It’s 2020, and a new decade is officially upon us. Given the rarity of the occurrence, you can expect to be reminded countless times in the days, weeks, and months to follow. In all seriousness, however, it does feel like a big deal. The period between 2009 and 2019 proved immensely fruitful for pop culture, effectively bringing a variety of new movements to the hip-hop landscape. And to think, Nas deemed hip-hop dead back in 2006 — perhaps he was merely looking to spark a second wind.
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Now veteran artists like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, A$AP Rocky, Young Thug, Future, Tyler, The Creator, Frank Ocean and many more arrived and grew into superstars. Classic albums, ranging from Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly became defining musical moments. Against all odds, Dr. Dre dropped an album.
Rather than amassing a quote-unquote objective take on the decade’s best, it feels right to open the floor on this particular topic. With that said, what are your favorite albums and songs of the past ten years? Was there a moment in hip-hop you feel was truly memorable? I understand that gathering your thoughts following New Year’s Eve festivities may be a tall order, but no pressure here. Consider this a moment of sober and judgment-free reflection. And most importantly, Happy New Year from all of us over at HNHH!
What were your favorite songs and albums from the past decade? (2009-2019)
