Welcome to our Rap Weekly number 30. It is a format where we bring you all the hot news from the scene, all new releases, clips, and announcements that you should not miss. Today’s news feed is filled to the brim: British star slowthai releases an album called UGLY, Mach-Hommy opens up in a new interview, legendary trio De La Soul’s albums are on streaming services, and a mysterious spook! takes you to the wild west. Nas celebrates 30 years of unprecedented dominance, and Larry June delivers an absolutely epic music video. This week, you’ll get some quick news that you can’t miss. What albums and music videos have been released last week? That and much more can be found by scrolling down.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
After more than two years, British star slowthai has returned with the unique album UGLY. The pilot track will take us on one hell of a party where everything is allowed, starting with drugs and ending with all sorts of perversity. Thanks to the fastening rhythm and chaotic melodies, this track feels like it could be the soundtrack for the movie Climax. During the runtime of the album, slowthai returns to his roots and reincarnates his teenage love for rock bands.
The album slowly escalates; the lyrics of the next track are more intimate than the previous one. Except for the amazing lyrics, we cannot overlook the variety that slowthai offers. The album is much more diverse than the rapper’s previous album, Tyron. You can find dramatic punk screams here, but we can still find strict rap tracks, tracks enriched by electronic elements, chaotic productions, and rhythmical vocal samples. UGLY is an album which we believe will find a solid ground in the history books.
NEWS
Mach-Hommy’s new album, Jay-Z, and Basquiat
Mach-Hommy belongs among the most significant artists on the current scene. He does not share much about himself and lets his fans create an aura of mysticism around his character. That being said, last week magazine The Fader released a three-part article called The Making of Mach-Hommy where the artist reflects on his first freestyles, his position on the scene, describes how it was to record in the house of Jay-Z and Beyoncé, and also how he was affected by his mentor Pierre Bernard Francillion, a close friend of the deceased Basquiat. Mach-Hommy did not disappoint, and he finished his three days with the magazine by releasing the album Notorious Dump Legends: Volume 2, featuring Tha God Fahim.
Rap fans can celebrate; here comes De La Soul.
Fans of rap should start celebrating because it finally happened! The court case between Warner Bros. Records and Tommy Boy Records has been resolved, and you can now listen to the legendary albums of the trio De La Soul on streaming services. Everybody can do their homework and listen to 3 Feet High and Rising (1989), De La Soul Is Dead (1991), Buhloone Mindstate (1993), Stakes Is High (1996), Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump (2000), and AOI: Bionix (2001). On the official website, you can order vinyl, a CD, a T-shirt, or a cassette.
spook! takes you to the Wild West.
spook! is very active as of late and releases one project after the other. He became one of our favorites, and we are apparently not alone. On his newest album, No Country ll: Hell on Wheels (The Ballad Of Isom Dart!), you will get beats by the best producers, like SadhuGold, Nicholas Craven, Evidence, Preservation, Quelle Chris, and Conductor Williams. You can buy an album on Bandcamp, where you can also listen to three tracks before making your final purchase. Except for that, spook! also prepared two snippets that will change your mind and make you buy the whole album.
IM DROPPING TONIGHT AT 7pm EST
— THE NIGGA SCARECROW (@spookyniggaa) February 28, 2023
BEATS BY @SADHUG0LD @Evidence@NicholasCraven_ @mondieumusic @darealdibiase @CondtrWilliams @QuelleChris
Executive produce by @SADHUG0LD pic.twitter.com/4p7HnubWdb
QUICK NEWS
- It has not even been a month since the release of the album It Means A Lot and producer and rapper Brainorchestra already teases us about his new project, which will be released in March.
- Starker and Gee Dubs release their album MOTHRA (after two years from its original release date on Bandcamp and on physical disc) on streaming services. Album was one of our TOP 50 of 2021.
- Conway the Machine and Jae Skeese brought us Metallic 5’ from their upcoming album Pain Provided Profit, which will be released on March 10. It is going to be big.
- Steel Tipped Dove finally released his album all the weight feathers don’t have on streaming services. Make it your homework to listen to this if you have not done so yet.
- New music presents Theravada, a talented producer and rapper from Greece. Are we getting a new album soon? Watch a great teaser.
