Quiet as it’s kept, 2022 has yielded a spectacular menagerie of Hip-Hop and R&B projects thus far. With the threat of COVID dwindling and folks eager to get back outside, it has brought about an official resurgence of concerts and live performances, some of which include NYC’s Governor’s Ball, London’s Wireless Fest, Rolling Loud and much more. Given this return to norm, members of the Hip-Hop and R&B community have recognized this as an opportune time to unveil everything they’ve been working on during the pandemic. Whether it was the highly anticipated release of Chris Brown’s 10th studio album: BREEZY or the long-awaited reemergence of Kendrick Lamar, There has been a blissful collection of records to grace the year so far and they all deserve their just due. Without further adieu, let’s divulge the cream of this year’s crop in Hip-Hop and R&B.
Ravyn Lenae – Hypnos
Release Date: May 20th
After taking three years away from releasing any extensive projects, let alone, spearheading any novel musical output, Chicago bred R&B prodigy Ravyn Lenae has decided to make a remarkable return with the release of her long anticipated, seminal debut record: HYPNOS. Delicately combining her sultry, hypnotic vocal acumen with an atmospheric bevy of soothingly lush instrumentation, Lenae single handedly enlivens today’s “dwindling” R&B landscape. Encompassing an eclectic range of influences: dance music, R&B, house music, contemporary soul, the 23-year-old Zero-Fatigue songstress provides an ethereal listening experience from start to finish. When it comes to production, Lenae recruits an all-star lineup: Steve Lacy, Monte Booker, KAYTRANADA and much more. Across the board, every track may constitute as exceptional in their own right but the fact that they’re all coalesced into a single, cohesive body of work is what elevates this project to new heights. Without a doubt, HYPNOS is easily a solid contender for best “alternative R&B” project of 2022.
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers
Release Date: May 13th
Since the drop of his fourth studio album: DAMN arrived back in 2017, Mr. Lamar has been thoroughly withdrawn from putting out content aside from a few sparse features here and there. With the advent of COVID-19 and the subsequent pandemic, it seems like he’s been more resolute about focusing on nourishing the things that matter to him most: his familial ties, God, his new creative collective “pglang” and an unbridled commitment to self understanding. After taking some time to himself to bolster his lens on life and garner more “perspective,” K. Dot has finally decided to make his return to the limelight after being away from producing bodies of music for five entire years. The longing and speculation has finally come to halt. Given the sheer alchemy of “Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers,” Lamar demonstrates once again that he isn’t afraid whatsoever to push his boundaries for the sake of his art.
On this project, he does just that and much more. Conceptually, Lamar is perhaps at his most vulnerable ever as he dares to divulge a plethora of personal and some might say earnest matters that have plagued his mind at one point or another: toxic masculinity, the oftentimes dysfunctional nature of fatherhood within the Black community, constant self-interrogation of his place , reevaluating his personal paradigm of the LGBTQIA community, acrimonious love ties, challenging the grandeur of celebrity and much more. The overall project manifests as a series of poignant, deeply introspective vignettes. Across the record, he lays his heart and soul bare for the consumer without coming off as corny or melodramatic.
While a good portion of this record requires one to exercise keen ACL (active constructive listening) to properly digest, he does lace a few commercial bangers on here as well with tracks like “N95,” “Die Hard,” “Rich Spirit,” and “Savior” to name a few. As far as its soundscape, it is frenetic and multifaceted with zero continuity from beginning to end. Every track is its own distinct breed. Teaming up with longtime producer Sounwave, real-life nephew Baby Keem and more, they provide a beautiful hodgepodge of masterful sounds. Although it took awhile for it to arrive, “Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers” illuminates that the wait was well worth it.
Chris Brown – BREEZY
Release Date: June 24th
Although this project failed to deliver on projected first week album sales with only 72k copies in the initial week, to suggest any direct correlation between that minor shortcoming and the quality of this record would be a grave misnomer. At the age of 33, Chris Brown has already amassed 17 years of high quality music under his belt, making him a young O.G. within the music industry. With the advent of BREEZY, which is his 10th studio album, the R&B living legend continues to bolster his legacy with major verve. On this project, he makes it clear that in order for one to reach the pinnacle of contemporary R&B, they must surpass him first. Embracing an eclectic mix of sounds: Afrobeat, Pop, R&B and more, BREEZY provides something for everyone on this record. Whether it is the classic, “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” inspired pocket of R&B that he steps into on “Harder” or the Afrobeats influenced “Call Me Everyday (Ft. WizKid), Brown reminds everyone just how versatile he is. There aren’t many limits to his vocal aptitude and he uses this 23-year track long project as an open sketchbook to showcase that. If there are still any rumblings of “R&B being dead,” BREEZY illuminates that that is certainly not the case as long as Chris Brown is still alive and well.
It’s Almost Dry – Pusha T
Release Date: April 22nd
When it comes to the concept of “sticking to your guns,” Terrance “Pusha T” Thornton is the living manifestation of said adage. For over 20 years, Virginia’s most notable “former” dope dealer has developed a remarkable knack for crafting clever, witty cocaine bars and drug-related anecdotes that make you genuinely believe he’s still an active purveyor of the lifestyle he so effortlessly champions in his music. In fact, it’s so good that the lines are often blurred between fiction and fact. From the naked eye, it is quite challenging to decipher between whether T is an actual drug dealer or merely a rapper with an adroit ability to talk about those matters in his rhymes. Whatever the case may be, “It’s Almost Dry” reaffirms that Pusha T is on the Mount Rushmore of Drug Rap and there isn’t much room for disputing that. After not dropping a solo album for over four years, T shows off his Coke Rap expertise once again. Teaming up with his longtime collaborators Pharrell Williams and Kanye West, the sonic soundscape of this project is ambitious, ritzy and luxuriant but every instrumentation flows well with the cadence of T’s grit-wit rhymes. Tethered to the drug game, this record is a valiant homage to not only the lifestyle that brought him fame and fortune but to his longevity as a whole.
