What a hell of a year 2024 was in the world of hip-hop. From Common & Pete Rock's simply marvelous Auditorium Vol. 1 to Roc Marci & Alchemist's haunting Skeleton Key to Rapsody's tremendous return with Please Don't Cry, last year was one of THOSE years. You know, those years we will keep talking about in terms of consistent quality with some being instant classics? Up there with '88, '94-'97, and 2015? One of THOSE years. The benchmark was set and set high for all following years. With 2025, it has been looking like it's been up for the challenge, and so far, so damn good. Albums from the likes of billy woods, (most) albums from Boldy James, Rome Streetz, PremRock, the posthumous Mac Miller album, and Knowledge The Pirate, among many others, this has been a very sizzling year thus far, and the scary thing is it's only going to be even more crazy. Right now, we're going to focus on twenty-five of the best albums to drop this year with an extensive Honorable Mentions list that you'll want to be interested in seeing. Without further ado, let's get into this list shall we?
25. Flee Lord & Eto
RocAmeriKKKa 3
Production: Crisis, Green Lantern, Eto, others
Guests: NEMS, Conway The Machine, others
We begin with frequent collaborators, Flee Lord and Eto. The two native New Yorkers (Queens and Rochester respectively) had been known for their multiple solo efforts and their collabs with the likes of Pete Rock, DJ Muggs, Havoc, and the Griselda gang. Together, they had been known their RocAmeriKKKa series. They finally presented the third installment of RocAmeriKKKa after a five-year bridge between this and the second installment, and they more or less pick up where they left off at and then some. This is a raw, gritty, and screwface-themed project that has the low-key sinister vocal delivery of Eto and the subdued Sticky Fingaz-sounding Flee going for theirs on dope entries such as "Power", "Cash Conversion", and the NEMS-assisted first single, "Kitchen". They keep their almost natural chemistry going on dwelling on street stories such as the Conway-assisted, "Digi Scales", the grounded "Broken Phone Deals", and the menacing collab with female emcee, Val Nice, "Zip Of Badu". While they're no strangers to getting into introspective mode, it's not reflected too often within this album. However, the closing track, the Green Lantern-produced, "The Ones That Stayed", comes the closest on this album as they salute the true ones in their lives. Constant frequents within the East coast underground, Flee & Eto once again deliver hard on RocAmeriKKKa 3, and should be mentioned among the meanest duos within the underground NY scene.
24. Raz Fresco & Futurewave
Stadium Lo Champions
Production: Futurewave
Guests: Daniel Son, ESTEE NACK, al.davino, Sonnyjim
Throughout the past decade, Canadian emcee, Raz Fresco, has been somewhat prolific within the Ontario hip-hop scene. Fresco has been delivering mixtapes, EPs, and solo/collab albums since the early 2010s, many of which received good acclaim including 2015's Pablo Frescobar, his Magneto Was Right Issue series, his underpromoted, yet searing EP with Griselda's in-house production monster, Daringer, Polo Sporty Since A Shorty, his collab with frequent partner-in-rhyme, Daniel Son, Northside, and most recently, his collab with the legendary DJ Muggs, The Eternal Now. He's also been known for collaborative projects with fellow Ontario acclaimed producer, Futurewave, including their tremendous offering of 2020, Gorgeous Polo Sportsmen. They reunited this year to bring forth somewhat of a sequel to GPS in the form of Stadium Lo Champions. For those unfamiliar with Wave's production style, picture bits of Daringer, Alchemist, and 38 Spesh put together. His mostly dark and atmospheric boom bap generates well with Fresco, and truthfully, he sounds the most comfortable over his excellent production. From the onset, "Mind Light" is a dumb dope introduction to what's expected going forth throughout the album. The thick boom-bap and cleverly used vocal sample is appropriate for Fresco's verbal gunpowder, while similar cuts such as the Daniel Son-assisted, "Steve Austin", "Tesla Tower Power", and the murky "Cyanide" contain enough haunting thump to keep that repeat button worn out. With the cut, "Lauren Story", he gets lyrically vivid narrating about a woman he had met the other week and her complexities, while "In My Lifetime" paints an interesting picture of all that he's seen within his life that made him the man he ended up becoming. One of the more powerful cuts on this is the closer, "Sam Was Never My Uncle", which has him dissecting the United States and how scandalous nit has become, especially since Agent Orange took office. There's plenty of heat for longtime Fresco fans to be satisfied with for Stadium Lo Champions, and just as much firepower for this that haven't been introduced to Futurewave's style that you typically would hear associated with the likes of the aforementioned and possibly another known Canadian hip-hop producer, Nicholas Craven, especially for the drum less production. It's clear that Aubrey Graham is not the only talent to emerge from Ontario. In fact, Fresco is one that many up north respect a great deal, and with albums like this, it'll grown even more.
23. Brother Ali
Satisfied Soul
Production: Ant
Guests: N/A
Not enough props is given to Minnesota's own, Brother Ali, for his writing abilities and his penchant for being honest and transparent. An underground legend in his own right, his discography is one of consistent quality and a wonderful collection of socio-political imagery mixed with brave self-awareness that makes albums like his breathtaking debut, Shadows On The Sun, his almost equally as amazing album, The Undisputed Truth, Us, All The Beauty In This Whole Life, the Champion EP, and the Jake One-produced, Mourning In America, Dying In Color such outstanding gems. His effort with Evidence on the boards, Secrets & Escapes, was a definite sleeper and deserved to receive way more love on the level of all the aforementioned. The difference between this album and most of the others is one person: Atmosphere's producer, Ant. Ant has been responsible for his first several projects, and all were/are outstanding. The two are finally reunited for the first time since 2017's All The Beauty In This Whole Life with his 2025 offering, Satisfied Soul. Known for not shying away from giving his listeners his triumphs as well as his insecurities like his albinism and blindness, Ali doesn't stray away from his formula whatsoever. He's an open book once again here, and with Ant's dope usage of soulful samples, head-nodding production, and cleverly arranged melodies, Ali is as comfortable as he's ever been on here. Ali is as much of a battler and venomous lyricist as he is an insightful and introspective lyricist. This is apparent with cuts like "Cast Aside" and "The Counts", in which Ali goes back to his shit talking on the mic days such as favorites of his like "Bitchslap", "Bad Muhfucka" and "Bad Muhfucka Pt. 2". Ali is definitely about having fun on the mic and showing his battle rap penchants, but if you've kept up with his discography for the past two decades, you'll know he's a cat with something ALWAYS on his mind. His socio-political themes put him in controversy over The Undisputed Truth's "Uncle Sam Gottdamn", "Letter To My Countrymen" from Us, and "Philistine David", but while we don't have tracks as explosive as these, he still provides plenty of groundwork for honest, personal, and thought-provoking rap that makes you think and hits nerves. Cuts like the nodding title track to the enjoyable "Deep Cuts" are good enough to keep you tuned in to his messages, but when we get deeper, we really get deeper, in concept and imagery. Take "Ocean Of Rage", for example. This cut has him being as introspective as ever over a sweet woodwind instrumentation that sets the mood for this verbal diary. Equally as poignant is "Personal", as Ali does indeed do so, laying down rhymes that are very dear to him and bravely opens up these vulnerabilities. Perhaps the most gripping cut on the album is the very moody and somber sounding, "Under The Stars", which has him playing the role of an abused and tormented homeless person, bringing attention to what our less fortunate tend to go through on a daily basis with such clarity and touching narration. He continues open and vivid rhymes that are of big matters to him with cuts such as "Head, Heart, Hands" and the excellent, "Handwriting", while realizing his influence on the game, whether big or small, on "Immortalized". Brother Ali has presented yet another incredible release with Satisfied Soul that brings us back to early to mid-thousands Ali to a degree. While not quite as angry and hostile as we would hear on Us, The Undisputed Truth, and The Truth is Here, he's more personal and intimate as previous albums like All The Beauty In This Whole Life and Secrets & Escapes. The ability to let his fans inside his mind and heart is to be highly commended, and Ant provided him with some of his best work (with or without Slug as Atmosphere) that we've heard in many years. Make no mistake about it: Ali is very relevant to hip-hop, as we hear a street preacher, visionary, and poet balled into one fantastic emcee, and we have a one of the most impactful emcees never to hit Billboard's Top 50.
