Revisiting Great Albums of 2024

Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary in 2023 certainly lit a new fire in the creative spirit of many classic artists, as well as newer ones. Consequently, 2024 brought us an outstanding amount of amazing releases, including some by artists who came back to the booth after a multitude of years. We’ve decided to revisit some of the amazing releases of the past year.

Common & Pete Rock – The Auditorium Vol. 1

Radiating the pure essence of Hip-Hop, “The Auditorium Vol. 1” masterfully blends Pete Rock’s stellar production and Common’s unprecedented lyricism in a synergetic whole. The project was released to critical acclaim and has brought the duo a grammy nomination in the category of best rap album.

Redman – Muddy Waters Too

The album that fans have been clamoring to get for years. “Muddy Waters Too” certainly did not disappoint. With its extensive tracklist reaching all the way to number 31, it has provided many bangers, such as “Booyaka Shot” and “Don’t Wanna C Me Rich.” Fans also got a new reunion of one of Hip-Hop’s most distinctive pairings, Method Man and Redman, on the track “Lalala.”

Masta Ace & Marco Polo – Richmond Hill

The sequel to Ace and Polo’s 2018 collaborative effort, “A Breukelen Story,” this album paints a vivid picture of living in a challenging environment and offers plenty of wisdom in it. Ace also showcases his lyrical prowess, proving his pen game stays fresh even while nearing the 40th year of his career. “Richmond Hill” features guest appearances by amazing artists such as Inspectah Deck, Speech, Coast Contra, and Blu.

B-Real & Psycho Les – Real Psycho

A true example of gold school’s timeless class, “Real Psycho,” by B-Real of Cypress Hill and Psycho Les of The Beatnuts, stays on point from start to finish. Funky, uncompromising, clever, and hard-hitting, “Real Psycho” should definitely be blasting through your speakers. Features by the likes of Too $hort, Demrick, and Stephen Carpenter additionally spice things up.

Erick The Architect – I’ve Never Been Here Before

“I’ve Never Been Here Before” is the highly-expected debut solo release from Erick The Architect of Flatbush Zombies. A sonically psychedelic tone is prevalent throughout the album, delightfully complemented by Erick’s insightful lyricism and thematics. The 16-track LP, with notable guest appearances by George Clinton, Joey Bada$$ and James Blake (as a producer), is hailed by many as The Architect’s best work so far.