Tracks like ‘Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe’, ‘Swimming Pools’ and ‘Money Trees’ are classics, but there’s another two tracks on this that are a cut above the rest, for me. Whilst in hindsight it’s clear from the early mixtapes and the Section.80 debut that K.Dot was a star before good kid, M.A.A.d city, this felt like the moment where it became clear how special he was. Like so many others, it was an album that introduced me to Kendrick and is still far and away the album of his that I go back and listen to the most. Right up there with the very best, not just of Kendrick and TDE, but rap. I don’t think it’s even close, but that’s not because there’s anything wrong with good kid, mA.A.d city. city – Kendrick LamarĪ lot of people think it’s a toss up between this and the final, yet-to-be-revealed album on this list. A beautiful song with a vulnerability I couldn’t do justice by trying to convey. ‘4r Da Squaw’ hooks you in at the start, and ‘AA’ is another great, upbeat track, but the real stand out is ‘Silkk Da Shocka’ with Syd. Contemplative and melodic rap, the Tennessee native confirmed he was good enough to stand up against Top Dawg’s top dogs. Isaiah Rashad set the standard high on 2014’s Cilvia Demo, and followed it up by going one further with 2016’s The Sun’s Tirade. The Sun’s Tirade – Isaiah RashadĪlthough coming in at number three, The Sun’s Tirade is probably the album I feel the most personal attachment to. ‘Wow Freestyle’ with Kendrick is brilliant, as is ‘Redemption’ on SZA. Paak, 6lack and Bas tracks soon followed).įuture can obviously be a bit more hit or miss, but his verse on ‘King’s Dead’ holds a special, slightly comical place in my heart. Both J.Cole and Jay Rock deliver on ‘OSOM’, 2018 about being the year when Cole, post- KOD and having no features on his own music, started showing up everywhere on everyone elses. ‘WIN’ is one of Jay Rock’s best tracks, who sounded sharp across the record and enlisted class features as well.

For some reason, it seemed to disappear from memory rather quickly – after all ‘OSOM’ (out of sight, out of mind) – but maybe that was just for me. He’s also one of the most gifted MCs alive. So are ‘The Book of Soul’ and ‘Black Lip Bastard’. A nerdy, wizardish genius.” This genius and wizardry is on display across the Control System, which perhaps lacks some of the refinery of the albums below, but makes it so memorable that it has to be on the list. Kendrick himself once said, “When I first met Ab-Soul, I thought he was a nerd. The debut of TDE’s most enigmatic and mysterious star, Control System is electric. Somehow, some way, I’m going to try and reduce TDE’s incredible discography to just my favourite five. They have been the critical pinnacle of rap, during the era where rap became mainstream. The sheer quality of the artists are one thing – Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad, SiR, Schoolboy Q, SZA, oh and Kendrick – but the way their sound has shaped popular music is most impressive. As I continue to pursue my life’s calling.”Īs Kendrick alludes to, the cultural imprint of Top Dawg is up there with the most influential of any record label this century. May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. “I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years,” he said. The rapper has already announced Mr Morale & the Big Steppers will be his last album with Top Dawg Entertainment. Now we just need the music.īut as we impatiently await the opening of one Kendrick constructed door, another one is set to close. We’ve got the name, what I imagine will be the lead single, and what appears to be the album’s main artwork. And what better time to look back and rank the TDE label’s Top 5 albums.ĥ hours and 52 minutes, by my reckoning, until midnight. Kendrick Lamar is dropping one final album with Top Dawg Entertainment.

Ab soul best album