Here we are. We have made it to my favorite article of the year. The article where I dive deep into the music I have consumed over the last 12 months. The article where I let my creative expression flow off the keys. This is my fourth year in a row doing this article and I’m extremely blessed and happy to be able to share this with you all.
Here is my friendly annual reminder before anyone lays their eyes on this article. All the albums that I picked on here are albums that I LISTENED to. I’m not going to put an album on here that I didn’t listen to fully at least two or three times. If your favorite album doesn’t make the list, I guess that’s why it’s called YOUR favorite album and not mine. Enjoy the article, I always love friendly discourse, but don’t be doing too much.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my favorite albums of 2022. Let’s get into it.
YSN FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2022
30. DJ Khaled – GOD DID (August 26th)
There goes that man again. Still don’t know how much HE himself contributes to the tracks, but like every Khaled project there’s going to be those three or five songs that stick throughout the year. The DJ Khaled album formula consists of this.
- Gather the music industry avengers
- Make the album 20+ tracks instantly
- Do way too much yelling of “WE DA BEST” or “D… J…. KHALEDDDDD”
- Have at least one or two songs with strictly Jamaican artists
- And have a song title be about his kids
Ladies and gentlemen, a DJ Khaled album. At least we got ourselves an incredible JAY-Z verse on the title track.
“Hov did. Please, Lord forgive me for what the stove did. Nobody touched the billi’ until Hov did”
There are definitely some stand out tracks besides the aforementioned title track. “STAYING ALIVE” samples the classic song with the same name and “Juice WRLD DID” was an unreleased song that the whole Juice WRLD community was waiting on. At least this one was better than the horror show that was “KHALED KHALED”.
Favorite Songs:
- STAYING ALIVE ft. Drake & Lil Baby
- BEAUTIFUL ft. Future & SZA
- GOD DID ft. JAY-Z, Fridayy, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross & John Legend
- GRATEFUL ft. Vory
- NO SECRET ft. Drake
29. The Weeknd – DAWN FM (January 7th)
While The Weeknd is one of the best artists of our generation, I’d be lying to you if I said I still have this album in rotation. “My Dear Melancholy,” is one of my favorite projects of all time, but this one just didn’t stick as much as his previous releases. I thought the concept of the whole album being a “radio station” with Jim Carrey narration was great, I just wasn’t the biggest fan of some of the songs. That’s why this project is so “low” for an Abel album.
“Life’s a dream. ‘Cause it’s never what it seems”
Favorite Songs:
- Is There Someone Else?
- Starry Eyes
- Here We Go Again ft. Tyler, The Creator
- Best Friends
- Sacrifice
28. Nav – Demons Protected By Angels (September 9th)
Pretty sick cover I can’t lie. This album is mainly focused on the chaos that is surrounding Nav while he’s trying to find a safe space. Losing people closest to him and loneliness is a common theme throughout the project. There were a couple of strong performances on the project like “Count On Me (Intro)” and “Reset” , but overall I think he’s put out better projects.
“I don’t care if they take me now (Yeah). I ain’t scared to die, I’m scared to live too long”
Nav paid tribute to the late Lil Keed and talked about his struggles with his drug addiction on “Last of the Mohicans“. I think Nav is just running out of product to give his fans and his potential “fall off” is lingering in the back of his mind. And through his lyrics, you can tell he’s going through it. Hopefully he gets the help he needs and focuses on himself before anything else.
Favorite Songs:
- Reset ft. Bryson Tiller
- Count on Me (Intro)
- Ball in Peace (Outro)
- Demons in My Cup
- Interstellar ft. Lil Uzi Vert
27. Yeat – Lyfë (September 9th)
One of my favorite album intros this year belongs to the man who took over TikTok for the last year and a half. His name is Yeat. A rapper that rose to fame late last year has captured the attention of the music fans around the world. His ability to immerse himself into the production of each track with words that don’t even sound real is unlike any other.
“I bought a Urus today, uh-huh. Paint it all yellow, look like a bird”
The Portland-based rapper’s career is still very young, but keep your eye out for his next project.
Favorite Songs:
- Out thë way
- Flawlëss ft. Lil Uzi Vert
- Can’t stop it
- Talk
- Systëm
26. Lil Uzi Vert – RED & WHITE (July 22nd)
After blessing his fans with a collaborative project with Future in “Pluto x Baby Pluto”, Uzi was mainly focused on promoting his upcoming mixtape, “The Pink Tape”. A week after he dropped “RED & WHITE”, he made it clear to his fans that this wasn’t the work that he wanted truly showcased at the top of his discography.
And I think any Uzi fan will tell you that they’d take a prefect full of his throwaways at any time. Especially after that wait for Eternal Atake that just felt like FOREVER.
Listening to this you can tell that Uzi just having fun on these records. Quite literally the song “FOR FUN” is a perfect example of this. Whatever helps his creative process to keep giving us these hits, I’m all for it.
Favorite Songs:
- FOR FUN
- F.F.
- CIGARETTE
- I KNOW
- GLOCK IN MY PURSE
25. Quavo & Takeoff – Only Built For Infinity Links (October 7th)
First thing I want to say is Rest In Peace to Takeoff. My favorite member of the Migos and one of my favorite rappers in general. If you know me personally you would’ve already known that. So having to sit with the fact that he passed just under a month after he dropped this project with Quavo just hurts man. Whenever I get new music with any member of the Migos you know I’m always going to be tuned in. Which is why when this duo dropped “HOTEL LOBBY” in June, I was immediately locked in. Just watch their COLORS performance and tell me that song isn’t electric. They were destined for many more releases and smash hits, but tragically that isn’t possible anymore.
“Don’t nothin’ change but the chains”
Regardless of what happened to Takeoff, the world will always remember Migos and what impact they had on the rap game. From “Bando” all the way to “Straightenin”, they were non-stop putting out hits and they had the whole world in their hands. We should just sit back, pray for the families and just smile about the memories we have with the music.
“Do this shit for the fam ’cause this shit bigger than me”
Favorite Songs:
- HOTEL LOBBY
- To The Bone ft. YoungBoy Never Broke Again
- Nothing Changed
- Chocolate ft. Young Thug & Gunna
- Messy
24. SoFaygo – Pink Heartz (November 11th)
SoFaygo after much anticipation, finally released his debut studio album under Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack label. The project started off strongly with “Transparency”, a slow and soothing intro track about him talking about how he’s going to make it regardless of any obstacle in front of him.
“And I’m gon’ make it work before I let it fall to pieces”
The track transitions perfectly into “Out”, which is followed by four tracks of hype from the Cactus Jack signee. While those type of tracks are fun to listen to, my favorite music from SoFaygo is when he is carrying a melody throughout a track with a slow-tempo beat. And those type of songs are the reason why “Pink Heartz” landed at #24 on my list this year.
“You hate this lonely world. And I can’t blame you, girl”
A lot of people were disappointed with this album, but I was not one of them. I think that listeners are trying to look for the nostalgic underground sound that SoFaygo blew up on. His sound has completely changed, but it’s slightly evolved. I mean, when you sign to a label like Cactus Jack that is backed by serious money the music isn’t going to sound exactly the same as when you were recording at your mom’s house. I liked “Pink Heartz” and I’m excited to see more.
Favorite Songs:
- Slip ft. Don Toliver
- Blitz V2
- Hell Yeah ft. Ken Carson
- Goin Back
- Greed
23. Rod Wave – Jupiter’s Diary: 7 Day Theory (November 18th)
Ever since Rod Wave dropped “Gone Till November” last year, he has dropped either a song or a project in November. And as a massive Rod Wave fan… I am not complaining one single bit. The St. Petersburg, Florida native has had my album of the year pick before (2020 with Pray 4 Love) and I still haven’t noticed a drop off in quality. This was considered a “surprised” release by his fans since he only promoted the release for about a week before it dropped, but he honestly could’ve put this out as a fully marketed project.
Rod Wave has given us some great music over these past few years. However, there is a point where you start to worry about the artist before the content he/she is giving you. If my guy is going through this constant pain for over three years now, then he has got to get some help. Hope he knows that it’s okay to take a break and focus on yourself for a little bit.
Favorite Songs:
- Got It Right
- Love Overdose
- MJ Story
- Jupiter’s Diary
- The Answer Is No
22. YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Colors (January 21st)
This will not be the last time you see a YB album on this list. “Colors” was actually one of the first projects I listened to this year that I actually kept returning to after its release. I can guarantee you that I listened to this album way more than I ever listened to “DAWN FM”. And that’s no shade to The Weeknd, I just found myself coming back to several tracks on this. One of those tracks was “Bring It On”. A fiery track that seemed to be welcoming all violence or disturbance coming towards YB himself.
“Tell ’em bring it on… let’s get it”
This was the project that really cemented the whole “YB vs. the Industry” narrative. 19 tracks of constant dissing with one feature (Quando Rondo) put the exclamation mark on what he was trying to get across. The energy that he brought on here was perfect to start the year with. A lot of shower sessions with this blaring in the background helped me start my mornings. So for that, thank you Sir Kentrell.
“They like “This that, this that”, please get off my d*** now”
Favorite Songs:
- Fish Scale
- Bring It On
- No Switch
- Bring The Hook
- Dis & That
21. Lil Baby – It’s Only Me (October 14th)
If this album dropped in 2020 instead of “My Turn” I guarantee you the feedback wouldn’t have been this bad. Now while the album didn’t meet many expectations, there were still some hits on there. “Cost To Be Alive” with Rylo Rodriguez and “Not Finished” were great tracks (in my humble opinion). There were some skips, sure, but I don’t think we can sit here and fully discredit Baby for “It’s Only Me”.
