I was on a plane pretty much all day yesterday, nothing but hip-hop. It was great.
El-p -
Cancer 4 Cure
Extremely forward-thinking, almost futuristic sounding hip-hop. El-p's becoming one of my fave MC's.
YC The Cynic -
Gnk
I'm not quite sure if it's a mixtape or a full-length, either way it's a great record with great conscious hip-hop.
Shabazz Palaces -
Black Up
Experimental, jazzy, ethereal hip-hop. This is a challenging record, but it hit me hard one day.
Run The Jewels -
Run The Jewels 2
Much, MUCH more abrasive than RTJ, the details in these beats could only come from El-p. Killer Mike tears this up, but it is El-p that steals this record.
Run The Jewels -
Run The Jewels
Still brutal, but opting for that "adventurous" sound. Treading somewhat melodic territory, and certainly not as hardcore as RTJ2.
The Roots -
Undun