It hasn't taken long for people to consider 2024 an already banner year for modern-day hip-hop within the past decade or two. While 2023 was considered underwhelming by some, it appears 2024 is already starting off blazing. Stellar releases from the likes of Conway, Benny, Cavalier, Lupe, and Droog, along with impressive returns and reunions from the likes of Tha Dogg Pound, Gangrene, Rapsody, and Kooley High have been such the newsworthy subjects so far this year. While the west has been enjoying one of the biggest boom periods in a long time, the Griselda/Drumwork/B$F crew has been enjoying critical success as well. As we approach the middle of the year, we have to highlight just some of the craziest and most outstanding projects to drop this year. From underground smashes to mainstream/commercial darlings, this has been a year so far of TREMENDOUS heat. With that being said, let's jump into the top twenty-five efforts, and the year's Honorable Mentions as of mid-year.
25. Ty Farris
Enigma With an Attitude
Production: Futurewave, Camouflage Monk, AniMoss, Don Carrera, August Fanon, Wavy Da Gahwd, others
Guests: N/A
We start with Detroit's Ty Farris. Known for underground favorites such as his renowned No Cosign, Just Cocaine mixtape series, as well as dope outings like Malice at The Palace, Ramen Noodle Nights, and Welcome to Room 39. His raw, no-nonsense delivery and gritty lyricism has him among his counterparts in the D such as Royce, Elzhi, Denmark Vessey, Quelle Chris, and others giving him props and notice. With his latest offering, Enigma with An Attitude, he displays himself as an "enigma", or someone that is mysterious in his ways, thoughts, and movements. Over some of the best, and most overall cohesive, production you'll hear from any of his projects, Farris brings the goods on such cuts like "The Enigma", "True Identity", "Puzzle Full of Pistols", and "3rd Eye Never Lie". Haunting, yet thumping, production makes cuts like these so easy for Farris to get his tough guy talk on and paints vivid pictures of the streets and hustling. With an already prolific catalog of shining moments, Farris delivers once again with Enigma With An Attitude, and keeps that momentum of his going in the right direction. It's only a matter of time before he reaches a broader level with his talent and writing abilities.
24. Vega7 The Ronin & Body Bag Ben
Kawasaki Killaz
Production: Body Bag Ben
Guests: N/A
Underground Queens MC, Vega7 The Ronin, and west coast producer, Bodybag Ben, combined their equally impressive talents to bring the world, Kawasaki Killaz. The Ronin is an overall mysterious emcee (thus the Ronin nickname), but what many lack in their knowledge of who he is exactly as a man, we get more than enough of his lyricism in great detail. Approaching his lyricism like a swordsman in battle, The Ronin slices over BBB's dark and ominous production excellently all throughout his effort. Standouts off this album include the bumping title track, "The Gray Man", and the menacing "Ghost in The Shell", and the majority of the album follows in this formula of nocturnal, atmospheric boom-bap from BBB with Ronin showing how he can move through these murky beats of Ben. Vega7 is no rookie to this game, with projects such as The Lead Lined Wall, and 2023's Sleep Is The Cousin being rotators for the emcee. Meanwhile Bodybag Ben continues to creep on up in the production circles as one of the true up-and-comers for his knack of atmospheric and haunting production that has been utilized by the likes of Eto, Canibus, and Planet Asia, while he, himself, has been known to pick a mic up. This collab album, Kawasaki Killaz, is a real dope pairing between both artists and hopefully a sequel is in the making at some point. Keep both eyes out for both of these artists.
23. ShrapKnel
Nobody Planning To Leave
Production: Controller 7
Guests: Open Mike Eagle, D-Styles, Breeze Brewin, ELUCID, others
Our first Backwoodz Studios project comes in the form of the acclaimed duo, ShrapKnel. The duo consisting of Curly Castro and PremRock have been putting it down together since 2020 with their self-titled debut. They followed that up with the highly touted Metal Lung, in which this album helped to garner them more of a following than before. The slightly animated delivery of Castro supplements the occasionally monotone, yet very straightforward delivery of PremRock to make an unorthodox, yet intriguing, duo from the house of Armand Hammer. With their third album, Nobody Planning To Leave, they collab with frequent Backwoodz collaborator/producer, Controller 7, to bring forth an album that more or less picks up where Metal Lung picks up, at least sonically. Controller 7 brings an eclectic entourage of moody boom-bap with engaging melodies that completely make you feel submerged into a left-brained roller coaster similar to what we would expect from the likes of Kool Keith, Cage, and maybe even Aesop Rock would have loads of fun with rhyming over. This alone helps to make cuts like the first single, "Illusions Of P", "the complex "Deep Space 9 Millie Pulled a Pistol", and the slightly harrowing "Nutcracker Blues" sound like ShrapKnel is ready to take next level standings within this rap game. With the Open Mike Eagle-assisted, "Dadism 3", we see these emcees conjuring up imagery of horror movies and science fiction mixed with abstract idealism disguised as pseudo-nihilism. Meanwhile, on other cuts like "LIVE Element" rely on the superb strength of its divided, yet masterful, ambiguity, and "Uru Metal" shine with its abstract, esoteric approach to lyricism. Among the most fascinating duos in current underground hip-hop, ShrapKnel delivered their best overall effort with Nobody Planning To Leave, although this could very well be their most aesthically disturbing as well. As they continue to push boundaries and creative safe boxes, you can best believe this isn't close to what they're fully capable of, and that's scary.
22. Tha Dogg Pound
W.A.W.G. (We All We Got)
Production: Mike N Keys, Soopafly, Rick Rock, DJ Premier, Jelly Roll, Battlecat, others
Guests: Snoop Dogg, Lady Of Rage, RBX, Tha Eastsidaz, BLXST, Butch Cassidy, October London, others
What has been a great news story in hip-hop so far this year is the resurgence of the west. Not in quite some time have seen such an output of quality west coast music this consistent. One of the most pleasant surprises has been the reunion of Tha Dogg Pound. After admittedly a long time, decade old family issue between Snoop and cousin Daz, it sadly took the passing of a loved one in order for Daz and Snoop to squash their issues and get back together with Kurupt. As the DPG reunited, they set out to deliver their first album in three years (way longer than that working with Snoop) in the form of W.A.W.G. (We All We Got). Aiming to bring back that tried-and-true gangsta sound that helped make DPG among the true breakout stars of the west from the nineties on up. Since their classic Deathrow debut, Dogg Food, Daz and Kurupt have been considered among the most revered duos in hip-hop. With this album, especially with Snoop back at the helm, the results are one of the most fun albums we could ask for. Fun in this case is in the form of bits of a nostalgia. The sounds of cuts such as the first single with Snoop, "Smoke Up", "Always on My Mind", "Imma Dogg", and Tha Eastsidaz-assisted title track have such an early Deathrow vibe with them, but with a more crisp, clean sound. With the funky, "House Party", "LA Kinda Love", and "The Weekend", we have some more grown folk, carefree gangsta party-type shit that never gets old. With the closer, we see them invite the almighty DJ Premier back to the west (last leaving off with Snoop and Daz with "Can You Dig That Pt. 2") for "Who's Da Hardest" with former Deathrow acts & affiliates, Lady of Rage and RBX for a trip down Deathrow memory lane in truly blistering fashion. To say this W.A.W.G. is a triumphant return for DPG is a slight understatement. Nostalgia isn't bad at all if done correctly and with a goal of creating a bridge between generations. What Snoop, Daz, and Kurupt did was create that medium for today's generation to revisit the nineties and the nineties gangstas to reintroduce themselves to today's youth to show what no-nonsense gangsta shit is all about while also having one hell of a good time.
21. Vince Staples
Dark Times
Production: Cardo, Jay Versace, Alex Goose, others
Guests: N/A
LBC representative, Vince Staples, has been known to put out quite the dope catalog of music. The Def Jam artist first got in people's ears on a national level guesting with the likes of Common, Earl Sweatshirt, and Mac Miller. Once he dropped his official Def Jam debut, Hell Can Wait, the game truly started taking notice. From there, it was his full-length debut, Summertime '06, that once and for all put Vince on the map with his excellent No I.D.-helmed effort. Subsequent albums such as The Big Fish Theory, Prima Donna, FM! and his self-titled album all were met with tremendous acclaim with his varied sounds ranging from electro to alternative to techno to trunk rattle bass. He hit a whole new level with his last offering, 2022's Ramona Park Broke My Heart, which was an autobiographical look at how the streets showed how much they shaped him, but not in a good way. With Dark Times, he brings his final Def Jam album to the masses, and the effort itself hits yet another new level of acclaim for him. The Netflix star (please peep his Vince Staples Show on Netflix when possible, as it's surprisingly very good and damn funny) presents his most vulnerable and moodiest album to date. As the title indicates, it's Vince from some rather "dark" places. Cuts like "Black & Blue", "Shame On the Devil", and "Nothing Matters" are saturated in self-conflict and lack of inner completion. Almost in apparent desperation for peace he's trying to obtain. This may be none more obvious than the final cut, "Why Won't the Sun Come Out", in which we hear Vince and spoken word artist Santigold have a deep conversation about the complexities of the human interactive experience and how far-removed men and women are from each other but how similar our paths are. Vince has made quite the dichotomic album with Dark Times, as he shows how much he walks in vulnerability, yet shines in how much he is human.
