Mastodawn

Top 25 Albums of 2025

2025 honestly was one of the hardest years of my life ever. However, musically I think this is the best year of the 2020s so far. There were a lot of incredible releases. There were also some disappointments and ass releases, but I didn’t hear as many of those as I usually do I think. Be sure to check out the EP list that I published a couple days ago if you haven’t yet. Before I get into the full LP list I just wanna mention a few releases that didn’t make it.

Jay Electronica’s Leaflets project should’ve been here, but the release of that album was kind of a disaster. I guess that’s to be expected of Jay Elec at this point though. There were only five songs that featured rapping on it to begin with, and now two of them are completely unavailable on DSPs. It was already the length of an EP in the first place, but now it’s even shorter. The two songs that got removed were really fucking good too, so that’s very disappointing. A more fitting word to describe the situation than “disappointing” would be “embarrassing” though. Jay Electronica is one of my favorite rappers of all time, but he’s getting harder and harder to defend each year. I want for him to get his shit together and release a proper full-length solo album with minimal features. I personally don’t mind the voice clips and movie samples since that’s always been a key component to his artistry, but maybe tone it down just a little bit. I think he went a little overboard with it on the three projects he released this year.

Benjamin Booker’s Lower album is my favorite non-rap album of 2025. It was one of the first projects I listened to and wrote about after I was discharged from the hospital this year. Shoutout to my homie Noah for putting me onto that one. The only other project I wanna mention before we get into the official list is brainorchestra.’s Jet Force Orchestra album, which is my favorite instrumental LP of the year. It’s actually one of my favorite projects I’ve ever heard from brain, and I kinda wish I had written about it when it dropped. Hopefully the wax doesn’t sell out before I get a chance to cop it. Anyway, let’s go ahead and get into the official list. As always, it should go without saying that these are definitely not the only albums that are worth your time from 2025. There are plenty of really dope projects that didn’t make it onto this list, so be sure to check out other people’s year-end content, such as FREEMUSICEMPIRE, Cinemasai, Eric the Young Gawd, Dead End Hip Hop, The Rap Music Plug Podcast, etc. There’s a ton of stuff out there for everyone.

25. GOLLIWOG by billy woods

This is probably the most popular album on this list. Other entries come close, but it seems like this is the album that got the most attention. I wouldn’t be surprised if I got hate comments for putting it so low on this list. I do love this album though. It’s not my favorite woods album, but it has several of the best songs he’s ever made. Tracks like Waterproof Mascara & Maquiladoras are absolutely stunning to me. Pretty much every verse from woods has at least one god-tier quotable too. The main reason this isn’t higher on my list is that there are a couple features from artists I’m not into at all. There are also some really awesome guests here too though. Despot has one of the best features of the year on Corinthians. The production is elite too. This is an incredibly dark, oftentimes haunting record, which I really dig. I mean, I guess that was to be expected just based on the title and cover art. My favorite song is the closer, but I think I listen to Maquiladoras the most. That beat is incredible. That’s like a top 5 instrumental of 2025 for me. I love it. The album’s dope as hell.

24. Contacting by Sunmundi & Sasco

🔗 Read my review

Sunmundi is one of my favorite artists of the 2020s, and Sasco is a really amazing producer as well. His album, The Hottest Year on Record, was one of my favorite albums of 2024; my favorite track was the closing song, Cave Painting, which featured a GLORIOUS verse from Sunmundi along with Big Flowers & Nakama. When Sasco told me he was working on this full album with Sunmundi I was pretty ecstatic. Thankfully, it ended up being just as fantastic as I had imagined. Some of the instrumentals here are just straight up astonishing. I hear a beat like Bright Moments and wonder how the hell he made something like that. Sunmundi absolutely tears everything down as well. I’ve never heard a verse from him that I wasn’t super impressed by. He’s easily one of the best rappers under 30 in my opinion. Every feature here is crazy too. Defcee spits one of the best guest verses of the year on Dawn of Time. I also really loved my homie Hester Valentine’s performance on Spirit Ballistics. This album features some of the most impressive, dynamic production you will hear from 2025. Definitely check this one out if you haven’t yet. If you dig it, be sure to go back and check out The Hottest Year on Record & Lived and Born.

23. Nemesis by Araless

Ruben a.k.a. Check the Rhyme recently asked Twitter what the most underrated album of 2025 was, and this album was my answer. I first listened to Araless earlier this year when he dropped the self titled Toxic Crusaders album with Hash Adams. That project released on We Are the Karma Kids, so that’s how it landed on my radar. That was a pretty lighthearted, fun project, so I was a little caught off guard by the vibe on this solo release. This is another very serious, dark album focusing on the subject of a genetic illness that has plagued Araless’ family, taking the life of both his mother and sister. The nemesis in question is Huntington’s disease, which is an ailment with which I was previously unfamiliar. After doing some light research, I was kind of dismayed by how brutal it is. As you can imagine, the lyrical content of this project is super heavy and personal. Araless’ writing really tugs at my heartstrings. One thing I didn’t know from the Toxic Crusaders album is that he’s also a very competent singer in addition to being a skilled MC. He also fully self-produced, mixed, and mastered this record. The dude’s hella talented. Since this is such an expansive & ambitious record, I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes a year or two for him to put out another project. I hope in the meantime we can get a physical release of this project because as far as I can tell it’s strictly digital at the moment. Like I said, this is arguably the most slept on album of the year, so check it out. You might love it as much as I did.

