Analytic Dreamz: Notorious Mass Effect - "ANALYTIC DREAMZ TOP 5 HIP-HOP ALBUMS (2023)"

Episode Date: January 22, 2024

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AnalyticNotorious Mass Effect dives deep into the sonic landscapes of hip-hop's most transformative albums, dissecting the lyrics, production, and cultural impact like a Spectre cracking a Geth server. Join Analytic Dreamz as he cracks the code of their own definitive list, unveiling the reasons why these albums hold a special place in his heart and mind.Expect passionate arguments, unexpected connections, and maybe even a tear or two of lyrical joy as we explore the albums that shaped your hip-hop journey. So buckle up, fellow music lovers, and prepare to witness a top 5 unlike any other!This ain't no casual playlist – it's a critical deconstruction! We'll unveil the hidden narratives, unpack the innovative beats, and explore the social commentary woven into these rap masterpieces.Whether you're a seasoned cypher veteran or a curious recruit, Notorious Mass Effect is your gateway to decoding the DNA of hip-hop history. So strap in, adjust your visor, and prepare to witness the lyrical genius unleashed.Here's what awaits you on this intergalactic mission:Unveiling the Architect's Blueprint: Each segment meticulously analyzes a landmark album, dissecting its structure, flow, and thematic cohesion.Beyond the Bars: Go beyond the surface rhymes and delve into the social commentary, historical context, and cultural significance of each track.Production Under the Microscope: Deconstruct the sonic tapestry, appreciating the beats, samples, and instrumental innovation that elevate these albums to another level.Legacy and Lineage: Trace the album's influence on the genre, examining its impact on future artists and the evolution of hip-hop.The Personal Connection: Discover how these albums resonate with Analytic Dreamz on a personal level, offering a unique perspective on their emotional and intellectual impact.Notorious Mass Effect is more than just a podcast – it's a critical analysis, a historical document, and a love letter to the art of hip-hop. Tune in and prepare to have your perception of these iconic albums forever altered.Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

I almost got on my Stephen A tip and had to put on a suit for no reason. Even though this is an audio broadcast, I feel like putting on a suit. Because I was like, you know what? This is professional. You're talking about your top five albums of 2023 and hip hop, and you know you are avid connoisseur of the genre of hip hop. Then I thought about it. I realized, who's going to see me in this suit?

I ain't doing all this work to pull on a suit and nobody's going to see me. So I ain't put on a suit. You know, long story short, that's, yeah, that's, yeah, That's it. So long story short, the story ended. So technically short. Anyways, so the top five albums of 2023. If you don't know, I'm a pretty avid hip-hop connoisseur. Obviously with the podcast, I cover hip-hop and gaming. But throughout my life, I've always been avid and both and authentically engaged in both. So it's not just a facade. And my link tree towards the bottom, like second to the bottom at this playlist which is called what I listen to and part of that

playlist some people may have already picked up on what I think is the best albums of 2023 because that list is literally an embodiment of all the top five list throughout the years since 2016 so I literally documented my favorite tracks albums of 2016 up so if you look at that tab and my link tree that says what I'm listening to and basically it's Dreams with a Z on Spotify if you want to just look it up and my profile basically has my public playlist all the it's basically like my hip hop archive if you will so you can definitely get a a great uh portrait of my favorite music that came out throughout the years with that being said was specifically talking about 2023 and my top five albums of 2023 is very interesting because i like when of course lyricism meets repeatability

that also meets different moods now i have to i have to explain different moods because some people may not know what that means i have a k a vibes but some people may not know what that means basically different settings where you can play the same music different moods that's what i mean Play music with your parents. Play music at the gym. Play music. I mean, I'm not going to say at church, but, you know, like somewhere else. So anyways, you get what I'm saying.

Like, it's very much fitting. It's very fitting these albums for every mood. And they have songs for whatever vibe you're going for. And with that being said, I think that's the perfect transition and to get into my number five on the list, which, if I can pull it up, number five on the list, which is, Why did they keep bringing up the Spanish version? What's up with genius? Let's see. Okay, here we go.

