After years of making hits for everyone else, Skateboard P created his own worlwide smash. “Happy” is a cultural phenomenon. And his second LP is a joyride of catchy melodies and funky grooves. It may strictly for the ladies but the fellas dig it too.—YN
Gangsta Gibbs proves he can flow over any track as he astounds over complex Madlib productions. Like most of his independent catalogue, Pinata is poppin with dark vivid tales and harsh realities. Ovacion! —YN
With the cloud of Kendrick’s success hovering over him, ScHoolboy stuck to his script detailing his story of selling and later abusing prescription pills. Q maintains your attention throughout because he’s one of hip-hop’s most versatile MCs. Nice work, Puffy.—YN
Don’t take Roazy’s eminence for granted. Mastermind is another solid collection of tunes anchored by a stronger second half that includes “Sanctified”, “Walkin On Air”, and “Thug Cry”. It’s 2014 and The Boss is still giving orders.—YN
Like Kendrick Lamar, YG brilliantly details his Compton upbringing. MKL is a fast-paced cinematic ride that results in another modern day gangsta rap masterpiece. Score another one for the West.—YN
This is a great reminder of how powerful and lasting Lauryn Hill’s influence has been in music. The fact that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill eventually reached diamond status after so many years shows that truly meaningful music can continue finding new listeners long after its original release. I also like how the article highlights the combination of hip hop, R&B, neo soul, and reggae that made the album so distinctive. Achieving more than 10 million sales is an incredible milestone, especially considering how much the music industry has changed since 1998. The album’s success feels less like a temporary trend and more like proof that strong songwriting and authentic artistic expression can remain relevant across generations. It is interesting to see how numbers can tell part of a story, whether we are looking at album sales or using a proportion calculator to understand relationships between different figures.