2016: Albums of the Year: Part 4!!

This year was a great year for music, here's the last set of albums. Incase you missed 1, 2 & 3. Enjoy xx

J Cole - 4 Your Eyez Only

Like every Jermaine album I was excited for this as it was sorta unexpected and the documentary 'Eyez' made it even more anticipated. This album to me is a story of his friend's life but also relates to his own life. I feel like the album tells a story in someone else's perspective rather than Cole's (well some of the album). The project talks a lot about death, fatherhood, marriage, crime and more. The album mentions a bit about his mental state where he wanted to give up on life (on 2014 FHD he mentioned how he was unhappy), him falling in love, the death of his friend, a real life story of a SWAT team showing up at a house where the album was partly recorded named Sheltuh on 'Neighbours', him 'Foldin Clothes' for his wife and then to 'She's mine pt 2' where he talks about his daughter and showcases his joy and love. The last song is seemed a letter for his daughter apologising in advance  if the fame got him and he lost his life and also to his friend's daughter to remember her dad as he is no more. As always the production, lyricism and delivery is on point though I did hope for at least one feature. Cole lived on to share his friend's story and despite it not being a typical Cole album it still passes as a confirmed classic!

Post Malone - Stoney

Someone once told me to listen to 'White Iverson' and from then on I became a fan of Post and wanted an album. To be very honest, his mixtape August 26th was below expectations but I did like 'Money Made Me Do It' ft 2chainz, this made me not really excited for the album. After the first listen I was impressed with the vibe and production the album exhibited. My favourite track is'Congratulations' ft Quavo (ps I think Quavo does a great job on features). Overall the album has that party/trap vibe with pretty great catchy hooks. 

Shawn Mendes - Illuminate

Whether he is needing 'Stitches' or making'No Promises', Shawn has proven that he can sing his heart out and will probably give you his heart while he's at it 😊. Illuminate is an amazing album with stories about love, heartbreak and life after heartbreak. For someone like me who can't really relate the beats and lyricism are soothing and make me imagine a world whenever perfection is a reality. 'Mercy' & 'Treat Me Better' are my most played.  If you are going through it, listen! Shawn might create a soothing illusion of a perfect love story for you!

Kid Cudi - Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin'

Kid Cudi aka The Chosen is one of the best creative minds in music we will probably ever get to hear. That being said, he hasn't made an album I have vibed with since Man on the moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. Indicud was just an ok album and Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven sounds like a futuristic album, so I will let you know if it has grown on me in a few years lol! Although, this project is like 40% humming (he's low-key a professional), it might just be his best album in 6years. With Cudi albums I never look out for lyrics rather I  get excited to hear the production which of course I wasn't disappointed. 'Rose Golden' ft Willow Smith, 'Baptized in Fire' ft Travis Scott, 'Does it' and 'By Design' ft Andre 3000 are my favourite tracks. Cudi tells his story; The Story of The Chosen and frankly if you are like me you will get lost in the creativeness and discover your own meaning to the project!

Little Simz - Stillness in Wonderland

I found out about Simbi on Kehlani's song Table, to be honest I haven't paid attention to any British female rappers so I thought 'let's see what she's all about'. This project tells a good story about music and her life with good lyricism and production. 'Doorways + Trust Issues', 'Shotgun' ft Syd and 'Picture Perfect' are my favourite tracks. With Simbi I took a journey through wonderland and out repeatedly and I enjoyed it every minute of it.

John Legend - Darkness and Light

From the album title I wanted to listen to it to hear the stories. To be honest, I have never really paid attention to John's music, maybe a few songs hear and there because the man can sing (probably top 5 R&B men).  The project has amazing songwriting and production, it starts off with a humble like gospel song 'I Know Better', goes on to a song for his daughter Luna and a love song about a hopeless world (who else can do that?). 'Penthouse' ft Chance the Rapper &'Darkness and Light' ft Brittany Howard are my favourite tracks. This project covers topics like his life, the world we live in today and struggles of being black. John has proven that if you have a voice you can use it to discuss as much issues and whether talking about darkness or light you can still make amazing songs that can showcase your talent and evolution (this isn't a typical John Legend album). As for me I will be looking forward to more of John's work.

