By Jamil Weeks

With hip hop turning 50 years old, 2023 proved to be a year most will not forget. The Hip Hop 50 celebrations were in abundance all over the country. A personal highlight of mine was going to The F.O.R.C.E. Tour, which was one of the best concerts I have ever attended. Despite the tributes and the nostalgia in the air, poor album sales seemed to put a dent in the celebratory mood of this year. A narrative that proved to be a consistent theme of 2023 was the waning state of hip hop as an artform. We even got the return of Andre 3000 with the polarizing instrumental album that threw most of us for a curveball. However, it was not all gloom and doom. There was some great music that came out this year that will be highlighted in this piece as the official soundtrack to 2023. A combination of veteran heavyweights and young contemporary talent that flooded the speakers with heavy rotation. These were the major players that kept my head nodding so much this year that I will need a neck brace going int 2024!

Top 10 Albums of 2023 (In Alphabetical Order By Artist)

AZ, Truth Be Told

Rap used to be a young man’s game. With hip hop turning 50 this year, the continuing maturation of the genre has manifested in the top talent now belonging to the 30 plus crowd.AZ is the embodiment of this manifestation. With Truth Be Told, AZ teamed up with legendary beatmaker, Buckwild, as they both showed these young bucks they still have something to prove. Both underrated, AZ and Buckwild restored that old feeling for 90s hip hop heads with an updated but nostalgic sound reminiscent of the golden era of boom bap hip hop. The formula here is simple, dope rhymes over dope beats. MAN, does that formula still work. AZ rapped with the hunger of a young Anthony Cruz desperately trying to escape his grimy East New York dwelling. Truth Be Told was AZ’s testament about his career and what made him the is the legend he is today. The album serves as a reminder for those who may have forgotten how lyrically potent the Brooklyn native is when you place a mic in front of him. One of the standouts of 2023, Truth Be Told is a classic New York album from two artists who deserve more credit for their contributions.

Jay Worthy x Roc Marciano, Nothing Bigger Than the Program

Roc Marciano, known for his coarse basslines and 70s funk-infused loops, is the modern-day godfather to the current underground sound. A double threat, Roc Marci qualifies himself as equally a skilled producer as he is an emcee. California and New York connect for Nothing Bigger Than the Program to continue the resurgent trend of rappers working with one producer for an entire album. Jay Worthy's easygoing style fits snugly over Roc Marci’s pimped out-style production. The production on the album can best be described as if Rza was born on the West Coast and addicted to LSD. West Coast prodigies like Ab-Soul, KoKane, and Kurupt lend their vocal contributions to this fluid album, as well as rap veterans like Bun B and Roc Marci, himself. The album boasts tales of paper chasing, but without being cliché in their approach. Nothing Bigger Than the Program is the perfect LA album, beautiful with a hint of lurking sinister menace. Roc Marci diversifies his portfolio as a producer while Jay Worthy adds another solid project to his budding underground rap career.

Killer Mike, MICHAEL

Killer Mike dropped one of the most poignant, personal albums in hip hop this year. Blending hip hop with southern gospel, MICHAEL is the culmination of Killer Mike’s life summed up in one album. Killer focuses on the highs and lows he experienced on his journey to becoming the man he is today. Considered by many in hip hop to be the best rap album of 2023, MICHAEL is an emotional ride that serves as a motivator for the disenchanted people in this world that are down on their luck. The message is to never give up no matter what adversity you face. To realize the jewel you have inside you and to value your worth. Cool & Dre, DJ Paul, No I.D., and others contributed tailor-made instrumentals for Killer’s magnum opus. The album also features stellar guest features such as 2 Chainz, Andre 3000, Curren$y, EL-P, Jagged Edge, and Ty Dolla $ign. In a year that saw one of the premier southern artists drop a flute album, Killer Mike proved the South still has something to say.

Larry June x The Alchemist, The Great Escape

When you think of California, you think of sunny skies, palm trees, and houses on hills. If you were to capture this sort of imagery in the form of sound, you would get The Great Escape. Larry June and The Alchemist teamed up together delivering smooth, laidback vibes perfect for riding in your car with the windows down on a balmy Spring or Summer afternoon. The Alchemist continues pumping out consistent bangers demonstrating why he is considered to be one of the most consistent producers in hip hop history. The sound of the album has a late 80s feel to it, consistent with the trademark sound Larry June is known for in his music. The Bay Area rapper continues his brand of aspirational raps for those individuals who are willing to grind their way to attaining the finer things in life. Getting assistance from other well-known Alchemist associates like Action Bronson, Boldy James, Curren$y, and Jay Worthy, as well as other hip hop heavyweights like Slum Village and Wiz Khalifa, The Great Escape’s replay value is immense. The chemistry between the two will leave you hoping to hear more from this Cali connection in the future.

