Hip-hop is bigger in 2016 than ever before. Rappers are the new rockstars. The young Mississippi brothers known as Rae Sremmurd joined forces with the fresh-outta-the-feds Atlanta Trap God and super producer Mike Will Made-It and coined themselves the “Black Beatles.” Their single has been No. 1 in the country for four weeks and it even received homage from one of two living Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney, who surely found the song’s mix of creative boldness and divine pop sensibility to be rather familiar.
Though much of rap lives on the Internet, and some of the genre trends are as fleeting as those on social media (sometimes they’re one in the same), it’s fascinating that the landscape doesn’t seem to be post-regional, as was the presumed result of the digital era. Sounds are borrowed freely and cross-country collabs are rampant, but the game is still defined by the movements coming out of different cities.
First let’s start north of the border, where Drake has built a Toronto sound -- with the help of his powerhouse (and alleged sweatshop) -- and taken it global. As his stardom continues to proliferate, so does the number of his critics he must incessantly ward off. His main competition is the Starboy whom he discovered on Queen St. West.
Sound-wise, the West Coast seems to be aware of its legacy more than any other place. The kid from Compton stood strong with an album of demos taken from the sessions for last year’s AOTY, and his neighbor in Bompton stepped up as a surprise political hero while still going dumb Brazy.
The ATL remained the most fiercely competitive town in the whole scene, as has been the case for the past few years. Future quieted down and his primacy is now threatened by the man in the blue dress. The city has been equally fueled by the newcomers, too, with the sugary stylings of Lil Yachty varying greatly from the chilling murder tales of 21 Savage.
Lastly, positivity seemed to reign supreme in one of America’s most violent cities, in large part due to the colorful expressions of Chance The Rapper, whose name now seems to underplay his far-reaching inspiration and spiritual guidance.
With such a ridiculous amount of good (and bad) music dropping each week, an attempted narrative such as the one above is still way oversimplified. But it’s our job to make sense of it all, and one way to do that is to provide an extensive (but still insufficient) list of all the songs that we felt defined this exciting, sometimes agonizing, and often unpredictable year that will soon come to an end.
Below are 5 honorable mentions. Then scroll through the galleries to find HNHH’s 50 Hottest Songs of the Year.
Honorable Mention:
Young Thug feat. Travis Scott, Gucci Mane & Gunna - "Floyd Mayweather"
Skepta - "Man"
Desiigner - "Tiimmy Turner"
Jazz Cartier - "I Know"
dvsn - "Hallucinations"
- Angus Walker
Mac Miller - Dang (Feat. Anderson .Paak)
"Dang!" sounds nothing like the rest of Mac Miller's dense, decadent album The Divine Feminine. The song takes flight on the wings of Anderson .Paak (formerly known as Breezy Lovejoy) and the Canadian producer Pomo. And despite the fact that is about an unfortunate break-up, it is simply glistening with sauce. The amount of flavor .Paak injects into a single word - "dang!" - hasn't been seen this side of Fetty Wap's "Jugg."
- Danny Schwartz
ASAP Mob - Yamborghini High (Feat. Juicy J)
ASAP Mob’s Cozy Tapes was the kind of low-stakes triumph ASAP Yams would have been proud of, and “Yamborghini High” is the perfect opening track to the project. Hearkening back to the days of Three 6 Mafia the Mob has always worshiped, they recruit Juicy J for inspiration on the nostalgic record that mixes 90s proto-trap with the sounds of today, a fusion everyone in the collective is comfortable and excited by. The digital distortion of the video lent to this dynamic, and also reminded us of the camaraderie between the members, which can be heard throughout the project. While recent years have seen the Mob grow more distant, 2016 was a return to form of sorts.
- Trevor Smith
First Day Out The Feds
Gucci Mane - First Day Out The Feds
Gucci Mane had a pretty incredible 2016, but it all started with “First Day Out The Feds.” A callback to his fan favorite “First Day Out,” Guwop’s first new track since being released from a 3-year prison sentence gives way to the introspection that comes with long periods of isolation. Sounding more lucid than ever, Gucci muses on his past mistakes over a paranoid instrumental from Mike WiLL. Not yet ready to return to the playful street rap we’d later hear on his Jingle Bells-sampling “St Brick Intro,” Gucci had to sit one more day in the darkness before he started to let the light back in.
- Trevor Smith
Jeezy - All There (Feat. Bankroll Fresh)
Now nearing 40, Jeezy wanted to return to his famed "Trap or Die" series one last time, and he started off by dropping what now stands as one of the best songs in the whole trilogy. Jeezy previewed the opening verse of "All There" when he first announced Trap or Die 3, and it sounded a bit like him, but this was a younger, slightly croakier voice, belonging to the late Bankroll Fresh. Knowing Bank would lead off the first single on Trap or Die 3, it was clear this would be the posthumous track to properly honor his legacy. He goes right into the hook -- "Sellin' dope out the pot, straight drop it's all there" -- before Jeezy, with a slightly sharper rasp, cuts in and raps, "And I just ran through the bag it's all there." Indeed it is. The young Hot Boy and the OG, united in their faith to the grind, trading punches over a thundering trap score from D. Rich, Bank's go-to beatman as well as the executive producer of Trap or Die 3.
"Me and Fresh going back and forth on a D Rich beat -- I don’t think there’s nothing else in this world that sounds that authentic and that real,” Jeezy told us in our October Digital Cover Story. With "All There," Jeezy reminded us there's a code of honor to this trap shit. Hearing Bank sounds so alive upon repeat plays of the record, the tragedy of his loss is tempered by the realization that, against all odds, he was able to be great and make his city proud. R.I.P. Yung Fresh.
