2015 end of the Year, Best of list

This will probably be on e of the shortest intros you’ll ever witness from me on an end of the year list, but that’s the type of year in music that 2015 was. It will go down as a year that doesn’t deserve to be talked about in great detail. We had a few surprises but no classics, its doubtful we’ll even have a test of time classic from this year. Not a horrible, but far from great. It was a decently balanced year as the Major labels released a decent amount of listenable music.  As usual if you wanted good music you had to dig and search for it, but in 2015 it was even harder to find because the independent and undergrounds gave us a fair number of disappointments. Even the mix tapes were below the expected standard. This year was one of those years where the tops of the category are clearly separated from the middle of the pack and bottom of the list. With all of that being said the album of the year was officially an EP. 8 songs of quality that just stood the test of time for the entire year.  It wasn’t a popular album; in fact it was an underground album, a tribute album, very much slept on and from one of hiphops up and coming artist/ lyricist. Album of the year goes to Jarren Benton for Slow Motion vol. 1

Check out the list, agree disagree, find new music and artist that you didn’t know about to check for and check out. Share what you find. And lets hope for an exciting 2016 from the music world. Peace Slin-K

Best albums overall Rankings

1.     Jarren Benton - Slow Motion Vol. 1

2.     Ludacris – Ludaversal

3.     Easy Money – The Moive of Nearly Eveerybody Yo

4.     Scarface - Deeply Rooted

5.     Talib Kweli - Train of Thought : Lost Lyrics, Rare Releases & Beautiful B-Sides Vol.1

6.     Talib Kweli / 9th Wonder - Indie 500

7.     Jill Scott - Woman

8.     Royce da 5’9 & Notzz Raw - Lost Files

9.     Game - The Documentary 2/2.5

10. Dr. Dre - Compton

11. Kenny Lattimore

12. Rick Ross – Black Market

13. Sheek Louch – Silver Back Gorilla 2

14. Skyzoo - Music for my Friends

15. Ne-Yo - Non-Fiction

16. Jazmine Sullivan - Reality Show

17. Duck Down Presents : Heartburn

18. Rapper Big Pooh - Words Paint Pictures

19. Murs - Have a Nice Day

20. MGK – General Admission

Top 20  Hip Hop Major label

1.     Ludacris - Ludaversal

2.     Scarface - Deeply Rooted

3.     Dr. Dre - Compton : A soundtrack by Dr Dre

4.     Rick Ross – Black Market

5.     Jay Rock - 90059

6.     Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly

7.     MGK - General Admission

8.     Jadakiss - Top 5 Dead or Alive

9.     Lil Wayne - Free Weezy Album

10. G-Eazy – When I’ts Dark Outside

11. Pusha T – Darkest Before Dawn : The Prelude

12. Logic - The Incredible True Story

13. Puff Daddy - MMM

14. Mike Zombie - Rebel Without a Cause

15. Jeezy - Church in These Streets

16. Action Bronson - Mr. Wonderful

17. Yela Wolf - Love Story

18. Mac Miller - GO:OD AM

19. Wale - The Album About Nothing

20. Boosie Badazz - Touchdown 2 Cause Hell

Top 40 Indie / Underground Albums

1.     Easy Money – The Moive of Nearly Eveerybody Yo

2.     Talib Kweli - Train of Thought : Lost Lyrics, Rare Releases & Beautiful B-Sides Vol.1

3.     Talib Kweli / 9th Wonder - Indie 500

4.     Royce da 5’9” & Notzz Raw - Lost Files

5.     Game - The Documentary 2/2.5

6.     Sheek Louch – Silverback Gorilla 2

7.     Skyzoo - Music for my Friends

8.     Duck Down Presents : Heartburn

9.     Rapper Big Pooh - Words Paint Pictures

10. Murs - Have a Nice Life

11. The Game - RED II

12. Obie Trice - The Hangover

13. Rapper Big Pooh & Notz – Home Sweet Home

14. Redman - Mudface

15. Tech N9ne - Strangulations vol. II

16. Berner & B-Real - Prohibition Part 2

17. Slum Village - Yes!

18. Moss - Marching to the Sound of My Own Drum

19. Joe Budden - All Love Lost

20. Loaded Lux – Beloved 2

