For a reason similar to the title of Childish Gambino’s breakthrough Because The Internet, keeping up with the abundance of rap music online can be as daunting as it is gratifying. There are unsung classics in all eras of rap history, and we are in the middle of a new Golden Era with our current champions carrying the torch for the genre’s progression.
The amalgamation of social media, regional music and subcultural blogs, and advertising on TV networks and popular media websites comprises a virtual tsunami for music lovers anticipating new music. The information blitz from mass marketing can overwhelm online users and overshadow the music under the surface.
Even as music writers, the HipHopDX staff are fans first, and, like our readers, we’re bombarded with new artists’ albums every week. But we got you! Let us be the Noah of your ark, gathering here all the essential (but often unappreciated) specimens, during the flood of dope albums in 2016.
Here is HipHopDX’s list of the Top 20 Slept-On Albums of the Year.
Flatbush Zombies – 3001 – A Laced Odyssey
Release Date: June 10, 2016
Label: Dirty Version Records
Highest Billboard 200 Chart Position: N/A
Production Credits: Apathy
Connecticut’s most storied underground rap stalwart stormed back with his renowned fusillade of bars and boom-bap beats to smack your dome if you dared to sleep on him. The album possesses enough self-reflection, maturity, and braggadocio to galvanize MCs into double checking the amount of ink in their pens. After 20 years of numerous nightmares and dreams manifested in the rap game, the Alien Tongue channels Jim Valvano prompting his listeners to never give up (minus the sappy tone).
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Check out more of DX’s year-end content below.
The 2016 HipHopDX Year-End Awards
The 20 Best Rap Albums Of 2016
The Most Slept-On Rap Albums Of 2016
Malibu – Anderson Paak. You even slept on it on the slept on list
Although technically you can put on this years list, it was more the end of last year. As soon as Dre dropped Compton in Aug 15 I was downloading Malibu to get more Anderson. But the album deserves to be on a best of list rather than a slept on list.
It it one of the Best Albums for sure but not recognized. So pretty much slept on
Tokens ‘Eraser Shavings’ album was better than most on this list. I get he’s young but such a good lyricist. If anyone wants to hear some dope rapping check out his Sway freestyle
Bishop Lamont – The Reformation
Want some fresh clean water for your hip hop ears and something that touches your soul, listen up youngins
WTF where’s Czarface 2: A Fistful Of Peril or KXNG Crooked Good Vs Evil Album
Co sign 110%
I mean Czarface 3
Pretty solid list since you included Elzhi, Skyzoo, Apathy, Phonte, Rittz, Open Mike Eagle, Homeboy Sandman who are all very good to great emcees BUT you also have some HUGE omissions:
Tonedeff “Polymer”
Ka “Honor Killed the Samurai”
Aesop Rock “The Impossible Kid”
King Crooked (Cr?ked I) & Statik Selektah “Statik KXNG”
Nino Bless “Audio Trip 2”
Cambatta “Smoke & Mirrors DMT: Definitive MetaGod Trilogy”
Royce da 5’9″ “Layers”
Westside Gunn “FlyGod”
You missed Tonedeff’s Polymer. That was criminally slept-on with all the work and innovation he put into it. I also would agree Aesop and Czarface should have been on here. . .You were definitely on point with Flatbush Zombies, though.
Bishop Lamont – The Reformation…..Its the album you’ve been waiting for since 2009, and it BANGS
Sremmlife 2? Really? Not a huge fan but cmon.
I think because of how long the album has been out and how long it took black Beatles to actually Be a hit is why they said it was slept on. But the whole album itself had decent promotion so I wouldn’t say the whole project was slept on.
“Sremmlife 2”
Why do Hip Hop Sites always throw a weird choice in to mess up an otherwise solid list. Not hating on the album, but it was for sure not slept on.
Both Z-Ro albums
Hell yeah! Both albums should be in any top albums rating.
Sick jacken -Psychodelic
Also agree Bishop Lamont, Ka and don’t forget Ras Kass album
That’s a solid list right there. The only other albums I would add is the Underachievers it happened in flatbush and Translee new album.. Happy Kwanzaa y’all!!
Elzhi for sure slept on , one of the aoty imo. Idk if Rae sremm is slept on though , everywhere I go and look I’m hearing black Beatles still
Most of these albums had no promotion…how can you sleep on something you never even heard about?
A lotta these guys are indie rappers between the age of 20 and 25, Elzhi is an underground legend
Dream junkies and Saba for ex had amazing projects. Kinda suprised kweku collins and kembe x dident make it on this list as well
Thank you thats what im sayin.
Technically not a rap album more of an hip-hop/ Rnb album. No rapping was actually done by Paak
Royce Da 5’9 – Layers was the most slept on albums
Masta Ace – Falling Season
Aesop Rock – impossible kid
Royce Da 5’9 – Layers was not only the most slept on, but I think might be his most well rounded body of work.
im glad Rittz got the mention in here, it seems a lot get slept on from Strange Music, even Tech N9ne to some degree.
that new tech n9ne is dope as well
Vic Spencer – St. Gregory, Marv Won – Soundtrack of Autumn, SmooVth – Ss96j (Smoothest Since 96 j), Westside Gunn – Flygod, Ka – Honor Killed The Samurai, Junclassic & Wun Two – Better Than Fiction Too, L’ Orange & Mr. Lif – The Life & Death of Scenery, Planet Asia – Egyptian Merchandise, Vinnie Paz – The Cornerstone of the Corner Store and CZARFACE – A Fistful of Peril.
Anything from Griselda Records, Benny – My First Brick, 17 Bullets, Don’t forget Hus Kingpin/SmooVth – HNIC
Love Snoop Dogg’s Coolaid. His smooth voice and immpecable flow with tons of dope beats made for his best album in nearly a decade.
Skoobzilla??
Slept on 2016 LPs? The Qeld “Kush zombies;” Count Bass D “Instantly new;” Creatures of habit “Test subjects;” The Kleenrz “Season two;” Blitzo.glyphics “The dark matters;” Big Toast & Sofa King “Save yourself, kill them all.”
De La Soul. Anonymous Nobody. All live instruments. Skits and interlude clinic as well. You know their steez.
y’all forgot Aesop Rock’s The Impossible Kid. Bars from beginning to end. I dare you to disagree. Happy New Year.
Finally with these editorials, hiphopdx is back to talkin about real hip hop shit, save that wack ass kardashian gossip shit for TMZ
if they talking bout real hip hop wheres Westside Gunner or Conway?
Kate Tempest – Let them eat Chaos
Absolute killer album, best concept/narrative album I’ve heard in years
Hiphopdx y’all funny asf how you put raeshrunm whatever there name is on this list and put jeezy on worst ablum in really tripping when y’all put drake on there’s it’s y’all opinion but something isn’t adding lls
The Corrollton Heist with Curren$y and Alchemist should be on this list. Some of these shits i aint even never heard of. Shout out to Rittz.
…which is why their slept-on!
Irv Da Phenom dropped DBHH2 a couple months ago. Monumentally slept on and more flames than at least 90% of what dropped this year.
Isaiah rashaad, Royce & injury reserve dropped heat too.
once again hiphopdx fucked up. WHERE THE FUCK IS ROYCE DA 59 LAYERS ALBUM?????? that album was crazy and heavily slept on
‘
and where the fuck is blank face lp from school boy q, ab soul DWTW, suns tirade….so many albums they missed.
Ron Gilmore – The Maturation of Little Ron
This was the best project period this year.
Pete Rock & Smoke DZA – Don’t Smoke Rock
Westside Gunn- FLYGOD
No love for Denzel Curry? Imperial was and still is dope.