- Angus Walker
Anderson .Paak - The Season | Carry Me
2016 was a mammoth year for Anderson. Paak, the Bard of Oxnard. Equal parts drum virtuoso and dance machine, he released the superb, genre-spanning album Malibu in January and proceeded to tour the globe, perform at countless festivals, and expose to the masses his prodigious music talents. “The Season | Carry Me” nicely encapsulates the Californian warmth, nostalgic storytelling, and down-home grooves that exist elsewhere on Malibu. Divided into two parts with a runtime of five and half minutes, it is the most expansive track on the album.
>- Danny Schwartz
Kamaiyah - How Does It Feel
Most people’s first listen to Kamayiah happens the same way – you hear the classic Bay Area bass and the echoes of Kamayiah’s voice, but it doesn’t immediately grab you. However, by the time the chorus hits you inevitably begin bobbing your head and the infectiousness of the Oakland emcee’s vocals takes hold.
Part of the appeal of discovering the song is its humility, both in its subject matter and rise to success. Kamayiah mixtape wasn’t hyped or heavily promoted, and the rough edges are readily apparent in the mix. The song is simply too good to deny, and its presence outside the traditional hit-making machine allows listeners a more personal and relatable connection to the track. It’s not flexing, it’s not professional, it’s just asking a question most of us have asked at some point in our lives: “How does it feel to be rich?”
- Carver Low
Meek Mill - Pray for Em
Did the Meek Mill comeback we waited so long for ever happen? Kinda, sorta. He’s back at the top, sure, but DC4 didn’t quite live up to over a year of hype. Many will forget about the two 4/4 EPs he dropped in January, though some of his best 2016 output can be found among those eight tracks. “Pray for Em,” the opener on the first EP, was the first track he dropped since Drake David Blaine’d him in Summer ‘15. And it was a forceful reminder of what Meek Mill can do better than anyone else: rap at a breakneck speed and a deafening volume with reckless abandon -- about real shit he’s seen on the streets, mind you. He’s still working on complementing this style in order to put out a well-rounded project, but no one else can bring such a potent combination of lyrics and adrenaline. The cataclysmic Finnish metal-sampling production from Chicago’s C-Sick helped make “Pray for Em” particularly epic. I find that Meek’s still getting his mojo back (look out 2017), but there’s no doubt Drake shuddered upon hearing this.
- Angus Walker
Dae Dae - Wat U Mean
"Key to the Streets" may have been bigger outside of Atlanta, though the song that defined the city this year was Dae Dae's breakout hit, "Wat U Mean." Holy hell this man is fired up. Jeezy levels of motivation -- with a new-school mentality, unafraid to get melodic or simply spazz and let his voice break. The opening lines are the definition of "straight drop," so pure, straight from his battle-tested heart. "Racks in me like a piñata," he barks after the stage is set by the crucial instrumental (coming from Young Mercy, but sounding like Nitti Beatz -- the man who signed Dae Dae). I still ponder the piñata metaphor, though the line stands as one of the hardest openers of the year, purely because of the energy with which it's delivered.
The ensuing lyrics -- about German Shepherds, points of interest in the 4th Ward, and his daddy's recent prison release -- only heighten the undeniably affecting portrait of Dae Dae's come-up. He goes so hard with his raps, it's necessary for him to cool off on the hook and repeat "aye" a handful of times before reminding us he's doing this to feed his family.
- Angus Walker
Tory Lanez - LUV
Tory Lanez’s debut album is the kind of project that should be considered as one wholly piece of work, rather than a simple collection of individual songs, due to its many intricacies. I Told You contains a purpose and a story, and is sided with skits to help tell that story. “LUV” was pushed officially as one of the album’s singles, and in the context of the album, it stands as a sign of Tory’s success, a statement that he made it, finally (I told you). While other album cuts might rely on the records before or after it, or else the story-telling might not be the stuff radio dreams are made of, “LUV” is a great single thanks to its pop tendencies, a capitalization of the dancehall trend, and a very general, but extremely relatable concept-- not to mention Tory’s incessantly catchy “mmmm-aaah-mmmm-aaah-mmmm” on the hook. There’s no shade here, all these markings create a song that is as radio-friendly as it is topical.
- Rose Lilah
YFN Lucci - Key to the Streets (Feat. Quavo, Takeoff & Trouble)
Released in February, "Key to the Streets" remains one of the biggest songs on urban radio, and it has been massive in Atlanta, where all four of the track's artists are from. The song could belong to Quavo, as it boasts some of his best hook work of the year as well as a killer opening verse. Instead, it was chosen as a single off YFN Lucci's Wish Me Well 2, and he deserves to have the hit to his name. He's been a huge part of ATL music this year (along with collabs with Meek Mill and Lil Durk), and he's risen to fame off of just two mixtapes. His back and forth with Quavo is evidence that singing is now an essential part of street music, especially in Atlanta. Melodic flows no longer suggest softness; they can be the best way to convey real pain and inspiration.
The raps aren't going anywhere, as proven by the shared closing verse from Trouble and Takeoff. There was a time when singing rappers were seen as a lamentable trend that served to dilute the trap scene. No more. Let these artists do what they want, even if it means breaking the mold. There's no denying this is as ATL as it gets.
- Angus Walker
Young Thug - With Them
The second of two Young Thug songs that appear on our Hottest Songs list, “With Them” served as the first record off Slime Season 3 mixtape. It’s a bouncy, bubbly way to start off the mixtape, and sets the tone for SS3-- a more trap-leaning project in terms of sound than the release that followed it, Jeffery. The song, produced by Mike WiLL Made It, received Kanye West’s stamp of approval early on. It debuted at his Yeezy Season fashion show at Madison Square Garden, before being premiered via Kanye’s twitter (Ye with the exclusives). The content of the song itself is the usual Thugger fare-- quirky lines about bitches, animals, his teeth and his jewelry. That’s actually a pretty good summary of most of Thug’s music.
