2022 was another whirlwind of a year, but it’s undeniable to say that quality music was constantly released throughout the year. With an abundance of releases dropping every single day, it’s truly impossible to hear even a sliver of all the new releases. Fortunately, some great albums caught my ear this year and I feel as though it was, overall, a very solid year for music lovers of any genre. Here are my top albums of 2022, in no particular order.
Herbert – Ab-Soul
TDE had a hell of a fourth quarter between SZA and Ab-Soul’s full-length releases. I was wholeheartedly excited for Soulo’s return, and he provided an album that was well-worth the six-year gap between full-length releases.
Growing up listening to tracks such as “Terrorist Threats” w/Danny Brown and “P&P 1.5” w/Kendrick introduced me to Ab-Soul’s utterly unique pen and cadence. Soulo recently offered the Joe Budden podcast a sneak-peak of his intro song “Message In a Bottle” and I immediately knew that his newest effort would be special once I heard that cut. I was completely right.
Following up 2016’s ‘Do What Thou Wilt’, ‘Herbert’ offers a relentlessly dope mix of features and production including, but not limited to, Lance Skiiiwalker, Joey Bada$$, Sounwave, Boi-1da, Jhene Aiko, SiR, and DJ Premier.
“Message In a Bottle“ and “No Report Cards”, are modern boom-bap masterpieces. The former enlists TDE’s Lance Skiiiwalker for a four-minute musical journey that set this album far apart from the average 2022 release within the first few seconds. The latter follows right behind with a track that shows Ab-Soul keeping an outrageously unique cadence up for the entirety of the cut; this one is a neck-breaker.
I’m convinced that “Gotta Rap” is the perfect outro track. I grew up as a huge Gang Starr fan so I’m eternally grateful to still be hearing fresh DJ Premier production alongside some of today’s most prominent emcees.
Vivid storytelling and impressive hooks contribute to complete song structures that sound more refined than ever. Ab-Soul has steadily progressed into the artist he is today and the full body of work that is ‘Herbert’ perfectly represents his full range of capabilities as an artist.
Favorite Tracks:
“Bucket”
“Message In a Bottle” (feat. Lance Skiiiwalker)
“It Be Like That” (feat. SiR)
SOS – SZA
I’ve been a fan of SZA for years and it’s been nothing short of astounding to watch her stick to her guns while simultaneously progressing throughout her extensive and explosive musical career.
I could write thousands of words about this project but I’ll try to stay focused on some of my main takeaways after several listens. “Notice Me” speaks for itself. I’m positive this one is going to eventually take its place as one of SZA’s most popular tracks; Top and Punch worked with SZA to produce a track that sounds like the best parts of a #1 club hit, but so much more developed and structured. There’s no doubt that TDE maintained their diamond-standard of quality with this project.
An other-worldly connection with ODB left my jaw on the floor, there’s undeniably a short list of artists that could’ve seamlessly meshed vintage ODB clips with modern gracefulness.
SZA has continually shown us how talented of a vocalist she is, but the range between bar-heavy “Smoking on my Ex Pack”, a cut like “Forgiveless” and what could be considered an outlier on the album, “F2F”, cements this compilation as a hyper-diverse mark on SZA’s discography.
“Blind” shows the artist opening up in powerful fashion over an orchestral range; this track stands out in my eyes.
At 22 tracks in 68 minutes, this album has so many layers to absorb; her emotions, per usual, pour through the mix as she totally and completely opens up to her worldwide audience. If this is SZA’s last offering, I’ll be morbidly sad, but her discography will undoubtedly stand the test of time as her ubiquitous influence has been felt by the world.
Favorite Tracks :
“Forgiveless” (feat. Ol’ Dirty Bastard)
“Shirt”
“Snooze”
“Blind”
“Notice Me”
KISS THE RING – Rome Streetz
I’m not about to rank these twelve impressive projects, but this widely-overlooked release would definitely be contending for the top spot. Rome Streetz released ‘KISS THE RING’ as his Griselda debut on Sep. 30, 2022, and it’s been on repeat ever since.
If you know me, you know I’ve been a long-time fan of boom-bap/lo-fi/old-school-esq. production; some of Griselda’s heaviest-hitters on the boards compiled an immaculate collection of beats for Streetz on ‘KISS THE RING’ and his relentless rhymes make his efforts some kind of perfect mix that can compare to the likes of Big L and Raekwon.
