#che noir

These are my thoughts on various albums released in 2025. Music written about ranges from Punk to Pop, Post-Punk and a lot of Hip-Hop. Enjoy!

Ransom-Cabrini Green: Ransom is one of the most consistent rappers in the underground. He has a great flow and consistently brings the depth of integrity that comes from age and experience. Cabrini Green is his most recent project, and it's one built on soul samples and great rhymes. It's smooth and cohesive. "Where to" is the best on the project as Ransom speaks to what makes people look to the streets for love. Outside of that, Ransom has a way of rhyming and flowing at an elite level, which is a highlight. 8/10

Larry June & 2 Chainz-Life Is Beautiful (Produced by The Alchemist): A somewhat surprising collab between Larry June and 2 Chainz, but I'm happy to get it nonetheless. Larry had already done a good project with Alchemist a couple of years ago, and 2Chainz has rhymed over a few Alchemist beats and has become more known to collab with underground MCs. This album is a neat 11 tracks of mostly lushly mellowed out tracks that are more in the vain of what you'd hear on a standard Larry June project except with Alchemist at the helm, these beats are detailed and excellent, really. I love the beat to "Generation" has a dark, quiet West Coast sound, but is almost archaic in nature in terms of some of the layers of sound on it. "Bad Choices" features a shadowy yet soulful beat that finds Chainz bouncing on it. 2 Chainz is the most charismatic figure here, and on some of the more upbeat tracks, he comes across a little better, more comfortable. On the flipside of some of the really chill and laid-back records, Larry knows how to do those to perfection, while Chainz has to rein himself in a bit on those. From a substance standpoint, you're gonna get songs about getting fly, their opulence, but also owning businesses and speaking to their lifestyle. Larry is the type of MC that quietly drops gems in his rhymes.   While there are tracks on here that are high level, there's a lot here of the chill, relaxing nature that is meant more for a certain mood, which keeps it from being rated a little higher for me. 7.5/10

Alessia Cara- Love & Hyperbole: Alessia Cara is an artist I really got into in 2015 when she released her EP Four Pink Walls, which was expanded into her debut album Know it All. It was strong, youthful r&b/pop that was both catchy and relatable. Still, I've sort of fallen off from following her music, but this project reminds me of some of the stuff she did a decade ago. Some of this music is very jazzy and lush, at other times the album is more breezy and easy-going. "Nighttime Thing" is a banger about wanting to take someone seriously in a relationship and not just a physical thing. "Left Alone" is a track about separating from someone and needing space for yourself from a mental health perspective. "Dead Man" has a sultry, smoky vibe to her vocals. I love how broad the production is on that. Still, most of the album is mid-temp, chill, and breezy, not bad but not overtly exciting as a whole but it's solid. I think she has a better project in her, but I believe she has to push herself a little more.  7/10

Drake & PartyNextDoor-Some Sexy Songs 4 U: Drake & PND come with an album that's really for the ladies, a 21-track assortment of crooning over nocturnal R&b/trap production. At its core, it's another trip down the twists and turns of dealing with perpetual melodrama and arrested development. "Nokia" is the hit song on here, though it features an early to mid '00s aesthetic that glossy pop/R&B vibe that's built for summer rotation and to be played at parties. Outside of that, I don't see myself returning to this album much. 5/10

Ransom & Dave East-The Final Call: Ransom and Dave East are two of the most active MCs in the game and certainly on the East Coast. They bring their powers together for one of the best hip hop albums of the 1st quarter of 2025. The album is highly produced, with tons of soulful vocals flooding the background of most of these tracks with crispy yet gritty percussion. Ransom is great, he's technically sharp in terms of rhyme scheme and metaphors and flow, but his introspection, street wisdom, vulnerability are what make him a compelling listen. Whether he's describing his past, speaking on the puppets and puppeteers in the industry, or getting personal about his loved ones, he comes off as earnest and thoughtful. Dave East, for his part, is sharp and vulnerable on the album and has some strong verses here as well. "The Mosque" is my favorite cut on the album. The beat is crazy, and Ransom & Dave both come correct on that. I love the violins on "The Mayhem." That track is a banger that's layered in its production. "Al Kabir Beach" is a pristine hip-hop/r&b cut that makes for beautiful riding music, has a nice spring/summer vibe. Every track on here is great, and there's nothing that leaves more to be desired. If you love lush East Coast hip-hop, this project is highly recommended. 9/10