22. Seeker of Knowledge by Chow

🔗 Read my review

This is another super slept on album. It’s one of the few projects I wrote a full track-by-track review for in 2025, and it’s one I go back to quite a bit. Chow’s another one of my favorite artists that I’ve started listening to in the past couple years, and this is his best work so far in my opinion. The production from himself, shemar, and dj nOOnsomewhere is excellent. As far as lo-fi Hip Hop goes, it doesn’t get much better than this. I feel like I wrote that exact same sentence in my review. I think this album would sound perfect on cassette. As of now it’s only available digitally and on CD. I plan on copping the CD + T-shirt bundle as soon as I get my bread up. Anyway, Chow has a pretty awesome production style, and the way he raps over his own beats always sounds cool as hell. The lo-fi sound can make it difficult to understand what’s being said at times, but I don’t even really mind that much because it sounds intentional. I think it works to the album’s benefit if anything. Again, this is another one of the most slept on projects of the year in my opinion. Check it out.

21. Psychological Cheat Sheet 6 by Vic Spencer & August Fanon

I believe it was a couple years ago that I saw Vic Spencer tweet an explanation of the concept behind his PCS series with August Fanon. It was kind of a while ago, so my memory’s a bit fuzzy, but I’m pretty sure he said that he spent 14 days in a group home years ago. This series is based on that experience, and he plans on releasing an album for every day he was there. I wasn’t sure that he’d follow through with doing an album for every single day, but we’re almost halfway through already, so I’d say it’s pretty likely that he completes the task. We’ve been getting an entry per year since it started, so I guess 8 years from now it’ll be concluded. I’m looking forward to buying the full vinyl boxset when that day comes despite already having the fifth one on wax. I already know that shit’s gonna be expensive as fuck, but it’ll be so cool to own. I really fuck with Vic Spencer, man. The story he’s been telling with this series has been fascinating to me. I think it resonates with me in particular because I’ve been institutionalized for mental illness five times in the past 8 years, so it’s cool to hear such a dope rapper cover that kinda subject matter. These are Vic’s best albums too. This is my favorite thing that he does. It’s a treat every year when he drops these, and this latest one is one of the best so far. August Fanon is my favorite producer, and tracks like The Group Home Anthem or Store Pass are great examples of why. This album just dropped less than a full week ago, so I could see it growing on me even more in the future. It’s dope as hell.

20. Jestures by Atmosphere

This was one of the most pleasant surprises of the year for me. I actually think this is one of the best Atmosphere albums ever. This is the most I’ve enjoyed a project from them in about 20 years. Slug sounds hungrier than he’s been in a long time on this record. Ant also had a really awesome year musically. Between this project, Brother Ali’s Satisfied Soul, and his placement on GOLLIWOG, he went pretty hard in 2025. This year he put out the best beats I’ve heard from him since 2018’s Bad Actress by deM atlaS. As a hardcore Atmosphere fan, I had a big ass smile on my face as I listened to this project. This shit made me so happy. Hopefully this is the beginning of a late-career resurgence/revitalization. If they manage to follow this up with another project that’s similar in quality, I will be elated. If you’re a Rhymesayers junkie and you haven’t peeped this yet, you’re seriously missing out. I love this shit.

19. Hostile Engineering by Lt. Headtrip & Steel Tipped Dove

This was a really exciting collaboration for me. Steel Tipped Dove’s production on this record isn’t as abrasive and harsh as something like Tap on the Glass or even EMBLEMS, but it’s still as off-kilter and experimental. As always, Lt. Headtrip’s lyricism had me hooked. The opening line is “I felt the urge to pray today” and I knew I would love this as soon as I heard him say that. There’s a lot of quotable writing; Headtrip is one of those MCs who has my full attention with every word he says. There’s never any filler bars. His flow is super intricate and unique, and Dove’s dynamic production matches it perfectly. There are a lot of albums on this list that I wish I wrote about, and this is definitely one of them. I love how there are zero features on this project. Headtrip takes center stage and completely nails it with every verse. My favorite song at first was Eatin’ Every Breadcrumb, but it changes damn near every time I play the album. The beat on Fun Don’t Stop is crazy. I actually think this is one of the most accessible full-length LPs Lt. Headtrip has made in a long time. It’s super dope. Give it a listen if you haven’t yet. I’m planning on copping the record soon.

