MY MUSIC OF 2016

While Rolling Stone magazine chose to give their album of the year to what felt more like a moment-in-the-year than an album, we do things differently round here: we just go with the music and not the following (no disrespect to Beyonce’s Lemonade, I hear it’s still a popular drink…).

WE GOT IT FROM HERE… THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE – A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Rather than go out on a swansong and leave us yearning for nostalgia, A Tribe decides to go out on a peak after an 18-year absence. You won’t hear fans saying, “Oh, we prefer their earlier work.” This is up there with their first 3 certified classics and even though the two that came after that didn’t get as much respect, it’s all been leading to this. Ain’t no tears here, just respect for one of the greatest groups that ever touched a mic!

ANTI – RIHANNA

Rihanna sure surprised people with this album. For fans of the songstress, this album left some distressed as she skipped the usual bubble gum sexed-up songs and tried being as some have said, “an artist”. For those who don’t usually pay Rihanna any attention beyond her singles, this was their album. Every R&B artist seems to have that one album, where they sonically change sound, even if not completely. Rihanna just ticked the box with this one!

THE LIFE OF PABLO - KANYE WEST

''We on a ultralight beam, we on a ultralight beam! This is a God tale! This is a God tale... this is everything!''

Honourable Mentions:

UNTITLED UNMASTERED – Kendrick Lamar

Lamar kicked off the year by dropping this gem in February. It had in my opinion songs that should’ve been on To Pimp A Butterfly, but were left out on the cutting room floor for whatever reason.

4 YOUR EYEZ ONLY – J. COLE

Jermaine does his Beyonce and drops his latest album with no announcement, but an itunes pop up. 4 Your Eyez Only probably isn’t going to attract any new fans. For those who complain that Cole is boring (who are those people?), he is on his continuous musing and rambling, for those who have nothing to complain about a little Cole every now and then, this reaffirms his place in the holy trinity of today’s generation of rappers alongside Kendrick and Drake. Besides, the album’s for our eyes only!