Childish Gambino, EP, Indie
Five free ferocious tracks from an Emmy-winner was all it took to put the hip-hop scene on notice, this untitled EP was easily the hardest hitting hip-hop album of 2011.
Childish Gambino,Camp,Glassnote
Handsdownthisis one of the best debut albums in hip-hop, period. Honest and unpretentious, Camp simply hones the raw intensity of Gambino’s EP without losing a thing.
Quake, The Myth, IV League
The Fairview emcee recently dropped his debut album The Myth, a gritty slice of hard-hitting hip-hop. The Myth showcases an emcee that is imminently poised to blow up.
 
Manchester Orchestra, Simple Math, Columbia
An ambitious concept record that is far from being an easily accessible pop record, that being said it is easily one of the most interesting discs of 2011.
Classified, Handshakes and Middle Fingers, Sony
Enfield’s own Classified has put together an instantly accessible record with such recognizable hits, the folks at EA Sports came knocking and “That Ain’t Classy” now appears on the Madden 12 soundtrack.
