Shawn: We are a couple days away form November and I can sum up this terrible hip-hop year in one phrase, Bobby Shmurda was the hottest story of 2014. Seriously, analyze that. No offense to the “Hot Nigga” spitter, but the leading candidate in rap for a possible one hit wonder should never be the top story, but it is. Maybe we are living off a 2013 hangover. A year when Drake, Jay Z, J. Cole, Kanye West and more gave stellar efforts, albums that are near or at the top of their respective catalogs.

Sure we had some albums this year that carried the game for a little while. YG popped out the gate and delivered, in my opinion, the most complete album of the year. Rick Ross came with Mastermind, Jeezy with Seen It All, ScHoolboy Q with Oxymoron and then we had what? I’ll wait. Yeah 50 and the Unit returned, cool. An unfortunately the summer blaze of Meek Mill with Dreams Worth More Than Money was halted by the feds, Free Meek!

We’re so hungry for some gold we were ready to package three random Drizzy drops as an EP, in which he quickly told us “nah, this ain’t that.”

As a community collective, hip-hop is focused on a fourth quarter to deliver albums that can gain a buzz, deliver substance and reinvigorate conversation for a strong 2015.  That daunting task is already looking to come up short. The four rappers that could “save” this year are Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, the second coming of Rozay and T.I. who just recently dropped.

T.I.’s album is cool, but isn’t blowing up my timeline right now. I even saw a “Tip dropped a album?” tweet. No one knows which Ms. Minaj we are receiving. Tha Carter V as supposed to drop tomorrow, but it’s kind of quiet on Weezy’s front and we have a second round of Rozay that’s hard to call.

You now see why I’m ready to move on to 2015? 2014 was extremely forgettable for hip-hop. Until the New Year comes I shall Shmoney Dance and pray for The Soul Tape 4, I know you’re reading Fab.