20. Masta Ace & Marco Polo
Richmond Hill
Production: Marco Polo
Guests: Blu, Che Noir, Wordsworth, Stricklin, Speech, Inspectah Deck, Coast Contra, others
Since the mid-eighties, the game has been blessed with veteran Brooklyn emcee, former Juice Crew member, Masta Ace. While already achieving acclaim for albums such as Take A Look Around, Slaughtahouse, and Sittin' On Chrome, it was his classic concept album of 2001, Disposable Arts, that breathed new life into Masta Ace with a career defining effort that still gets revered to this day. The follow-up three years later, A Long Hot Summer, was easily as incredible as the prior album and showed that Ace had found a fountain of youth. From there, subsequent album such as his group album with Punchline, Wordsworth, and Strick as eMC, The Show, the MF DOOM-produced, MA DOOM: Son Of Yvonne, and The Falling Season were all excellent albums that showed that this OG could hang with the young bucks and then some, lyrically and conceptually. In 2018, he collaborated with highly respected Canadian producer, Marco Polo, to present quite the dumb dope effort, A Breukelen Story, in which we hear about his stories of him growing up in his Brooklyn city streets in such personal and honest commentary, including the very courageous and open plight of his unfortunate battle with MS, "Fight Song". He reunites with Polo for Richmond Hill, which is an homage to where Polo grew up within his own adolescence. Much like A Breukelen Story, this has Ace going deep in his introspection and honesty to deliver an equally tremendous project. He covers a variety of relatable and important topics such as the dangers of becoming a star basketball player fresh out the hood on "Jordan Theory", the ability to stay focused and overcome obstacles on the sonically incredible collab with west coast lyrical hero, Blu, on "Below The Clouds", the Che Noir-assisted "Money Problems", in which we see Ace describe the ills of being broke while Noir raps in the perspective of money and what money itself can't buy, and the devastation of poverty and addiction on "P.P.E.". While A Breukelen Story highlights Ace's life in stages, Richmond Hill highlights Polo's, with Ace being eloquently able to convey in his own talented and poignant way. Polo brought the sonic goods here just as usually does, as his past resume with the likes of Torae, Skyzoo, BCC, Vinnie Paz, and Heltah Skeltah can attest to. Whenever we hear there's a project from Ace & Polo, we can bet it's a sure-fire hit, and Richmond Hill is no different.
19. Rapsody
Please Don't Cry
Production: Hit-Boy, Eric G, S1, BLK ODYSSY, others
Guests: Erykah Badu, Alex Isley, Phylicia Rashad, Baby Tate, Amber Navren of Moonchild, Lil Wayne, others
Grammy Award winning NC emcee, Rapsody, knows a thing or two about delivering game changing material. The one-time member of Raleigh crew, Kooley High (see later), and 9th Wonder protege has never not presented some of the high-quality music to grace our ears within the past decade. From her full-length debut, The Idea Of Beautiful, to her numerous fantastic mixtapes and EPs including Thank H.E.R. Later, She Got Game, Crown, and Black Mamba, Rapsody was boiling on the cusp of a breakout monster. Enter 2017's Leila's Wisdom, her Jamla/Roc Nation debut (second overall full-length project). The Grammy nominated album was regarded as a modern-day masterpiece that had been compared to other brilliant releases such as To Pimp A Butterfly (ironically which she guested on), good kid, M.A.A.D. City, Like Water For Chocolate, and The College Dropout in terms of poignancy and honesty over some of the most phenomenal 9th & Soul Council production ever heard. She followed that up with the equally amazing and tremendously inspirational, Eve, which highlighted the strengths, joys, and grace of being a woman. It had been about five years since we last heard Eve, but after quite the tease rollout, she finally returned to us with Please Don't Cry. The most notable difference with this and the rest of her efforts is the absence of 9th & The Soul Council. With the exception of Eric G, the album was crafted by the likes of another Grammy winner, Hit-Boy (the first single, "Asteroids"), S1, and most of the album done by BLK ODYSSY. While the album certainly lacks the wonderful soul samplings that 9th puts together so greatly, the album is certainly the most confessional of her career. As the album presents itself as a therapy session with the one and only, the iconic, Phyllicia Rashad, Rap opens herself up in ways we've never heard from her tackling subjects as her sexuality ("Stand Tall"), her relationship with God ("God's Light"), police brutality ("He Shot Me"), and even briefly detailed the falling out with her and 9th (again, "God's Light"). While this is a very heavy album in most places, she also gets back to the emceeing on other blisters such as the Lil' Wayne-assisted, "Raw", and the trap stylings of "Back In My Bag". With other personal, close to the heart cuts like "A Ballad For Homegirls", the Alex Isley-crooned look at mental illness, "Loose Rocks", and the moving duet with Amber Navren of Moonchild, "Forget Me Not", Please Don't Cry may be the most human album you'll hear this year, or at least as we've heard so far. We got less of Rapsody, and more of Marlenna Evans, the self-professed "homegirl" that peeled back every layer imaginable to present an album that more than relatable and does a courageous job letting us in to her own personal diary.
18. Open Mike Eagle, Video Dave, & STILL RIFT are Previous Industries
Service Merchandise
Production: Child Actor, Quelle Chris, Queen Herawin
Guests: Quelle Chris, Queen Herawin
What could possibly happen if three of abstract hip-hop's most unique and left-brained emcees get together for a group project? In the case of Video Dave, Open Mike Eagle, and Still Rift, this is fitting. They came together to become Previous Industries, and their debut collaborative effort, Service Merchandise, is exactly what you'd expect from these left-of-center emcees. Although many are familiar with the very dope and left-brained efforts of Chi-town's Open Mike Eagle, there aren't as many familiar with the work and stylings of Still Rift and Video Dave. Both guys are Chicago natives just like OME and are easily as left-of-center as he is, and this is a group that works and works well. Their debut centers around themes of a deteriorating middle class and the struggles of staying afloat within ever-changing economic, societal, and cultural new norms. It just so happens that titles of these songs are all defunct and shut down retail stores from the seventies on up. Each title represents the ups and eventual downs of life and the complexities of change. Take "Montgomery Ward", for example. The guys see indie rap as going by the wayside in favor of commercialism and exploitation. Other examples include "Roebuck" and "Pliers", in which these cuts imagine better times and days where hip-hop was simple and more imaginative in terms of desire and ambition. Awkward pessimism and slight jadedness are disguised by very clever rhymes filled with wit and tons of double and triple entendres. If you're familiar with efforts of OME such as Brick Body Kids Still Dreaming, Dark Comedy, and his most recent, Another Triumph Of Ghetto Engineering, you're already aware of these type of idiosyncrasies with him, but Still Rift and Video Dave are every bit up to lyrical par with Mike. The production of this album is done primarily by frequent OME collaborator, Child Actor, and it's his psychedelic-meets-avant-garde production that makes every track shine and shine brightly here. Cuts like "Zayre", "Roebuck", and "Kay Bee" are stellar standouts musically, and they are fantastic backdrops for the bright and intelligent wordplay. The chemistry between these longtime friends as a group is undeniable, and their insightful, yet humorous, penmanship is to be very much accounted for in Service Merchandise. Here's to hoping we get more from Previous Industries because this is a highly excellent showing of emcees that show they're a group that is as capable and gifted, as they are zany and witty.