Black Soprano Family & Ill Tone Beats-The Outcome: The Outcome is the latest project from Black Soprano Family, a sub-label from Benny The Butcher, much like Conway The Machine's Drumwork that functions as another offshoot of Griselda(it's all family). It's a sharp album for one, Ill Tone Beats is consistent throughout with it being soulful beats that have a more melancholic noir beats, it's great. The highlight tracks are "Impossible" ft Conway, Rome Streetz & Jae Skeese. The title cut with Benny which is tough and, and "Pick a Side" by Conway. Those are sure-fire qualities. There's other stuff worth listening to, like "Punctuality." I love the horn on the track while the MC's on the cut give heartfelt verses. Stove and OT The Real give strong performances on "B.T.L.” 8/10

Clipping- Dead Channel Sky: Clipping, since their debut mix-tape(Midcity) and album(self-titled) have been one of the most notable experimental hip-hop groups of the past decade. Known for sprawling concept albums and a mixture of rock/electronic and industrial sounds only superseded in their era by Death Grips they released one of my favorites of 2014 with their debut album. This album is similarly thematic, describing a dystopian digitized world. There's a good blend of distorted electronic sounds, mixed with skittering percussion at times, and what can sound like digital machinery at times, floating in the background. The overall experience is like a shadowy cyberpunk vibe. That's the sound bed, but of course, there's variance to how it's executed throughout the album tracks like "Code" and "Scams" have a definite LA bounce to them, sound great, and I think Daveed comes off great on them. Others build and progress more like "Dodger"; the track has a broad atmosphere that only gets more layered as it progresses. Then there are other times when the album is more minimal, like on tracks like "Mood Organ" or "Polaroids," Where it may focus on Daveed's rapping and the message being conveyed etc. On the whole, I think this is a strong project that is likely to grow with more listens, in that it's layered lyrically and musically. 9/10

Lady Gaga-Mayhem: Lady Gaga's technically back with her first full-length project since her 2020 effort Chromatica. An album that to me was a return to form and showed a propensity toward catchy dance-pop tunes and write & co-write good songs. Chromatica, to me, took things back to the essence of big dance-pop tunes reminiscent of debut project The Fame but with more of a focus on personal themes, trials, and tribulations. Mayhem actually sounds like if you took some of the industrial pop and dark/gothic pop of The Fame Monster and expanded it out to a full length project, this is what you'd get, I love it. "Abracadabra" has the energy and catchiness to be a staple in her catalog. It's classic Gaga. While “Vanish into You” has a deep bass and funk structure that makes it a good time to sit and listen to. "Zombieboy" is another highlight; it has a disco/early hip-hop vibe to it that I love. The guitar on the track is a great touch as well. I'd say tracks 1-8 are relentless on this album. There isn't anything that isn't catchy or outright danceable. Things get a little more erratic from there, though. "How Bad Do You Want Me" at track 9 is the most generic song to that point, though not bad. "The Beast" is slower and slows the energy of the project more, and things really wind down with "Blade of Grass," Gaga's standard piano-laden ballad on the album. Still, there's enough fun listening here that even the casual fan of Pop music should give this album a listen. 8/10

Panda Bear-Sinister Grift: A new album from Animal Collective member Panda Bear, an artist who has an extensive catalog, one I dibble and dabble in here and there. This album feels like a mix of the Beach Boys influenced psych-rock made for summer fun. The back of the LP is more autumn in tone, picture windy, chill days with grey skies from tracks 7-10. It's a beautifully produced album. I love the vocal layering and neon distorted guitars on some of the tracks on the top half of the album. "Praise" brings the surf-rock vibes but with thumping bass, a great way to start the album. "Fiery Lady" has a trippy sound, layered vocal runs, it's catchy, and has a nice rhythm to it. I love the dreamy soundscape on "Venoms In"; it doesn't skip on the bass either and has more of a nocturnal vibe than the top of the LP. I think this is a strong album from Panda. I can see myself returning to it here and there. 8/10

Dirty Projectors-Songs of Earth: On this album, Dirty Projectors channel their indie rock/pop and experimental nature into orchestral bliss. Meant to be an album played when you have space and time, it's a pretty album, built with xylophone bells, strings, flutes, beautifully, highly produced vocal harmonies, and drone sounds. It's layered and nuanced sonically but, but also meant to be listened to as a whole as a lot of the tracks glide right into each other. It's something of a cozy album, think warm cabin, maybe it's a bit cloudy and windy outside, where some of these watercolor tones would really fit. You can listen to this album with intent and get lost in it, or you can put it on quietly in the background as you do some reading that works as well. It creates a nice atmosphere. 8/10