Conductor Williams tapped into Dibiase-on-his-SP-like production on “Blow 4 Blow” and left the rest to Benny, Stove God, and Streetz. Nonchalant dopeness bar-after-bar-after-bar. The Conductor had an unbelievable year as he showed up on several albums across the hip-hop board and he’s solidified himself as one of the most consistent producers doing it right now.
Streetz’s unrelenting cadence offers enough rhythm for tracks like “Cry Champagne” and “Non Factor” to not even need any percussive elements. But, when full-bodied kicks and snappy snares come knocking back in on tracks such as “Big Steppa” and “Long Story, it’s hard to believe that this album was released in 2022, not ‘92.
“Big Steppa” was the first track off this album to get visual treatment and you need to set a few minutes aside to check this video out if you haven’t yet.
The majority of Griselda’s heavy hitters are featured on this including Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, Stove God Cooks, Armani Caesar, and Boldy James. Shoutout Griselda, shoutout Conductor Williams, shoutout Daringer, shoutout everyone involved on this project.
Rome’s pen can undeniably stand strong next to today’s top rappers and I can’t wait to see what direction his next album takes him in.
“Flood the town, pitching’ like Gerrit Cole on the mound / I’m out for paper that won’t fold and gold that weigh pounds / I’ve been through hell, locked in a cell, Jake doing shakedowns / Now I rip stages, see how quickly life change ‘round?”
Favorite Tracks:
“In Too Deep”
“Big Steppa”
“Reversible”
“Soulja Boy” (feat. Conway)
“Destiny Child”
FACE – Babyface Ray
I was first introduced to Babyface Ray during Summer Smash ‘21 and I’ve been a huge fan of his perfect blend of Detroit-inspired production and modern swagger ever since.
I thoroughly enjoy listening to Ray’s as he speaks on his past trials and tribulations in a consistently triumphant fashion. His soft-spoken confidence cuts through bouncy production with ease.
Ray turns up the energy on cuts like “Spending Spree” alongside Veeze and “Back N Action” with Lucki. Some of my favorite moments on this album appear when Babyface Ray floats over bouncy, melodic production such as “RIP, Pt. 1” and “Go Yard”. His hooks on these cuts are ridiculously addictive, I’d say that this whole album has great replay value.
Babyface Ray had a big year as he dropped both ‘FACE’ as well as his newest full-length ‘MOB’. Some of my personal favorites from Ray come off of his older project ‘MIA Season 2’, but there’s a clear progression between all of these efforts.
Favorite Tracks:
“Me, Wife & Kids”
“Steak N Lobster”
“Kush & Codeine” (feat. Wiz Khalifa)
“Motown Music”
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar
I gave this album a week or two to marinate after its release before I had a great opportunity to listen to it on a short road-trip. I was taken on an unbelievable emotional rollercoaster ride for 73 minutes as I listened to my favorite artist’s long-anticipated release. Prior to listening, I knew the quality and refined nature of this album would be generally unmatched and that hunch was immediately confirmed after listening to the first few cuts. The first six tracks provided a wonderful introduction towards my first emotional peak within this album in “Rich Spirit”.
Overall, any record with any trace of Sampha is bound to be taken to the next level. Add some Alchemist production, several immaculate features, and a level of cohesiveness that only K.Dot can achieve, you’ll get a musical experience that will stand-up to any project that has been released so far this decade.
Perfection from Kendrick has been the standard for quite some time now, but I think the production flows so well together throughout the project as each musical component consists of their own unique type of sheer beauty. Some of the production of tracks such as “Crown”, “Silent Hill”, and “Savior” evoked some wild emotional swings as I listened my first time.
Kendrick’s back-and-forth with Sam Dew is a perfect way to tie this record together.
“Worldwide Steppers” is a sublime example of how Kendrick can pack so much thought into a three-minute cut. While some tracks on this album might not be perfectly geared to the “masses”, Kendrick’s resonating voice cuts through the eclectic production with ease. I find his lyrics to be unbelievably impactful as he has always provided listeners with the ability to see directly through his eyes.
