(ThyBlackMan.com) There’s a need to just relax and wind down from the day. It could’ve been a hard day or the day was just so slow that you might as well just chill and hope that nothing or no one disrupts it. Hip hop is the soundtrack to my downtime so I give you seven albums to for your chill time.
Curren$y – Weekend at Burnie’s (2011)
The fifth album from Curren$y is perfect for a slow day, a day off, late night—really anything where you have time to chill and/or think on things. This all comes down to the New Orleans rapper’s style. When I first heard Curren$y’s material, it put me in the mind of the top shelf Houston stuff—mainly UGK.
The combination of his flow, lyrics about women, smoking, and cars, and his beats makes most of his full length and mixtape catalog worth a listen. As for Weekend at Burnie’s, you’re getting some primo Curren$y. From his full-length catalog, I also highly recommend The Stoned Immaculate from 2012.
Drake – Scorpion (2018)
One of the selling points of Drake for me is that his music can be vibed to for the most part. You’ll get something that really hits and makes you want to dance—especially in collaborations—but for the most part, Drake delivers on some chill stuff with no-faster-than-mid-tempo beats. I generally prefer up tempo stuff but Drake’s material delivers.
As a matter of fact, it was in listening to Drake that I came to appreciate slow and mid-tempo stuff more. His 2018 full-length release Scorpion is a double album that gives a mix of hip hop and R&B. Now, twenty-five songs might be a bit but we’re talking tunes to chill to and in twenty-five songs, you’ll find plenty to chill to.
If you need something with the same approach but more digestible, I recommend Drake’s Take Care from 2011.
Action Bronson – Well-Done (2011)
If you want something with a little bite to it but that won’t necessarily kill your vibe, go with Action Bronson. He’s one of a handful of New York City rappers past and present who catch my ear to the point that I won’t skip songs. He has an abrasive stream of consciousness flow where he can really just go on a beat.
Now this could take you out of a certain frame of mind if wasn’t for his keen beat selection. His beats work perfectly with his style and Well-Done is a great example of that. Since I already dropped a freebie recommendation along with Curren$y’s full length recommendation, give Action Bronson’s Lamb over Rice mixtape a listen as well.
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Bandana (2019)
Gibbs is one of the top tier rappers going at the moment. This is a Gibbs who has gotten better since he and Madlib’s first outing with Pinata. Besides his work with MF DOOM, it’s Madlib’s work with Freddie Gibbs that I really dig and this one is incredible.
It mixes beats done on Madlib’s iPad, Gibbs’ smooth but punchy flow, and Gibbs’ lyrical ability—and as expected, it works. I’d put this in the “abrasive but still chill” category along with Bronson’s Well-Done. If you need some more Freddie Gibbs, check out Freddie from 2018.
Curren$y – Andretti 10/30 (2016)
Round two with Curren$y comes from his 2016 release Andretti 10/30, the second in the four-part Andretti mixtape series. I’d say all four are strong releases and testaments not only of Curren$y’s skills as an artist but also his consistency and work ethic. He compiled enough music to do a mixtape a month with consistent sounds but also consistent quality. Simply impressive.
So, what kind of vibe does this give off? After all, we just had back-to-back abrasive but chill albums. This one puts us firmly back in chill-territory. It’s Peppermint Patty chill.
Future – Hndrxx (2017)
Future delivers on a mix of tempos which is something I like. You get plenty of up-tempo stuff, a little slow-paced material, he can lean towards aggressive at times. As an artist, he’s flexible but tends to give you what you expect of him.
Then there’s Hndrxx which can be considered experimental when paired with the rest of his discography. Well, we can call it a bit of a departure. It’s still Future but there’s some different stuff here. There’s some abrasive material here but you’re still able to vibe with it.
As a matter of fact, it’s possible to vibe with some of his more aggressive stuff. I dig Future’s flow but it’s down to the beats with as far as if it’s time to chill when it comes to him. Hndrxx is an album that you can chill with.
If you need something else out of Future to rock with, I’d go with 2016’s Evol.
Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist – Fetti (2018)
We started with Curren$y and now we’re ending with Curren$y—along with Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist. Like a lot of the stuff on this list, I discovered this while chilling with younger brother and he put this on. Curren$y grew on me and Freddie Gibbs had already won me over, so putting these two together was a treat.
You get the laid-back flow and lyrics of Curren$y with Gibbs’ controlled aggressiveness and darker themes. The Alchemist provides the backdrop for these two and it’s a great match. I would say sometimes unexpected pairing give great outcomes but I had a feeling this would be a dope album.
The question is: can you chill with Fetti? Definitely. Curren$y really holds it down on that front and Gibbs dives into chill territory on some tracks. He’s no stranger to laid back music, he just hits it out the park when you want something dangerous. Fetti gives you both.
Now, I haven’t given any track recommendations yet and since this is the only collaboration album between the two I’ll say “Willie Lloyd” is a particularly cold track on this album. It’s not something to sit back and chill with it’s dark and it’s cold. It’s my standout track on this one.
Do you have any recommendations? Let us know in the comments!
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.