CULTURE CHECK 2020

2020 sure was the year of the unexpected with the pandemic changing the trajectory of how artists are going to operate in the industry. For the culture it sure was challenging as some artists were left with the task of having to really get creative with their likeness as touring, interviewing, and performing at events were canceled. Some artists didn’t let this stop them as some went into the studio and locked in and delivered despite all of it. From home studio performances, social media posts, interview rollouts from home, Versus matchups, and we even saw artists bring deluxe albums back into their releases to give more music to their respective fan bases. Despite the trying year we saw artists step into the spotlight and deliver especially with frontier runners like Lil Baby, Dababy, and Megan Thee Stallion for Hip-Hop this year and underground acts like Jack Harlow, Mulatto, and Fivio Foreign made waves. R&B held it down in the pandemic with a lot of great projects being released from acts like Chloe & Hal, Kehlani, and Teyana Taylor as well as new acts like Giveon, Kiana Lede, and Blxst. 2020 will be a year to remember but still as we always do before the start of the new year we release our accolades for the year from best song, album, and artist of the year.

2020 HIP-HOP/RAP SONGS OF THE YEAR

1.Chris Brown, Young Thug – Go Crazy

2. Dababy – Rockstar ft. Roddy Ricch

3. Roddy Ricch – The Box

4. Cardi B – WAP ft. Megan Thee Stallion

5. Lil Baby – We Paid

2020 R&B SONGS OF THE YEAR

1. SZA – Hit Different
2. Giveon – Like I Want You
3. Jhene Aiko – B.S. ft. HER
4. Chloe x Halle – Do It
5. The Weeknd – Blinding Lights

2020 HIP-HOP/R&B BEST NEW ARTIST

HIP-HOP/RAP

1. Pop Smoke
2. Jack Harlow
3. Fivio Foreign
4. Benny The Butcher
5. Mulatto

R&B

1. Giveon
2. Queen Naija
3. Blxst
4. Mariah The Scientist
5. Aria Bleu

2020 HIP-HOP/R&B ARTISTS OF THE YEAR

HIP-HOP/RAP

1. Lil Baby
2. Megan Thee Stallion
3. Roddy Ricch
4. Dababy
5. Pop Smoke

R&B

1. Kehlani
2. The Weeknd
3. Beyonce
4. Chris Brown
5. Chloe x Halle

2020 BEST HIP-HOP/RAP ALBUMS

1. Lil Baby – My Turn
2. Benny The Butcher – Burden of Proof
3. Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist – Alfredo
4. Royce Da 5’9 – The Allegory
5. Pop Smoke – Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon
6. Chris Brown, Young Thug – Slime & B
7. Spillage Village – Spilligion
8. 21 Savage, Metro Boomin – Savage Mode 2
9. Nas – Kings Disease
10. Jay Electronica – Written Testimony

2020 BEST R&B ALBUMS

1. Kehlani – It Was Good Until It Wasn’t
2. Brent Fayiaz – F*%K THE WORLD
3. DVSN – A Muse In Her Feelings
4. Jhene Aiko – Chilombo
5. Kiana Lede – KIKI
6. Teyana Taylor – The Album
7. Giveon – Take Time
8. Chloe x Halle – Ungodly Hour
9. Queen Naija – Misunderstood
10. Thundercat – It Is What It Is