Rome Streetz & Conductor Williams-Trainspotting: This is the latest collaborative project from Griselda's own Rome Streetz. Last time it was with Darringer, this time it's with Conductor Williams(mostly referred to as Conductor).  Much like Rome's last effort, this album is cohesive in sound and theme; each track often has a small skit at the end relating to the topic of the track. The first highlight on the album is “M.A.S.H.” I like the helicopter sounds hovering in the background; the sound is dark, brooding, and grey-ski-tinted and off-kilter. "Runny Nose" may feature some of his best rhyme performances on the project, and I like the background vocals on the track. Method Man adds a great verse to a warped beat, proving he can rap on anything and sound great. Meth is in great rhyme shape. "Rule 4080" is a track that takes the line Q-Tip spits about record company people being shady and expounds on it, imploring others to get their business together. Rome won't let you down on this album. He's sharp technically, quick-witted with punchlines, and has seen a lot and done a lot. It's a dark and gritty album with moments of smoothness and melancholic beauty. Definitely worth giving a listen to.  8/10

Che Noir-The Color of Chocolate 2: Che Noir’s been active as a rapper, dropping one of my favorite projects last year in The Lotus Child, then coming back with Seeds in Babylon, and now coming back with The Color of Chocolate. Che Noir’s style is effortless and to the point of nonchalant at times a quiet confidence she exudes in her music that’s on top of burning passion and a willingness to bleed her life on the track. “Stories” does just that as she takes you on ride through her psyche as she speaks to losing loved ones that held her down, family that may try to manipulate her and the daily stresses that come with her life as wife and artists, She’s forth right and honest and more than the bar fest it’s these moments I find most impressive about Che Noir. My favorite cut on the project is “Where You Go.” I love the soulful sample and beat, and Che rides it perfectly. She spits game on how wisdom and being able to make the right decisions are more valuable than just accumulating knowledge. She’s also not painting herself as perfect, as she gets into where she faltered in life. Elsewhere, Che sharpens her sword vs the likes of 7XVEThegenius, a great rapper in her own right. They match each other's fire on “Show & Tell”. Then you have the Elzhi-assisted “Who’s the Greatest”, Che is solid on there, but Elzhi drops an excellent verse on that one. The project is great, which is pretty much what I’ve become accustomed to with Che Noir. I highly recommend giving her a listen. Rating: 8.5/10

Lil Wayne-Tha Carter VI: Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter VI is rap legend Lil Wayne’s fourteenth studio LP and 6th installment in the Carter Series. Lil Wayne for the past 14 years, has been a model of inconsistency and, to be frank, mediocrity in terms of full-length projects.Carter IV retrospectively wasn’t good. I’m not a Human Being 2 was awful in my book, Funeral had its moments, but was largely forgettable. The mixtapes, aside from D6 and D6:Reloaded, have been mediocre as well. To Wayne’s credit, even amidst his inability to consistently give us a quality project, he will hop on your track and deliver a stellar or quality verse he’s given some to Cordae, Rapsody, Benny The Butcher, Westside Gunn etc. Wayne, in spurts, can still give you a hot 16. However, in terms of giving you a full-length album that’s in-depth and quality, especially for a rapper his age, when we have so many great middle-aged rappers doing great work he falls short. The Carter VI is well below average. It’s filled with terrible ideas like trying to cover the LL Cool J classic, “Rock the Bells,” which doesn’t fit Wayne’s style at all, just mediocre. The springy elephant roar beat that comes on “Peanuts to N Elephant” is an awful idea. Rapping on the “Banned from NO” mediocrely and adding a clunky chorus to it? Bad idea. Even worse when you consider he ALREADY rapped on that beat for No Ceilings back in 2009, much better I might add. The Pop-Rap reach with Bono on “The Days”...bland and a bad Idea. It goes on like that for 19 tracks. Not only are the premises for some of these songs bankrupt, but the execution…Wayne sounds out of touch, unable to find a solid pocket on a lot of these beats and lacking anything of depth to speak on, which is expected of Wayne, but if you’re not going to be thoughtful, then the beat choices and flows have no choice but to be on point, and they’re far from that here. There are 3 redeeming songs on this album. “Hip-Hop” is one I like, the beat and the chorus drive the song, it’s solid. The next is the soulful Mannie Fresh-assisted “Being Myself” , a solid record about Wayne being true to himself no matter what people think, and “Written History” ain’t bad either. Outside of that, the album is mediocre to bad. 4./10

