#playlistofthemonth

Yeah so quite a bit has gone down since the ball dropped.

Everyone talks about how having a baby can change a person, but in my opinion it doesn’t change a person as much as it evolves a person into someone that can still love all of the stuff they always loved, *plus* a little person that they now put before anything else in their day to day life. My friends, that is where I am at in this moment in life. No, I do not write as much as I used to, but I’m happier now than have been in some time, and I love music just as much as I ever did. I am still learning the balance, but I’m also pretty excited to have a little daughter that I will be able to share my highly opinionated thoughts on hip-hop with, whether she wants to hear them or not (most likely not).

These rankings are based on the following key factors: my personal favorites (this is technically not just a list of my favorite songs), plus songs that I thought were especially well done or influential (even if they may not have resonated me as much as everyone else), diverse (I didn’t want to have 10 songs from the same artist, but I would have if I was only basing this list on personal faves), especially strong production and/or verses, and the song had to be officially released prior to July 1st.

As for the year in rap music in general up through the close of June, it has been a strong one. What the genre has lacked in strong “mainstream” releases, it has made up for with enough fantastic underground hip-hop projects that belong in steady rotation for a long time. So here it is, at last, my list of the best rap songs of the first half of 2019… 🙏

1. “Palmolive” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib feat. Pusha T & Killer Mike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSn_r2w-idg

(Bandana is quite an album, and “Palmolive” is quite a song. One terrific verse from Freddie, a great hook from Killer Mike, and then a verse of the year front runner with Pusha’s verse, all over a soulful Madlib back-drop?? Yikes. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib have made all rap fans very proud in 2019.)

2. “Thank God” - Tree

https://soundcloud.com/mctreeg/thank-god?in=mctreeg/sets/wegrownnow

(Tree’s We Grown Now is such an amazing album. I can’t recall the last time I heard a project that felt like a living, breathing work of art that logs the life of a man that has been through life’s ups and downs and is just happy to be here to talk about it.)

3. “Crown For Kings” - Benny feat. Black Thought

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtTu_TC3f6A

(Blown away. Black Thought and Griselda?? Bars on top of bars on top of bars...two verse of the year contenders, easily.)

4. “Ricky” - Denzel Curry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WHm6tfvKlk

(As soon as you press play, you can feel the humidity coming off of this song as if we were in the crowd with Curry down in Florida. A wonderful homage to his father, and the Carol City of which he hails.)

5. “Massage Seats” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/massage-seats?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(Smooth as Helllll. “This ain’t for soccer mamas this is for the underground” is right.)

6. “Funeral March (The Dirge)” - Your Old Droog feat. Mach-Hommy

https://soundcloud.com/your-old-droog/funeral-march-the-dirge-feat?in=your-old-droog/sets/it-wasnt-even-close-1

(One of the hardest sounding songs in recent memory. I can hear these too aggressive rhymers do this all day.)

7. “Crime Pays” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/crime-pays?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(So quintessential to Bandana’s vibe this thing feels like it has a pulse. I was listening to this on my walk home the other day and it put me in such a breezy headspace, I can’t even describe it any other way than simply saying it’s another classic Madlib production.)

8. “5 to 50” - Benny feat. India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQGRPxrHtjI

(Captivating. Benny and The Alchemist join forces to concoct a song so real it makes 90% of drug dealer talk in rap music sound phony.)

9. “There U R” - Tree

https://soundcloud.com/mctreeg/there-u-r?in=mctreeg/sets/wegrownnow

(Give this man his flowers now. There are a lot of talented artists in rap music, but none tackle a song like an old Blues man...none except Tree, that is.)

10. “Freestyle Shit” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/freestyle-s-t?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(Pffffew, that Gibbs delivery....right from the get-go on the album’s first song it’s so clear that Bandana is a special project.)

11. “Sunday School” - Benny feat. 38 Spesh & Jadakiss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ero1Xexyhs

(Good luck picking the best verse here! All three kill it, but Spesh may end up pulling ahead with a few key haymakers.)

12. “Situations” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/situations?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(One of Bandana’s more minimalistic instrumentals, and it takes off thanks to the jet pack provided by Gibbs’ absolutely sensational contributions on this one.)

13. “Cokewhite” - Goldlink feat. Pusha T

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zCGiHhTxMM

(One of a few verse of the year contenders from King Push.)

14. “Funeral” - Tree & Parallel Thought

https://parallelthought1.bandcamp.com/track/funeral

(I hope with all of my heart that songs like this aren’t part of Tree’s process of letting go of the music biz, but even if it is, what a beautiful way to go out.)

15. “Bandana” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib feat. Assassin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWCciqqzno4

(While it may not have made the final cut of the Bandana album that shares it’s name, this reggae-tinged Madlib blessed riot starter has been one of my favorite songs of the year since it dropped and it keeps feeling better to me.)

16. “Flights” - Tree

https://soundcloud.com/mctreeg/flights?in=mctreeg/sets/wegrownnow

(Tree kills it with the autobiographical joints, and this soulful walk down memory lane is as enthralling as an audio diary.)

17. “To Whom It May Concern” - Jim Jones feat. Cam'ron, Guordan Banks, Benny The Butcher and Conway

https://soundcloud.com/jim-jones-capo/to-whom-it-may-concern-feat-camron-guordon-banks-benny-the-butcher-conway-the-machine?in=jim-jones-capo/sets/el-capo

(A Dipset and Griselda collaboration is enough to make someone like me get emotional...anyone have a tissue, this Benny-Cam’ron-Conway back to back series is too much to handle!?)

18. “Dominate” - DJ Muggs & Eto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxjTKqpMHIE

(Straight menace music. Muggs & Eto would have made Mobb Deep proud with “Dominate”...especially Muggs, this beat is brutal!)

19. “Under The Train (Transporting)” - Your Old Droog

https://soundcloud.com/your-old-droog/under-the-train-transporting-1

(Droog’s Transportation album may be the perfect travelling companion for moving through the streets of NYC, and this song may be the crown jewel. This has the feel of a classic New York anthem and I am crazy for it.)

20. “Obamacare” - Quelle Chris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-F19d5PcJY

(Another year, another thought provoking Quelle Chris project. He seems to be getting better with age, is that possible?)

21. “Attics” - DJ Muggs & Eto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UmYxcv4YTs

(Sure Muggs & Eto dropped a banger of an album with Hell’s Roof, .but “Attics” has the strength to be a career defining track for Eto. This is dark poetry from the hungriest parts of upstate NY.)

22. “ZUU” - Denzel Curry

https://soundcloud.com/denzelcurryph/zuu?in=denzelcurryph/sets/zuu-3

(A rousing intro to what I would consider the best “mainstream” rap album of 2019 so far.)

23. “Chasing Ghosts” - Your Old Droog feat. Roc Marciano

https://soundcloud.com/your-old-droog/chasing-ghosts-feat-roc?in=your-old-droog/sets/it-wasnt-even-close-1

(What a great example of why these two are so good at what they do. Eerie underground hip-hop at its’ finest.)

24. “Giannis” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib feat. Anderson .Paak

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/giannis-feat-anderson-paak?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(One of the funkier standouts from Bandana, and album full of standouts. Paak and Gibbs tap dance all over this one.)

25. “18 Wheeler” - Benny feat. Pusha T

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdZC8uBwJ4Q&list=PLVipAi3U-JouPCQvz3KoH2B1VAKAZc7m4&index=6

(At this point, what else needs to be said about the potency of these two rap-writers? Calling it “coke rap” wouldn’t even begin to explain how good these two are when it comes to rapping.)