So anyways, like I was saying, before I got thrown off by genius, just not giving me the right list. Number five, we have the one and only Utopia by Travis Scott. I know, shocker. Actually, it is a shocker to my supporters because y'all probably know how to talk about Travis Scott and how he had multiple incidents of inciting the ride until leading up into the Astro situation where a bunch of people died. But, you know, he didn't give an apology

and now nobody, you know, really brings that up no more. So, yeah. Nice to end on a morbid note, you know? No, I'm just joking. I was just joking. Utopia about Travis Scott is interesting because it's such a great body of work. Amazing body of work. Kanye-esque in the way that he's experimenting with sound,

but he's also giving us quality. Like he's not just fake experimenting about fake experimenting. I'm talking about certain artists who try to experiment with the sound, but only are experimenting with the sound because it wasn't good at hip hop in the first place. Travis Scott is one of those that knows what he's doing in the genre of hip hop, knows how the ones and two is supposed to sound, the Aidaway's the hi-hats, knows how certain sonics are supposed to blend in with others, know how the sample is supposed to come in.

Like, did you know? I saw this like when it first came out of course but when Meltdown came out I was like what does that sound like obviously it was a Star Wars sound but I was like what particular scene is that sound from do you know that somebody went in and had a whole sample list of a whole

video describing and showcasing the origin of samples throughout utopia when I tell you that Travis Scott is meticulous with the way he crafts his albums that is an understatement and that is why on this list because Travis Scott really does the utmost due diligence when it comes to putting together bodies of work and that's why Utopia made number five and as far as like something to listen off of Utopia if you want like a snapshot of what you are probably going to enjoy definitely melt

down featuring the goat I mean come on now. Del Resto featuring Beyonce and then I'll probably say for number three I know question mark those are good tracks to start with to kind of get a glimpse of what utopia is going to sound like and if you are like it or not but anyways number five Travis Scott Utopia comes in on my list number four for my top five

albums of 2023 we have I'm gonna keep calling him this because of course he's white so I'm gonna keep calling him the dark horse of hip hop because I just think it's funny in the ironic the ironic sense

anyways hope by nf i know y'all probably like who in the world is this man let me tell you nf put up the top five um first week sales he was he was in the top five of first week sales so that means that he's impacting the charts that's not why he's not here i think he's actually one of the best rappers i've ever heard in life like ever lifetime top three top five i would probably have kedrick nf and it probably like drake you know as far as a rapping no As far as a rapper, no, no, I still have Drake above NF. I'm sorry, I mean spoke with that one. As far as rapping, I think NF is top tier, like all time great when it comes to putting

together words and metaphor assemblies, double triple entendre. Like, he's really gifted in wordplay. And it showcases, and he showcases it effortlessly. the album hope it's just a perfect snapshot of how an F attacks a beat

uniquely like it's Eminem-esque the way that NF raps and I'm being so serious so so it's not a bad way I would say

because you know sometimes Eminem is a quiet taste I feel like NF no NF is also a quiet taste like you have to it's definitely a quiet taste but listening back to hope it just gets better

and better and better every single time i listen to it and i i think it's strictly because of his wordplay the the level of quality he's putting into the album and just his overall dedication to the craft to actually give you some type of perspective into what he he's been going through in his life in which i always say my favorite type of albums no my favorite type of artist are ones that put their life experiences into the music because uh music is a vessel to express your emotions and if you're expressing somebody else's emotions and you're not doing,

you're doing a disservice to the hip hop culture because everybody else is taken why not be yourself and give you a unique story and let me tell you, NF is the embodiment of that. So many gems sprinkled throughout, so many bars sprinkled throughout, and definitely don't get it twisted. He still knows how to make a track.

I mean, just listen to motto, awful hope, listen to careful, or listen to Bullet. Like, he really knows how to make a track along with Masterclass level of lyricism. So with that being said, let's get into my number three

off of my top five albums of 2023. And guess what? I didn't think he could do it, man. I didn't think he could do it. But Cuevo somehow. And I say somehow, because I didn't, I honestly didn't think.

Like, this surprise even me. I was like, I was like, Cuevo made this? Like, I was waiting for Quinn Miller to come out to cut. I was like, there's no way Cuevo made this. There's no way.

I mean, going from Cuevo Hancho that had all the biggest industry names in the world back in October 12th, 2018. I mean, this man had so many industry names. He had his, he had his, uh, a cousin or whatever.

I don't know. Opsett said they're not blood related at this point. You know, offset need help. But, um, He said, no, no, he had all the biggest names in the industry on Cuevo, Hunter, even had his cousin Offsett's biggest op on this album. If y'all don't know, Little Baby and his goons reportedly stripped down Offset after a dice game because he didn't pay up.

