The Pad and Pencil team enjoy a good end of year list as much as anyone, so it should come as no surprise to find that they’ve got plenty to shout about at the close of 2014. We asked Ryo Miyauchi, Hannah Thacker and Melissa Scheinberg to each choose their five favorite releases from emerging hip-hop acts this year, and tell us why they made the cut. Here’s what they selected.
Future Memoirs — Allan Kingdom
2014 marks the year that I finally decided to delve into hip-hop beyond what was just put in front of me, and so it’s saying a lot that I consider Future Memoirs as my personal favorite body of rap music of the year. At the ripe young age of twenty, Allan Kingdom comes across with the magnetic confidence of someone twice his age without appearing cocky, alongside incredible technical ability emphasized by his signature knock-out rhythmic flow and sing-song melodic hooks. And even with this technical prowess, the young MC/producer’s quirkiness is clear in his lyricism and charismatic high-energy performance. With a tape that boasts executive co-production by mentor (and former Kanye and Cudi manager) Plain Pat and features from Spooky Black and Psymun, Allan manages to stay the star of Future Memoirs, proving to the world that he’s on his way to becoming an unstoppable force in hip-hop. — MS
Startup Cult — Allday
While Iggy Azalea may have easily taken the crown as the only Aussie MC to have crossed over to the rest of the world, Melbourne-via-Adelaide MC/vocalist Allday definitely released one of the most criminally underrated tapes of the year (outside Australia). Pulling a page out of Drake‘s book as a swoon-worthy crooner with a melodically lax yet on-point flow, Allday is destined to be Australia’s next biggest export. Numbers such as “Got It” showcase his technically-impressive rhythmic flow, while “You Always Know The DJ” exhibit his ability to sing and write massive hooks. It also doesn’t hurt that the young rapper is about as relatable as it gets: with songs like “Anything But Sober,” a host of DIY content, the looks of a regular, everyday guy, and even the self-procured nickname “Chubby Boy,” Allday will soon be the next big crossover. The technical abilities will appeal to the hip-hop heads, the Drake-like crooning will translate into major radioplay, and those boyish looks will capture the hearts of many swooning young girls. — MS
Underground Cassette Tape Music — Beatking & Gangsta Boo
Part of the appeal of Beatking and Gangsta Boo’s collaborative tape, Underground Cassette Tape Music,is the tribute to lesser known scenes of hip-hop. Houston and Memphis, the two’s respective centers, gets a huge shout out. Paul Wall and Lil Flip appear as guests, and Three 6 Mafia’s late Lord Infamous gets his respect paid via Beatking in “Come Off Dat.” The nostalgia may be great, but UCTM also reigns in the present. Despite the two sharing verses through email and never meeting in person, they share an impeccable chemistry as a duo. And the head-knocking production here demolishes a majority of the bass drops in hip-hop today. This is a party record through and through that deserves to be played in a car, not through tinny computer speakers. — RM
#BlahBlahBlackJosh LP — Black Josh
Here’s some evidence to prove that top notch UK hip-hop isn’t just from the south; this is the parodic album mixtape, #BlahBlahBlackJosh, from promising talent Black Josh. As his online biography suggests, there’s no glamourous rap to be found here — “started out life in Manchester in a cliche tough estate where people do their washing infront of the house on a spinning umbrella style contraption.” His rhymes illustrate an obsession with his local football team, a pursual of drugs, teenage angst, life on a Manchester council estate, and sometimes the need to just chill out. This tape has 16 tunes of impressive work, and is well worth spending an afternoon with. — HT
iLoveMakonnen EP — iLoveMakonnen
The free, self-titled download by iLoveMakonnen may have had the help of more than a few big names this year for its critical push, but the Atlanta icon truly made it on his own by making his own style. Looking at his humble, web-driven beginnings and his confessional music, it’s no surprise that the rapper highly admires Lil B, the Based God. Makonnen is an open book as he shamelessly reveals his loneliness and heartbreak to the world over dark, woozy beats made by Sonny Digital and Metro Boomin’. And like B, his biggest assets lie in his flaws: his no-filter vocal style ignores perfectionist ideals to the point he forgoes auto-tune to aid his shaky voice. It’s a style that might place him slightly out of the picture in rap, but his out-of-pitch dispatches only make his honest work feel more human. — RM