17. Boldy James & Nicholas Craven
Penalty Of Leadership
Production: Nicholas Craven
Guests: Mafia Double Dee
2023 was supposed to be Boldy James' year. Proudly reppin' the D, James was on course to more or less own the year with projects stamped with V DON, Harry Fraud, Uncle Al, Futurewave, and more (plus the MUCH-anticipated Dilla album, Drug Dilla). However, a near fatal car accident derailed all those plans in 2022, thus delaying all those projects. As he was on the road to recovery, he started the process of recording again slowly but surely. First order of business was to get back up with collaborator, Nicholas Craven, to present the follow up to 2021's Fair Exchange, No Robbery. The Detroit emcee and Canadian producer delivered quite the dope album with that, and the anticipation was on for Penalty Of Leadership. Reportedly recorded the moment he was able to leave the hospital and still paralyzed from the neck down, Boldy sounded like he was ready to get the fire back in him pre-accident. We definitely got glimpses of that early with the vocal loop sounds of the first released single, "Brand New Chanel Kicks", in which he valiantly tries to rhyme with his body likely still in immense pain and not able to move, if not barely. Craven's signature sped up sample production is littered all across the album without overstaying its welcome too often. The aura of the album has him as a survivor of his surroundings, yet not being afraid to give you the real of how close death was to calling him and his moments of hard clarity. Cuts like the quirky stylings of the otherwise dumb dope, "Soccer Mom", the cautionary "Murderous Tendencies", "Evil Genius", and "No Pun Intended" are exemplify the tremendous chemistry Boldy has with the Montreal producer, and what made Fair Exchange, No Robbery so damn good. While Uncle Al brings more of the hard-ass, street slanger out of him with his production, Craven tends to bring a bit of veteran street wisdom cat out of him, only with Penalty Of Leadership, we have more of a reflective, mortality-faced Boldy that realizes how close he came to this all being over and the hunger to live and make his legacy that much more sustainable.
16. JasonMartin & DJ Quik
Chupacabra
Production: DJ Quik, LNDN DRGS, Thundercat, Rodney O, KAYTRANADA, others
Guests: Free Nationals, Thundercat, George Clinton, The Game, Jay Worthy, Big Hit, Larry June, Cee-Lo, Bun B, Curren$y, KAYTRANADA, DJ Drama, others
Earlier, we mentioned how fun Tha Dogg Pound's W.A.W.G. was, and how it took one back into the prime nineties' era for Deathrow and gangsta west coast music as a whole. You can add the new collaborative project between JasonMartin (formerly Problem) and longtime legendary Compton emcee/producer, DJ Quik, Chupacabra. Following up their 2017 effort, Rosecran, Quik and JM took it next level with this one. Quik has long been revered as one of the most influential producers in the formation of the west coast sound, introducing melody along with G-funk from all the way in '91, with classics such as Quik Is The Name, Safe & Sound, Way 2 Fonky, Rhythm-al-ism, and Balance & Options just to name a few. Quik is in prime form here on Chupacabra, bringing funk, soul, and engaging melodies to have JM and friends represent themselves very nicely on here. Fellow Compton representative, The Game, shows up on a few tracks, notably on the title track and the ode to the late, great Eazy-E, "Eazy Call". Meanwhile, we bring the funk and the grooves on cuts like "Ayo", "Two Hi (Waves)", and "Cold Ass 2 Step", which features the likes of Grammy Award winning bassist, Thundercat, George Clinton, KAYTRANADA, and Anderson.Paak's Free Nationals band so the party is definitely real and suitable for the cookout, although more of an afterhours one. As for the lead-off single, "Workout", featuring one of our early two thousand figures, Lil' Jon and eighties west coast figure, Rodney O, this incorporates elements from the eighties, the crunk era, and the current era of the party to bring together several different eras and generations to create one ultimate house or block party. The emcee formerly known as Problem has stepped up his pen game as well here throughout this album, as evidenced on cuts like the aforementioned title track and the ultra-dope posse cut with Curren$y, Bun B, and Jay Worthy, "Since I Was a Lil...". This is arguably the highest critical point in the career of JasonMartin, as this effort with mentor Quik is one of the west coast's most celebrated releases this year. For Quik, Chupacabra is another day in the office for a generational legend. As we now hit the summer, Chupacabra must be one of those albums that gets constant and consistent burn within for trunk.
15. Big Hit, Hit-Boy & The Alchemist
Black & Whites
Production: Hit-Boy, The Alchemist
Guests: Boldy James, C3, others
Ever since OG Big Hit got released from a multi-year federal bid in the State Penn last year, he's been putting out material after material, with the assistance of his famous, Grammy Award-winning son, Hit-Boy. Big Hit was featured prominently on H-B's Surf Or Drown Vol. 2 and from there it was their collab effort, The Truth Is In My Eyes that officially put Big Hit back in the game and a new, younger generation. At the beginning of this year, he and fellow Blood brother, The Game, delivered the strong, Paisely Dreams EP and, along with other features, we started to see Big Hit feel his rhythm more than ever. We now get another project from him and Hit-Boy, only this time the Hollis men are joined by the ever-prolific legend, Uncle Al himself, The Alchemist, for Black & Whites. Both producers manage to deliver some of their best work of the year sonically for the OG to spit some of his most confident and menacing bars over. The most menacing and murky cuts seem to come from Uncle Al, as cuts like "Temperature Check", "Drug Czar", and "Dirtball" have Big Hit showing his true gangsta stripes over these cuts. He keeps it gritty with other cuts like the title track and "Foreclosure", but his son provides him with dope mid to up-tempo cuts such as "Count Your Blessings", "Gank Move" (which features bars from Hit-Boy's baby sister, HitgirlLENA), and "Only Weight I Feel". With Black & Whites, this is the best overall produced album OG Big Hit has spit over without question and Hit-Boy and Alchemist continue to show they're a powerful tag team when put together sonically for a project (see Everybody Can't Go later). This is already proving to be another monstrous Alchemist year and Hit-Boy isn't very far behind. Hopefully, we hear more from these three together because Big Hit has definitely earned the right to redeem himself and show his hand to help resurrect the west into full prominent status.
14. Conway The Machine
Slant Faced Killah (SFK)
Production: Daringer, The Alchemist, Conductor Williams, Swizz Beats, Camouflage Monk, Cool & Dre, Cardo, Don Cannon, others
Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Method Man, Joey Bada$$, Raekwon, T.F., Ab-Soul, Larry June, Jay Worthy, Key Glock, Flee Lord, Stove God Cook$, others
Nobody from the Griselda camp is more active in putting out effort after effort than the one and only Machine himself, Conway. The Drumwork head honcho dropped a number of projects last year alone such as his EP with German producer, Wun-Two, Palermo, his EP with Griselda in-house sonic assassin, Conductor Williams, Conductor Machine, his effort with 38 Spesh, Speshal Machinery, and his own Drumwork compilation album. None of these bumped harder than his follow up to his crowning achievement, God Don't Make Mistakes from 2022, Won't He Do It. Although initially seen as a slightly more fluffed counterpart to the aforementioned GDMM, some have recanted that criticism, and gave it more praise than before. That being said, Conway had stated in interviews and on social media that there was a "part two" of WHDI coming, and it was more screwface and grimier than the previous edition. For over a year, he was teasing the project with killer instrumentals and way more of trademark Machine. After doing enough teasing, the rollout began for the sequel with the first couple singles of the Cool & Dre-produced, "Give & Give", and the Joey Bada$$-assisted, "Vertino" to lots of acclaim. It was officially Machine season again. After the numerous projects dropped in 2023, it was time for his first official effort of 2024 to drop, only a noticeable change. Instead of it being Won't He Do It: Side B like initially named, legal issues forced him to rename the project to SFK (Slant Faced Killah), which is clearly an homage to GFK, or the legendary, Ghostface Killah. That's literally THE only change, and arguably it's for the better. Just the title alone makes this have an entire other feel from WHDI. While WHDI was, in fact, aiming for more of a broader appeal, both sound wise, and theme wise, this is gutter to the core Conway. The same Conway that delivered such brutal mainstays like Reject 2, G.O.A.T., and Look What I Became. One such bit of evidence is the knocking Daringer-crafted collab with Flee Lord, SK Da King, and the one and only Method Man, the appropriately titled, "Meth Back!", as all these emcees rip the Daringer knocker completely apart, with a pretty impressive performance from the Drumwork signee, SK, especially. The gunsmoke stays in the air on tracks like "Milano Nights Pt. 1", the Stove God-assisted, "Mutty", and the west coast A-team of 2-Eleven, Jay Worthy, T.F., and Ab-Soul, "Surf & Turf". On the menacing collab with another west coast all-star, Larry June, "Kin Xpress", June and Machine show a chemistry that works surprisingly very well, as does his pairing with Tech N9ne, "Raw". The closer is the Alchemist-blessed, "Red Moon In Osaka", which contains a classic murky Uncle Al production with fantastic piano chords right as Raekwon comes along to salute Conway and spit some jewels at him to continue his success in the game. It's only right one of hip-hop's modern legends hands his virtual torch over to Conway to close out this hellacious album. Easily among his best work in years, Conway delivered SFK with results he can be happy with and also serve as further fuel to continue to deliver the tremendous goods as only he can.
