2015 has been an expressive year for the hip hop genre. From old regulars to the rookies of tomorrow, plenty of good rap music has been released to the masses, through digital download and physicals alike. In this article, I will take a look at my picks for the ten best projects from 2015. Don’t forget to listen to the podcast that accompanies this article, which you can find here! I go more in depth on each album. Without further ado…

10. How it Never Was – Kur

This mixtape, released in May, is one of the most energetic and balanced projects of the year. From complete bangers like “Up” with Omelly, to moments like “Doggie Dog” and “It All Happened”, this project is very complete. Kur is filled with variety, from his fast flow and loud delivery to his laid back, yet passionate rhymes. Although Kur’s singing voice leaves much to be desired, his honesty brings him a highlight of 2015.

9. The Greay(t) Area – HDBeenDope

HDBEENDOPE returns from a two-year hiatus to bring us plenty in this 21-track LP. HD spins a tale searching for the meaning of life in a session with Professor W. This album is broken into sections, notified by the interludes between W and the New York MC. We receive highly conceptual songs like “Kingpin Theory” and “Karma” to impressive performances on “Good News [Intro]” and “Six or Seven”. It strays from the 90’s throwback production we heard on *Stepping into Tomorrow*, but it exchanges for well-polished, varied instrumentals.

8. King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude – Pusha T

We’ve all been waiting for what seems like an eternity for King Push, the second project from Virginia rapper and Clipse member Pusha T. Fresh off of his promotion to president of G.O.O.D. Music, Push decided to release this promotional [?] album. This is T’s best project to date, conducting one of the most consistent albums of the year. While there are plenty of typical coke idioms sprinkled throughout this project, the subject matter is certainly more varied, as notable on “M.P.A.” and Jill Scott-featured closer, “Sunshine”. Timbaland comes through on the beats with the Biggie-sampled “Untouchable” and “Retribution”. Released in December 2015, one should expect Darkest Before Dawn to appear on a number of 2016 “Best of” lists.

7. 90059 – Jay Rock

Another short but enjoyable project, fans of Jay Rock and hip-hop alike have endured the four years since Follow Me Home, Jay’s debut on Strange Music and Top Dawg Entertainment. While the album gives off a similar vibe to labelmate Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d. City, it’s fully Jay Rock’s story of his rise to fame from the California slums. Outside of the mellow “Fly on the Wall” which features Busta Rhymes, Rock sounds vicious over this dark, simplistic production. Short and straightforward, 90059 was worth the wait and worth your money.

6. Compton: A Soundtrack – Dr. Dre

What a perfect marketing scheme by Dr. Dre and the Aftermath crew. The world has been waiting for a decade-and-change for Detox, the supposed (and now nonexistent) follow-up to The Chronic 2001, an album viewed as a staple in West Coast hip-hop. Early news reports stated that there was no such thing as Detox, but that Dre was working on something else. Compton, which was released at the same time as the film Straight Outta Compton, documenting the lives of N.W.A., is formatted in similar matters as The Chronic and 2001: Many features from MCs old and new, many writers credited for their work, and production highlights. Whether it’s Xzibit, Ice Cube, Game and Snoop Dogg bringing back that menacing, west coast style, Anderson .Paak, BJ the Chicago Kid, and Justus bringing soul, or Jon Connor and King Mez showcasing their skills, Compton is a complete experience.

5. GO:OD AM – Mac Miller

This is the album that Mac Miller wanted to give us. His past effort Watching Movies with the Sound Off provided an ethereal view into the life of a depressed, drugged Miller. The mixtape Faces gave us some hope, but this album is where he shines. Unlike his previous projects, Miller enlists a barrage of producers to give this LP some juice. Many of these tracks, such as “Brand Name”, the single “100 Grandkids” and the Miguel-assisted “Weekend” offer a very entertaining bounce. Not only to the listener, but to Miller as well, this album serves as a much needed wake up call in music and life.

4. At.Long.Last.A$AP – A$AP Rocky

This album is one of the most varied projects released in the last few years. Rocky successfully trudges through the murky, intoxicating production. Although the tracks do follow a similar path, none of them sound the same, even within themselves. Released shortly after the death of Rocky’s friend A$AP Yams, this album is a worthy tribute. Most of the features (excluding Kanye West, whose incoherent rambling rivals Rocky IV levels of awful) are on par with the New York rapper. Even Bun B blessed Rocky with a Pimp C feature from the grave. ALLA solidifies him as one of the most promising acts in hip-hop.

3. The Documentary 2.5 – Game

It’s been awhile since Game sounded this focused. Although he really hasn’t had a “bad” album, necessarily, he’s failed to eclipse what he did on his commercial debut The Documentary in 2005. Ten years later, he succeeds with The Documentary 2.5. Released a week after the sequel, 2.5 weaves itself from a dark setting of Compton, CA (“Magnus Carlsen”) to the positives of being a father (“Like Father Like Son 2”) and finding light in life. While more complete than The Documentary 2, this album is pinpointed in the direction Game wanted to take this. The features on this LP were some of the best this year (Anderson .Paak, Nas, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Scarface). Game adds another chapter into his lengthy and consistent catalog.

2. To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar

TPAB has shifted around on my list more than any other album released this year. As high as #1 and as low as #5, I knew either way this project would be in my top 5. I just didn’t know where until I went back and realized how far Kendrick Lamar is above every other rapper in the game right now. From concepts to lyrics to production, listeners can tell that this man is entirely about music. Creating a hip-hop album with almost entirely jazz instrumentals is a huge musical risk, and Lamar pulls it off with ease. While this album is not perfect (“These Walls” was never a favorite), Kendrick proves that he will always be a name to look out for throughout the next half of this decade.

1. Tetsuo & Youth – Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco has returned. This album has gone through each test I had and passed: Do I like this album because Lupe struggled on the last few? Am I succumbing to the “2015 will be awesome” hype? Am I a sucker for concept albums? Eleven months later, Tetsuo & Youth (along with To Pimp a Butterfly) stands as a colossal piece of artwork that can be interpreted in every way imaginable. From the get go, on “Mural”, we realize we are in for a treat. Everything from the production to Lupe’s complex lyrics and his catchy hooks is brilliantly fine tuned. The concepts explored on this LP are creative beyond measure, as exemplified in tracks such as “Dots & Lines”, “Deliver” and “Adoration of the Magi”. Lupe Fiasco is the lyrical Division I kid dunking on the 5’8” water boy after crossing up a couple defenders to make it look like poetry. This album is a journey; an experience into the mind of one of hip-hop’s most brilliant scholars.