We are back. We have reached my favorite article of the year. The article where I dive deep into the music that I have listened to over the past 12 months. This is my fifth year in a row doing this article and all I can say is thank you to everyone that has been along for the ride. Hopefully I’m able to do this for another five years.
Here’s the annual reminder that if you’re album missed the cut, it’s either I didn’t listen or it just wasn’t my cup of tea. For example, Victoria Monet’s “Jaguar II” is not going to be on this list, not because I didn’t like it, but it’s because I only listened to two or three songs. And what would I look like if I reviewed an album that I didn’t fully listen to?
Hope everyone enjoys the article regardless. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my favorite albums of 2023. Let’s get into it.
YSN FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2023
23. Young Nudy – Gumbo (February 28th)
BOAW, BOAW, BOAW, BOAW, BOAW, BOAW.
One of the unsung heroes of Atlanta came again with another great project. And not just a great project, but unique. I knew from the cover that this was going to be something special. Every single food or item listed on the track-list, was on the cover, to make one big “GUMBO”.
“I used to lose my mind, you showed me patience
I just wanna thank you, I don’t wanna blame you”
Nudy has always been known to have some hits, but this time he went to another level. “Peaches & Eggplants reached platinum status in September, only seven months after the album was released. Nudy, along with Pi’erre Bourne, have pioneered a sound that has helped them craft their own lane. And this album was a perfect example of how he has mastered it.
“B****, I really was havin’ money way before I signed a deal”
Also that “take you awayyy” on “Portabella” is magical.
Favorite Songs:
- Peaches & Eggplants ft. 21 Savage
- Portabella
- Pot Roast ft. Key Glock
- Okra
- Fish & Chips
22. Lucki – s*x m*ney dr*gs (July 7th)
Every Lucki song I listen to makes me feel like I’m driving though LA on Midnight Club in an all-pink GTR with a crazy spoiler. I don’t know how else to describe it, but to me it makes perfect sense. The instrumentals & the way Lucki flows over the beats just makes sense.
“I ain’t go broke in a minute but still feel like I made it back”
In Lucki’s “sluggish” type of rapping style, he talks about how he is falling into the trap of his own vices (hence the title of the project). Even referring to himself as the “Codeine Cowboy” on “2021 Vibes”. While he keeps making good music, I sure hope he does actually get off the drank one day because we’ve seen what it has done to some of our other favorite artists before. Shout out to Tune though for real.
“Part of me wanna forget it and part of me wanna get you out the way”
Favorite Songs:
- 2021 Vibes
- Mubu
- Tunevert
- New York
- Super Ski
21. Brent Faiyaz – Larger Than Life (October 27th)
An ode to the early 2000s R&B era, DMV legend Brent Faiyaz came back with a surprise release after last year’s “WASTELAND”. Brent has embodied the mysterious & toxic playboy for the last couple of years and it is more prominent than ever in his music.
“It’s your life, but are you gon’ share it with mine?
Make up yo’ mind”
Shout out to another DMV legend (I know 757 is not technically DMV but let me live PLEASE) in Timbaland, who’s iconic sound was able to heard right away on “Tim’s Intro” and throughout the album. Brent is a great artist who’s ability is definitely palpable on a lot of these tracks, but he’s never been really known as the best “singer”. I think he can for sure sing, but there are different levels in this game when you look at the names like Chris Brown and Usher. So to hear him on a track with someone who can REALLY sing like Coco Jones, was a refreshing addition.
“Make this the moment of your life
And I got every other thing that I need and want but you”
I still don’t think he’s managed to make a better song than “Gang Over Luv” or “Clouded”, but Brent still has a lot great music left in him. And he proved that on “Larger Than Life”. We’ll have to wait and see what’s next to come from the industry’s most toxic individual not named Future.
Favorite Songs:
- Outside All Night ft. N3WYRKLA & A$AP Rocky
- WY@
- Tim’s Intro
- Moment Of Your Life ft. Coco Jones
- Belong To You ft. Babyface Ray
20. 6LACK – Since I Have A Lover (March 24th)
The first few seconds of listening to this album you can tell that he hasn’t dropped an album in so long. And it’s not from the music itself, it’s from a fan telling him to drop some music.