26. “Cubicle” - Buddy feat. 03 Greedo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ9Yw7i_Fo8

(What a slept-on smash from Buddy and 03 Greedo. Both artists do the West Coast proud with one of my favorite cuts off of the deluxe edition of Harlan & Alondra.)

27. “AUTOMATIC” - Denzel Curry

https://soundcloud.com/denzelcurryph/automatic?in=denzelcurryph/sets/zuu-3

(Denzel Curry and Tay Keith prove to be a potent combination on this ZUU banger.)

28. “IMG” - Nolan The Ninja

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vNvRLIQHVs

(Nolan has blessed us with a number of great songs in 2019, but I think this one epitomizes just how much he has progressed as a rap artist.)

29. “Make No Issues Of It” - Jim Jones

https://soundcloud.com/jim-jones-capo/make-no-issues-of-it?in=jim-jones-capo/sets/el-capo

(Jimmy did his thing...but Heatmakerz kicks the damn door down.)

30. “Splinters” - Fly Anakin & Tuamie feat. ANKHLEJOHN & Al.Divino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWORdUQAEcc

(Just a chilling collaboration from some of the best artists that underground hip-hop has to offer, that’s all.)

31. “Deadass” - Kemba

https://soundcloud.com/kembaland/deadass-2

(Unfortunately, in any other era this should have been a huge rap hit. Fortunately, in this era it can be praised as one of the best underground smashes of the year.)

32. “Wild Minks” - Quelle Chris feat. Mach-Hommy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dQmPX1C0Vk

(Quelle and Mach make beautiful music together, and they don’t come much more beautiful than this one.)

33. “Education” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib feat. Yasiin Bey & Black Thought

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/education-feat-yasiin-bey?in=gangstagibbs/sets/bandana-16

(As if that line-up isn’t enough to make any hip-hop head salivate, what’s even more impressive is the final product manages to meet expectations.)

34. “Dynasties” - Tedy Andreas

https://soundcloud.com/tedyandreas/dynasties-prod-graphwize

(Dope beat, dope MC and a killer hook. I can’t be the only longterm fan that Tedy earned with this one.)

35. “Flat Tummy Tea” - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

https://soundcloud.com/gangstagibbs/flat-tummy-tea

(I liked it when it first dropped, love it even more now. Freddie straight MURDERS this one...)

36. “Eedeot Bwoy” - Mach-Hommy feat. Your Old Droog & Tha God Fahim

https://soundcloud.com/mach-hommy/eedeot-bwoy-feat-tha-god-fahim?in=mach-hommy/sets/wap-konn-joj-1

(What a great year for both Mach & Droog. This joint feels like 3:00AM Wake Up Show music...and I love that!)

37. “2016” - Jamal Gasol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxEBzhV6Ar4

(True Stories is quite possibly my favorite project from Gasol’s impressive discography, and this one has been in my rotation for all of 2019 thus far. Jamal is another one of upstate New York’s gem MCs, so if you’re a fan of Benny and Griselda, definitely check out Niagara’s Jamal Gasol.)

38. “Field Negro” - Royce Da 5′9″

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yDmU881LTo

(An unorthodox production anchored by one of the best writers in the history of the genre, that’s all. Royce murders this thing with so many quotables...yet you’re still somehow sleeping on Royce???)

39. “Know The Type” - Lansky Jones feat. CJ Fly & Mr. Muthafuckin' Exquire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riRJk2QiROI

(What happens when a collection of some of NYC’s most talented, but least heralded MC’s join forces to deliver what sounds like a classic mid-90′s throwback joint? They create one of the smoothest rap songs of 2019.)

40. “Spider Hole” - Billy Woods & Kenny Segal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1WBEi5LlkI

(Beautifully bleak music from Billy Woods and Kenny Segal, who demonstrate brilliant chemistry throughout Hiding Places.)

41. “Bad Boys” - Pivot Gang (Joseph Chilliams, Saba, MFnMelo) feat. Smino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCaBVqi4Rag

(This one didn’t blow up - at least not yet - but I have no idea why!? This track, like so much of Pivot Gang’s You Can’t Sit With Us album, is such a fantastic showcase for Chi-town’s deep hip-hop scene.)

42. “Last Supper” - Eto & DJ Muggs feat. Meyhem Lauren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCc47fVzptU

(A dope song from a dope album, sure...but it’s that Meyhem verse that catapults this joint into the top 50 of the year through June. “I don’t have kids just clothes, cars & cribs” is easily one of the year’s best opening bars!)

43. “$ream - Rigz (Da Cloth)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piGwjW27ZRQ

(Not just one of Rochester’s finest, Rigz is quite simply one of hip-hop’s finest MC’s.)

44. “HolOnHolOn” - Fly Anakin & Tuamie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCbgGn2BXUc&list=PLAfLqY9BQJkyjUuDAEn7cehQ3DZWAZogX&index=4

(Another GORGEOUS track from Mutant Academy. Is it me or does Tuamie channel some Jay Dee-esque vibes with this one?)

45. “Jason Statham, Pt. 2” - Pivot Gang (Joseph Chilliams, Saba, MFnMelo)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy57oefUZXg

(A very dope song from a very dope album. Pivot Gang’s project deserved all of the attention that Revenge of the Dreamers received, and then some. This is Chicago all-star work.)

46. “CAROLMART” - Denzel Curry feat. Ice Billion Berg

https://soundcloud.com/denzelcurryph/carolmart-feat-ice-billion?in=denzelcurryph/sets/zuu-3

(One of the bounciest joints on a very bouncy album, here Denzel successfully harkens back to the regional style that influenced him without sounding even the slightest bit dated.)

47. “Down” - JID, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG & Young Nudy (Dreamville)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibvxfN7G6Gs

(The names in this line-up were enough to keep the hype building for Revenge of the Dreamers 3. However, it’s the performance of the artists on the track that have kept it in heavy rotation over here.)

48. “207” - Your Old Droog

https://soundcloud.com/your-old-droog/207-1

(Weaving funny lyrics with poignant observations has always been one of Your Old Droog’s specialties. By tackling personal topics such as agoraphobia and his general anti-social behavior Droog is able to elevate this song to stand-out status.)

49. “Only Built For Corrilinks” - Quadry & Tuamie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZXufjWO1E4

(Travelling waaaay under the radar is Baton Rouge’s Quadry, who dropped a stellar project helmed by rising underground producer extraordinaire, Tuamie. The duo’s Emergency Raps, Vol. 5 is a quick but impressive listen.)

50. “Oaks” - BULLIES (Denmark Vessey, DrxQuinnx and Azarias)

https://fxckrxp.bandcamp.com/track/oaks

(A criminally underrated project that stands amongst this year’s finest, Denmark, Quinn & Azarias have fantastic musical chemistry that can be found all across the Bullies album. In another time and another place, Bullies would fit in well alongside Def Jux’s starting line-up.)

***Selections #51-#100***:

Ooooo it is getting awfully spooky out there, folks...

Temperatures are (finally) plummeting, so for this month I have the perfect score for you. Tis the season for grimy rap music, and with new releases from the likes of Roc Marciano, Styles P,  Sheck Wes, and Westside Gunn, the chilly sound of autumn is officially in full swing here on the east coast. That being said, this month’s list also includes a diverse array of talent from Grand Rapids, New Orleans, St. Louis, Richmond, and beyond (plus an extra deep “honorable mentions” section, to further champion all of the great new tracks out there). So please enjoy some of my favorite songs from the month of October...