Clipse-Let God Sort em Out: Let God sort em out is the fourth album from the revered Virginia rap group Clipse. This album is being met with the excitement of the return of the duo, their first album together since 2009(16 years). Malice’s long-awaited return with his brother Pusha T, who’s been holding down the fort and building a hell of a solo resume, is essential to this project. Pharrell Williams handles all production on this project. The album starts startlingly vulnerable and cathartic as both Pusha T and Malice speak to their last moments with their parents, who passed away within months of each other. Pusha T touches on his mom telegraphing that she was on the verge of passing, and Malice talks about his last moments with his father. It’s a sad and deeply heartfelt track that features John Legend on the hook. Is it one of my favorite tracks musically? No, but it’s too powerful to ignore and certainly an impactful start to the album. That is followed up by “Chains & Whips” ft Kendrick Lamar, the beat is hard, kind of sparse, percussion is hard with some digital pulsating through it like hi-tech boom bap. Pusha sounds especially sinister here and, and Malice comes with a strong verse, but the standout here is Kendrick, who’s sharp and clever, and I love the “gen” rhyme scheme used throughout, along with the content of what he’s getting off on; it has a remorseless “let the party die" vibe to it. “POV” ft Tyler The Creator is another brilliant track. Pusha T has one of his best performances on here. Malice also loses his mind on this, and Tyler finds a way to challenge both and all his other top verses, definitely a special moment on the album. “So Be It” is a banger, bass thumping, horns are expansive, Pusha T and Malice are back like they never left. “M.T.B.T.T.F” is elite, and the beat is hard, and again, Pusha’s charisma stands out, but Malice from a bar-for-bar standpoint edges on this one. “F.I.C.O” ft. Stove God gives you that classic coke rap feel, Stove kills the hook, and this is another one where I feel Malice really got off on very in pocket on this one. The title cut/Chandeliers with Nas is another essential track. I love the original beat, and Nas shows out on his verse. This album isn’t just a bunch of street and coke raps, it's more expansive in the way they speak on it. They speak on it from the perspective of people past it, but could give you intimate details and outlandish metaphors based on past experiences. I don’t think they miss on the first 7 tracks, but I think the second half of the album is slightly less consistent. Outside of that, this is an essential and great project, that’s definitely receiving repeated listens 9/10

Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist- Alfredo 2: Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist are back with a sequel of their classic title Alfredo. The original Alfredo had an Italian mobster theme echoing throughout. This one is more in line with the asian mafia, with the cover being a bowl of ramen instead of a plate of alfredo and all the promo leaning in that direction. This album is a little longer than that one, a little less concise; it’s also a little more chill in terms of the production. This one is more meditative, not as immediate; nothing here is as hard and menacing as “God is Perfect.” However, this project is still great in its own way. Track 1 “1995” Starts smooth and melodic and, in typical Freddie fashion, has a blaxploitation vibe mixed with some darkness seeping into the background. As the track progresses, guitars come in and really feel out the mix, and Freddie does him speaking to navigating the streets, woman, rap game etc a great start to the album. “Lemon Pepper Steppers” is another exceptional track featuring another somewhat relaxing beat, except the percussion gives Freddie’s at times nimble, rapid fire flow something to wrap around. The cut has a definitive Bone Thugs' N Harmony Three 6 Mafia vibe to it. I love it when Freddie gets into that bag. “Ensalada” is a top-tier song on the album as Freddie speaks to the downsides of being in this rap game, whether it’s people who only love you for what you can provide, or opportunistic people. The entire sentiment is that of a lack of trust for people who see the bright side but don’t know what his life comes with. Anderson Paak is great on the hook on that one as well. “Skinny Suge II” is hard; it has great energy, I love the Ice T “Colors” reference, and it has a cinematic vibe thanks to Alchemist. One of the main themes on the album is how Freddie is processing his life as a rapper and grappling with it the beefs, the competition, the woman, the temptation to tap into the streets or to leave it alone. “Lavish Habits” taps into the happiness that comes with consistency and getting the fruits of that labor, while also dealing with jealousy and things that come along with that success, like the paranoia of dying a violent death like so many rappers. It’s a paranoid yet determined track. “I Still Love H.E.R” Again finds Freddie tapping into the duality of his life, but ultimately still loving hip-hop and the rap game. The last special track to me on the album is “A Thousand Mountains.” Alchemist goes crazy on the beat; the flute is great on it. “I raised a generation and spit a game on a thousand albums,” ain’t that the truth? Freddie has a great mix of competitive spirit, street energy, and humor, and it’s all displayed on this track. This album is a little more in a specific lane, and not everyone will feel this one. This one may not be for those who aren’t already a fan. It has a certain vibe, a little more relaxed and drawn out, but it’s still excellent. There's a lot of highlights, and even in moments that aren’t standouts, Freddie & Alchemist are consistent, and it’s cohesive. Definitely worth a listen. 8.5/10

