Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums Of 2015 (So Far)

How the hell did we make it through fifty percent of 2015 already? June has seemingly crept up out of nowhere, marking the halfway checkpoint of a year that, so far, has been ripe with exceptional releases from some of hip-hop’s brightest emcees. Releases-- highly anticipated or dropped by surprise, some commercial mixtapes and some full albums -- have infused the year with some fun that surely help the time pass as we approach the new year.

With music from stars both rising and already permanently in the sky, it seems appropriate to take this time to retrospectively look at our favorites.  Join us, as we go through our favorite album releases of 2015 so far. 

By year’s end, one of the biggest trends in hip-hop releases in 2014 proved to be the rise of young, hungry rookie talent in the hip-hop industry. In that regard, 2015 got started by putting the right foot forward with the impressive rookie effort by Rae Sremmurd, SremmLife. With on point production by Mike WiLL Made It and guest appearances by Big Sean, Young Thug, and Nicki Minaj, the young rap duo who splashed on the scene with their charting “No Flex Zone,” are given a strong and re-listenable foundation to catapult off of.

They deliver a wide array of banger tracks completely different in sound than what Rae Sremmurd’s contemporaries release.

Notable Tracks: "Unlock the Swag," "Throw Sum Mo"

9. Barter 6 by Young Thug

Polarizing? Sure. Perhaps the most potent example of the divide on Young Thug - and Barter 6 specifically - is the petri dish that is our own community here at Hot New Hip Hop.  Whether you’re down with it or not, Barter 6 is certainly a statement. Fans waiting for an album that would push haters to one side or fans to the other received a mixtape shrouded in controversy that saw Thugger dig his post deeper into the proverbial soil - allowing his freak flag to fully fly. Buzzworthy both in content and debauchery, Young Thug proved that what you think he is is exactly what he is, so get on board or miss the train.

Notable Tracks: Check, Dream

Polarizing? Sure. Perhaps the most potent example of the divide on Young Thug - and Barter 6 specifically - is the petri dish that is our own community here at Hot New Hip Hop.  Whether you’re down with it or not, Barter 6 is certainly a statement. Fans waiting for an album that would push haters to one side or fans to the other received a mixtape shrouded in controversy that saw Thugger dig his post deeper into the proverbial soil - allowing his freak flag to fully fly. Buzzworthy both in content and debauchery, Young Thug proved that what you think he is is exactly what he is, so get on board or miss the train.

8. Touchdown 2 Cause Hell by Boosie Badazz

Boosie’s first studio release since his infamous incarceration for drug charges is fueled by piss and vinegar. After stewing in a cell, the Southern emcee-- who freestyled on his way home from prison-- clearly couldn’t wait to make his mark again. Thus, Touchdown 2 Cause Hell, lives up to its bar-setting title, exposing the complexities of a true thug life lived. The results satiate all sides of the palette, with bangers and sentimental tracks that deliver with equal impressiveness.

Notable Tracks: "No Juice," "On Deck"

In spite of strong releases and a rabid fanbase, Lupe Fiasco seems haunted by himself.  Over the years, the man who broke through with “Kick, Push” all those years ago seems intent on making his uphill climb to rap supremacy as steep as possible, with enigmatic half-retirements and frequent and open displeasure with his own work. Whether or not he’s an enigma, though, becomes less pertinent of a concern the further one dives in to his 2015 release Tetsuo and Youth. The album is immersive and impressive, further dissipating fans worries that Lupe might soon disappear. For an emcee who seems so fixated at managing an artistic balance that he can personally feel fulfilled by, Lupe hits the closest to the mark than he ever struck before.

Notable Tracks: "Deliver," "Mural"

6. SURF by Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment

SURF, a free album, quickly made a splash with its sudden release in June, making it the perfect summer soundtrack. With a smattering of instrumental jazzy dreamscapes, a cast of cameo appearances of names large and small that deliver beyond expectations, and a buoyant feel-good aesthetic, Chance the Rapper’s pseudo-sequel to Acid Rap alongside Donnie Trumpet as part of the The Social Experiment is hard to deny as one of 2015’s top efforts thus far. 

Notable Tracks: "Slip Side," "Warm Enough"

Action Bronson just comes across as an emcee who has so much fun doing what he’s doing. Whether it’s in the studio dropping hot freestyles amidst freestyles or even featuring in our very own cover story. The vibes prove to be transcendent on Mr. Wonderful, which has a contagious aesthetic to nearly every track. The largely feel-good album is great for chill sessions and an even better palate cleanser among the heavier, more gravitas laden releases of the year thus far.

Notable Tracks: "Baby Blue," "City Boy Blues"

The sophomore release by Earl Sweatshirt does not slump as some second tries often do. In fact, it soars uproariously towards the cosmos, riding the back of the introspective and relentless lyricism and the minimalist beats Sweatshirt produces himself, (all but one) on I Don’t Like Shit I Don’t Go Outside. If the title is true, which one would think it is just based on the explicit vulnerability displayed on the album, then it’s pretty obvious how much of a labor of love the Doris follow-up really is. Every song seems delicately appropriate to land right within the former Odd Future member’s wheelhouse.

Notable Tracks: "Huey," "Grief"

If you were wondering if Harlem native A$AP Rocky’s versatile sounds - with dashes of Dirty South flare and psychedelia - were attempts to throw stuff at the wall to see what stuck , his latest effort At.Long.Last.A$AP basically proved that everything sticks. Taking New York rap where it has never gone before, Rocky boldly serves as our Sharman on this audio acid trip. A$AP manages to spin so many plates on this record, delving deep into so many different styles and flows effortlessly. He also unflinchingly rubs elbows with bonafide legends like Kanye West and Mos Def.  A.L.L.A, coupled with his large role in the upcoming film "DOPE," are sure to make A$AP a viable megastar.

Notable Tracks: "Jukebox Joints," "Excuse Me"

2. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late by Drake

The surprise release drop by Drake, which dropped in February, set the hip-hop world on fire. The drop, made juicier by its secrecy, felt fully-formed despite its not being marketed as an album (even though you had to drop some cash for it, and it basically was an LP; hence we are including it on this list), with Drake delivering diverse and fresh music-- as expected at this point in his career, a full six years removed from his star-making So Far Gone.  Drake’s deft hand at slipping from serenading vocals to straight up fire bar-droppage is tough to match up to, and the fact that it's able sustain itself past the one hour mark says something since so many of this year’s releases suffer due to bloated second halves (Yela’s Love Story and Tech N9ne’s Special Effects come to mind).

Notable Tracks: "No Tellin’," "Energy" 

1. To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar

While some haters remain persistent, the vast majority of the hip-hop audience (and beyond) is still replaying Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. Sporting a heart so big and ripe with inspiration that the album was recently added to the curriculum of a high school (later visited by K-Dot himself), the funky and conscious To Pimp a Butterfly is a crowning achievement for Lamar and hip-hop as a whole. Eloquently honoring the muses it echoes (whether it be musical or sociopolitical inspiration) and also birthing a unique new twist on California-born rap music, Lamar manages to delicately manifest a masterpiece.

Notable Tracks: "Hood Politics," "King Kunta"