1. “Dolph Lundgren” - DJ Muggs & Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43R-lDAhhjg

(Another month, another dope Roc Marciano project. What stands out on KAOS is the chemistry between Roc and DJ Muggs. With this special MC + producer joint album, the two underground icons joined forces to create a street soundtrack that is at once both a throwback and a breath of fresh air. Roc’s persona on records is unparalleled, he packs a 70′s hustler’s soul in the body of a modern gangster. Place those bars over Muggs’ dark soul samples, and you have yourself one helluva album.)

2. “40 Acres” - Chester Watson

https://soundcloud.com/chesterwatson/40-acres

(On first listen, Chester Watson sounds like a clone of Earl Sweatshirt. The Miami-by-way-of-St. Louis MC certainly possesses a dark, monotone delivery that is eerily reminiscent of the vibes channeled by the former Odd Future standout, but rest assured, Chester is an artist more than capable of standing on his own two. If “40 Acres” doesn’t make you want to check out his new Project O album, then that’s your loss - this track is fantastic.)

3. “Vetements Socks” - Sheck Wes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvntmsHRNa0

(Truth be told, I had very little expectations for this MUDBOY project. I didn’t even appreciate the breakout hit “Mo Bamba”, but I really do appreciate Sheck Wes’ full length debut. I always say whatever your style is, do it well, and at least provide some form of perspective. For all of Sheck’s youthful inexperience, poetic shortcomings, and scattered focus, he has released a project that captures his energy, his taste in music, and that he is a raw, talented artist with a lot on his mind. “Vetements Socks” brings to mind one of the early hits of another young Harlemite, that being “Peso” by A$AP Rocky. While far from the classic New York-centric hip-hip sound, MUDBOY is an album that successfully paints pictures of where Sheck is in his life right now, and it feels like the NYC sidewalks that I stomp around on today.)

4. “Southside Sector” -  Big Kahuna OG feat. Fly Anakin

https://schemeteamallstars.bandcamp.com/track/southside-sector-prod-ohbliv-feat-fly-anakin

(Every Mutant Academy release I have heard is pretty dope. However, certain projects really do an excellent job showcasing one specific MCs potential as a uniquely talented rapper/writer, as opposed to just bars over beats. Big Kahuna OG’s new Weapon Ox tape is possibly the best album of his catalogue thus far, and I can’t recommend it enough.)

5. “CL Smooth” - Willie The Kid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWtr3bUFNE8

(Low key, Willie The Kid has been dropping dope music since he popped up on the scene again in 2017, after a hiatus. His Things Of That Nature tape is another one of his filler-free releases, and I find this “CL Smooth” shout-out especially, well, smooth.)

6. “'94 Ghost Shit” - The Alchemist feat. Conway & Westside Gunn

https://soundcloud.com/alan-the-chemist/the-alchemist-feat-conway-westside-gunn-94-ghost-shit

(Since hearing the IG teasers many months ago, Griselda fans have ben clamoring for the release of “94 Ghost Shit”. They/we finally got that wish granted when Uncle Al unleashed the Conway and Westside Gunn helmed banger on his site. Just a loosie, or a teaser for the trios long awaited Hall & Nash 2 project??? For now, we at least have this tough as nails joint to keep in rotation for the foreseeable future...or at least until WSG drops Hitler Wears Hermes 6 on Halloween!.)

7. “Boss” - Little Simz

https://soundcloud.com/littlesimz/b-o-s-s-1

(Is this the solo debut of a UK artist on the Pundit PlayLi$t!? I believe so! Little Simz has been on my radar for a while now, but with “Boss” she finally has what feels like a smash to me. The beat is a head nodder and Simz uses it to showcase why she is a fierce MC that deserves respect from her fans and peers alike.)

8. “Life In Crooklyn” - Planit Hank & DJ Evil Dee feat. Jeru The Damaja, Buckshot & AZ - Life in Crooklyn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=korr8p6lDhk

(A simple, but effective piece of NYC nostalgia that is knocked out the park by an elite line-up of legendary New York legends. Jeru, Buckshot and AZ are no doubt some of Brooklyn’s finest to ever pick up the m-i-c, and they each lend their magic to this one.)

9. “We Got Everything” - Styles P & Dave East

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTfMYCFhzi8

(Not a lot of hype went into the release of Beloved, Styles P and Dave East’s collaboration album, but nevertheless the project is solid from top to bottom. “We Got Everything” benefits from an ear-worm of a hook, and thumping production that suits both MCs.)

10. “Uproar” - Lil Wayne feat. Swizz Beatz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WYAX6onqbM

(No, The Carter V did not live up to its’ unfairly lofty expectations...but it’s still a good album, and an even better display of how well-rounded Lil Wayne can be as a MC. “Uproar” is far from the headiest track on C5, but it’s great example of classic Weezy swagger, on top of being a fun reboot of G. Dep’s “Special Delivery”...and any time I have the chance to s/o G. Dep on my monthly playlist, I’m going to jump on it!) 🙏

*Bonus - Honorable Mention [extended edition]*

“Take It All” - Fatima feat. Roc Marciano

https://fatima.bandcamp.com/track/take-it-all-feat-roc-marciano

“Fuck 12” - Quavo feat. Offset

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4IjBNBCnZo

“Rap Charlamagne (Say What I Want)” - Pardison Fontaine

https://soundcloud.com/pardi/rap-charlamagne-say-what-i-want

“Magic Tricks” - Lucky Seven feat. Conway

https://soundcloud.com/luckyseven30/magic-tricks-feat-conway?in=luckyseven30/sets/53creebadluck

“Preach” - Swizz Beatz feat. Jim Jones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRfP0S985D8

“Never Fight An African” - Styles P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5i6lv5wgKc

“Stoop Kids” - Mir Fontane feat. Fetty Wap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ik3iwCPm1E

“still water [flow water pt. 2]” - Cambank$

https://soundcloud.com/camgotthejuice/stillwater-flow-water_pt2-prod-2spvced

“The Suppliers” - 38 Spesh, Jai Black & Daniel Son

https://soundcloud.com/lil-eto/38-spesh-x-jai-black-x-daniel-son-the-suppliers

“Understood” - Mick Jenkins

https://soundcloud.com/mickjenkins/mick-jenkins-prod-kaytranada

“Hating” - J-Live

https://ambrosiaforheads.com/2018/10/j-live-hating-maga-lyric-video/

“Dotty X & The Sen” - Sadat X & El Da Sensei

https://vindig.bandcamp.com/track/dotty-x-the-sen

“Episode 11” - Mooch & Farma Beats feat. Maverick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vWEUr7yEMI

“IScream” - Bodega Bamz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5mmVrKaV0w

“Hot” - Flu & Rigz feat. Mav Montana & Eto

https://soundcloud.com/fludust/2-hot-feat-mav-montana-eto?in=fludust/sets/rigz-a-piece-of-the-action

“Black Mags 2” - The Cool Kids

http://2dopeboyz.com/2018/10/19/the-cool-kids-black-mags-2/

HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEEN  🎃🎃🎃

[ICYMI: Last month’s list below]

🎶 playlist of the month

☽⭒.✦.⭒☾

📖 reading: Just Kids by Patti Smith 🌹 obsession: red taper candles at my vanity and van helsing 🕯️altar: alice in wonderland tarot deck and green aventurine die

We made it.

I’m going to be brutally honest with you folks: work is kicking my ass, I just moved to New Jersey, my wife and I are having a baby in one month, and everything feels completely overwhelming right now. 