21. Ca$his – Euthanasia 2

22. Hopsin - Pound Syndrome

23. J-Live - His Own Self

24. Eric Sermon - E.S.P ( Eric Sermon’s Perception)

25. Camp Lo – Ragtime Hightimes

26. Slim Thug - Hogg Life, vol.2 : Still Surviving

27. Paul Wall - Slab God

28. Tech N9ne - Special Effects

29. KRS-ONE – Now Hear This

30. Big K.R.I.T - All My Life

31. Ransom - Soul Killa

32. Krazie Bone – Chasing The Devil

33. Capone-N-Noreaga - Lessons

34. Ryan Leslie - MZRT

35. Chance the Rapper - Surf

36. Talib Kweli - F*ck the Money

37. Slim Thug - Hogg Life : The Beginning

38. Malik B & Mr Green - Unpredictable

39. Denaun Porter - sTuFf In My BaCkPaCk

40. Z-Ro = Melting the Crown

Top 10 Male R&B / Alternative

1.     Kenny Lattimore - Anatomy of a Love Song

2.     Ne-Yo - Non-Fiction

3.     Rico Love - Turn the Lights On

4.     Jamie Foxx - Hollywood : A story of a Dozen Rose

5.     Tyrese - Black Love

6.     Babyface – Return of the Tender Lover

7.     Eric Bellinger - Cuffing Season

8.     Miguel – Wildheart

9.     Justin Beiber - Purpose

10. R.Kelly – The Buffet

Top 10 Female R&B / Alternative  Album

1.     Jill Scott - Woman

2.     Jazmine Sullivan - Reality Show

3.     Estelle - True Romance

4.     Teedra Moses - Cognac & Conversation

5.     Monica – Code Red

6.     Adele – 25

7.     Natasha Mosley – Rose Hall

8.     Ciara - Jackie

9.     Janet Jackson - Unbreakable

10. Tamar Braxton – Calling All Lovers

Top 25 Mix tapes

1.     Big K.R.I.T. - It’s Better this Way

2.     Dave East - Hate Me Now

3.     Rick Ross - Black Dollar

4.     Mobb Deep - White Cocaine 2

5.     B.o.B. - No Genre the Label

6.     Fabolous - Friday Night Freestyles

7.     Jadakiss - #T5DOA: Freestyle Edition

8.     Young Buck - Before the Beast

9.     Maino - Maino Madness

10. Fabolous – Summertime Shootout

11. Z-Ro - The Unmixed Mix Tape

12. Travis Porter - 3 Live Krew

13. J Cole – Revenge of the Dreamers 2

14. Vado – Slime Flu 5

15. Termanology - Term Brady

16. Lloyd Banks - Halloween Havoc 2

17. Yo Gotti - The Return

18. Jeezy - Politically Correct

19. Luniz - High Timez

20. 50 Cent – The Kanan Tape

21. Tech N9n - Vintage Tech

22. K Camp- - One Way

23. Berner - 20 Lights

24. Kevin Gates - Luca Brasi 4 President

25. Sean Price - Songs In the Key of Price

Top 20 EP’s  - Hip hop EP’s

1.     Pryhyme (Deluxe Edition) – Pryhme * ( album released in 2014, but rereleased in 2015 with 4 new tracks. Rating only for the new additional tracks)

2.     Jarren Benton - Slow Motion Vol. 1

3.     G-Unit - The Beast is G-Unit

4.     Twista – Living Legend

5.     Warren G - Regulate G Funk Era part II

6.     Hit Boy - Zoomin

7.     Big Boi & Phantogram - Big Grams

8.     Mobb Deep - Survival of the Fittest EP

9.     Chip – Believe & Achieve : Episode 1

10. Termanology - Term Brady

11. Camron & Berner - Contraband

12. TI - Da Nic

13. Twista & Do or Die - Withdrawal

14. E-40 – Povert & Prosperity

15. Lil Debbie - Home Grown

16. Euroz - A.O.A

17. Dope D.O.D - The Ugly Ep

18. Chevy Woods - The 48 Hunnid Project

19. Freddie Gibbs - Pronto

20. Sir Michael Rocks – Populair

*( album released in 2014, but rereleased in 2015 with 4 new tracks. Rating only for the new additional tracks)

Top 15 Most Dissapointing Albums (No Particular Order)

·      Kid Cudi – Speedin Bullet 2 Heaven

·      The Foreign  Exchange - Tales from the land of milk and honey

·      Joell Ortiz and Illmind - human

·      Hopsin - Pound Syndrome

·      Big Shug - Triple OGzus

·      Lupe Fiasco - Tetsuo & Youth

·      Big Sean - Dark Sky Paradise

·      Joey Bada$$ - B4 Da $$

·      Estelle True - Romance

·      Jodeci - The Past, The Present, The Future

·      Method Man - The Meth Lab

·      Big K.R.I.T - All My Life

·      Troy Ave – Major Without a Deal

·      Talib Kweli – F*uck The Money

     ALBUMS CERTIFICATIONS in 2015]