Nas, Magic 2 & Magic 3

Nas and Hit Boy teamed up again this year to offer us the final two chapters in their Magic series.These two albums mark the last time the dynamic duo will be working together on an entire album, at least for the foreseeable future. In mid-summer, Nas unexpectedly dropped Magic 2 seemingly out of nowhere. Met with mixed reviews at the time, Magic 2 was a departure from its boom bap predecessor, offering much more of a fun, playful trap music vibe than most had hoped. Since then, people have started to appreciate the album for what it is instead of what their expectations were for the album. Magic 2 was a nice warm-up to the finale, Magic 3. Nas and Hit Boy delivered a reflective and introspective album, proving why they are the best emcee/producer combo since Guru and DJ Premier. Magic 3 is arguably a top 5 Nas album and a potential classic in the making. It will be interesting to see how both albums age in the next five to ten years. The chemistry between Nas and Hit is so undeniable I suspect that Magic 2 and 3 will not be the last time we hear these two artists work together.

Nick Grant, SUNDAY DINNER

Hailing straight from Walterboro, South Carolina, 2023 was a coming out party for Nick Grant. SUNDAY DINNER is a beautiful, soulful album combining thought-provoking bars over production with a strong southern influence. A fantastic blend of R&B and hip hop with a melodic, modern-day sound, Nick Grant dropped an album that truly stands out from the other releases this year. Nick flames every beat with a blistering fury showing off his versatility in flows with heavy subject matter that does not overshadow the entertainment value of the album. In a year where rappers claim they lie in their music, Nick’s music seems to come from a genuine, honest place as he wears his heart on his sleeve through all 16 cuts on the album. SUNDAY DINNER is a fresh take on southern rap as Nick Grant carries on the tradition of the bar-heavy sound from the Carolinas. Nick Grant is an artist to be on the lookout for in the 2020s.

Ransom x Nicholas Craven, Director’s Cut 4

Arguably one of the best duos of the 2020s is Ransom and Nicholas Craven. When these two get together, magic ensues. The fourth entry in their Director’s Cut series, their latest offering might be their best effort yet. Craven has an uncanny ability to provide the type of beats that put a spotlight on Ransom’s ferocious vocals with his soulful, drum-less loops. Ransom has emerged as this generation’s most gifted lyricists. One of the rare emcees that has never delivered a wack verse, Ransom is an exceptional talent that not only is a vicious wordsmith but has a commanding delivery that makes you feel the words he is spitting. Boasting features from Che Noir, Crooked I, Nick Grant, and Talib Kweli, DC4 is bar Heaven. Continuing the tradition of turning movie titles into song concepts, Ransom masterfully blends thought-provoking subject matter with an entertaining display of skill level. Even without the drums, each record on this album is a certified banger!

Rome Streetz, Noize Candy 5

Rome Streetz is one of those rising stars in the underground that can seem to do no wrong. Everything he touches is refreshing. His unbridled hunger and vigor continue with his latest in the Noize Candy series. With production from Conductor Williams, Wavy Da Ghawd, Sadhugold, Denny LaFlare, and others, Rome loaded another hollow tip in the clip to build on is his already impressive resume. Rome Streetz recruits Boldy James, Currensy, Joey BadA$$, Mafia Double Dee, and Rigz as features to trade bars with on the album but holds the rest of the records down for dolo. Rome put together a cohesive album with immaculate bar work. The New York emcee just might be the best of the new crop of hungry emcees. A dope lyricist that has shown the ability to make great songs. Noize Candy 5 was definitely a treat that sweetened ear drums in 2023.

Skyzoo & The Other Guys, The Mind of a Saint

One of the most slept on rappers in hip hop today is Skyzoo. Sky has quietly amassed one of the best discographies in the game over the course of his illustrious career. The year started off on a great note with the release of The Mind of a Saint. Drawing inspiration from the FX television show, Snowfall, Skyzoo teams up with producers, The Other Guys, for a conceptual album centered around the main character in the show, Franklin Saint.The album serves as an extension to the popular television show as Skyzoo assumes the role of Franklin narrating his own fictional life. With excerpts from the show sprinkled throughout the album, The Mind of a Saint is executed brilliantly. Sky’s verses add more context about the crack cocaine epidemic that transformed inner cities into war zones with escalating violence. Fans of Snowfall will certainly love this album as Sky builds upon the messages presented in the show about how young entrepreneurs used crack rock to climb the socioeconomic ladder. With references to the characters and storylines from Snowfall, this album is an unofficial soundtrack to the album that would make John Singleton smile with pride from Heaven. R.I.P. John Singleton.