Nevertheless...the show must go on, so I need to drop this list and move on to my year end (w)rap-up! Fortunately, stress is what helped pull me towards rap music in the first place, back when I was an anxiety-ridden kid in need of a genre of music built upon the notion of, “oh so you think you’re better than me, eh world? Well I’ll show you!”. Now as an anxiety-ridden adult my love for music has only grown, and with all of the life changes from over the past year, it’s only fitting that when it comes to rap music, 2018 has been one for the record books. Consider this a heartfelt thank you to all of the talented rappers, writers, producers, and influencers that inspire me on a daily basis, and fuel my love for hip-hop music and culture.

So for the last time in 2018, please enjoy THE Rap Pundit’s PlayLi$t of the Month... 🙏

1. “Scarface vs. Sosa, Pt. 2” - Benny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZYG1gMPVgU

(Hard. As. Nails. Benny The Butcher’s Tana Talk 3 was my favorite project of the month, and I just think this one feels like a quintessential Griselda track.)

2. “What’s Free” - Meek Mill feat. Rick Ross & Jay-Z

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpNWvxE9nXY

(Did I need to hear anyone that’s not Biggie Smalls rhyme over the “What’s Beef?” instrumental? No. Did I need this verse of the year caliber Hov verse? HELL YES.)

3. “Broken Bottles” - Benny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oQ1affk-ok

(That Alchemist instrumental is craaaaaazy - and Benny sounds more than cozy talking that street talk right over it. If you haven’t checked out Tana Talk 3 yet, you need to stop what you’re doing and fix that immediately.)

4. “The Mint” - Earl Sweatshirt feat. Navy Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4caTCHR4xo

(One of the many short but sweet gems off of that new Earl album. Some Rap Songs will take some time to digest, but it’s already feeling like a special underground hip-hop album in the vein of MF Doom and Madlib’s finest work.)

5. “Hot Box” - J.I.D feat. Method Man & Joey Bada$$

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTmwrCkGePg

(Yes, we all got excited when we saw the track list, but did any of us really expect this joint to be quite so dope? I am pleasantly surprised at how well this line-up delivered. Meth sounds prime, Joey does his thing, and face it, J.I.D is simply one of the finest MCs out there right now. “Hot Box” is a simple record, but it captures that classic weed anthem vibe in a way that we haven’t heard in too long. DiCaprio 2 will be popping up on a lot of year-end ‘Best Of’ lists, so be sure to keep that whole project in your rotation.)

6. “Mac 10 Wounds” - The Alchemist feat. Conway

https://alclaboratories.bandcamp.com/track/mac-10-wounds-feat-conway

(When Conway The Machine has his game face on, there might not be another MC that sounds harder. This is one of the grimiest records of 2018 - and that sample from a classic scene in Taxi Driver at the start of the track totally speaks to me!)

7. “Shattered Dreams” - Earl Sweatshirt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twT1zz5GMfU

(The opening song off of Earl’s Some Rap Songs. It’s a soulful, Wu-esque loop for the lo-fi champion to spazz over, and he does just that. Earl really did his thing with this album, he sounds fantastic throughout.)

8. “Long Liveth” - Black Thought & Salaam Remi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3yiTR0ktv8

(How stacked has 2018 been? Heads are sleeping on a Black Thought album. Tariq slaughters every beat on Streams Of Thought, Vol. 2, and Salaam Remi’s production aesthetic lends a live recording feel which suits the Roots frontman oh so well.)

9. “Roman Candles” - The Alchemist feat. Roc Marciano & Black Thought 

https://alclaboratories.bandcamp.com/track/roman-candles-feat-roc-marciano-black-thought

(More Black Thought you say? Over an Alchemist beat you say?? And featuring Roc Marciano, you say??? No need to say anything more about the inclusion of this firecracker on December’s playlist.)

10. “Echo Long” - Benny feat. Westside Gunn & Meyhem Lauren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kCgwdl4CB4

(Another one of the hardest joints off of TT3, courtesy of a slick Daringer beat, Westside Gunn’s presence, and a little bit of Meyhem as the cherry on top.)

*Bonus - Honorable Mention [extended edition]*

“Red Room” - Offset

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OiDtt5lsYk

“Off Da Zoinkys” - J.I.D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcN6sboLrc8

“Blood” - Pivot Gang

https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/11/pivot-gang-blood-stream/

“Joe Pesci 38” - Benny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ-Rgfydnpc

“'97 Hov” - Benny

https://pitchfork.com/levels/benny-the-butcher-97-hov-new-song-listen/

“Who Are You” - Benny feat. Royce Da 5′9″

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSqbmawDktw

“The Last Supper” - B.A. The Great

https://soundcloud.com/bathegreat/the-last-supper

“Direct” - Dark Lo & V Don feat. Roc Marciano

https://soundcloud.com/vdonsoundzserious/dark-lo-x-v-don-direct-ft-roc

“The Man Who Has Everything” - Chance The Rapper

https://soundcloud.com/chancetherapper/the-man-who-has-everything-1

“Oodles O’ Noodles” - Meek Mill

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/oodles-o-noodles-babies/

“Dirty Porridge” - Vic Spencer

https://vicspencer.bandcamp.com/track/dirty-porridge

“Azucar” - Earl Sweatshirt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB3nEesYdcE

“Cold Summers” - Earl Sweatshirt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-eRnchhJc4

“Fuck Ya Lifestyle” - Termanology & Statik Selektah as 1982 feat. Nems & Beanz

https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/statik-selektah-and-termanology-take-it-back-like-its-still-1982-new-mixtape.118666.html

“Saviers Road” - Anderson .Paak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnlmQhViy2Q

Happy Holidays, folks...and don’t let anyone ever tell you that you need to put music you love aside just because it’s not new anymore. Keep these songs bumpin’ through 2019 and beyond, because the artists earned it!

[ICYMI: Last month’s list below]

The underground sound ain’t playin’ around in 2018.

Over the last few weeks, The Alchemist has received even heavier play than usual through these headphones of mine (I just got the wireless buds from my in-laws, I think I dig them!). That’s thanks in no small part to his fantastic recent contributions to Westside Gunn, Schoolboy Q, Curren$y and Freddie Gibbs. October closed with a powerful flurry of new rap releases, both of the underground and mainstream variety, so I am here to share my favorites on this especially stuffed edition of my PlayLi$t of the Month...

1. “Echo” - Swizz Beatz feat. Nas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMINMawUzow

(Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: this song is *vastly* superior to anything on that ill fated Nasir album with Kanye West. Whatever Swizz whispered to Nas to get him to snap back into Nasty mode, it should stand as further proof that the Ruff Ryder maestro’s status as a cultivator of hits is hall of fame worthy. Hearing the Queensbridge legend spit bars about old New York City life, watching karate films at dirty Time Square movie theaters, watching flashy cars drive up and down Steinway Street in Queens - there’s just no one better than Nasty Nas when he’s off to the races on a wave of nostalgia, thanks to his high attention to detail. DJ Scratch deserves just as much recognition for this sweet soulful back-drop, one of two strong Scratch showings in heavy rotation this month. “Echo” might be one of my favorite rap songs of the year, this is classic Nas.)

2. “'The Blow” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA4dPwtthZU

(Yeah we gotta talk about this FETTI project. The chemistry between Spitta, Gibbs and The Alchemist is off the charts, and that much has been clear since Covert Coup’s “Scottie Pippen” first rattled through speakers back in 2011. So needless to say, this FETTI album bangs top to bottom. My favorite cut off the album might not even be my favorite cut by this time next week, because the whole tape is staying in rotation for the foreseeable future.)