- Rose Lilah
Drake - One Dance
Say what you will about Drake, but despite the critical consensus that "Expectations > Views" the people consumed the shit out of it. We could sit here and bore you with accolades about how "One Dance" is Spotify's most streamed song ever, or focus on the song's place in Drake's plan for world domination (it's a West Indian-vibed song featuring an artist from Europe and an artist from Africa ~ just saying), but instead of all those semantics, let's just reflect on how damn catchy it is. It's very catchy. And if it weren't so brutally overplayed, it would set the club on fire in any city on Earth. In all seriousness, kudos to Drake for giving Kyla a comeback. He didn't have to do that. and that alone should give "One Dance" a place on this list.
- Zakk Feig
Usher - No Limit (Feat. Young Thug)
Never forget what Usher has done for Atlanta music. The 38-year-old made a comeback this summer starting with "No Limit," a club jam that found his usual singing voice in shimmering clarity while executing the wordplay of a rapper. "No Limit" refers to both his pipe game and the game-changing New Orleans record label, and he was able to "C-Mur-Mur-Murder that" and provide the "Ghetto D" with little cheesiness and charming sensuality. He got Atlanta's hottest rapper to drop the closing verse and, in turn, Young Thug took part in one of his biggest hits to date. The man can go pop while rapping about "kerosene" and "Bacardi barbies."
- Angus Walker
The Weeknd - Starboy (Feat. Daft Punk)
If we’re being honest, The Weeknd got his stride back with his latest body of work, Starboy. Although it’s always fun as a fan to wish an artist would revert back to “mixtape days,” life is not a regression (#knowledge). Thus, Starboy as an album managed an oft-precarious feat. It was an evolution, but at the same time, a day-one-fan-satisfying release-- Abel definitely maintained a strong pop element throughout the 18 tracks, with a modern twist on '80s sound bites, and the same refreshing approach to some of the dark sounds that hearken back Trilogy days.
On the album’s title track, The Weeknd called upon purveyors of electronic music, Daft Punk, to give their trademark groove (a chorus of auto-tuned ‘ha-ha-ha-ha’s) to the oscillating beat. If you turned on the radio once in the past several months, you undoubtedly heard this song getting airplay. Not for nothing, it was catchy.
- Rose Lilah
Danny Brown - Pneumonia
No one knew quite what Danny Brown was putting together with his new album. In the run up to its release the biggest headline was that he’d spent over $70,000 on sample clearances alone, which drove speculation up even further. The Detroit rapper didn’t disappoint, delivering one of the most progressive hip hop albums while retaining Brown’s penchant for unhinged energy. “Pneumonia” sits at the heart of the whirling dervish that is Danny Brown’s musical mind.
Set against an at times overwhelming staccato of drums and off-kilter samples constructed by beatmaker Evian Christ (of Yeezus fame), Danny Brown never loses sight of his rhythm and acts as a backbone for a behind that at times seems like it’s attempting to escape from him. It’s a song about cocaine, and it sounds the part. In an era of big bass drops and heart-pounding 808s, “Pneumonia” is a menacing banger that defies those requirements.
- Carver Low
Lil Yachty - 1 Night
Lil Yachty was one of the more divisive figures in rap this year, but “1 Night” proved that he had the fanbase to score a proper solo hit. “1 Night” is a pretty accurate encapsulation of Yachty’s appeal. His nursery rhyme-esque take on Atlanta trap is in full effect here, as he punctuates his sing-song flows with delicate falsetto ad-libs that are as sweet as they come. He stacks one melody on top of itself through the 4-minute runtime, which different types of rap fans will either see as monotonous or intriguingly hypnotic. One thing’s for sure, Yachty’s approach is clicking with a younger audience, and there’s no reason for him to turn away from the candy-coated world he’s created for himself.
- Trevor Smith
Fat Joe & Remy Ma - All the Way Up (Feat. French Montana and Infrared)
For all the talk that hip hop is leaving New York behind, the Big Apple has quietly been a factory of major hits. 2015 gave us “Milly Rock” and Fetty Wap’s bevy of smashes. 2016 gave us “OOOUUU,” “Panda,” and “All the Way Up,” an exuberant uptown anthem that had Bronx residents kicking heels in Timberlands all summer. The track earned two Grammy nominations and is Fat Joe’s most commercially successful song since 2006’s “Make It Rain.”
- Danny Schwartz
Dreezy - Body (Feat. Jeremih)
Watching Dreezy’s ferocious “Chi-Raq” freestyle, one wouldn’t necessarily assume she would be behind one of 2016’s most perfect pop songs. Like fellow Chicagoan Tink, Dreezy is as capable a singer as she is a rapper, and “Body,” her pop turn with the help of Jeremih, is a great radio song with a sound all its own. The best parts of the track are the small touches. The beat shifts subtly throughout, while ad-libs and backing vocals interject --most notably the distorted scratch vocal worked into the hook, perhaps the element that takes the chorus from good to great. While Jeremih is clearly the more experienced of the two in this particular territory, it never feels like anything less than a proper duet, Dreezy’s voice strong and natural in within the pop sphere, as she proves across her album No Hard Feelings. Plus, she can still rap you under the table.
- Trevor Smith
Isaiah Rashad - Free Lunch
When your debut album is also your comeback album, you better come with the heat immediately. Zaywop, fresh out the depths of alcoholism, heeded the call, and chose "Free Lunch" as his lead single. It's a peaceful ode to trapping in the hood, and it won us over with six words: "Real niggas in my condom, huh." Whether or not you bump The Sun's Tirade on the daily, that condom line in the hook for "Free Lunch" might be the bar of the year. As for the rest of the song, it's a showcase of Rashad's effortless rhyming talents, a testament to his status as TDE's next great hope.