Let's see what 2017 has to offer!

What albums have you been listening to?

Have a great New Year!

photos via iTunes!

2016: Albums of the Year: Part 3!!

There were too many albums this year so I decided to make 4 posts rather than 3, even with that I had to reduce the list greatly! If you missed 1 & 2 catch up :D! Enjoy xx

Travis Scott - Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight (BITTSM)

At first when Days before Rodeo came out I thought I couldn't listen to Travis. Over time I gave songs like 'Skyfall', 'Drugs you should try' and 'Quintana' ft TI a chance and to my surprised I was absorbed by the creativity of a 'trap' mixtape. For me Rodeowas quite disappointing but Birds happens to be one of my favourite albums this year. Lyrically it is just alright but you don't expect much lyricism from Travis but the production on the other hand is amazing. If I were a dj all the songs from birds will be on high rotation because it is that good. 'Way back' ft Kid Cudi, 'Lose' and 'Goosebumps' ft Kendrick Lamar are probably my most played. Can't wait to hear what he does as a producer on Cruel Winter, I'm glad I let the persistent friends convince me to give Travis Scott a chance‼️ 

Frank Ocean - Blonde

One of the best albums of the year in my opinion. As someone who always found his other works quite depressing but this was different. At first listen I gave it a 7/10, after more listens I felt it was a 9.9/10 as it is such a brilliant piece of art. From the nostalgic feeling he expresses in 'Pink+White', to the cocky, adventurous soul in 'Nights' and the soothing vibes the entire album gives. I was engrossed and couldn't help but replay it over and over again. Frank is certainly one of the best & creative musical minds I'll ever be privileged to listen and hopefully someday meet‼️(ft Shettima)

Ari Lennox - PHO

Ari has one of the best vocals today and this EP showcases that. She gives that pure R&B and soul  and also modern vibes which makes you want to listen to the EP on repeat! On 'Yuengling' and 'Backseat' ft Cozz she exhibits an Erykah Badu feel on jazzy beats while as 'Cold Outside' and 'Backwood' have that trap soul vibe. This EP is covered with Ari's sultry voice on amazing production. 'Night Drive' might be my most played but each song tells its own story! It is a project for every soul lover and one of my favourites this year!

Isaiah Rashad - A Sun's Tirade

I had no idea who Zay (Isaiah) was and how good he was till a friend put me on his song'Nelly', this was around the time  Cilvia Demo which I appreciated so that made me more excited for new music. This album which is amazing orchestrated is sadly really underrated and I feel not enough paid attention to it. But if you listened to it, you'd understand why I think it is amazing!

Zay has always been the least rated and least hyped member of TDE and when you listen you will wonder why that is. '4r Da Squaw'is one of the best tracks on there and that possibly because it has one of the  best life lessons to it, he talks about the relevance of money to him and it makes you think whether money is going to somehow buy happiness for you once you acquire it or will you be rich and unhappy? The visual showcases people and their net worth but the ones with the least seem to be happier! Zay overall delivered great lyricism and great stories from his battles with alcohol to the life of fatherhood he was plunged into early in his life. Whether you have personal issues or you are just a hip hop lover or you just want some feel good music, this album is for you! (ft Shettima)

Solange - A Seat At The Table

This album is probably my personal favourite of 2016 lol I know I say that a lot but everyone needs to listen and bask in such greatness and talent. Solange stands out to be an amazing artist with impeccable fashion sense and she exhibits both in lyrics and visuals. This album talks about the struggles of being a black person whether is being killed, discriminated and even struggles of black people in history. She narrates these situations in such a way that you can't help but vibe, and the interludes also tell their own stories. I could go into how every song makes me feel but that will make this post too long as I'm not sure I can summarise the moods lol. 'Rise', 'Cranes In the Sky' &'Don't touch my hair' are my favourite tracks! The piano keys, jazz feel and stories of pain, pride, sorrow and more makes the album a confirmed classic in my books. Solange has always been an artist who has stayed true to her roots and to be very honest that one of the many reason I adore her. For the love of great creativity and real music I recommend this classic work of art to everyone!!