Ramona Park Broke My Heart – Vince Staples
Release Date: April 8th
Continuing the momentum stirred by his eponymous 2021 project: VINCE STAPLES, Ramona Park’s finest doubles down with the release of his fifth studio album: “Ramona Park Broke My Heart.” Doused in west coast-oriented production, Staples explores the hardships of his childhood, akin to the components of himself that have manifested as a direct result of growing up in his hometown of Ramona Park-Long Beach, CA. As far as listenability, this record hits differently when played at a high volume given the stellar, “in-your-face” instrumentation. When it comes to content, he explores everyday matters such as his dating milieu on “When Sparks Fly,” and “Players Ways” or communal acrimony on “East Point Prayer” and “Slide.” Being a native of the environment, Staples has evolved into an elder statesman authorized to speak on what goes on in his hood and does so in vivid detail with apt precision.
Tana Talk 4 – Benny The Butcher
Release Date: March 11th
In terms of embodying the authentic sound and feel of Hip-Hop’s golden era, no one is more synonymous with this trend than Benny The Butcher and deservedly so. There aren’t any extra frills or gimmicks attached to his brand. Just straight bars. Although Benny just got signed to the legendary Def Jam Recordings back in November 2021, he was very adamant about staying true to himself with the release of “Tana Talk 4.” Given the positive reception and content of this project, Benny executes on his goal with relative ease. Teaming up with fellow master lyricist J.Cole, the Griselda wordsmith took flight with his first and only single on the record: Johnny P’s Caddy. For a vast majority of the record, Benny delivers a bevy of
poignant, well-crafted bars about his trajectory and life experiences derived from the interwoven world of drugs and raps he comes from out in Buffalo, NY. In terms of production, he laces most of these rhymes over gritty, rugged instrumentation devoid of gratuitous hooks. Over a lean 40 min duration, Benny does what he does best at a high level and that’s what makes this project more salient than most this year.
Joey BadA$$ – 2000
Release Date: July 22nd
For someone who has only been alive for 27 years, Jo-Vaughn Scott, better known as Joey BadA$$’s resume is more decorated than most. He’s an actor. His debut mixtape: 1999 and his first two albums: B4.Da.$$ and All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ are all considered timeless. He is a Brooklyn legend. Embracing more of a glossier aesthetic this time around, Bada$$ is evidently seasoned. He’s been a formidable force in Hip-Hop for a while now. However, it has been a hot minute since he last dropped an EP, so some might have forgotten his impact. With the emergence of 2000, he definitely reminds us that Joey Bada$$ has and will continue to be “one of them ones” among contemporary Hip-Hop. The sonic landscape emanates pronounced, “old-school” beats with a new-aged feel.
On this project, Bada$$ illustrates his lyrical acumen is still vicious and that he can rock with the best of them. Instead of taking the conceptual route, he has opted for more of a focus on the music this time around. Overall at its core, 2000 feels like Joey’s homecoming record. He definitely entered this project with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove in the urgent. For those who may have forgotten about him and his impact on Hip-Hop culture, this is an avid reminder. Also, taking multiple moments to lament his late friend Capital Steez, who unfortunately passed away in 2012, this album felt personal and authentic to him. Although he hasn’t released any music for awhile, he reaffirms that his place in Hip-Hop lore is already confirmed and that he has the ability to resurface whenever he feels up to it.
Cordae – From A Bird’s Eye View
Release Date: January 14th
After dropping his debut album: “The Lost Boy” back in 2019, DMV native Cordae set the Hip-Hop world ablaze. With the advent of From A Bird’s Eye View, the 24-year-old lyrical philosopher cements the reality that he has a future in his industry and that he is really just getting started. Using this project as a canvas to reflect on how far he’s come, akin to life during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cordae seems a lot more grounded on this record than on previous works. He takes some slight risks (more melodies) without veering away from the attributes that make him so enticing. Some of the standout tracks include “C Carter,” “Want From Me,” “Chronicles” and more. Although he took a couple years off, he has returned with a newfound sense of focus and fervor.
PJ Morton – Watch The Sun
Release Date: April 29th
Throughout his solo journey in music, PJ Morton hasn’t always been fully appreciated for his talent and the sheer alchemy of what he brings to the table. Early on in his career, he was dubbed as “too musical.” In today’s era where good music isn’t so simple to come by, his brand is opportune . Despite all the adversity he had to endure to reach his apex, when it comes to modern-day R&B, there aren’t too many other artists doing it like PJ Morton. By virtue of mixing R&B and Gospel, “Watch The Sun ” embodies all of Mr. Morton without compromise. From the slow, soothing ballads on “Please Don’t Walk Away” to the vibrant, upbeat vibes of “Watch The Sun” and “So Lonely,” to the Gospel undertone on “The Better Benediction,” there is something for everyone on this 11-track record. What wasn’t fully accepted about Mr. Morton back in the early 00s is finally being recognized and cherished. The music speaks for itself.
