This is a list for my blog, https://bensmusicreviews250819854.wordpress.com, which covers the best albums of 2019, there has been some great music this year and this list is my personal favourites.

1. 20. Trippie Redd – A Love Letter To You 4
After his extremely disappointing and poor attempt on ‘!’, ‘A Love
Letter To You 4’ was a wonderful return to form, Trippie utilises a lot
of R&B production on the record. I wasn’t as much of a fan of the
more hip-hop based tracks, because Trippie sounds the best when
he sings, he sounds hungry when he allows his voice to expand on
tracks like ‘Leray’. This project was considerably better than all the
previous Trippie tapes we have had recently, it is an easy listen and I
strongly recommend this project to anybody who hasn’t heard
Trippie or hasn’t listened in a while. The track with Juice Wrld grew
on me however I still wish there was more chemistry between Juice,
Melly and Trippie. I find myself visiting the album frequently simply
because of the replay value that some of these tracks possess, they
are extremely enjoyable and offer a lot of replay value in all settings.
Best Songs
• Leray
• Who Needs Love
• Love Me More
• Sickening (feat. Tory Lanez)
• Abandoned (feat. Mariah the Scientist)

2. 19. Ari Lennox – Shea Butter Baby
Ari Lennox has a truly wonderful voice. I loved the nature of
this project, yes it was typical love based music which usually I
don’t find an interest in, but I liked the way Ari owned it, it
wasn’t an album of feeling hard done by, it was more how she
is going to take control of her future relationships. I really
enjoyed the production on here, it was slow and euphoric,
there was a clear jazz influence. Her voice is so commanding of
your attention, there is a lot of blues attached to it. The story is
also great, with story telling on tracks like ‘New Apartment’,
which is entirely based on ridding oneself of their previous
issues, and essentially moving into a ‘new apartment’ or state
of mind
Best Songs
• BMO
• Broke (feat. JID)
• Up Late
• Shea Butter Baby (feat. J. Cole)
• New Apartment

3. 18. DaBaby – Baby on Baby
DaBaby has quickly established himself as one of the hottest acts
in hip-hop this year. Despite his somewhat regurgitated sound and
flows, that doesn’t detract from how fun this project. They these
fun and party style songs with a relatively new twist, I find his
drums interesting and they are something relatively new to the
soundscape of hip hop, it is refreshing to hear a new sound break
into the top 10, especially a track like ‘Suge’ which doesn’t sound
remotely like a top 10 single but surprisingly it did. His flows are
fun and the tracks are short enough to leave a good taste, I really
enjoy this project for the simplicity of it. His charisma on the tracks
are also fantastic, his bars and even his videos are littered with his
wild personality. The lines are absurd and don’t just make you
laugh. An extremely fun project, especially with the videos.
Best Songs
• Taking it Out
• Suge
• Goin Baby
• Baby Sitter (feat. Offset)

4. 17. Baby Keem – Die For My Bitch
What a wonderful surprise this project was. I honestly cannot describe
what it sounds like, just a curation of crazy production and a high pitched
raw voice. ‘Stats’ goes through various sonic transition, I love the build up
to the last portion of the track. ‘Honest’ is a very smooth R&B inspired cut.
‘Invented it’ is this abrasively produced track with this baby styled delivery
from Keem. And this is just the first three songs. They all sound so distinct
and littered with their own personalities. There is an interesting blend of
R&B and Hip Hop production and melodies which makes this project pretty
infectious. I LOVE ‘Rockstar P’, the beat and Keem carry so much
personality; the synths on the track are fantastic. ‘My Ex’ is a guilty
pleasure, it’s an average track but I like Keem’s voice on the track. ‘Orange
Soda’ is also a big record, it’s not my favourite but definitely a big a great
track. Also what the FUCK is that amazing piano on ‘Apologize’, this track is
fantastic. This album is fantastic and if your looking for
somebody/something new to get into, I strongly recommend this record.
Best Songs
• Stats
• Honest
• Invented It
• Rockstar P
• Apologize

5. 16. Dave - Psychodrama
Dave’s ‘psychodrama’ is a fantastic psycho-analysis of the
Streatham artist. The production is glossy, there is a
frequent use of piano’s and dark bass (which I criticised
in my original review) but the subject matter of the
project far outweighs that. He gets into his personal
problems on the project as well as the problems that
ethnic minorities communities face in British Society.
Whilst the project isn’t devoid of problems, it is easily
one of the strongest projects to be released this year
from the UK. Dave’s voice captures and demands your
attention from the very beginning.
• Best Songs
• Psycho
• Streatham
• Black
• Screwface Capital
• Drama