13. Boldy James & Conductor Williams
Across The Tracks EP
Production: Conductor Williams
Guests: Double Dee
Earlier, we covered Boldy's first project of the year, the Nicholas Craven-helmed, Penalty Of Leadership, in which we were starting to see Boldy pre-near fatal accident of 2023. With each time we hear him, he's sounding more and more refreshed, reenergized, and confident. The next big project he has dropped in our laps is his project with one of hip-hop's current go-to soundsmiths, Conductor Williams, for Across The Tracks. Conductor has become a very in-demand producer since Westside Gunn introduced us to him on the track "Euro Step" on his acclaimed, Pray For Paris, album. Although his track record has been out there since around 2014, working with the likes of Stik Figa, Gunn brought him onto the Griselda train, and he had since been producing some of the crew's craziest cuts. As much as he was starting to bubble, he officially hit an entire new level when Aubrey Graham tapped him to do work for his For All The Dogs: Scary Hours Edition album, including the knocking "8AM In Charlotte" track. Was it only right for Boldy and Conductor to eventually do a project together? Of course! Bo Jack leans into his bag on cuts like "Stamps in The Middle", "Lampshade", and "Undisputed", while asserting his stature as a block legend within his 318-area code of the D. Unlike Penalty Of Leadership, Boldy is just going for his here. This is the closest we've heard of true-to-form Boldy pre-accident so far in a whole project. With Across The Tracks, he and Conductor presented a ridiculously enjoyable effort that once again demonstrated the outstanding production Conductor brings to the table, but also that Boldy is among the most in-demand emcees and showed us again why.
12. Lupe Fiasco
Samurai
Production: Soundtrakk
Guests: N/A
When it comes to Chi-town's Lupe Fiasco, he operates on a different playing field than most of his contemporaries. Armed with a pen that double acts as a gensu blade, slicing up anyone that dares to come into his range of attack catches it in spades. Lyrically, he's more of an assassin than anything. Especially during these last few years. We saw his developing immense talent with his feature on Kanye's "Touch The Sky", but it was his debut album, Food & Liquor, that made people tap into his way above average writing abilities and the knack to create engaging stories and perspectives that most among his peer group wouldn't dare try to step into. He continued it with his just as effective sophomore album, The Cool. Although he went through a series of ups and downs within his discography for some years, he brought it all back with his absolutely stellar, Tetsuo & Youth album, which spawned one of the most lyrically mesmerizing pieces of many years in "Mural". From there, he had a decent, yet slightly underwhelming, album in DROGAS Light, but followed that up with its sequel, the conceptually very left-brained, DROGAS Wave, that above many people's heads, yet musically was an engrossing treat to behold. It was his 2022 offering, Drill Music In Zion, that put Lupe back on that elite emcee list, as this was a stripped down, no frills, no filter album that some have called the album of his career, which considering his debut and Tetsuo & Youth is saying a mouthful. After releasing a handful of street singles and such, he returns in 2024 with Samurai, an album that has him channeling his inner Bruce Leroy to maneuver himself around the traps, pitfalls, and devils within the industry while aiming to keep his identity and his discipline paramount. According to him, this album also is conceptual in depicting how the late, great star, Amy Whinehouse would be if she were to tap into her inner samurai and not allowing herself to get used and assassinated by the industry. While clearly above many a head conceptually, it doesn't take away whatsoever from how outstanding Lupe's lyrical poise and technical abilities are within this album. The production here is from frequent collaborator, Soundtrakk, who does a great job of letting his words and rhymes take center stage more than his production value, which in itself is a sublime and engaging piece of work as it is. Lupe floats and glides on cuts like the title track, "Number 1 Headband", and the spellbinding "Til Eternity". The touching, yet impactful, closing to "Palaces" is a wrapped-up look into a vulnerable and aware soul that seeks life ambiguities in such esoteric fashion that you can't help but keep repeating the track just to uncover more and more depth. Meanwhile other cuts like the jazzy "Mumble Rap" and "Bigfoot" are further examples of Lupe shining and flexing his artistic, sensei-like observations. Lupe has constructed a body of work in Samurai that is perhaps head and shoulders among half his discography just by how scientifically and methodically he went into the entire process. The vision to salute a tragic hero in Amy Whinehouse combined with his own negative experiences within the industry and how his discipline and meditative measure are what bring the vision of Samurai to life. It won't hit you with just one listen, but rather repeated listens and continuously studying the aura of this project. Then will you discover just how much a gem this effort from one of our time's most Ingenius emcees and writers is.
11. Your Old Droog
Movie
Production: Conductor Williams, Just Blaze, Madlib, Harry Fraud, Cartune Beatz, others
Guests: Yasiin Bey, Black Thought, Method Man, Denzel Curry
Ukranian emcee, Brooklyn Resident, Your Old Droog has been among the most respected emcees in the game for over a decade. His penchant for witty, yet gifted, rhymes and a Nas-like nasal delivery put him in hip-hop circles that has had him collaborate with the likes of Mach-Hommy, Black Thought, Royce Da 5'9", and Styles P for starters. Not to mention, his discography has been fairly formidable, with bangers like his self-titled debut and EP of '14, Packs, Jewelry, YOD Stewart, The Shining and especially the crazy, It Wasn't Even Close, further establishing him as a threat to your favorite rapper's favorite rapper lists. After numerous guest spots and collab projects with Tha God Fahim, YOD has reemerged in 2024 with his ninth full-length album, Movie. Seen as his most accessible album, sonically, he incorporated sounds from heavyweights such as Just Blaze, Conductor, Harry Fraud, and the evil genius himself, Madlib (be on the lookout for his long-awaited collab album with Madliberator as well coming later this year). Looking to position this album in "movie" fashion concerning his life and career within the game, cuts like "Mantra", the title track, and the touching ode to his late grandmother, "Grandmother's Lessons", are as personal of cuts as we've ever heard from YOD. While we do get to see more of his honest and personal side more than ever, he still comes equipped with the witty, braggadocio rhymes such as on the Method Man/Denzel Curry-assisted, Madlib-blessed cut, "DBZ", "Mercury Thermometers", and "Crescent Moon". The storytelling of "The Sandbox" shows his attention to detail and vivid depictions of adolescence and puberty while facing seemingly tough odds to overcome. the closer, the Yasiin Bey-assisted, "Care Plan" (another Madlib production) shows Droog's above average talents coincide with the abstract poetics of the artist formerly known as Mos Def that harkens imagery of his Black On Both Sides days in terms of hunger. It's clear Movie is Droog's most cohesive and well-structured album and could be one step further to him growing into mainstream consciousness. It could be argued that this is his "arrival" album, but it's not incredibly hard to picture an even better album he has up his sleeve, but Droog would have quite a high measure to upend this fantastic effort.