18. Run Toward the Monster by Ty Farris & Apollo Brown

Ty Farris is one of those MCs who I’m always super excited to check out no matter who he’s working with. I think he’s absolutely one of the best rappers alive. Him & Apollo Brown are a pair that I knew would be fire before I even listened. It just seems like a no-brainer. They’re two of the best Detroit artists in their respective fields. Earlier in the year, Ty Farris had one of my favorite features on a WateRR song called Days of Youth. Man was rapping about spreading the ashes of his deceased mother in a river. My jaw dropped when I heard that shit, and it made me even more excited to peep this album. This is my favorite Apollo Brown album I’ve ever heard. Ty Farris just works perfectly over these beats. My favorite song is the incredibly personal Beautiful Struggle. I feel like he was able to channel the serious tone of the aforementioned WateRR song. I’m kinda bummed that I got to this album late because all the vinyl is sold out already. I’d love to have a physical copy, so hopefully there’s a repress at some point.

17. BLOCK HEAVY GANGSTA EDITION by Bloodblixing

🔗 Read my review

This is Bloodblixing’s best album. It has the best set of features, production, and verses from Blix himself. Shit, even just the cover is the best artwork Bloodblixing has used. It’s my favorite cover art of 2025, so shoutout to Chop the Head for that. I also think this album is miraculously the best mixed project I’ve heard from him. Blix is kinda infamous for having super rough mixing in all his music, but that wasn’t an issue for me with this one. I didn’t even think about it. There are some truly incredible instrumentals on this project such as SCHADENFREUDE or TRICK BOX, and none of the features feel like they were phoning it in. A few of the best features of the year appear on this project, such as Teller Bank$ or Deleteeglitch. This is Bloodblixing’s magnum opus as of now, and I am very curious to see how he tries to surpass it in the future. It’s dope as hell. Check it out if you haven’t yet.

16. Grateful Dread by AJ Suede

This is another one of the most slept on albums on this list in my opinion. For whatever reason I didn’t see much discussion around this project, which I find quite strange because I think it’s one of the best releases I’ve ever heard from AJ Suede. There’s a different producer on each track, so we get a very diverse soundscape as a result. Suede killed every single beat here too. As I said in the EP list, I feel like Suede was rapping better than ever this year from a technical standpoint. There’s a crazy posse cut with Teller Bank$ & Sleep Sinatra here. At this point, one of my rap fantasies is them forming a supergroup because every time they got on a track together the result is sizzling hot fire. Suede dropped three albums this year if I’m not mistaken, and all of them were pretty tight, but this is easily my favorite. I love these beats, and Suede’s flow sounds so good. I can’t wait to see what he does in 2026 ’cause he killed it this year. This album’s dope as fuck.

15. Sortilège by Gabe ‘Nandez & Preservation

This is another one of the more popular albums on this list. This album was very critically acclaimed, and for good reason. Preservation’s one of my favorite producers ever, and Gabe ‘Nandez is a pretty amazing MC. This is the best album he’s ever made. I started listening to him after he was featured on Aethiopes, and it was always clear to me that he was super talented. However, this album in particular is the best selection of instrumentals he’s ever rapped over. It’s definitely his most well-rounded and cohesive record. I’ve come to realize that rappers with kind of monotone voices tend to be my favorites, so Gabe is right up my alley. I’m gonna order the cassette when I can because I need to have this in my collection. There are some crazy flows and amazing beats here. If you haven’t heard this album yet, you’re seriously fuckin’ up.

14. POCKET JAMS 2 DELUXE by Ilajide

I recently posted a tweet in which I mentioned Ilajide as one of the most underrated MCs I can think of. Every time I hear his music I wonder how he’s not internationally famous. This album—particularly the deluxe version—is the best solo project he’s ever put out. Nobody makes funk rap better than this dude. This is definitely the most danceable album on the list. This is just a really fun, feel good album that will make you wanna move. He previewed some songs from it at the end of 2024, including my favorite track, COUNT YO DAYS. I’d been thinking about that song ever since I first heard it, so I was delighted when it finally came out on the deluxe version of this project in September. That beat is so incredible. Ilajide’s flows are super intricate and fast paced, and his production is excellent. This LP is pure fun. I don’t think it’s been released physically yet, but I’m definitely gonna buy it if it ever is. Ilajide is super slept on, but people seem to be waking up slowly but surely. He recently got a cosign from the legendary DJ Quik. I need that collab asap. Anyway, give this a listen if you like funky production and bouncy flows. It’s fire.

13. DRUG$$$ by Teller Bank$

Teller Bank$ is one of my favorite rappers of all time, and this is one of the best projects he’s ever put out. The production from q no rap name, Killer Kane, Philth Spector, and ayashi[!] is very melodic and moody. From what I understand, they all worked on these beats together in person, resulting in one of the best produced albums of the year. There is some incredible rapping on this project too. The vocal deliveries on songs like 2-CHAIN$ & Look Ma, I’m billy woods!! are really captivating. The lyrical content is hard as fuck, and Teller’s flow is stellar. All the songs are pretty straightforward structurally; we don’t really get a lot of memorable hooks or anything like that. This album is for people that wanna hear one of the best rappers alive rip fire verses over amazing beats. If you’ve ever enjoyed Teller in the past, this is a must-listen album. I mean, it’s a must-listen for everybody, but if you’re a fan and you haven’t heard it yet you’re seriously fuckin’ up.