22. Daniel Son & Futurewave
Baggage Claims
Production: Futurewave
Guests: Recognize Ali, al.davino, Asun Eastwood, others
Earlier, we highlighted Toronto, Ontario emcee, Raz Fresco, and his ridiculous collab album with fellow T-dot native, Futurewave, Stadium Lo Champions. We now give props to fellow Toronto native, Daniel Son. If Fresco has a more mellow, yet passionate, delivery, Daniel Son is more animated. He's a bit more aggressive and in-your-face, thus making his collaborative efforts with Futurewave even more appealing. Since 2018, these two have done occasional projects together starting with the bonkers, Pressure Cooker. From there, they've dropped other head crackers such as Physics of Filth (with fellow Brownbag Collective member, Asun Eastwood), Yenaldooshi, their Moonshine Mix series, and the searing, Son Tzu & The Wav.God that have garnered them quite a number of spins and repeats. They would later get back together after two years and drop arguably his best work with Future (Wave), Bushman Bodega in 2024. Now, in 2025, they decide to revisit the time they dropped their collab debut, Pressure Cooker, with Baggage Claims, a project that supposedly are cutting room floor cuts from Pressure Cooker. Quite honestly, they could've left these in and created a sick double album. These cuts are that dope and sound that inclusive with the sounds of Pressure Cooker. The title track alone is a gutter, visceral, and contains enough neck snap to cause braces to be handed out. Daniel's pen game is no joke, and his brand of street narratives and no-nonsense hip-hop show up plentifully on cuts like "Villains", "Sweet & Sour Duck", and "French River". His collabs on here work well also, as Asun Eastwood greatly supplements Daniel and rugged underground vet, al.davino, on "Sun Lo", as well as the slightly jazzy "Pin Stripe". Also, impressive underground emcee, Recognize Ali comes through on "Run the Shop", while King Bliss delivers quite the performance on "Fly the Pigeon". The more rugged style of Daniel Son is more fitting for the atmospheric boom-bap Futurewave provides all throughout this effort. Although Wave has collaborated with the likes of Rome Streetz, Pro Dillinger, ESTEE NACK, al.davino, Boldy James, and Eto, it's clear the chemistry between him and Daniel Son fits the best, and even with the tracks being possibly seven-plus years old, Baggage Claims is yet another example of the dope partnership these two north of the border natives are together.
21. Westside Gunn
Heels Have Eyes EP
Production: Mr. Green, Cee Gee, Harry Fraud, Denny LeFlare
Guests: N/A
The first act of the Griselda tribe to appear on this list would be the founding father of the crew, the one and only Westside Gunn. The emcee/entrepreneur/wrestling promotion owner/fashion enthusiast/curator has been on his grizzly so far with two fiery projects, one being his full-length effort, 12 (as in Hitler Wears Hermes 12) and his Heels Have Eyes EP. An obvious reference to his 4th Rope promotion's events of the same name (which is also a spin of the old classic horror flick, The Hills Have Eyes), this album is a throwback to the old, authentic sound of Griselda that made the hardcore underground kids gravitate towards them in the first place. At only five tracks deep, there's zero room for error or missteps. You definitely don't have any here. With longtime underground production commodity, Mr. Green, providing the production for the first cut, "Fishscale Fridays" (word has it that this was AI-generated), the usual gritty, atmospheric sounds start this EP off well. He follows this up with the sample-heavy "Einstein Kitchen" and the bananas, Harry Fraud-produced, "Goro". With the final two tracks of the dusty, lo-fi percussion sounds of "Davey Boy Smith" (RIP to the British Bulldog, himself) and "Egypt", they encapsulate the aura of the Griselda sound to the utmost. Plus, Gunn's brand of luxurious thug shit is as much of him as his skin is so it's not hard to have him spraying bullets from a Versace banana clip. This effort was literally done in under 24 hours to promote his Heels Have Eyes 6 event, and with the legendary WWE Hall Of Famer, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase on the cover, it's obvious he sees himself as another version of him, and for good reason. While 12 was the better effort overall, HHE was dumb dope, and served as a great teaser for the forthcoming project of 12. The scary thing is, he's not done with this year yet.
20. Apathy
Mom & Dad
Production: artist, Little Vic, Playa Haze
Guests: Little Vic, Ryu, Slaine, others
One of the most known figures within the underground scene over the past two decades has been Connecticut native, Apathy. With quite the impressive discography that includes outstanding entries such as Eastern Philosophy, Honkey Kong, Wanna Snuggle, Connecticut Casual, the tremendously acclaimed sequel of 2024, Connecticut Casual: Chapter 2, and Handshakes With Snakes, the Demigodz member has garnered a lot of respect over the years and is seen as one of the deadliest lyricists around. Aiming to keep his legacy going, he dropped his ninth solo full-length album, Mom & Dad. The album is a conceptual album that has him being "raised" by Ronald & Nancy Reagen during the era of "Reagenomics" in the early eighties. He describes the atmosphere and struggles of being part of that particular era within AmeriKKKa. Much like today's climate with Agent Orange in the big office, financial class inequalities, poverty, and of course the crack epidemic were the biggest sources of pain and suppression. Apathy does a great job breaking these images down and others on cuts such as " Curse of The Kennedys" and "The Buck Stop Here", in which he highlights the previously mentioned the stark contrast between the haves and have nots. While reflecting on the struggles and strife he observed during this time thanks to his "mom and dad", he also puts himself, fictionally, in shoes of them by being able to vacation off the shore of CT with breezy cuts like "Summer At The Shore" and "Shore Life", which has him relaxing and cooling out while not ignoring what's going on around him otherwise. Perhaps no more clearer images of the wealth inequality the title track and the Slaine-assisted, "Blue Collar Scholar". These tracks examine how the middle class was grossly mishandled, and wealth inequality were ridiculously prevalent. With somewhat controversial, yet highly listenable, cuts such as "Lee Harv", "Chemical", and "The Great Flood", Apathy clearly transported himself within a hot tub time machine back to his upbringing and wrote about what he experienced, while also imagining how it must've been being his "parents" and all their glory and power. While this album may fall just short of aforementioned bangers like Honkey Kong, Handshakes With Snakes, and Eastern Philosophy, Mom & Dad certainly has another dope one overall, and one that comes from a place of depth and nostalgia. Although it remains to be seen if this album is a slight to today's current age and how much poverty, inequality, and separatism is more relevant than ever before, it wouldn't be far-fetched if so.
19. Willie The Kid & Real Bad Man
Midnight EP
Production: Real Bad Man
Guests: Boldy James, Sonnyjim, Lord Sko
Longtime underground emcee, Willie The Kid, has been known and revered for his frequent mixtapes and overall efforts such as his many collabs with blowing up beatsmith, V DON, Uncle Al (The Alchemist), Bronze Nazareth, and Don Cannon, especially with him being part of the Affiliates crew with DJ Drama. Mostly known for his mixtape/full-length series such as Deutsche Marks, The Fly, Blue Notes, and Catch Me If You Can, Willie is among the most skilled writers in the game that has underrated for many years. The younger brother of former Wu-Tang affiliate, La The Darkman, has been a force within the indie scene the mid thousands, and in 2025, he got up with LA streetwear, label, and quite formidable, production team, Real Bad Man, for their first collaborative effort, Midnight. RBM has been known to work with the likes of Boldy (stay tuned), Pink Siifu, Blu, and Elcamino. Not to mention, he dropped a rather dope effort with Bruiser Brigade member, Zelooperz, Dear Psilocybin, to further etch his name into our consciousness for the year. Their style of production is often varied between cloudy and jazzy, with occasional boom-bap moments. One would picture Alchemist and Madlib put together with some Quelle Chris in the middle. Psychedelic, quirky, and airy, yet highly melodic and excellent usage of samples are how one would describe the production here, but Willie does a dope job of slicing through this project. He does so with ninja-like fashion on cuts like "Empires", "Really Seen It", and the collab with fellow Michigan native, Boldy James, "Cold Michigan Nights". His gritty street narratives mixed with slick glamour talk is what has made him amass the following he has garnered over the many years. This is evident on other standouts like "Maxwell's Peacoat Collection" and the Lord Sko-assisted "All Day Wit It", but he shows how much he's still that man of respect on cuts like "Nowhere To Go" and "Play the Game". Although this is the first real collab effort between WTK and RBM, one would suggest, with Midnight, this won't be the last because quite frankly, although WTK's efforts with V DON and Alchemist are what he's been mostly acclaimed for, this is a combo that won't be far behind in those same acclaimed talks.