“I know I’m the motivation, they see me, they see a hero”
I think his rapping in this project reflects where he is currently at in life. If you look at it from a simple standpoint, he’s one of the biggest rappers in the world so what he’s going to talk about on here is going to be different than his first projects. He’s officially made it, so why not talk about it?
Favorite Songs:
- Forever ft. Fridayy
- Heyy
- Real Spill
- Not Finished
- Cost To Be Alive ft. Rylo Rodriguez
20. YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Ma’ I Got A Family (October 21st)
Like I said, that wasn’t the last time you were going to see YB on this list. I’ve listened to this album several times and there hasn’t been a single time where I was disappointed, except for DJ Drama’s weird tangents at times (he does bring a good element to the project though). Unlike “Colors” this one is a lot more calmer and doesn’t contain as much dissing to his opposition.
“I got it, you want it, just say what you need. Be with me, I believe you could help me achieve”
Sir Kentrell of Baton Rouge released six total projects and I truly believe that this was his best one. He’s finally out of his Atlantic Records deal, a label notoriously known for not treating their artists right, so I’m hoping he just takes his time with his next release.
Favorite Songs:
- Chose
- Pop Out
- Rose Gold
- Change On Me
- Sedated
19. Tory Lanez – Sorry 4 What (September 30th)
After releasing two albums that were centered around him singing in “PLAYBOY” and “Alone At Prom”, Tory Lanez came through with an album that was catered to the “rapper” Tory Lanez fans. On the first track, which is also the title track, he comes out rapping over some hardcore 808’s and loud ad-libs in the background. Tory definitely stepped out of his comfort zone on “Alone At Prom”, but it seems like he went back to his rapping roots on “Sorry 4 What”.
“Phone on DND, don’t f**k the vibe up”
Tory dropped “Why Did I” as the lead single and it set a good tone to what the rest of the album was going to sound like. However, there was one specific track that stood out from the rest. As an artist when you name your song “No More Parties in LA”, it’s going to come with some big expectations. The story that came with the song was interesting itself, as it was originally previewed five years ago and it was supposed to be on his 2017 album, “Memories Don’t Die”. Despite this not making my top 10 like he did last year with both “Alone at Prom” and “PLAYBOY”, I truly enjoyed “Sorry 4 What”.
“You just need some me time. Back when we could just rewind”
Favorite Songs:
- No More Parties in LA
- Hurting Me
- Bad B****** Wrk @ Taboo
- This Ain’t Working
- Why Did I
18. Lil Durk – 7220 [Deluxe] (June 24th)
Now remember ladies and gentlemen…
“This deluxe is all cap, this shit is not real”
Lil Durk has been on a crazy run with projects for the past three years. If you can’t already tell, you will see the non-deluxe version of this project later on this list. Durk tackles a lot of different subjects on this projects from sliding on his opps on “Huuuh” to talking about not spending enough time with his kids on “Unhappy Father’s Day”. Durk continues to elevate both his sound and his brand throughout all the beefs and drama that he is involved in.
“This a letter from my heart, you gotta tell me if I really got a chance again”
I still have this project in my rotation and when it comes on I very rarely skip. A lot of vulnerability on tracks like “Expedite This Letter”and “Two Hours From Atlanta” is the signature sound from Durk that we’ve come to love. On “Hearing Sirens” he quite literally says “I want to cry to you”. I’m excited to hear what’s next from “The Voice”.
Favorite Songs:
- Two Hours From Atlanta
- Hearing Sirens
- Expedite This Letter
- Risky
- Selling Lashes
17. Gunna – DRIP SEASON 4EVER (January 7th)
Sir Wunna came through and dropped another great album. It’s sad that he wasn’t able to fully capitalize on its success with a headlining tour because he, alongside the whole of YSL, was arrested and hit with R.I.C.O (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) charges in May. Despite that, this album was one of the most successful of the year. It charted at #1 in the Billboard 200, his second #1 album of his career, and also blocked The Weeknd from getting the top spot in the charts.
“I done heard too many times you can’t get rich with no knowledge “
After striking a plea deal with authorities, Gunna is thankfully out of prison. Hopefully, Young Thug will be freed next. We need all of YSL home.
“Thank God I dodged the sentence, I went from rags to riches”
Favorite Songs:
- livin wild
- die alone ft. Yung Bleu & Chris Brown
- so far ahead > empire
- poochie gown
- too easy ft. Future
16. Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue [Deluxe] (October 28th)
TWO PHONE BABY KEEM!!
After dropping the original last year, the man known as Baby Keem gave the people 10 new tracks in a deluxe album form. Keem has found his sound and continues to improve it. Go listen to “a life of pain” and tell me that isn’t the trademark “Baby Keem sound”.