JID-God Does Like Ugly: God Does Like Ugly is the fourth studio LP from JID of Dreamville. This is a follow up to 2022's Forever Story, an acclaimed album that showed growth from the Atlanta MC. A nimble flow that wraps around the beat adapts to double-time flows. The album starts well with “Youugly” ft Westside Gunn, there’s a static rawness to the beat that switches half way through, where the bass is heavy, it's a good start. “Glory” has the gospel vocals going in the background with a thumping beat through it, then again the beat switches to a darker, brooding version of itself, and JID matches the track's energy. “Work” just finds JID going crazy doing a double time flow and talking his braggadocio over it. “Community” with Clipse is a highlight. There are no wasted bars, and I really enjoy JID switching up his vocal tone on the track. Clipse loses their minds on the cut; it's a fun one. “VCRs” with Vince Staples is another special one on the album. It has a chill, luxurious sound to it, spacey but lush at the same time, and both Vince and JID do their thing. “Sk8” won't be understood by everyone. It's a roller rink jam that if you’re from Atlanta or go to the skate rink here and there, you’ll respect it. Three fourths through the album there’s more hip-hop/r&b influences, and the momentum slows a bit but it doesn’t take me out of the album. I think things pick back up with “On McAfee,” “Blue,” “K-Word,” Keep the energy up. I believe this is the most I’ve ever enjoyed JID as a whole. The production is quality, JID has become a better rapper, though at times I wish he slowed down a bit; all the rapid fire flows can be more measured at times. Outside of that, there’s a lot of good music and fun to be had here. 8/10 B

Joey Bada$$-Lonely At The Top: Joey Bada$$ is back with his fourth studio LP. An album he’s been building toward since the top of the year. Since Jan. 1, he’s been releasing tracks that led up to the increased interest in a new Joey Bada$$ project. It’s finally here, but does it deliver? I’d say yes and no. Yes in that this is a good project. You got cuts like “Dark Aura” which is built with strings and this deep bass and Joey’s strong vocal presence, it’s quintessential Joey, it’s east coast its NY boom bap but modern, great track. “Swank White” is chill, a little jazzy, and has the feel of very early Joey. This could’ve made 1999 another essential track from this album. “High Roller” is classic hip-hp/R&B it’s smooth, and Joey finds the pocket effortlessly. My favorite on the entire project is “BK’s Finest” which features CJ Fly (great to hear from him), Kai Ca$h, and Rome Streetz. Rome Streetz bodied his verse, his flow is effortless, and the bars come in casually and not belabored he’s says something clever, and it’s on to the next line. There’s some introspection toward the end of the album, you get “Speeding Through The Rain,” maybe my favorite along those lines, has a nice flute sound to it. No, it’s not the kind of album that will put Joey Bada$$ on a higher plateau in the game, it’s also on the lower end of his catalog, most likely. Joey, for his credit, came out and said this is a stopgap project ‘till the real LP comes out, so we’ll see what he delivers when that’s finally releases. 7.0/ C

Che Noir & The Other Guys-No Validation: This is another EP from Che Noir in collaboration with producer The Other Guys. If you’re looking for a tight, cohesive, but impactful EP to listen to, this is it. Che Noir has not only gotten better from a technical rhyme stand point. She’s very substantive, not afraid to be vulnerable on records, and will drop gems on you casually. There’s a lot of passion in her raps. “Smooth Jazz” ft 38 Spesh finds Che rhyming smoothly over horns and fluttering sonics hovering in the background over crisp drums. On “Sugar Water,” Che speaks to you about investing, business moves, building, and rebuilding teams. She’s giving her gems for success. “Katatswof” ft. Ransom and Skyzoo is probably the best track on here; all 3 come with strong verses. The EP ends with the mellow “Susie” ft Smoke DZA a mellow introspective track that’s chill and thoughtful. Another strong project from Che Noir, but what else is new 8.5/10 B+