3. “Fork In The Pot” - The Alchemist feat. Conway, Westside Gunn & Schoolboy Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPMgi0bSB0Q

(More Uncle Al, you say? What the hell, why not!? Before FETTI dropped on Halloween, this was the stand-out Alchemist leak for the month. The eagerly awaited B-Side to last month’s “94 Ghost Sh*t” A-Side that was teased on IG some time ago, “Fork In The Pot” is another incredible contribution to the growing ALC & Griselda canon, helped by a dope verse by Schoolboy Q that is sure to build hype for his upcoming album. Will it drop in 2018? All speculation at this point, but I say YES.)

4. “Saturday Night Special” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sv1psKaIgU

(More than any other track on FETTI, this one feels like classic Alchemist. A smokey loop like this one does indeed paint the perfect image of slowly cruising through the neighborhood on a late Saturday night, perhaps with a Saturday night special somewhere in the vehicle...or so I imagine - I myself have never lived that life, but the music is vivid, and the mood set by The Alchemist is palpable. What a great example of how the best producers don’t just make beats, they paint audio portraits. And like the lyrics themselves, the instrumental is, well, instrumental in telling the story.)

5. “N***as In Puerto Rico” - Westside Gunn feat. Lord Flee & Benny

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/niggas-in-puerto-rico-feat-lord-flee-benny?in=westsidegunn/sets/hitler-wears-hermes-6

(Folks, I really didn’t plan this, Alchemist is just that damn good! My favorite song off of Westside Gunn’s Hitler Wears Hermes 6 - wow, I can’t believe he’s up to 6 now - shows exactly what happens when these lyrical barbarians from Buffalo lock themselves down with The Alchemist in Puerto Rico for a while. Look out for the beat switch-up, as both instrumentals suit this gathering of MCs particularly well, making me that much more excited about what Al may have cooked up for Benny’s upcoming Tana Talk 3 album.)

6. “Something Dirty/Pic Got Us” - Swizz Beatz feat. Jadakiss, Styles P. & Kendrick Lamar

https://pitchfork.com/levels/swizz-beatz-something-dirty-pic-got-us-new-song-listen/

(While it might not pack the level of punch that fans hoped it would when Swizz first teased it live on stage a few months back - or even have an actual verse from Kendrick - Jadakiss & Styles P’s appearance on Mr. Beatz’ new Poison compilation remains one of the tape’s finer moments. Hearing Jada & SP pass the mic back and forth never seems to get old, plus this AraabMUZIK beat is still absolutely bonkers.)

7. “Willie Lloyd” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-7h0Dkz6b0

(It has felt like too long since I have shouted out an Alchemist joint, am I right? "Willie Lloyd’s” ominous instrumental makes for the ideal palette to have Gangsta Gibbs flex over, and flex he does, making it one of many stand-out verses on FETTI.)

8. “John Bena” - Westside Gunn feat. Lil Eto

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/john-bena-feat-lil-eto?in=westsidegunn/sets/hitler-wears-hermes-6

(Yikes, this beat is pure menace music! And who produced it? None other than The Alchemist’s mentor, DJ Muggs, who has had quite an impressive year in his own right. Let the record show that both Westside Gunn and Eto do their thing on “John Bena”, which is no easy feat considering how overwhelming this instrumental could potentially be to weaker MCs. Furthermore, I feel like it needs to be said at this point that Westside Gunn is a VERY dope MC with his own style, traits that are not easy to come by in today’s biz. He raps his ass off on HWH6, so don’t think for a minute that WSG is carried by beats, he is not a replaceable presence on any track. So go cop that HWH6.)

9. “Location Remote” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUAawyYs0uk

(A tape like FETTI warrants a cool, but eerie, intro track...and this fits the bill perfectly. I love the whole project, but I love this specific song more and more whenever I hear it. “Call the chiropractor” indeed, Mr. Gibbs - this joint is heavy.)

10. “Flipmode Squad Meets The Conglomerate” - Busta Rhymes feat. The Flipmode Squad & The Conglomerate

https://www.vibe.com/2018/10/busta-rhymes-flipmode-conglomerate-reunion-single/

(Remember when I mentioned DJ Scratch earlier? Well this massive posse cut is part of this month’s 1-2 punch of Scratch production, lucky us! Here he channels classic Busta vibes for not just one, but two of Busta’s rhyme crews to slap around for a bit. What I really like about this song is that they all sound like they’re having fun here, which is not as common as I would like it to be in today’s posse cut starved rap market. Hopefully this means DJ Scratch will make his presence felt on that upcoming Busta album!) 

*Bonus - Honorable Mention [extended edition]*

“Niagara Cafe” - Westside Gunn

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/niagara-cafe?in=westsidegunn/sets/hitler-wears-hermes-6

“Tapatio” - The Alchemist, Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHxFVZfAC0

“Grim Seasons - Homeboy Sandman & Edan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umff7Hael9k

“Skeleton Piñata” - HAZE & SPNDA feat. Puffy

https://dutchmastered.bandcamp.com/track/skeleton-pi-ata-feat-puffy

“Militant Exercise” - Knowledge The Pirate feat. Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIlyUJ7Oyb8

“REDBLUE” - Rapsody feat. J.I.D

https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/jid-and-rapsody-face-the-conundrum-of-choosing-up-on-redblue-new-song.1981003.html

“Hooters” - Tee Grizzley

https://soundcloud.com/tee-grizzley/hooters

“Money” - Cardi B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj2cK8wymIA

“Man Law” - Masta Ace feat. Styles P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5RFSInEKvE

“Say Na” - Moneybagg Yo feat. J. Cole

https://soundcloud.com/moneybagg-yo/say-na-feat-j-cole?in=moneybagg-yo/sets/reset-46

“Feels Like Summer” - Vince Staples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc6hdQEm_h4

“Lottery Games” - Styles P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVmZX5Y6-mw

“Don’t Come Out The House” - Metro Boomin feat. 21 Savage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPOzqeHynZw

“Roses” - Rapper Big Pooh feat. Ab Liva

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54GnYccxgHM

“Last Memory” - Takeoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyVVOcpKpHA

“Picasso’s Ear” - Action Bronson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vFwOE4DTmA

Have a Happy & healthy Thanksgiving weekend with friends and/or family, all...🙏

[ICYMI: Last month’s list below]

HOODIE SEASON IS UPON US.

Well, almost. And with that change of vibe comes a flood of new music to scratch that itch. As the sky gets grayer, the temperature gets breezier, and the nights get darker, keep these tracks on repeat to prepare yourself for the cold chill of winter. Ladies and gents, I invite you to enjoy my September playlist...

1. “Fabio” - Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OADMbw-swSA

(Hoodie season belongs to Roc Marci. Shocking even his most fervent fans with a surprise album last week,Roc stans were still trying to figure out their updated ranking of Roc’s discography as of 2018 when news broke that he would be blessing us with yet another full length album. While it might not pack the rich depth of sound that made the last two Rosebudd albums so successful, Behold A Dark Horse more than meets the required criteria for a dope Roc Marciano project. And “Fabio” checks off a few more boxes by being yet another fantastic byproduct of Roc’s chemistry with The Alchemist.)

2. “151 Rum” - J.I.D

https://soundcloud.com/jidsv/151-rum

(J.I.D was making a name for himself in Atlanta as one of the standouts from the Spillage Village crew, but as a solo recording artist he is really coming into his own since aligning himself with J. Cole’s Dreamville Records. With “151 Rum”, the first release off of his much anticipated DiCaprio 2 project, J.I.D showcases a level of rap skill that I dare to say is nothing short of Kendrick-esque.)

