YC the Cynic - GNK [2013]

It's always refreshing to hear a young hip-hop artist debut strongly, and that's exactly what YC the Cynic (now known as Kemba) does on GNK. The Bronx rapper is clearly a student of the classics, as there is a litany of references to artists such as Tupac, A Tribe Called Quest, and Biggie. GNK is not something to put on during a party - the album is mostly dark. YC the Cynic's rapping and producer Frank Dank's beats are both mostly ominous or introspective. 

Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels [2013]

In October 2012 at the Howard Theatre in Washington D.C., Killer Mike opened up for GZA. The rapper was hot off the release of one of the best rap albums in recent memory, the El-P-produced R.A.P. Music. During his thunderous set, Killer Mike announced that he was working on rap collaboration with El-P. The news was met with cheers, but perhaps not as much as one reading this in retrospect would expect. This is likely because there is a good chance that at least half of GZA's audience did not know who El-P was. Killer Mike had already shown he had great rhyme chemistry with El-P on "Butane" (R.A.P. Music) and "Tougher Colder Killer" (El-P's Cancer 4 Cure), but what their fans did not know was just how satisfying Run the Jewels - the album and the group in general - would end up being.

Janelle Monáe - The Electric Lady [2013]

Janelle Monáe's full-length debut, The ArchAndroid, was one of the standout releases of its year and The Electric Lady is a worthy sequel. The lead single ("Dance Apocalyptic") was a take on Andre 3000-inspired brand of pop music that missed the mark. Thankfully, the rest of the album does not sound like this, as Monáe continues to play with a wide range of styles. She delves into Jackson 5-like soul with powerful vocals on the wonderful "It's Code" and sounds equally at home in the cinematic, sultry string-driven atmosphere of "Look Into My Eyes". "Givin' Em' What They Love" has more great Monáe singing and a stellar feature from Prince, who provides a strong guitar solo. The Electric Lady really hits its stride in Suite V, with the blatantly "I Can't Help It" (Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder) influenced "Dorothy Dandridge Eyes" and the infectious "Can't Live Without Your Love" being two of Monáe's best songs. The former has gorgeous scatting from bassist Esperanza Spalding and it is a crime of the highest order that the latter was not pushed as a single. The smooth instrumentation and catchy, succinct hook of "Can't Live Without Your Love" had the potential to do wonders for Monáe on R&B-centered radio stations. The existence of duller tracks like "Primetime" or "We Were Rock & Roll" means that The Electric Lady is ultimately not on the level of The ArchAndroid, but it's still a very good album.