“I need you to drop some more music, because I’m dyin’ over here”
Since his last full-length release in 2018 with the classic (in my opinion), “East Atlanta Love Letter”, 6LACK has been focusing more on fatherhood and enjoying his life. Which I can respect, but after dropping an album like EALL (that’s probably in my top 25 of all time) it’s hard to adjust after not hearing him for such a long time.
I’m used to the deep cuts like “Outside” and “Sorry” when you can feel chills as you’re listening to the song because it’s that powerful. I think songs like the title track and “Decatur” had that potential, but for some reason to me it just didn’t hit the same.
I still love 6LACK, and if you catch me on the right night, I can probably instantly cry to “Outside”. However, I left this album wanting a little more. Maybe that’s on me though, I don’t know. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m still going to be one of the first listeners to whatever he drops next. We shall see.
Favorite Songs:
- Tit For Tat
- Since I Have A Lover
- Talk
- Temporary ft. Don Toliver
- Fatal Attraction
19. Lil Durk – Almost Healed (May 26th)
Lil Durk is someone who’s not new to my album rankings, including two top five appearances in 2020 & 2021. This album was definitely highly anticipated for myself, especially after the release of the now-platinum single “All My Life” featuring J. Cole.
“I know secrets that nobody know, pray for me, I’m on the road
Give it all up for my bros”
Whenever you listen to a Lil Durk album, you know what you’re going to hear for the most part. You’re going to get some songs of him cementing himself as the voice, talking about how he misses the trenches and how he is adjusting to this fame that has taken over his life. However, his best music to me is when he is being vulnerable about the negatives of his life. Songs like, “Backdoor”, “Unhappy Father’s Day” & “Smoking & Thinking” are where he is at his best.
“Said what you said, you a part of it now”
I just felt like on an album titled “Almost Healed”, he sounded closed off for a majority of it (besides on “Sad Songs” & “Therapy Session” with Alicia Keys). Obviously I liked several songs on the album, but as a whole it just didn’t stack up to the others he has recently dropped. And that just speaks to his level because he was truly been on a generational run before this project. Hope to see him back at his best soon.
Favorite Songs:
- Pelle Coat
- All My Life ft. J. Cole
- B12
- Cross The Globe ft. Juice WRLD
- Grandson ft. Kodak Black
18. Ken Carson – A Great Chaos (October 13th)
The Opium prodigy is back at it with “A Great Chaos”. And the title definitely fits the music because 12 seconds into the intro, you can tell what type of album it’s going to be. Ken Carson has been around for a couple of years now and his fanbase has ben behind him ever since the day he stepped onto the scene.
“And you can’t relate ’cause what I been doin’ lately feels so unreal”
What people love to listen to more than anything, is when an artist is willing to take a creative leap in their music. And Ken Carson has been doing that consistently, bringing his own take on a sound pioneered by his label mate Jordan Carter, a.k.a Playboi Carti.
If you sit still during the first 20 seconds of “Me N My Kup”, I immediately am accusing you of being a robot. His polarizing sound has definitely got me listening and the only way for him now is to keep going up.
Favorite Songs:
- Fighting My Demons
- Jennifer’s Body
- Me N My Kup
- Green Room
- Singapore ft. Destroy Lonely
17. Key Glock – Glockama 2 (February 24th)
GLIZOCK!!
Another one of Memphis, Tennessee’s rap stars, Key Glock has carried the torch that was cut tragically short from his mentor/cousin Young Dolph. When Glock lost arguably the most influential person in his life & career, no one knew if he was going to be able to keep that same charisma and firepower that he’s always had in his music.
He answered all questions in these last two projects with ease and has arguably gone even harder. He talked about immersing himself in his work and even taking motivation from the late Dolph to keep going.
“I lost my dawg, every day this s*** hurt
His voice in my head keep on tellin’ me “Work””
That same charisma seems to have never left the Paper Route Empire superstar and with every “GLIZOCK” or “YEA!” ad-lib, he seems to be enjoying himself more and more on every record. I hope he keeps that same mindset and keeps going because the music is definitely catching the attention of many.