12. Roc Marciano Presents: MULBERRY SILK ROAD by Errol Holden

https://soundcloud.com/errolholden/sets/roc-marciano-presents-1?si=674f38c7da454cb0b86633013615d987&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

This album really came outta nowhere for me. I didn’t even know about it until I saw Sleep Sinatra say that he’d been listening to it a lot. I don’t know much about Errol Holden, but as you can see he earned a cosign from the legendary Roc Marciano. I had no expectations before listening to it, but I ended up being pretty blown away. The dude is an incredible MC. The flows here are stunning. The closest thing I can compare it to would be $ILKMONEY, but it’s not totally the same. I guess he also sounds kinda like Vega7 the Ronin. At first I thought this project was fully produced by Roc Marci, but he apparently only did the beat for dip dip diver. I’m not sure who did all the other beats. The instrumentals are really dope though. With that said, Errol Holden himself is the star of the show here. He’s rapping at an incredibly high level throughout this entire record. There are some really out of pocket lines. There’s one track where he raps about peeing on someone. Shit is crazy. The album’s amazing.

11. A River Dies of Thirst by Snotnoze Saleem

This is definitely the most experimental album on this list. Snotnoze Saleem has been on my radar since 2022. I first knew him as an associate of SHADI, and at a certain point it seemed like he was going for a similar style. The first few projects I heard from him had some really cool ideas, but they didn’t quite hit for me. However, I guess they were considered mixtapes, and they kinda felt like demos. I knew he was onto something when I heard him use the term “immaculate ejaculate.” This project here is his debut album, and he knocked it outta the park in my opinion. It’s fully self produced if I’m not mistaken, and the beats are insane. Saleem’s rapping here is pretty fucking crazy too. The flows are wild, and the lyrics can be quite beautiful at times. Track 3 is honestly one of the most wild songs I’ve ever heard. This is an incredibly adventurous record sonically. This is unlike anything else that dropped in 2025. I had a feeling I would really dig this album based on the title and cover art, but it exceeded any and all expectations. I think it’s amazing.

10. Pale Black Negative by Rhys Langston

Rhys Langston is another artist I’ve known of for a few years at this point, but none of his projects have connected with me the way this one did. This album is pretty incredible. It’s fully self produced, and the instrumentals here are beautiful. Rhys’ performance over them had me hooked too. There are even features from artists of whom I’ve struggled to enjoy in the past that ended up actually being dope as fuck on this album in particular. I feel like this is a real lighting-in-a-bottle release. It sounds very high budget and polished. Rhys Langston’s poetry and almost spoken-wordesque flow sound amazing over these lush instrumentals. I think the production on past releases has been what’s prevented me from getting into the music, but the sound of this album in particular is pretty beautiful. It meshes with Rhys’ rap style perfectly. This is another one of the most slept on albums of the year in my opinion. This shit should be on everyone’s list frankly. It’s a genuinely amazing record. I can’t wait ’til my vinyl arrives. Stop sleeping on it.

9. Mercy by Armand Hammer & The Alchemist

This is my favorite Armand Hammer album now. I’ve always been a Shrines truther, but this one is on another level. The Alchemist had a pretty crazy year between this and Alfredo 2. People keep talking about how he’s overrated or he fell off… Nah, man. No. He’s still absolutely one of the best producers alive. I guess people wanna discredit him due to his bizarre refusal to publicly condemn Israel. My thing is, why do we need Alchemist of all people to do that? It’s not gonna affect anything. I mean, it’d be nice to know he’s on the right side of history, but at the end of the day I don’t give a shit about Alchemist’s stance on something like that. Whether or not he says free Palestine isn’t gonna affect how I feel about what’s going on, but I digress. These beats are fucking incredible. I had to tweet about it when I heard the instrumental on Crisis Phone.

https://twitter.com/focusOGNICK/status/1993798405014081782?s=20

Of course woods & Elucid themselves slaughter every single verse here, and the features from guys like Quelle Chris & Earl Sweatshirt are glorious. This is another one of the more popular albums on this list, and I’d say it’s definitely worthy of the fame and praise. It’s dope as fuck.

8. Much Given, Much Tested by BlackLiq & Dub Sonata

🔗 Read my review

This was another one of the bigger surprises of the year for me. I’ve always liked BlackLiq’s music, but this project in particular really resonated with me in a different way. I adored Dub Sonata’s production in combination with BlackLiq’s super personal & introspective lyricism. There are some fire flows and features here too. This was one of the few albums that moved me enough to do a write-up, and I think it ended up being one of the best things I wrote this year. I’m really glad I was able to get a vinyl copy because it was nearly sold out by the time I finally heard it. I think there’s only one vinyl left for sale at the moment. I suggest you get yourself a copy because this shit is amazing. I’m looking forward to seeing what BlackLiq puts out next because this made me even more of a fan than I already was.

