[The Tens] The 10 Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2012
2012 was a great year for hip hop fans young and old. Although there will always be a fair bit of trash, the 2012 calendar year offered a lot of variety. Whether it be an internet darling rising to become one of the music industry’s brightest stars (Kendrick Lamar) or a living legend proving that he’s still the epitome of fine lyricism (Nas), you just had to feel good about all of the great music that graced your ears. The most difficult part of all this is actually narrowing it down to 10 albums that we felt were the cream of the crop. After much debate, kicking, screaming and punching, we are finally able to present to you our favorite hip-hop albums of the year in no particular order.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist
When it comes to marrying tracks and visuals, no one did it better in 2012 than emcee Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis. They do the serious well from pro-gay standout single “Same Love” to addiction exploration track “Otherside.” “And We Danced” and their breakout hit, “Thrift Shop” are lively party tracks with stuck-in-your-head hooks, but most importantly, they have original character—Macklemore throws a party worth attending.
Plus the Seattle rep has a complex ode to Jordan’s, passing his cred check with flying colors. Macklemore’s spoken word spit style makes The Heist an album worth its weight–one of the most well-rounded and best breakouts in sometime. — Danny Acosta
