In the midst of a year that was already challenging peoples' definitions of mixtapes, albums, and "free" projects, Chance The Rapper asked, "Am I the only n*gga who still cares about a mixtape?" On the surface, it made sense-- Chance is one of the few top-tier artists who've never sold a single copy of his internet-only projects-- but as his latest, Coloring Book, was released exclusively via a deal with Apple Music, both his independent claim and the definition of "mixtape" were subsequently scrutinized. Is an artist still independent if he cuts a deal with one of the country's largest tech companies? Is a mixtape still a mixtape if it not only contains all-original beats, but also plays decidedly like an album?
This debate has no easy answer, but it's changed the way consumers as well as industry bigwigs view the playing field. For starters, streams now count as sales, and thanks to Chance himself, free projects are eligible for Grammys. Because of all these vast sea changes spurred by internet democratization as well as streaming consolidation, we're grading projects a bit differently in 2016. Instead of having separate categories for mixtapes, EPs, and albums, we're throwing them all into the same gladiatorial coliseum and letting them duke it out among each other.
We're now officially halfway through the year, so we've ranked the twenty best releases of 2016's first six months. These aren't necessarily in the order of the scores they received in our staff review (some weren't even reviewed by us), and the whole editorial staff weighed in to determine a ranking that best reflected everyone's opinions.
Drake - VIEWS
Many were deeply disappointed by Drizzy's latest release, but he's so powerful right now that even his "failures" can break chart records and contain at least a few tracks well worth your time. VIEWS is almost certainly way too long, but there's something here for fans of every mode Drake's adopted over his career: tough-talking bangersmith ("Hype"), crooner ("Keep The Family Close"), wavy '80s swag pilot ("Feel No Ways"), master of pettiness ("Childs Play"), and pseudo-Carribean reggaeton-lite purveyor ("Controlla," "One Dance"). More jumbled and less cohesive than Nothing Was The Same and even If You're Reading This It's Too Late, VIEWS is by no means a classic, but it's still an above-average project.
Kodak Black - Lil BIG Pac
Lil Kodak improved immensely between December's overlong tape Institution and this June release, a concise collection of bracingly honest tunes released while the teenager is behind bars. Co-signs from Southern forebears of Kodak's emotive street style, Gucci Mane and Boosie Badazz, certainly help, but for the bulk of the audaciously-titled Lil BIG Pac, Kodak proves he can do this shit dolo. Especially in contrast with the other teens chosen for this year's XXL Freshman class, Kodak has arrived at a fully-formed style of his own, and it's only a matter of time before he perfects it.
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne - ColleGrove
Whether in his guest appearances, Still Cappin' EP, or on this collab album with Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz has himself a hell of a 2016. Wayne's been a little more hit-or-miss as of late, namely on last year's No Ceilings 2, but on ColleGrove, they're both firing on all cylinders and the chemistry is immaculate. As is usually expected with a joint projects (and, come to think of it, 2 Chainz's music in general), the album's tone is pretty lighthearted, but save for a few awkward bouts of attempted wordplay here and there, ColleGrove is a blast to listen to. We fully believe that both guys still have better solo projects in them, but as a low-stakes rap buddy comedy, this succeeds.
Kamaiyah - A Good Night In The Ghetto
Seemingly coming out of nowhere with her go-to producer, CT Beats, in tow, the Bay Area's Kamaiyah released one of the best feel-good rap projects of this decade. Colored with the classic sound of her region, as well as '90s L.A., A Good Night In The Ghetto finds Kamaiyah using her unique voice for effortlessly melodic bangers that make for the perfect summer soundtrack. YG guests, and with Kamaiyah returning the favor on his album, it seems like it's only a matter of time until she, as Gizzle himself promises on "Why You Always Hatin'," goes platinum (or at least the streaming-era equivalent of platinum).
Denzel Curry - Imperial
2016 is the year Denzel Curry is finally getting the recognition he's deserved since 2013's Nostalgic 64, with an XXL Freshman spot and a Rick Ross colab now under his belt. Imperial, his March release, improves on last year's double EP 32 Zel / Planet Shrooms just as much as that release built on Nostalgic 64, swapping out scattered psychedelia for tighter bars and more anthemic fare. It's cohesive, and yet there's pieces of every sound Curry's explored before on here, in addition to some poppier new sounds that don't manage to dumb down his rapping one bit. A cult star for a few years, Curry has truly arrived now, and with talent that breathtaking, it seems like he'll be able to go wherever he wants next.