3. “The Horse’s Mouth” - Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt1zAlrqwsU

(Preservation laced Roc with a gem of an instrumental on the opening track of Behold A Dark Horse. The song perfectly sets the mood, and by the time we get to “used to keep a switchblade, now you just get your sh*t sprayed”, it’s clear that we’re in for a grimy ride with this new album.)

4. “En Garde” - Spectacular Diagnostics feat. Al.Divino & Estee Nack 

https://soundcloud.com/spectacular-diagnostics/en-garde-feat-aldivino-estee-nack

(Estee Nack is getting to be a regular on my monthly PlayLi$t in 2018. Here he shows his usual great chemistry with partner-in-rhyme Al.Divino, but Chicago’s Spectacular Diagnostics is the secret weapon on “En Garde”, providing the two beat bruisers with a fantastic instrumental to flex over.)

5. “Lebron James” -  Joey Purp

https://soundcloud.com/joey-purp/13-lebron-james

(This new Joey Purp album is a problem, that much is clear. However, I am surprised that this cut hasn’t picked up more momentum yet? I fell in love with the beat off of the initial teasers for the album, and it feels like the sort of track that if Drake had nabbed the instrumental it, would be EVERYWHERE right now. Lucky for us, we landed Purp instead and he still sounds as hungry as he did back in the early Save Money days.)

6. “1000 Deaths” - Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxQU0mTQU0

(”Late sessions with my therapist / forever pissed / we was left for dead with no inheritance / The only heirlooms passed down to the ghetto kids was metal, that's the same weapon that Bob shot the sheriff with”...arguably the strongest bars on BADH. And one of the more menacing album cuts.)

7. “Piper” - Conway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu8LVG26ESw

(I was really looking forward to this one! Pete Rock and Griselda make magic together, and to hear Con drop tough talk over a gorgeous slice of soul from Pete...underground hip-hop just doesn’t get much better.)

8. “Tip Toe” - Pouya & J.I.D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp1iq9GdrMo&feature=youtu.be

(More J.I.D? That’s a trend I can get used to. This one knocked me down with the slowed down Santana sample - I mean, how could I not hear the rap potential of that classic guitar loop!? So yes, I am a fan of the sample usage, but it’s these two unique MCs rhyming their asses off that puts “Tip Toe” in my top 10 this month.)

9. “Sky Joint 2” - Conway feat. Skyzoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdlp7OI5lgw

(Truth be told, I ordered Conway’s new F.O.O.D tape back in August, it still hasn’t arrived, and who knows if it ever will. Thankfully, in today’s world that’s less of an issue, because I was able to snag the leak last week. You know what you’re going to get with a new Griselda project, but even knowing about the strong production credits and features going into it, this one impressed me. There’s no shortage of dope hard joints on F.O.O.D. to satisfy a raw rap appetite, but easily one of the tape’s strongest moments is this wavy Skyzoo-blessed follow-up to Reject 2′s original “Sky Joint”. Can we get a full EP of Skyzoo and Griselda someday? I pitched ‘Buffalo Zoo’ to Westside Gunn as a potential title so maybe if I keep tweeting about it, it will actually happen, haha...)

10. “God Degree” - Farma Beats feat. Rome Streetz & Uncle John

https://farmabeats.bandcamp.com/track/god-degree-rome-streetz-uncle-john

(Dark and beautiful. Farma Beats is a highly skilled producer from the UK with a knack for eerie underground tunes. Combined with Rome Streetz - one of my favorite MC’s of the new generation, you will be hearing more from him, courtesy of yours truly - and Uncle John, a dope MC in his own right, “God’s Degree” was an obvious standout off of Farma’s 365 compilation album.)

11. “Self” - Noname

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYVebHOrlZU

(Sure, it’s a very different vibe from what I usually share on this site...but this is dope music. Noname is a talented song writer, poet, musician, and all-around-super-talented artist. She is a fresh talent in an increasingly diverse hip-hop landscape, and as the intro to her new Room 25 album, “Self” makes for a short but sweet introduction to Noname’s world of introspection and clever lyricism.)

12. “Scotty Pippen/Alaska/Whip It Up” - YBN Cordae

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClKrkO456fY

(I’m not exactly sure what the track is called because it was named one thing on Soundcloud, another when I downloaded the albums, and yet another on TIDAL. Regardless of what the actual name of the song is, Cordae is the cream of the YBN crop and I need to hear more from him. His flow is on point, with wordplay above average, compared to his peers. This thing has hit written all over it. Can’t you picture other MCs wanting a piece of this instrumental, too?)

13. “Steak Talk” - Mutant Academy (Big Kahuna OG & Fly Anakin feat. Monday Night

https://mutantacademyrva.bandcamp.com/track/steak-talk-feat-monday-night-prod-darktwaine

(Ah yes, weekly Mutant Academy streak intact. I love this crew so much, and I’m already used to pressing rewind for Fly Anakin, Koncept, Henny, or Kahuna....but Monday Night? He knocked it out the park with that opening verse. “Steak Talk” feels like one of those underground cyphers that used to come on The Wake Up Show at around 3:45 A.M., and I am all about that feeling.)

14. “Diamond Cutters” - Roc Marciano feat. Black Thought

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjegxr3EzD0

(Roc’s manager Jazz seems to be referring to this sweet union as Rosebudd & Reggie Love. How great would it be to get a whole EP from these two? If I need to explain why we are lucky to have Roc Marci and the legendary Black Thought on the same track, then you and I are not rolling in the same music circles.)

15. “2012” - Joey Purp

https://soundcloud.com/joey-purp/09-2012a?in=joey-purp/sets/quarterthing

(More Purp! I am really into so many of the music choices Joey made with this album. The delicate sweetness of the instrumental juxtaposed with Purp’s reflective, slightly distorted bars make for a trippy ride that I want to revisit again and again.)

*Bonus - Honorable Mention*

“Congo” - Roc Marciano

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIbmwttcoXo

“Sigel In State Prop” - Conway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EchHKaAe6I4

“WWYA” - Charlie Heat feat. Lil Baby & G Herbo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McZzulVh7mI

“Land O’ Lakes” - Conway feat. Busta Rhymes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FbJsoXBFXs

“Relatable” - Open Mike Eagle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dwIKMrKUOs

“Lamb Spread” - SmooVth & Giallo Point

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgtYHCveKVA

“Arcade Night” - $auce Heist & DirtyDiggs feat. Rome Streetz & Al.Divino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCkrjcVg_cc

“Timberlan’d Up” - Apollo Brown & Joell Ortiz feat. Royce Da 5′9

https://www.complex.com/music/2018/09/joell-ortiz-apollo-brown-royce-da-5-9-timberland-up

“Salsalito Turkey” - Warlord Iron Sheikh feat. Planet Asia

https://soundcloud.com/ironsheikhaoa/salsalito-turkey-feat-planet-asia-prod-by-king-city

“Beautiful Murder” - Hus Kingpin feat. Willie The Kid

https://huskingpin.bandcamp.com/track/beautiful-murder-ft-willie-the-kid-prod-vhs

“All Business” - V Don feat. Avenue, Eto & Willie The Kid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKyh64x22Bs

 “I Never Knew A Love” - Maverick Montana feat. Hassan Mackey & Jus Dave

https://soundcloud.com/user-146154664/i-never-knew-a-love-ft-hassan-mackey-x-jus-dave-prod-by-reexe-187

“My Boy [Freestyle]” - Wale feat. J.Cole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwHc33rqAao

“Blaxploitation” - Noname

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKCyYFJ2piY

Catch you folks next month. Hopefully October will finally mean R.I.P. to all this humidity in NYC, because I am ready for Fall  🙌

[ICYMI: Last month’s list below]

The month of madness that was June 2018 has now come to an end.