Jesse From SE EP — Jesse James Solomon
When you hit play on Jesse James Solomon’s EP, Jesse From SE, a soundscape of lo-fi samples and reverberated beats correlate to Solomon’s grey tales of life in South London. He explores the necessaries of everyday survival throughout the four tracks, although each one has a new approach, such as the laissez-faire style of “JFSE” in contrast to the aggressiveness of “Lionel Jesse.” The lighter clicks, ticket machine beeps and the roar of football fans color the spaces between Solomon’s diverse lyricisms, and give a sense of reality. That grittiness and actuality of life within this EP is a strong signifier of where UK hip-hop is at right now. — HT
MTV1987 — Kevin Abstract
It’s been a while since we last heard from the pre-Mr. Rager genius of Kid Cudi, but his eclectic void can finally be filled by young Kevin Abstract and his otherworldly MTV1987 mixtape. Here, the eighteen-year-old channels the best of “Down & Out”-era Kid Cudi whilst maintaining an originality well beyond that of the Cleveland MC with his colorful melodies, not-so-hidden drug references, eclectic production, and stream-of-conscious lyrical content, with the nearly-seven-minute “Drugs” as a definite highlight. The lead single is endearingly disjointed, as the pink-haired MC begins with aggressive delivery and Romil’s distortion-heavy production but then leads into a massive sing-along hook about “doing too many drugs” with nostalgic verses from Cassie’s “Me & U” sprinkled in. If Abstract oozes this much talent and creativity before even hitting twenty, just think of what the future might hold. — MS
Sleep EP — Lonny X
Take instruction from this EP title — get comfortable and stick Lonny X’s wonderful mid-year Sleep EP on. It’s a collection of down-tempo tracks which could draw comparison to elevator music, but with Lonny’s ‘lazy’ style and some creative collage production, you won’t want this ride to stop. This artist’s love for relaxation and anime comes through in a potent concentrate of jazz melodies, MF Doom-inspired cartoon samples and the rapper’s well-placed words. Some of you may wonder why I didn’t pick his more recent Ungrateful EP for this end-of-year piece, which does show an evolution into a more polished performer, but I’m backtracking to the earlier Sleep EP because it’s just got that bit more of an edge. — HT
A Little Late EP — Loyle Carner
There’s a good feeling surrounding 19-year-old artist Loyle Carner, and the general consensus is that this kid is going to go far. Hailing from the vibrant South London scene, he has staked a claim to stardom with this year’s EP, A Little Late. I could honestly listen to Carner’s masterful and touching rhymes as bare vocals, but the sereneness of Rebel Kleff‘s production provides a sturdy platform for his raw-nerve words in which soulful voices, jazzy saxophones, and a heavy ’90s back-beat keep the whole EP flowing. Although I can’t help but smile along to the playfulness of tracks like “The Money” and “Pieces,” there’s something precious about “Cantona,” and it’s where Carner can be heard at his best. — HT
Hollis EP — Luui
Get ready to delve into the dark, alternative world of Luui and this year’s Hollis EP. The Bristol-based Brit uses his deep bass vocals as a powerful tool to portray his intensive rap, with highlights like high-speed “Asleep” featuring Mernau and the autobiographical “Purple Forest Homes.” The backdrop of largely self-produced electronics add an eerie edge to his impeccable voice and, most of all, you won’t be hearing another EP that even comes close to Luui’s independence. This is only the start for this rapper, who recently collaborated with producer Stwo on single “With You”, and 2015 looks to be big with another EP on its way. — HT
No Label II — Migos
No city had a more successful year in terms of hip-hop than Atlanta, and there’s no one currently more synonymous with the ATL scene than Migos. Between establishing their own Quality Control imprint, signing with 300 Entertainment, releasing two massive mixtapes, and collaborating with some of hip-hop’s major players (T.I., Richie Homie Quan, Metro Boomin’, Meek Mill, etc.), the trio had quite the year. But that’s not to take away from the brilliance of No Label II: the twenty-five(!) song tape combines Quavo’s now widely-adopted signature triplets, Offset’s technical ability, and Takeoff’s massive hooks, creating the most impressive yet radio-friendly tape imaginable. With catchy as hell, hook-laden tracks like “Handsome And Wealthy” and “Freak No More,” along with the more back-to-basics triumphant cuts like “Fight Night” and “M&M’s,” No Label II follows up the success of “Versace,” and proves that Migos are so much more than just a Drake feature. — MS
Give Em Hell — OG Maco & Key!