- Zakk Feig
21 Savage - X (Feat. Future)
Easily Atlanta's breakout star of 2016, 21 Savage emerged as the meanest, most ruthless young rapper in the city -- maybe in the whole country. But he couldn't have done it solely with his evil eyes and the dagger tattoo that rests between them. His artistry is evolving at a remarkable pace, and no one could've expected how unique and masterful Savage Mode would be. Arriving after "No Advance" and "No Heart," the opening lines on "X" -- "10 bad bitches in a mansion, wrist on Milly Rock them diamonds on me dancin'" -- ensured that the song was to be the project's biggest hit, especially as the "savage" of 21 was brought outside of the streets and remained just as darkly intriguing.
The lone collaboration on Savage Mode, Metro invited Future to jump on the song not to outshine 21 but to anoint him with a well-deserved cosign. Their back-and-forth is pure Zone 6 savagery, and somewhat surprisingly, their energy is directed at not their rivals in the streets but at their former lovers. Though 21 Savage may have grown up with no heart, he's still capable of being hurt, and he only knows one response -- to stunt on the dealer of said heartbreak harder than ever before. It might not be the best long-term strategy, but in hearing these guys win so hard while being filled with petty and jealous emotions, I found "X" to have incredible healing power while enduring a breakup of my own.
- Angus Walker
YG - Why You Always Hatin (Feat. Kamaiyah & Drake)
YG’s “Still Brazy” was a lot less single-oriented than his debut “My Krazy Life,” which ultimately worked to its favor, but “Why You Always Hatin” remained an outlier that captured the lighter, party-starting tracks YG has been known for. It finds him reuniting with Drake for a spiritual sequel to “Who Do You Love?” (even down to the central question in its title). However, more important is the presence of Kamaiyah, perhaps the most exciting new rapper to emerge out of the west coast this year. Apparently, the song was originally Kamaiyah’s but was brought to YG, and judging by the cadence of the the Bompton rapper’s first verse, it’s not hard to believe. If anything, it’s a testament to the chemistry the two rappers have, which also extends to their collaboration on A Good Night In The Ghetto, but has never been better illustrated than here. From the call-and-response dynamic of the hook to the flashy video, “Hatin” was everything you could ask for from a summer single, proving that two of the best album artists of 2016 also know how to craft a great standalone single
- Trevor Smith
Solange - Cranes in the Sky
“Cranes in the Sky” is the saddest song of 2016. Spare and wrought with pathos, it details and ultimately gives dignity to Solange’s struggle to cope with depression. Raphael Saadiq sent her the stirring, string-driven beat one day eight years ago, and she wrote the song in her hotel room that night -- which now gives it the feeling of a found artifact that bears the weight of time, in addition to the weight of Solange’s profound emotions.
- Danny Schwartz
Kanye West - Real Friends (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)
When people were dragging Kanye West through the mud during the surprise Trump endorsement that preceded his mental breakdown, I returned to "Real Friends" and vowed to never undervalue this man. There's such a touching, universal appeal to the song, even if it deals with how difficult it is to hold onto good friends as one ages, especially as life's opportunities can put us on paths that steer away from those we love. Even though Kanye's "Real Friends" experiences, at times, seem absurd -- specifically his cousin stealing the laptop he "was fuckin' bitches on," he's able to present himself as more relatable than any other rap artist at his level. Let's remember that as his ambitions continue to get grander and the public perception will be that he's further alienated from real people.
Sometimes his most beautiful ideas are the simplest. "Real Friends" isn't as much rap as it is a seamless confessional of spoken word poetry (along with the rousing voice of Ty Dolla $ign). If Kanye's recent collapse is proof of anything, it's that he'll always be purely, painfully human. Therein lies his greatest appeal.
- Angus Walker
Kehlani - CRZY
Though she didn't drop a project, 2016 was Kehlani's biggest year yet. It was the first time she’d broken the Hot 100, and she did so three times. Of those hits, “CRZY” was the strongest -- a powerful single that finds the Bay Area singer proudly expressing herself. “Everything I do, I do it with a passion / If I gotta be a bitch, I'ma be a bad one,” are her opening lines, coming back strong and assured as ever. The song is expected to land on her forthcoming album SWEETSEXYSAVAGE, a title she has expressed is meant to fight back against the idea that women can not be multi-layered. On “CRZY,” she’s putting all of herself out there in the same way, and seeing the reception her singles are getting, it’s something people have been looking for.
- Trevor Smith
Beyoncé - Formation
Much like LEMONADE as a whole, it’s difficult (and ultimately unnecessary) to separate “Formation” from its accompanying visual component. The first single, but placed at the very end of the album and film, the song serves as the closing credits to the whole production. While independent from the relationship aspects of the narrative arc, “Formation” consolidates the political leanings of the project. Its video serves as a powerful protest against police brutality, as Bey perches upon a slowly sinking cop car. “It is up to us to take a stand and demand that they ‘stop killing us,’” Bey wrote on her website following the police killing of Alton Sterling. “We don’t need sympathy. We need everyone to respect our lives. We’re going to stand up as a community and fight against anyone who believes that murder or any violent action by those who are sworn to protect us should consistently go unpunished.” Consider “Formation” the rallying cry for this fight.