“It ain’t no amount of money that could make me change”
I gave this project a full-listen when I was sitting in the airpot at Madrid waiting for my connecting flight to Lisbon. I remember sitting there by myself at the gate (I was three hours early) just getting hype and bobbing my head to “naked freestyle”. To sit here from “Orange Soda” to this project has been a great experience. He’s getting better at his craft with every new release and every new video and I’m here for it. Also go listen to the last 1:10 of “lost souls” while driving at night. You can thank me later.
“B****, I am the one, who you askin’?”
Favorite Songs:
- killstreaks ft. Don Toliver & PinkPantheress
- naked freestyle
- bank account ft. Lil Uzi Vert
- lost souls ft. Brent Faiyaz
- a life of pain
15. Chris Brown – BREEZY (June 24th)
It was always going to be hard to top one of my favorite albums of all time, but that’s taking nothing away from how good “BREEZY” is. It gets off to a super strong start with, “Till The Wheels Fall Off” and continues on a run all the way until track 10. Even though I’m praising the strong start, that isn’t even my favorite part of “BREEZY”. The second half of the album has constant hits, although it’s not like that is anything new for a Chris Brown album. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. This man has been doing this since I was six years old. I turn 24 next June.
“If I told you the whole truth, would you lie?”
Although he didn’t get the #1 spot with this project, I still think it is a great piece of work. It was three years since “Indigo” so I don’t know how long it will be until we get another solo Chris Brown album. His European “Under The Influence” tour sold out in a matter of minutes so I’m assuming he’ll be keeping himself busy.
“Who told you you get to decide the way I’m feelin’ inside? I’m f*****’ over it”
Favorite Songs:
- Forbidden
- Passing Time
- Survive The Night
- Dream
- Need You Right Here ft. Bryson Tiller
14. Future – I NEVER LIKED YOU (April 29th)
Another artist who seems to be timeless. After a two year hiatus, Future came back with yet another great album in “I NEVER LIKED YOU”. The album did amazing commercially selling just over 222K units in its first week, claiming the #1 spot on the Billboard 200. And only three months later, the album was certified platinum (selling over 1 million units).
“High Off Life”, Future’s last solo album, was a great project. I just think that “I NEVER LIKED YOU” is leagues above it and songs like “WAIT FOR U” and “PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ” are perfect examples of that belief. Future just turned 39 years old this past November, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be slowing down any time soon.
“You pray for my demons, girl, I got you. Every time I sip on codeine, I get vulnerable”
Future has never been the one to shy away from talking about his own personal struggles. Whether it may be about his troubles with drugs or even with loneliness as a superstar, he is always giving the listener a look into his own eyes. I hope he continues to do that because that (plus his ability to carry any beat) is what makes his music truly special.
Favorite Songs:
- WAIT FOR U ft. Drake & Tems
- PUFFIN ON ZOOTIEZ
- MASSAGING ME
- VOODOO ft. Kodak Black
- BACK TO THE BASICS
13. Rod Wave – Beautiful Mind (August 12th)
If this is really Rod Wave’s last “sad album” then he ended on a high note. “Beautiful Mind” had moments of brilliance that could rival classics like “Pray 4 Love” and “Ghetto Gospel”. On the first track of the album, “Alone”, he starts off with some pretty somber lyrics that will set the tone of sadness and heartbreak throughout the project.
“Uh, you ever feel like you worthless? Like you ain’t worth shit?”
Despite that start, the titles and lyrics of each song after “Alone” seem to get more uplifting. In “By Your Side”, Rod Wave seems to be the one consoling the listener.
We as Rod Wave fans have been listening to him talk about his problems, whether it be from his past or current, and now he is trying to uplift us. I genuinely enjoyed this listen, even if I didn’t rank it as high as I did for Pray 4 Love (my 2020 Album of the Year), it’s still in my rotation.
Favorite Songs:
- By Your Side
- No Deal
- Rockstar Heart
- Sweet Little Lies
- Stone Rolling
12. Vory – Lost Souls (June 3rd)
Vory is one of my favorite artists out right now. His self-titled project released in late 2020 was one of my most listened to projects in 2021. Songs like “CC Interlude” and “Too Real” were constantly playing in my car. So when I was watching Meek Mill’s “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” interview on October 3rd, 2021, a certain Vory snippet caught my attention. I immediately screen recorded the snippet and played it constantly for the following months before “Lost Souls” dropped. Please do yourselves a favor and go to the 1:55:37 mark in the interview to hear the snippet that would become “Lesson Learned”.
“Yеah, how could you be so ungrateful? Frontin’ for the ‘Gram but your hеart is unstable”
When this dropped I was in Barcelona. So since Barcelona is five hours ahead, the album didn’t come out until 5 in the morning. I was not about to stay up that long, so when I woke up on Friday morning I took the bus to Barceloneta Beach. When I got to the beach I set my towel down, put my sunscreen and tanning oil on and played this album all the way through twice. Just listening to this and watching the waves was a moment of true peace.