18. Lupe Fiasco
Ghotting (MIT EP)
Production: Soundtrakk
Guests: N/A
Still on a high from the acclaim from his latest full-length album, Samurai, Lupe Fiasco delivered a surprise EP that he recorded while being a guest scholar at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MI, called Ghotting (apparently pronounced 'fishing'). While sending his students to seek musical inspiration based upon statues, art exhibits, and other figures around campus, he took his own homework assignment personally and decided to walk what he would talk with his students. This EP is fun yet filled with scholarly and next level gems such as "Muse Flavor" and the piano-blessed "Alchemist Flavor". With jazzy, yet nodding, soundscapes, Lupe is just going for his on the mic as only he can, dropping plenty of jewels along the way. From the onset with "Sailing Flavor", Lupe sets the tone with a laid-back and easy-going vibe just to reemphasize his talent as truly one of the game's truly best artists. The pace gets picked up a bit with the vocal samplings of "3 Piece Flavor" but gets back to mid-tempo nods and jazzy soul sounds with the remaining cuts of the slightly moody "Molecule Flavor", the very catchy "ALL CAPS FLAVOR", and the closer, "Funhouse Flavor". For an on-the-spot EP that was not really released for the general public, Fiasco dropped another outstanding piece of work with Ghotting, and shows that he truly is levels above most of his contemporaries in thought, penmanship and inspiration. Call him hyper-intelligent. Call him brilliant. Call him an underrated genius. Whatever you call him, just remember, most of your favorites aren't on his level of thought process and efforts like this continue to prove this.
17. Westside Gunn
12
Production: Mr. Green, Daringer, Conductor Williams, Cee Gee, Denny LeFlare, others
Guests: Stove God Cook$, ESTEE NACK, Brother Tom Sos, Elijah Hooks
Earlier, we covered Gunn's Heels Have Eyes EP, and how those five tracks were dope and more dope. However, he also dropped the 12th installment of his Hitler Wears Hermes series, appropriately entitled 12. Previously acclaimed throughout the series, his HWH series has started to become his calling card, which is a good thing. His previous installment, 11, was a mean drop that continued the dumb dope legacy that the series has rightfully earned as one of the grittiest mixtape/album series of the past eight years. With 12, he just continues the momentum he has set for himself. Gritty, soulful, and occasionally musty production with his usual high-pitched, oft-kilter flow setting the standard for yet another excellent outing. The last full-length he delivered was 2024's dumb dope, Still Praying, and it's almost like he picked up right where that album left off at. The majority of the album is guested by past collaborator, ESTEE NACK, and very frequent collaborator, Stove God Cook$, especially the first four tracks on the album after the "Michelle World" intro. Cuts such as "055" and "Adam Page" show their undeniable chemistry and has us still begging virtually for their long-awaited collab album. Also guesting on the album is newly signed singer/emcee/producer, Brother Tom Sos, who does an impressive job on the cuts "Health Science" and "Gumbo Ya Ya". The only cut that Gunn does solo is the cut "Outlander", but much like his mixtape, Peace Flygod, the guests on every track actually help him more than hurt him. Nobody said he was in the running for emcee of the year not one time, however, his lyrics of drugs, guns, fashion, and luxury come off having him as that street dude that you want to be like but also know you couldn't handle the weight of his lifestyle. It's hard to pick one particular standout here, as every track range from dumb dope to bananas. While not quite the standards of excellence previous albums such as Flygod, Supreme Blientele, Pray For Paris, and HWH 8 are, this effort is still tremendously consistent and classic Gunn. With other projects reportedly coming this year such as the long-awaited collab album with Stove God, MICHELLE RECORDS, and Flygod Is An Awesome God 3, Westside is ready to dominate the game with his Griselda gang once again and please believe, he's not going anywhere but Paris and the bank, unless you see him front row at an AEW show that is.
16. Slick Rick
Victory
Production: artist, Q-Tip, others
Guests: Nas, Giggs
One of hip-hop's most legendary voices and figures is the one and only MC Ricky D, later known as Slick Rick. The Jamaican Englishman raised in New York was part of hip-hop history with his iconic, timeless singles of "The Show" and Ladi Dadi" with then-partner in crime, Doug E. Fresh. In 1988, he delivered the fun classic, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, which was a staple in the golden years of hip-hop for its deliberate approach for storytelling rhymes and a charm that made him among the most influential figures ever in the culture. Around the time of his next album, The Ruler's Back, he caught an attempted murder charge, and his fire started to burn out. Even with his prison released, Behind Bars album, Slick Rick's name was floating around as hip-hop missed one of its truly funniest and flyest emcees to grace our televisions and speakers. When he was finally released from prison and having a brief immigration issue due to his conviction and imprisonment, he got up with Outkast for part one of their cut from Aquemini, "The Art of Storytellin'". The response to his return was so big, it was time for him to drop his much-anticipated return album, appropriately entitled also, The Art Of Storytelling in '99. The album was an exciting look at an OG of hip-hop bringing his nostalgic world with the times back then and collaborating with the likes of Nas, Raekwon, Outkast, and Snoop Dogg. With production from the likes of Trackmasters, Grease, Jazze Pha, Ty Fiffe, and Clark Kent (R.I.P.), the album was a truly special moment. Some TWENTY-SIX years later, Nas and his Mass Appeal label established an initiative called Legend Has It, in which legends of the eighties, nineties, and early thousands would all release albums through his label. MC Ricky D would be the first under the program with his long-awaited new album, Victory. With little to no official rollout besides a short film with Oscar award winner, and fellow Englishman, Idris Elba, narrating (he also co-executive produced this album as well). What resulted was a highly nostalgic and fun album that both the old school and current generation can appreciate. Most of the cuts are very neck-moving and easy to get immersed in sonically such as "Landlord", "Angelic", and "Spirit To Cry". However, he dips his hand into hip-house with the cuts "Come On Let's Go" and especially "Cuz I'm Here", that quickly summon up Chicago House favorites such as "Follow Me" and "Hos In This House", although many would argue this has "Percolator" vibes than anything. The vibes of these cuts are borderline irresistible and will put a movement in your body that won't stay stagnant for long. On the cut, "Documents", he and Nas bless the track in luxurious fly shit over arguably the coldest beat on the album, while the Q-Tip-produced closer, "We're Not Losing", is a nineties styled produced cut that has him focusing on the Cold War and China in an interesting manner, even to the point of speaking Mandarin at the close out of the cut. Perhaps the overall standout on the album isn't even a song. It's one of his interludes. On the interlude, "I Did That", he reminds us of all about his importance and influence in the culture. Highlighting, among other things, that he made luxury be standout in the hood and that he was a fashion icon. Not to mention how unique and special his discography is per album on a spoken word style with waves crashing against the shore as if he was chilling on the beach reflecting upon his legacy. One wouldn't expect Slick Rick to sound as fun in 2025 as he did in 1988, or even 1999, but with Victory, he manages to bring together all current and previous generations and delivers an album that's as humorous and charming as it is reminding us why he's one of our true hip-hop folk heroes.
15. Fly Anakin
(The) Forever Dream
Production: Quelle Chris, The Alchemist, August Fanon, Chris Keyz, Denmark Vessey, others
Guests: Quelle Chris, bbymutha, $ilkmoney, Big Kahuna OG, Pink Siifu, others
Virginia's own Fly Anakin has a decent discography. The Mutant Academy emcee has had projects with Mutant Academy producer, Graymatter, as well as a collab album with Pink Siifu. In 2024, his Mutant Academy collective released the knocking Keep Holly Alive, and further propelled the crew into hip-hop's consciousness from the underground, although it was distributed under Roc Nation Management. Anakin's newest gift to us comes in the form of (The) Forever Dream, an album that has one of Detroit's most unique, yet oddly brilliant, emcees/producers, Quelle Chris, being executive producer for the project. Chris contributes to a few tracks on the boards, and his unique, psychedelic production actually meshes well with Anakin's distinct delivery. As evidenced by the album's first official single, "My Nigga", their musical chemistry is something that is intriguing and leaves us wanting more from them. We did get more, and the results were just as dope and even more dope. One can tell this is an album that the likes of Quelle would oversee, as one could easily see him rapping over this whole album, plus the light-hearted, stoner vibes of the album tend to be the aura of Quelle. This is especially evident on cuts like "Good Clothes", "YOUGOTME", and the Denmark Vessey/Pink Siifu-assisted, "Lord Forgives, I Hold Grudges", in which the melodic keys and synths do wonders to mellow out the rigid delivery Anakin displays here. Unlike the typical production Anakin tends to rhyme over from his Academy colleagues like the aforementioned Graymatter, UNLUCKY BASTARDS, and Ewonee, the more experimental style of production brought forth by the likes of Quelle, Chris Keyz, August Fanon, and even Uncle Al provide soundscapes that make for a unique, yet unorthodox, ride with cuts like "NOTTOOSHABBY" and "Say Thank You" are just enough for a session filled with plenty of blunts, stunts, and more blunts, yet lots of fun while in a hypnotic zone. Anakin's slightly behind the pacing flow doesn't take away from his pen game, and cuts like "Lil' One" and the Alchemist-flavored "Corner Pocket" have him handling his business effectively, with or without guests sharing mic time with him. While his last full-length solo album, Frank, showed us fully what he was capable of, (The) Forever Dream shows his range of sounds he can rhyme over effectively and have fun with. This may not be a black and white album in terms of conventional sounds and production, but what else do you expect from an album overseen by Quelle? The carefree nature of this album is understated, but the presence of good vibes and rhymes are prevalent, and that should be a "dream" for any recording session.