6. 15. Anderson Paak. – Ventura
Anderson Paak. Is one of the most talented musicians in the current
landscape of music. He can really do everything: produce, sing, rap, write,
he really is an extraordinary talent. He has such a great ear for music, I love
the jazz influence on his music. Whilst I didn’t enjoy this record as much as
‘Oxnard’, I would only attribute this to the fact that this record came out
not long after ‘Oxnard’ and sounds very similar, perhaps if it came out
towards the end of the year my reaction would’ve been different. I love the
track ‘Make it Better’, it’s one of my favourite records this year. I love how
‘Come Home’ feels like a reintroduction from ’Oxnard’, I thought that was a
good touch and the beat change in the middle of the song to bring Andre in
was great, he delivered one of the best verses this year. The track ‘Twilight’
reminds me of some 2009 Kid Cudi, it has a strange enmeshment of genres
and styles that is impossible to describe really. I think even when Anderson
makes an ‘average’ song, it still sounds greater because he has such a good
ear for music.
• Best Songs
• Come Home (feat. Andre 3000)
• Make It Better (feat. Smokey Robinson)
• King James
• Jet Black (feat. Brandy)
• What Can we Do? (feat. Nate Dogg)

7. 14. Mariah the Scientist – MASTER
Mariah the Scientist dropped a fantastic R&B record that really caught me by
surprise. I first heard of her through her amazing performance on Trippie Redd’s
‘Abandoned’. I then went to check out her album and was pleasantly surprised.
She has a wonderful voice, there is phenomenal control over the tones and
pitches, she finds grooves in the tracks and inserts herself to fit the tone perfectly.
The topics deal with the problems of modern relationships, such as cheating and
deception, but most of all it finds Mariah gaining control of herself. She takes
charge of her relationship, this is noted on ‘Reminders’ where she uses the
metaphor for killing her partner as a means of ridding herself from him. The
production from Tory Lanez and his team deserves massive props for giving her
some great beats, they’re spacey and littered with personality, the acoustic tracks
really work well with Mariah’s vocal style. ‘Reminders’ and ‘Beetlejuice’ are in
contention for my songs of the year, I love the spaciness of the 80s synths on
‘Reminders’, it reminds me of something from the mall in ‘Stranger Things’? I also
love the cover art, it sets the tone for the album, Mariah portrays this clean cut
woman with neat hair and attire with a mans hand on her neck, highlighting that
constraint. The album is about her gaining control of herself.
Best Songs
• In My Nightmares
• Reminders
• Thanks 4 Nothing
• Beetlejuice
• Not a Love Song

8. 13. Megan Thee Stallion - Fever
Megan Thee Stallion has cemented herself as one of the
best new artists out this year. She delivers extremely
sexual verses accompanied with funny and memorable
lines and fantastic verses. This mixtape doesn’t have
much of a concept or meaning behind it, it’s more of just
an introduction to Megan’s music for the mainstream
audiences. It is fun! Megan has so much energy and is
extremely talented (just not when it comes to singing), I
am eager for her next project. The beat selection was
also impressive, I enjoyed the tracks with the heavier
bass as Meg’s southern twang covers the songs perfectly.
Best Songs
• Realer
• Cash S**t (feat. DaBaby)
• W.A.B
• Money Good
• Sex Talk

9. 12. YBN Cordae – The Lost Boy
Upon my original listen to this project, I wasn’t that crazy about it. With
that being said, after multiple relistens it is clear to see there is a range
of exceptional rapping on this project. Songs such as ‘Bad Idea’ have
this confident and relaxed style over a wonderful instrumental very
indicative of Chance the Rapper’s ‘Colouring Book’, I love the sample on
this record from Scarface’s ‘On My Block’. I love the groove on the J.
Cole produced ’RNP’ and the intense banger ‘Broke as F**k’. The
haunting piano and flow on YBN’s voice would make this song an
intense experience live. He doesn’t forget his roots and displays his
talent of some boom bap instrumentals with tracks like ‘Thousand
Words’. The theme of being lost is heavy and as a result, his reliance on
family is heavy. I enjoy this project and it is a great project from a young
man making his stamp in hip hop, especially after his recent Grammy
nomination.
Best Songs
• Bad Idea (feat. Chance the Rapper)
• RNP (feat. Anderson .Paak)
• Broke as F**k
• Thousand Words
• Nightmares are Real (feat. Pusha T)

10. 11. Denzel Curry - ZUU
It’s always great when one of your favourite artists
releases a new album. Whilst ‘Zuu’ isn’t as densely
layered in subject matter as ‘Taboo’ was or ‘Imperial’, it
does quench the thirst of fans. It is a fun project with
party bangers and a clear Miami influence. It has massive
replay value. Denzel’s rapping is on point with BARS FOR
DAYS. The production on some of these tracks is insane, I
like the sample at the start of ‘Wish’, the alarming
delivery enmeshed with chaotic production on ‘Birdz’
and the abrasive ‘Ricky’ still gets spun. Denzel freestyled
the whole record too which really displays the sheer
talent of Denzel.
Best Songs
• RICKY
• WISH (feat. Kiddo Marv)
• BIRDZ (feat. Rick Ross)
• SHAKE 88 (feat. Sam Sneak)
• P.A.T (feat. PlayThatBoiZay