10. Mach-Hommy
#RICHAXXHAITIAN
Production: Conductor Williams, Messiah Muzik, Quelle Chris, Sadhugold, KAYTRANADA, others
Guests: Black Thought, 03 Greedo, Your Old Droog, Roc Marciano, others
The ever-enigmatic vanguard emcee, himself, Mach-Hommy, is a special talent. The Haitian-born Jersey transplant has been regarded as one of the most prolific writers within hip-hop over the past couple of decades. He doesn't do many interviews or podcasts, he goes after the lyric website, Genius, for posting his lyrics, he doesn't share his music over sites like YouTube and rarely goes the streaming route. He's a different type of businessman. He doesn't see his music as just music. He sees it as art. Art that, years from now, you'll see the return of your investment (sometimes up to $300 investment) in terms of its greatness and timelessness. His discography reads of somewhere around a few dozen projects going back to his '04 project, Goon Grizzle. Most notably, he got on many fans' radars with his '14 classic under the Griselda banner, H.B.O. (Haitian Body Odor). After his falling out the Griselda team, he ventured on his own, although with other Griselda affiliates Tha God Fahim and producer Camouflage Monk in tow with him. Projects like his Dollar Menu series with Fahim, his Dump Legends series, his DJ Muggs-helmed efforts of Tuez-Le-Touz and Kill 'Em All, Wap Konn Joj!, Balens Cho, and especially his reconciliation effort with Griselda, Pray For Haiti, all classified Hommy as an artist and emcee in his own lane, lyrically and work ethic-wise. In 2024, after murmurs of a new album from a listening party last year, Hommy does in fact surface with #RICHAXXHAITIAN. The album serves as the final part of a subsequent trilogy between H.B.O. and Balens Cho, and serves as the best of the three. As is very customary with Hommy, he goes back and forth between rapping in English and his native Haitian dialect and Creole. He demonstrates this talent on several occasions throughout this album. The opening cut, entitled "(...)" has him singing completely in Haitian over a smooth, jazzy tempo provided by Conductor and Elijah Hooks. From there, cuts like "Guggenheim Jeune", "Antonomasia", and "Gorgon Zoe Lan" shows his full range of writing speaking in his native dialect, the occasional singing, and of course his systematic, yet timely crafted, bars. His stance on the plights and turbulence within the societal system within Haiti has always been something near and dear to Hommy, and he doesn't shy away from it here either, with interwoven bars and stinging lines within certain cuts such as "Padon" and "POLITickle", but also has room to indulge in its pride and resilience within other cuts like the surprising summer sleeper with 03 Greedo, the KAYTRANADA-flavored title track and "Xerox Clat". Very much aware of his level of great technical and scientific skills, he oozes in snarky, yet highly intelligent and self-assuring, presence on other excellent cuts such as the Black Thought-collaborated, "Copy Cold", the YOD-assisted, "Empty Spaces", and the closing Conductor track, "Holy...", in which you're begging for a full effort from Hommy and Conductor at some point down the road. There's no denying Mach-Hommy gets the acclaim that he gets simply because his approach to bars, writing, and lyricism is unlike many among his peers. When we throw in his visionary work ethic and his need to push the boundaries of how we see not just music, but HIS music and it's no wonder Hommy is such an aloof character. With #RICHAXXHAITIAN, Hommy has assembled a collection of outstanding cuts that fully display the sheer magnitude of Hommy's artistry and commanding presence is enough to put him in legendary comparisons, even if you've never decided to tune in to his greatness.
9. Benny The Butcher
Everybody Can't Go
Production: Hit-Boy, The Alchemist
Guests: Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, Armani Ceaser, Stove God Cook$, Lil' Wayne, Jadakiss, others
As has been said before, when it comes to the three-headed Griselda monster, if Gunn is the style and the mascot, and Conway is the attitude, then Benny is the overall star. His no nonsense, straight forward approach to his tales of the gritty street life and his legendary hustling ventures are synonymous with The Butcher. After delivering a classic in Tana Talk 3 in 2018 and dropping a very dope attempt at bringing more of an audience appeal with his Hit-Boy helmed, Burden Of Proof, the eye was on Benny to keep leveling up the Griselda brand on a star power level. In 2022, he delivered the almost as incredible follow-up to Tana Talk 3, Tana Talk 4, with some of the year's best production provided by Uncle Al and Griselda's devoted in-house beatsmith, Daringer. Aiming to really put himself, his B$F crew, and Griselda on even bigger stages, he signed with Def Jam under the advisement of Def Jam exec, Snoop Dogg, and it was on to work on his Def Jam debut, Everybody Can't Go. With Hit-Boy and Uncle Al behind the boards exclusively, the album blended the radio appeal production of Burden Of Proof with the grimy, dense layers of the Tana Talk series. From the jump with the first rollout single with Lil' Wayne, the Alchemist-crafted, bouncy, yet bumping, "Big Dog", we knew Benny was going to go in more of an accessible direction than TT4 and maybe even more than BOP. When the second single, the Stove God-assisted, Hit-Boy created, "One Foot In", dropped, it was official that Benny was not playing this go around, highlighting his conflict of staying true to his street roots and his dealing history with wanting more for himself beyond the streets over one of the better Hit-Boy tracks we've heard so far this year. The rest of the album serves as a great job balancing his dealing ways and his patented gritty narratives with trying to gain more accessibility and expand his audience. A great case is the radio-friendly title track stating how everyone can't be a part of your growth and your development due to some people's inability to see past their familiarity with you and the fantastic Alchemist-blessed, "TMVTL", which is a three-part saga with Benny vividly depicting three different instances of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of both over three separate Uncle Al beats, yet all are equally dark and menacing. Al keeps the southern bump sounds going with the Griselda featured, "Griselda Express" and the Armani Ceaser-guested, "Buffalo Kitchen Club", but Hit-Boy brings the funk and the slaps with the Snoop-assisted, "Back Again" and the celebratory "BRON". There will be many that will scoff over his blatant attempt at commercializing his sound and style, but make no mistake about it, Everybody Can't Go is NO blatant Billboard-esque album. This still has moments that are as hard as any of prior efforts like TT3, TT4, The Plugs I Met, and Butcher On Steroids, but with his clout rising and his star appeal reaching out more, growth is indeed needed beyond his Buffalo city. This is certainly his most polished and most cohesive project to date, but it's also clear that, based upon the title of this album, when it comes to longtime "fans", there's not a more fitting title than Everybody Can't Go, including to the top with him.
8. Kooley High
All Infinite
Production: Tuamie
Guests: N/A
Raleigh, NC collective, Kooley High, has been one of the Tarheel State's most prized underground acts. Originally assembling at NC State University, the crew consisting originally of Charlie Smarts, Tab-One, DJ Ill Digitz, Foolery, and a particular standout within the team known as Rapsody, were a crew very much resembling the back-to-basics approach to hip-hop prior Triangle representatives, The Justus League, were doing year earlier. Studying under their learning tree, they started delivering projects that were acclaimed and kept the rep of The Triangle (that's Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill for the unaware) alive and going. Throughout the years, the crew of six would become a crew of two, with Charlie and Tab-One remaining. These two paired up with frequent Mutant Academy (don't sleep folks) producer, and ATL-based, Tuamie, for their first album in six years, All Infinite. Under Tuamie's melodic and layered boom-bap, Charlie and Tab come nice and hungry diving into areas mainly centered around vibes and energy that surround them often and daily, both as artists and as men. They kick meaningful and honest subject matter such as fatherhood on the superb "The Freshest" and facing one's own mortality on the deep "Other Side". However, they still find time to deliver feel-good music and uplifting rhymes on cuts like "Keep It Cool", "Get Up", and "Hot Outside". Ending the album with the head-nodding, "Love Foreverer", Kooley High exhibit great chemistry with each other, as they always have since their undergraduate NC State days, even if it's just the two of them now. Along with very bumping and fresh production from Tuamie, All Infinite is a refreshing departure from so much of what's plaguing today's current era of hip-hop much like fellow Triangle residents, Little Brother, provided with The Listening and The Away Team did with National Anthem. One can add this to the list of achievements the Triangle can be more than proud of with this beyond dope effort that's more than worth the rotation.
7. Roc Marciano
Marciology
Production: artist, The Alchemist, AniMoss
Guests: Knowledge The Pirate, T.F., Larry June, Flee Lord, Jay Worthy, CRIMEAPPLE, others
It wouldn't be a year of hip-hop without one of the most acclaimed writers and emcees of NYC hip-hop, Roc Marciano. Seen as the one that, arguably, brought back the nineties grimy, gritty, and atmospheric soundscapes New York was so known during that decade with 2011's smash-mouth Marcberg, and raised it up to higher levels on his follow-up effort, the classic, Reloaded, in 2012. From there, his discography has been seen as heralded and highly regarded, bringing back the unapologetic nature of boom-bap, sinister delivery, grungy lyricism, and an aura that conjures up images of the likes of Raekwon, Mobb Deep, Mic Geronimo, or Real Live (remember them?) and then some. Albums of his such as Rosebudd's Revenge, RR2: The Bitter Dose, Marci Beaucoup, Marcialago, the DJ Muggs-crafted, KAOS, and especially the outstanding effort with Uncle Al, The Elephant Man's Bones, from 2022, were all finely worked examples of the penmanship Marci possesses and how he makes the pimp life and drug game sound so lovely and attainable. He returns in 2024 with the follow-up to TEMB in the form of Marciology. With the rollout single, "Gold Crossbow", it's clear Marci is back and taking zero prisoners over a haunting piano loop that is as close noir boom-bap jazz as you can get. He doesn't let his foot off the gas and delivers both his Superfly-esque bars to the ladies and his sadistic threats in a cool and calm monotone. Cuts like "Tapeworm", "Bebe's Kids", and the very vivid, vocal sampled, "True Love" are so crisp with detail and clever imagery you'd swear Marci could double as an understudy for the likes of Martin Scorsese. Production-wise, Marci is just as methodical and strategic as his rhymes, with brooding, yet crafty, board work that fits like hand-in-glove with tracks like the CRIMEAPPLE-assisted, "Killin' Spree", with its fitting sampled hook reminiscent of a Johnny Cash "Man In Black" appeal. Similarly, on other cuts like the title track, "Floxx" and "LeFlair", Marci presents feelings of chills and urgency with their psychedelic, yet soulful, melodies that don't run into the label of being dated with its sound. With Marciology, Roc Marci provides another masterclass in how it's done to be that lane-creating emcee and how to sustain it throughout the course over thirteen years without breaking a sweat. It's no wonder Marci is considered among the greats within the past decade with albums like this, and trust and believe, he's not done wrapping his hands around our collective throats or licking off shots yet.