I don't know if that actually happened, but there's reports out there, and they may or may not be video. I just don't want to expose the man like that, you know? So I'm going to let you look it up for yourself. So that's why Little Baby and the Migo seemingly had beef, but really the whole time, it was just Little Baby in Offset. So Cuevo had Little Baby on this album, not Karen, whatever, Offset was thinking about. Literally had the little baby feature right after the Offset track, so you already know what that mean. So I don't know if Cuevo was trying to send shots all the way back in 2018, but here we are. 2023.

Oh, I brought the album up because I wanted to say it was trash. Yeah, Cuevo, Huncho, all those names in the world couldn't save it. couldn't save it. Think about it. 21 Savage, Drake, he even had Sweden on there. That's funny. Um, so 21 Savage, Drake, Little Baby, Travis Scott, I mean, goodness, DeVito, Kid Cuddy, I mean, what more help? How much help do you need to make a trash album? That was, that was really atrocious body of work right there. So anyways,

fast forward, 2023, Rocket Power. I mean, it was just unrecognizable. Like, it was night and day. Cuevo made this I'm gonna keep saying that I just obviously was a tribute to take off so I think that has something to do with it I think he wanted to show a little bit more he wanted to do I put forth a little more due diligence

for the tribute album to takeoff and boy did he put out or did he put together a great body of work not only was a great takeoff tribute but I also had single energy single energy from Cuevo giving us anthems

like unrelated to tribute because he had his tracks specifically dedicated to take off of course but then he had his solo tracks where he was just you know rapping like Quabo usually

rap well not usually this is a little different like Quavo was I don't know what got into Quovo like they do say like loss brings out the best in musicians but man I mean

you know I would wish somebody don't go through that but goodness if it didn't turn into a result into a great body of work Rocket Power by Quavo I don't know what got into that man That whole album is just phenomenal from top to bottom So

Yeah hopefully he can keep that up But that's crazy If we're talking about Rocket Power And me giving you some suggestions Off of that one Basically I would say Hold Me as my Well hold me if you don't know

Spoiler Well if you listen to the episode you already heard it But Hold Me is my favorite track of 2023. So definitely that one. Turn your click up with Future. I mean, goodness, Future still hates Russell Wilson. Like, what did that man do?

Not just plain, I know he does, but I know he did. Anyways. And then I like disciples. I like disciples for the simple fact that he pulled a little Vaughn, not little Vaughn, I'm tripping, a little dirt. Basically, he said he's sliding, but he ain't trying to say it. He basically saying all the tears for my man's, wipe my eyes and start laying, don't be talking. Somebody. you and get off the phone somebody clocking what we doing somebody hopping the whip list

hey all i know is that's probably the fbi anthem right now they probably be bumping down the office like man i can't wait to get this man anyways um so yeah that i mean that album i don't know what got into quavo man he really he really did it with that one um oh top two now we have gone into the top two of my list well of top five albums of twenty twenty three so Top two, and I would say not two, but he is two. And may surprise some people, can I know what you're saying? You always think Drake better than everybody, right? Well, not this time.

Not this time. Drake comes at number two for all the dogs. And this was a hard number two, because remember, look up for all the dogs, analytic dreams review, which I think that was my most popular review ever. people really seem to like that review i think i think just because it shined through that i'm a authentic and actual obri grand fan like it's not one of those where it's just doing it for clicks like i actually i've been like i remember my first cd yes cd i'm that old my first cd when i had thank me later which you know has scratched me out and said thank me now but you know um

listening to fireworks on my cd play player listening to all the other tracks. Like obviously, you know, people probably be like, oh, well, I was there for so far gone and stuff like that. Like, I'm sorry, I didn't. I was a little kid. I didn't know how to get mixtapes back then, you know? Hey, what are you going to do?

So, yeah, the first CD I got was thank me later. And ever since now, so I was like, dang, this man is different. Of course, I've always said Big Sean was my favorite artist. He left me in my high school year, sad day in history. And Drake kept dropping music. So he became my favorite over time. He was always in my top two, top three, though. Yeah.

So, Drake is number two on my list of top five albums of 2023. Because like I said, for all the dogs, it's just one of the greatest albums that he's ever made. I think it's in his top five, top four. Statistically, it's still up there. I mean, it's his first time putting up five tracks in number one since Scorpion. I mean, if that don't tell you something, I don't know what will. If y'all don't remember, Scorpion had in my feel, I'm not, I don't even have the trackless up. Scorpion had in my feelings.