14. Xzibit
Kingmaker
Production: Dr. Dre, artist, will.i.am, Battlecat, Swizz Beats, Dem Jointz, DJ Khalyl, Beat Butcha, others
Guests: Busta Rhymes, JasonMartin, Royce Da 5'9", Dr. Dre, Ty Dolla $ign, Ice Cube, King Tee, Cold 187um, others
Since the mid-nineties, west coast underdog, Xzibit, has been putting it down and earned the respect of not just his west coast compadres, but his east coast counterparts as well. His distinctive tough guy delivery mixed with a pretty dope pen game has made him among L.A.'s most celebrated. His debut, At The Speed Of Life, was an instant head nodder. Cuts like the slammin' title track, the touching ode to his then-young son, "The Foundation", and "Paparazzi" made him an underground star. He followed this up with an even doper follow-up album, 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz, which featured "What You See Is What You Get", which holds one of hip-hop's most tremendous videos to date. It was his feature on Snoop Dogg's "Bitch Please" that put him on hip-hop's bigger radars, thus having him work the almighty good doctor himself, Dr. Dre, for his breakout album, Restless. This was his first taste of platinum, and it tasted good, and kept the momentum going with Man vs. Machine. Later albums such as Weapon of Mass Destruction, Full Circle, and Napalm were dope, but weren't to the par as the aforementioned albums. After his cameos in movies, as well the success of the MTV show, Pimp My Ride, Mr. X-to-the-Z fell back and would only record occasionally but hadn't put out a full-length album since Napalm in 2012. With the trend of nineties emcees delivering high quality efforts in 2025 ongoing, add Xzibit to the list. He dropped his first effort in thirteen years with Kingmaker. The now fifty-year-old aims to introduce himself to a whole new generation and does a hell of an admirable job in doing so. From the moment he dropped his first single, "Play This at My Funeral", it's obvious he has a point to prove and a new fire has lit up within him. His follow-up single, "Been A Long Time Pt. 2" is a bumping sequel to the Restless cut and unapologetically reinforces his tenure and respect the game owes him. Does the rest of the album follow suit to these cuts and keep its momentum up? The answer is a resounding yes! X is back to a hunger we hadn't heard at least since Full Circle, and cuts like "Everywhere I Go", "Earth Is Over", and "Genesis", which all have him spitting like he was still in his twenties and supported by knocking production. He reunites with Dre on "Leave Me Alone", which also features Ty Dolla $ign on the hook, in which he tells his haters to do exactly what the title suggests over a Dre beat that sounds like it was left off Snoop's Missionary album. While the first half of the album has its hits and misses, the second half of this long twenty track platter heats up big time. Cuts like the Mobb Deep "Quiet Storm"-sampled, Ice Cube-assisted "For The Love", the King Tee/Cold 187um (of Above The Law)-featured, "Notified", and "Shut Yo Mouth" are as blazing as any cut you'd hear from him within his discography, as Battlecat's unmistakable G-funk will make the hardest NYC head swear he's from the west on "Shut Yo Mouth" alone. Detroit lyrical legend, Royce Da 5'9" and underrated artist, K.A.A.N. pops up on the snapping "Crash", while tremendously talented, yet highly overlooked, emcee, Symba, holds his own on the dumb dope, "American Idols". While he's not too much into drinking a great deal anymore, this doesn't stop his love of trees, and we're not talking about the palm trees of Cali either. He gets up with legendary stoners, B-Real and Redman, for the bumping "Higher", while he breaks down the pros and cons of notoriety as well as what goal obtaining can provide on the spoken word piece, "Success", as well as how the game needs to put more respect on his name on the title track to close the album out. Xzibit continues what the likes of Tha Dogg Pound, Nas, Common, Snoop, and Busta have done in crafting an enjoyable product with Kingmaker. With very little flaws in its output, it's easy to say this album is easily among the surprising treats of the year from a west coast vet worthy of the flowers he deserves. This album proves his worth and that, indeed, X-to-the-Z is back, and you still don't want to hot box with him.
13. Previous Industries
Evergreen Plaza EP
Production: Child Actor, Wino Willy
Guests: N/A
This supergroup of Open Mike Eagle, Video Dave, and STILL RIFT coming together as Previous Industries made a splash on the scene official as PI in 2024 with their unorthodox, yet exceptional, album, Service Merchandise. With underrated underground producer, Child Actor, providing most of the boardwork for that album, he returns for this EP, along with another underrated producer, Wino Willy, for the follow-up EP, Evergreen Plaza. The theme of Service Merchandise was having titles of stores no longer in business but comparing them to social issues such as the struggling economy, old school nostalgia, layoffs, and poverty, only delivered in their own unique, witty and sarcastic imagery. They continue this approach throughout this five track EP. They start with the psychedelic sounds of "Adriana Furs" and bring a nostalgic flare to the Pep Love-assisted "West Coast Video". However, they bring the same old school memories to the soul-sampled "Rock & Roll McDonalds", but they get abstract with their verses on the final two cuts of "Goldblatts" and especially the woozy, organ-featured "Waldenbooks", in which they compare their lives to popular (or even lesser known) literature. This may be among the best trio in hip-hop's current underground scene. With OME dropping his next solo album, later in July, one would be well advised to peep it when it drops, but as for PI, they extended the troubles and urgency of day to day survival with this economic climate on Evergreen Plaza, and the sheer chemistry between these three close friends and emcees from Chicago are as observant and abstract as they are lyrically talented and left-brained.
12. Larry June, 2 Chainz, & The Alchemist
Life Is Beautiful
Production: The Alchemist
Guests: N/A
Another year, another prolific and acclaimed run for Mr. Alan Maman, aka The Alchemist, aka Uncle Al. The first big effort he got into involved two emcees he's previously worked with in the past, Larry June and 2 Chainz. Uncle Al had previously worked with LJ for their smooth, yet greatly acclaimed, The Great Escape album back in 2023. As for the artist formerly known as Titty Boi, they have never had a full project together (don't be surprised if one is in the works at some point), but that makes it all the more intriguing. With both emcees coming together over Al's production, the result surfaced as Life Is Beautiful, and it's quite the charming listen. Traditionally, Chainz is known for his subject matter of loose women, the trap, hustling, and being fly on dope albums within his discography like Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, Based On A T.R.U. Story, and the most recent Dope Don't Sell Itself in 2022, while LJ is more about how to be legit with your paper stacking, grinding, and living the best life. It's not hard to figure out how well this album would go, especially over the very fitting production from Al. We got our first taste of the LA-ATL paired duo with the singles, "Bad Choices" and "I Seen", both have the emcees reflecting on growth and wisdom from mistakes they've made in lifestyles and women. The rest of the album reflects this general approach: making money, personal/professional growth, and acknowledging the fruits of their labor. Smooth sounding cuts such as the excellent title track, "Munyon Canyon", and "Colossal" are great examples of their (ahem) chemistry together, as Chainz, who typically has more of a hyped up and energetic delivery over trap soundings by the likes of Metro or Mike WILL but sounds more subdued and rhymes like he's somewhere on someone's yacht with some Asti Spumante in his glass. They establish the grind and necessities of being entrepreneurs on the track, "LLC", while also exploring their lady conquests on "Jean Prouvé". The fact that their subject matter seems like hand in glove together is refreshing, as many wondered how the cohesion would work with them being that June is more grown man grinding rap and Chainz is still about the trap and the strip clubs, but it's clear based on other very dope cuts like the inspirational "Any Day", the glistening sounds of "Epiphany", and the southern neck snaps of "Generation" (which Chainz sounded very comfortable over), this combo works. This experiment that Alchemist created in his lab of putting Larry June and 2 Chainz together worked quite nicely with Life Is Beautiful, and while it may throw some off hearing Chainz this non-energetic (sans traces of it in "Generational"), Chainz and June are a combo that needs to do more work with each other regularly, and Al provided them with some of his most melodic and dreamscape-like work to date.
