My Top 5 Albums of the Early 2020s

It has been said that the early 2020s were a low-vibrating time for music. The pandemic made it more difficult for major artists to get their product out, and decreased the profitability of doing so. Studios were closed, staff that handle marketing/promotion were out of office, and national touring had become less of a viable option.

However, the pandemic presented a great opportunity for smaller, independent artists to grow their audience and put their product out straight to consumer. Artists that record from home studios, fund their own marketing, and can put music out at their own leisure without having to get clearance or approval from the label.

For artists such as myself, these circumstances provided for an exciting opportunity. Along with the factors listed above, another positive was that with most of the world being only partially open, it presented a time where it was easier to lock in and get focused on your craft. There just wasn’t much else going on.

During the course of the pandemic I personally wrote and released more music than I had at any other time. Having the pandemic coincide with me graduating from college made for a good opportunity to do so. Writing music had become a daily part of my life rather than just a special occasion. Here are the 5 albums that I found to be most inspiring as I was doing so.

#5 Another Day Another Dollar – Payroll Giovanni & Cardo

“Everywhere I go people say ‘man, when are you and Cardo gonna link up again?’. Streets f**ked up, world f**ked up. We need some motivation!”. These opening adlibs describe exactly what made this album special. Released in early 2021, it came at a time where the streets really did need some motivation.

Pay & Cardo have made a strong duo since they initially began collaborating in 2016. Although this project was a little bit more low-key than some of their past releases, it still came through in the areas that matter most. The production is smooth and minimal. The choruses are simple yet cohesive. And overall the project served as an inspiration to show that despite what was going on in the world, there was still good music being made and dollars to be earned.

#4 #FUCC2020 – Wiz Khalifa

Wiz is an interesting artist, because he is the type that can wear both hats. He can drop an underground banger one week, and then a chart-topping mainstream success the next.

For me personally, I found this project to be the best Wiz had dropped in years, and it was primarily because it came with that underground feel. But along with that, and despite the project’s title, Wiz seemed to be having a pretty decent time despite the world being closed. He raps about summer nights in his hot tub, making gains in the gym, and spending time with an assortment of female friends. The production is minimal, the lyricism is sharp, and the overall project flows super nice.

#3 The Great Escape – Larry June & The Alchemist

Seeing that Larry June and the Alchemist were coming together to collaborate on a project came as a bit of a surprise to me personally. However, it actually came together pretty nicely.

What makes this album rank so high is that in a way, it feels like a celebration of entrepreneurship and independent hip hop. Although hip hop has typically been referred to as a young man’s game, today what we see is a lot of what could best be described as “adult rap”. Throughout this project’s 15 songs and assortment of guest verses, that is exactly what we get. Grown adults who have bought houses, supported families, traveled the world, funded exquisite lifestyles, and made millions all doing what they love, and doing it mostly independently.

Larry June can in a lot of ways be seen as a “rapper’s rapper” mainly due to his entrepreneurial approach and leniency toward having a strong personal brand. In interviews he talks about how all he really had to get started was just a computer and his recording equipment, and how in many cases he would be recording on the road while moving from hotel to hotel. Along with his gear toward entrepreneurship, Larry’s lyrics involve things such as staying healthy, practicing self-love, and being very peaceful.

#2 The Off-Season – J. Cole

Similar to Wiz’s project, J. Cole comes through with a very underground feel, and a supporting documentary that is a big part of what makes this album so great. In the documentary, Cole describes how the luxuries of success had made him lazy and comfortable, and how he wanted to refocus on being more dedicated to his craft. Throughout the documentary we see Cole making efforts to get back to his roots and tap into the hunger and ambition of being an up and coming artist on the grind.

The title “The Off-Season” refers to the out of season workouts professional athletes go through to sharpen their skills and come back better than they were the previous year. Being a hoopster myself, I can really appreciate the comparison Cole makes between hip hop and basketball.

In the final product we hear Cole rapping his ass off and going harder than he ever has before. The lyricism is top notch, the performances are great, and the songs are diverse in their style and subject matter.

#1 Negro Spirituals – Max B

Max B’s album couldn’t have come at a better time. The songs are uplifting, and overall Max shows that if he can do it behind the walls of a state penitentiary prison, anyone can do it.

On the opening track “Over” the simple chorus line “I bet you thought it was over” points to just how realistic the possibility was that Max would never get the opportunity to release music again. Along with that, the songs show his excitement to come home as well as expressing some of the grief and sadness associated with being locked up for so long. He expresses themes such as being away from his kids, letting his family down, as well as just the general fact that he is getting older and “running out of trys”.

The name “Negro Spirituals” refers to music that was made during slavery. And along with that, the album does take on a spiritual theme and tone. In interviews given to promote the album, Max talks about the wisdom and growth he has gained during his prison sentence. “There’s not much else I can do other than make myself better” he says.

It has been said that if Max had never gotten locked up, today he would be one of the biggest artists in the world. But, despite not getting the chance to reach those heights, he is still known and loved within the hip hop community. With his sentence being officially done with in 2025, many look forward to seeing him come home.

Honorable Mention – Any Project by Curren$y

Curren$y is one of those guys that was just built for a time like the pandemic. I remember being surprised when I first saw that he’d dropped a new tape in April of 2020, right at the start of it, and he pretty much stayed consistent ever since.

Curren$y is the type of artist than can drop a new mixtape just about every month without so much as repeating a bar. Just about all of his releases over the past few years have been good, but the 2 back to back projects he released in collaboration with Harry Fraud stand out most significantly.

Similar to Larry June, Curren$y is one of those guys that show the young artist that you can get it if you stick with it. In fact, that seems to be a big part of why he does what he does. “To show the young ones that they can make it happen”. As a young artist myself, his overall grind and approach to the artform is very inspiring.