There’s no doubt that 2014 has been a definitive down-year for the genre. Album sales have dropped considerably from 2013, and not many impactful or successful projects have dropped. This year’s fourth quarter, however, is promising big things with long awaited releases from the likes of Joey Bada$$, Chance The Rapper and Kendrick Lamar, just to name a few. That being said, 2014 has had some bright spots. Here’s the best of what’s been put out so far:

5. STN MTN/KUAI – Childish Gambino

Top Tracks: All Y’all, U Don’t Have to Call, Dream/Southern Hospitality/Partna Dem

Your favorite comedian/actor/award-winning screen writer/rapper is back with a very conceptual Gangsta Grillz mixtape. You wouldn’t peg Gambino’s style as typical to be the next in the extremely successful line of tapes endorsed and hosted by Atlanta overlord DJ Drama, but it makes more sense with a little backstory. The concept behind this tape, which acts as a prequel to the simultaneously-released Kaui EP, is revealed in the opening track, “Dream”, when Gambino falls asleep and dreams that he runs Atlanta and receives, naturally, his own Gangsta Grillz tape. This set-up creates sonics more familiar to Gambino’s native dirty south hip-hop scene, rather than his often new-age, indie production style. Although not your typical Bino’ project, he delivers solid tracks and the stream-of-consciousness flow that his fans know and love.

4. Last Winter – Bas

Top Tracks: Golden Goals, Lit (feat. KQuick & J.Cole), Just Made Bail (feat. J.Cole)

Bas is a Paris-born, Queens-raised who was one of the first MC’s to sign to J.Cole’s Dreamville imprint. With a laid-back, kicking-it-with-your-boys attitude, solid flows, and at times braggadocious rhyme-scheme, Bas is quick to impress with his debut album. This particular project has more of a mixtape feel than a full-blown album, however, with it’s loosely connected topics and free flowing pace. Bas’ tracks come with a varying array of vibes, from the relaxed “Just Made Bail” to the quick hitting “Golden Goals” and introspective “Lit”. Although at times propped up by J.Cole’s presence throughout the album, Bas’ entertainment value and future prowess is evident.

3. NehruvianDOOM – Bishop Nehru and MF DOOM

Top Tracks: Om, Great Things, Darkness (HBU)

18 year-old Bishop Nehru is New York’s boom-bap prodigy, with flows straight out of 1994 and GOAT endorsements to boot. Pair Nehru’s rising star power with underground’s worst-kept secret and rap’s masked man himself, MF DOOM, and you have the lyrical match made in heaven known as NehruvianDOOM. The collaboration spawned out a 10 track EP with Nehru handling MC duties and DOOM staying mostly behind the production boards. The chemistry between mentor and apprentice is evident with the pair’s individual styles meshing nicely, especially on the few tracks where DOOM hops on the hook, such as Om. Fans get a clear glimpse at why Nehru is being heralded as a future great, and there’s no better starting point than kicking it in-studio with a legendary veteran MC.

2. The Water[s] – Mick Jenkins

Top Tracks: Martyrs, The Waters, Dehydration (feat. The Mind)

Mick Jenkins hails from Chicago but compared to the city’s current trap music scene, he couldn’t be more foreign. Jenkins is one part Common, one part Eminem. One part consciousness, one part hot-fire. This balance is on full display in his sophomore project The Water[s]. It’s smooth, jazzy flow is peppered with hardcore tracks such as “Martyrs” or “Jerome” featuring Cinematic label-mate Joey Bada$$. The project has a cohesive theme, yet each track is able to stand on it’s own. Although at times a bit preachy, The Water[s] ’s focus and smooth beats matched with Jenkins’ budding mic skills bring this project in as one of the best of 2014.

1.Clivia Demo (EP) – Isaiah Rashad

Top Tracks: Soliloquy, I Shot You Down (feat. Jay Rock & Schoolboy Q), West Savannah (feat. SZA)

Top Dawg Entertainment’s newest signee Isaiah Rashad has proven he’s worth his recording contract and much more. In one of the most impressive debuts in some time, Rashad delivers a intricate, hard, and extremely personal narrative of coming of age in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Short track lengths help Clivia Demo to stay crisp and fresh, with Rashad’s tempo and flow changing frequently. The project’s power anthem and closing track “I Shot You Down” finishes the EP with a bang and leaves listener’s wanting one thing: more Rashad. Cilvia’s raw emotion and lyrical supremacy to anything else released so far (including his label-mate Schoolboy Q’s much hyped, and frankly disappointing Oxymoron) leave it as the dopest project to date in 2014.