7. Time Outreaches Any Distance by ToadStool

Here’s another super slept on album that just dropped at the beginning of December. ToadStool is an MC from Rhode Island who I first discovered in 2023 when he was featured on blank thought’s My Life Flashed Before Me album alongside Wesley Rocco & Unsung. I kept up with his output from that point forward, and it became quite clear to me very early on that he’s an incredibly skilled MC. The dude’s flow is smooth as hell, and he rhymes effortlessly. I really enjoy his SWAMPCRAWLR album, but this latest release is the best thing I’ve ever heard from him. I feel like he really leveled up artistically for this project. It’s his most focused, well-rounded album thus far. The features from Defcee, Onry Ozzborn, and Rap Man Gavin are crazy too. As far as I know this album is only available digitally for now. Hopefully we get a physical release at some point because I’d love to add it to my collection.

6. Music to My Eyes by junclassic & Uncommon Nasa

This album was a really bittersweet listen. junclassic suddenly passed away out of nowhere a few days prior to the release of this project. It was really shocking to everyone because I don’t think anyone knew that was gonna happen. It sucks that he’s not here for me to tell him how amazing this album is. What’s crazy is that he almost foreshadows his own passing in the music at certain points. The voice memos that end certain tracks such as Move or Helpful Destiny just feel really heavy in light of his passing. It’s like he knew he wasn’t gonna be around much longer. The context of this album’s release kinda adds a new dimension to the music. Uncommon Nasa has become one of my favorite producers in the past few years. Every time he produces a full LP for someone it ends up being a super cohesive, well rounded project, and this one is no different. The features on this album are excellent as well. Short Fuze in particular might’ve spit the best verse of his career on Glitches. I love this record, and am looking forward to receiving my CD soon. junclassic was honestly one of the nicest people I’ve encountered through my journey as a content creator, so I was very saddened to hear when he passed away. Rest in peace.

5. VEGA GENESIS 3 by VEGA!

https://soundcloud.com/bewarevega/sets/vega-genesis-3?si=ff0cf26bccb048ffa992d1002dd2fb59&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

🔗 Read my review

At this point in the list we’re getting into “best albums I’ve ever heard” territory. People who know me probably are surprised that this isn’t number one to be honest. It was easily my most played album of 2025 (738 minutes), and I personally would consider it my favorite Trap album of all time. I’m constantly playing it around my friends and quoting VEGA! bars. I’ve converted a few people I know in real life into believers. I’m definitely the biggest VEGA! fan on the planet though. I need the VEGA GENESIS trilogy on wax. That’d make me so happy. After this album, I’m finally ready to add him to my “favorite rappers of all time” list. I hope to hear more work from him in 2026. Maybe some collaborations with other dope artists in a similar lane. There’s nothing else on this list that sounds even remotely similar. If you like artists like Yeat, this is a must-listen album. The production? Fire. The melodies? Fire. The bars? Fire. The flows? FIRE. I love everything about this project, including the review I wrote for it. That’s probably my favorite thing I wrote in 2025. The album’s amazing. Check it out.

4. Neighborhood Gods Unlimited by Open Mike Eagle

🔗 Read my review

Open Mike Eagle is a top 5 rapper of all time for me, and this seriously might be my favorite album from him yet. It’s a tough call between this, Dark Comedy, 4NML HSPTL, and Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes. It gets even harder if you include Time & Materials by Cavanaugh. I listened to this latest album a ton this year though. I love how much singing OME did on this record. He’s not the type of vocalist that’s gonna blow you away with the notes he’s hittin’. His soft vocals just sound really pleasant, relaxing, and emotive to me. This is also one of the best produced albums I’ve heard in a long time. I think these are my favorite beats I’ve ever heard from Child Actor, which is saying a lot. We also get fire instrumentals from K-Nite 13, Kenny Segal & Mike Parvizi, Playa Haze, ialive, August Fanon, and Nolan the Ninja. There’s kind of a dreamy, surreal atmosphere to a lot of the sounds on this project, and same goes for some of the lyrical content as well. I played this in the car while running errands with my mom once, and she had quite a cheerful reaction to the song about his phone getting run over by a truck. That’s easily one of the best songs of 2025. I’m sure most of the people reading this list have heard this record already, but if you haven’t yet you’re seriously missing out. This album’s incredible.

