10 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2017 (So Far)

With the genre evolving constantly, fans of hip-hop have seen another fantastic year of releases from the massive pool of talent currently active in the game. This is a historic time for the genre with the ever-shifting climate of production tropes and the new found appreciation for alternative ways to release music.

This was the year that hip-hop made its true stamp as a mainstay in pop culture, with Chance The Rapper’s 2016 mixtape Coloring Book winning the Grammy for best rap album of the year in February, becoming the first streaming-only project to win the coveted award after the rapper protested to give indie artists a fighting chance at breaking through the glass ceiling.

But that was last year, and this time around we have an immensely impressive list of albums to be heard around the world. From old-school legends that are a mainstay in the business, to up-and-coming rappers that are looking to make a name for themselves, this is the ten best hip-hop albums in what has already been an amazing year for the genre.

Fans of Future were eager to hear the follow up to his last major project - 2016’s Evol - especially upon finding out the news that long-time collaborator and executive producer Metro Boomin’ would not be working with the rapper anymore (as much). This would come as a surprise to just about everyone, as the two found success with each other as one of the best producer-rapper collaborations of the 2010s, however Future explained he wanted Metro to be able to freely explore other career options and expand his horizons.

So to make up for limiting the use of his best producer, Future hit his fans with a double dose of audio, releasing this on the 14th of February and HNDRXX on the 16th, a blast of all-new turn-up music. Those familiar with the artist know about his penchant for storytelling that includes tropes of criminal activity and the wealth that comes with it. While HNDRXX is a more melodic approach to his sound, no one can deny the popularity of the single “Mask Off”, which became one of the biggest hits of the year.

Incidentally, this is one of two songs produced by Metro, and it is clear that the duo still have more ground to cover since their genius Dirty Sprite 2. Mask Off” is part of a great trio of songs that follow the other single “Draco,” which includes “Super Trapper” and “POA".

This is where the groove of the album truly comes into play, where the dank imagery goes alongside the smooth, but intricately chopped beats that are playful, but do not stray too far from the genre.