Benny The Butcher- Summertime Butch 2: Summertime Butch is the 2 installment in the summertime butch mixtape series. This is a quality project..Benny’s been active this year he was on the Black Sparano tape earlier this year, he dropped an EP with Excelsior, and now with Summertime Butch 2, with this being the most substantial of them. The first serious banger on this project is Summer 25. I love the strings on this, and Benny’s bars are sharp on that one. “77 Club” is another essential track. The beat is crazy on that one, the bass is booming along with a breezy yet menacing melody. “In The Wall” with Bun B is a great tune. Both do a great job on the track; it's street rap/coke rap on that one. The final cut “Eastside Butch Freestyle,” sounds big and cathedral-like production-wise. It’s probably the most epic-sounding track on this project. Benny’s been consistent, and this is another project worth giving spins to along with the likes of Rome Streetz, Clipse, Freddie, etc. 8/10 B

Shame-Cutthroat: Shame is a British five-piece post-punk band. I’ve followed the band since their debut album Songs of Praise, “One Rizla” was my favorite track off that album. This album isn’t as brooding as some of their other work. This one is louder, rougher, and generally more high-octane in energy. The album’s called Cutthroat, and well, that’s what this album is: all killer, no filler. The first five cuts are some of the strongest on the album, and all hit the ground running. “Coward Around” is a blistering cut that seems to touch on cowards coming in all types and shapes, and that sometimes the stereotypical tough guy is a coward. Track 3 “Quiet Life” speaks to living fast but finding someone that makes you want to settle down, live a more serene lifestyle, or just indicates a need to find a space to think. Elsewhere on the album, you have “Lampiano,” a storytelling track about a man from Brazil who lived a wild life and became a legend in his city. “Packshot” is probably my favorite song in the backend of the album, a melancholic to aggressive track with quiet to loud dynamics. The album's 40 minutes long, and there’s a solid amount of musicianship coming out of some of these cuts in terms of tempo shifts and pitch shifts, and track progression that makes the album as quality as it is. 8/10

Pinkshift-Earthkeeper: This is the 3-piece band Pinkshift’s sophomore release, coming after the exhilarating, cathartic sugar rush of an album, Love Me Forever. Earthkeeper isn’t lacking in energy and exuberance, but it is a grittier, heavier album. There’s a little more melody and emotive tones; it sits in a slightly gloomier atmosphere than their debut did. So you’ll get a track like “Evil Eye” that’s gritty and distorted, sort of dirty, but full of energy. “Anita Ride” has these more brooding guitars, and there’s almost an Evanescence vibe to the track. Elsewhere on tracks like “Vacant” or “Something More,” they delve into their fast paced high energy pop-punk style, just more distorted and gritty. There’s a lot of spirituality or reaching toward a higher power to be your best self, and in that sense the album gives me a bit of Flyleaf vibes as well. Ultimately, it’s a more dynamic album from their debut, and I think it’s enjoyable if you’re looking for some pop-punk or alternative. Give this a listen. 7.5/10

Earl Sweatshirt-Live Laugh Love: This is the fifth album from Santa Monica Rapper Earl Sweatshirt. Earl Sweatshirt. The last Earl Album I listened to was Voir with Alchemist at the helm. The album was solid and had some bangers, but it wasn’t anything that stopped me in my tracks as a whole, though it had some real good songs on there. This album is a notch above, for one, I love the production on here, lots of soulful beats with a tint of melancholy and watercolor tones. These songs sound like a breezy fall day to me, that’s sometimes cloudy, other times clear, but it’s always brisk. “Forge” has a great beat to it, and Earl’s flow is a bit off-kilter, and it keeps things interesting. There are times when the beat carries, and Earl is kind of mellow-kind and monotone, but that’s not as big an issue here as it is on previous albums. Tracks like “Static” keep things from staying monotonous; it’s the high-energy banger on the album that forces Earl to raise his energy. “Crisco” is another banger that follows that one nicely. I love the way the vocals flood the tracks with a warm, rolling bass underneath. Earl again has to rise to the occasion of the instrumental performance wise. This album is full of soulfulness; there’s times when Earl gives you some melody, “Tourmaline” brings that to the table with the hook. “Exhaust” has a funk soul vibe fresh out of the 70s blaxploitation and, and Earl is measured and matter of fact on the track. The project is 24 minutes long, but it’s a nice introspective project with a couple of jams to get you through. The album has great production. Earl isn’t for everyone, but I’d give this one a shot even if you’re not super into him. 8/10