Future - Purple Reign
Alright, so Future hasn't released anything quite as earth-shattering this year as he did in 2015, but his first 2016 project, Purple Reign, isn't anything to scoff at. It's got weird moments (like the bone-rattling skronk of opener "All Right") as well as crowd-pleasers (the very next track, "Wicked"), and it concludes with two of Future's most soul-baring tracks to date. In retrospect, especially now in the wake of E.T., it seems like the muted reaction at the time of Purple Reign's release was due to Future fatigue, but it holds up months later after repeat listens, as does a good deal of EVOL. Some are jumping to the conclusion that Future is "over" because his buzz hasn't stayed at the level it was for the entire year between Monster and WATTBA, but even the fact that he maintained it for that long seemed like a near-impossible feat. A few years down the line, nobody will flinch when Purple Reign tracks are placed side-by-side with 56 Nights ones on whatever streaming service's playlists we're favoring at that time.
Lil Uzi Vert - Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World
A Scott Pilgrim-inspired mixtape dedicated to a girl is some shit you'd expect Childish Gambino, not purple-haired melodic trapper Lil Uzi Vert, to pull, but surprise! he did, and surprise! it's even better than Luv Is Rage. Uzi's still first and foremost a master of catchiness and charisma, but here he bolsters that with a bit more imaginative subject matter and once of the finest crops of beats we've heard this year. Perfectly curating tracks by his go-to guy Maaly Raw, mixtape veteran Don Cannon, and trap wunderkind Metro Boomin, Uzi proves an excellent matchmaker between vocal delivery and instrumental, ensuring that no two tracks sound remotely similar (a problem that plagued his last project). Most importantly, him and Don Cannon made an accordion sound like the swaggiest thing ever on "Ps & Qs"-- what more could you ask for?
Rihanna - ANTI
Somewhat akin to another huge pop/R&B star's recent album, Rihanna almost totally abandoned popular trends on her 2016 album, instead opting to stroll through a number of genres. There's smoked-out R&B, dancehall, pop-rock, folky ballads, and two stunning whiskey-soaked soul revival tracks. She's never come across as more adventurous and less beholden to the wishes of her label, and it paid off from both commercial and critical standpoints. ANTI may not flow together as well as other projects on this list, but as proof that its star can excel at any style she attempts, there's no parallel thus far in 2016.
dvsn - Sept. 5th
OVO Rookie of the Year? dvsn's Daniel Daley and Nineteen85 are far from inexperienced talent, but coming out of nowhere, they crafted the label's least futuristic album ever, and also its best of 2016 thus far. Sept. 5th is almost entirely focused on sex, and imbues the subject with a weight and importance it's been lacking as of late-- it's far from prude though, with unabashed innuendos keeping things fun and risqué. This is some of the purest shit you'll find in any current corner of the R&B game, and its intriguing mix of sonics gives dvsn better claim to the genre tag "trap soul" than Bryson Tiller.
Young Thug - SS3
For the third installment of his Slime Season series, Thugger nixed the 20+ track, mixed-bag approach of the previous two tapes in favor of something mored pared-down and consistent. The result was an immediate success, an EP-length collection of eight tracks that illustrated his eclectic lyrical gifts without spreading them too thin or diluting them with too many unnecessary guests. I'm Up may have had the more single-worthy cuts, "Fuck Cancer" and "Hercules," but as a more well-rounded batch of songs that lure you in rather than grab you by your collar, SS3 is this year's essential Thug project.
Flatbush Zombies - 3001: A Laced Odyssey
A futuristic concept album from the trippiest rappers in the game? 3001 could have gone either way, but it's clear that Flatbush Zombies really poured a lot into their debut album, and were rewarded with commercial and critical success. This takes everything we loved about DRUGS and Clockwork Indigo and ups the production value, with Erick Arc Elliott exceeding the already-high expectations we had for his mind-altering beatmaking. This Brooklyn trio have worked for years with a consistent vibe to secure a strong fanbase, and 3001 is the clear culmination of that.
Skepta - Konnichiwa
This album arrived with a lot of hype (especially by British rapper standards) after Skepta received co-signs from both Kanye West and Drake in 2015. Thankfully, it more than lived up. From zooted headbangers like "Crime Riddim" to the soft-focus love song "Text Me Back" that closes out the album, Skepta showed that (minus one truly awful Pharrell collab), he doesn't have to pander to American ears to illustrate grime's depth. Konnichiwa is evidence that he now deserves to be the face of grime after a decade-long career plagued by inconsistency. He's crystallized his sound, stepped up his bars, and now crossed over in unprecedented ways.
