In the latest episode of HipHopDX‘s debate show The Bigger Picture, the three hosts gave their own spin on Pitchfork‘s recent 100 Best Albums of the 2020s So Far list.
Kicking off the discussion, host Jeremy Hecht offered his list of contenders for classic Hip Hop albums of the decade, naming The Forever Story by JID, Call Me If You Get Lost by Tyler, The Creator, Alfredo by Freddie Gibbs, and Dave’s We’re All Alone in This Together.
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Aware of the controversy that might come his way, Jeremy anticipated the criticism, saying: “I know there’s gonna be JPEGMAFIA stans and Little Simz stans, but those [picks] are mine.”
However, his co-hosts Ellliott Wilson and DJ Hed begged to differ. While acknowledging the quality of the albums Jeremy picked, they suggested that the 2020s have produced few true classics. Instead, they argued, what people often refer to as classics are more like personal favorites.
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As the conversation continued, Jeremy made additional suggestions for Hed and Elliott to choose from, adding Kanye West’s Donda, Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, Pray for Paris by Westside Gunn, Burden of Proof by Benny the Butcher, The Off-Season by J. Cole, and Drake and 21 Savage’s collaboration Her Loss.
Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was also suggested by DJ Hed. But this didn’t sway Elliott, who bluntly shot down the idea of any of these albums being classics, stating simply: “None, none, none.”
Elliott elaborated on his stance, pointing out that while some 2020s albums have been “big upped” as future classics — Nas and Hit-Boy‘s trio of King’s Disease projects, 21 Savage and Metro Boomin’s Savage Mode II — he doesn’t believe they quite measure up.
“I like that album a lot,” he said of the Savage/Metro project, “but I feel like most of these albums still fall short.” He explained that while some records might be close, they aren’t quite deserving of classic status: “I wouldn’t give that stamp to a lot of them. Even if they’re on that tier, I don’t think they’re fully there.”
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Adding to the debate, DJ Hed threw in his own pick: Michael by Killer Mike, which earned the Best Rap Album award at the 2024 Grammys.
As the hosts wrapped the conversation, it became clear that defining a classic is a difficult task, and the debate is far from over. You can check out the whole 2020s classic albums discussion at the 47:30 mark of the video below.
To catch the full episode, tune in to The Bigger Picture on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Additional reporting by Shawn Setaro.