Nice for what. It was other ones. I'm trying to think of the big one, so God's plan. I mean, even that, that's a mouthful in itself. Like, Scorpion is also a classic. But for all the dogs, I've never, I don't think I've ranked the, I think I've ranked the Drake albums, but I haven't written it down. But I think it's like in my top five, top ten.

top ten is crazy because how many albums do this is Drake have so um I think it's in my top five because of course number one is take care of by far um number two would be nothing was the same both of those are classics number three would probably be scorpion for me and number four I have four other dogs and then number five I probably have uh probably views and a lot of people hit me about that list they was like dang no love for what a time to be alive or if you're reading this is too late i think both of those are mix tapes in the in the sense of uh production wise and i'm really more of uh i need to hear the effort and i don't know why but when people put together samples to mix in with their tracks

obviously not no nice for what like i killed nice for what because i'm like bro it's just a sample like is it even a song if the sample's overplaying your lyrics but anyways if you use a sample in a unique way that you're creating some type of artistic twist to it, then I'm more inclined to let it slide. So, but mixtape, Drake, I mean, it's cool, but I prefer album Drake. So that's why those not really on my list. Replayability is through the roof, though,

but also I need some lyricism. And yeah, I just think for all the dogs, he's one of his best bodies of work when it comes to blending the two. Because like I said, my criteria always is lyrics. first, repeatability, second, and then different moves, third, which if you don't know, different moves is basically you being able to listen to the same type of body of work

in any scenario, whether you're with your parents, whether you're by yourself, whether you're in a gym, whether you're with a significant other. I feel like being able to play the same body of work in different scenarios makes it superior to others. So for all the dogs, Honestly, that's, I mean, it would be number one if it wasn't for the fact that number one, let's just get into it. It would be number one for the fact that, uh, if it wasn't for the fact that Nikki just didn't care about people's feelings.

Like, she just really came through and dropped one of the best albums ever, like of all time. Like, Pink Friday 2, maybe Nikki Minaj's best album of all time. And so for me, it comes at number one for my list. So top five albums of 2023, um, number one for me. is Pink Friday 2. And the reason for that is because her first track is very slow. Made me feel like, ah, it's going to be another one of those

where it's a slow burner. It's going to be hard to get through. And then Barbie Dangerous, FTCU, beep, beep, falling for you. Let me, like, it just kept going with hit after hit, after hit, after hit, after hit, after hit, I mean, you look at the charts.

Everybody, no pun intended. Everybody is singing until the, the track and rap into the track everybody i mean i've never seen that type of traction besides i'm trying to see who else i think i think niki was top two in first week sales maybe it was travis no it was travis i think it was drake but not think drake is by far like come on now sometimes you know i mean i make sure you put respect on the goat name i know he may not be number one but let me you know what i mean can't be disrespectful with it so number one was drake of course i forget how much he sold. I'm talking about sales.

So, I think he sold like 700,000. I'm not going to look it up. I think I'm just going off memory. Utopia. So, like, 500,000. Pink Friday, so like 200,000. Uzi, so like 120, 130,000. And the NF sold like 101,000. I think that was the top five. Yeah.

So anyways, why did I say that? Um, I was just going over the list because I almost disrespect to Drake. But anyways, yeah, so Nikki really put together a classic body of work. Like, all of these tracks are fire. Like, it's really crazy. I don't know if it's like a, that made me really, Pink Friday 2 made me really believe in the art of time and place. because Pink Friday 2 should not be as highly acclaimed as it is. Because hear me out, December is really a month, well, second half,

is really a month of reflection of what just came out. It's not the month to still be trying to see what is going to take the year as far as the best album or best song, you know? So for Pink Friday 2 to come as strong as it did, it's like, it's as if the music and quality was so strong that Nikki had to make sure everything was right for me

I'm not going to see it screams trying to be a perfectionist but she could have put this out in the middle of the year towards the beginning of the year a lot of people are going to start attributing this mark my words a lot of people are going to start attributing Pink Friday 2 to 2024 when award season comes

but remember it can came out this year. So technically it's in a war cycle for next year, but it came out December of 2023. So just a little nitpick. But besides that, Pink Friday 2, one of the best albums I've ever heard in life. And for a women rapper to put out content

that I can confidently rap along to, well, some, not all of them, you know. Nikki, still be wilding on some of the, bars like you know if you swing that way a teacher's own but for me you know straight mail um some phrases and words that she uses it's just not in my lexicon it's not in my roller my mental rolydecks it's not something that i would like to say or even think about saying you know so i can't really wrap along to all of nicky minage's lyrics but for pink friday too i will say that majority more than her other albums

I was able to actually, you know, confidently rap along with. So, anyways, as far as the standouts, I would probably say Beep Beep is such a great track, but it's so short. And obviously she had, what's this called? The Gag City Deluxe that had 50 Cent as a remix. I think this is a guess.

