25-11 will be listed now, then next will be a ranking of mix-tapes, also from 25-11. Then I'll release the top 10 mix-tapes and finally the top 10 albums, before finishing off with some imaginary awards that all these artists would love to win.
With that being said, let's get to 25-11 from the album section.
Notes: If you don't see a certain album on here, it's either in the top 10 or I haven't given it a good enough listen to rate it. I plan on doing something similar for 2011 in music, but it'll be more in-depth as I'll continue to expand my catalog of albums and mix-tapes.
25.) Lil' Wayne - I Am Not A Human Being | 2.21 [previously rated 2.67]- Weezy continues to spiral downward with this release, which was originally set to be an EP. The one lone major highlight would be "That Ain't Me", which features Jay Sean on the hook. However, after re-reviewing the tracks, I found that I overrated that song, which knocked down the album's overall rating a little bit.
24.) Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday |
2.77- The Young Money factor really hurts Nicki's debut album. There are too many cringe-worthy punchlines and not enough spazzing out. "Dear Old Nicki" and "Blazin'" are nice surprises from the rest of the album, as is "Save Me", which showcases a very soothing voice from Minaj.
23.) Nelly - 5.0 | 3.04 [previously r
ated 3.25]- I tried getting into this, I really did. I wanted to get into it cause it was Nelly, and if you remember from my last review, he was my first favorite rap artist. However, this album is just another disappointment to his discography. There are bright spots that I still come back to however. The track that was dubbed in the beginning as Dilemma Part 2, "Gone", is the album's best. I still love the Biggie sample on "1000 Stacks", "Just A Dream" is catchy as hell and still gets plays from me and "Nothing Without Her" is another good one. Unfortunately the rest of the album can't hold up to those standards.
22.) Travie McCoy - Lazarus | 3.10 [previously rated 3.15]- "Akidagain" and "Don't Pretend" are the two tracks are stand out from the entire album. "Billionaire" was a nice single for the radio, but got extremely played out in my mind. Most of the remaining songs are basically Gym Class Heroes' throwaways it seems like.
21.) T.I. - No Mercy | 3.11- The most inconsistent album I've heard all year, which skews the overall rating a tad, because it's not as good as what I have it listed. When this album is on, it's great, evidenced by tracks like "Castle Walls" and "No Mercy." However, that is canceled out by songs "Amazing" and "Lay Me Down", with the latter being possibly the worst song I've heard all year. You can tell the label had a big influence on this LP after T.I. went back to jail.
20.) Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager | 3.35 [previously rated 3.53]- There's just something about this album I can't get into. Maybe it's because I'm still wishing Cudi would go back to his A Kid Named Cudi style of rapping or maybe it's because I enjoyed the first one a decent amount but came into the second chapter with no expectations after hearing the leaks. Whatever it is, I had to knock the rating down a notch cause it's not hitting me like a Cudi project usually would. "Don't Play This Song" is still my favorite from the entire LP, but I don't really go back to about 75% of the album. If Cudi continues in this direction, then he's going to probably see more scores like this in my reviews.
19.) Eminem - Recovery | 3.50 [previously rated 4.09]- What a disappointment. Although I still enjoy some of the album, it isn't as up to the AOTY (Album of the Year) standard I set it out when first reviewed. The production is extremely mediocre and suffers from a lack of Bass Brothers beats, plus some of the actual rapping sounds extremely forced. There's a few punchlines that make me wonder if Drake ghost-wrote for Eminem. However, one positive from Recovery is that it produced one of Em's best tracks of his career in "25 To Life", which is easily a SOTY (Song of the Year) candidate.
18.) Sam Adams - Boston's Boy | 3.54 [previously rated 3.83]- Another album I grossly overrated at first. Sam Adams isn't necessarily a good rapper, but he does have talent, shown from the album's best track "Just Love Here." The album itself appeals to the college crowd and is a hit at parties, which is what Sam has set out to do in his early career.
17.) Drake - Thank Me Later | 3.64 [previously rated 3.32]- This album really grew on me as the year went on. The production is the biggest seller here, as I love almost every beat. "Light Up" is the album's highlight, but I really grown to appreciate "Karaoke" and how Drake put that together; just a really chill track. "Shut It Down" still sucks though.
16.) Lloyd Banks - The Hunger For More 2 | 3.65- Banks returns to the game (from an album standpoint at least) with a solid effort. There's no overly impressive song or anything that's just horrid, but this is very consistent and fun listen. "Beamer, Benz or Bentley" is infectious.
15.) B.o.B - The Adventures of Bobby Ray | 3.79- There's been some harsh reviews of this album and ironically, they're mostly for the same reason why I enjoy it. B.o.B showcases multiple talents throughout the LP, from singing and guitar playing ability in songs like "Lovelier Than You" to pure rapping in "Bet I." "Don't Let Me Fall" is a SOTY candidate, but even that doesn't excuse the trash that is "Magic."
14.) Black Milk - Album Of The Year | 3.92- This was the first full album I heard from Black Milk after listening to the single "Deadly Medley", and I was impressed. Black Milk goes heavy with the drums in regards to the production and they're almost always a hit. "Deadly Medley" is my favorite from the LP, with great verses all around from Milk, Royce da 5'9 and Elzhi, but "Closed Chapter", "Black And Brown" with Danny Brown are also up there.
13.) John Regan - Sorry I'm Late | 3.93- Backed by stellar production, indie artist John Regan releases a debut album that is a great listen from start to finish. Regan goes side-by-side with a lot of high-profile guests and doesn't seem out of place at all, keeping the transition between verses smooth. "Yesterday" with Joell Ortiz and "All I Got To Give" with Marsha Ambrosius on the hook are two of my favorites from the album, but they can't top "Suicide ediciuS" which is easily a SOTY candidate.
12.) Nas & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives | 3.96- Nas & Damian Marley teamed up for one of Spring 2010's best releases in Distant Relatives. It's nothing too spectacular, but it's still a good album with your typical Nas thought-provoking verses in addition to Damian Marley's reggae voice. K'naan has a couple of nice guest spots here and even Lil' Wayne joins in on the fun with a rare good verse (this year) on "My Generation." "Count Your Blessings" is my choice for the album's best track.
11.) Earl Sweatshirt - EARL | 4.00- A very strange, disturbing, yet great release, Earl Sweatshirt enters the rap scene with a debut album that will have you scratching your head. The 16-year old kid from California is part of the group OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Pack Kill Them All) and has his lyrics focus on things similar to the subject matter from the Slim Shady LP, but remember that this guy is still young. It's gruesome and definitely not for everyone, but for who do give this album a chance, it's worth it if you can get past the subject matter. "epaR" and "Couch" are my two favorites from the album, while "Earl" is third, but don't try watching the video for the latter unless you have a strong stomach.
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