11. Lloyd Banks
AON 3: Despite My Mistakes
Production: Cartune Beatz, George Getson, Mr. Authentik, The Olympiks, Nicholas Craven, others
Guests: Ghostface Killah, Styles P, Ransom, Topofdaline
Throughout these last few years, one person that has been tremendously consistent in his quality has been former G-Unit soldier, Lloyd Banks. When he returned to the full-length album circuit in 2021 with the first of his Course of The Inevitable series, it was his first album since Hunger For More 2 all the way back in 2010. He still had it and had it well. The album was consistent, fluid, and damn sure a heater. The following two installations within the series were easily just as hard and crazy as the first one, plus his Halloween Havoc mixtapes were superb. Well in 2025, he returns with the next installment in his equally acclaimed All Or Nothing series, Despite My Mistakes. His prior two AON mixtapes have been as strong as anything else he's released, and this third installment is no different whatsoever. With stone cold production from the likes of Nicholas Craven, George Getson, and frequent collaborator, Cartune Beatz, there's almost as much of a brooding atmosphere like you'd hear in his Halloween Havoc series. Cuts like "One Life", the ominous "If I Wake Up", and "The Grudge" are avid head nodders with messages of perseverance, relentless determination, and the costs of sacrificing for one's own identity and goals. Not too prevalent are tales of shootouts, drug runs, and revenge. Instead, we get more substantial stuff mixed with street wisdom such as "Traumatized", "Keep Pushing", and "Rollin'", which all contain jewels of progressive endurance to the end. He also gives it up to the culture on the hard, yet sinister sounding, "Art Of Rap", as he slides in little crumbs referencing various hip-hop names, album titles, and songs. Guests such as Styles P (the title track), Ransom ("1982") and Ghostface Killah ("Endangered Species") all show up to compliment him on his cuts, not to outdo him (although getting on Ransom on your cut, there's a chance that may happen whether he means to or not). With the sax-heavy "High Powered" fully showing his artistic, lyrical, and personal maturity, Lloyd Banks is on a roll the likes of which we knew he could be on, with or without G-Unit. He puts another stamp on his record of sheer dopeness with AON 3: Despite My Mistakes, and makes it clear that, despite his mistakes, learning is the biggest gift one can get through those mistakes. With each one, it's made him into one of the coldest emcees of his generation.
10. Boldy James & V DON
Alphabet Highway
Production: V DON
Guests: N/A
Give me one person that has put in the work Detroit's own Boldy James has put in delivering the overall quality efforts he has (other than Tha God Fahim and his Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap series that he started late last year). James has been dropping an album per month virtually, and for the most part, they've been quite dope. Supposedly, this was actually the run he was supposed to have a couple of years ago, but a near fatal car accident put those plans on hold. Thankfully, he's recovered enough to get back on his grind, and boy has he ever. One of the best albums he dropped this year was his collaboration with red hot underground producer at the moment, V DON, for their album, Alphabet Highway. V DON has been known for his highly impressive boom-bap with the more often than not haunting samples and overall brooding atmosphere. His work with the likes of Willie The Kid, Lloyd Banks, Ransom, Eto, and Rome Streetz has been quite acclaimed and the Harlem beatsmith has acquired even more of a rep for himself throughout the underground. With this album, Boldy presents himself as the ever-observant hustler and paints pictures of the grind and looking out for the feds. He spits that old real shit on hard cuts like "Dr. Demento", "Entrapment", "R.S.N.S." and the menacing piano-driven, "Without Mention", while also managing to spit gripping narratives of paranoia, betrayal, and possible enemy setups on cuts like "Smacking Foreigns", "Lemon Head Light", and the brooding "Daylight Savings". Humble, yet confident, he reminds us of how far he's come in the game and respect needs to be on his name on "Finishing Touches", while "Split The Bill" is a threatening warning to those that cross him and lets the listener know he's not the one. V DON presented Boldy with some of his best production work to date that doesn't involve Willie The Kid or Ransom. Meanwhile, Boldy is self-assured and focused on Alphabet Highway, more so than a few other albums he dropped that weren't quite up to par. Boldy's pen and DON's nasty production makes this another big win for the two.
9. Boldy James & Chuck Strangers
Token Of Appreciation
Production: Chuck Strangers
Guests: N/A
Keeping it going with Boldy's tremendous output of albums this year, this particular album was actually leaked to the internet in 2024. The album was untitled, but was stated as being a Boldy James & The Alchemist album. The nine track effort was surely fantastic and the production was definitely the type of production one could hear Uncle Al providing for one of his favorite collaborators. However, just after the beginning of the year, it was revealed through social media that the album was real, but the production wasn't done by Alchemist. In fact, it was done by former Pro Era producer/emcee, Chuck Strangers. Strangers, himself, is not a bad emcee, but his board work is overall excellent, yet underrated. His own discography containing albums such as Consumers Park, The Boys & Girls EP, and one of 2024's best gems, A Forsaken Lover's Plea, is acclaimed and noteworthy. With this surprising revelation, it was also noted that the album, indeed, had a title, Token Of Appreciation. The album wasn't totally without Alchemist involvement, however, as he was reported as having mixed the album. Known for his sped up vocal soul samples and occasional psychedelic auras, Strangers provided BJ some of his best work to date. With cuts like "Fail Proof", "Thank God", and the opener, "B.O.B.", Boldy is at more optimistic, yet aware of his status and his come-up. His confidence is sharp, not just as an emcee, but as a man, hustler, and businessman. As for others like "3rd Little Piggy" and "Lop Sided", he illustrates his yearn for the streets and brick distribution. We hear more insight within his mind state balancing between the streets and the consequences on the likes of the excellent, "Whale Fishing", but "Global Telling" has him expressing how his career is taking off and how proud of him his mother is and why he is, in fact, "Mr. 227". As for Strangers, his blend of chipmunk soul and clever samples usages combine with occasional drum less production and highly detailed, yet tremendously technical, instrumentation. The results of Token Of Appreciation are simply fantastic, as those that may have slept on Strangers production abilities before may be starting to wake up more. While Boldy has dropped a couple of less-than-stellar albums this year including Murder During Drug Trafficking and Permanent Ink, this damn sure isn't one of them. In fact, production wise, Chuckie may have reached another level to go alongside his work last year with grossly undermentioned emcee, Milc, as Bad Tofu and their very sorely slept-on album, Affordable Luxuries, but he and Boldy may be that next combo that the "Concreature" may need to revisit again like Uncle Al, Nicholas, and Futurewave.
8. MIKE
Showbiz!
Production: DJ Blackpower, Thelonious Martin, others
Guests: Surf Gang, Venna, 454
When it comes to New York underground representative, MIKE, one can typically expect honesty, transparency, and witty rhymes. His delivery is one that resembles the sleepy-type flow that distinguishes the likes of Earl Sweatshirt or maybe even Wiki, but MIKE is certainly his own emcee. His discography is a very enjoyable, if not decent, catalog that has great examples of his talent such as Disco!, Weight Of The World, the melancholy Tears Of Joy, and his standout album, Burning Desire from 2023. He also collaborated with the aforementioned Wiki and Uncle Al himself for the quite fantastic, Faith Is A Rock, and has also collaborated with producer, Tony Seltzer, for the album Pinball, and its sequel earlier this year, Pinball 2. However, it's his album, Showbiz!, that further propels MIKE as one of the most intriguing and engaging artists out right now. Seen as almost of an extension of Burning Desire, mixed with another great album of his, Beware Of The Monkey, this album has him and his stream of consciousness-style writing, exploring introspection, vulnerability, and rapidly-expanding thoughts that occasionally have him all over the place yet eventually focused and more centered. Under his DJ Blackpower production alias, the production is a mixture of soulful samples, lush instrumentation, and woozy, at times very airy, melodies. The opening track, "Bear Trap", is a enjoyable, mid-groove, track where MIKE is expressing his sadness and moodiness in such a way where you feel for him, but he sounds so good doing so. He follows this up with "Clown Of The Circus", which has him seemingly pointing pout the struggles of being a lyricist in hip-hop and the pressures of consistently being nice with the pen. While slightly light-hearted, yet still dumb dope, cuts like "Da Roc", "Artist Of The Century", and "Spun Out" have MIKE spitting on everything from cats wanting to holla at his woman to how much weed he can tolerate, and while these may be some very random thoughts, they all make sense from his POV and all get centralized, even if you have to put the tracks on repeat to fully absorb why he tends to go off base a bit. He gets back deep and thought-provoking with cuts like "Man In The Mirror", as he reflects on how he still has moments of self-loathing, but also has moments of reaffirmation about him as a person and as an emcee. On "You The Only One Watching", the piano-sampled, vocal-looped cut has him somberly reflecting on the sadness in his life including praying to his deceased mother (whom Tears Of Joy was basically centered around) and how even making money can't fix broken hearts. He goes down an even deeper rabbit hole on the track, "Strange Feelings", as he balances between hope and suicidal ideologies, as he states, "My crux glow, my mother know I'm getting up close/I come close, this island is full of sinners and cutthroats." His journey on what "home" looks like ever since his mother passed has been challenging. It always is when the only world you've known is no more. Ever since then, we've seen MIKE try to rediscover himself through music and good company, and as evidenced with Showbiz!, he still has trepidations of moving forward due to the shadiness of the business and friends, but musically and lyrically, he's continuing to evolve and there's little to no doubt that MIKE will keep being among those emcees that you can't ignore their insight, talent, and pen game. If Burning Desire was the album that really had people turn themselves on to him more, Showbiz! picks up right where Burning Desire left off, and even with this possibly being his most musically and experimental to date, this shows how he's willing to keep growing, traveling, and finding his "home", whatever it looks like to him.