Now I know what you’re thinking: after last month’s blitzkrieg of new rap releases, how on earth can anyone compile the cream of the crop into one place? Rest assured, Rap Pundit has you covered. From the apparent conclusion of the Kanye West rush-release series to underground mayhem from the likes of Westside Gunn and DOOM, to surprise releases from Beyonce & Jay-Z, closing out the month with a new Drake album, and all of the less heralded (but very worthy) projects in between. So please check out my favorite rap records of the day, on this extended "double album edition” playlist for July and beyond...

1. “Brutus” - Westside Gunn feat. Benny & Conway

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/brutus-feat-benny-conway

(Only Pete Rock is capable of delivering an instrumental of such luminous grime. Pete takes a sample I previously recall from Ab-Soul & Joey Bada$$’ slept-on gem “Enter The Void”, but he flips it into something else entirely. One of the many highlights off of Supreme Blientele, “Brutus” is drenched in trippy soul, creating what I would describe has the quintessential Ghostface-esque homage that the album needed. The Griselda boys all get busy on this one, but it’s Conway that drops one of his strongest verses in recent memory to close the track out with a cherry on top.)

2. “Talk Up” - Drake feat. Jay-Z

https://hiphopdx.com/singles/id.36946/title.drake-talk-up-f-jay-z

(For my money’s worth, no one can edge out Jay-Z when he digs his heels in with the swag talk. Say what you will about Drake’s massive double-album, but don’t let your Drizzy slander blind you to the greatness of “Talk Up”. Both MC’s have fun with the Memphis-tinged DJ Paul beat, but it’s the closing bar from Hov that will have folks talking for some time...)

3. “Cold” - Bass Reevez feat. Jamal Gasol

https://bassreevez7154.bandcamp.com/track/cold-ft-jamal-gasol

(Last month I wasn’t even familiar with Bass Reevez, but he just dropped an attention-grabbing project calld Kaffir...  Jamal Gasol is one of those upstate MCs that always comes up when I’m talking about how special the talent level is north of NYC right now. The Niagara rapper’s bars over Reevez’ instrumental makes for one of the hardest boom-bap records I have heard in 2018. I mean this joint is perfection, folks.  I’m not sure if it’s just the title or the sample itself, but there are heavy Roc Marciano “Snow” vibes from this one...not something I have said too often, which only makes it that much more special.)

4. “Elizabeth” - Westside Gunn

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/elizabeth?in=westsidegunn/sets/supreme-blientele

(Arguably Westside Gunn’s first great single-worthy track of his career. That’s by no means a shot at WSG, he’s not a rapper that typically drops cuts that are wound tightly enough to feel like a complete “song” rather than a street joint. Gunn’s pen-game deserves more respect, and if he continues to man-handle Alchemist beats like this, he will finally receive all of the accolades he deserves. Definitely come by for how dope this record is, but stick around until the very end for the chilling Mick Foley sample.)

5. “Wow Freestyle” - Jay Rock feat. Kendrick Lamar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d09ce8YgMXU

(Of all the strong albums to drop last month, Jay Rock’s Redemption is the one that was at the greatest risk of being lost in the shuffle. Thanks to dope tracks like this one, and the fact that the project happened to be great from beginning to end, those that missed Redemption when it first dropped have time to go back and find their own redemption by supporting the finest album of Rock’s career. The influence of Kendrick Lamar is clear, and it has been since “King’s Dead” dropped earlier this year. Jay Rock’s rap skills were never in question, but Kendrick’s comfort with switching up his flow and putting full energy into every record seems to have rubbed off on Rock, and it should make for higher replay value. TDE’s production team seems unstoppable right now, and at the moment they seem to be the masters of quality over quantity in modern hip-hop.)

6. “Ape Shit” - Beyonce & Jay-Z (The Carters) feat. Offset & Quavo

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/lyrics/8462639/beyonce-jay-z-apeshit-lyrics

(From the video, to the production, to the lyrics, everything about this Everything Is Love album is top of the food chain extravagance. It’s fun to hear Beyonce get her Migos-flow on, and Jay’s casual brilliance echoes throughout the album, but “Ape Shit” is one of the few joints on the album that doesn’t play it safe with the production. Pharrell goes back into his bag to conjure up a vibe that’s better suited for crack talk than hitting the dance floor, and it totally works for The Carters to b-boy stance all over start to finish.)

7. “GODS Don’t Bleed” - Westside Gunn feat. Benny & Jadakiss

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/gods-dont-bleed-feat-benny-jadakiss?in=westsidegunn/sets/supreme-blientele

(Any question of whether Supreme Blientele is more of a Westside Gunn solo project or more of a Griselda family album, is laid to rest with “GODS Don’t Bleed”. The first song on the album kicks off with one of Daringer’s stand-out instrumentals, anchored by Benny’s verse of the year calibre opening bars, followed by a rejuvenated Jada, and finally an amped Westside Gunn to close things out. This is raw rap at its’ finest.)

8. “O.S.O.M.” - Jay Rock feat. J. Cole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFI4LFbOeDc

(Story teller Jay Rock is one of the finest shades of Jay Rock. The somber instrumental puts the squeeze on both Rock and J. Cole, who proceed to drop some very introspective bars about holding their worlds together as challenges build up against them. It’s not easy to keep anxiety “out of sight & out of mind”, as the song attests to, but it us easy to keep this song on repeat.)

9. “Spanish Jesus” - Westside Gunn feat. CRIMEAPPLE

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/spanish-jesus-feat-crimeapple?in=westsidegunn/sets/supreme-blientele

(I don’t know about you, but I was surprised that one of the finest instrumentals on Blientele belongs to Harry Fraud. CRIMEAPPLE makes a stand-out appearance - one of the best on the album, which says a lot - and Gunn sounds hard as hell over one dirty, positively sick guitar sample.)

10. “Death Row” - Freddie Gibbs feat. 03 Greedo

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/freddie-gibbs-death-row-ft-03-greedo/

(One of the many pleasant surprises last month was a surprise album from Freddie Gibbs. The project is filled with heat, but none are hotter than this show-stopping appearance by 03 Greedo. If you ever wondered what all the fuss was about when news of 03 Greedo’s lengthy prison sentence propelled his name to cult status, check out this collaboration with Freddie Gibbs. “Death Row” makes for as perfect of an homage to classic West Coast gangsta rap as any artist is capable of concocting.)

11. “In Case You Forgot” - The Alchemist feat. Roc Maricano

https://alclaboratories.bandcamp.com/track/roc-marciano-in-case-you-forgot

(Speaking of surprise releases...how about a new Alchemist & Roc Marciano record? We are all blessed whenever these two join forces, so "In Case You Forgot” their perfect chemistry, press play now.)

12. “Rotation 112th” - Jay Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uveCfcShCVw

(More heat off of Jay Rock’s Redemption. Arguably the most catchy record off of the album, it’s so great to hear Rock sound so at home on such an uptempo track. He kills it with a trendy flow and delivery that isn’t typical of his sound, and that’s really exciting to see at this point in his career. A veteran stepping out of a comfort zone? When the talent is there, the results will usually be positive, and “Rotation 112th” is certainly a testament to that.)

