2020 has been a fairly difficult year due to the Covid-19 outbreak. We’ve all been stuck in isolation for much of the time, and because of this, the music industry has somewhat thrived because people need new forms of entertainment.

We’ve received a lot of great new music this year, especially in the rap genre, from surprise albums to highly anticipated albums, to projects that may have flown under the radar. Here are my top five rap albums of 2020 so far, with the hopes it gives you some new music to listen to.

5. Eternal Atake by Lil Uzi Vert

Since May 2019, fans have been ready for American rapper Lil Uzi Vert’s next big project: Eternal Atake. It took nearly another year to release, but to most, it was worth the wait. Not only is it critically acclaimed, but when it came out it was the number one album in the world, selling 288,000 units in its first week. Uzi gained even more recognition after releasing the deluxe version of Eternal Atake, named Luv vs The World 2, which refers back to his 2016 mixtape Lil Uzi Vert  Vs. The World.

Lil Uzi Vert separated the album into three parts representing three different personas. Tracks one to six represent Uzi’s more aggressive persona “Baby Pluto.” Tracks seven through twelve show his more compassionate side as “Renji,” and the rest of the album represents Lil Uzi Vert himself. This final part is perfectly shown on track 16 named “P2,” acting as a sequel to “XO tour life,” Lil Uzi’s most popular song, which was released in 2017. Overall, Eternal Atake is an easy and enjoyable listen with a lot of memorable tracks.

My rating: 8.3/10

4. The Goat by Polo G

Polo G’s second studio album named The Goat, released on May 15th 2020, turned heads because of its title, which seemed to be an abbreviation for “Greatest Of All Time.” Polo G cleared up the confusion, saying that it was actually in reference to his zodiac sign: Capricorn. On the album, Polo G wanted to showcase his versatility and that is exactly what he did, from aggressive tracks like “Go Stupid” (ft Nle Choppa, Stunna 4 Vegas) to softer tracks like “DND.”

On each track of the 16 song project, Polo G highlights certain aspects of his life, from gang violence to love. His cadence and delivery make no two tracks feel the same. With songs like “Wishing for a Hero” (a remix of Tupac’s Changes) resonating with The Black Lives Matter movement, Polo G managed to make this album personal so listeners could experience his trauma.

My rating: 8.6/10

3. PTSD by G Herbo

PTSD was inspired by G Herbo’s run in with the law in 2018 and him being diagnosed with PTSD shortly after. This album shows G Herbo embracing his diagnosis and most of the songs talk about the impact gang life/violence had on him when he was younger. 

The title song on the Album, “PTSD,” is a collaboration with Juice Wrld (1998-2019), Chance the Rapper and Lil Uzi Vert, and talks about their collective experiences with the disorder. Lyrics such as “they said I’d be in jail or dead” carry more weight, sung by the late Juice Wrld, who died in December 2019. Moments such as these are present throughout the album and give listeners the opportunity to feel for what these artists have experienced.

My rating: 8.8/10

2. Legends Never Die by Juice Wrld

After the passing of Juice Wrld, fans eagerly waited on news regarding a new album because information was released about Juice Wrld having recorded thousands of songs before his death. Then came July 10th 2020 when Legends Never Die dropped on all streaming platforms. The album immediately had commercial success, with around 500,000 units being sold in the very first week, making it one of the most successful posthumous albums of all time. The album also crashed Spotify because there were too many people listening at the same time. 

The album showcases the issues Wrld had with drug abuse in the past through his braggadocios lyrics. The lyrics have more weight to them especially regarding the way he passed, almost as if he saw the overdose coming. The skits and small audio samples placed between songs help maintain the album’s quality and it gave fans an insight into the mind of Jarad Anthony Higgins. Overall, the album was expected to be good, but it blew all expectations out the water, especially with the amount of care and dedication from his label, Grade A. Juice Wrld left a lasting impact on a lot of people with this album. 

My rating: 9/10

1. Excuse Me for Being Antisocial by Roddy Ricch

Roddy Ricch was once dubbed as one of the most underrated artists of this generation–that is, before dropping this project. Excuse Me for Being Antisocial has been described as an easy and fun listen, but it also has punchlines that resonate with fans.

The album held its spot as number 1 in the top 200 for 22 weeks. With memorable songs such as “The Box” and “Tip Toe” (ft Boogie Wit Da Hoodie), it seemed Ricch could do no wrong. Ricch manages to create his own sound, mashing melodic flows with more aggressive cadences commonly found  in modern rap songs. Ricch has managed to create an album that people in this generation will remember for a long time.

My rating: 9.2/10

Tell us: What do you think about this list? Any album that should’ve been included? Comment down below.