2020 was a good year. For music. Despite what was happening in the world. Record numbers of songs were uploaded on the internet every damn week, and quantity in some cases did turn into quality. From materialistic angle, even more rapid globalization during pandemic (despite the closed borders) allowed to see history in real time, no distance (historical, not social) needed. Artists needed to release an album a month to stay afloat, so new ways of artistic cooperation had to be invented. New approaches to playing live emerged. All these factors had a direct impact on songwriting, distribution and the uneasy relationship between musicians and listeners.
Along with temporality changes, we saw the changes in spatiality. Now any village can become a music capital. The most striking example of this was Flint, MI. Long in the shadow of his big brother, Detroit, it suddenly turned into a booming rap city. All the best Detroit artists dispersed around the States: Cash Kidd moved to Vegas, Lonnie Bands and FMB DZ to California, Peezy got locked up in the feds, Sada Baby is moving around, and others fell off or disappeared. And while they still recorded great music, it was Flint rappers who got the torch now. Rio da Yung Og alone recorded more than 500 features and put out two excellent CDs. Other artists around him suddenly turned into stars: YN Jay, Louie Ray, Grindhard E, RMC Mike, KrispyLife Kidd and many others. In fact, Flint got so big major label stars had to go to it to get a piece of fame. Naturally, this rise of Flint happened with zero dollars budget behind it, which only makes it more fascinating. The butt of all jokes about tap water, Flint wasn’t a joke anymore. This was a year of Flint.
Best political album
Agallah — Darona 2 (Self-Release)
Political rap has long been dead, and 2020 hasn’t promised any resurrection. Godfathers of political hip hop Chuck D and Paris both released new albums but instead of sharpening their pens, they engaged in mutual backslapping. Some rappers indulged in mindless anti-Trumpism, others in equally mindless pro-Trumpism. With the pandemic as a background, Agallah made a bold move with Darona in the spring and Darona 2 in the fall. The first Darona was a rager (we have more than enough hate in hip hop but not enough genuine anger), the second part took personal grievances to a social and communal level. Every current issue floated to the surface in Darona 2. We need more albums like this.
Best Black Metal album
Inquisition — Black Mass for a Mass Grave (Agonia)
Uglier metal albums came out in 2020, but Black Mass for a Mass Grave struck the right chord with me. Fans always found Inquisition’s vocals queer, put it mildly. I guess, there has to be something off about any good metal act, even though I always liked that creepy voice on their records. New album is more polished and melodic (not compliments with regard to metal genre), yet still ferocious and with the riffing you can’t forget.
Album that never happened
Mac J x Bris
With Bris’ sudden death in the summer, a collaborative project between two best Sacramento rappers was abandoned. Mac J, as a CEO of his label which Bris was signed to, could have easily capitalized on Bris’ departure (lots of major labels monetized their signees’ deaths this year), but he didn’t do that. Maybe it is a sign that there is some dignity left in hip hop where even death is nothing but a source of additional revenue.
Losses of the year
Bris \ Lil Yase
While a lot of young black men died this year from ‘Rona and police, young black rappers died from different violent causes. The biggest blows for me were the deaths of two Californian artists, Bris and Lil Yase. Despite similarities in their demises (both murders are obviously unsolved), the two cases were strikingly different. Bris, a young father, dreamt of a meal ticket and wanted get out of the streets as soon as possible. His claim that all he ever rapped about was a true story wasn’t just a marketing stunt. The evidence is his early death.
Lil Yase, on the other hand, has never been involved in any street dealings. Yet judging by his lyrics and appearances, you couldn’t guess that. Images and fantasies from his songs suddenly got only too real.
This is a worrying situation when lines between life and art become too blurred. It allows for more new discoveries for art but the price often is too high.
Best Songs of the Year
Mac J feat Bris — “Adios”
Bris — “Need Hammy”
Cash Kidd — “Impeached”
Ka — “Sins of the Fathers”
FMB DZ feat. Rio Da Yung Og — “High Speed”
Roc Marciano — “Baby Powder”
Rio Da Yung Og — “Copy Cats”
Peezy — “Whole Gang”
Duke Deuce — “Crunk Ain’t Dead (Remix)”
Dclay feat. Cash Kidd — “Gushers”
The Jacka — “Never Worked”
Z-Ro — “Shife”
Kool Keith — “T-Mobile Connect”
Bandgang Lonnie Bands — “Me Too”
Iron Wigs — “Bally Animals & Rugbys feat. Roc Marciano”