“Thought you was my ride or die, you never tried to ride for me. In fact, you nеver died for me”
After shining on my 2021 album of the year “Donda”, Vory has gone ahead and delivered a wonderful project for his debut studio album. His versatility was on display throughout the project and it’s only going to get better from here. Whatever is next I just hope that he’s in a good space mentally.
Favorite Songs:
- Lesson Learned
- CWR Interlude
- Not My Friends
- Dark Clouds
- Happy Birthday 2U
11. Lil Durk – 7220 (March 11th)
The Voice strikes again. Throughout “7220” the theme of reminiscing of simpler times is constant. Reminiscing before he lost several of his close friends/family members and life before all this fame and riches.
Like some of his rap counterparts, Durk discuss his relationship problems intertwining with his own troubles with drug addiction. He also talks his previous experiences of being both arrested and evicted, causing him to miss time with his kids.
“I’m in the cell thinkin’ ’bout my kid like, “I could be with them watchin’ Peppa Pig”
Durk’s ability to bring the listener that close to what goes on in his mind or his family life is something that makes his music stand out. While he can always break out into the hardcore rap sound with songs like “Golden Child” and “AHHH HA”, he still has the ability to slow it down and talk about his real life. “7220” is another example of a signature Lil Durk project, and I think that it was an excellent showing.
Favorite Songs:
- Blocklist
- Golden Child
- No Interviews
- Headtaps
- Smoking & Thinking
10. Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti (May 6th)
Ladies and gentlemen… welcome to the top 10 of my favorite albums of 2022. Before we get into this album, I just want to say two things.
- I understand a LITTLE bit of this album, considering it is all in Spanish, and while my Spanish is decent it is nowhere near understanding the whole album.
- I haven’t seen a summer run from an artist like this where he is just running rampant on the charts and touring at the same time. This man Bad Bunny is legendary.
I have no lyrics to break down, no concepts to review and nothing else to say besides… wow. A great album mixed with different vibes throughout the project. You can’t look at me in the face and tell me you didn’t hear his music everywhere you went after May 6th. You would then be lying. And while the title may be a little sad, “A Summer Without You”, there are so many tracks on this that I just let play and it will bring a smile to my face. So Gracias Benito. You did the damn thing on this one. Definitely my favorite Bad Bunny album.
Favorite Songs:
- Efecto
- La Corriente ft. Tony Dize
- Tarot ft. Jhayco
- Me Porto Bonito ft. Chencho Corleone
- Enséñame a Bailar
9. Burna Boy – Love, Damini (July 8th)
The “African Giant” returned for his first album since the 2020 release of “Twice as Tall”, and wow did he succeed. Someone that has been at the top of the Afrobeats world for years has now conquered new territory with this project.
“Don’t wanna waste my days. I want to spend them on enjoyment”
I’ve told this story before, but I started listening to Burna Boy after I heard “Gbona” on the Netflix series, “Top Boy“. I heard his feature on “Location” with Dave and I heard about him when I was running my music page on Instagram, but I never went and did a deep dive on the music. So after I heard “Gbona” it just opened the doors to the rest of the discography. And then came the song that took over 2022, “Last Last“. You couldn’t go anywhere on TikTok or Twitter without seeing or hearing this song. And rightfully so, it was an absolute hit.
So while Burna Boy was being introduced to the “mainstream” world, he wanted to tell his story. Not the Burna Boy story, but the story of Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu. Hence the title of the album, “Love, Damini”.
So to make his story personal, he talks about times where he was in prison in England (“Glory”) and going through a big break up and needing drugs and alcohol to take the pain away (“Last Last”). Even though I’m a relatively new listener to Burna Boy, I’m happy that he’s getting the big-time recognition now because after listening to his discography he truly deserves it. He’ll have a listener in me for the rest of his career.
Favorite Songs:
- Last Last
- It’s Plenty
- Different Size ft. Victony
- Kilometre
- Science
8. Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (May 13th)
As Mr. Duckworth told us himself…
“I hope you find some peace of mind in this lifetime”
For the first time in five years, the world had a new Kendrick Lamar album to listen to. Kendrick talks about a lot on this project, including having a writers block for two years on “Worldwide Steppers“. From the beginning of the album, as a listener, you know you are in for an intense listen of deciphering every move by the legendary MC. In the second track, “N95” Kendrick urges the people to remove the “mask” that they have been wearing. Whether he is talking in the literal or metaphorical sense, one thing that you can take from the track is that the message is for people to stop living a fraudulent life consisting of material things to make them whole.
“Take off the weird-ass jewelry, I’ma take ten steps, then I’m taking off top five. Take off them fabricated streams and them microwave memes, it’s a real world outside”
As you listen to the album, you realize the battles that Kendrick himself is battling. Self-hatred, temptation, lust and childhood trauma are ruling over his mind as he writes every lyric. And he tries to express that through the music. One issue that is mentioned several times is his issues with lust and temptation. In both “United In Grief” and “Mother I Sober” Kendrick speaks about times where he let Whitney, his wife and the mother of his children, down.