- Trevor Smith
Travis Scott - Goosebumps (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)
Travis Scott's Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight was heavy on the features, which some could see as a detractor, but it also served as a guarantee that every fan would find something that appeals to their specific interests-- from 21 Savage to Kid Cudi to Andre 3000 and beyond. Kendrick Lamar appeared on "Goosebumps," which, as a fan of K. Dot, is a refreshing record for the TDE frontrunner-- Kendrick has been diving deeper into jazzier territory, and this record was a more standard, and modern, trap fare. Cardo, Yung Exclusive, Cubeatz and Mike Dean all had a hand in the production, which feels as though it's weaving in and out of your ears, building up with chirp-like beeping (not to mention Travis' own chirp ad-libs) and drum patterns as Travis makes way for a chill-inducing hook.
- Rose Lilah
Migos - Bad & Boujee (Feat. Lil Uzi Vert)
Who would've thought this would be Migos' biggest-ever hit, charting higher than songs like "Versace" or "Fight Night," which seem to have much more instantaneous club and radio appeal? "Bad & Boujee" is evidence that people are finally starting to respect the Migos and how they continue to advance in skill and style. Above all else, the song showcases their lyrical adroitness without sacrificing the witty turns of phrase that only this trio could produce with such ease. Metro Boomin had a great year, and it's also a testament to him this was able to become a hit with such an intricate beat. Lil Uzi Vert is at his best. And let's talk about the undisputed leader of the song: Offset, who has been behind bars for much of the Migos' time in the spotlight.
Everyone's talking about Quavo and his solo potential this year, but Offset truly owned the "Bad & Boujee" hook and also had the song's best verse. Though it now feels like he's always been the best bar-for-bar emcee in the group. If any of them go solo, let's pray the Migos also stick together, as their best work is yet to come. Also, is there a better way to describe the Migos' appeal than "Bad & Boujee"?
- Angus Walker
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne - Bounce
At first glance, a 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne project may have looked less natural than Kanye West and Jay Z’s Watch The Throne, or less mutually beneficial than Future and Drake’s What A Time To Be Alive, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find better use of the rap duo dynamic on either of those projects than on ColleGrove’s “Bounce.” Presented like a rap battle, Wayne and Chainz go back and forth with some of their most outrageous punchlines -- which is saying a lot for their standards. In almost any other match-up, 2 Chainz would be the wild card, but here he plays the straight man, sounding reserved and traditional next to Wayne’s extremely animated performance. As 2 Chainz has expressed, Weezy's opening verse initially left him lost for words, so let's let them speak for themselves. "My ceiling’s absent, my wheels are massive, my friends assassins / All of us bastards, our mothers queens and our women dancers / My rivers rapid, my fins are splashin’, my gills are flappin’ / I bit some matches, then sipped some gas and went, kiss the dragon."
- Trevor Smith
ScHoolboy Q - THat Part (Black Hippy Remix)
Released an hour before Blank Face LP, the “THat Part” remix came as a welcome replacement to the original, which featured a verse from Kanye West that is admittedly memorable (Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, OKAY!”) but ultimately inferior to the raw and smart style of Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and Kendrick Lamar. The increasingly apparent reality that a Black Hippy album will never happen makes the remix all the more the valuable.
“Me no conversate with the fake...”
- Danny Schwartz
Ty Dolla $ign - Zaddy
By now we are well acquainted with Ty Dolla $ign’s particular brand of lechery. “Zaddy” is a love song by his standards -- he is smitten, in part of with this woman, in part with his own ability to please her financially and sexually. What really elevates this song is the immaculate production of Jahaan Sweet and Frank Dukes, which contains many of the subtle musical qualities that distinguish Ty’s music: in this case, the weepy violin of Peter Lee Johnson and talkbox oo-ooos.
- Danny Schwartz
Young Thug - Harambe
Like much of what Young Thug does, the project JEFFERY was unexpected. It’s not that we didn’t know it was releasing, we knew that, thanks to continuous teasing-- but the sound of the project showed maturity, or else a deviation from the more guttural sounds on past releases (even the one right before JEFFERY, Slime Season 3). JEFFERY has a sense of lightness and happiness to it. The fact that Thugger named each song after his idols probably helped imbue the album with that, as he basically gave each song a reputation to live up to. Among the records, “Harambe” definitely lives up to its reputation/reference. As soon as you hear the growling “MAFIAAAA,” anticipation sets in. Thugger’s vocals are more gruff than usual from the outset-- perhaps it was a creation mid-way through, or nearing the end of JEFFERY sessions, whatever the case, it adds to the visceral quality of the record. Piano keys and a howling vocal sample add to the melody of the beat, while Thug’s flow switches from growl to whine, depending on his demands-- “I just wanna have sex, I just wanna have a baby out you” falls into the latter category, while “Bentley wheelin' nigga, bear killer n*gga, back it up” falls into the former.
- Rose Lilah
Lil Uzi Vert - Money Longer
Lil Uzi Vert received a sudden and noticeable spike in popularity upon the release of his mixtape Luv Is Rage, in the last quarter of 2015. This carried him over to the beginning of 2016, with his first of three mixtapes from 2016 arriving in April, Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World. The mixtape was a continuation, and further exploration, of the rapper’s bubbly-trap style. An instant stand-out from the mixtape is “Money Longer,” perhaps not so coincidental, it was produced by Maaly Raw-- his go-to and most frequent collaborator, and Don Cannon-- one the men responsible for helping find and put Uzi on. So the chemistry is evident.
The record is defined by synthesizers, which are constantly building up, and pushing through an invisible sound wall. Uzi creates one of his catchiest hooks to build up along with the synths, while he plays around with his flow, at times exaggerating it and stretching it, at other times cutting his words abruptly.
- Rose Lilah
21 Savage - No Heart
“Young Savage why you trappin so hard?” should probably be on a top 10 rap quotables of the year list (no, we didn’t do one). That’s how 21 Savage kicks off one of the coldest records on his full-length project with Metro Boomin, Savage Mode. Not only did the album propel him into rap stardom, there is literally not one bad song on it. However we unfortunately couldn’t give him nine spots on the Hottest Songs of 2016, so we narrowed it down to two.