13. “Black Effect” - Beyonce & Jay-Z (The Carters)

https://www.complex.com/music/2018/06/beyonce-jay-z-everything-is-love/beyonce-jay-z-everything-is-love-black-effect

(If you don’t want to shout "I’m good on any MLK Boulevard!” after hearing this record, then we have nothing in common. Another one of my favorite joints off of Everything Is Love, thanks in part to the lovely Cool & Dre production work and Hov’s plethora of clever shout-outs to fellow hip-hop legends - especially in that strong second verse.)

14. “Kids See Ghosts” - Kanye West & Kid Cudi feat. Mos Def

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX57XlQg-qQ

(Took a while to get to one of those “G.O.O.D. Friday, Part Deux” records, didn’t it? It’s not an intentional act of disrespect on my part, just a testament to how much great rap music came out in the last few weeks. Anyone that follows me on Twitter knows how colossally disappointed I was in Nasir, but I should be spending more time discussing everything that worked about Kanye’s project with Kid Cudi. The chemistry is through the roof, and most of the experimentation really paid off. Here on the title track, Kanye West raps the best he has since Yeezus, and it’s so welcome to hear him rapping with any passion again. Where an album like Yeezus excelled in its’ rawness, the more calculated musicality on Kids See Ghosts carries it over the finish line. Both Cudi and Ye sound rejuvenated throughout, which should be a reminder of how talented both artists can be when they are in the zone and taking more time with their work.)

15. “Nonstop” - Drake

https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/drake-justifies-his-thug-on-wavy-banger-nonstop-new-song.1979239.html

(When it comes to solo Drizzy cuts right now, give me Drake rapping over No I.D, Tay Keith, and Noel Cadastre production all day! Nonstop straight up thumps, what a great piece of dark minimalism for Drake to rap over. For me, the Three 6 Mafia/Memphis influence on Scorpion comprises all of its’ finer moments.)

16. “Crimey’s” - Eto & Flu

https://soundcloud.com/fludust/eto-crimeys-prod-by-flu?in=fludust/sets/eto-motion-picture-ep-prod-by

(If you’re really looking for an under the radar gem of a tape, definitely check out Flu & Eto’s Motion Picture EP. Flu is a producer from Melbourne, Australia and Eto is yet another rising star from upstate NY’s underground hip-hop scene. “Crimey” is one of my favorite joints from the project, but the whole tape deserves a spot on your playlist.)

17. “ES Tales” - Jay Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwyNmcnQD6E

(Jay Rock’s Redemption keeps on giving. “ES Tales” is one of the grimier cuts off of the album, which is not a problem for Rock, who has often been associated with the muscle-end of the TDE camp. I believe a snippet of this song was featured in the first clip from the Redemption tour documentary, but we can now confirm that the final product exceeded the initial anticipation.)

18. “Death Wish” - DJ Muggs & MF DOOM feat. Freddie Gibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK3Aw7a_EyA

(How bout that line-up? It’s already been established that June was jam-packed with surprise releases, but two cuts from Muggs & DOOM? Now that’s a blessing. Gibbs over dark production is always a win, and this is a great way to cap off a strong month from him, too.)

19. “The Steiners” - Westside Gunn feat. Elzhi

https://soundcloud.com/westsidegunn/the-steiners-feat-elzhi?in=westsidegunn/sets/supreme-blientele

(More Pete Rock and Griselda, please! Gunn steps up to the plate alongside Elzhi - which is no easy task, considering that El is one of the best writers in the biz today. I’m not sure if this joint reaches the championship levels of the iconic WCW tag team the song is named after, but it’s still nice as hell.)

20. “Bon Appetit” - G Herbo, Key Glock & Z Money

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/g-herbo-key-glock-zmoney-bon-appetit/

(Three of trap’s finest show off pretty well on “Bon Appetit”. I’m not totally sure if this union will land on a future project, but it should, because it knocks pretty hard. Herbo is already regarded as a budding star, but I hope to see Key Glock and Z Money land more attention grabbing features in the second half of 2018.)

21. “Stay Woke” - Meek Mill feat. Miguel

https://variety.com/2018/music/news/meek-mill-drops-new-song-stay-woke-after-fiery-performance-at-bet-awards-watch-1202856390/

(A thoughtful Meek Mill might be the Meek Mill that’s finally capable of dropping the great album that has alluded him up to this point. He’s been through a lot over the last few years, so I’m routing for the guy. Overall I found his Legends Of The Summer EP to be a little lackluster given the weight of this initial single, but if he is going to put the pen to work like he did on “Stay Woke” towards material for a future album, then 2018 might be the year that Meek regains the momentum he lost following the Drake feud in 2015.)

22. “Paranoia” - RetcH feat. Dave East

https://soundcloud.com/retch-2/paranoia-feat-dave-east?in=retch-2/sets/after-the-verdict-prod-grimm-doza

(RetcH returns to form on this brand new Grimm Doza-helmed project, After The Verdict. There has been a lot of grimy hip-hop in 2018, but I don’t know if any sound much darker than this project. Don’t let RetcH’s snarl distract you from the fact that he is nice with the pen, and even though Dave East might not sound like the most logical feature here, he more than holds his own on “Paranoia”.)

23. “The Bloodiest” - Jay Rock

http://www.thefader.com/2018/06/15/jay-rock-the-bloodiest-music-video

(If you haven’t already taken the hint...Redemption on repeat.)

24. “Binghamton” - New$ feat. Jamal Gasol

https://soundcloud.com/newstherapper94/binghamton-feat-jamal-gasolprod-by-thatboijj

(Houston-by-way-of-Rochester MC New$ connects with the previously saluted Jamal Gasol for “Binghamton”. Yes, New York state runs deep through this list, but it’s not my bias as much as it’s the wealth of talent in the region, and the fact that they’re getting more time to shine since Buffalo NY-based Griselda Records racked up some nice press after signing their Shady Records deal. This beat from Thatboijj is pretty damn good.)

25. “Assassination Day” - DJ Muggs & MF DOOM feat. Kool G Rap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPEP58nr0IY

(The B side of that Muggs & DOOM EP, but don’t think for a second that it’s not an A+ cut. G Rap sounds like he hasn’t lost a step at all!)

*Bonus - Honorable Mention*

“Lande Mine” - 38 Spesh feat. Ransom

https://38spesh.bandcamp.com/track/land-mine-38-spesh-ransom-produced-by-alchemist

“Forgein Autoparts” - Estee Nack & Al.Divino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKIy_8AM-ak

“Cops Shot The Kid” - Nas feat. Kanye West

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6nTdzBdVAg

“Street Life” - 03 Greedo

https://soundcloud.com/03greedo/street-life

“Gustavo” - Eto & Flu feat. CRIMEAPPLE & SmooVth

https://soundcloud.com/fludust/eto-gustavo-feat-crimeapple-smoovth-prod-by-flu?in=fludust/sets/eto-motion-picture-ep-prod-by

“Bruce Wayne” - Adonis & V Don

https://soundcloud.com/vdonsoundzserious/adonis-x-v-don-bruce-wayne

“All Falls Down” - Freeway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0CMFqWiamE

“Broke +-” - Jay Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMrStDS1s8Q

“Capone Suite” - Rick Ross feat. Smif-N-Wessun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmDXIUIFMkA

“Fighting Temptations” - YBN Cordae

https://www.vibe.com/2018/06/ybn-cordae-fighting-temptations-video/

“Bigger Than You” - 2 Chainz feat. Quavo & Drake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN1i_c-5oVs

“The Yellow House” - ANKHLEJOHN & Big Ghost LTD.

http://shaaprecords.com/track/the-yellow-house

Cheers and stay cool out there, folks...

[ICYMI: Last month’s list below]