The Best Hip Hop Music of 2015
If you’re a fan of hip hop music, then you’re in for a treat. 2015 was a great year for the genre, with a wide variety of artists releasing some truly incredible music.
In this blog post, we’ll be counting down the best hip hop albums of 2015. From Kendrick Lamar’s highly-acclaimed To Pimp a Butterfly to Drake’s chart-topping Views, there’s something here for everyone.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy
Best Hip Hop Albums
This year was an incredible year for hip hop music. We saw a lot of new artists emerging and making a name for themselves. Some of the best hip hop albums of 2015 include Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, J. Cole’s Forest Hills Drive, and Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.
Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp a Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” is one of the best hip hop albums of 2015. It is a deeply personal and political album that addresses race, class, and gender in America. Lamar’s lyrics are incredibly insightful and his delivery is unmatched. The production on the album is top-notch, with jazz, funk, and soul influences that create a unique soundscape. If you are a fan of hip hop, or just good music in general, “To Pimp a Butterfly” is an album that you need to check out.
Dr. Dre- Compton
Dr. Dre is one of the most influential figures in Hip Hop, and his return to music with Compton was one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2015. The album was released on August 7th, and it quickly shot to the top of the charts, debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200. Compton is a lyrically dense and sonically experimental album that finds Dre exploring new soundscapes, and it features some of the biggest names in Hip Hop, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem.
J. Cole- Forest Hills Drive
J. Cole’s third studio album, Forest Hills Drive, was released on December 9, 2014. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 371,000 copies in its first week. It was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2015 Grammy Awards.
Best Hip Hop Songs
Hip hop music has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the Bronx. Today, hip hop is a global phenomenon with artists from all over the world making some of the best music in the genre. 2015 was no exception, with many great hip hop songs being released. Here are some of the best hip hop songs of 2015.
Kendrick Lamar- “Alright”
“Alright” is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, taken from his third album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). The song, which features uncredited vocals from singer-songwriter Anna Wise on the hook, was produced by Pharrell Williams and Sounwave. “Alright” was released to radio stations as the fourth single from To Pimp a Butterfly on June 30, 2015. Upon its release, “Alright” received universal acclaim from music critics and is considered one of Lamar’s best works. It debuted atop the US Billboard Hot 100, giving Lamar his first US number-one single. “Alright” received three Grammy Awards at the 58th Grammy Awards: Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
J. Cole- “No Role Modelz”
“No Role Modelz” is a song by American hip hop recording artist J. Cole, taken from his third studio album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive. The song was produced by Cole himself and released as the lead single from the album on November 17, 2014. The song contains elements of trap music and samples American R&B singer-songwriter Natalie La Rose’s 2014 single “Somebody”. The song became Cole’s second top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 37.
The song’s production uses a minimalist approach with a simple drum pattern and synth melody. The song’s lyrics are largely concerned with materialism and luxury. “No Role Modelz” was generally well received by music critics upon release and was included on several year-end lists of the best songs of 2015. The song won Best Rap Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards.
Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg- “Still D.R.E.”
“Still D.R.E.” is a song by American rapper Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on October 13, 1999 as the lead single from Dr. Dre’s second studio album, 2001 (1999). The single itself was a commercial success, reaching number 93 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 28 on the UK Singles Chart.
Best Hip Hop Music Videos
There were so many great hip hop music videos this year! It was hard to choose just a few, but here are our favorites. We’ve got videos from Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Big Sean, and more.
Kendrick Lamar- “Alright”
“Alright” is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar, taken from his third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). The song, produced by Pharrell Williams with additional production by Sounwave, was released on June 30, 2015 as the fourth single from the album following “The Blacker the Berry”, “King Kunta” and “i”. Musically, “Alright” is a mid-tempo track that features verses from Lamar in which he adopts a rhythmic and spiritual flow. The chorus consists of a repeating mantra of the title. The composition also features dense bass and subtly atmospheric synths. Upon its release, “Alright” was acclaimed by music critics who praised its musical elements and Lamar’s verses. It received a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.
The song’s music video was directed by Colin Tilley and designed by Brandon Cyril. It depicts various scenes of violence and disorder in urban areas, with police brutality against African Americans being a major theme throughout. The visuals are interspersed with footage of family life and religious icons such as Nelson Mandela.
J. Cole- “No Role Modelz”
J. Cole’s “No Role Modelz” was one of the best hip hop music videos of 2015. The video tells the story of a young girl who is trying to find her place in the world. The video is shot in a black and white, and it has a very classic feel to it. The video is also very thought-provoking and it will make you think about your own life and how you can make a difference in the world.
Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg- “Still D.R.E.”
“Still D.R.E.” is a song by American rapper Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on October 13, 1999, as the lead single from Dre’s multi-platinum second studio album, 2001 (1999). The song is produced by Dr. Dre and Mel-Man. The hook is sung by Snoop Dogg, representing his own mother calling him “Snoopy” when he was younger.
“Still D.R.E.” peaked at number 93 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 36 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In 2001, the song won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group At the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, the music video for “Still D.R.E.” was nominated for four awards, including Best Rap Video and won two, for Best Editing and Best Cinematography. In 2008, it was ranked number eight on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop
