Top 5 Album Releases September 2022

Top 5 album releases - September 2022

By Philippe Martin 03/10/2022

The mix of amazing albums that were released in September is astonishing. If you’re looking for a softer and more melodic approach, KiD CuDi and Ari Lennox delivered some incredible performances. If you want raw and classic-sounding hip-hop, Freddie Gibbs finally unveils his major label debut “$old $oul $eperately” and “Fair Exchange No Robbery” is one of the best collaborative albums of the year. With that being said, here are the best albums of September 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.

KiD CuDi - Entergalactic
Freddie Gibbs - $oul $old $eperately
Nicholas Craven & Boldy James - Fair Exchange No Robbery
Rome Streetz - KISS THE RING
Long Live DJ Shay - Black Soprano Family
Honorable Mentions

KiD CuDi - Entergalactic

Released as a complimentary soundtrack to his Netflix project of the same name, “Entergalactic” is Kid Cudi’s new album featuring Ty Dolla $ign, Don Toliver, and 2 Chainz. It holds itself well as an independent project, but it can also be listened to with the animated show in mind, making links between the characters and the development of the story. Sonically, it draws a lot of similarities with his previous LP, “Man on the Moon 3”, where he mixed feel-good party songs with trippy ballads. His performance and production choices are also constant, staying true to his roots and perfecting the recipe that makes him successful since 2008.

Distinctively different from the rest of the LP, “Do What I Want” and “Can’t Believe It (feat. 2 Chainz)” are two absolute bangers that see Cudi having fun on trap beats. The first was a good single released in June, and the second is a nostalgic collaboration between two former G.O.O.D Music artists. Humming beautiful melodies is not optional for Kid Cudi. “Ignite The Love” and “Willing To Trust” are two tracks that demonstrate that well. On the production side, Dot Da Genius handles many tracks, creating a familiar playground for the Cleveland artist to flourish.

Released 30/09/2022

Freddie Gibbs - $oul $old $eperately

There is no doubt about Freddie Gibbs’s ability to rap. He’s been at it for more than 10 years, showing the world that he can adapt to any kind of beat and diversify his flow choices on demand. With “$oul $old $eperately” he confirms he can also craft a solid body of work in his own universe, on his own terms. It’s not an easy task to follow up on the Alchemist collaboration and Grammy-nominated project “Alfredo”, as it was a career highlight for the 40-year-old artist, but he does it gracefully in the well-organized 46 minutes runtime. The only random elements about the project are the skits scattered at the end of the songs, never adding real value to the record.

The opener “Couldn’t Be Done” is epic and sounds like a victory lap for Freddie Gibbs. From there, the album goes in different directions with styles ranging from trap music like the banger “Too Much” to sinister boom-bap productions like “Grandma’s Stove”. Gibbs is at his best when he lets real emotions spill out like on the track “Rabbit Vision”, a clear standout cut from the 15-song tracklist. He lets his past and present problems collide to describe the difficulties of transitioning from street life to the global fame he endures. The Indiana native recruits some incredible talent to produce the album with James Blake, The Alchemist, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, DJ Paul, and Sevn Thomas all bringing their A-game for the beats.

Released 30/09/2022

Nicholas Craven & Boldy James - Fair Exchange No Robbery

After much anticipation from the underground scene, the fans can finally listen to the new collaborative full-length project from Nicholas Craven and Boldy James: “Fair Exchange No Robbery”. Including the very good singles “Power Nap” and “Scrabble”, the album is a 10-song effort that plays on the powerful rule of quality over quantity. Every song feels like they belong in both artists’ respective catalogues, marking an artistic high for the Montreal producer and the Detroit rapper. The artwork is especially gratifying for any Canadian that will recognize the maple syrup can that is found in all the respectable households from the Northern country.

Craven brings his flawless sample selections and drumless loops to help Boldy James feel at ease with some incredible production like on the songs “Stuck in Traffic” and “Monterey Jack”. Boldy sounds calm as ever, talking about street life with vivid details and grit. His flow is consistent from start to finish, never sounding off beat and never letting his energy switch up too much. On “0 Tre Nine”, the chemistry between the Griselda affiliate and Gue Wop, the unique feature on the album, is simply mind-blowing as they trade bars for every verse. When it comes to Renaissance rap, “Fair Exchange No Robbery” is a must-listen to better understand the genre.