Kendrick Lamar - Untitled Unmastered
Only Kendrick could make a somewhat scattered collection of outtakes feel this important. Yes, these eight tracks meander at times, but coupled with Kendrick's loose, freewheeling lyrics, this feels like a jam session between a poet and some jazz greats. As they did on To Pimp A Butterfly, the core team of Thundercat, Terrace Martin, and Kamasi Washington once again create living, breathing ecospheres for K Dot's most unhinged lyrical barrages to inhabit, and while the more anything-goes vibe does yield a bit of extra fat, it all contributes to a project that's quite unlike its predecessor despite similar musical styles. Untitled Unmastered won't win Kendrick any more Grammys, but it shows that even his outtakes are better than most rappers' albums.
Kevin Gates - Islah
The most surprising success story of the year, Islah found Kevin Gates perfecting his melodic take on Southern rap and nearly outselling Rihanna. Gates did away with the versatile displays of his mixtapes in favor of something more singular-- huge, radio-ready pop hooks with verses that are gritty as ever and beats that gleam like stainless steel-- and without any features (minus one bonus track), he watched his work pay dividends. Artists, labels, and A&Rs have all struggled to find this level of success in an era where it all seems like much more of crapshoot than it did in the platinum-rich late 90s and early 00s, but Gates did it the old-fashioned way: by building up a devout fanbase and not selling out.
Jazz Cartier - Hotel Paranoia
At this point, what style can't Jazz Cartier do? His February tape Hotel Paranoia kicks off with two gothic bangers before blasting right into the pure pop of "Red Alert," the IDM-influenced "I Know," and then the straight-up lyrical pyrotechnics of "Stick & Move"-- and that's just the first six tracks. On this follow-up to last year's excellent Marauding In Paradise, Cartier stakes his claim as Toronto's most unique talent. Unswayed by trends and decidedly insular in his approach-- only one feature and all production from his Day One guy Lantz-- Cartier is carving out a lane for himself that has little to do with the predominant sound we all associate with his hometown.
Beyoncé - Lemonade
Behind the Super Bowl halftime performance, past all of the headline-grabbing "Becky with the good hair"-driven relationship drama, is an amazing album in its own right. Lemonade goes boldly where no Bey album has gone before, taking adventurous cues and studio assistance from members of the indie rock, EDM, and country worlds, but not sacrificing a shred of its marquee artist's talent or creative control. Whether she's navigating Isaac Hayes and Led Zeppelin amples or sharing mic duties with The Weeknd and James Blake, Bey proved that, no matter the location or guest list, it'll never not be her party.
Anderson .Paak - Malibu
At the end of 2015, Anderson .Paak was waiting in the wings, ready to pounce after show-stopping performances on Dr. Dre's Compton and The Game's Documentary 2.5. He did just that a few weeks into the year, capitalizing on his newfound position with the sprawling, virtuosic Malibu, which felt like a culmination of every musical avenue he'd explored before making it big. It didn't stop there, with his tour garnering many rave reviews of his performing prowess, and thus his future as both an auteur and crowd pleaser looking absurdly bright from where we now stand.
YG - Still Brazy
Easy the most by-the-book project in our top five, Still Brazy gets by with keeping its nose to the pavement and not fucking around, addressing only the issues that throw themselves in front of YG's South Central doorstep, seemingly demanding to be addressed. There's the closest to home, "Who Shot Me?", which stands as the best "fuck you" to would-be assassins in hip hop history, and then the more sweeping problems throughout our nation, namely police brutality and one Donald Trump. The no-bullshit yin to My Krazy Life's conceptually thrilling yang, YG's sophomore album proves his staying power and mastery of every era of explosive West Coast shit.
Kanye West - The Life Of Pablo
The first and raunchier of two ecclesiastical-sounding albums on our list (bet you can't guess the other), Kanye's TLOP is an uncensored look into one of the most influential, conflicted, and baffling minds of our generation, easily the most honest work of his storied career. The hip hop version of The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Of Me is also weird from a musical standpoint, with gospel meeting Yeezus austerity headlong, and even a side of "Old Kanye" to boot. As accentuated by its messy release and subsequent alterations, it's by no means a perfect album, but its quirks and unsightly divots make it all the more fascinating and essential.
Chance The Rapper - Coloring Book
What has gospel songs, Justin Bieber singing about juke music, jubilant horns, trap beats, a paean to the mixtape, and a song in which T-Pain and Kirk Franklin intertwine harmonies? Literally nothing else in hip hop other than Chance's Coloring Book. While Acid Rap was a strong, confident batch of songs, this project is something else entirely, totally changing the way most of us think about genres, interpersonal relationships, and spirituality in rap music. Being earnest is usually frowned upon in such a blasé era, but Chance made it his strength, smiling in all of our faces and daring us to not rock with his wildly inventive music.