While we’re giving props to Savage’s simple yet poignant lyrics -- a trademark of his style, along with his often blunt delivery -- we also need to mention Metro’s beat. Much like the rest of Savage Mode, it’s minimalist. Littered with stuttering hi-hats, a consistent burst of the piano, and a precise snare drum, it’s the perfect backdrop for the ATL trapper to detail all the ways in which he is a real ass savage, bringing his image to life thanks to descriptions of his youth.
- Rose Lilah
A Tribe Called Quest - Conrad Tokyo (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)
A handful of songs from A Tribe Called Quest’s surprise comeback album, their first in 20 years, could be on this list. Who could have thought We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service would be so good? Arriving as a welcome surprise during a hatred-fueled upheaval of America’s political system, the album was a reminder to never doubt hip-hop’s power to endure and uplift. A special collaboration comes toward the end of the album on “Conrad Tokyo,” a short but reflective track named after a luxury Tokyo hotel, where Phife is found chilling on Sapporo and pistachios, unable to rid his psyche of the perils in the U.S. Then arrives Kendrick Lamar, whom had been touted by Q-Tip as a “gatekeeper of the flow” on “Dis Generation.” Kendrick, sensing Phife is on the way out, vents about his own fears of what lies ahead. Then they take the hook in tandem, seeming to find solace going back and forth over far-out synths and boom bap drums (boom bap shouldn’t be a limiting descriptor, by the way). The song feels like the early moments of Phife’s flight to hip-hop heaven, knowing there’s a mess beneath him, but confident in the ability of a select few to carry the torch. K-Dot’s got it from here.
- Angus Walker
Stream We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service here.
Broccoli
D.R.A.M. - Broccoli (Feat. Lil Yachty)
The first time we heard D.R.A.M. was on "Cha Cha," the hype from which was arguably siphoned by Drake’s suspiciously similar "Hotline Bling." Given the novelty-like qualities of the song, it seemed it could be difficult for the Virginia singer to match its success with a follow-up. However, anyone who’d dug a little deeper into the perpetually-smiling singer’s solid and versatile back catalogue wasn’t too worried. "Broccoli" is both a bigger hit and a better representation of D.R.A.M. as an artist than "Cha Cha" ever was. Its playful piano line sets the tone for the cheerful, carefree hook -- the incredible joy of which serving as escapism from the “fuck shit,” whether it be something as simple as petty behavior from an ex or the very real fear of a Trump-led America. Pair that with Lil Yachty’s most perfect 16 of the year, and you have a top 10 Billboard hit and a Grammy-nominated single. The “fuck shit” prevails, but D.R.A.M. provides a means to rise above it, if only momentarily.
- Trevor Smith
Kendrick Lamar - untitled 07 | 2014-2016
In March, after last year’s AOTY, Kendrick Lamar released a compilation of To Pimp a Butterfly demos, which, in turn, has stood as one of the best projects of 2016. When it comes to Kendrick, it turns out that the brush strokes can be as intriguing as the full masterpiece. Each of the eight tracks on untitled unmastered are, naturally, untitled, which makes it all the more remarkable that each one was memorable on its own. One that particularly stood out was “untitled 07,” a three-part song, the first of which is now the single known as “levitate,” which has been a staple at Kendrick’s live shows. The song feels less thought-out than much of TPAB, but that spontaneity is what makes it so exciting. He knows how good he is, able to create a bewitching “high” by unleashing his devious inner voice, whereas most rely on “drugs,” “chains,” or “juice.”
He then moves on to a more lyrical escapade, challenging himself while striking fear in his challengers. The serene production comes from the (then) 5-year-old son of Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. Part three is a dusty recording of a loose, oft-hilarious jam session with Kendrick and a single guitar. Though he’s totally fucking around, the media-shy emcee sounds like he’s in a space of deep creativity. One can only imagine the full spectrum of the fearless genius that was unleashed in that room, though “untitled 07” and the rest of these sketches provide some amazing insight.
- Angus Walker
Listen to the 8:16 version on Spotify.
Kevin Gates - 2 Phones
The success of Islah was a surprise for non-Kevin Gates fans, but it didn’t remain that way for long. The album’s single “2 Phones” was soon blasting from every urban radio station across the country, and its catchiness is undeniable. Gates made a name for himself on his gruff, streetwise personality, but “2 Phones” was his coming out party as an artist with just as good a grasp of the hook as the verses.
Sneaky pop hitmaker Starrah (who also wrote for Rihanna’s “Needed Me” and Travi$ Scott & Young Thug’s “Pick Up The Phone) gave Gates the words, but it’s the pure presence of his voice that carried the song to prominence and keeps it stuck in our heads every time it comes on.
- Carver Low
Kanye West - Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1 (Feat. Kid Cudi)
The drop on Kanye West’s “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” is among the most recognizable musical moments of 2016. Of course, the “If young Metro don’t trust you I’m gon’ shoot you,” producer tag into Kid Cudi’s triumphant “Beautiful Morning” hook is especially familiar due to its ever-present meme status, but it’s very physical effect is what caused the rush to immortalize it this way in the first place. Cudi’s presence on Pablo (here and the hummed bridge on “Waves”) is small but strong, and a reminder of the undeniable songwriting chemistry he and Kanye have even as they grow apart as people and artists. Some would argue Kanye’s “bleach” lines are a thorn in the side of an otherwise great song, but tell that to the thousands of people who yelled the lines back with gusto at each and every date at the Saint Pablo tour.