Before their feud, OG Maco and Key! managed to create one of the most hype eight-track mixtapes of the year, packing punch after punch throughout its entirety. With OG’s technical and aggressive delivery paired with Key!’s syrupy-weirdo flow, Give Em Hell is nearly perfect across the board. While the entire mixtape is absolute fire, no track delivers more than the monstrous “U Guessed It,” which has since shaped up to be my personal favorite hip-hop track of the year, with Brandon Thomas’ subtle piano-laden production emphasizing Maco’s mosh pit-ready aggro-raps (while Key! takes somewhat of a backseat). Give Em Hell demonstrates the magnitude of the new talent emerging from Atlanta, with OG Maco coming out on top as somewhat of a rap rock star. — MS
Tha Tour, Part 1 — Rich Gang
In a hall full of dark trap productions — handled by heat-seekers like Dun Deal and London on da Track — Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug search for love and reason in their debut tape as Rich Gang, Tha Tour Part 1. The two have so much emotion to express throughout their search that cracks and tics often seep out through their voices, as if their vocal cords are not strong enough to contain them. A shake-up in their voice is bound to happen when the rappers are weaving multiple, clashing feelings in one track. Memorable single “Freestyle” has Quan seamlessly cruising through peaks and valleys of anger, pride, lust, devotion, arrogance and gratefulness, all in one melodic verse. Thug, too, folds blurring bits of paranoia, disconnect, loyalty and bliss. Only a select few can make the darkness and desperation feel so light, fun and necessary as this unstoppable tag team. — RM
Winter’s Diary 2 — Tink
After proving her worth as a rapper in the traditional hot-bars sense, Tink returned to her main muse of R&B with Winter’s Diary 2. The cold season loosely sets up the emotional state of the tape: this is one crushing record that chronicles a crumbling relationship. Some of the bluest songs, like “Treat Me Like Somebody” and “When It Rains,” fittingly feel hollow in the middle with nothing but the low-end assisting the needed bounce. Not to be bogged down too much by her heartache, Tink flexes a tough delivery as she sings sharp, thorny verses that call out all the wrongs that she’s been done. On the surface, Winter’s Diary 2 is one sweet, tuneful R&B tape but spend some time with it and the heavy pain begins to show. — RM
Shyne Coldchain, Vol. 2 — Vince Staples
In a scene with artists releasing tapes of an excessive amount of tracks, the half-hour, 10-track length of Vince Staples’ Shyne Coldchain, Vol. 2 feels extra purposeful. His tendency to release short projects speaks to his M.O: “I record when I have something to say,” the Long Beach, California rapper told Pitchfork earlier this year. While the first volume felt slightly undercooked, he fleshes out his vision into fully formed, functional tracks in the sequel. Not only do the new songs feel complete, he writes in actual hooks that hit forceful and show a growing understanding of structure. He later drilled more of his political anger on the essential Hell Can Wait EP. Shyne Coldchain, Vol. 2 was the preview for what was to come, with Staples one-upping his competition and challenging them to do better. — RM