best r&B

10-KELIS-Flesh Tone (Interscope)

It’s official. Hip-hop has had an amazing period for the first time in ages, thanks not only to two of the genre’s biggest names delivering some of the best albums of the year , but also because is finally going through a much needed creative shakeup and some of the best releases of the last twelve months seem to prove it. Beginning with the Odd Future label and its guerrilla tactics from a tumblr page where most of its records are made available as free downloads. Their stars –Earl Sweatshirt; Tyler The Creator; Domo Genesis and Mellowhype- have amassed a terrific body of work that’s about to become recognized. Other new and promising names in rap were Curren$y and his double ration of ‘Pillow Talk’; Shabazz Palaces – the new project of ex Digable Planet Butterfly- recently signed by Sub Pop and another self-releasing promise act, Big K.R.I.T.

In the urban world the situation was not as rosy, although some surprises appeared from the hands of Lil Wayne’s protégée Drake; John Legend teaming with The Roots in an album that revisits the politically conscious spirit of black musicians from the 70s; Erykah Badu and her second installment of her ‘Nu Amerykah’; Kelis surviving such dubious company as David Guetta or Will.I.Am and Chrisette Michelle, whose second opus has just arrived and is easily one of the best R&B works in years.

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