A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here... Thank you for your service

If you love real hip hop then you need to know a few tribe songs! Though it is their first album in 18years, it still had lyricism as expected. The project discusses the issues happening today like tolerance, discrimination and of course America's 2016 Election. Tribe kept to their amazing delivery on a bohemian funk vibe which has inspired rappers like Andre 3k. 'Melatonin', 'Kids' and 'Ego' are my most played tracks. The album may have missed a little more of Phife (Rest In Peace) but overall the production, features and lyricism are great and you can't help but vibe to it.

Alicia Keys - Here

Alicia has almost always made an album about her life stories and every time it gets better.  This project talks about her 'Blended Family', beauty standards on 'Girl Can't Be Herself' and many other issues. 'Holy War' which might be my favourite, is a plea for tolerance and equality which is one of the biggest issues in our world today. Like always the vocals were perfection and so was the production. Despite the fact that she has made anthems in her career like 'Fallin' and made us fall in love with New York on'Empire State of Mind', this work of art felt like  it had a deeper heartfelt  songwriting just to create anthems and a classic!

Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

From his first work Doo-Woops & Hooligans, Bruno has found a way to win our hearts. A definition of a pop star he is as he can sing, dance, love you 'Just the way you are' and even catch a 'Grenade' for you 😆. Over time he has made many hits whether his or featured like Travis McCoy's'Billionaire' & one of my favourites 'Uptown Funk'. In my opinion whether you dance on not Bruno has put you in a better mood with his art. Like fashion trends from the past that make a comeback, music with 80's vibe seem to be greatly enjoyed by everyone including millennials and Bruno executes it perfectly on this project. The songs range from 80's dance to Pop with songs like '24K Magic' and 'Versace on the floor'. Thanks to Bruno, if you are having a bad day or you just feel like listening to a happy fun album, this is the album for you! (ft Bobby)

Belly - Inzombia

Belly has been one of those artists that has stayed consistent on his projects. I became a fan after hearing 'Might not' ft The Weeknd. Another Day In Paradise is probably one of my most appreciated albums this year and Inzombia falls in the Top 10 mixtapes. Belly is one of the most lyrical rappers of recent times but people don't usually notice that from the kind of music he makes. Inzombiais one of those projects that you can sit back and just vibe to and go on a ride of emotions on repeat, it constitutes of many stand out tracks like 'Consuela' with his narcos themed rhymes and great guest verses from Young Thug and Zack though Thugga went off topic lol. It goes from thought provoking songs like 'Die Alone' to heartbreak songs like 'The Day I Met You' giving everyone a song to enjoy for a particular mood. 'Actin Different' and 'Outkast' ft Ty Dolla $ign are my most played as they low-key put me in a happy motivational mood. Belly is definitely one to look out for and I see him getting his due credit very soon. (ft Shettima)

What albums have you been listening to?

Happy Holidays‼

photos via iTunes!

2016: Albums of the Year: Part 2!!

Here's the second set of albums I have been enjoying in no particular ranking order. Xx

ASAP Ferg - Always Strive and Prosper

After 'Shabba Ranks' I wrote off Ferg so I never listened to his first album, Trap Lord. 'Let it Bang' ft Schoolboy Q was the first song I heard and I actually became excited for the album and honestly I wasn't disappointed. Album has amazing features, track list and stories about his life, not just as ASAP Ferg but also as Darold. And lots of wise words from the Hood Pope aka the Trap Lord..

Ron Gilmore - The Maturation of Little Ron

I was quite excited for this album as I wanted to hear not only the production but what the known Dreamville producer had to offer lyrically and to be honest I was impressed! He barely had any verses himself but had writing credits and features. 'The World' ft Emoni and 'Cash Rules' ft Cody Macc are my favourites!

Jon Bellion - The Human Condition

I found out who Jon was when I kept seeing tweets about this project, so I listened to a few songs onYouTube and I was obsessed🙈. From the first track the album is completely relatable, on first listen I gave it an 8 out of 10 and of course I had it on repeat. The album has great lyrics, great instrumentals & an awesome mix of genres and melodies. 'Woke the fuck Up' and'Fashion' are my favourite tracks. For most people it might be one of those albums that will grow on them but it was love at first listen for me. Can't wait for more music from him.