11. 10. Dreamville – Revenge of the Dreamers 3
This collaborative effort from the Dreamville team is so good! J Cole
and his label assemble an avengers-level team to deliver insane
verses, slick flows, memorable hooks and great production. JID
steals the show, he stands out the most with his out-of-line voice as
he offers something different to the others. The track ‘LamboTruck’
is hilarious as Cozz and Reason argue about kidnapping J Cole, the
Vince Staples verse is fantastic and Ski Mask should’ve got more
verses on this project because he steals the show on ‘Costa Rica’. An
extremely enjoyable project and a great way to discover some new
artists.
Best Songs
• Under the Sun – J Cole x Lute x DaBaby x Kendrick Lamar
• Down Bad – JID x Yung Nudy x Bas x Johnny Venus x J Cole
• LamboTruck – Cozz x Reason x Childish Major
• Wells Fargo – JID x Earthgang x Buddy x Guapdad 4000
• Rembrandt… Run it Back – JID x J Cole x Vince Staples

12. 9. Young Thug – So Much Fun
Whilst I was originally pretty hard on this project, there are some
great moments on here. It is a record which has sent Thug into a
new level of fame as he reached his highest album sales.
Considering the mainstream releases have been pretty average this
year, this record stands out amongst the others, it is easily the best
trap project this year. The songs are just what the title says – so
much fun (for the most part). Whilst the project was a bit bloated
and some features not contributing much, there are some great
songs on here with a lot of replay value. I am eager to see the
direction Thug goes in next, hopefully he incorporates greater
features or a wider range of production and continues to be as
extravagant in his delivery, the most fascinating thing about him as
an artist. I have found myself listening to this album almost more
than any other this year, it has so much replay value.
Best Songs
• Hot (feat. Gunna & Travis Scott)
• What’s the Move (feat. Lil Uzi Vert)
• Cartier Gucci Scarf (feat. Lil Duke)
• Mannequin Challenge (feat. Juice Wrld)
• The London (feat. J Cole & Travis Scott)

13. 8. Benny the Butcher – The Plugs I Met
The idea behind this mini-album is fantastic. In a very
Pusha T fashion, it is 7 tracks wonderfully produced with
slick cocaine driven bars. It is short and concise and gives
multiple listens. The theme of plugs he met being other
cocaine-based rappers is clever, I thought that was a nice
touch and lets the listener know what they are about to
be thrown into. Benny has a throwback ‘boom-bap’ style
which is extremely refreshing to hear. He delivers some
great lines about growing up selling and why they started
making music in the first place. The Black Thought and
Pusha T features are also fantastic.
• Best Songs
• Crown for Kings (feat. Black Thought)
• Dirty Harry (feat. RJ Payne & Conway the
Machine)
• Took the Money to the Plug’s House
• 18 Wheeler (feat. Pusha T)

14. 7. Boogie – Everythings for Sale
Within a range of auto-crooning album this year, this project sticks out to
me by a clear mile. Instrumentally, he finds a blend of R&B and Hip-Hop
with seamless transitions and. The 6LACK assisted ‘Skydive II’ was great
and littered with guitar riffing and slow percussion, 6LACK also sounds
fantastic. Boogie displays his attention to lyricism and flows with some
catchy areas, he also shows an array of inflections too, especially on
tracks like ‘Self Destruction’. The album has a mellow tone, I really
enjoyed the moody R&B production. What’s great is that there is
something for all listeners, those who enjoy the more mainstream rap
style at the minute can be satisfied and those looking for substance or a
wider instrumental range will also be pleased. This has been a slow
grower on me, I’ve found myself enjoying it more towards the end of the
year. Massive replay value.
Best Songs
• Tired / Reflections
• Silent Ride
• Soho (feat. JID)
• Skydive
• Live 95
• Whose Fault

15. 6. Earthgang - Mirrorland
I had been eagerly anticipating this project for most of the year. I
love the energy that Earthgang bring on previous projects and that
energy was displayed in abundance on this project. I like how
neither Olu or Dot outshined the other one, they were both
extremely consistent (this tends to be a problem I have with acts
with more than one artists, one ends up carrying the project). The
energy is there through the insane deliveries and memorable lines.
The hooks are also masterful, they have a fantastic craft for it and I
would expect to see them on later projects with other artists
covering future features. My only issue with the project is the track
‘Avenue’ and the Kehlani feature, both of which are just pretty
boring. But for the most part, there is so much charisma and
personality on the record and makes Earthgang one of the most
exciting acts to see in the future.
Best Songs
• UP
• Top Down
• Bank
• Proud of U (feat. Young Thug)
• Tequila (feat. T-Pain

