Hoops, Rap, and Everything Black 6 | Top 24 Albums of 2024
Welcome back to Hoops, Rap, and Everything Black. I’m the author, Curtis “Trey” Rowser.
I’m back today with my favorite 24 albums from 2024, ranked. Keyword—favorite. Everybody wants to be the best, but what does that even really mean? That’s another story for a different day…
But before I get into these albums: I share some thoughts on No. 1 ranked AJ Dybantsa’s commitment to BYU, take a look at Travis Hunter’s appearance on The Pivot, predict JuJu Watkins vs. Paige Bueckers, and highlight a special fourth-quarter album that released Friday.
Let’s get it…
AJ Dybantsa Commits to BYU
When Dybantsa transferred from Prolific Prep in California to Utah Prep for his final year of high school—and then when BYU showed up in his final four—it was pretty much a foregone conclusion where he’d end up for what is surely to be a one-and-done season of college hoops. This past Tuesday morning, on First Take, Dybantsa made it official and announced his commitment to BYU over the likes of North Carolina, Kansas, Alabama, and others.
Personally, for me, BYU is just one of those programs I’ve never vibed with. So I would’ve preferred to see him at a blueblood. Or, really, any school besides BYU for that matter. But regardless, after hearing him break down what led to him choosing BYU, I can’t do anything but respect the decision. He highlighted the staff’s NBA pedigree; and with the ultimate goal of becoming a pro, this puts him in the best position to prepare for that. Of course, he didn’t explicitly mention his expected multimillion-dollar NIL valuation. But BYU’s extraordinarily deep pockets are likely a top two—not two—factor in his decision. (Reportedly, Jazz owner Ryan Smith and GM Danny Ainge, BYU alumni, played a role in NIL.)
Dybantsa is the projected 2026 No. 1 NBA draft pick; so he has the luxury of making a decision predicated on the bag and not exposure, playing style, program tradition, etc. Most recruits aren’t Dybantsa, though. In the world of NIL, a lot of recruits are going to get lost in the sauce chasing the short-term bag over what’s best for their long-term future. But let’s not be so quick to judge—what is a teenager to do when a few hundred thousand dollars are thrown in their face to play a game they love?
I got to see him play this past summer at Slam Summer Classic Vol. 6, and buddy is the real deal; he’s a dog. (But I will say—I don’t quite agree with his self-analysis in which he says his game is a mix between Shai and T-Mac.)
All in all, congrats to Dybantsa! I’ll be curious to see if he can persuade any of the remaining uncommitted top recruits to join him.
#HE12MAN
This week, en route to taking home the Heisman, Travis Hunter made a stop by The Pivot Podcast. Aside from his unparalleled talent on the field, he’s made it so easy to root for him off of it. This interview is definitely worth a watch; he’s the prime example of where betting on yourself—and more importantly, putting in the work that makes betting on yourself a safe bet—gets you. And I hate to say… being a good person also helps.
CBB Games of the Week
18 Iowa State vs. 2 UConn, Dec. 17, 8:30 p.m. [Women’s]
Prediction: UConn
10 Oklahoma vs. 20 Michigan, Dec. 17, 9:30 p.m. [Women’s]
Prediction: Oklahoma
13 Oklahoma vs. 14 Michigan, Dec. 18, 9 p.m. [Men’s]
Prediction: Michigan
11 Purdue vs. 2 Auburn, Dec. 21,4:30 p.m. [Men’s]
Prediction: Auburn
5 USC vs. 2 UConn, Dec. 21, 8 p.m. [Women’s]
Prediction: This is easily the matchup of the week, and, really, one of the most anticipated matchups this season—Juju vs. Paige. This should be a great one. Ultimately, I got Paige and company squeezing out a W.
The Skeleton Way
If you love rap, just press play on this album that just dropped on Friday, The Skeleton Way, by Roc Marciano and The Alchemist.
Okay, now on to the main event…
Rowserwrites’ Top 24 Albums of 2024
24. One of Wun — Gunna
23. We Don’t Trust You — Future, Metro Boomin
22. American Dream — 21 Savage
21. Alligator Bites Don’t Heal — Doechii
20. The Calm — Chris Patrick
19. Don’t Call This Luck, That’s Disrespectful — Al-Doms
18. The Drive Home — Samara Cyn
17. North V2 — Sango
16. Solace — Marco Plus
15. The Kid That Did — Babyface Ray
14. The Crossroads — Cordae
13. The Thief Next to Jesus — Ka
12. Chromakopia — Tyler, The Creator
11. Soul Burger — Ab-Soul
10. Might Delete Later — J. Cole
9. Sugar Honey Iced Tea — Latto
8. Why Lawd? — NxWorries
7. Shadowbox — MAVI
6. Still Praying — Westside Gunn
5. Blue Lips — Schoolboy Q
4. Dark Times — Vince Staples
3. Please Don’t Cry — Rapsody
2. GNX — Kendrick Lamar
1. You Only Die 1nce — Freddie Gibbs
That’s all I got for ya today. As always, thank you for spending some time with me. Hit me with any comments, ideas, feedback, pitches, whatever. And if you haven’t already, please subscribe below and follow me on your favorite social media platforms. Love always.
Curtis “Trey” Rowser
