The 1st half of 2016 was very good for releases. A bunch of great West Coast projects (YG, Kamayiah, Schoolboy Q, DJ Quik & Problem), some good alternative R&B (Anderson .Paak, Maxwell, Drake), some great instro inspired albums (DrewsThatDude and KAYTRANADA) plus a swath of good Curren$y projects.
#10 Noname – Telefone // Chicago, IL // Spoken Word Rhythm
Standout songs: Diddy Bop (feat Raury & Cam O’bi), Reality Check (feat Eryn Allen Kane & Akenya), Forever (feat Ravyn Lenae & Joseph Chilliams),
#9 Kodak Black – lil big pac // Pompano Beach, FL aka The Ugly Corner // Rap & Hip-Hop
Standout songs: Can I, Gave It All I Got
#8 DrewsThatDude – En Amor // Hempstead, NY // Instrumental
Standout songs: Aphrodite, Relapse (feat PYRMDPLAZA)
#7 Curren$y – Legend of Harvard Blue // New Orleans, LA // Rap
Standout songs: Enter, The Collective 
#6 Kamayiah – A Good Night in the Ghetto // Oakland, CA // Rap & Hip-Hop
Standout Songs: How Does It Feel?, Come Back, Fuck It Up (feat YG), For My Dawgs
#5 KAYTRANADA – 99.9% // Canada // Alternative Instrumental
Standout songs: Glowed Up (feat Anderson . Paak), Got It Good (feat Craig David), You’re The One (feat Syd Tha Kid)
#4 Kendrick Lamar – untitled, unmastered // Compton, CA // Rap & Hip-Hop
Standout songs: Track #3, Track #7
#3 Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book // Chicago, IL // Rap & Gospel
Standout songs: Blessing 1 & 2 (feat Noname & Ty$), No Problem (feat Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz), Angels (feat Saba), Mixtape (feat Young Thug & Lil Yachty)
#2 YG – Still Brazy // Compton, CA // Gangsta Rap
Standout songs: Who Shot Me?, Twist My Fingaz, Still Brazy, Word is Bond, Police Get Away Wit Murder, I Got a Question (feat Lil Wayne)
#1 Anderson .Paak – Malibu // Oxnard, CA // Alternative R&B
Standout songs: Come Down, The Season / Carry Me, Parking Lot, Heart Don’t Stand A Chance
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