Introduction

I should first write as a disclaimer that the majority of my music taste is centered around Hip-Hop. While other genres will be sprinkled in, the majority of this article will be discussing rap.

I should also add that I was not the biggest fan of this year’s releases. Whether this is a result of a downtick in personal music consumption, overly high expectations following an incredible year of releases in 2022, or perhaps a combination of both, the music this year has given me very little to keep excited. Nonetheless, this year definitely has its highlights—here are my favorite songs and albums from this year:

Top 5 Songs of the Year

5. “Sprinter” — Dave & Central Cee

Two faces of British Rap come together to create what I would consider the biggest song the sub-genre has ever seen. Dave and Central Cee go back and forth trading quips with effortless chemistry and flawless delivery that keep me entertained from start to finish. This combined with a simple yet groovy beat land “Sprinter” as my personal song of the summer, as well as the number 5 spot in my list.

4. “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n)” — A$AP Rocky

Although 2023 might not be the year we receive the long-awaited A$AP Rocky album, “RIOT” is certainly a step in the right direction. Rocky returns to his cloud rap style with hard-hitting verses, powerful drums, and hallmark sounds such as his signature mumbling as well as his pitched down “uh” adlib. Hoping to hear more tracks like this on Rocky’s potential album in 2024.

3. “Kollage” — Carly Rae Jepsen

What’s Carly Rae Jepsen doing in the middle of all these rappers? Trust me, I’m just as surprised as you are. Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2023 release The Loveliest Time is one of the most underrated albums of the year. “Kollage” is the sixth track off that album, in which she places sequences of soft R&B-like vocals in between bursts of electronic and atmospheric instrumental that all comes together to make a mesmerizing experience.

2. “8am in Charlotte” — Drake

While For All the Dogs may not have been the release I was hoping it to be, the pre-released track “8am in Charlotte” is certainly one of the major highlights. Drake delivers countless clever and witty one liners over one of the smoothest instrumentals of the year made by one of my personal favorite producers, Conductor Williams. Drake’s stream of consciousness combined with a beautifully chopped soul sample makes this another classic time and location track by Drake, and my number 2 song of the year.

1. “My Eyes” — Travis Scott

Many songs have resonated with me this year, but none have quite had the effect that “My Eyes” has given me. What starts off as a relatively slow and assuming song, “My Eyes” utilizes an exceptionally well made beat progression to transition into an upbeat section of the song that sounds nothing like its previous 2 minutes. Travis then dives into a wave of introspection and impeccable flow resulting in what may be Travis Scott’s best verse ever. This track inspires me in a way very few can, making it my personal favorite song of 2023.

Top 5 Albums of the Year

5. Magic 2 — Nas

Nas shows of his longevity once again with an astounding seventeenth (yes you read that correctly) studio album. This time, in collaboration with veteran producer Hit-Boy, Nas highlights his versatility as what I see as a mix between Nas’ typical traditional, old-school style of rap with the more modern, trap inspired record. Magic 2 features solid beats as well as impressive writing ability throughout, resulting in an overall smooth experience.

4. Red Moon In Venus — Kali Uchis

Red Moon In Venus is Colombian artist Kali Uchis’ third full-length album, and marks her return to R&B following her full Latin album Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios). While this LP is mostly written in English, Kali Uchis makes sure to remind us of her Colombian roots more than a couple times, most notably to me with the track “Como Te Quiero Yo”. While the features on this album are minimal, the ones that do appear make for some of the stronger songs, such as “Fantasy” with current boyfriend Don Toliver. From top to bottom this album is filled with infectious instrumentals, atmospheric vocal effects, and romantic lyrics creating some of Uchis’ biggest hits such as “Moonlight” and, my personal favorite off the record, “I Wish you Roses”. While I don’t believe this album is quite as strong as her debut Isolation, Red Moon In Venus is certainly a success.

3. SCARING THE HOES — JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown

JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown are a match made in heaven. Both are artists with extremely unorthodox styles that aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo. The two come together here to create songs filled with samples, vocal effects, and instrumentals that you simply won’t hear anywhere else. The combination of these two’s originality creates a world of chaos that somehow manages to come across in beautiful ways, especially on tracks such as “Kingdom Hearts Key” and “Lean Beef Patty”. This collaborative album is about as good as anyone could’ve hoped for, and most importantly, is scaring the hoes.

2. Utopia — Travis Scott

The 5 year drought of Travis Scott albums finally ends with Scott’s long anticipated Utopia. While this record certainly has its mainstream hits, such as “MELTDOWN” with Drake or “FE!N” with Playboi Carti, Utopia also provides a much under appreciated artistic value. Starting with the intro track “HYAENA”, Travis embarks on a quest to find ‘utopia.’ Many songs detail Scott’s journey, until he finally finds his utopia on the seventeenth track, “TELEKINESIS”. The final track of the album, “TIL FURTHER NOTICE”, then talks about after arriving at what he thought was utopia, Travis wonders where he will go next, looping the album back to the introduction track. Travis Scott tells a fascinating story on his fourth studio album, all while experimenting heavily with his usual production and giving us some of the best rap songs of 2023. Overall, Travis Scott’s Utopia proves once again why he is one of the few rappers today pushing the boundaries of Hip-Hop.

1. Never Enough — Daniel Caesar

Given my fondness of Daniel Caesar’s first two studio albums, I found it unlikely he would release a third album in a row that would resonate with me quite the same. But that’s exactly what he did. 4 years after his second album CASE STUDY 01, Daniel releases what I believe to be one of the best R&B records in the past decade. This album immediately starts off with an introduction to remember, “Ocho Rios”, featuring captivating vocals paired with a beautiful guitar in the background. Daniel somehow finds a way to amp the album up even further, with addictive and rhythmic tracks such as “Valentina” and “Toronto 2014”, in my opinion the best cut off the album. Transitioning to slower, catchy romantic tunes like “Always” and “Cool”, Daniel shifts the album's tone. Later, with songs like “Shot My Baby” and “Homiesexual” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, he delves into rap-inspired sounds. The diverse range of sounds and types of instrumentals keep me engaged from start to finish, something that R&B albums often fail to do. Even the bonus tracks with Summer Walker and Rick Ross put an interesting spin on previously heard songs that make me enjoy the album even more. All in all, this album is close to perfection and stands as my personal favorite of 2023.