BEST RAP ALBUMRevenge of the Dreamers IIIDREAMVILLEThrough the years, J. Cole earned a reputation as one of hip-hop’s lone
rangers, due to his resistance to col-laborations and guest features. But in 2019, Cole scrubbed off his “platinum with no features” moniker by assem-bling his legion of Dreamville soldiers to create the collaborative album
Revenge of the Dreamers IIImasterminds the 18 tracks, which include starry features from Msuch as DaBaby (“Under the Sun”) and T.I. (“Ladies, Ladies, Ladies”). Still, it’s Cole’s roster of all-stars that. Cole Cs
drives home the project, thanks to JID’s hypnotic hooks (“Down Bad”), Earthgang’s seamless chemistry (“Sacrifices”) and Ari Lennox’s silky vocals (“Got Me”).
ChampionshipsMEEK MILLMmatic losses into moments of triumph is why he’s considered one of hip-hop’s favorite Meek Mill’s talent for turning trau-Cs. After he was released
from prison in 2018 for violating pro-bation from a previous gun and drug charge, the Philadelphia star turned to that time away as inspiration to create his Billboard 200 chart-topping album, Championships. The celebra-
tory project showcases a refurbished MO’Noodles Babies”), but also mature enough to make amends with past rivals, as on “Going Bad,” featuring foe-turned-friend Drake. Still, Meek, who’s not only woke (“Oodles eek’s
attachment to the streets is what makes WCollins sample or channeling the spirit of The Notorious B.I.G. on “WFree,” no one can preach the ghetto hether he’s skating through a Phil Championships a slam-dunk. hat’s
gospel better than MI Am > I Was 21 SAVAGEThough 21 Savage thrives as a fea-tured artist, his strength as a song-eek.
writer can no longer be underestimat-ed, especially after the release of his sophomore album,2018, Savage’s late entry into the race for best rap album was worth the wait as he constructed a project built on I Am > I Was. In
growth and evolution. From the get-go, he drills his opposition with cold hard facts about his brother’s death on the introspective opener “A Lot,” while even on the Post Massisted “All My Friends,” Savage alone-
steers with caution when trying to build new relationships because of his newfound persona. Due to his maturity, the Atlanta native was able to craft a formidable album that mined new territory, pushing his
career forward in the process.IGORTYLER, THE CREATORIn 2017, Tyler, The Creator showed signs of evolution when he released
his fourth album, with candor, the album wooed listeners with Tyler’s vulnerable side, so much so that it earned him a Grammy nomination for best rap album that year. Two years later, Flower Boy. SpikedTyler upped the ante by tastefully shaping his fifth album, his most complete body of work. Instead of coloring within the lines of conventionalism, Tyler chooses to sing rather than rap, eschewing the IGOR, into
traditional boundaries of the genre. The results are brilliant — not only does Tyler provide a soundtrack for hapless romantics (“I Think”), but his ear for production reaches its apex on powerful cuts like “Running
Out of Time” and “Earfquake.”The Lost BoyYBN CORDAETwo years ago, YBN Cordae was a wide-eyed college student working at
TGI Friday’s. Now, with debut album The Lost Boynated artist. Stacked with poignant tales about his inner circle (“Family Mduring his upbringing (“Bad Idea”), atters”), and his day-to-day battles , he’s a Grammy-nomi-Cordae scripts an album that stays true to his core: a troubled soul find-ing salvation through his hopes and dreams, crafted over a bright palette of lush production and gospel-tinged skits. And when Cordae isn’t painting
pictures about his life, he’s a formi-dable lyricist on other topics, stand-ing toe-to-toe with some of hip-hop’s brightest stars such as Pusha T, MMill and Anderson .Paak. eek
BEST RAP SONG“Bad Idea”YBN CORDAE Featuring Chance the RapperSONGWRITERS Chancelor Bennett,
Cordae Dunston, Uforo Ebong, Daniel HackettSince the late 2000s, the District of Columbia/Mbirthed a handful of nimble lyricists, aryland/Virginia area has
J. Cole at the NBA All-Star Game at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., on Feb. 17.Rap
GRAMMYAWARDS
104 BILLBOARD • DECEMBER 7, 2019
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