“Whitney’s hurt, the purest soul I know, I found her in the kitchen. Askin’ God, “Where did I lose myself? And can it be forgiven?”
Openly admitting about being unfaithful to your wife to millions and millions of people is not a small thing. It ties in to a previous track on the album titled, “Savior”. In the song, Kendrick talks about how people view their favorite celebrities/artists in a different light than “normal” humans. They might put them on a pedestal to be bigger than what they are, and that is toxic to hold someone that you don’t know personally to that high of a standard.
There’s a lot to unpack from this album so that’s why I’m writing a lot about it compared to the other ones on the list. It was an incredible listen and clearly, I wasn’t the only one who thought so.
If this is Kendrick Lamar’s last ever album, it would be the perfect send off for him. The concept, lyricism, story-telling and rawness of it just made it that good. Thank you Kendrick.
Favorite Songs:
- The Heart Part 5
- Count Me Out
- Die Hard ft. Blxst & Amanda Reifer
- Savior ft. Baby Keem & Sam Dew
- Silent Hill ft. Kodak Black
7. SZA – S.O.S (December 9th)
Back-to-back T.D.E members representing on the official YSN 2022 album rankings. After taking a five year break after, “Ctrl”, fans were begging for a new release. And she delivered incredibly with “S.O.S”. With a cover inspired by a 1997 photo of Princess Diana one week before her tragic passing, SZA said she wanted to convey the feeling of “isolation”. She goes as far to say she’d rather be in hell or incarcerated than feel that feeling of loneliness on the second track of the album titled, “Kill Bill”.
“Rather be in jail than alone”
And like most of SZA’s songs, the emotions and stories that are told are usually centered about her own personal struggles and bouts with love. However, this isn’t the first time in her music that he’s specifically talked about her battle with loneliness. This could be a call-back to her first album on the song, “Supermodel”, where she says…
“Why I can’t stay alone just by myself? Wish I was comfortable just with myself. “
I saw a TikTok that describes this projects concept perfectly. Now it isn’t a “confirmed” theory, but it does make a lot of sense. Let me explain…
The video states that the album covers the stages of grief after a breakup, so here’s my take on it. The title itself, “S.O.S” means “save our ship”. On the cover SZA is “isolated”, like I said before, but she is at sea. So she is “lost at sea”, a.k.a. that feeling of loneliness, calling for help throughout the album. The first stage of breakup would be…
- Denial: The song that relates the most to this feeling is the title track where she says “All that sauce you got from me. All that shit I gave for free. I want it back, want it back”
- Anger: The song that relates to this the most is “Kill Bill” where she literally states that she wants to kill her ex and his new girl
- Bargaining: The song that relates to this the most is “Notice Me” where she has back-tracked these feelings of anger and denial and says, “You stay on my mind, I can’t regret no times spent with you
And I still wonder if you notice me”. - Depression: The song that relates to this the most is “Nobody Gets Me”. She finally realizes that he is gone for good and now she’s sulking in the feeling of sadness. “How am I supposed to let you go?”
- Acceptance/Moving On: The song that relates to this the most is “Good Days”. SZA has moved past the feelings of sadness and is living with a new smile on her face. Although she might still think of her ex at times, she makes it clear that she misses no ex or texts. “I don’t miss no ex, I don’t miss no text. I choose not to respond”
While SZA takes listeners through the rollercoaster of emotions that is “S.O.S” it perfectly reflects what real life is like. There will always be moments of chaos in life that will have you scrambling for answers, but as long as you keep pushing for those “Good Days”… you’ll be just fine.
Favorite Songs:
- Low
- Far
- Open Arms ft. Travis Scott
- Nobody Gets Me
- Seek & Destroy
6. Stormzy – This Is What I Mean (November 25th)
After a long hiatus from dropping music, the people were waiting to hear what the BRIT Award winner would have to say on his next project. It seems that fans weren’t the only one pointing out his break from music.
When he dropped “MEL MADE ME DO IT“, I knew this man was serious. In that same song he mentions how he’s been at the top for so long that it’s not even exciting anymore when he wins. That’s a crazy thing to say, but he has been at the top for long so it isn’t really that wild. Stormzy has shown time and time again that he can go toe-to-toe with anyone in terms of rapping, but in this album he went the experimental route and it paid off greatly.
At the height of his career, Stormzy is the most open he’s ever been. He talks about having suicidal thoughts on “I Got My Smile Back” and speaks about forgiving his dad for his absence on “Please”.
“So who am I to not (Oh, please). To not forgive a man who tries, I see his soul, I know it cries”
This album just feels like took years to create. It feels that Stormzy was reticulate with every element of the project from the beats to background singers, and that’s what makes it really special. Whatever feedback he gets from his peers or critics, just know that Stormzy is a name that grabs the attention of any and everybody.