“Glizock, I’m a dog, but I do not growl
But my diamonds bite”
Favorite Songs:
- 2 For 1
- From Nothing
- Chromosomes
- Dirt
- Randy Orton
16. YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Don’t Try This At Home (April 21st)
This is not the first time Mr. Gaulden has made it on to one of my album rankings. Last year he actually had two projects that made the list (Colors & Ma’ I Got A Family). The always energetic “YB”, as his fans call him, made this album stand out in the midst of three other releases in the previous six months before this.
“YoungBoy, YoungBoy, there go that lil’ crazy mother******”
In today’s music industry where music often gets forgotten about quickly, the Baton Rouge native does his best to not let you forget about his presence. While that might be one of his fans favorite things about him, I think it comes to his detriment. I think YB is one of the most talented artists in the industry right now, but releasing full-length projects on such a constant basis doesn’t give listeners to fully appreciate the music. I know that he has to reach a certain album count to get out of his label deal, but speaking from my own perspective, it’s hard to keep up with his music when it feels like a new project is dropping every other month.
“Call me Mr. Gaulden, b****, long as you don’t say, “Kentrell””
Favorite Songs:
- Mr. Gaulden
- War
- Choppa Doctor
- Rear View ft. Mariah The Scientist
- Big Truck
15. Lil Uzi Vert – Pink Tape (June 30th)
I want to make something clear before I start talking about this album. “Pluto x Baby Pluto” is one of the most under-appreciated albums of the last five years. Ever since “7AM”, Uzi has been a staple in not only my phone, but the industry itself. The always energetic and experimenting artists straight out of 1600 delivered with his first full-length album since the legendary “Eternal Atake” in 2020.
“Take your time, Uzi (take your time)
Take your time”
The punk-rock influence has definitely played a way in how a lot of artists nowadays portray themselves in not only the music, but in both fashion and even their concerts. Bringing the mosh pits and unlimited screaming on the mic to arenas worldwide. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love it, I just think that Uzi didn’t execute it on this project to the best of his abilities.
We’ve all heard Uzi at his best, even “Eternal Atake” was an A-level album in my opinion. However, some of these songs on here just didn’t leave me very amazed. Even the Travis Scott collaboration on “Aye”, wasn’t anything special.
Now I’m saying all this, but Pink Tape is still listed at #15 on my list. Why is that you may ask? It’s pretty simple, the highs on this album were very high and the lows were very low. Songs like “Crush Em” and “Fire Alarm” had the “it factor” with immediate high-energy as soon as you pressed play. But songs like “Endless Fashion” and “The End” just had me confused after I listened.
“If the lights go off, baby, would you ever change?”
Now maybe that’s my fault for not being able to adjust to the new sounds he was experimenting with, but I just couldn’t get into it.
“Patience” though… that song is special. Shout out to Uzi, he went and tried new sounds and the album did well commercially. Excited to see what’s next from him.
Favorite Songs:
- Patience ft. Don Toliver
- Just Wanna Rock
- Fire Alarm
- Crush Em
- Pluto to Mars
14. Quavo – Rocket Power (August 18th)
First things first, Rest In Peace to one of my favorite rappers ever, Takeoff. Quavo honored your memory greatly with this album. One of the worst feelings I’ve ever felt was hearing about his death, the dude who truly minded his business and felt like he was the glue that held Migos together.
“Rocket power, I’ma up this shit, let’s keep it goin'”
It’s truly powerful to sit and listen to how Quavo was pouring out his emotions on some of these songs. Known to many as the “face” of the group, he was always the energetic member who had some of his signature moments on the biggest songs like “T-Shirt” and “Motorsport”. But to hear him basically begging each of his loved ones, including the late great Takeoff, to hold him throughout the pain could’ve made anyone emotional.
“Mama, I want you to hold me
Takeoff, promise, don’t let me go”
While he was being vulnerable on some tracks, he also made it known that he wasn’t just going to stop and give up after what had happened. Using the album title “Rocket Power” as an ode for Takeoff, but also as a theme or saying that keeps him going.
“Rocket power, I’ma up this s***, let’s keep it goin'”
All in all, I really did enjoy listening to this album. My music world will never be the same because of the tragic loss of Takeoff, but I’m glad that the three of them were able to impact the world together as a whole for a long time before his passing. Long Live The Rocket.
