2014: THE YEAR OF THE ALBUM

The Best Albums of 2014 So Far:

1. AFRICAN SUPERNOVA by THE GRANDFATHER OF ALL AFRICANS  teaches as much or more as it entertains. "Celebration" is a heavy composition, THE GRANDFATHER takes no prisoners, mentions NAT  TURNER five times at least. He explains what his title means although i do take it literally: "Zimbabwe Complex" is nothing less than a death call to europe and european colonization. THE GRANDFATHER is probably too strong a lyricist in 2014 for most listeners: SUPERNOVA is a strong, pro-Black, pro-African experience like none i've heard on a full-length. RATING ***** 5 STARS
2. ALBUM 0 by IZZY JONE$  The follow-up album to IZZY's cult classic (and Best Album of 2012) SQUID is every bit a work of artistic integrity and wild imagination as its predecessor. The difference in mood is significant. SQUID was paranoid with broad strokes of optimism, ALBUM 0 opens on a minor key with cynicism about fame. It's a bit more experimental than SQUID, which doesn't seem to be turning IZZY fans off. ALBUM 0 is a continuation of an artist in progress, an artist who has already made at least one opus.
3. MARCH ON WASHINGTON by DIAMOND DISTRICT.  yU, ODDISEE, Uptown XO returned this year with this flawless, abstract, conscious hip-hop opus. It's so profound and flawless i really dont know any useful words except to go their soundcloud page.
4. BLVCK WVLLSTREET by AK47
5. THE GREAT YEAR by THE BLACK OPERA
6. MY OWN RELIGION by Von Tae'   Von Tae's second album, did the unusual: It didn't fall victim to sophomore slump, it even tops the singer-songwriter's debut by just a hair. (Von Tae's debut was no joke; it took the indie scene by storm, establishing him as a critical favorite, a fan favorite, and a venue-favorite). Every cut on MY OWN RELIGION is way-more-than-nice, but i'll pick a couple that soar. "Natural Born Sinner" is VON TAE' showin and provin He can spit and sing as naturally and perfectly as the clouds can rain. "I'm here to say it now, i'm imperfect and i'm proud."  "Cold-Hearted MF" is more of VON TAE's rebel-side, in this case it's revenge on His cheating lover. "I Do My Thang" is the Artist's obligatory bravado track ("I'm a King, I'm a Boss"), but unlike countless other such songs, VON TAE' is in His words "the shit." It's my favorite example of the Artist workin His voice, closing the song with a fantastic, show-stopping rap that would make the most-serious spitter drop His mic and fill out an application at Mickey dee's.  RATING ***** 5 stars.
7. CILVIA DEMO  by  ISAIAH RASHAD
8. CHOOSE UP SEASON by ERIC BELLINGER
9. THE SHIFT by PRO ERA
10. BACK AT IT by DUEY D'VON
11.  WHO IS HE by De'WAYNE JACKSON was an event to so many hip-hop fans as well as the curious young people who want to be THERE, at the event. It's not the aimless wandering that we're always warned about: young people are young people. More curious, more ready to say they were the first to be there, more ready to BE the first there. So dreamers like De'WAYNE_WAVY are predictably there, maybe on the fringes -- maybe on the stage of youth drama. "Metaphors get me high," the dreamer spits. "Higher Learning" is a bleak attempt at optimism for His generation, for Himself. Dad reminds the dreamer to keep His "head up, it'll get better ... higher learning." The whole album shines with pride, weeps a little with uncertainty, but ultimately begins that higher learning chapter that's most difficult to comprehend or fathom: Most things in life are beyond our control. So who is he?
12. ADHD by KEVIN McCALL
13. ______BLACK by KEITH CORBETT JR.
14.  ATHENA'S EROTICA by   JAKE & PAPA
15. FLOATING WHILE DREAMING by PELL
16. JE*SUS by ASA DONAVAN
17. EXQUISITE CORPSE by $URREAL (featuring CORBIN HOWARD BUTLER). This underground classic opens with "Moses God" featuring comedian RALLO BOYKINS.
18. GRAVITY by MARCKEL
19. UNDERWATER by MACCASSI KILO
20. HIGHER GROUND by KENYON DIXON
21. MR. LIAM'S NEIGHBORHOOD by BRIK.LIAM
22. BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS by SHALIEK is All True Soul. SHALIEK gives up some old skool vibes ("Fillin the Blanks") and confirms what "The Past" proved as a single: SHALIEK is no one-hit wonder. Nor is he a one-note wonder, it's an album that cries, complains,raises its hands in joy and delights in ecstasy. "Ain't Supposed to Cry" is here too, yes: SHALIEK is gifted beyond measure, i picture him singing before he could walk. But if BLOOD SWEAT TEARS is any indication, SHALIEK will be making quite a few trips up and down the red carpets. There is simply no way that awards committees won't be moved by his delicate yet subtly assertive vocal tones, and they would look inept if they denied his remarkable control of range. SHALIEK is one of the favorite of the so-called indie soul artists. It's because he uses his voice like a sculptor sculpts: He is not arbitrary or accidental in any aspect of his artistry.
23. GENESIS EP by JOHN THE BAPTIST
24. ONLY GODZ RELATE by VON POE
25. NO DAUGHTERS ARE SAFE by LEWIS ALLEN