28. Schoolboy Q, 'Habits & Contradictions'

If Kendrick Lamar is 2012's hip-hop success story, fellow Black Hippy member Schoolboy Q's Habits & Contradictions is a street satire, pairing dark production and stark content with Q's druggy, wry humor and vicious, audible hunger. Borrowing from Mystikal's unpredictable flow and Kurupt's West Coast snarl, HNC proves Q's versatility, showcasing his improved abilities, and boasts one of the year's best singles, the A$AP Rocky-featuring "Hands on the Wheel." -- Theo Bark