3. The Wolf & the Walrus by Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious

Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious are like my favorite rapper/producer duo right now. They had my favorite album of 2024, so I was pretty psyched when I saw the announcement for this latest one. These guys are two of the best artists that do what they do. Ed Glorious is probably the most slept on producer I know of at the moment. If I was an MC I would be begging him for beats 24/7. Teller Bank$ is pretty much tied with Sleep Sinatra as my favorite rapper of the decade. When you have two artists who are this talented working together, it’s a no brainer that the result is some truly incredible art. The opening track on this project is a sequel to one of my favorite Teller Bank$ songs, Suicide Hotline 3, so that was pretty exciting for me. Lyrically, 3 is like “I WANT TO KILL MYSELF.” However, 4 sounds like he’s already in the process of killing himself. The despondent delivery just evokes a sense of pure misery. He sounds completely hopeless on that song. It’s crazy. My favorite track is The Wolf though. That might be the hardest song of the year. Nah, it definitely it is. That shit is crazy. He sounds fuckin’ bloodthirsty on that track. The production throughout this entire record is incredible too. Both of these dudes are some of the most slept on artists I know about. I feel like DRUG$$$ got more attention than this one, but maybe I’m wrong. Both the albums are amazing, but I prefer this one personally. It’s boiling hot fire.

2. TIMESOFPERIL by Sleep Sinatra

This is basically a perfect album. It’s my favorite thing I’ve ever heard from Sleep Sinatra. If this had come out any other year of this decade it’d be my album of the year, but 2025 was a particularly strong year for alternative rap. Up until this came out, my favorite record from Sleep was The Spirit of Baldwin Ave. In terms of subject matter alone, that’s probably still my favorite album from him. However, as a full album experience, this latest record is watertight. There’s nothing even remotely close to filler on this thing. It’s just banger after banger. Literally every single track is amazing. I love SINAI.’s production, and Sleep kills every verse. Manji is crazy. Oracle is insane. Missile Silo is bonkers. All the features are wild too. My favorite is probably Doseone, but Breeze Brewin & Nolan the Ninja killed their performances as well. There’s nothing to nitpick with this one. It’s an incredibly cohesive record. I fucking love it. It’s dope as fuck.

1. The Sword & the Soaring by Navy Blue

This album is fucking beautiful. As soon as I pressed play on this shit I had a feeling that it’d end up being my favorite of the year, and I was not wrong. This is the album I’ve always wanted Navy Blue to make, ever since I heard his Higher Self single five years ago. Every verse I’ve heard from Navy Blue in the past has been really dope, but the production wasn’t always what I wanted it to be. That’s not an issue here at all. These are the perfect beats for Navy Blue. Every single song can be considered a highlight. Navy Blue has a soulfulness to the way he raps that most other MCs lack. So much of the lyricism here is genuinely profound in my opinion too. There are some very emotional moments here as well. It’s just a very heartwarming listen. I haven’t been able to find a physical release of this album, so hopefully we get vinyl or tapes or even CDs at some point in 2026. I need this in my collection. It’s my favorite album of the decade so far, and I won’t be surprised if it maintains that spot forever. I don’t think it’ll be possible for him to top this with future releases. You don’t just make something better than perfection. You may match it, but you can’t surpass something like this. If I still gave scores in my reviews I’d probably give this a perfect 100. I cannot stress enough how much I love this thing. Check it out if you haven’t yet. It’s a masterpiece.

As always, thank y’all for rocking with me this year. I’ve got big plans for 2026, so I hope you guys stick around for that. Thank you to all the artists featured on this list for giving me an amazing soundtrack to an otherwise harrowing year. I had a lot of fun writing this list. Let me know what your favorite albums of the year were in the comment section below. Also, check out this playlist I made of my favorite features of 2025. Oh, and happy New Year. ✌🏽

#AJSuede #Ant #ApolloBrown #Araless #ArmandHammer #Atmosphere #AugustFanon #billyWoods #BlackLiq #Bloodblixing #Chow #DubSonata #EdGlorious #Elucid #ErrolHolden #GabeNandez #Ilajide #junclassic #LtHeadtrip #NavyBlue #OpenMikeEagle #Preservation #RhysLangston #Sasco #SleepSinatra #Slug #SnotnozeSaleem #SteelTippedDove #Sunmundi #TellerBank #TheAlchemist #ToadStool #TyFarris #UncommonNasa #VEGA #VicSpencer

Focus Hip Hop Aug 12, 2024

NOTE: PATREON SUPPORTERS RECEIVED ACCESS TO THIS REVIEW ON AUGUST 9TH, 2024.

This album was released on July 26th this year. I first started listening to Jamal Gasol around the release of his collaborative album with Vic Spencer. That album was really good, and I went on to enjoy his project with Flu & Evil Empire. I didn’t hear any of the stuff he put out this year until very recently. I enjoyed The World Is Piff 3 to some extent, but I sadly did not care for It’s Still a Dirty Game at all due to the lackluster production from 38 Spesh. I generally am not really into 38 Spesh’s production though, especially these days. This latest album right here is actually a massive leap in quality from the other stuff that’s come out this year in my opinion though. I really loved this project.

The album begins with Epitome.

https://youtu.be/OuanuXrvD9I?si=yTNcZXorGwR0InG3

The problem of underwhelming instrumentals thankfully wasn’t really an issue on this album. That’s the main reason I enjoyed it so much more than the preceding couple of releases. This beat in particular has a really nice electric guitar loop. It kinda reminds me of the opening track to Alfredo. I love it. Jamal Gasol is the type of MC who really delivers a great performance every single time he raps, so as long as the production is up to snuff you usually get dope material. This song is no different. He killed the first verse.