Favorite Songs:
- Patty Cake ft. Takeoff
- Where Can I start
- Fueled Up
- Who Wit Me
- Greatness
13. Drake – For All The Dogs: Scary Hours Edition (November 17th)
Just to make this abundantly clear, this is strictly about the six songs that Drake added, not the rest of the “For All The Dogs” album. We’ll definitely be talking about that a little later in this article.
“Even when you stab me in the back, the vest is metal-plated”
All six of these songs just felt like a big “F YOU” to everyone who doubts Drake’s rapping ability. I mean he said it within a minute of the first song, just to make it so everyone understood him. Even making a mockery of people having that take on the opening lines of “The Shoe Fits”.
Drake has talked several times about being tempted to respond to subliminal disses in songs, but at his position there’s no reason for him to respond. It’s like he’s so hungry to be involved in the chaos at all times. He wants to go at someone for the love of the game, but he has the self-awareness to know that he quite literally has nothing to gain. He’s literally Drake.
However, being Drake doesn’t stop him from sending subliminal shots to Pusha T, which he continued to do on both versions of this album. At the beginning of “Wick Man”, he used “empty clips” as a double-entendre to talk about Clipse (the rap group consisting of Pusha T and No Malice) and how their shots at him are “empty clips”.
“I feel like John Wick, empty clips
Yeah, empty clips”
The real ones knew that Drake had this type of pen. It’s time for the rest of the population to lock in.
Favorite Songs:
- Evil Ways ft. J. Cole
- You Broke My Heart
- The Shoe Fits
- Red Button
- Stories About My Brother
12. Hunxho – For Her (October 13th)
I remember walking past the VCU student commons playing “Let’s Get It” on my phone. That was around late January 2022, so that was my first introduced to the artists known as Hunxho. After that song I honestly kind of forgot about him until I saw a TikTok about three months ago. The video was one of those street interviews and the guy was going around asking people what their favorite song at the moment was. And the person who answered said, “7AM” by Hunxho.
“Can’t let you get ahold of me
You’ll get over this, hopefully”
And from that short snippet of the song in the TikTok, I immediately went to go check out his music. And that’s where I found “For Her”. Just as Lil Durk calls himself “The Voice”, Hunxho has a case to call himself the “Street Poet” (which he named two of his albums after).
I’ve said it for years and I’ll say it again, the best music is the music you personally can either feel/relate to. Now obviously, if you know me personally, I don’t relate at all to being a “street poet” and neither do I try to be. However, when you really break down some of the lyrics that Hunxho has on this project, you realize how it can touch so many people.
In that same lane that artists like Rod Wave & Toosii have carved out for themselves, Hunxho finds the perfect middle ground. He’s not a singer like Rod Wave, but the vocals don’t fail to sound smooth on every track.
Hunxho has two songs on my top 50 of the year list and I’m assuming it won’t be the last time he ends up on there.
Favorite Songs:
- By Tomorrow
- 7AM
- Yes
- Bad Bad
- Your Friends
11. The Kid LAROI – THE FIRST TIME (November 10th)
This man took forever to drop new music my goodness. Since appearing at #10 on my 2020 list with the famous, “F*CK LOVE”, Laroi has found himself back portraying the same message as his previous projects’ time.
“So f*** love again, girl, I’m through
You broke trust and I’m feelin’ used”
Fresh off of a breakup from a very public relationship, Laroi feels that the only way to release this anger and pain from him is to put it into his music. And he wants everyone to know that he’s specifically talking about her, even though he doesn’t name her once on the whole album.
“Out of respect, I’ll keep you nameless
But everybody knows this ’bout you, I can’t fake it”
No matter what he does, whether it be spending money on himself or going on vacation, he still can’t seem to escape the feeling he thought he would never feel again.
“Went to Mexico for like six days
Came back and now I still feel the same way”
In this letter to his own heart, Laroi makes his intentions and feelings known with ease. It’s dealing with them within himself that is the hard part. Laroi has made music before that didn’t have a lover-boy tone, but I think he’s found his own lane with it. His fans would probably think that he shouldn’t stop making it either.