Beyoncé - Lemonade

As someone who is not a Beyhive member, this is the best Beyoncé album ever. The shocking honesty is what I love about it the most and it explains 'the elevator incident' with Solange. It talks about Jay's infidelity, feminism and some more life stories (well you can call them that). To be honest when 'Formation' came out I didn't like it one bit but many listens later it has grown on me. On the low, the pro-feminism songs are quite motivational or maybe it's just me. '6inch' ft The Weeknd is my favourite song!! My questions for this album are: 'Is this just an album for those who experience/experienced infidelity in a relationship? '& 'Did Jay really cheat on her or is this just a story to make more money from?'

Skepta - Konnichiwa

Probably his best work ever, it fits in the grime category but not fully grime (atleast that's how it sounds to me). It talks about his life, mandem ish and society issues, with blatant lyrics that people can understand it (that's one of the things I love about Skepta); also one of the most lyrical albums out so far. He has features from a lot of the grime artist like his brother JME, Wiley and more and also Pharrell on 'Numbers', 'Shutdown' is probably my most played track! I think this project opens the door not only for Skepta worldwide but for grime as a genre too. If you aren't a Skepta fan or on the bandwagon, hop one soonest!!

Chance The Rapper - Coloring Book

Probably my favourite project out right now! My friend put me on Chance years ago, after the first song I was hooked. I was quite excited for this and I knew I wouldn't be disappointed, I'm rarely wrong. No matter how my mood is, whenever I play this album I instantly get happier because of how good it is. It's has a mixture of gospel and hiphop vibe with features from the likes of Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Tpain, Lil Wayne and more. I can't pick a favourite track but I think my most played are 'All We Got' ft Kanye and Chicago Children's choir, 'All Night' ft Knox Fortune, 'Same Drugs', 'Juke Jam' ft Justin Bieber and Towkio and'Blessings Reprise'. It can be compared to many iconic projects released in music history though it defies hip hop norms. Also this project is free and deserves a Grammy!

Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman 

Ever since 'Bang Bang' I have been waiting to see her go 'bad girl' and it took forever but it was worth the wait. Vocally Ariana has one of the greatest voices out there, her control and delivery is absolute perfection; so as expected vocals were on fleek lol. The project has a lot of flirty, love and 'growing up' songs, I guess trying to show a matured adult side of her which she does pretty well (no she's not just the ponytail, former Nickelodeon actress & innocent looking lady. Lool).'Everyday' ft Future which surprisingly doesn't sound trap gladly is one of my favourites and along with 'Side to Side' ft Nicki Minaj!

What albums have you been listening to?

Photos via google

2016: Albums of the Year: Part 1!!

So far, there have been so many amazing albums, I couldn't list them all so I decided to pick a few of my most listened to (ps they aren't in order). Enjoy xx

Wiz khalifa - Khalifa

Wiz has been making albums and songs for a while now and each gets better. Last year he did the soundtrack for fast and furious 7 with Charlie Puth (see you again) which is probably the biggest hit of his career. His album talks about smoking as expected and success; it is a more personal album on his path. The album goes from him talking about humble beginnings, getting rich, blowing checks and more stories about his life. It's one of those albums that you can listen to without skipping and that's what I love most about it.

Rihanna - ANTI

I'm not a Navy but this has to be my favourite Rih album ever. Personally I prefer her as a fashion 'icon' than as an artist but she exceeded my expectations with this. It starts with 'Consideration' ft SZA which has this mesmerising egotistic feel and the rest of the songs  go on to talking about weed, love, sex and more. In 'Higher' she sings her heart out in what sounds like a doyenne drunk dialling a lover. 'Woo' which has Travis Scott written all over it, 'Needed Me' tells you how it's all game and  they shouldn't catch feelings. 'Work' ft Drakewhich is probably the most overplayed album is the new 'twerk' anthem and somewhat makes me wonder if they are together. Overall the album has a Caribbean vibe to it and also the DGAF attitude Rihanna lives by which makes it perfect. (Ps it went platinum in like 24hours).