Big body Benz when I shook the lane
Ski mask strong arm took the game
When I'm done with it, it ain't gon' look the same
Time is money, this expensive pain
Smokin' piff, I know you never hit this strain
My hustle got this far, how much further to go?
I ain't wanna be a hood star, I wanted the dough
Wishin' I could be a kid again, was rushin' to grow
Most quick, and they was rushin' to blow off of they flows

I think I may have misquoted that last line, but the shit is still fire. I love the way he closed the second verse too.

Clean tape like the first time you put the cartridge in
Get a nice whip in the hood, the pigs target it
It's gon' be people who want you less than what you started with
And they beneath you, don't let they messiness could bother you
You ain't hear no music this good since Tha Carter 2

The song’s really dope. The following track is even better though. It’s called Chuck E, and it has one of my favorite beats on the whole album. It’s a melodic, kind of emotional-sounding beat. I love the instrumental, and the dark lyricism matches the tone of it really well.

Chuck E wasn't so lucky, I hope you get the message
Tongue sharpens the sword, I hope you count your blessings
Every time I record I know my words provide a vibe and essence
Haters have my pockets on contraceptives
Frequent sky glider so I fly domestic
Never failed a grade, no shade on your effort
But I know a expert who said say less than necessary
I know words get you hurt
Couple got a permanent nap in the dirt
Chuck E might've live if he ain't shoot first
Consequences of the curse
Live by it, die by it, always be a man of your word
So mean what you say, more respect come from your verbs

I even like the hook on this track, and the second verse is fire. Out of all the solo tracks on the album, this is probably my favorite. I think it’s dope as fuck, and honestly one of my favorite songs of the year. I love it. Track 3 is called The Rush, and it features an artist named All Hail Y.T. I know I’ve heard features from that artist in the past, but I’m not familiar enough with them to be able to recognize their voice. I actually ended up loving their performance here though. Their voice kinda reminded me of brainorchestra. a little bit. As soon as I heard the first couplet of the verse, I was hooked.

Do the speed limit when I drive 'cause it's drugs on me
Use the rearview, turn signal 'case the fuzz on me

The flow was really nice too. I’m definitely gonna check out the new album he dropped this past May now. The opening verse from Jamal Gasol was of course very great as well.

I seen niggas doin' it for looks never made it far
Colors gon' reveal for them people who try to play the movie part
In New York dunkin' on goats like John Starks
Y'all be cocky on the tracks, I love it 'cause I'm like that
Cooked a lil' just to get it right like a looseleaf wrap
Stick ya move, won't get no feelings attached

The song honestly grew on me as I listened to it more and more. I really fuck with it. It’s dope as hell. The following track is even better though. It’s called All I Know, and it definitely stood out in the track list because it features Skyzoo along with someone named SH4MEL.

https://youtu.be/HtZsHchL4gI?si=wt0nCgS5DEiwlZhK

It’s easily the longest song on the record, but it doesn’t feel like it lasts too long because it stays exciting. The production from Cedar Law$ is pretty nice here. I love how hard hitting the percussion is, and the opening verse from Gasol is fantastic. He sounds really great here.

I'm home watchin' Hulu, 'bout to book a flight to Honolulu
Mass appeal like Premier & Guru
I been into the square before you ever seen me on YouTube
Every year I improve, more and more strategic
These tapes droppin' just wasn't pleasin'
Weak bars like they flow anemic
You want me doubtin' my works, I know you not my mans
So if I go at your bitch, I hope you understand

I also love that line about how he prefers his money all blue instead of green. That was fire. Skyzoo sounds incredible over this beat too. I kinda wish his verse was a little longer because it did feel a bit brief. The final verse from SH4MEL is actually pretty nice too. I enjoyed his performance as well. The song is fire overall. The following track is called Temptation, and it features an artist named Aaqil Ali. I absolutely adore this beat. It sounds a lot like something 9th Wonder would make, and I guess I have a soft spot for that sound as a Durhamite. I can definitely imagine Phonte killing this beat. Jamal sounds phenomenal on the first verse.

Show love to my G's in the game
Who had to pick up hours 'cause the plug got took when it came
That's slow dough for sure, but it ain't feelin' the same
Y'all niggas don't wanna talk about pain
What you know about sittin' up in the hot spot with three grams
A landlord who don't give a damn to understand
He don't care how I get it as long as I pay the man
On top of that, still gotta provide for my fam

I really loved the second verse from Aaqil Ali as well. That’s definitely one of my favorite features on the album. His voice and flow sound excellent. He slaughtered this track.

My past decisions, I promise to see the future well
The walls can talk, so a silence, that's what we used to sell
All these niggas is blinded, they better use the braille
My son Gasol is on fire, he let me use the trail
These other niggas is liars, I see the proof in sales

The song’s really great. The following track is yet another highlight called Esteban, and it features Rico Tellem. The production on this track is pretty fucking awesome. Gasol killed it too.