Man. Kendrick is simply on another level. I have vivid memories of walking to the bus stop in 6th grade listening to Section.80 and then experiencing the roll-out of GKMC in real-time. His masterful progression from that era to his modern reign now sets him apart from everyone. Everyone. It’s like we’re watching Jordan play in his best years and Kendrick’s talent seems to be an unstoppable freight train.
Favorite Tracks:
“Savior”
“Mr. Morale”
“Silent Hill”
Tomato Tree – The Slaps
Learning about The Slaps was another super dope discovery I made this year. This group was able to put together a wildly eclectic offering that will make any new listener interested in their entire discography.
I’ve been a lifelong fan of alternative rock; it’s awesome to hear this Chicago-based collective push the boundaries of what may be expected of an alternative group in 2022. Simplistic moments are paired with highly melodic psych rock that will have you locked in to each layer of each cut.
The group taps into a range of influences to provide their fans with a 33-minute experience that is undoubtedly worth your full attention. PoD’s Frankie had this to say about this album, and I think it sums my thoughts up about this project perfectly: “This sentiment manifests itself perfectly on tracks like “Iron Bone” and “It’s Dense”, where they expand on their often described as ‘beach blues’ sound both instrumentally and vocally. Additionally, tracks like “Powder” and “around” are stripped back acoustic ballads that are executed with beautiful intimacy.
The Slaps are a stunning mix, in my opinion, of Tame Impala and Homeshake. But, so many moments on this tape offer the presumption that this band is carving out their own lane instead of trying to mold into an already-established one.
Favorite Tracks:
“Around”
“Iron Bone”
“Waking Up Bloody”
Tana Talk 4 – Benny the Butcher
‘Tana Talk 3’ is one of my favorite hip-hop albums of all time and Benny continued this eclectic series with a wildly dope compilation that shows his talents rising far past the average. Starting out the album with a J. Cole feature was a strong statement that lasted throughout this project.
Benny says it best, “My style mixed with Boldy James now and Tupac then”
Over 50% of the beats on this album were masterfully created by none other than The Alchemist, and Daringer did his thing on the rest. Benny locked in with these two, as well as Beat Butcha for three cuts, and its clear that the limited production crew created a twelve-cut compilation that effortlessly flows from top to bottom.
“Super Plug”, come on man. “Thowy’s Revenge”? Come on, man. Come on. Beautiful production mixed with one of the most articulate and hard-hitting pens in the game. Simply amazing tracks if you’re into this type of grimy, raw, and unfiltered music.
Benny often gets overlooked when considering the best artist of Griselda, but I know that his solo efforts can stand strong next to any other solo Griselda release.
Favorite Tracks:
“Super Plug”
“Thowy’s Revenge”
“Uncle Ben” (feat. 38 Spesh)
Few Good Things – Saba
Saba continues to grow in front of our eyes; I know I can speak for all of us at PoD in saying that his hard work and consistency for years have been recognized and appreciated. Following up on 2018’s critically-acclaimed ‘CARE FOR ME’, Saba somehow conjured up a compilation of tracks that stand strong next to the level of quality of ‘CARE FOR ME’.
‘CFM’ truly put Saba on the worldwide map; I figure that the creative process for ‘Few Good Things’ was based around the fact that his main fanbase had been established following his last full-length release. Similarly to ‘CARE FOR ME’, Saba holds no thoughts or emotions back throughout the 14-track compilation. His grief is still recognized, but the eclectic nature of this album offers triumphant undertones and several highly-energetic tracks.
He still is, and surely won’t ever stop, speaking for his hometown community and the city he grew up in.
“Ayy, we never say ‘Goodbye,’ no ‘See you ’round,’ no ‘See you later’ / ‘Ayy, this Chicago, when you leave, we say ‘Be safe’ here”
The progression from projects like ‘GETCOMFORTable’ to now over the course of a decade is simply beautiful. I can’t wait to see how he grows over the years, but you’ve got to appreciate the undeniably dope spot he’s at within his musical journey at the moment.
Favorite Tracks:
“Still” (feat. Smino & 6LACK)
“One Way or Every N***a With a Budget”
“2012” (feat. Day Wave)
MAHAL – Toro y Moi
Toro y Moi switched it up in 2022 with one of the year’s most diverse alternative releases. This 13-track, 41-minute compilation testifies to the group’s wildly eclectic abilities as they were able to produce a groovy batch of vibes to enjoy on repeat.
