Best Hip Hop Music of 2014
Contents
A look at the best hip hop tracks of 2014, including hits from artists like Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, and Drake.
Best Hip Hop Albums of 2014
This year has been a great year for hip hop music. We’ve seen a lot of great albums come out, from old favourites to new rising stars. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the best hip hop albums of 2014.
J. Cole – 2014 Forest Hills Drive
J. Cole’s third studio album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, was released on December 9, 2014, without prior announcement or promotion. The album sold 354,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, giving Cole his second consecutive number-one album. It is Cole’s first album to be certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised Cole’s maturity and introspective lyrical content.
Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
“good kid, m.A.A.d city” is the second studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on October 22, 2012, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. The album is Lamar’s major label debut, after his independently released first album Section.80 in 2011 and his collaboration with hip hop supergroup Black Hippy, titled Overly Dedicated the same year.
To record the album, Lamar enlisted a variety of producers including Just Blaze, Pharrell Williams, Hit-Boy, and Dr. Dre. The tracks “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”, and “Swimming Pools (Drank)” were originally released as promotional singles before the album’s release through iTunes Store and Spotify in August and October 2012 respectively. good kid, m.A.A.d city received universal acclaim from music critics upon its release; it was included on many publications’ year-end lists for 2012 and 2013.’
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist
When it comes to sheer heart and virtuosity, few albums released in 2014 — in any genre — can top The Heist. The triumphant second album from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis is a hip-hop triumph, a pop triumph, and a human triumph. It’s an album about overcoming addiction, about marriage equality, about fathers and daughters, about thrift shopping. It’s an album with something to say, but it’s also an album that knows how to have a good time — see the irresistible lead single, “Can’t Hold Us.” Filled with exuberant anthems and tear-jerking ballads alike, The Heist is one of the most vital pop albums of the decade.
Best Hip Hop Songs of 2014
There were a lot of great hip hop songs released in 2014. It was hard to narrow it down, but here are our picks for the best hip hop songs of 2014.
J. Cole – “No Role Modelz”
The third single from J. Cole’s album “2014 Forest Hills Drive”, “No Role Modelz” is a standout track that demonstrates the rapper’s unique storytelling ability. The song chronicles Cole’s upbringing in North Carolina, and his struggle to find positive role models in his life. With its catchy hooks and soulful production, “No Role Modelz” is one of the best hip hop songs of 2014.
Kendrick Lamar – “i”
“i” is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on September 23, 2014, as the lead single from his third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly. The song, produced by Rahki and written by Lamar and Rahki, features uncredited vocals from singer Bilal. “i” peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and entered the top five of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song earned two Grammy Awards at the 57th Grammy Awards: Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – “Can’t Hold Us”
“Can’t Hold Us” is a song by American hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton. It was released on August 16, 2011, as the third single from their debut studio album, The Heist (2012). The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it their second consecutive single to reach the top of the chart. It is also their third consecutive single to hit platinum in the United States, and has sold over 2.5 million copies there. In Canada and France, it became their fourth consecutively chart-topping single.
The music video was filmed in numerous locations throughout Washington State including Seattle’s Space Needle and Mount Rainier. The song won two MTV Video Music Awards including “Best Hip-Hop Video”, as well as “Best Direction” and “Best Cinematography”. It also won an American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Song.
