10 Best Hip-Hop Albums From The First Half Of 2019
1. Tyler, The Creator - IGOR
The arc of Tyler, The Creator's career has been unprecedented, from eating cockroaches and threatening to stab Bruno Mars to rapping about sunflowers and growth. But on IGOR, Tyler brings all of his past work into one defining moment, an opus of different genres and unique musical flourishes.
Detailing an obsessive, toxic relationship with a lover, Tyler takes familiar concepts for songs and turns them inside out, making them his own. The production, handled all by Tyler himself, is beautiful yet tragic, telling a story of heartbreak and acceptance through the album's central character: Igor.
If you have time for only one song from this album, make it "GONE, GONE".
Over a fairy-tale sounding instrumental, Tyler finally comes to grips with his situation, accepting that he has the capacity to move on. It's a beautiful emotional crux to the album, teaching us valuable lessons on the inevitability of change and the importance of moving forward.