BEST RELEASES
Rome Streetz & Big Ghost Ltd – Wasn’t Built in a Day
Rome Streetz is a reincarnation of current New York rap. His album from last year, Kiss the Ring, was a phenomenal debut under the Griselda Racords, which offered the best grimy rap. Rome Streetz will take some time to finish the next project for Griselda, but that does not mean that he will not be releasing anything else. Now he delivers the album Wasn’t Built in a Day, produced by Big Ghost Ltd. You can expect hard and dense production. The cherry on top comes in the form of the track Pz n Qz with Method Man as a guest, where the rapper proves his ability to keep up with the younger generation. On the track U Mad Huh? we are introduced to Chyna Streetz. Unfortunately, no clip was released for the record, so we are attaching a video for the song Snowbeach.
AJ Suede & Televangel – Parthian Shots
Parthian Shots was without doubt one of the most anticipated albums of this year. Rapper AJ Suede and producer Televangel follow up on their project from last year, Metatron’s Cube, and overdo themselves. Parthian Shots is a gem of current alternative rap. You can tell from every track that artists spend a lot of time together, not just as colleagues but also as friends. Televangel’s productions will catch you and not let go with their huge palette of all the different sounds. AJ Suede is undoubtedly one of the best rappers of the current generation. The lyrics of every track are built upon some concept, theme, or emotion, which makes the album thought-provoking from the very beginning until the very end. Now let’s name all the guest rappers on the album: Onry Ozzborn, Rich Jones, Old Grape God, Milc, Nacho Picasso, Mr. Muthafuckin Exquire, and Bruiser Wolf. After that, even the biggest skeptic has to listen to this album.
Che Noir & Big Ghost Ltd – Noir or Never
We are big fans of Che Noir. The talented rapper amazed us in 2020 with her album As God Intended; last year she delivered great projects like Food For Thought and The Last Remnants, and this year starts sharply as well. Che Noir, like Rome Streetz, combined her talents with producer Big Ghost Ltd and released the chilling album Noir or Never. This album contains the essence of street rap, and let us tell you that Che Noir could be schooling the majority of the current scene with her uncompromising lyrics. On this album, she surrounded herself with talents like Planet Asia, Flee Lord, Ransom, and 38 Spesh. This album will not disappoint anyone.
Maze Overlay & SadhuGold – Afghani Gold
Maze Overlay brings his best album so far. The quality of the project undoubtedly brings up the productions by SadhuGold, which are absolutely perfect. Except for the Maze himself, you will also hear Roc Marciano, YUNGMORPHEUS, Estee Nack, Mickey Diamond and more. We watch very carefully all the projects that SadhuGold touches, and it seems to be the case that whatever he gets his hands on grows into a beautiful bouquet. We cannot wait for his next projects.
Ufo Fev & Spanish Ran – Painting Houses
Ufo Fev and Spanish Ran seem to be adding to their discographies one high-quality project after the other. So we were very pleased when we saw that they decided to join forces and do something together. Both represent New York’s rap in the best manner possible, and their obvious talents have been putted into Painting Houses as well. We think that album definitely met our high expectations, not just with the amazing rap by Ufo or brilliant production by Ran but also with the list of guests beginning with Bloo Azul, Madhattan, Al-Doe, and continuing with more.
ANOTHER DOPE RELEASES
Quelle Chris – Memories Vol. 3 (rare, limited and unreleased moments)
Rahiem Supreme & twelveam – Untitled
Mally Abstract – Yesterday’s New Villian
LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON & Buck Dudley – Highly Favored
Billy Hoyle – from the soil.v2
Superbad Solace – Sol Controller 3
Kyeza & Frost – Top of the Roof
Observe Since 98 – Soul A’Fire 2
Verbz & CAPRIISUN & Mr Slipz – Shore Connects
Pro Dillinger & Machacha – Dirt Don’t Hurt
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
Nas celebrates 30 years of unprecedented dominance with the music video for track 30 from King’s Disease III.
Trio Meyhem Lauren, Madlib, and DJ Muggs bring us Fresh Out The Water from their upcoming record Champagne For Breakfast.
Another great collaboration can be attributed to Larry June and Alchemist. The clip is again masterful, and we are impatiently waiting for their album, which will be released on March 31.
ZelooperZ brings his modern sound to the music video for the song Arbys. Connie handled the production.
languid looms. is here with the third music video for the album Saints Are Hard To Live With. You can buy the album here; the download code will come to you in the private letter.
ANOTHER DOPE VIDEOS
Don Gunna (MMM) Ft. FSG Rell – Welcome To The Hardknocks
FastLife x Red Walrus – Wake Up Walrus
Speed Dollaz – Herbal Tea Ft. Reed Dollaz
And that’s it for all the important news on the scene from the past week. What caught your eye this week? Let us know on Instagram or Twitter. You can expect another one next Monday. It’s going to be really interesting, so don’t miss it.
Translated from Czech by Rado.