Released 30/09/2022

Rome Streetz - KISS THE RING

Led by Westside Gunn, Griselda Records are not slowing down when it comes to releasing quality hip-hop albums that mix lyrical verses, diverse production, and great structure. The Buffalo mogul likes to executive produce the records of his label artists. From the artwork to the music itself, he supervises everything to create a quality project. Rome Streez is the latest artist to receive the same treatment as Conway, Benny, Armani Caesar, and Boldy James did in the past years. “KISS THE RING” is a street masterpiece on the same level as his previous album with Ransom “Coup De Grace”.

The LP contains cold verses depicting the rough lifestyles of hustlers, soundtracked by amazing beats from Conductor Williams, DJ Green Lantern, and Camouflage Monk. Rome Streez is wonderful when it comes to creating vivid images of his past crimes, including crispy details that bring weight to his statements. On “Soulja Boy”, he collaborates with Conway for a dark song about the violence of their hood and on “Armed & Dangerous”, he enlists Armani Caesar for a Bonnie & Clyde dynamic that brings a nice change of pace on the overall gloomy tracklist. With 17 tracks and a 50-minute runtime, there is plenty of content for hardcore rap nerds to enjoy.

Released 30/09/2022

Long Live DJ Shay - Black Soprano Family

Driven by Benny the Butcher, the productive group of artists from the Black Soprano Family pay homage to the man that inspired most of them to approach rap professionally, DJ Shay. His legacy is felt on every song, as Benny, Heem B$F, Rick Hyde, Elcamino, and Fuego Base all contribute raw lyrics with boom-bap productions that would hype any rap veteran. Many other artists like Boldy James, Ot the Real, and Dj Premier bring their own energy, resulting in a powerful underground project that proves that the record label should be taken seriously within the hip-hop community.

The best song of the album is undeniable, “297” with Rick Hyde, Elcamino, and Stove God Cooks serves as a melodic victory lap for the showcased artists. With a darker beat and the most impressive vocal delivery on the LP, “Pandemic Flow” is a banger featuring Conway the Machine, Cory Gunz, and Rick Hyde. The latter is the most consistent artist throughout the project, with multiple contributions and no apparent misstep. The new signee to B$F, Fuego Base, is the only odd element of the project as he only appears in the intro where he gets outshined by Westside Gunn’s opening monologue. It would have been nice to hear more about his come-up and see what he has to offer.

Released 09/09/2022

Honorable Mentions

YG – I GOT ISSUES

The Los Angeles artist is back with another project that is efficient, but not quite original for a rapper that has been comfortable in his lane for the last 10 years. The strongest moments on the album are the ones where he opens up, letting the listeners understand whom he has become.

Released 30/09/2022

Ari Lennox – age/sex/location

The Dreamville singer releases a solid RnB project that demonstrates her growth as an artist and a human being, touching on subjects like self-love, determination and confidence. The production is amazing and the featured artists compliment her lovely voice well, never taking the shine away from the main star.

Released 09/09/2022

38 Spesh – 7 Shots

38 Spesh never disappoints when he is focused, like on “7 Shots” where he gathers all the elements of a solid hip-hop LP into a quick 27-minute project. The features are good, the production is well organized and the veteran emcee vocally sounds crisp on every track.

Released 07/09/2022

Ramirez – Tragedy of a Clown

2 years after his excellent album “THE PLAYA$ MANUAL”, the G59 artist is back with a good album showcasing his ability to switch his approach depending on the emotion he wants to communicate. The horrorcore fans will be pleased, and the ones looking for something more melodic will find that “The Root of Demise” and “Intro” do it gracefully.

Released 16/09/2022

Pink Siifu & Real Bad Man – Real Bad Flights

The Birmingham artist teams up with the excellent producing team Real Bad Man for a project that brings the best out of each other. The lyrics are incredible and raw, while the music is psychedelic and toned down to let the rapper shine bright.

Released 16/09/2022