6. Armand Hammer
BLK LBL
Production: artist, JPEGMAFIA, Messiah Muzik, August Fanon, Kenny Segal, others
Guests: Dreamcrusher, others
The wildest of wildcards when mentioning outstanding rap duos in today's climate of NYC hip-hop is Armand Hammer. The duo of ELUCID and billy woods are to the 2020's what Run The Jewels were to the 2010s. A visceral and left lane traveling duo that commands your attention and careful studying. Since their debut as a duo back in 2013, Race Music, the duo has been both acclaimed and polarized for their socio-political views, apocalyptic imagery, and grim outlook on the world and the decaying of modern civilization, while mixing in occasional witty barbs that could be very well examples of laughing to keep from crying. Other stunning examples of their craft include Paraffin, Shrines, the insane, psychedelic collab album with The Alchemist, HARAM, and 2023's highly ambitious, We Buy Diabetic Test Strips, in which all these albums place Armand Hammer among the most elite duos in hip-hop, regardless of if you can fully decipher their dose of foul medicine with one taste. Earlier in 2024, they dropped the sequel to their unofficial, limited released, WHT LBL from 2022, BLK LBL. The album was only available to fans that were in attendance for any of their live shows. The album basically fits right in with prior albums that have them dissecting modern civilization through paranoia, pessimism, and haunting imagery. This is prevalent on cuts such as "Ox Blood", "Drowning Machine", and "Ice Cups", in which the experimental, yet psychedelic, production perfectly matches the morose subject matter and rhymes ELUCID and woods present. Cuts like "Fulgurite" and "Busta In '97" are so full of sarcastic banter, spiritual dissection, and social grim that you'd swear their particular styles of abstract approaches are bound to drive them over a cliff but are nonetheless extremely intriguing. Experimental, abstract, left-brained, yet dark and gloomy, BLK LBL resembles more Paraffin and HARAM than Diabetic Test Strips or even Rome, but Armand Hammer continues to defy whatever box you think they belong in and continue to push boundaries and shatter comfort zones when it comes to life, not just this rap game. Their path is uniquely theirs, and that's just fine if they walk alone, in fact, with albums like this, they prefer it that way.
5. ScHoolboy Q
Blue Lips
Production: Tae Beast, The Alchemist, Cardo, DJ Khalyl, Kal Banx, Childish Major, Beat Mutcha, others
Guests: Freddie Gibbs, Ab-Soul, Rico Nasty, Lance Skiiwalker, Devin Malik, others
When you lose your clear MVP and all-star on your championship winning team, it's time to look who else on your roster can pick the ball up and score. When Kendrick left the empire known as TDE in favor of starting his own label, pgLang, eyes became fixated on the next biggest star within the TDE crew, ScHoolboy Q, to bring the camp back into prominence. It's been five years since we've last heard from La's own Quincy Hanley, and that effort was the underwhelming, Crash Talk. Stating this wasn't the easiest to realize considering how crazy his prior three albums were in Habits & Contradictions, his major label distribution debut, Oxymoron, and the Grammy nominated, The Blank Face LP. Aiming to bring back that acclaim he had been so used to attaining, he went back to his bag with 2024's Blue Lips. Seen as the most energetic and lively, Q's energy was felt on animated cuts such as the non-PG, Rico Nasty-assisted "Pop", "Thank God For Me", and "Yeern 101". The majority of this album was as crisp and as focused as we've ever heard him be. Sounding reenergized and with a chip on his shoulder, he dissects cuts such as the Freddie Gibbs-assisted, "Ohio", "First", and "Time Killers" so strong and repeat-worthy. Never one to shy away from his past or his days in the streets, he presents his honesty on autobiographical cuts like "Movie", "Nunu", and the Alchemist-crafted, "Lost Times". Even more so, he goes his most reflective on the exquisite "Blueslides", in which he also gives a brief cautionary shout to late friend, Mac Miller. ScHoolboy treads new waters, expands his sound, and shows his versatility on Blue Lips in a way that should've been more effective on Crash Talk but failed. With Blue Lips, Q reintroduced us to the co-MVP of TDE when Kendrick was the biggest star and does so in triumphant fashion with one hell of an effort worthy of another Grammy nomination, if not actual award.
4. Apathy
Connecticut Casual: Chapter 2
Production: artist, Playa Haze, Alcapella, Little Vic
Guests: Little Vic, Celph Titled
Underground mainstay, Connecticut's own Apathy, has been a veteran in the game for over two decades now. With a straightforward delivery filled with stinging punchlines and clever wordplay, Apathy has a discography that reflects this highly respected talent such as Eastern Philosophy, Honkey Kong, Wanna Snuggle, and The Widow's Son. His most recent album, Where The River Meets The Sea, was an overall enjoyable album, but a tad underneath what we've come to expect from Apathy over the years. Going back to the basics, Apathy revisits his CT roots and gets more reflective on the sequel to his 2014 venture, Connecticut Casual, Connecticut Casual: Chapter 2. Over mostly subdued, yet engaging and cleverly sampled, production, Apathy brings you back into his Connecticut community and has you walking with him, experiencing what he experiences, and provides you with insight into why he moves how he moves. This is very evidenced on cuts like "Hammond Court Kids", "Connecticut Formal", and the rather dope, "Fenwick". You can really tell Ap is more comfortable with the pen than he's been lately over this simply excellent production. On the ethereal-sounding, "No One Can Hear You Scream in Space", Apathy presents himself being infatuated with otherworldly imagery over some symphonic boom-bap with a lovely vocal sample providing the hook to make this arguably the best produced cut on this album, and that's covering a lot of exceptional ground. He gets just as busy on the lovely, vintage-sounding "Jackie O", in which he finds a crush that reminds him of the elegant former first lady, while he lays back and enjoys the fruits of his labor on the outstanding vocal-sampled, "Vacation". Apathy was never known to be gimmicky. He's always been known to be very expressive with his honesty, reflection, and things that stick in his crawl. With Connecticut Casual: Chapter 2, this is less about being aggravated and having a lot on his mind, and more about going back to his roots and what gives him peace. This is arguably in Ap's top three albums of his career, and with planting his flag some twenty-years in the game, the grizzled mic veteran has earned the right to smell his own roses.
3. Skyzoo & The Other Guys
The Mind of a Saint: Deluxe Edition
Production: The Other Guys
Guests: N/A
In 2023, one of BK's finest, Skyzoo, dropped one of the year's most fantastic efforts in the form of The Mind Of A Saint. Sky transformed himself into Franklin Saint, the main character of the Academy Award-winning FX show, Snowfall, and presented him as a hustler trying to become an emcee in the eighties period of the crack epidemic. An unbelievable concept and an even more visual of Sky morphing very effectively into Saint resulted in one of the best efforts of decade and a half career. Sonically, he was assisted by D.C. production duo, The Other Guys, who highly blessed Sky with a score that resembled that time period's style of sound while bringing a modern twist to it all. Sky decided to expand this "story" of Franklin and present eight more tracks to make a deluxe edition of TMOAS. This deluxe edition has Saint still in conflict with the lure of the streets and him trying to escape the madness that the streets had become. With "Cold Kiss", he demonstrates a ruthless, vengeful side, while "Recipe For Desire" shows his ambition to be the H.N.I.C. in these streets and how big he sees that bag being. With other cuts like "My Crescendo" and "God Bless The King" showing his prowess over more of the bumping, yet jazzy, OGs production, the expanded edition comes to a pivotal moment with "The Freedom Dance", when Franklin (Skyzoo) comes at peace with his harrowing, yet essential moment of clarity, even if it's as close to rock bottom as it gets. The conversation with his mother behind bars on "Gave You Everything" is likewise a compelling piece of music that shows more layers into the internal conflicts Franklin fights with here. The deluxe edition of The Mind Of A Saint could easily double as its own EP with the consistent heat this provides. However, we're glad this just continued Franklin's story last left off with the main album's closer, "Purity". Skyzoo has showed over the years, not just how extraordinary his pen game is, but how tremendous his vision is when it comes to themes and concepts. While it can be argued that All the Brilliant Things is his best album, bar for bar, it's hard pressed to find a better concept album that brilliantly captures the essence of a fictional character more accurately than what Sky did for Franklin Saint on TMOAS, and along with the fantastic production of The Other Guys, Sky delivered a career benchmark that he can easily take pride in.