Favorite Songs:
- I THOUGHT THAT I NEEDED YOU
- DESERVE YOU
- THE LINE ft. d4vd
- SORRY
- NIGHTS LIKE THIS
10. Headie One & K-Trap – STRENGTH TO STRENGTH (September 22nd)
In this words of Bill Nye, “consider the following”…
It’s June 2022 and you’re on the train in England coming from London’s Heathrow airpot going into East London. You take out your phone and your AirPods and you scroll through your Apple Music playlist. Your thumb scrolls past songs like “Die Slow” by Young Thug and “Video Girl” by Don Toliver.
You then land on “Came In The Scene” by Headie One and then put “Warm” by K-Trap as the next song. You have then fully immersed yourself into London. That was my exact experience last summer and that lead me to tune in to this project right here.
“She wanna fly to Greece (One), do a date night back-to-back”
Two of the kings in the UK rap scene right now finally made their collaboration project (as referenced on “50s” by Headie One) and it did not disappoint one bit.
“Anyway, back to the matter, I might drop a joint tape with shh”
These guys both have a certain energy that they bring to each track and they complement each other so well. It’s like Bobby Firmino receiving a ball on the half-turn from Gini Wijnaldum, and flicking it to Mo Salah on his way to score. It’s like poetry in motion.
That’s why the name for this project is perfect. Because it is quite literally strength to strength. What Trapo can do, Headie provides just as well, and vice-versa. It’s a masterclass of UK drill and just shows how these two have managed to cement their names at the top.
Favorite Songs:
- ANPR
- PARK CHINOIS
- APPLE PAY
- GOOD GIRLS…
- TRIPLE THREAT ft. Clavish
9. Burna Boy – I Told Them… (August 24th)
Funny enough, this is Burna’s second year in a row coming in ninth place on my yearly album rankings. Now, let me preface that by saying that it was going to be extremely hard to top “Love, Damini”, but he did good enough to his earn his spot at #9.
I’d like to confirm that Burna definitely did not “waste his days” and he definitely spent it on enjoyment, as he proclaimed on “It’s Plenty”.
The message that was given across on some songs on this album can be heard on J Hus’ short cameo on the hit record “City Boys”.
“I used to call myself a ugly yute, but I’m not even a ugly yute
I’m a sexy yute, you understand?”
This album was what one would call a victory lap. Like I said previously, this man had an insane 2022. So why not go into the booth and put that happiness and celebration into the music? Which is what he did, literally making a song called, “On Form”.
“And as always I’m loving
Anytime you holla me I’m heavy
I been eating heavy”
The “African Giant”, as he once called himself (and his album), has very little to prove. All of the superstars of Afro-beats like WizKid, Rema & himself will do very well no matter what they put out. It’s time for them to go on a victory lap and bear the fruits of their labor.
I’m just happy to be around while the Afro-beats era is thriving and being appreciated in the masses. It’s a great genre that deserves the shine.
Favorite Songs:
- Big 7
- On Form
- Normal
- City Boys
- If I’m Lying
8. Gunna – a Gift & a Curse (June 16th)
“I could never listen to Gunna he’s a rat.”
“Gunna’s not real like me I’d never switch on my bros”
Gunna made MET GALA… what the hell did you do???
You live in a gated community and have a 9-5, I promise you are not slime. Just enjoy the music man.
“Never gave no statement or agreed to take no stand on ’em”
The man known as Wunna definitely did give all of us some great music to listen to. It’s his second consecutive appearance on the highly-exclusive YSN album ranking article, and deservedly so.
In life, you’ll almost certainly face a situation where you are going to have your back against the wall and there are going to be many people doubting you. It’s the same thing for an artist, and depending on the artist, it’s an opportunity for them to deliver some of their best work.
“Gunna still with it and it’s been a minute, I know I been too hard to find”
I look at projects like “Wins & Losses” by Meek Mill and “Honestly, Nevermind” by Drake, as examples of artists putting some of their best work after being doubted. People were clowning Meek during the Drake beef and he went out and delivered, in my humble opinion, his best ever album.
People were questioning Drake after “Certified Lover Boy”, which was stupid because that’s a great album, but then he went and delivered a dance album and (in my humble opinion) it’s one of his best.