- Trevor Smith
Desiigner - Panda
The first time many heard Desiigner’s “Panda” was at Kanye West’s Madison Square Garden premiere of The Life Of Pablo. In a year full of Future comparisons, the conversation -- quite innocently -- started right here, as fans initially mistook the Brooklyn rapper’s barrelling triplet flows and claims of “broads in Atlanta” for the genre’s reigning king in those categories. That conversation went on for a while, but it didn’t take long for the song to transcend it, leaping out of its strange but effective placement as part of Pablo’s “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2” and becoming far more successful on its own legs. It’s unconventional structure -- 4 choruses, 4 bridges (“Panda, Panda, Panda”), and only one verse in length -- made it all the more familiar and quotable, becoming a favorite in TV club scenes and on radio. It’s the kind of song that even the longest-running haters couldn’t help losing their shit and rapping along to in a party setting.
- Trevor Smith
Young M.A - OOOUUU
What was undoubtedly the biggest New York song of the year sounded like no place else, and yet "OOOUUU" was something entirely new. Perhaps 'cause Young M.A values attitude and bludgeoning bars above any other trend might situate her in 2016. Oh, and she's a she. Can't forget about that. Though this might be a lamentable part of rap politics, there's no other woman like her. No one who could drop an iconic line about calling her lesbian pleaser "Headphanie," whom she surely robbed from her male competition. Since it dropped, men everywhere have been gleefully imitating Headphanie's O-sound. As evidenced by ensuing freestyles, M.A has so much more to say, and so much more to pull from her well of Brooklyn-bred menace. Let's get one more resounding "OOOUUU" for her breakout moment, an indispensable highlight of 2016. From Nicki Minaj to The Game to 50 Cent, many tried to bring their hardest bars to the gritty throwback beat, though no one could top the sheer force of the original.
- Angus Walker
Rihanna - Work (Feat. Drake)
“Work” was one of the biggest radio records of 2016. While it initiated a wave of dancehall pop to re-enter the charts, nothing quite topped its lively, but perfectly concise take on the style. As it’s double video treatment suggests, the song demands repeat play. Much like any great riddim, it could hold your attention for for hours, but it’s difficult to think of anyone other than Rihanna delivering a more worthwhile performance over the beat. PartyNextDoor’s outline for the song made its way online a few months back, and while his contribution to the freestyle-like urgency of the lyrics and melody is still present, Rihanna’s vocal performance fleshed out the idea with the effortless style and unique charisma that made it the hit it was. Rih and PND proved this creative chemistry was more than a fluke with “Sex With Me,” but “Work” remains their crowning achievement. It seems destined to be remembered as a gem within the Rihanna singles canon, and honestly, there’s not many artists who can hold a candle to that collection.
- Trevor Smith
Future - Perkys Calling
With those opening piano notes, one could feel the purple tears well up immediately. Future's about to channel his most inward pain, and it's gonna be beautiful. What makes him so special is that his whole being is indicative of the trap, and he's thus made the sound and what it represents into so much more than a subgenre. For him, achieving greatness isn't synonymous with overcoming all of the pain inside him. Instead, he simply perseveres and lets his battles live through his music. He hears the drugs calling for him, and anyone who's experienced addiction can relate. They might dull his suffering, though they'll never completely drown out the cry of the streets -- a place he can't return to, even if that's where his heart and soul still lies. Keep on fighting, Future. Your pain is our strength.
- Angus Walker
French Montana feat. Kodak Black - Lockjaw
A song that encapsulates the sensation of MDMA, but so much more than that. With a perfectly sentimental trap beat from Ben Billions, "Lockjaw" might be the closest thing to the definition of the "wave" that French Montana seeks to purvey. More importantly, French saw the opportunity to bless a unique young voice in the game with his biggest moment in the spotlight. And filming the video in both Port-Au-Prince and Broward County was a testament to everything that makes Kodak Black so special. It might be hard to understand either of them, but since when has that mattered to great rap music?
- Angus Walker
Drake - Controlla
"All you boys doing fake Controllas wanna be me a little,” Drake rapped at a concert this summer, seemingly calling out Tory Lanez and Tyga for doing their own takes on his hit (Tory with a freestyle and Tyga with the strikingly similar “1+1”). “Controlla,” more than “One Dance,” seemed to shift the waters of rap radio towards embracing dancehall influences, and was more direct in its approach of the genre. Anyone who was paying attention to Drake’s output prior to Views will be familiar with the “original” version of the song, which featured Popcaan, a protege to the legendary Vybz Kartel and full blown star in his Jamaican homeland. To many, that version will always be the essential one, but if Drake’s suggestion that he treats instrumentals like riddims is to be taken seriously, perhaps it’s best to think of the song as an open groove -- a constantly cresting wave welcome to any rider who can stay afloat.
- Trevor Smith
YG & Nipsey Hussle - FDT (Fuck Donald Trump)
While many counted Donald Trump out too early and were as shocked as they were defeated by the republican candidate's election victory, YG had been fighting the good fight from early on, rallying against Trump while many assumed they were ok to take a seat. "FDT" was just as important then as it is now, some of us just failed to see it. However, it seems that the song might be relevant much longer than expected. We know that the secret service forced YG to remove lyrics from his album following the release of the song, so it's clear he's on to something. The simple, but immensely catchy hook has been chanted at anti-Trump protests, and should continue to be used throughout his presidency. In the context of YG's album Still Brazy, the song gives way to a three-song suite of politically-charged records, followed by "Blacks and Browns," and "Police Get Away With Murder." It's one of the most powerful song stretches of the year, proving that YG is someone we can look to in these bleak times.
