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Over the last eight months, there's been a shift in R&B, creating a more diverse pool of sounds within the genre. A new class of singers, namely Ocean, Elle Varner, Emeli Sande and BJ the Chicago Kid, take classic R&B stylings and pair that with modern production. Their albums have moved the genre forward rather than away from its soulful origins. However, veterans such as Usher and R. Kelly seem to be exploring freely on their LPs. Usher's latest brings a euro-pop sound and the Pied Piper of R&B calls more on '70s grooves and flowery lyrics.
On the hip-hop side, the diversity has continued as well, but with most rappers keeping in tune with the sounds of their crew. Odd Future released a well-received effort, as well as two out of four of Black Hippy's own: ScHoolBoy Q and Ab-Soul. There's also Maybach Music Group king Rick Ross, who dropped his fifth studio album, but allowed members from his camp to shine on many of the tracks.
More than halfway through the year, The BoomBox gives a nod to 15 of the best R&B and hip-hop albums thus far. Find out which crooners and lyrical entertainers moved past the competition.
See 15 of the Best Albums of 2012 (So Far)
- Nas, Life Is Good
- Elle Varner, Perfectly Imperfect
- Curren$y, The Stoned Immaculate
- Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
- Odd Future, The OF Tape Vol. 2
- Emeli Sande, Our Version of Events
- Ab-Soul, Control System
- R. Kelly, Write Me Back
- B.o.B., Strange Clouds
- Rick Ross, God Forgives, I Don't
- Usher, Looking 4 Myself
- Schoolboy Q, Habits & Contradictions
- Robert Glasper Experiment, Black Radio
- Big K.R.I.T., Live From the Underground
- BJ the Chicago Kid, Pineapple Now-Laters
- Fountain of Youth Faces in Hip-Hop & R&B
- Mariah Carey
- Pharrell Williams
- Jennifer Lopez
- LL Cool J
- Monica
- Diddy
- Sade
- Common
- Erykah Badu
- Prince
- Queen Latifah
- Usher
- Janet Jackson
- Maxwell
- MC Lyte
- Tyrese
- Toni Braxton
- Smokey Robinson
- Brandy
- Andre 3000
- Most Expensive Hip-Hop Album Covers
- Nas' 'Stillmatic' Album
- Fat Joe's 'J.O.S.E. (Jealous Ones Still Envy)' Album
- 50 Cent's 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' Album
- Lil' Kim's 'La Belle Mafia' Album
- Cam'ron's 'Killa Season' Album
- LL Cool J's 'Mama Said Knock You Out' Album
- Eric B. & Rakim's 'Paid in Full' Album
- Master P's 'Da Last Don' Album
- E-40's 'In a Major Way' Album
- Tupac's 'All Eyez on Me' Album
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