2. Gangrene
Heads I win, Tails You Lose
Production: artist
Guests: Evidence, AHNKLEJOHN, Boldy James
Within the past twenty-five years, Alan Maman, aka The Alchemist aka Uncle Al, has been among the most highly regarded and in-demand producers in modern hip-hop. His versatile range of sounds and samples have earned him accolades and acclaim from every legendary producer there's ever been in the game. A former student of another legendary boardsmith, DJ Muggs, Al has created a lane for himself to where he's on several people's Mount Rushmore of producers. What may be sometimes lost in the sauced nis emceeing abilities. Formerly one-half of The Hooligans in the mid to late nineties, he knows a thing or two about the pen just like he does the MPC. Over the past seven years, especially, we've seen Uncle Al on a run the likes of which must be studied and examined in terms of how amazing his productions have been. His work with the likes of Armand Hammer, Roc Marciano, Boldy James, Rome Streetz, Freddie Gibbs, the Griselda camp, and Drake, among many others has been simply undeniable. In 2023, one of the several projects he dropped or were a part of was the second edition of his Flying High series. One particular cut of interest was his reunion with fellow Cali emcee/producer, Oh No, as the unorthodox stoners Gangrene for the cut "Royal Hand". The stars were back aligned for another album from the duo. Their last effort was 2015's extremely delightful, You Disgust Me (that's right, nine years ago was their last full effort), and it was as left-brained and trippy as one would expect from these two. Their prior efforts of their debut, Gutter Water, their sophomore effort, Vodka & Ayahuasca, and their sick EP, Odditorium, and their insane collab effort with Roc Marciano as GreneBerg, all gave indications of their INCREDIBLE production and mic chemistry. Fast forwarding to 2024, the Oxnard-LA connection reunites for Heads I Win, Tails You Lose, which is arguably the darkest and most psychedelic sounding album they've done as a duo, and considering You Disgust Me, that's saying something. What's perhaps the most surprising element of this album is the fact Oh No's production is easily as on point and phenomenal as Al, and this is more than apparent on cuts he puts together such as the ultra-smooth and breezy "Cloud Surfing", the hazy and unorthodox first single, "Oxnard Water Torture", and the horns heavy "You Should Join The Army". Of course, the mad scientist that is The Alchemist stamps his place among the most all-time elite once again on this album with monstrous-sounding cuts he does such as stoner friendly cuts like "Muffler Lung" and the ethereal-sounding "Magic Dust". As a verbal tag team, they have an unmistakable chemistry that has them literally showing themselves as a stoned-out, shrooms infatuated EPMD, especially on cuts like "Dinosaur Jr", the BLAZING opener, "Congratulations You Lose", and "Just Doing Art", in which they, and guest Boldy James, all bring some of their best mic work that we've heard from them in some time, especially the artist formerly known as Mudfoot (that would be Uncle Al by the way). Moody, yet trippy. Brooding, yet overtly psychedelic. This Gangrene reunion, Heads I Win, Tails You Lose, is an esoteric and highly gripping project that commands both your attention in the phenomenal range of the production, and the leveling up of the pen game regarding both emcees. As if Alchemist can reach any higher production acclaims than the roll he's been on over these last several years, he somehow manages to outdo himself. As far as Oh No, the younger brother of the one and only Madlib makes a case of pushing more and more to the mad scientist levels of his genius brother, while establishing himself as one of the game's most incredibly improved producers, as this was also evidenced on his most recent projects with Tha God Fahim and Elzhi. Gangrene is an ayahuasca-consuming force of nature, and HIWTYL is the best album within their already impressive discography as a duo.
1. Cavalier
Different Type Time
Production: artist, Quelle Chris, Ahwlee, Child Actor, Messiah Muzik, others
Guests: Quelle Chris, Lord Chilla, others
Brooklyn-born, New Orleans-migrated, Cavalier, has been a fixture in the underground for nearly a decade and a half, mostly due to his frequent collaborations with Detroit's own underground maestro, Quelle Chris. First appearing on Chris' tremendous Innocent Country: Niggas Is Men mixtape, Cav's unorthodox, abstract flow perfectly complimented Chris' off-kilter, left-of-center flow and delivery. His first offering, album-wise, was Chief, a formidable showing that showed he was down to be an acclaimed emcee and put everyone in on his unique view of the world and his place in it. After other guest spots with Chris, and on other projects, he dropped a couple of other efforts, notably 2015's very good, Lemonade, and 2018's damn great, Private Stock. Much has changed since the last time he dropped Private Stock in '18. Social media has taken over people's identities and DSPs are practically replacing physical media for music, books, and any form of entertainment. We last heard him on the collab EP with Quelle Chris, Black Cottonwood, in 2022, and it showed their ever-intriguing chemistry, musically and lyrically. In 2024, Cav signed with the ever-acclaimed Backwoodz Studios (Armand Hammer, billy woods, ELUCID, ShrapKnel, AKAI SOLO, etc) to deliver what has to be consider his magnum opus, Different Type Time. Cavalier is in a space on this project where he's in full observance of the ever-changing climate of the world and how much it affects him. This has an aura of spirituality mixed with an abstract vision of change, while absorbing the values within the changes. On cuts like "Pears", "All Things Considered", and "Come Proper", his appreciation of old school quips and impressionistic imagery are fascinating and even off-putting if one doesn't take the time to fully become entrenched in his words and the aforementioned imagery. On other cuts like the opening cut, which just so happens to be the title track, Cav comes off like a middle-aged man who has retired early and has time to drink his coffee, smoke something, and look at unfortunate, tragic news while reminiscing on more simpler times and makes him smile at the thoughts but makes him frown at how much has changed. These moments of introspection over changing times and his struggles to accept them, all the while realizing his has to in order to survive, is what helps make this album as vulnerable as it complex. With cuts like "Doodoo Damian", "Can't Leave It Alone", the cautionary "Badvice", and the incredible "Touchtones", Cav is purveyor of optimism, pessimism, and apathy all within the course of the entire song, traveling in and out of his own observations, especially the inner workings of relevancy within our current climate, within hip-hop and life itself. Musically, this is arguably the most breathtaking and esoteric sounds within an album this year has had. Over mostly jazzy, yet highly melodic and layered, production, Cavalier is right at home verbally over this type of outstanding production. Smoky, hazy, psychedelic, hints of blues, and occasional nineties boom-bap all are prevalent throughout this album, and standouts such as the double-sided, "Up From Here/7th Ward Spyboy", the absolutely hypnotic "Lazaroos", "Deja Vu/Tydro '97", and "Flourish" are as musically mesmerizing as they are lyrically impressive, and sounds lie tunes acts like AKAI SOLO or DefCee could coast on just as easily. What Cavalier has presented with Different Type Time is a twenty-one-track collection of cuts that brilliantly reminds us that, although time is of the essence, it also is valuable to remain, if not remember, you within the process of change and evolution (or de-evolution). The abstract, notional themes and flow of Cavalier is so perfectly match with the obscure, yet magical, production and creates an ambience that serves as Cav's most otherworldly effort to date, and perhaps, the most unique and thematically pure and original album to drop this year so far.
Honorable Mentions
Santana Foxx- Eye Candy
Rome Streetz & Wavy Da Gahwd- Buck 50 EP
Chyna Streetz- From Hell To Chanel
Brother Ali- Love & Service
Chuck Strangers- A Forsaken Lovers Plea
Che Noir- The Color Chocolate EP
The Game & Big Hit- Paisley Dreams EP
Hus Kingpin & 9th Wonder- Supergoat
Ransom & Harry Fraud- Lavish Misery EP
Tha God Fahim & Cookin' Soul- Supreme Dump Legend: Soul Cook Saga
Tha God Fahim- Dump GOAT 2
Recognize Ali- As You Sow, So Shall You Reap
XP The Marxman & Bodybag Ben- Good Times, Bad Times
RJ Payne- Hellraiser
CRIMEAPPLE & Preservation- El Lion
CRIMEAPPLE & Big Ghost LTD- BAZUKO
Slum Village- F.U.N.
