2015 Year End Rap-Up: Top 5 Albums

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5) Purpose, Justin Bieber: After all of his mess ups in the public eye and many basic pop songs stamped on his repertoire, no one expected much from the new Bieber album. But if you were not a Belieber before, I promise you, you are now. Even if you don’t find yourself singing along to “What Do You Mean?” or “Sorry” in the car, you’ll probably love “Love Yourself.” It’s Bieber’s upbeat “screw you” song to a past fling. It makes you want to wave a certain finger in the air and Instagram a great photo just to rub it in your ex’s face. These songs, along with a few intense and reflective songs, create a well-rounded album. Bravo, Bieber. You’ve grown up before the public’s eyes – is it too late to say I’m sorry now (for doubting you)?

4) What Dreams Are Made Of, R. City: A wonderful progression from writers to rappers, R. City has produced a mix of reggae/R&B in combination with rap on their album. With big features such as Akon, R. City hit the ground running as artists as they take the microphone. Previous hits they have written include Rihanna’s “Pour It Up” and Miley Cyrus’s “We Can’t Stop.” Adam Levine featured in their hit song “Locked Away” that premieres on the album. Expect bigger and better as they settle into their shoes under the spotlight.

3) Badlands, Halsey: Badass feminine power is in – Halsey embodies this while adding her own flair in her new album. The next tour she does will hit stadiums in comparison to singing at small venues only a year or so ago. “New Americana” is the huge hit off the album, but other songs to note are “Castle” and “Hurricane.” Halsey has no filter and isn’t afraid to tell it like it is – with relationships, industry tycoons, and the public. She’s blowing up in the industry and will hopefully continue to climb the pop realm as a female monster.

2) 25, Adele: The long and quiet break Adele took from recording to focus on her personal life did nothing but boost expectations for her album that dropped at the end of the year. “Hello,” the hit single off the album, broke YouTube records for the amount of hits. The rest of the album holds the same raw talent that fans expect from Adele. However, instead of the drama and anguish felt in her last album, her new record includes more reflection over her youth and consideration over her future. It is a more mature Adele, and the mania that followed the release of her tour dates did nothing but reflect the overwhelming love for her talent. Welcome back, Adele!

1) To Pimp a Butterfly, Kendrick Lamar: Kendrick Lamar is by far the most influential rapper in the industry right now. His 2015 album demonstrated the immensity of his talent. In addition, his hometown Compton, CA, which is the home of the famous rap group, N.W.A. whose biographical movie Straight Outta Compton premiered this year, added to his background relevance. Lamar’s song “The Blacker the Berry” off his album was inspired by the death of Trayvon Martin. He raps, “You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture.” Lamar is speaking to the American white majority in reference to the racism that still persists in society today that appears in cases like Martin’s. Lamar successfully completes what very little rappers can do – he puts social issues into his music instead of the usual partying lyrics heard in hip-hop. His lyrics are explorative, inquisitive, and inspirational. There is a lot left in Lamar’s tank, and it would not be surprising if he continues to impress and make a permanent mark in rap evolution.  

Album Review: Adele Shows Reveals Artistic Identity on "25"

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Adele’s new album, 25, was released today. 25 has come out in great anticipation since her last album, 21, is going on five years since its release. Adele took a hiatus from music after her son was born, and she took her time in creating 25 as it bore a lot of meaning in her maturity as an artist and woman since 21. 25 has everything that Adele fans could want – she slows down the music with songs like “Love in the Dark” but also keeps intrigue and tempo in songs such as “Water Under the Bridge.” Her vocal quality is unlike anything on the charts today. That essence of Adele, that tone that can be distinguished from any artist on the radio, is what keeps her fans coming back for more. There are not pop backbeats or distracting effects to take away from the beauty that is Adele’ voice. Her rustic tone is a time machine back to record-player days, and it creates a hollow sound filled with the emotion from the lyrical backstories.

“Million Years Ago” is one notable song from her new album that holds a different flavor than the “Rolling in the Deep” Adele fans are accustomed to. The song is simply her voice and a guitar. The chorus states, “I miss the air, I miss my friends, I miss my mother; I miss it when life was a party to be thrown, but that was a million years ago.” The entire song is very reflective and very nostalgic for a period in her life that was more carefree and fun. This could be in the wake of her intense fame that came with the release of 21 or merely a statement about growing up and missing the innocence of youth. Adele’s voice ranges from extraordinarily low notes to belts like in “Hello.” It is beautifully eerie and makes the listener reflect on his or her own mistakes as the emotion is drawn from the lyrics.

“Water Under the Bridge” is a more fast-paced song that reflects on an old relationship that potentially isn’t over. Adele sings, “If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently, don't pretend that you don't want me. Our love ain't water under the bridge. Say that our love ain't water under the bridge.” The song calls for more urgency, as it’s encouraging for action in order to save the love between the speaker and its intended. The quick beat of the song fits this urgency as opposed to the pure nostalgic reflection of “Million Years Ago.” “Water Under the Bridge” is similar to “Hello,” Adele’s hit single off the album, due to the fact that both contain more energy that reflect the active content of the songs themselves. 

25 is a matured version of Adele as she’s taken an extremely reflective vantage point on her early twenties. The listener can see the time gap between 25 and 21 because the songs on the new album show growth in how she looks at her life emerging into her late twenties. Though all of Adele’s music is emotional, this album is emotional in its pondering and not in a heated manner as she is in her earlier music. Listeners have grown with Adele as she has started a family and begun to enact her future outside of her music career. Her next album, potentially to be created during her early thirties, will continue to show her personal and life changes as she continues to mold her artistic identity.