7. Rome Streetz & Conductor Williams
Trainspotting
Production: Conductor Williams
Guests: Method Man, Jay Worthy
New York-based emcee, Rome Streetz, has had a sizzling past few years. Aside from signing with Griselda for his beyond dope album, Kiss The Ring, he's dropped a few other knockers such as Noise Kandy 5, the DJ Muggs-collaborated, Death & The Magician, the mean-sounding collab with Big Ghost LTD, Wasn't Built In A Day, and especially 2024's CRAZY collab with Griselda's in-house go-to production monster, Daringer, Hatton Garden Holdup. Along with Boldy and Gunn, he may be the most in-demand from the crew, and every year he delivers something else to add onto his ever-building following. For 2025, so far his only offering (emphasis on so far being that he reportedly still has an upcoming project with V DON this year) comes in the form of collaborating with another primarily Griselda in-house beatsmith, Conductor Williams, with Trainspotting. Conductor has been quite the busy man over the past couple of years especially, working with the likes of Drake, J. Cole, Conway The Machine, Joey Bada$$, Droog, Boldy, and Mach-Hommy. His album with Boldy in 2024, Across The Tracks, was considered among the best albums of the year so of course now he has to continue this momentum with Rome, and quite honestly, they pull it off excellently. Conductor provided the majority of Kiss The Ring, and a lot of the influence within Kiss The Ring follows on this album. Rome venomizes tracks such as the first single, "Rule 4080" (which utilizes Q-Tip's wise words), "Blood In His Boogers", "Joe Pesci", and "Andre Agassi", and showcases how almost effortlessly he can glide over Conductor's psychedelic, soulful boom-bap. When he hangs with the legendary Method Man on "Ricky Bobby", Rome isn't easily outshined by Mr. M-E-F, which is saying a lot, while also Jay Worthy drops in on "10 Toes" and pledges allegiance to the grind over a ridiculous colorful beat. He's never too far from the streets, as we hear on "Runny Nose", "99 Attributes", and "Connie's Revenge", as he illustrates his abilities to move bricks and weight with precision. Whether it's schooling about stacking paper on "Died 1,000 Times" or patting himself on the back for how much he's come up in the game on "Resource Room", Trainspotting is yet another example of why Rome Streetz should be mentioned in your top ten current emcees and why Conductor should be in your top ten producers. The chemistry these two have with each other is damn near impeccable. For those that thought Hatton Garden Holdup was too sonically hard and gutter, Trainspotting is a slight ease off the pedal, very slight. Streetz is on a roll and the way it looks right now, there's no way he's slowing down anytime soon.
6. Saba & No I.D.
From The Private Collection Of...
Production: No I.D.
Guests: Kelly Rowland, BJ The Chicago Kid, Raphael Saadiq, Ogi, Joseph Chilliams, others
One of the brightest young emcees to emerge from the Chi in many a year is Saba. Member of PIVOT Gang, Saba has made a little noise with his 2014 release, Comfort Zone, and a little bit more with his 2016 follow-up, Bucket List Project. However, it was his magnificent 2018 offering, Care For Me, that made people perk their ears up more. This amazing look at death, grief, depression, and mental health was an instant treasure and highlighted the lyrical and verbal talents of this young Chi-town native. With his talents becoming on more and more displays (not to mention his supergroup with fellow Chicago natives, Smino and Noname), he returned in 2022 with Few Good Things. This album wasn't nearly as gloomy as Care For Me but was arguably every bit as soulful and introspective as the aforementioned. There started to be this talk of a closed session with him and Grammy Award-winning producer (and fellow Chi-town native), No I.D., for a possible album. This came to pass as what was originally supposed to be a mixtape turned out to be a full-length, and this year, it surfaced. Appropriately entitled, From the Private Collection of Saba & No I.D., this has the two artists collaborating in a manner that fully displays the tremendously talents of both the emcee and the producer. Saba is known for his honesty and his introspection and gives it plenty over some of No I.D.'s best material in some years. Saba isn't about being too heavy like Care For Me, but he also isn't about completely sunshine and flowers either. He's just Saba, ins and outs, good and bad. With cuts like "Every Painting Has A Price", he basically covers what the overall feel of the album is: appreciation of time yet realizing his worth and senses of gratitude. With vocal contributions by Eryn Allen Kane and BJ The Chicago Kid, this track glows with soul even more. He displays his charm on the Kelly Rowland and Raphael Saadiq-assisted, "Crash". while expressing his need to rest after successful global tours on "Stop Playin' With Me" to balance out the ambiguity. Clearly proud of his heritage and culture, he does a great job breaking down his love of his locs on "head.rap", and sticking with metaphorical rap, he goes the photography route for the track, "Big Picture" to compare photography terminology and descriptions to his day-to-day life. There's no denying his penmanship and his sing-songy delivery that doesn't come off generic or trendy. He illustrates his nice use of wordplay on cuts like "Stomping" and "She Called It", but also doesn't ignore his westside Chicago roots on the straightforward "Westside Bound Pt. 4", with images of humility, flashbacks of the grind and never forgetting where you came from over multiple beat switches and Saba experimenting with various flows that shows he really is a student of the game. His deepest moments go into areas that are personal to him such as his art and his grounded nature, avoiding the vanity of the industry and realizing that all of this can be gone in a second. Thus, the track "Woes of The World" establishes the stresses of keeping your identity while exposing the fact that nothing impresses him anymore because of the same subject material in what's out here and popular. However, in what may be the album's standout, "How To Impress God", No I.D. provides Saba with a higher purpose over a minimalistic beat that allows Saba to let people know that external validation means nothing at the end of the day, but loving one another, encouraging each other and appreciation of your blessings are what He looks for after this life is over. Truly a powerful moment. Saba elevates his game to new heights with this benchmark of an album, From the Private Collection of Saba & No I.D., with I.D. supplying him with soulful minimalism and highly convenient sampling that makes Saba gracefully glide back and forth between his melodic delivery, his double- timed, multisyllabic rhyme structure, and honest words to be absorbed by the listener. The best type of emcee and storyteller is one that is not gangster, player, sexualized, nor brick-selling. It's one that's human, and Saba is unapologetically that, and then some.
5. Boldy James & Real Bad Man
Conversational Pieces
Production: Real Bad Man
Guests: El-P, Conway the Machine, Dreamcast Moe
The final Boldy James album on this list is arguably among the best works of his career alone. While we've covered earlier albums of his that were bumped hard such as Alphabet Highway and Token of Appreciation, it's the album he does with west coast-based label/clothing apparel team, Real Bad Man, Conversational Pieces, that wins the gold medal so far in 2025. RBB have been known to work with the likes of ZelooperZ (his album, Dear Psilocibin, is not to be slept on), the previously mentioned collab with Willie The Kid, Midnight, Elcamino, YUNGMORPHEOUS, Blu, and Kool Keith. RBB head, Adam Weissman, is primarily the man behind the boards and, as was previously mentioned with Midnight, the production is part soulful, part psychedelic, part melodic, all hazy. This is especially exhibited throughout this album. Boldy keeps up his tales of hustling, stacking/selling bricks, and being a street boss so he doesn't reinvent his own wheel. He just does so over jazzy, soulful, and at times colorful production. He illustrates these narratives on cuts like the Conway The Machine-assisted "Fear of God", the sick "Cutthroats", and the dusty "Aspen". RBB goes the drum less route with the sinister "Class Clown", while "Bag It Up" has him hitting the streets with crack sale intentions and "Say Less" is a crazy-sounding cut stepping up to those to dare him to prove his weight in the streets and in the game itself. While "Come Back Around" doesn't essentially hit every corner with precision due to the R&B hook from dreamcastmoe, "Burn In Hell" and the title track are more personal cuts that bring about introspection and thought with fearlessness and transparency over excellent soundscapes. Boldy has been on a tear this year, and it's still not over. With albums coming with Alchemist and Futurewave, Boldy could very well dominate this year with quality material (fingers crossed for the hopeful Drug Dilla project with posthumous Dilla production). This collab with RBB, Conversational Pieces, not only showcases how tremendous RBB can be on the boards and why Adam should be considered among the best and most diverse in the underground, but this is also the best collab from them considering their prior efforts of Killing Nothing and Real Bad Boldy, which were also dope. Boldy not only owns the streets, but also your speakers in 2025 as well.
