Wired 25: The 25 Best Albums Of 2013

25. 2 Chainz – B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time

The Hair Weave Killer’s second LP may not have delivered hits like his first, but it definitely shows progression. Give it another spin.

24. Talib Kweli – Gravitas

Kweli closed the year out strong with this 11 track LP, which dons guest appearances by Raekwon, Black Thought, Big K.R.I.T., and Rah Digga and production from J. Dilla, Statik Selektah, Oh No, and Khrysis.

The Houston newcomer proved that he was a one-man show with the project. His production outweighs his rhymes at the moment, but at just 21-years-old, his upside is tremendous.

The Leimert Park spitter is mastering his sound one project at a time. This time he relied on The Futuristiks to be his production core, along with others like DJ Khalil, Larrance of 1500 or Nothin’, DrewByrd, and more.

The Three 6 Mafia legend couldn’t have titled this album any better. It’s simply a body of work dedicated to fun. If that’s your thing, you too can find a place for this in your rotation.

20. Childish Gambino – Because The Internet…

To be frank, I wasn’t a fan of the actor/comedian-turned rapper. Now, I am. Credit that to this LP, which has one of the top five roll outs this year.  See the accompanying screenplay for proof.

Long Island has a lineage of thoroughbred MCs, of which Roc Marci was often overlooked. But that’s changed, as he’s given us the game little by little on each project.

The name Save Money will resonate in Hip-Hop for years to come if they continue to deliver quality music. Mensa, one of two rising MCs waving the flag for the clique, made his presence felt with an on-beat-off-beat flow and stellar assortment of production.

Odd Future’s missing in action member is back with bars in tow. On Doris, he displays an awareness and ability to formulate his thoughts better than your average 19-year-old. Yes, age ain’t nothing but a number.

Detroit should be proud of their resident producer-rapper. He delivered a well-crafed project that could put a lot into perspective for listeners going through the motions of life.

15. Ka – The Night’s Gambit

This is straight beats and rhymes for your a$$. The Brooklyn rapper can communicate his point of view about as well as anyone else on this list.

14. Wale – The Gifted

It’s been a steady ascension for Folarin, who dropped his third album in a sea of other worthy releases. He introduced interesting concepts on songs like “Golden Salvation” and hits with “Bad” and the underrated “Clappers.”

Hov created one of the biggest moments of the year with this LP and it’s unprecedented collaborative roll out with Samsung. He was platinum before we heard the music. But more importantly, Brooklyn’s boy delivered musically.

Bronsolino is doing it his way. He has his own personal Diddy in Big Body Bes. You can visualize his rhymes. Then, there’s his unusual affinity for fixing basketball games. This fully encompasses that which we know as Blue Chips 2.

The Macadelic one is another MC who made us a fan with one LP. He displays a lyrical growth and a better ear for crafting a cohesive project.

10. Danny Brown – Old

Few projects were as aptly titled as this thoughtful opus from Detroit’s toothless lyricist. You want that old Danny Brown back? You’ve got it. You want rhymes from an older MC who’s more experienced than peers 10 years younger? There’s that too.

Potent rhymes are the one thing you’re always certain to find on a Slim Shady project. But here, we saw the natural progression of a story that began 13 years prior.

Because of the unfortunate leak, it’s easy to forget that A$AP’s debut actually dropped in 2013. It’s a cohesive body of work that any newcomer should be proud of. “Suddenly” still gets ample spins around these parts.

If creating music that’s relatable to listeners in some regard is the goal, Jermaine is way ahead of the curve. He’s emotionally candid on all levels. He’s also becoming a better songwriter. That’s a scary sight.

Most counted out one half of the Clipse. But the album that saw ample delays finally released, and actually proved to be the best representation of street Hip-Hop we’ve seen in some time.

5. Tyler, The Creator – WOLF

Let’s call this our curve ball selection. The Odd Future MC is officially three albums deep into the story of Samuel, Tyler, and Salem. Yep, the stories are connected, as written by Noisey. Pair that thoughtfulness with well-written and produced tracks like “48,” “Answer,” and “Lone,” and you too will become a fan of this LP.

4. Drake – Nothing Was The Same

Drizzy is the golden boy. Yes, this is true. His relevancy is rising by the day. The music has less flaws, too. That’s what defines Nothing Was The Same, the rapper’s attempt at cutting down the fluff to create moments listeners won’t forget.

Say what you want about West’s sixth studio album. It’s still a serious conversation piece. It’s experimental, primal even. But it’s certainly good. We also suspect that this LP will have a longstanding effect like 808s & Heartbreak. Remember that people didn’t like that album either.

You’ve probably spit out your beverage onto the screen. And for that, we apologize. Yes, this number two selection is probably surprising, but this LP is what Hip-Hop lovers were looking for (by our standards). Beat, rhymes, strong concepts, and experimentation were the ingredients used to create this thorough listen.