Hit-Boy & The Alchemist- Theodeore & Andre EP
Kota The Friend- Lyrics To Go Vol. 5
DJ Muggs & Mooch- ROCSTAR
Blu & Roy Royal- Royal Blu
AWON & Parental- Sublime
Mickey Diamond & Big Ghost LTD- Gucci Ghost 4
Mickey Diamond- Bangkok Dangerous 4
Mickey Diamond & Ral Duke- Super Shredder
J. Cole- Might Delete Later
Estee Nack & FutureWave- Stone Temple Pyrex
Sule- Written On Widen's Corner
Elcamino & Real Bad Man- The Game Is The Game
Marv Won- I'm Good, Thanks For Asking
Ras Kass, RJ PAyne, & Havoc are GUTTR- Everything Is...
Mutant Academy- Talk Soon EP
Planet Asia & Local Astronauts- No Retirement
Pro Zay & Sadhugold- Pulled Gold Out the Mud
Mike Shaab & Nicholas Craven- Shadow Moses
Mike Shaab- Sewaside 3
KXNG Crooked & Joell Ortiz- Tapestry
Da Beatminerz- Stifled Creativity
Dave East & Mike N Keys- Apt. 6E
Vinnie Paz- Jacinto's Praying Mantis EP
Saint Jame$- By Any Means EP
Oddisee- And Yet Still EP
Daniel Son & Raz Fresco- Northside EP
Struggle Mike- HONOR
Revival Season- Golden Age Of Self Snitching
Bless Picasso- Rillest In The Room
Hus Kingpin- In A State Of Nirvana
B.A.R.S. Murre- Jewelry Store Shootouts
Eddie Kaine & Big Ghost LTD- Last Exit To Crooklyn
Tierra Whack- World Wide Whack
Krayzie Bone- Chasin' The Devil Chapter 2: Salvation
Jae Skeeze & Superior- Testament Of The Times
As you can tell, this has been a thunderous year of simply outstanding music. From Cavalier's astonishing effort to other stellar turnouts by the likes of Gangrene, Your Old Droog, Rapsody, and ScHoolboy Q, 2024 has so far shown to be one of the single best years of the 2020s, if not THE best. The scary thing is that the best is arguably yet to come. The following albums are still slated to drop in 2024:
Nas & DJ Premier- untitled
Common & Pete Rock- The Auditorium Vol. 1
LL Cool J & Q-Tip- THE FORCE
Conway The Machine & J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League- From Here On
Griselda- WWCD2
Westside Gunn- Flygod Is an Awesome God 3
Westside Gunn & Stove God Cook$- MICHELLE RECORDS
Benny The Butcher- untitled
Jay Rock- untitled
Ab-Soul- untitled
Eminem- The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace)
Kendrick Lamar- untitled
Rome Streetz- Bow Down
Rome Streetz & Conductor Williams- untitled
Boldy James & J Dilla- Drug Dilla
Cormega & Havoc- untitled
Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre- Missionary
PRhyme- PRhyme 3
Pharoahe Monch- External Affairs
JID- Forever in A Day
JID & Metro Boomin- untitled
Big Boi- untitled
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib- Montana
Black thought & Madlib- untitled
Your Old Droog & Madlib- YODlib
Skyzoo- untitled
Lil Wayne- Tha Carter 6
Action Bronson- JOHAN SEBASTIAN BACHLAVA THE DOCTOR
Blu & Evidence- Los Angeles
J. Cole- It's A Boy
Clipse & Pharrell Williams- Let God Sort 'Em Out
Jadakiss- untitled
Styles P- untitled
Larry June & Cuuren$y- untitled
Elzhi & Khrysis are Jericho Jackson- Jericho Jackson 2
The Alchemist & Budgie- The Good Book Vol. 3
Che Noir- The Color Chocolate 2
Rakim- God's Network
Ludacris- untitled
Trust me, there's plenty more where this all came from. When it's all said and done, this one could be one for the books and quite possibly the best year we've had in the past few. We haven't truly seen anything yet! See you again at the end of the year. As a bonus, here's a list of some of the best cuts to emerge so far this year:
Service Merchandise- Braids (production: Child Actor)
Boldy James & Nicholas Craven- Soccer Mom (production: Nicholas Craven)
Chuck Strangers- Ski'd Up (production: The Alchemist)
Benny The Butcher- TMVTL (production: The Alchemist)
CRIMEAPPLE & Preservation- Quanto Te Quiero (production: Preservation)
Mickey Diamond- The Shooter Remains Anonymous (production: Wavy Da Ghawd)
Masta Ace & Marco Polo feat. Blu- Below The Clouds (production: Marco Polo)
Hit-Boy & The Alchemist- MORRISSEY (production: The Alchemist)
Awon & Parental feat. Dan Amozig- Microcosm (production: Parental)
Ransom & Harry Fraud feat. Boldy James- Live From The Roxy (production: Harry Fraud)
ScHoolboy Q- Blueslides (production: Tae Beast, Mario Luchiano, J.L.B.S., Jason Wool)
Skyzoo & The Other Guys- God Bless The King (production: The Other Guys)
Sule feat. Benny The Butcher- Made For It (production: Nyckles, Harlem Zone)
Rapsody- Asteroids (production: Hit-Boy)
Waterr & Wavy Da Gahwd- Frequent Thoughts (production: Wavy Da Gahwd)
Snoop Dogg & DJ Premier- Can You Dig That (production: DJ Premier)
Roc Marciano feat. T.F., Flee Lord- Higher Self (production: The Alchemist)
DJ Muggs & Mooch- Assets & Liabilities (production: DJ Muggs)
Vega7 The Ronin & Bodybag Ben- New Jack (production: Bodybag Ben)
Apathy- No One Can Hear You Scream In Space (production: Playa Haze)
Estee Nack & FutureWave- DATEWITDEF (production: FutureWave)
Gangrene- Cloud Surfing (production: Oh No)
J. Cole feat. Daylyt, Ab-Soul- Pi (production: Daylyt)
Chyna Streetz & 183rd- One Of One (production: 183rd)
Santana Fox- Vinyl Dust (production: artist)
Dave East & Harry Fraud- Questions (production: Harry Fraud)
Nas & DJ Premier- Define My Name (production: DJ Premier)
Common & Pete Rock- Dreamin' (production: Pete Rock)
Cavalier- Lazaroos (production: Vinny Cuzins)
Kooley High & Tuamie- Get Up (production: Tuamie)
Hus Kingpin- Spirit (production: Macapella)
Planet Asia & Local Astronauts- Decoded (production: Local Astronauts)
Bless Picasso- Mandala (production: Kount Fif)
Madlib feat. Black Thought, Your Old Droog- REEKYOD (production: artist)
Rome Streetz & Wavy Da Ghawd- Saliva (production: Wavy Da Gahwd)
Slum Village feat. Robert Glaspar- Since 92 (production: Robert Glaspar)
Kendrick Lamar- Not Like Us (production: Battlecat)
GUTTR- Old Soul (production: Havoc)
Conway The Machine feat. Method Man, SK Da Kid, Flee Lord- Meth Back! (production: Daringer)
Chance The Rapper- Together (production: DJ Premier)
Raz Fresco & Daniel Son- WATCH YA MOUTH (production: Faiza)
Mike Shaab- Grinchy (production: artist)
Mach-Hommy feat. Black Thought- COPY COLD (production: Quelle Chris)
Pro Zay & Sadhugold- Time To Go (production: Sadhugold)
Heem feat. Jay Worthy- R.N.S. (production: Ill Tone)
Big Hit- Heartless (production: The Alchemist)
Tha Dogg Pound feat. Snoop Dogg, Lady Of Rage, RBX- Who Da Hardest (production: DJ Premier)
Blu & Evidence- Lost Angel (production: Evidence)
Action Bronson- Sega (production: The Alchemist)
Ty Farris- Alchemy In The Trenches (production: FutureWave)
JasonMartin & DJ Quik feat. The Game- Chupacabra (production: DJ Quik)
The Alchemist- Seasons Change (production: artist)
Lupe Fiasco- Palaces (Soundtrakk)
Boldy James & Conductor Williams- All Madden (production: Conductor Williams)
The Foreign Exchange feat. BeMyFiasco- The Grey (production: Nicholay)
Da Beatminerz feat. The Villainz- Fear None (production: artist)
Your Old Droog feat. Yasiin Bey- Care Plan (production: Madlib)
Ghostface Killah feat. Nas- Scar Tissue (production: T Da Human)
Che Noir feat. Your Old Droog, Evidence- Junior High (production: Playa Haze)
Krayzie Bone- Two Wrongs (production: Sevada Davoodian)
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