That’s how I feel about this Gunna album. When everyone was giving their opinions on him, he went and made arguably his biggest ever hit in “fukumean” and then he went and started selling out arenas.
“a Gift & a Curse” is Gunna’s fourth studio album, but he’s not going away anytime soon.
It’s still Free Young Thug too.
Favorite Songs:
- fukumean
- rodeo dr
- back at it
- back to the moon
- bottom
7. Dave & Central Cee – Split Decision (June 4th)
For this to be only be four tracks and be this highly ranked, it just shows how much I loved it.
Cench & Dave finally made some music together and they both showed why they are on top in not only the UK, but the world.
“She don’t listen to UK rap if it ain’t Dave or Cench”
Whether it’s curving women like Andrea Pirlo or niche Amad Diallo references, I loved every moment of this project. My only complaint is that they didn’t put more tracks on there. “Sprinter” was the “lead single”, if you could call it that, and that just set the anticipation and excitement for what these two had in store.
I love the UK rap scene because all of the top dogs have their own signature sounds. Trapo & Headie are very distinct in their own way, Stormzy has even ventured into the singing world & you can always tell when you’re listening to a DBE tune.
All Cench & Dave have done, is set themselves above the rest with this project. Can’t wait to hear what’s next for both of these guys, whether they do it together or not.
Favorite Songs:
- Sprinter
- UK Rap
- Trojan Horse
- Our 25th Birthday
6. Don Toliver – Love Sick (February 24th)
I really do hate how people slept on this album. Now it may be taken as a compliment to Donny, because he’s made such incredible music in these last five years. However, I think that same reason has led to people not appreciating his recent drop enough.
“And you said you would never tell a soul, but you’re breakin’ your promise”
Even the rollout to this album was unique, with Don posting several clips/skits with snippets from the album in the background on his Instagram. From the beginning of the album, Donny sets the stage at the beginning of the project by taking us into his own “lovesick” world. Full of diamonds, dystopian-like production & Charlie Wilson harmonies.
“Where I’m at, yeah, where I’m at (Yeah)
I don’t know how I’m gettin’ home (How)”
For Donny and his music time truly does heal all. And the more time I’ve given this album, the more I’ve loved it. If you not respecting this project, you have to starting locking in. It’s going to be 2026 and they’ll be still talking about how good “Embarrassed” & “Company Pt. 3” are.
“In that old life that you run from
Baby girl, keep running”
Favorite Songs:
- Embarrassed ft. Travis Scott
- No Pole
- Company Pt. 3
- Go Down ft. TisaKorean
- Time Heals All
5. Chris Brown – 11:11 (October 10th)
We have officially reached the TOP FIVE!!! And this album comes from an artist who has an AOTY from my website on his list of accomplishments (with “Indigo” in 2019). Obviously that means quite literally nothing to him, but one thing about Breezy is that he’s always been putting out quality music ever since he came into the game almost two decades ago.
Here’s an excerpt from my 2019 AOTY article on Chris Brown…
Let me just start this by saying that Chris Brown has remained a pivotal part of the music industry since we were wearing Heelys to school...
A generational (maybe even millennial) talent, Chris Brown has proven time and time again that he’ll deliver music that oozes creativity and genius. And that’s why Indigo is the official YSN Album of the Year.
While I talk about all this success and longevity for the man known as Breezy, he still is fighting some mental battles that regular people go through every day. On the albums intro, he talks about having anxiety and being paranoid.
“I be paranoid, but nobody knows (Woah)
Anxiety
Don’t let the pressure get to your head”
Not only does he talk about that on the intro, he also reminisces on his past mistakes and how he himself is dealing with the repercussions.
“And all these mistakes of mine, I can’t replace it
I gotta move on somehow”
No matter how many tracks this man puts on an album, I’m going to listen to it. That’s just the way it goes considering the talent he has and his track record of hits. Are we ever going to get the Chris Brown & Usher versus? I think the world truly does need that.
Favorite Songs:
- Messed Up
- Angel Numbers / Ten Toes
- No One Else ft. Fridayy
- That’s On You ft. Future
- Very Special
4. Fridayy – Fridayy (August 25th)
At this point, if you haven’t heard or listened to Fridayy, I have to question your taste in music and maybe even your sanity. One of my favorite new artists, Fridayy has gone full sprint into the music scene and just taken it by storm.