Following a dope instrumental introduction, Chaz Bear’s soothing vocals ease into “Goes By So Fast” and continue to serenade throughout the project.
Wildly dope instrumentation can be found wherever you look on this album. Gotta give a lot of credit to the rest of Toro y Moi for holding Chaz Bear down with some of the grooviest music you could possibly sing on. I believe the group played a few of these new tracks including “The Loop” and “Millennium” at Pitchfork ‘22 and they were too fun to experience live. If you’ve never seen this group live, do your best to in the future.
The music really controls the pace of this album as it seems as though Chaz Bear is just jamming with the instrumentalists on each track. Few words from Chaz Bear are necessary and I’d say that relatively few are offered; he’s more of a welcomed addition to a dope set of instrumentalists. This project, though, wouldn’t be the same without him.
It’s truly impossible not to dance listening to this project, and I’ve had such a great time listening to it on repeat this year.
Favorite Tracks:
“Millennium” (feat. The Mattson 2)
“Magazine” (feat. Salami Rose Joe Louis)
“The Loop”
Luv 4 Rent – Smino
Many of the projects featured on this list showcase rising artists that are really hitting their stride and Smino’s newest album is no exception.
I’d say Benny and Smino got two of my favorite J. Cole features of the year; “90 Proof” features the North Carolina-born artist absolutely obliterating the low-key, bouncy production as he details exactly where he’s at in his career nowadays.
Uptempo cuts such as “Pudgy” and “Matinee” feature uptempo hip-hop based production, but other tracks such as “Louphoria” see Smino tapping into some of his alternative influences as guitar-led melodies and ethereal vocals open up a whole new vibe within this album. The duality of “Pro Freak” with Doechii & Fatman Scoop shows how eclectic Smino is; his potential is never-ending as he always seems to find a new sound to conquer on each of his releases.
I feel like I say this relatively often, but it’s been so fun to see this artist’s growth over the years. Smino has been able to reach the masses with his silky-smooth persona and high replay value for years now, but ‘Luv 4 Rent’ is an impeccable addition to an already impressive discography.
Cheers Smi.
Favorite Tracks:
“Louphoria”
“Matinee” w/ Kal Banx
“Pudgy” (feat. Lil Uzi Vert)
RUFFS – Kenny Mason
Unique cadences and an overall fresh sound from the Atlanta-bred artist combine for an exemplary project from start to finish.
Kenny Mason has been on my radar for some time now, but RUFFS was the first full-length project that I really checked out. I was thoroughly impressed with a few of the tracks as I jumped around the album, and I’d eventually come to realize that there are few to no misses on this 16-track compilation.
This album has cuts that’ll interest both hip-hop and rock lovers alike. “HALLOWEEN” and “NOSEDIVE” combine uptempo hip-hop production with piercing guitar riffs. Tracks like “SPIN N FLIP” and “DOUBLE UP” sees the Atlanta-bred artist float over immaculate trap production that’ll get your head and neck bouncing. He’ll also slow it down in style on “DIP!” and “WESTSIDE”. Kenny’s impeccable pen and wide range of styles mold grunge rock and hip-hop in a wildly cohesive fashion.
Kenny Mason has been working at his craft for several years now, but I think he’s really starting to catch his stride. 2020’s ‘Angelic Hoodrat’ is insanely notable as the project gave us a full look at the artist following the release of “Hit”; he’s really starting to build up a dope discography.
Favorite Tracks:
“DOUBLE UP”
“SPIN N FLIP (feat. Young Nudy)
“MAMA DON’T KNOW”
“333 / ATOM”
STOP LISTENING TO LEAKS !!
Honorable Mentions:
‘LOUIE’ – Kenny Beats
‘BEFORE SHIT GOT WEIRD’ – The Cool Kids
‘Lil Black Jean Jacket 3’ – A$AP Ant
‘2H0ldem0va’ – EP – Cam Bolden
‘RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART’ – Vince Staples
‘BUD’ – FIG
‘VacAbuLarEE’ – Valee
‘Melt My Eyez See Your Future’ – Denzel Curry
‘Hellfire’ – black midi