Princess Nokia-Girls: Girls is Princess Nokia’s fifth studio album. This album from the eclectic and eccentric performer Princess Nokia is her first full-length since the double project Everything Sucks/Everything is Beautiful, which was great, one of my favorites of 2020. Princess Nokia is an artist you can never quite put your finger on what direction she’ll go next. She can go straight boom bap, she could go emo, she could do a blend, her vocals are elastic from higher pitch effervescence too dark and brooding gothic. She’s stylistically elastic, and it’s something I’ve always enjoyed about her music; it keeps you on your toes. Girls is similar, it’s an unabashed woman empowerment album, militant riot girrrlenergy in a rap/pop/electro blend. The album starts strong with the likes of “Blue Velvet.” The bass is huge, and there’s a dark, nocturnal atmosphere to the production on the track. Nokia meets it with a performance that channels that dark aura think of her on “Gothic,” and you can certainly guess the energy she’s bringing on that one, certainly a highlight. “Medusa” follows that up with more of a bouncy electronic vibe as she gets into more of a boss vibe and calls out misogyny. It’s a high-energy track meant for the car. Elsewhere, the album delves into more sugarcoated pop territory with the likes of “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” a fun banger that’s a celebration of women of all types. The next few tracks follow in that pattern of being more pop-oriented. I like “Beach Babe” because it has a fun summery vibe to it. Still, I prefer Princess Nokia over harder beats like “Phoebe Philo” and “Artstar” are tracks I can see myself playing most off the project. The album is a tight ten songs excluding skits, so it’ll breeze by, and it’s largely cohesive in style and theme. It's specifically made with women in mind, but there’s a good joints on here for anyone. 7.5/10

Cardi B-AM I The Drama: Am I the Drama? is the second album from Cardi B. Cardi ascended in the rap game in 2017 with the single Bodak Yellow and caused an immediate impact, and then dropped Invasion of Privacy which expanded that. In between then and now, she’s had some big singles/features, “Wap” ft Megan Thee Stallion and “Tomorrow 2” with Glorilla come to mind. However, we're just now getting this album, and I’d say it’s a mixed bag. The strongest set of songs on this 21 track set(disregarding the tac’d on singles Wap and Up) is 1-7. I really like “Hello,” it’s one of my favorites on the album classic Cardi, somewhat humorous and full of charisma. It's a typical I’m lit and you ain’t type of track, but that’s honestly where she shines best. “Magnet” is a high-energy song, and again she’s in pocket on the beat and lets her personality take over the song, with the last verse essentially turning into a roasting session. “Salute” is just hard; it has a great hook and a minimal beat, and Cardi again is great when she can’t get aggressive and braggadocios. From here, though, things get iffy to my ear; there’s a lot of tracks from 8-11 addressing her past relationships with “Man of Your Word” being the best of them in my book. These tracks may resonate with someone going through these issues or someone invested in Cardi’s personal life differently, outside of that, I probably won’t listen to them. “Outside” picks back up as it’s something of a fun bounce-back track. “Errtime” is another banger that finds Cardi back in her bag; the track is meant to play at high volume in your ride. I also have to credit her for the Trina homage on “Killin You Hoes”; she does that much easier than what she attempted on “Imaginary Playerz.” There are 21 cuts on this album, and I found over half of them middling not bad just sort of there. She could’ve used a bit of quality control.  A Good 9 of them I’d return to, which ultimately means I think it was okay. Not as Cohesive as her debut, but considering how long she had her fans waiting I can understand giving them a lot to listen to. It’s one of those album I can see people liking a lot more and a lot less than me.  6.5/10

Che Noir & 7xvethegenius-Desired Crowns: Two premier buffalo MC’s come together on Desired Crowns. Che and 7xve have been coming together on features for a while, and it’s always been clear they have chemistry, so it’s good to see them come together for 9 solid tracks discounting the interludes. Che Noir is the more forceful voice and stronger presence on the mic. 7xvethegenius has the more nimble, dexterous flow, both are comfortable being forthright and going deep, it makes for an interesting listen just listening to how their styles mesh. All the tracks are at least good, I’d say the first real heater though is “Sum of Two Evils” produced by Conductor, reminds me of one of the beats that was on Rome Streetz album Trainspotting. It’s dark and a bit off kilter, but Che Noir sits in the pocket nicely. 7xvethegenius is clever and sharp on that one as well. “Amina” is a strong cut off the album. It's a track about their relation to men, both the frailties of their experiences with men and how it affects how they move with them. Che is very vulnerable on it, as is 7xve, who actually may have been better flow wise on this track. “Flight” ft Reason is one of the absolute bright spots on the album, one of the best beats here everyone delivers a great performance. Reason sounds particularly hungry and sharp here. “Town Ballroom” is another favorite, has an ill Prodigy vocal sample in it, it has a grittier tone, and some of the other cuts on the album both go crazy on the track. I think the front half of the album is good and the back half of the album is where most of the best work is, but it’s a strong album all around from these two. 8/10