·      Adele – 25 – 5x Platinum

·      Drake – If You’re Reading This Its Too Late- Platinum

·      Ed Sheeran – X – 2x Platinum

·      Future – Where Ya At ft Drake - Platinum

·      Justin Beiber – Purpose - Platinum

·      Jazmine Sullivan – Fearless – Gold

·      The Weeknd – Beauty Behind The Madness – Gold

·      Dr. Dre – Compton - Gold

·      Single Certifications in 2015

·      The Weeknd – The Hills – 6X Platinum

·      Adele – Hello – 4XPlatinum

·      Drake- Hotline Bling – 4X Platinum

·      Wiz Khalifa – See You Again ft Charlie Puth – 4X Platinum

·       Big Sean – Blessings - 2X Platinum

·      Drake – Energy – 2X Platinum

·      Justin Beiber – What Do You Mean – 2X Platinum

·      Ciara – I Bet – Platinum

·      Drake – Jumpman - Platinum

·      ILOVEMEMPHIS – Hit The Quan – Platinum

·      Jeremih – Planes - Platinum

·      Jidenna – Classic Man ft Roman Gianarthur – Platinum

·      Justin Beiber – Sorry – Platinum

·      T-Wayne – Nasty Freestyle - Platinum

·      Travis Scott – Antidote – Platinum

·      Big Sean – I know – Gold

·      Big Sean – One Man Can Change The World – Gold

·      Future – F*ck Up Some Commas - Gold

·      Future – I Won ft Kanye West – Gold

·      Future – Monster – Gold

·      Future – Move that Dope ft Pharrell & Pusha T - Gold

·      Janelle Monae & Jidenna – Yoga – Gold

·      Kanye West – All Day - Gold

·      Nelly -The Fix ft Jeremih – Gold

Slin_K’s favorite songs (No Particular Order)

·      Promise Land - Royce da 5’9” and  Notzz Raw

·       Gumbo - Jay Rock

·      Chuuch - Slim Thug ft Joel Osteen

·      Lyrical Healing - Ludacris

·      Bye Bye - Sean Price ft Buckshot

·      All Your Fault - Big Sean ft Kanye West

·      On fire - Sadat X

·      Don’t Stop Now - Z-Ro

·      Time of Our Lives - Ne-Yo ft. Pitbull

·      I Bet - Ciara

·      Back 2 Cool - Kenny Lattimore

·      Boomerang - Talib Kweli ft Niko Is, K Valentine & Cory Mo

·      Ocean Song - Talib Kweli ft. Mela achinko

·      Trying to Breathe - Talib Kweli ft. Killer Mike

·      Distractions - Talib Kweli ft.

·      Bright as the Stars - Mos Def &Talib Kweli

·      Glory - Lil Waye

·      Coming To You - Jill Scott

·      Beautiful Love - Jill Scott ft Bj The Chicago Kid

·      Animals - Dr Dre ft Anderson Paak

·      Medicine Man - Dr Dre ft Eminem, Candice Pillay and Anderson .Paak

·      Talking to My Diary - Dr .Dre

·      Fuck You Too - Scarface

·      Rooted - Scarface

·      All Bad - Scarface

·      I don’t Know - Scarface

·      Fly on the Wall - Jay Rock ft Busta Rhymes

·      LA - Game ft. Snoop Dogg, Will.I. Am, Fergie

·      Dollar and A Dream - Game ft Ab-Soul

·      P’s & Q’s -  Mick Jenkins

·      40 Below - Mick Jenkins

·      Its Better This Way - Big KRIT

·      Young Gifted and Black - Jadakiss

·      Institutionalized - Kendrick Lamar

·      Hood Politics - Kendrick Lamar

·      You Aint Gotta Lie - Kendrick Lamar

·      How Much A Dollar Cost – Kendrick Lamar

·      Open Road - Hit Boy

·      Bussin Moves - Hit Boy ft Pusha T & Quentin Miller

·      Blunt & A Hoe - Tech N9ne ft MURS, Ubiquitous

·      Go - Chance the rapper ft Jesse Boykins III, Mike Golden & Joey Purp

·      Holy Water - Jeezy

·      Forgive Me ft. Monica - Jeezy

·      Make It Through the Night - Joe Budden ft. Marsha Ambrosius, Jadakiss

·      That One - Teedra Moses ft. Anthony Hamilton

·      Everyday – Puffy ft. Jadakiss, Styles P, Pusha T & Tish

·      Tell Ya Friends – Fabolous ft. The Weeknd

·      Summertime Sadness – Fabolous ft. Dave East

·      We are – Justin Beiber ft Nas

Lyrics of the year

·      Jadakiss – Young Gifted and Black

·      Ludacris  verse on Shakem off - Big KRIT ft K. Camp, Ludacris

·        Joey Purp verse on GO - Chance the Rapper ft Jesse Boykins III, Mike Golden & Joey Purp

·      Quiet Storm Freestyle - Fabolous - Friday night Freestyle

·      Bars - Redman