The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Gunna, Jeezy, Rapsody, and more.
This week sees the return of two of hip-hop’s finest female rappers after some time away. In addition to Rapsody’s flexy comeback, Megan Thee Stallion dropped “Cobra,” addressing some of the reason for her absence:
Kid Cudi continued his Insano rollout with the Pharrell and Travis Scott collaboration, “At The Party“:
And Earthgang kicked off/continued the expansion of their Earthgang Vs. The Algorithm universe with “Blacklight“:
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending November 3, 2023.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
JasonMartin — A Compton Story Pt. 1
The rapper formerly known as Problem teams up with fellow Hub City natives AD, DJ Quik, Jay Worthy, NBA star DeMar DeRozan, and more to unreel an audio motion picture capturing two decades worth of life, death, and growth in town that gave the world the Venus sisters. There are also some surprising additions like Diddy, Rich Homie Quan, and T.I.
Jeezy — I Might Forgive … But I Don’t Forget
Jeezy’s vengeful double album is being hailed by fans as a return to the 2005 form that made the Snowman a hood phenomenon. There are certainly those who think the title and some of the content are aimed at his recent ex-wife Jeannie Mai, but to these ears, it sounds like Jeezy heard the footsteps of Father Time creeping up on him and decided to show that this old dog still has plenty of bite.
Lady London — S.O.U.L.
I know I’m sort of beating a dead horse here, but hey old-school rap heads: You know how you’ve been complaining about Ice Spice all week? Why don’t you give Lady London a spin and try praising the modern generation of female rappers for a change (without comparing the two for bonus points). This Bronx native brings plenty of that mid-90s flavor so many old heads seem to be seeking on her debut album, right down to the creative repurposing of samples from that lauded era.
Ryan Trey — Streets Say You Miss Me
Here’s another debut album, this time from a St. Louis sing-rapper in the style of Bryson Tiller and 6lack (don’t be surprised if Wongo puts him in the R&B column too. I got him first, Wongo!). Regular readers know I’ve been digging this kid’s vibe for a minute and the R&B-washed beats offer a subtle backdrop for this solid introduction to Trey’s sonic vision. At 13 tracks, Streets avoids overstaying its welcome, leaving listeners likely to want more.
Tee Grizzley — Tee’s Coney Island
For months now, I’ve been wondering what the heck has been going down in the D to make every rapper in a 30-mile radius so productive. Tee Grizzley’s latest might provide the answer; it’s the Coney dogs. The Motor City culinary staple is worth tromping through the city’s foot-high piles of slush in the winter and doing so is probably what gives them the fuel they need to be so productive and consistent.
Various Artists — Rap Sh!t: The Mixtape (From The Max Original Series, S2)
Give Issa Rae’s Raedio imprint some credit; the people she’s put in place have great ears for under-the-radar talent to fill their show with. With the second season of Rap Sh!t out returning to Max next week, Raedio switches up its usual formula, dropping music from the upcoming episodes as a mixtape ahead of their air date. With guest spots from Cam & China, Connie Diiamond, Enchanting, Maiya The Don, Omeretta The Great, and TeaMarrr, it’s like a who’s-who of the next seven years of rap stars all in one place. Get familiar now.
Singles/Videos
The Alchemist — “Vertigo” Feat. Action Bronson
The Alchemist’s new EP Flying High 2 is out today, with appearances from Action Bronson, Conway The Machine, Curren$y, and Oh No. While Alchemist holds his own as a rapper alongside this rap murderer’s row, let’s be honest: The highlight here is another over-the-top verse from Bam Bam.
Benny The Butcher — “Big Dog” Feat. Lil Wayne
Of the Griselda core, Benny’s always struck me as the one best-poised for mainstream success and most willing to reach outside their usual ghoulish sample-based arrangements for beats with crossover appeal. Meanwhile, he continues to check off the list of established veteran super-rappers he’s worked with (J. Cole, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg), spinning the block to reunite with Lil Wayne.
Cochise — “Hop In The Whip”
The 25-year-old Palm Bay, Florida rapper has one of the more unique deliveries in hip-hop today. Once your brain calibrates to it, though, it becomes hard to deny his infectious melodies and gift for catching unconventional pockets in the weird, wonky beats he tends to employ. “Hop In The Whip” continues his trend for deconstructing the standard sounds of hip-hop.
Kamaiyah — “XXL Letterman” h2>
Kamaiyah is clearly tired of being left out of the conversation lately — as she should be. She’s been consistently producing for the past decade, and as an alum of the XXL Freshman Class cover, she certainly deserves more attention than she is often afforded. Hanging out with YG again has also put her back in gangsta mode, apparently, as she stomps all over this menacing late-stage G-funk banger.
Rapsody — “Asteroids”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khiwsdYyx7Y
Don’t call it a comeback — but if you’re gonna come back, this is the way to do it. Rap deploys a soulful Hit-Boy production to issue a stern reminder of exactly why her name stays in the conversation, even four years since her last project. Even better, “Asteroids” signifies another full-length album from the North Carolina hip-hop torch-bearer is closing in.
Turbo — “Bachelor” Feat. Gunna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIL2OhfIC90
Gunna and his go-to production partner have yet to miss this year, so it’s only right that Turbo once again taps in with his golden goose for the first single from his upcoming album.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