Kanye West - The Life Of Pablo

Being a creative human must be hard when it comes to decisions. Kanye's music has evolved over his 7 albums. This to me may not be the best but it is the most creative as it balances and combines the six previous albums. It talks about his father, goes gospel in the first track of the album, fashion, family and more, it also has a little trap vibe to it. As someone who hated 'Yeezus' this is an upgrade but still not as lyrical as I wanted it to be. 

Hoodie Allen - Happy Camper

One of my favourite albums this year thus far, I randomly found out about Hoodie which let me onto this album. I can't go in on each song because it is that good and this will be the longest review but just note it is lyrically good and relatable,it's a fun album that I think anyone can enjoy. 

Kevin Gates - Islah

I kept seeing a line from his song though I didn't know it was at the time so I typed the line into Google and I found the song and I decide why not try listening to more songs (lool the things I do for music). Gates talks about the good, the bad and the ugly in the songs in a form of gangsta rap. He has a melodic voice that can go from raping to singing his own hooks and this makes me excited for his new tape coming soon. Oh by the way the line is 'I got 2phones; one for the plug and one for the load'.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - This Unruly Mess I've Made

I hated 'Thrift shop' so I never gave their first album a chance. I didn't plan on giving this a chance until I heard 'White Privilege II' and I thought 'maybe I should give them a chance' and I did and to my surprise I enjoyed it. 'Growing Up' ft Ed Sheeran is probably my favourite, 'Light Tunnels' ft Mike Snap is dope as it explains Grammys and  the music business in a way. Overall the album is good and Macklemore proves his capability as he rhymes over different beats.

Anderson .Paak - Malibu

I found out about him on Twitter when this project was released and I decided not to be left out (I was looking for new artists to listen to). As an artist he's very creative, .Paak blends different genres of music to make his own, so whether you are a hiphop, R&B, rock or soul fan you will find a song on this album to enjoy. The album talks about his livelihood and it shows how he's a romantic. 'Room in here' ft The Game is probably my most played. He exhibits a sound ranging from Stevie Wonder to Kendrick Lamar.

Zayn - Mind of Mine

I was never a fan of One Direction tbh lool but Zayn was my favourite. When 'PillowTalk'came out I was excited for the album mainly because Gigi was in the video (yes incase you didn't know I am obsessed with models). Other songs came out after that and I was sure it will be a dope album but I was still skeptical. The album is a love letter/story with the JT, Miguel & Frank Ocean vibe, which exhibits him going from a member of a boy band to an adult solo R&B singer.  It's hard to pick a favourite because are different but yet  quite similar.

Twenty88 - Twenty88

When you pair Jhené with anyone you best know the song is going to be amazing and with Big Sean they have great chemistry. I randomly saw the magazine cover then I found out they had formed a duo and are releasing an album. Trust that I was excited to hear it. I already presumed what it could be about and it is probably one of my most played albums in 2016. I can't pick a favourite song but I can't wait for more music from the duo.

Royce 5'9" - Layers

Probably one of the most lyrically artist that ever existed. From collaborating with Eminem as half of Bad Meets Evil to being a member of the conglomerate SlaughterHouse he has exhibited his skills over and over. Before the album he released a mixtape, that and the album talk about him being a recovering alcoholic and stories about his life. Yet some might say he goes into soo much detail in his rap, to me that's the best part of being a lyricist. It might not be one of those albums that you fall in love with on first listen, but trust me if you listen to it a couple more times you will see why I think it should be on this list.

