Top 5 album releases - December 2022
By Philippe Martin 25/12/2022
With December closing a great year of musical releases for hip-hop, it’s time to see what records have stood out in the chaos of the holiday period. Metro Boomin and SZA had amazing comebacks and rap veterans like Bun B, MOUNTWESTMORE, and Ab-Soul proved that their talent stands the test of time. Also, be sure to check out the “Best Rap Albums of 2022” in the blog section.
With that being said, here are the best albums of December 2022. This list contains many independent placements from artists who dropped great albums and some mainstream releases that 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.
- Metro Boomin - HEROES & VILLAINS
- SZA - SOS
- MOUNT WESTMORE - Snoop Cube 40 $hort
- Ab-Soul - Herbert
- Bun B & Statik Selektah - Trillstatik 2
- Honorable Mentions
Metro Boomin - HEROES & VILLAINS
Part of a trilogy, this new album and the second entry in Metro Boomin’s vision is building upon 2018’s “Not All Heroes Wear Capes” in almost every way. The meticulous production is more focused, putting to shame any generic mainstream beats and delivering an epic collection of trap sonics that feel out of this world. The featured artists consolidate that idea by being consistent with their topics, performances, and attitudes. Future, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Young Thug, and 21 Savage are present on multiple songs, creating a nice cohesion in the tracklist. This gives other artists like The Weeknd, Chris Brown, John Legend, and Young Nudy a chance to shine individually when they appear throughout the 48-minute LP.
Full of skits and allusions to the subtle differences between heroes and villains, Metro Boomin creates a universe in which trap stars are worshipped and their haters are labelled as villains. It’s an interesting theme as so many voices have risen against hip-hop artists who promote violence or drug use. Opinions aside, no one can debate Don Toliver’s ability to steal the show on “Too Many Nights” or the impact of Takeoff’s verse on the A$AP Rocky collaboration “Feel The Fiaaaah”. The bangers “Superhero” and “Raindrops (Insane)” set the electric tone early in the LP. “Niagara Falls (Foot or 2)” and “Lock On Me” maintain the quality until the very end, closing one of the best records of the year.
Released 02/12/2022
SZA - SOS
Like her label mate Kendrick Lamar, SZA has become a superstar since her 2017 major label debut “Ctrl”. 5 years later, she finally releases her ambitious second full-length project “SOS”. The sound of the album is diverse, to say the least. SZA is experimenting with trap beats, RNB influences, epic ballads, varied featured artists, and complex vocal performances. This makes for an inconsistent listening experience, but it shows her range of talents and her ability to take risks creatively. It mostly pays off, as “SOS” will please her longtime fans and welcome new ones with a great starting point in her discography.
Released 09/12/2022
MOUNT WESTMORE - Snoop Cube 40 $hort
Composed of four rap veterans from the West Coast, the collective MOUNT WESTMORE is an efficient effort to bring all the best elements of Gansta Rap music into one album. Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, E-40, and Too $hort join forces for an album that is full of bangers and stoner anthems. It’s interesting to see the artists work together in a modern formula that will surely help them all get additional listeners in this algorithm-driven era of the current music business. Staying in their comfort zones for 65 minutes and 16 tracks, each member has the chance to shine as they unleash an impressive amount of rhymes and flows.
The bass-heavy track “Big Subwoofer” was already released on Snoop’s 2021 album “Algorithm”, but it makes sense commercially and artistically to find it here as the lead single of the project. Featuring the Bay area rapper P-Lo, the song “Too Big” is an easy banger that demonstrates the connection between the veterans and the newcomers from the West Coast. “Have A Nice Day” and “Free Game” are stand-out tracks that solidify the position of the four artists as teachers for the next generation. With almost 30 years in the business, they all have some interesting insights into what it takes to be successful and prosper in a highly competitive environment.
Released 09/12/2022
Ab-Soul - Herbert
TDE has been on fire this year, and the label kept one of the best projects for desert. With a 6 year pause from releasing a full-length project, Ab-Soul finally unveils the amazing LP “Herbert”. It was teased by four excellent singles with “Hollandaise” in April, “Moonshooter” in September, “Do Better” in October, and “Gang’Nem” in November. They all fit perfectly within the 18-track album and they even get updated versions, making them feel fresh for anyone who listened throughout the year.
Released 16/12/2022
Bun B & Statik Selektah - Trillstatik 2
Following the first very good collaborative project between the southern legend Bun B and the New York veteran producer Statik Selektah, this new LP arrives just before the year-end to please any boom-bap rap enthusiast. There are numerous features from skilled rappers around the United States, each adding a layer of charisma to the cool and natural persona of Bun B. The UGK member doesn’t have many verses throughout the 10-track project, but each verse is calculated and heartfelt.
The opener “Right Back At It” and the closer “There Comes a Time” feel like they are statements from deep within the Texas native, letting his soul do the rapping instead of riding any mainstream wave. “Only Life I Know” with Smoke DZA and Flee Lord is lyrical murder and a humbling experience for any rapper with easy rhymes. The soul sample on the Big K.R.I.T. assisted track “In My Hand” is timeless and Statik Selektah creates an inspiring instrumental that matches the mood of the verses.
Released 08/12/2022
Honourable Mentions
Babyface Ray – MOB
The Detroit artist releases a lengthy LP full of deep cuts like “Waves On Every Chain” and “Vonnie Song”. He also takes time to have fun on the trap songs “Rap Politics” and “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy” featuring Lil Durk.
Released 02/12/2022
Young Dolph – Paper Route Frank
This is the first posthumous project from the Memphis rapper Young Dolph. It’s a very nice compilation of trap bangers that sound like what we’ve grown accustomed to in the past years. The production is steady and the guest features are carefully chosen by the team behind the release.
Released 16/12/2022
Ransom & V Don – Chaos Is My Ladder
Ransom is not letting 2022 go without another excellent project under his belt. This time around, he teams up with the underground producer V Don for an album that pushes their respective strengths forward while staying true to their sound.
Released 16/12/2022