2017 has been a monumental year in hip-hop and I'm extremely honored to be a part of the culture. This year we heard amazing albums from new artists like Tee Grizzley and G Herbo and essential tracks from soon-to-be vets like Meek Mill and Vince Staples. Many of the top albums of 2017 have the potential to become classics and could even stand the test of time, especially Kendrick Lamar's album "DAMN."

"DAMN." has been recognized as the number one album of 2017 by many media outlets, and I feel them, because Lamar's work is amazing. But they're wrong.

"DAMN." is the number two album of year. Nothing comes close to Jay-Z's "4:44."

Admittedly, I'm a huge Jay-Z fan, but I'm a Kendrick fan too, so I think that I'm qualified to make a fair assessment. As great as "DAMN." is, it didn't change hip-hop - and "4:44" did. Jay-Z dropped an album in a time and age where that classic New York sound doesn't exist anymore. His delivery steeped us in nostalgia, bringing us back to the guy who initially put rap in a chokehold with his debut "Reasonable Doubt." And then there's the content - Jay dropped grown-man gems about relationships, the importance of therapy and why black people in search of freedom should be prioritizing owning property and starting businesses over flashy cars and wild nights at strip clubs.