Bas - Too High To Riot

Check out full post here.

photos via google

Too High To Riot

I became a fan of Bas after I watched him perform at the 'What dreams may come true' tour. I decided to listen to more of his music, 'Quarter Water Raised me: Vol 2' and 'Last Winter' were pretty dope. I was one of the fans who anticipated 'too high to riot' with the hope that I wouldn't be disappointed and I wasn't. The 12 track LP has 3 guest appearances from J Cole, Cozz and The Hics. The albums talks about the growth and experiences in life as an artist, the lyricism is quite impeccable. I have listened to the album atleast twice everyday since its released and still can't seem to pick a favourite track but 'Night Job' ft J Cole, 'Black Owned Business', 'Clouds Never Get Old' and 'Penthouse' are probably my most played. Overall I think this is one of the best albums of the 2016 so far in all aspects especially production and lyricism. Keep it up Bas, I can't wait to for more music! #Fiends #TooHighToRiot #Dreamville

photo via:Google

2015: Albums of the year: Part 3!!

There were a lot of albums this year so I decided to do this post in 3 parts, so these are the albums I loved in the last quarter of the year. Enjoy x

The Documentary 2 - The Game

The Game always finds a way to make a good album, though I didn't like 'Jesus Piece'. Ten years after the first Documentary, the sequel had 38songs (split into 2) with incredible feature like 'Nas', 'Lil Wayne', 'Busta' and  many more. Game told us about Compton, it is tribute to old school hiphop and also reminds us of how good the first was. I personally think he is one of the best lyricists today and'Life' is probably my favourite!

I changed a lot - Dj Khaled

As the King of anthems and King of snapchat, I didn't expect anything different from this album. It was a typical Khaled album with a lot of features and as usual his screams.. The album already had about 5 singles released including 'They Don't Love You No More', 'How Many Times', 'Hold You Down', and my two favourites 'Gold Slugs' and 'You Mine'. It is a good album but it not my favourite from him. 

Revival - Selena Gomez

From Disney to performing at the VSFS (yes I was impressed). This album exhibits Selena's personality, songs ranged from flirty to past stories. With singles like 'Good For You' and my favourite 'Same Old Love', she proved on this album that she's all grown up and not a Disney kid!

General Admission - MGK

A friend introduced me to 'Lace Up' and I instantly fell in love with his music. This album tells a story about his success, failure life and death. Though it was meant to be a typical mainstream album, MGK found a way to make it typical street like rap album (not too mainstream). The album shows you he's an upcoming artist with good lyricism best yet a survivor of the struggles of life!

Purpose - Justin Beiber

In 2014, most headlines on JB were not music related and mainly negative but this album has him redeem himself! The album exhibits maturity and for someone like me who isn't a Belieber but been a fan since the 'Baby' days, the album has sincerity through all songs and also love, heartbreak and apology. He has features from Travis Scott, Big Sean and more.. Yes he has had his low moments but we all mistakes and I'm sure I'm not the only who likes the redeemed and mature Justin!!

Free TC - Ty Dolla $ign

This album talks about Ty's family, relationships and a tribute to LA. As usual he has hooks that are catchy, stories about sex and the album has good features. I'm still not sure if Ty is a rapper or singer but this album sounds R&B. 'Miracle/Whenever' talks about his brother in jail whose name is part of the title and even has the brother talking on the phone. I hated the single 'Blase' but the album overall is good!

MMM - Puff Daddy

Old school Puffy is back with a banger, showing all this young ones how it's done. Last time we had anything like this from Puff was probably 'The Saga Continues'. Still one of the best producers in the game and a successful businessman, it seems like Diddy hasn't forgotten how to make a good album with good features. It talks about Harlem and his success; since the release of 'Finna get Loose' I was looking forward to this and I have to say I wasn't disappointed! 

Late Nights: The Album - Jeremih

Jeremih has been featured on soo many songs which made me wonder if this will ever be released. After 'Birthday Sex' I never thought he will have any good songs. As expected it was a typical Jeremih album i.e. Mainly about women and sex so there's really not much to say about it.. Overall the album had good features and good songs.

When It's Dark Out - G-Eazy

First time I found out about G-Eazy was when he released 'Tumblr Girls' and honestly I didn't bother giving him a chance, Lool. A few people convinced my that he was good so I tried to give him a listen, and to my surprise I actually love this album (maybe I should have given him a chance earlier). 

Incase you never read the first and second!

2015 was a good year for music, can't wait to see what 2016 has to offer!

"Music touches us emotionally, where words alone can't."

Johnny Depp

What albums have you been loving? 

photos via google!