Rockin' Pradas in Managua
Silk Supreme in the middle of Guatemala resort, top dollar
Pop collars, drinkin' champagne on the rooftop
Feel like Esteban, it's a rush when the roof drop
Cruisin' through the city gettin' loot in a 2020 coupe
New shoes, I don't work well with groups
I ain't into losin', so I won't recoup
Y'all boys won't blow like a broken flute

The guest verse from Rico Tellem solidified this as one of the best songs on the album for me. I love this track. Rico Tellem killed it.

They threw dirt, then it rained, so now it's mud there
Niggas see me up, it's a shame 'cause it's a grudge there
I started savin' club fare for my plug fair
Me and bro invested in work, now I got drug shares
They say the pack just landed, I'm on my way back
And the powder's so clean, you could stamp it and call it Ajax

Both of them slaughtered this track. I love it. It’s dope as fuck. Track 7 is called Self Discipline, and it’s the only track on the album I probably won’t be returning to. I just am not really into this production style that much. I believe the intention was for the beat to be chill and perhaps somewhat relaxing, but to me it’s just kind of boring. However, the song’s still enjoyable to an extent thanks to Gasol’s rapping performance. I don’t really care for the hook, but the verses are very good.

Gotta have rules and morals, the structure to live by
Create a good report that follows you 'til the day you die
Seen kings on the rise get stopped through the homicides
Other 25 to life, five in the mountain skies
Honor the type of guys who wasn't on sucker time
Come through when it's crunch time, eat like it's lunch time

It’s definitely a solid track, but it lacks replay value for me. The following track is another highlight called Roswell, and it features Vic Spencer. Once again, the production here is fantastic. It sounds icy and slightly distorted in the coolest way possible. The opening verse from Gasol is great.

Piff letterman coat with all the rare patches
No closed casket, go to the forest and dump my ashes
My flow acid, oozin' out the headphones
Peek at the time, now I keep my boy in sucker free zones

Vic Spencer sounds so amazing on this beat too. I didn’t look at the track list before my first listen of the project, so I got pretty excited when I heard him start rapping.

I'm in the hood all the time, a true city boy
Westside, drive 290, that blood is in me, boy
Reckless, served mad ounces during recession
Served hella albums during the pandemic blessing
Was dealin' with the Hoover crips, nigga, I got blessed then
My time on the Northside was crime that shines right on the skyline
When you play games, nigga, it ain't no scorin' match
Beat up bitch niggas, and get no points for that

Vic probably had my favorite feature on the whole album, but I guess I’m biased since I’m a big fan of his. This collab was boiling hot fire though. I actually think this is my favorite song they’ve made together to be honest. I really love this one. The penultimate track is called Everyday, and it features an MC named ToneyBoi, who also had a really great guest verse. Damn. I guess every single feature on this project really came through for Jamal Gasol. They didn’t phone it in at all. This might be the most consistent set of features I’ve heard on a project all year to be honest. ToneyBoi killed this track. The production is pretty jazzy and soulful. It’s not one of my favorite beats on the project, but I definitely like it. I certainly appreciated the autobiographical lyrical content from Gasol.

Disrespect got you respect in my hood, all the girls want a bad boy
I ain't really start to see some paper 'til I linked up with Troy
Had to get it out the mud 'cause I wanted my own
I started runnin' through them minute phones, couple things I did alone

The song’s really dope overall. The closing track is called Forever 31, and it has a really nice, jazzy, saxophone-driven beat. The vocal sample sounds really cool too. I also really like the way this track is structured. He just spits one really great, kinda long verse, followed by a hook/outro.

Tried to shake the game, I thought about it many times
Every time I start to write a rhyme somebody hit my line
I be grindin' where they don't go, in the part of the hood the movies don't show
My concrete will never grow a rose, I'm from where they send you if you need a ho

I think this track works really well as a closer. I fuck with it. It’s a dope song.

This album is dope as hell. Like I said, it’s a pretty sizable leap in quality from the preceding couple of projects in my opinion, so that’s pretty cool to see. It’s sequenced and produced very well, and it’s just a very cohesive project in my opinion. There’s not a single bad song here. One thing that I pointed out in the body of this review is that every single feature on this project really delivered a stellar performance. I was thoroughly impressed by every guest on this release. The production for the most part is very great, and Jamal Gasol himself doesn’t let up throughout the whole record. Every single verse on this project is worth spending time with and digesting properly. The more you pay attention, the more you’ll appreciate it. This is not only my favorite Jamal Gasol project now, but also one of my favorite releases of the year. Check it out. I think it’s exceptional.

Favorite Song: Chuck E
Least Favorite Song: Self Discipline

Grade: A-

https://focushiphop.com/2024/08/12/jamal-gasol-cedar-law-fresh-31-album-review/

#AaqilAli #AllHailYT_ #CedarLaw_ #JamalGasol #RicoTellem #SH4MEL #Skyzoo #ToneyBoi #VicSpencer

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