4. Knowledge The Pirate & Roc Marciano
The Roundtable
Production: Roc Marciano
Guests: N/A
NY veteran emcee, Knowledge The Pirate, has become notable within the underground mostly because of his affiliation with the kingpin of NY underground rap himself, Roc Marciano. His albums have been mostly dope, such as Flintlock, Black Cesar, Hidden Treasures, and 5 Pounds Of Treasure, and have showed listeners that he can more than hold his own with or without Marci. However, he decided to get up with Marci on the boards to deliver his sixth album, The Roundtable. Much like Marci's boardwork with artists like Flee Lord, Jay Worthy, and the underground treasure that is Reasonable Drought by Stove God Cook$, Marci's bread and butter lies in his penchant for soulful loops, clever samples, and occasional drum-less production, which suits this album just fine and then some. The majority theme of the album is enjoying the finer things in life but also coming across as a street boss who doesn't play around. Cuts like the first single & video, "Eating Etiquette" and "The Outfit" has him keeping up with the Joneses and being more Superfly than Huggy Bear. Knowledge is very much about respect and the grind. Cuts like ""Golden Rules", "Knives & Forks", and "Young Thugs" all aim to school the young, while letting his crew know that loyalty isn't an option. As far as Roc's production, it goes back to chipmunk soul, soul samples, and touches of seventies blaxploitation-era grooves. Perhaps the best commodity of this production usage is the track "Food For Thought". Over an outstanding drumless track complete with a hopelessly soulful vocal sample loop, Knowledge spits street narratives that double as gems for those that think they know how the game goes down and don't have a clue. This is one track where Marci's production actually overshined Knowledge's dope spitting, but other times such as "Addicted To Danger", "Gut Feeling", and the highly delightful vocal sampled closer, "Receipts" carefully matches the delivery of Knowledge and he flows like hand-in-glove with these production choices of his partner-in-rhyme. It can be argued that The Roundtable is Knowledge's magnum opus, and for great reason. Not since Marci's production work on Reasonable Drought has his sound been so consistent and standout outside of his own projects for himself. The Big Ghost LTD-produced, Wolves Don't Eat With Shepherds, was certainly a benchmark for Knowledge, but this is has one-up'd that album and now we can't un-hear these two together anymore.
3. Mac Miller
Balloonerism
Production: artist, Thundercat, Taylor Graves, others
When the hip-hop world lost Malcolm McCormick, aka Mac Miller, we lost one of the brightest young talents emerging in hip-hop. In September of 2018, he would sadly and tragically lose his battle of addiction in the form of an accidental overdose and our collective hearts broke over the potential that Miller contained just with his albums of the frat-boy nature of Blue Slide Park, Watching TV With The Sound Off, his breakout album, GO:OD AM, and the sorely underappreciated The Devine Feminine. Collaborating with the likes of the late, great Sean Price, Earl Sweatshirt, Schoolboy Q, Bun B and Vince Staples, his name was becoming more and more known. His final album released while alive, Swimming, was a highly vulnerable and acclaimed effort that showed that, even with his breakup with pop star, Ariana Grande, he was determined to find peace through his pain. The Miller estate was reportedly sitting on hundreds of unreleased songs and several albums worth of material to last Miller's musical legacy for quite a long time. One album that had been somewhat available on the likes of YouTube and Soundcloud was Balloonerism, which was recorded around the time of his quite excellent mixtape Faces, but also during his Swimming and Circles sessions as well. The album is a look at a young man in a transition of leveling past his frat-rap days and getting to more deep concepts and more open book lyrics. When Faces was being recorded, the album was super more mature and way more personal, but with Balloonerism, we're stuck in a maze with him in terms of his depression and his gloom with subtle optimism through very groovy live instrumentation and occasional soulful elements and psychedelic undertones. His duality is on full display throughout the album, as cuts like "5 Dollar Pony Rides" and "DJ's Chord Organs", which has SZA accompanying him on the vocals, demonstrate well. What's the most haunting aspect of this album is his seemingly prophetic imagery of death and reflection, as cuts like "Funny Papers" clearly show. Dark, eerie, yet somewhat satirical, this track has him eerily stating "I didn't know you could die on a Friday", and how amazingly ironic it ended up happening. The fact that he was rhyming this in such a blahzay way and the talking about death in such a nonchalant manner was concerning in and of itself, but it's also fascinating how much he didn't really mind leaving this Earth and was somewhat at peace with doing so. Another track that's equally as haunting is the track, "Transformations". This track is delivered by his more deranged alter ego, Delusional Thomas, and the cut brilliantly exhibits its ambiguity and ominous imagery, while making one sense a bit of dark humor similar to Eminem during his Slim Shady/Marshall Mather LP sessions. With cuts like "Mrs. Deborah Downer", "Tambourine Dream", and "Stoned", the disturbing overtones and depressing imagery are disguised under groovy, mid-tempo bass and a sense of feel good vibes. Similarly, "Shangri-La" follows the same mode of cathartic lines like "If I'm dying young, promise me you'll laugh at my funeral" over body moving production and matter-of-fact confidence as if it wasn't a big deal to him. With other tremendous, yet fascinating, cuts like the the brooding imagery of "Bob's Dementia", "Manakin", and the twelve minute closer, "Tomorrow Will Never Know", are flashes of his greatness in terms of his artistry and his morbid acceptance of his mortality mixed with the reality of things to come and celebrating life through upbeat musicianship and experimentation. The mere thought of him speaking into existence his eventual demise is chilling as it is, but we clearly hear someone fully accepting of things to come and masking it by wanting us to party and be able to live life while you can. Miller's Balloonerism is one of the most striking and intriguing albums within his entire discography, and it exhibits an authenticity and a sense of transparency, whether in good times or very sad and pitiful times. We sit with him through it all, realizing this one-time frat-rap guy would emerge into an emcee to be taken very seriously once he reached the Divine Feminine period, lyrically and musically. He should've been a bigger star than he was, but with the help of his family, friends, and fans, Mac Miller will be that star he always had the potential to be, even beyond the grave. Here's to hoping for other posthumous work to be released such as his collaborative album with Madlib, MacLib, his collab with Metro Boomin, the collab with Pharrell Williams, Pink Slime, and lots more. Until then, Balloonerism is a tragic, yet beautiful, release and display of why Miller is so loved and respected six years after he put his mic down once and for all.
2. PremRock
Did You Enjoy Your Time Here?!
Production: Blockhead, Sebb, Child Actor, Controller 7, Fines Double, E L U C I D, Jeff Markey, others
Guests: billy woods, Illogic, AJ Suede, Curly Castro, Cavalier, others
From the crew of Backwoodz Studios comes New York, by way of Philly, artist, PremRock. The emcee, who's just as known in the underground for his collaborative work with fellow Backwoodz artist, Curly Castro as ShrapKnel (their latest album, Nobody Planning To Leave, is among the best albums within their discography bar none), has a fairly dope discography of his own that is filled with dense production, talented, yet morose, pen work, and a look at life through non-rose pedal glasses. His last album, Load Bearing Crow's Feet, was a murky, yet very relatable, effort that was full of pessimism, empathy for the working class, and those that are hopeless yet seeking hope within it. Over experiential and kaleidoscopic production mostly provided by frequent production collaborator, Willie Green, Prem provided light over minimalistic sounds and a tone that was like speaking to a pissed off, yet reserved, loner that's tremendously observant of the world around him. He returns this year with Did You Enjoy Your Time Here?!, with as much intelligent observance as ever with poignancy and bits of wit and sarcasm. Over more varied production by the likes of Child Actor, Sebb Bash, Controller 7, and Blockhead, this album has so many twists and turns sonically, yet still maintains its allusive and prismatic production that we had been used to from him and ShrapKnel alike. He tackles masking syndrome and the falsehood of existing pretending as living on cuts like "Void Lacquer", "California Sober", and the cautionary "Plunder". Self doubt hits him as far as his worth as an artist on "Doubt Mountain", while also exploring the complicated, logical nature of love with "Love Is A Battlefield Simulation". With the track, "Fever Dream", he examines state of beings and self principles while questioning why people have them, but often times don't follow through with them or sway them. Over an outstanding Fines Double beat, PremRock comes off as someone that feels just as guilty as everyone else, thus calling it out. He collaborates with both members of Armand Hammer on separate tracks, as E L U C I D contributes on the boards to the Cavalier-assisted unorthodox beauty that is "A Good Man Is Hard To Find", while has billy woods lace us with another mind-blowing verse on the gloomy, yet gorgeous, sounds of "Receipts", which tackles the painful complexities of grief over the death of loved ones. With other exceptional cuts such as the Pink Siifu-assisted, "Steel Wool", "Angel's Share", and the title track, which doubles as an RIP shout to Cali underground legend, Saafir, Did You Enjoy Your Time Here?! is quite possibly the crowning jewel of PremRock. His deep, introspective lyrics alongside some of the best left-brained production you'll hear all year, PremRock has made it a point to be layered on purpose. He aims to make you think in such an identifiable way while putting a mirror up to himself throughout the journey. PremRock deserves more props than he gets, and this stellar album puts him one step closer to obtaining more listeners.
