After releasing some of the best extended plays of 2014 yesterday, we are continuing with the best free projects this year. To reiterate, the lines between mixtape, street album, album are blurred more than ever and instead of offending anyone, we have grouped together the projects that are only available for sale and those that can be downloaded for free. Again, 10 is too small a number for this type of things and this list wouldn’t be right without including: Gifted Gab’s Girl Rap, King Mez’s Long Live the King, TxE’s Vs PRTLND or Jakarta Records’ label compilation – Summer in Jarkata.
I was unfamiliar with Notoriety before this year but their Ground Table mixtape made sure that I will not forget their name anytime soon. Featuring a long list of Boston artists, it is a great introduction and representation of the scene there.
Buddy jumped to attention after an announcement of his deal with Pharrell’s IAMOTHER which unfortunately did not last. I don’t know if Idle Time is completely from those sessions or not but it is a very unique project and especially doesn’t sound like anything else coming out of Compton. He is an impressive emcee but beyond that, he makes good music.
The Phony PPL emcee has stepped out on his own to demonstrate he can handle a full project himself too. He made us wait for this one but it was definitely worth it. Features Casey Veggies, Astro, Topaz Jones and more.
Another breath of fresh air in the hip hop game. Topaz Jones blends a lot of different influences into a smooth product packed tightly with excellent lyrics and harmonies.
Did y’all REALLY think dude was NaS? Maybe that can be considered a compliment for Droog? Maybe y’all think he is biting? He certainly sounds similar.. Either way, his rhyme schemes are on point and at this point, we know he ISN’T NaS… Once/if you can get over the Esco comparisons, Droog is making some dope-ass hip hop.
After leaving his kingdom for New York, Luck-One (now known simply as Hanif) dropped one of the best projects this year. I can’t speak highly enough of this guy. If you want music that will entertain but also educate/make you think, look no further. Featuring some of the top talent that the PNW has to offer, Hanif continues preside over Washington and Oregon.
This guy can’t stop. If you aren’t a fan at this point, he just isn’t for you. But if you are down with the Jet Life movement, then Curren$y hasn’t missed in a long while. The Drive-In Theatre is just the latest installment.
It was a tossup between this one and Luca Brasi 2 but the highs of BAM are just too high for me to keep it off this list. Gates seems to be turning a lot of heads – for his music, his social media, other antics – but I think he will make the best of his attention and will be a name people are talking about more every year.
Real. The first word that comes to mind when describing Raz Simone’s music – be it a collaboration with frequent partner Sam Lachow or it a solo disc of his own. Cognitive Dissonance and what we’ve heard of the follow-up, are intensely vivid portraits into Raz’s life.
These guys can’t be stopped. Since Killer Mike and El-P made that one track years ago, and eventually decided to form Run the Jewels, their chemistry continues to grow and their music gets better. Thanks to EL-P’s production RTJ2 sounds like nothing else out there; combined with his rhymes, KILLER MIKE and each feature doing their part, this was the best project out in 2014.
Da-What 
Posted on January 5, 2015 by Benja
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