Even with the song titles for both his intro and outdo on the self-titled project, you can just tell his mindset is in a good place. “Came Too Far” as the intro goes to show that he’s just at the beginning and he’s nowhere near giving up. “I Won (Outro)” goes to show that he is still takin a step back to realize how far he’s come and also appreciate where he is in life. It’s only a spoken word piece on the outdo, but his message is clear as day.
“I’m good, like God did enough, bro
I know it’s not gonna end here, but
You know what I’m sayin’?”
I’m so happy that Fridayy and his talent are finally being appreciated by the masses. Look how “When It Comes To You” has taken the world by storm. This man Fridayy is out in London selling out venues and when he performed with Asake at the O2 Arena, the whole crowd was singing his song “Blessings” word-for-word.
He has the talent to be one of the biggest artists in the world and I truly hope he achieves it.
Favorite Songs:
- When It Comes To You
- Stand By Me
- Don’t Give It Away ft. Chris Brown
- Lost My Way
- DGIA Pt. 2
3. Travis Scott – UTOPIA (July 28th)
Ladies and gentlemen, this is where I get to be “lazy” and reap the benefits of some of my earlier work. Last year I was able to do this more because I wrote more reviews as the year went on, but this is the only first one on this article. Here’s what I wrote on my album review of Travis Scott’s “UTOPIA”…
A unique experience from start to finish. That’s what I thought of Travis Scott’s “UTOPIA”. I went into the album genuinely not knowing what to expect. There were conflicting reports saying he was going back to the “Rodeo” sound or saying he was going towards a “whole new” sound. I’d say that it was kind of a mixture of both.
While Travis’ 2018 “Astroworld” was more of a roller coaster of a listen, with a lot of emphatic and hype songs, “UTOPIA” focused in more on a space where Travis could get lost in his own world. An actual utopia, so to speak. Something that he addressed on the track “LOST FOREVER” ft. Westside Gunn.
“Have you ever been lost? Have you ever been lost?”
However, that’s not the only concept that I got from that track. Travis is alluding to a concept he has talked about several times before in his discography, the concept of God. On “Astroworld” he had a song called, “STOP TRYING TO BE GOD” which was a song to not only his peers, but to himself, to take a step back and realize that you are not God and although you have all these material things that not everything is in your control.
On “TELEKINESIS”, he talks about seeing the future, but he also talks about letting Jesus take the wheel and accepting the second coming.
In the next line he says, “Won’t you take the wheel? I recline and I sit still,” which in this situation can mean two things. One, that he is no longer lost like he was talking about on “LOST FOREVER” and he’s comfortable to wherever life takes him. Or two, that he is letting “Jesus take the wheel” and surrendering the ego and status that he currently has as a superstar.
I think what I take away from this album the most is just realizing the grown that the one they call “La Flame”, has made as an artist. From “Upper Echelon” to “TELEKINESIS” you can just tell that he’s learned so much along the way. I truly did love this album, it was a real experience from front to back.
Favorite Songs:
- TELEKINESIS ft. SZA & Future
- MY EYES
- I KNOW ?
- THANK GOD
- PARASAIL ft. Yung Lean & Dave Chappelle
2. Rod Wave – Nostalgia (September 15th)
Rod Wave is another artist who has landed at the #1 spot on my album of the year rankings with his 2020 release “Pray 4 Love”. Before the release of “Nostalgia”, he had released “Beautiful Mind” in 2022. Now there were quite a few songs on that album that I liked, but in my opinion it was a big drop in quality from SoulFly.
“God blessed a child that could hold his own”
Rod’s fanbase will always support him no matter what and that’s a testament to his earlier music. He’s put in enough work from his earlier projects for him to be respected like that. However, with that in the back of my head, I think I was a subconsciously skeptical ahead of listening to this album. That feeling of slight skepticism went away immediately the second he released the acoustic version of “Boyz Don’t Cry”.