- Trevor Smith
Young Thug & Travis Scott - Pick Up The Phone (Feat. Quavo)
“Pick Up The Phone” was one of those songs that lived first as a snippet of legend. Previewed live at a Travis Scott DJ set, the song’s vibrant chimes pierced through the crowd noise, it’s warm hook skittling across the key stabs like a frog on lily pads. Like a particularly thrilling tracklist, it’s easy to write the not-yet-visible parts of a piece of music in your head, making it into its ideal form. This way of anticipating music usually results in overhype and potential disappointment, but as fate would have it, when “Pick Up The Phone” did arrive, it was everything its rough incarnation promised it to be.
Billed as a co-headlining track from Young Thug and Travis Scott, as well as appearing on both of their albums, the song is further proof that the two bring one another’s best pop qualities into play. Co-written by Starrah, a promising songwriter involved in hits like “2 Phones,” “Needed Me,” and more, the song is one of the most sugary and straightforward songs in either artists' catalogue - a tightly packed and fully formed collection of hooks that doesn't compromise either artist’s sound. Throw in Quavo, a writer who has his formula down to a science, and you have one of the most consistently rewarding rap hits of the year.
- Trevor Smith
Frank Ocean - Nikes
When Frank Ocean emerged from his four year hiatus, the music he gave us was not easily digestible. First came a 40-minute video of him working in a wood shop, backed by new music that had no tracklist and could only be listened to through the video. Then, his video for “Nikes,” which turned out to exist in three different versions. Frank set the stage for complexity, not simplicity.
The song itself continues that theme, with the video version featuring two simultaneous versions of Frank’s voice – one pitched up, and one pitched down. The general release version has only the higher pitched voice, while the physical version from his pop up shops features an additional verse from Japanese rapper KOHH. It’s one of the more traditionally “Frank Ocean” sounding songs on the record, hearkening back to his Nostalgia/Ultra with their simple drum arrangements. “Nikes” perfectly encapsulates the themes of nostalgic reflection and reevaluation of history that are omnipresent throughout his album
- Carver Low
Rae Sremmurd - Black Beatles
At first, Rae Sremmurd’s “SremmLife 2” seemed to be without a hit on the level of 2014’s irresistible power ballad “No Type.” While packed with as many hooks and quotables as their previous singles, Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi’s lead singles “By Chance” and “Look Alive” failed to make a dent on the charts. However, there was something very immediate about “Black Beatles,” a collaboration with Gucci Mane added to the project in the 11th hour of recording. The opening synth arpeggio frames the song within the same 80s synth pop sphere as Mike WiLL’s previous experiments on Future’s Honest, but the sheen suits Swae Lee’s angelic tenor much better than Future’s throaty bellows. The delicate falsetto that precedes what would become one of 2016’s most memorable choruses sets the scene perfectly, “I sent flowers but you said you didn’t need them,” a couplet that tells a whole story before the song even begins, paying tribute to the Beatles’ “Hello Little Girl.”
Swae’s poetic bend extends into that gigantic chorus, painting a vivid, slow-motion scene of cash falling like leaves in a dimly-lit club, thrown by young bulls who live like old geezers. This cinematic quality is what makes it such a great soundtrack to the mannequin challenge, an internet craze in which participants (usually teens) set their own scene, frozen in place, as the camera pans around them and gradually reveals the narrative at play. Some might say that the craze was largely responsible for the song’s eventual rise to #1 on the Hot 100, but scaling to the top 20 on its own legs, the record was already a steadily climbing hit. The meme acted like a radio, broadcasting a song that’s hard not to love to thousands of ears, and eventually convincing DJs that it needed to be on the airwaves all along. The mannequin challenge gave "Black Beatles" a living visual component, but it was already a movie.
- Trevor Smith
Kanye West - Ultralight Beam (Feat. The-Dream, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin & Chance The Rapper)
After the release of the underwhelming “All Day,” the divisive “Four Five Seconds,” and reports of a Paul McCartney-centric project, many fans were preparing for Kanye’s album to be his first flat-out disappointment. That narrative existed all the way until the first notes of “Ultralight Beam” were played over the gigantic sound system in Madison Square Garden. It wasn’t what was expected, but it was just what we needed. Kanye would go on to call Pablo a gospel album, and while his vision may not hold up across the project’s many scattered moods, it’s certainly coherent on the opening track, which features gospel icons Kelly Price and Kirk Franklin, and opens with a sample of an Instagram video where a 4-year-old girl gives what sounds to be a powerful sermon. However, the central performance comes not from Kanye but Chance The Rapper, a natural protege whose music and spirit resembles Kanye’s in his early years, bringing everything full circle with his scene-stealing verse. Kanye himself is a more restrained vocal presence, allowing Chance the star moment, while remaining the guiding hand. Still, there are larger forces at play; "This is a God dream / This is everything."
- Trevor Smith
Chance The Rapper - No Problem (Feat. 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne)
“No Problem” arrived in May, and as soon as the song’s punchy bassline slid under the assembled gospel choir, raising it far above the heavens, it was clear that summer had begun. Everything that made Coloring Book such a revelation was present in that moment -- the presence of the church, the collaboration, the overwhelming sense of hope. As that hope became fear and regret come November, “No Problem”’s power remained. The song may give way to feelings of unreserved positivity, but it's really about resilience in the face of adversity; about mobilizing. “If one more label try to stop me / It's gon' be some dreadhead n*ggas in your lobby,” Chance raps, before calling upon a couple of surprising friends to help him keep the energy up. Both 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne find a comfortable place in Chance's world, each delivering some of their best work this year, and contribute to the supportive community of collaborators acting as one united force across Coloring Book. The track quickly became Chance’s most immediate hit to date. When it refused to let up on the charts, radio, and many festival performances (often through surprise appearances during other artist's sets), the song of the summer became the song of the year.
- Trevor Smith