16. 5. Little Simz – Grey Area
A fantastic project from the London based MC, it really took me
by surprise. The production draws on multiple influences and
pockets, it can be sweet and soft in some areas and brutal and
harsh in others. Simz performance is scintillating; her flows,
bars and references are fantastic, her singing is also wonderful!
She has bags of talent and I hope people catch onto this
project. I like the subject matter of the project, it’s extremely
empowering and a breakthrough project and act in such a male
dominated genre. She draws on a range of musical influences,
such as Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’ on ‘Boss’. The production is
ranged, I love the pretty colourfulness of Sherbet Sunset and
the string driven ‘101 FM’.
Best Songs
• Offence
• Boss
• Wounds (feat. Chronixx)
• Venom
• 101 FM
• Sherbet Sunset

17. 4. Tyler the Creator - IGOR
I wasn’t originally a fan of Tyler the Creator before this project,
but it quickly grew on me and here’s the best way I can
describe it – synth porn. The production is lush and expensive,
the abuse of the synths sounds fantastic. 80’s synth pop serves
as a fantastic basis for the production. Tyler removed himself
from the project and let the production take the lead, Tyler’s
contributions are fantastic and reveal a vulnerable side and
emotional side that wasn’t realised on his earlier works
(besides Flower Boy). I also thoroughly enjoyed the
story/concept of the project as Tyler struggles with his
relationship and casts himself as an ‘Igor’ character, one
uncapable of love and marginalised which really speaks much
of Tyler’s music to date.
Best Songs
• Earfquake
• Running Out of Time
• New Magic Wand
• A Boy is a Gun
• Puppet (feat. Kanye West)

18. 3. JPEGMAFIA – All My Heroes are Cornballs
This is a project which takes adjusting to. The production is wild,
in some parts disjointed and erratic. However, there are some
gorgeous songs on here with wonderful beats that transition so
seamlessly to one another. There is so much personality within
Peggy’s delivery and his lyrics and subject matter are great, the
ideas that the people he has looked up to are essentially what
the title states – cornballs. The production is genuinely mind-
blowing, I love the incorporation of R&B melodies and singing
into the projec. The experimental nature of the record give so
much entertainment in just discovering something new!
Best Songs
• Jesus Forgive Me, I Am A Thot
• Beta Male Strategies
• Grimiy Waifu
• Rap grow Old & Die x No Child Left Behind
• All My Heroes are Cornballs
• Thot Tactics

19. 2. FKA Twigs – Magdalene
This is such a beautiful record. I loved almost everything about it, even the
cover art which I thought served as a wonderful testament to the concept of
the project. I liked the metaphorical comparison between Twig’s public
relationship and the depiction of Mary Magdalene. I love the production, it is
gorgeous and accompanies her wonderful singing. ‘home with you’ is a
fantastic track and Twigs explores the duality of being there for somebody as
well as yourself. I love the various tempo shifts on ‘Fallen alien’, there is a
massive build up in production with a great climax. ‘Cellophane’ explores the
problems of being in a public relationship, as your feelings become wrapped
up for public display. Overall, a fucking unreal album. Twigs delivers a
wonderfully conceptual piece that really gets you thinking. Her singing is
gorgeous and the production is amazing.
Best Songs
• thousand eyes
• home with you
• sad day
• holy terrain (feat. Future)
• fallen alien
• cellophane

20. 1. Freddie Gibbs x Madlib - Bandana
The man with the greatest Instagram stories on the internet, Gangstar Gibbs.
This is easily the best project to be released this year. Freddie delivers slick
cocaine inspired raps over some of the best instrumentals this year, provided
by Madlib. It really is a phenomenal project I find myself constantly listening
to. The flows are slick and the beats are amazing, littered with soul,
personality and charisma. There are zero skips on the entire record and
Freddie’s charisma is persistent all the way throughout and the selection of
samples from Madlib are perfect. This feels more than a producer x rapper
collaboration, it is two top artists coming together to make a wonderful
project. There is also the fantastic Pusha T feature which is without a doubt
the best verse Pusha has spit since ‘Nosetalgia’ from his 2013 record ‘My
Name is My Name’. Freddie offers duality on this project as he reflects on the
cocaine lifestyle and where he is now.
• Best songs
o Half Manne Half Cocaine
o Crime Pays
o Palmolive (feat. Pusha T & Killer Mike)
o Fake Names
o Situations
o Giannis (feat. Anderson Paak.)
o Practice