Mobb Deep-Infinite: One of the more heartwarming releases for hip-hop heads this year, Mobb Deep’s Infinite is the ninth LP from Mobb Deep. Havoc & Alchemist were able to dig up unheard Mobb Deep tracks and the late great Prodigy verse and put together a 15 track album. Prodigy sounds invigorated and energized on this album; these aren’t mediocre tracks that you can never imagine Prodigy ever letting see the light of day or beats he’d never rap over. Alchemist and Havoc provide the canvas for this project. “Against The World” starts things off with great production from Havoc and great rhymes from both of them. “Taj Mahal” is another excellent track about enjoying a night as rap stars, hitting the casino, and the hook on the track is really good. I mention that because that isn’t the case on every track here. “Score Points” is the most classic-sounding Mobb Deep track on this album; Alchemist laced that track. It’s dark, sparse and menacing as Mobb Deep codified the eye for an eye street rules. “Pour The Henny” featuring Nas is another high level cut on this album, one of my personal favorites on this album, as Prodigy speaks to being satisfied with the legendary moments and success he’s seen in his life before he passed. There are some slight missteps on the album, either due to production, the best on here are provided by Alchemist for the most part, or maybe the hook is a bit clunky or simple. Is this album on the level of Mobb Deep's 90s run? No. This isn’t The Infamous, Hell on Earth, or Murder Musik, but it’s a strong album, probably amongst their best since those albums. Dope project. 8/10

Nas & DJ Premier-Light Years: Fans have been anticipating a full-length album from Nas & DJ Premier since their early collabs(NY State of Mind, Represent, etc.), and they finally came through. Light Years has already been met with mixed reviews. Largely due to the mixed views of DJ Premier’s production on the album. I have my criticisms of a couple of Premier beats on the album “NY State of Mind 3” is an awkward listen and I think the lyrical performance from Nas is fine but it’s an awkward listen on the whole and the sample used just doesn’t fit and the words fine aren’t words we associate with that series, we’re used to easy greatness, out the park greatness. “Welcome 2 the Underground” beat isn’t awful, but I don’t feel it captures the boom bap gritty sound I’d expect from a song with that title. So those are the clunkers, but outside of that, I like the album a lot. “My Life is Real” starts the album out hard. I like the keys on the track, and Nas comes through with a great presence on the mic and talks boss talk with his moves on Mass Appeal. “Pause Tapes” takes things back with Nas talking old school ways of creating beats, looping on cassette tapes. Nas & Premo follow that right up with “Writers,” a track paying homage to graffiti artists and those who were legendary in that field, the ends and outs and risk-taking for that element of hip-hop, a great track. The momentum keeps going with “Sons,” the flipside of “Daughters” off Life is Good, a dope record about what it's like to raise a son, the bond, the anxiety, the joy, the pride. I love that track. “It’s Time” is Nas’s most technically proficient song on the album. Nas still being this good is different. Nas is conceptually excellent, especially on individual tracks, “Nasty Esco Nasir,” he crafts a record where two of his personas, Nasty Nas and Nas Escobar, go back and forth about who had the best approach, and Nasir, the person behind the artist persona, speaks to where he’s at now. The album is an ode to hip-hop and the culture, and it plays like a love letter to it. I love that. I thought that once we got to track 5, the album really picked up and was very strong. Are these the best instrumentals in the world Nas can or has ever rapped on or that Premier ever made? Of course not, but hey, they’re good enough and Nas lyrically and conceptually so sharp, and has such a rich perspective, he elevates the project to me. 8/10

My Top 10 Rap Albums of 2025

Clipse-Let God Sort Em Out

Freddie Gibbs-Alfredo 2

Ransom & Dave East-The Final Call

JID-God Does Like Ugly

Che Noir-The Color of Chocolate 2

Rome Street-Trainspotting

 Clipping-Dead Channel Sky

Earl Sweatshirt-Live Laugh Love

Che Noir & 7xve The Genius-Desired Crowns

Mobb Deep-Infamy

Other Albums I listened to that were dope I didn't get a chance to write about

De La Soul-Cabin In The Sky

Big L-Harlem’s Finest:Return of the King

FKA Twigs-EUSEXUA

Ray Vaughn-The Good The Bad The Dollar Menu

Raekwon-The Emperor's New Clothes

Westside Gunn-The Heels Have Eyes 2