It’s the end of the year, and if you’re the least bit savvy about the internet, you know that we’ve decided the year stops on December 1st and the print and digital publishing worlds have already declared it safe to reminisce. Because you can never have enough end-of-year lists, here is what I’m sure is RapMusic.com’s first-ever look back at the best EPs, mixtapes, and albums released this year by battlers past and present. Whereas a lot of indie rap, especially from battlers, is graded on a curve of low expectations, many of these releases had enough personality, consistency, or legit dopeness to be counted as the best in the underground, and not just in this small, concentrated niche of rhyming insult-loving young men.
So here are, in reverse chronological order, the best releases featured on RM this year. Most of these releases are available for either free download or a pay-what-you-want model, so be sure to check out anything you didn’t catch or slept-on, and, as always, support underground hip-hop.
Respek BA – Wasteland of the Free
Sir Locksley – Greening
Soul Khan – Psalm
Rap is a Joke – YMCAMG: Hatch Back Muzik Dixtape
DZA Da Don – Trilluminati
Goodz – The Hangover
Jus Daze – Bow II The Bow
Fowl – The Tall Tale LP
Jess Jamez Figueroa – F.A.K.E. Friends and Known Enemies
Young Gattas – Belly of the Beast
Cadalack Ron – Times is Hard
Rone – The First Story
A-Class – Deathsuit
QB – All Hail QB Black Diamond
Shotgun Suge – Lights Out
Onlyone – Cult Classic
Swave Sevah – Wordz 2 Live By
Big T – 2nds
Big Kannon – Ready II Live EP
Dutch Vega – The Renaissance Man EP
Illmaculate – Skrill Talk
Loe Pesci – Good X2
Mart!n McFly – Mart!n McFly
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