“Take away my name, take away my throne
Take away my fame, let me keep my soul”
And I was immediately reassured that we were going to get a classic when I heard the first three songs of the album. Rod has such a distinguished sound and it makes him stand out from the rest every single time. This man made a love song about The Great Gatsby and everyone just got it instantly. There was a reason “Nostalgia” went #1, securing the St. Petersburg, Florida natives’ third album to do so.
One of my favorite parts of the whole album was on the song “Keep It G” when Rod had an interlude and put some of his fans talking about what he means to them.
It perfectly describes how the whole of his fanbase feels about him. He makes music that everyone can relate to and puts his God-given talent of singing on full display while doing it.
I want to give a big shout out to arguably the biggest Rod Wave fan in the world and my friend, Vanessa Mosley. She’ll be more than happy to see me give him the flowers he deserves. All in all, this might genuinely be my favorite Rod Wave album that I’ve ever listened to. And it would’ve been my album of the year if it weren’t for this next album I’m going to talk about…
“I’m coolin’, most days I just be coolin’
Everybody got they own life and they own problems
This life’s too short for grudges, call ’em”
Favorite Songs:
- Checkmate
- Great Gatsby
- Keep It G
- Boyz Don’t Cry
- Call Your Friends
MY 2023 ALBUM OF THE YEAR
1. Drake – For All The Dogs (October 6th)
Somehow this is the first time ever a Drake album has been my album of the year. And it may be a surprise to some that “For All The Dogs” was the one to do it, but for the real Drake fans, it’s not that hard to comprehend.
And back to the quote that I put in my review for this album that my brother said…
“He’s getting better with every album.” – Alexandros Kouiroukidis (October 23, 2023)
And ladies and gentlemen, that is just the simple fact. If you can’t see it now, I promise you’ll see it five years down the road. Here is an excerpt from the “For All The Dogs” review I wrote in October…
I think that what’s unique about music is how each person may listen to the same album differently. Someone out there may tune in to this Drake album and strictly want to hear songs like “First Person Shooter” or “8am In Charlotte”. They’ll get mad at every time he starts and sing and go and tweet “I miss the Old Drake”.
For me, my experience is completely different. With every album I go into, especially a Drake album, I go look for the best singing moments and what kind of samples the artist is using. I go on a drive and play the album from front to back to see if I really want it playing in my car daily. I go to my best pictures of the sky or sunset and try to imagine the songs playing in the background.
Now that might be strange to many, but that’s my experience for every album I listen to. And with this album, right when I heard that Frank Ocean sample on the intro, I just knew that this was going to be an album for me.
“Promise I won’t cause a scene
I got too much respect for me”
The more personal Drake gets on a song, the more I gravitate to it. Songs like “Drew A Picasso” where he talks about losing his girl to an athlete, just gives the listener another reason to return. Because this stuff happens to people in real life, not everyone has a limited edition Maybach, but most people have been betrayed by someone they loved.
Favorite Songs:
- Drew A Picasso
- Polar Opposites
- Members Only ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR
- Bahamas Promises
- Rich Baby Daddy ft. SZA & Sexyy Red
And there we have it. My 2023 album of the year rankings have now come to a close. This is my fifth year in a row doing these album rankings and it’s genuinely one of my favorite things to do every year. I hate the cold, but every time it starts to get cold I know that we’re just getting that much closer to my favorite article of the year.
Personally, I’d like to say that I had a great year. I feel like ever since 2021 started I’ve been blessed with my life. When I first did this article in 2019 I was still on academic probation in community college and kind of lost with where I wanted to go. Four years later, I’m a college graduate working for both Monumental Sports & SiriusXM and I have an incredible circle of friends around me. I’m nowhere near my end goal, but I’m enjoying every moment on the journey to get there.
Thank you to all the people that have inspired me to keep going. Thank you to all the people that have been consistently reading my articles and sending me messages. I just hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I hope you accomplished your goals that you had for 2023. And if you didn’t, that’s why we have the beauty of tomorrow. Let’s get after it and keep getting better.
May 2024 bring nothing but blessings towards you and your loved ones. Keep your energy, happiness & money protected.
In the words of a legend from Marcy Projects.
What More Can I Say?
Thank you for tuning in. This is YSN, for the last time in 2023, signing out.