1. billy woods
GOLIWOG
Production: The Alchemist, Messiah Muzik, Preservation, DJ Haram, Sadhugold, El-P, Kenny Segal, Conductor Williams, Steel Tipped Dove, Ant, others
Guests: E L U C I D, Despot, Bruiser Wolf, Cavalier, al.davino, others
What's a fully great, productive year in hip-hop without some billy woods? Perhaps one of the game's most brilliant and thought-provoking writers in the entire game, the Brooklyn emcee/poet has been revered in the underground for around two decades for his unconventional slam poetry-styled delivery and his sharp, meticulous writing that captivates, stirs, and even haunts. His discography alone is that of near legend. Past albums such as his eponymous debut, History Will Absolve Me, Today, I Wrote Nothing, Known Unknowns, his collab albums with Backwoodz producer, Kenny Segal, of Maps and Hiding Places, and the Preservation-crafted, Aethiopes are immersed in imagery of dark and skeptical societal troupes mixed in with occasional bits of wit to laugh to keep from crying. These don't even include his albums with tag team rhyme partner, E L U C I D, as Armand Hammer, and their overall outstanding discography. When word got out that woods was dropping twice in 2025 (one solo and an Armand Hammer album), heads were on the edge of their seats. The first of these projects was in the form of GOLIWOG. Named after the highly controversial doll of the seventies made up in back face, red lips, and an afro, woods goes for something that is as horrifying, as it is absolutely engaging. The Black experience has been known to be historically tragic and fear-inducing, and we get all of this within this album. The overall setting of this album is one of bleak backdrops, chilling imagery, and basically an intelligent horror movie on your digital platforms. Take for instance the opener, "Jumpscare", which has woods dissecting the post colonialism of Blacks in three different ways: traps within your environment, experiments to keep us controlled and/or eliminated, and the English language that was meant to have information fed to us rather than us knowingly learning it ourselves, thus once again highlighting the central theme of the cut: being trapped. Continuing the horror vibes is the first single, "Misery", which has woods in a love/lust situation with an apparent succubus vampire that is as imaginative as it is fascinating. His imagination and genius-like observance are nothing short of god levels. You're constantly in an audio macabre that will either be playful or apocalyptic. At times, one in the same. On the track, "Waterproof Mascquera", woods rhymes about domestic abuse and childhood trauma in such a brooding way that it sends chills up your spine. If that doesn't do it, Preservation's production surely will. His backdrop consists of a drum-less melody, a haunting wail underneath the sounds of a woman weeping and sleepy bass strums. The tension is impeccable, and you can cut it with a knife. This is easily the most unnerving, yet engaging, production on the album, and woods' delivery is one that appears to be almost ghostly or a spirit that's observing the horror unfolding at the time of the abuse, as well as how it impacts the future. The ominous nature of similar cuts such as "Pitchforks & Halos", "Maquiladoras", and "Corinthians", in which the guest spot from Despot is impressive and repeatable, shows woods' attention to detail and relevant nuances within the themes of the cuts themselves, especially Corinthians", which has the belief that one has clear vision of the outside world, but lacks the means to do or feel anything for and about it. Another fascinating cut is "Cold Sweat", in which woods has nightmares about everything from being a puppet of the music industry to being a tenant of an apartment and reversing the power the landlord previously had over him as he was the only tenant left in the building. He tackles the notion of paranoia and torture due to insomnia on the Alchemist-blessed, "Counterclockwise", the historical context of the cut, "Golgotha", and the Conductor Williams-crafted usage of ringtones "STAR87", in which woods is rapping from a perspective of dread, isolationism, and the need for unpacking trauma. His cuts with the aforementioned E L U C I D are as boneyard chilling as anything you'd expect from the duo, as "All These Worlds Are Yours", the Cavalier-featured, "Lead Paint Test", and the simply creepy and cautionary, "Dislocated", in which these fellas examine their traumas being hidden in plain sight in society. When you mix in the ambient and highly inauspicious production from the likes of Preservation, Alchemist, Kenny Segal, El-P, Messiah Muzik, and Sadhugold, you're left with a sinister, yet relevant, feeling of fictional horror and real-life horrors that make the fictionalized stories seem almost comical. What woods has delivered with GOLIWOG is one of pure bleak beauty. A masterpiece that will leave you realizing this world in and of itself is an everyday horror. Captivating and stunning, GOLIWOG just may be the generational album woods has been elevating himself to create, which considering his already unbelievable previous albums, is quite a feat. We're witnessing a true great in front of our eyes from an emcee perspective, a visionary p[respective, and scholarly writing perspective. Quite simply, woods may be the best writer alive, and GOLIWOG may be the most socially creative, emphatically dark, and important album of the year and beyond.
Honorable Mentions
Busta Rhymes- Dragon Season: The Awakening
Busta Rhymes- Dragon Season: The Equinox
Che Noir & Superior- Seeds Of Babylon
Che Noir- The Color Chocolate 2
Smif-N-Wessun- Infinite
V DON- Send For...
Fat Ray & Black Milk- Food From The Gods
Benny The Butcher & Black Soprano Family- Illtone Vol. 1: The Outcome
ESTEE NACK & Giallo Point- PAPITAS 2
Curren$y & harry Fraud- Never Catch Up
FastLife, Madhattan, & Spanish-Ran- Bergin Hunt & Fish
Napolean Da Legend- F.L.A.W.
RJ PAYNE & Erick Sermon- 3 Piece EP
Fines Double- Espijimo
MindsOne- Stages
Josiah The Gift- Machacha- The Happening
Eddie Kaine- Crown Me Kaine
Eddie Kaine & RIM- Welcome To Stuyville
Lord Sko- Piff
Slik Jack & Vincent Pryce- Everybody's Gotta Pryce
Big Cheeko- Coulrophobia
Henny L.O. & Ewonee- The Coldest Season Ever
Planetary, King Syze, & Reef the Lost Cauze- Murderers Row
Queen Herawin- Awaken The Sleeping Giant
AHNKLEJOHN & Cookin' Soul- The Michelin Man
AHNKLEJOHN- Give Grace
AHNKLEJOHN- Grave Given
AHNKLEJOHN & August Fanon- Live! AT The Disco
The Underachievers- Homecoming
Recognize Ali & Stu Bangas- Guerilla Dynasty 3
Tha God Fahim & Nicholas Craven- Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap Vols. 5-13
CRIMEAPPLE- Jaguar On Palisade 3
Vega7 The Ronin & Machacha- The Ghost Orchid
UFO Fav & Vanderslice- Pyramid Schemes
UFO Fav & Bodybag Ben- Thousand Yard Stare
Nowahh The Flood & Giallo Point- The Anamoly EP
Mickey Diamond- Diamond Cutter
R.A.P. Ferreira- Outstanding Understanding
Vinnie Paz- God Sent Vengeance
Bernadette Price- A Widow's Cry
Crisis- The Art Of...
Hus Kingpin- Threesome 3: Only Built 4 Supermodels
The High & Mighty- Sound Of Market
McKinley Dixon- Magic, Alive!
Little Simz- Lotus
Cam Be & Neak- a film called black
T.F. & Khrysis- The Green Bottle
Daz Dillinger- Retaliation, Revenge, & Getback 2
Bruiser Wolf- Potluck
It's clear to see that the first half of 2025 has been filled with knockers and albums that will be on continued repeats throughout the year and beyond with several of these. While 2024 still stands as arguably the best year of the decade thus far, it looks like 2025 isn't far behind whatsoever. We still have albums from Raekwon, Ghostface, Mobb Deep (RIP Bandana P), Evidence, the second installment of Common & Pete Rock's generational classic, The Auditorium, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Boldy James & The Alchemist, the third installment of Conway The Machine's Reject series, Westside's Flygod Is An Awesome God 3, the studio version of the highly awaited collab of Yasiin Bey & The Alchemist, FORENSICS (spoiler: if the final version is even remotely close to the live Bandcamp streaming concert, this album will be an IMMEDIATE top 3 AOTY), a posthumous Big L album and the MUCH anticipated collab album of Nas & Preemo (be on the lookout for the Preemo & Roc Marci EP coming as well). Needless to say, if you thought the first half of the year was crazy, we may not have seen ANYTHING yet. Be excited folks! the summer is here, and the fall will be right behind it. Most of the best albums tend to come out during the fourth quarter of the year but do not at all sleep on this summer's excellent albums slated to drop. With that said, enjoy the rest of 2025! Until next time!
