King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude

Pusha T has one of the most ruthless—and most compelling—worldviews in modern rap. Featuring contributions from Kanye West (“M.P.A.”), Jill Scott (“Sunshine”), and Timbaland (the brilliant “Got Em Covered”), his lean second album is as tough as 2013’s My Name is My Name, crafting a world where villains become heroes, violence keeps the peace, and you might joke but you never—ever—laugh. “Leave your conscience at the door,” he suggests during the intro, and speeds off from there.