholas Craven. The two have been known to work together in the past. Evidently, the chemistry is still at its finest, epitomized on tracks like ” Circumstances ” and ” Compromised “.
Lastly, the features chosen to compliment Ransom’s style help tie the project together beautifully. 38 Spesh’s cocaine raps spit with his unique flow provide grit and backbone to the album. The same could be said from The Game’s verse on ” Circumstances “. The West Coast rapper’s chill, but tough raps emulates Ransom, making for an outstanding song. Also noteworthy is Willie The Kid’s appearance on ” Imperial Glaciers “. The artist’s multisyllabic rhyming over a sample-filled Craven track is definitely a must-listen.
Released 29/04/2022
Wiz Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T., Smoke DZA & Girl Talk - Full Court Press
By Phil
” Full Court Press ” may not be a very creative project for all the artists represented here, but where it lacks in originality, it makes up in chemistry and delivery. It’s so efficient that you cannot help but to vibe along with some of the most weed friendly artists of the past 10 years. The intro ” Mind Blown ” is surely going in the 420 playlist for it’s smoky references and Wiz Khalifa’s signature style.
Wiz sets the tone for the ten track LP that will cover the same subjects over and over again with the perspectives of Mississippi native Big K.R.I.T and New York’s own Smoke DZA. ” Put You On ” was released back in March and it still sounds amazing as the second song of the album. Towards the end, the single ” Ain’t No Fun ” is a simple southern banger that is sure to lift a party up to new levels of energy. Globally, it’s just great to see them all reunited together under the excellent modern production of Girl Talk for a quick, but necessary project.
Released 08/04/2022
Honorable Mentions
Action Bronson – Cocodrillo Turbo
By ManWiseUncivilized
Whoever said ” not to judge a book by its cover ” undoubtedly didn’t listen to Action Bronson’s new ” Cocodrillo Turbo ” album. The abstractly drawn crocodile gives listeners a taste of the out-of-this-world experience that follows. Beat-makers like Alchemist, Daringer, and Roc Marciano relinquished their usual grimy ambiance for a more eccentric atmosphere. Paired with Bronson’s humorous bars, the combination fits perfectly in the artist’s discography. Completed with verses by Conway the Machine, Roc Marciano, Mayhem Lauren and Hologram, the project is sure to be well received by any Hip-Hop Head looking for a new type of sound.
Released 29/04/2022
Nyck Caution & Charlie Heat – Friend of the Family
By Phil
The very talented New York emcee Nyck Caution teams up with top of the line producer Charlie Heat for a cohesive project that brings the best out of both artists. It rarely slows down in pace with banger after banger of lyrical verses and hyped beats. Featuring great collaborations with Meechy Darko, Kirk Knight, Boldy James and Kenneth Cash, ” Friend of the Family ” is a must listen for any Pro Era fan.
Big Ghost Ltd & Jae Skeese – Authenticity Check
By ManWiseUncivilized
Big Ghost Ltd’s latest prowess features Drumwork Music Group rising star Jae Skeese. Running at 26 minutes, the relatively short album fires on all cylinders from start to finish with very few features. Skeese’s rapid rhyme schemes are beautifully complimented by Big Ghost’s distinctive production style, resulting in a grimy, yet eloquent project.
Released 19/04/2022
Demrick & Rokbottom – Gas Chamber
By Phil
The Los Angeles based artist Demrick is back with another collaborative project with the producer Rokbottom. They deliver a solid old school vibe with beats that recall the blog era rap of the early 2010s.
Released 01/04/2022
Emma Beko – Digital Damage EP
By Phil
The Montreal artist releases another quality project after the very interesting ” BLUE ” dropped back in 2021. It’s sometimes leaning on grunge sounds and it all mixes well with her moody but slick delivery.
Released 08/04/2022