Honorable Mentions

The following albums were in the conversation for top 10 contention but barely missed the cut. However, they are noteworthy enough to be mentioned and to be given a thorough listen, if you have not heard these albums already:

*Apollo Brown x Planet Asia, Sardines

*Jeezy, I Might Forgive… But I Don’t Forget

*Paul Wall x Termanology, Start Finish Repeat

*RJ Payne, The Barber Shop (feat. C-Lance)

*Westside Gunn, And Then You Pray For Me

Top 10 Producers (In Alphabetical Order By Producer)

Apollo Brown

An innovator of the independent hip hop movement, Apollo Brown joined forces with Planet Asia to deliver one of the year’s most underrated projects. Known for blending of East Coast and Midwest influences in his music, Apollo is consistently reliable for his quality production that immerses you in the world of the artist he builds his beats around.

Buckwild

Arguably the most underrated producer in the game, Buckwild lent his noteworthy talents to AZ’s comeback record. With thunderous drums over gritty samples, Buckwild brought back that forgotten gritty New York sound prevalent in the 90s. The DITC architect is still a formidable force in the game.

Cartune Beatz

Providing Lloyd Banks with some of the grimiest beats of his career, Cartune Beatz was the catalyst for Lloyd Banks return to hip hop over the past few years. His work on Banks’ COTI 3 and Halloween Havoc IV mixtape, as well as the collaborative Paul Wall and Termanology album, Cartune is a rising star from a production standpoint.

Conductor Williams

With his filtered beats, Conductor has been a staple of the Griselda sound for the past few years.His work with the Griselda camp has not gone unnoticed as he gained mainstream exposure on Drake’s For All the Dogs album. He has also worked with Little Brother and Conway, in addition to putting out his own instrumental album.

Hit Boy

Probably the most versatile producer on this list, Hit Boy is a master of many styles. Putting out his own solo album flexing his range as a producer and his reach in the industry with Surf or Drown, Hit Boy has been one of the hardest working producers of recent years. Hit also produced albums for Nas and made history by putting out an album with his father, Big Hit.

Nicholas Craven

The poster child for drum-less loops, Craven proves that style of production is highly effective when done right. His 2023 resume includes teaming up with lyrical juggernaut Ransom on multiple projects and working with Boldy James. Craven is part producer, part composer on wax.

No I.D.

Providing the bulk of production on arguably the best rap album of the year, No I.D. helped to craft Killer Mike Grammy's-nominated album, MICHAEL. Known for his work with Common, Jay-Z, and Nas, his contributions to Killer Mike’s latest was one of the highlights of 2023 giving the ATL rapper the perfect canvas to bare his soul.

PA Dre

Known for being the in-house producer for RJ Payne, PA Dre has done extensive work with RJ Payne and other underground talent, such as M.A.V. and A.P. Da Overlord. PA supplied beats for Payne's The Barber Shop, a project that showcased the growth of both artists.

Roc Marciano

The Hempstead, Long lsland dual threat continues to impress as being one of the few producers that knows how to hold down an entire album. Known for his “dusty” underground sound, Roc Marci paired with Los Angeles rapper Jay Worthy in 2023 to deliver the type of head nodding, screwface-making production that made you feel like you caught a contact after listening to Nothing Bigger Than the Program.

The Alchemist

Alan the Chemist may be the hardest working man in show business.With stellar projects from himself, Earl Sweatshirt, and Larry June, The Alchemist shows no signs of slowing down. One of the few producers who works organically with rap artists he develops business relationships with, Alchemist has taken his career into his own hands to put out music on his own terms.

With the year drawing to a close, I can say 2023 was a stellar year for hip hop. Great music. Memorable shows. A lot to look forward to in 2024. With ASAP Rocky, Benny the Butcher, J. Cole, Juicy J, Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Wayne, Schoolboy Q, and TI all slated to drop new material next year, 2024 will be a very interesting year. 2024 marks the 30-year anniversary of classic albums like Illmatic, Ready to Die, and Southernplayalisticadillacmusik. Who knows, maybe the 30th anniversary of hip hop’s bible might inspire Nas to deliver the long-awaited collaborative album with DJ Premier. Maybe the backlash Jay-Z received from his absence from Hip Hop 50 celebrations will inspire him to drop another album. With the increasingly pessimistic view of the dwindling state of hip hop, I contend that hip hop is in a great place. There is something for everyone, no matter what demographic. The music highlighted in this article was the music that carried me through the hard times and that uplifted me through the good times. Hip hop is very much alive and thriving. Wishing all my viewers a Happy Holidays and prosperous 2024!