Straight up assumption. I'm guessing she wanted that 50 cent feature for the album, couldn't get it, put out the album, saw the critically acclaim and all the buzz surrounding it and 50 cent was like you know what i should i should have probably turned my verse in because if you listen to the remix it sounded like 50 said did that remix in like one take one or two takes like it seemed like he ain't really tried too hard like if i was nicky i would have been like you know what just forget him like i would have got somebody else like i know 50 cent a legend but goodness like that man sound like he just rolled

out of bed and made that verse like i'm sorry i know we the person treat our elderly's nice or our elder with respect but goodness 50 cent like act like at least act like you awake when you're giving verses like that man rode out of bed gave the turned in the verse to to beep beep and thought it was going to be all all good like that was

that was interesting so anyways that's not it but uh so yeah beep beep is too short but if it wasn't short i would say that would be a recommendation for me. So starting over at 1. Let me calm down featuring J. Cole, big standout. I think that's the best track Jay Cole had, and a lot of people attribute that to first person shooter. But I think the gems that J. Cole gave on Let Me Calm Down is way more impactful than what he was saying on first person shooter talking about him, Drake, and Kendrick being the top three. I think it's just

way more impactful. Number two, of course, I'll probably say, I'm not going to be biased and say Needle featuring Drake. So, and I'm not going to pick any of the singles. Dang, what to pick? So many good tracks. I'll probably say Barbie Dangerous. And then number three, I'll probably say My Life, and that's in no order.

Because my life is, well, actually, to put it in an order, my life would probably be my second favorite song. And the last track off of the album probably be my favorite with Just the Memories. I don't know. I like Personal Reflection. If it hasn't, you know, if that, hasn't been ingrained until your brain already.

I like personal reflection. Nick Minaj is one of the best at it. And as far as rapping, putting words together and making it into a way where it means a bunch of, a bunch of different things, Nikki is the best at it. So that is my list for the top five albums of 2023 to go back over it. Of course, like I said, on my link tree towards the second to last, it should say what I'm currently listening to and should bring. bring up this page right here.

Hopefully if I could see it. Yeah, it should bring up this page right here, having all my public playlist. Yeah, this is what you should see. And as you can, you know, I have a, you know, archive right here all the way from 16. So, you know, I've been listening to music. That's really what I do.

So for 2023, of course, my top five albums is one, Utopia featuring Travis Scott, two, and F, uh, Why is that? Why I say featuring Travis Scott? Wonderworld. Anyways, Utopia, made by Travis Scott, album by Travis Scott. Number four, Hope by NF.

Number three, Rocket Power by Cuevo. I still don't know what got into that, man. At all my selections, Quavo was the most surprising one. I'm like, dang, I never thought Quable would make, like, such a great solo body of work. And that's no disrespect. But when you be in a group for so long and then you put out your first solo body of work and is that abysmal? It's like, okay, let me not even think about that man

ever making music on his own. So when he came out with this, hey, I guess everybody has a comeback story, right? And then for all the dogs, number two, by Drake, of course. I still think this album is a classic. And I think his top five in Drake's discography. But the only, I'm not even going to, it's not even a qualifier.

Nikki Minaj, Pink Friday, 2 is the best album by far in 2023. Like, is Nick and Minaj's best album of all time, and she's been in the game a decade plus. So anyways, hopefully it gives you, hopefully it gives you some type of idea on how I was listening to music throughout 2023 and how the music impacted me and what I gravitated towards and what was my favorite. But as always, click my link to you in my bio and let me know in one of my social medias. What do you think about my top five albums of 20s? 2023 list and what do you think I should took out what do you think I should put in and also more importantly what was your and I really do you know I know a lot of y'all hit me with like y'all takes and stuff so definitely let me know what was your favorite album of 2023