August may well go down as the hottest month of the year (literally and musically) when all is said and done. It will no doubt be remembered as the month Kendrick Lamar set the Hip-Hop world aflame with 1 verse and woke up the Hip-Hop Nation. In addition to Big Sean’s now infamous Control, the month featured responses to Kendrick’s verse by Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Joey Bada$$, Fredro Starr, Bumpy Knuckles and too many more to name (or include in this playlist). But, despite how dominant Control was in the headlines, it should not overshadow the plentiful other good music that was released in August. Here’s a playlist showcasing the best of those gems. You’ll find music from AZ, The Lox, The Clipse, Fat Joe, Rapsody, Phonte, Astro, Jean Grae, Big K.R.I.T., Stalley, Jay Electronica, Ab-Soul, Terrace Martin, Vic Mensa, Rah Digga, Meek Mill, Krayzie Bone, EMINEM…and more. You can listen to the playlist, download the songs and see the tracklist below.

Related:  AFH: Best Hip-Hop of July 2013 (Audio Playlist)

Here’s the tracklist. Click the link to download (where applicable):

1. Big Sean – Control ft Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica
2. Joell Ortiz – Outta Control (Kendrick Lamar Response)
3. Joe Budden – Lost Control (Kendrick Lamar Response)
4. Rapsody – Jedi Code ft Phonte & Jay Electronica
5. Fat Joe – Your Honor ft Action Bronson
6. No Malice – Shame the Devil ft Pusha T
7. The Lox – Summers Too Hot
8. AZ – I Excel
9. Ransom – Unexplainable
10. Astro – Show Off Radio Freestyle
11. Fredro Starr – Ain’t No Other Kings (Kendrick Lamar Response)
12. Bumpy Knuckles – New York, Where You At? (Kendrick Lamar Response)
13. Stalley – NineteenEighty7 ft Schoolboy Q
14. Eminem – Survival
15. Mobetta – Back at the Ranch ft Jean Grae
16. Bonic – Streets Luv Me ft Schoolboy Q & Troy Ave
17. Rapsody – Lonely Thoughts ft Chance the Rapper
18. The Underachievers – Leaving Scraps
19. Slim Thug – Coming Down (Every Town) ft Kirko Bangz, Big K.R.I.T. & Z-Ro
20. Kid Ink – I Know Who You Are ft Casey Veggies
21. Rapsody – Never Know ft Nipsey Hussle, Ab-Soul & Terrace Martin
22. Joey Bada$$ – Killuminati Pt. 2 (Kendrick Lamar Response)
23. Vic Mensa – Time is Money ft Rockie Fresh & Beldina
24. Terrace Martin – Triangle Ship ft Kendrick Lamar
25. Rapsody – Caught Up ft Raheem DeVaughn
26. Drake – All Me ft 2 Chainz & Big Sean
27. Blitz the Ambassador – BISA ft Nneka & Ty
28. Krayzie Bone – The Future
29. Meek Mill – Lil N*gga Snupe
30. Ab-Soul – Christopher Droner
31. Rah Digga – New Hoes
32. Lungz – 20/20 ft Logic
33. Dizzy Wright – World Peace
34. Big Sean – First Chain ft Nas & Kid CuDi