“They gotta move around us ’cause nothin’ moves without us”
Favorite Songs:
- Hide & Seek
- Holy Spirit
- I Got My Smile Back
- Please
- My Presidents Are Black
5. Central Cee – 23 (February 25th)
We have officially reached the TOP FIVE!! And for this album, I will insert an excerpt from my review that I wrote in July.
It’s not just the color of the merch and albums that sent Cench to the top of the English rap scene, it’s also just the insane creativity. From taking the “UK drill” sound and incorporating his own and creating his own style for music videos, he took the UK by storm. He can go from rapping about being able to just pick up his things and go to “Terminal 5” to confessing how “Ungrateful” he is for the lavish life he is living. From the lyrical content down to the beat selection, Cench has just got it right now. It seems that no matter what he drops, it’s going to succeed. And that attests to his crazy work ethic and focus. While it took him a lot to get to the top, he doesn’t want to lose that #1 spot. The 24 year-old doesn’t smoke or drink and raps about his nonstop work in “Straight Back to It“.
“Done a graveyard shift last night. Woke up today and got straight back to it.”
The West London native has cleared every rapper in England and the numbers are backing it. While he may talk about his newfound fame and riches, Cench has always seemed to fit in the introspective and vulnerable bars. While he’s appreciative of what he has earned, he is constantly trying to tell the youth that it isn’t all gold and glory.
“I thought roads was cool as a young boy. It’s not though, I got mislead”
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the trap, I just can’t glorify it”
What an album though honestly. Listening to “23” makes me feel like I’ve been raised in Shepherd’s Bush my whole life and I’m hearing a first person account of what it is like there. From the production of Young Chencs, the quality of music videos and of course the indescribable flow, you simply can’t overlook Central Cee. He’s taking over the game and he’ll be heading the charts in America soon. Don’t be surprised when you see it.
You can check out the full review at this link below.
Favorite Songs:
- Cold Shoulder
- Straight Back To It
- Khabib
- Bunda
- Retail Therapy
4. Giveon – Give Or Take (June 24th)
It’s time to bear the fruits of my labor. You are now going to get hit with yet another excerpt from a previous review. Enjoy…
The Long Beach native has risen to the top of the music industry while developing a strong and dedicated fanbase. His latest release, “Give Or Take” once again delivered. His baritone sound, one of the most unique in the music industry right now, almost guides every instrument in the beat to wherever he wants it to go. Giveon talks about everything in this album. From wanting to say the “three magic words” in only 14 days on “july 16th” to fear of losing love again on “Another Heartbreak“, he touches all phases and scenarios of love.
“How’d I lose control and end up falling? Guess you got in my head before I knew, knew”
If you look at the journey of Giveon’s discography in a chronological order, it is just the tale of someone who at heart is a lover but just fears heartbreak and commitment. However, in his tracks he also takes on some responsibility for his wrongdoings. Songs like “THIS AIN’T LOVE” and “Remind Me” are perfect examples of that. In these songs Giveon is just looking in the mirror and acknowledging that he is the cause of his own downfall in his love life.
“Is this karma callin’ my phone? Did the old me cause this?”
Despite realizing his own faults, the addiction to the “fast life” that he admits to on “Unholy Matrimony” will be holding him down until further notice. Honestly, we all have a little bit of “Giveon” in us. Scared to love and commit but longing for it at the same time. It’s just the reality of life. Sometimes you need “Another Heartbreak”, but in all actuality, it’s just bringing you one step closer to the person waiting for you.
You can check out the full review at this link below.
Favorite Songs:
- Get To You
- Another Heartbreak
- july 16th
- dec 11th
- Scarred
3. Drake – Honestly, Nevermind (June 17th)
Okay I promise this is the last review that I’m going to use an old review for. But like I said, I gotta bear the fruits of my labor somehow.
“Honestly, Nevermind” is an incredible project in my opinion. From start to finish I think it delivers with purpose and efficiency. The slowed & reverb sound on “Liability”, the wonderful sample choice with “Flight’s Booked” and the effortless flow on “Sticky” all make this project so special. To be fair, this album might’ve hit a little different for me considering that I was sitting on a beach in Halkidiki, Greece the first time I ever heard it.
“Why would I keep you around?”
If you know me you know that I’ll always choose melodic/singing Drake over rapping Drake any day. So hearing “Texts Go Green” for the first time had me floating. That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t going crazy the first time I heard “Jimmy Cooks”, but that goes without saying.
“King of the hill, you know it’s a steep one”
Mr. Graham, it is indeed a steep hill. Even with an album that was widely criticized, Drake secured the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 charts for the 11th time, while selling 204K units in the first week. At the end of the day Drake still reigns supreme in the music industry. Drake turned 36 this October and he has not shown any signs of slowing down. The man has done everything and then some in his career. Don’t be surprised if at some point we get a Drake gospel album.
You can check out the full review at this link below.
Favorite Songs:
- A Keeper
- Flight’s Booked
- Texts Go Green
- Sticky
- Massive
2. Drake & 21 Savage – Her Loss (November 4th)
Now it’s back to using our big brains to dissect yet another album. This project right here was a special surprise. When the teaser trailer dropped at the end of the “Jimmy Cooks” video I remember Twitter went crazy. That old-school soul sample had the whole world just waiting on what was to come. The original release date was set to be October 28th, but they decided to push it back after the tragic death of Takeoff.
Everyone was talking about the cover when it dropped, but I was more worried about the type of music we would be getting. And I was not disappointed one single bit. “Her Loss” is a textbook definition of an album with no skips. The first nine tracks of the album just had me mesmerized. From Drake’s solo performance on “BackOutsideBoyz” (alongside perfectly placed ad-libs by Lil Yachty) to 21 Savage’s entrance on “Spin Bout U”, nobody was losing listening to this.
“F**k your main page, what’s your Finsta? I wanna know the real you”
Another takeaway from this album is Drake getting back in his 2013 bag with, “I Guess It’s F**k Me”. If you played someone that song three months ago and told them it was a unreleased leak from the “Nothing Was the Same” era, they wouldn’t have suspected a thing. Drake is talking about yet another failed relationship, but this time he is taking accountability of what happened.
“Tell me, what did I do wrong?”
This is a call-back to “F****** Fans” song off of, “Certified Lover Boy” where he was talking about working on himself and how he is not trustworthy on his own.
I fully believe that we got elite versions of both 21 Savage and Drake on this project. Just go listen to “Hours In Silence” and “3AM on Glenwood” if you don’t believe me. I had “Honestly, Nevermind” as my album of the year for several months until this one dropped. “Her Loss” held the crown on my list for just about under a month. Then on December 2nd, that all changed.
Favorite Song:
- Hours In Silence
- I Guess It’s F**k Me
- Jumbotron Shit Poppin
- Spin Bout U
- Major Distribution
MY 2022 ALBUM OF THE YEAR
1. Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains (December 2nd)
We have finally arrived at our destination. My #1 album of 2022 goes to Metro Boomin’s “Heroes & Villains”. I knew it. The second I saw that album trailer on Youtube I just knew we were getting a classic. And then hearing that intro with HOMELANDER at the end… it was almost like I was in the studio while it was being made. Or at least that’s what it felt like.
“They don’t wanna see you winnin’. So who’s really the villain?”
So from listening to the intro perfectly transition into “Superheroes & Villains”, with Future giving an insane performance I may add, to a beat-switch to Chris Brown singing??? It was like a sensory overload. I’ve already talked about Metro’s first album on this site and his level of dedication to each project he drops does not go unnoticed.
This man has a true gift for production. For about the last decade, Metro has been giving the game the blueprint on what a “trap” beat should be. But as time has past, he himself has ventured into new spaces musically, giving us (the listener) all different types of sounds.
“Metro, Metro, Metro, I got this shit here boomin'”
What separates Metro from almost any other producer is to somehow seemingly get his features “A game” every single time. I feel like every time an artist hops on a Metro Boomin beat/project, they come into it ready to leave their mark on a classic (the complete opposite of features on a DJ Khaled album). For example, what Young Thug did on “Metro Spider” should be studied in music classrooms across the country.
One of my favorite YouTubers, Mallory Bros, have been saying that Metro needs to start doing soundtracks for films. And he announced recently that he is working on new music for the “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse” movie.
From “Not All Heroes Wear Capes” to “Heroes & Villains”, Metro has been on an indescribable run. This was his third #1 album (Savage Mode II was the second) and he deserved every single unit sale. He’s going to go down as one of the greatest producers of all time. Matter of fact, why limit his title to just producer? He’s an artist. An artist who has helped define an era of music. Shout out to Metro Boomin. Thank you for the music.
Favorite Songs:
- Superhero (Heroes & Villains) ft. Chris Brown
- Metro Spider ft. Young Thug
- Around Me ft. Don Toliver
- Trance ft. Young Thug & Travis Scott
- Creepin’ ft. The Weeknd & 21 Savage
Well, here we are. We have made it to the end of 2022. What a year it has been. Not just for music, but just for life in general. We’ve lost a lot of great people this year, but a lot of great things have happened too. Personally, I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Digital Journalism in May, I went on a great summer vacation, went to a NFL game and got a job working in the industry that I’ve always dreamed about. So I can’t thank nobody but God.
This took a LOT of effort to rank and then write. I just hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I think this is my best “album of the year” article to date. The amount of analysis and in-depth breakdowns for this year definitely surpass any of the previous three years that I’ve done this.
Lastly, I just want to say thank you. It means so much to me that you guys take the time out of your day to read what I write. I appreciate all feedback and every interaction I have about my content. It gives me hope and motivation to keep going. I want to wish everyone a safe and happy new year. May 2023 bring nothing but blessings towards you and your loved ones. Keep your energy, happiness & money protected. Thank you for tuning in. This is YSN, for the last time in 2022, signing out.
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