30. AKAI SOLO – Spirit Roaming
Almighty AKAI SOLO and his album Spirit Roaming. The talented rapper is very hungry on his latest album, and behind the mic, he delivers a performance we have not seen in a while. On the album, AKAI wonders at the depth of his soul and kills demons that he encounters along the way. Productions have been taken care of by the best of the best, for example, Theravada, Preservation, JUNIE, August Fanon, or Animoss.
Support the artist: Bandcamp, Shop
Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
29. Vel Nine & Zoomo – Freakjet
Producer Zoomo joins forces with rapper Vel Nine, aka Vel The Wonder, to release the album Freakjet. Vel is a rapper from LA who started releasing her first project around the year 2012. Except for the amazing productions and great rap, you can expect some singed passages that Val managed without a flaw. The album is featured by YL, Starker, and Koncept Jack$on.
Support artists: Bandcamp, Bandcamp II
Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
28. Theravada – My Own 2 Hands
Right after his series Xennis Rodman, rapper and producer Theravada took a little bit of a break, then he released the Xenophone (2021) album, which swooped us off our feet, and ever since that, the rapper has delivered one amazing project after the other. Theravada is not just a rapper; he understands all aspects of the rap business, so here he took care of everything: rap, production, mixing, and mastering. This album is proof that no matter how big the challenge is, he will take care of it like it is a piece of feather.
Support the artist: Bandcamp
Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
27. al.divino & Estee Nack – GL1TCH
GL1TCH is al.divino and Estee Nack’s project from the last year that we liked the best. Inovators from Massachusetts created a unique digital apocalyptic world that reflects our regular, current world. The album reminds you of the dirty, empty hell of the digital age, full of secrets, informational and cognitive warfare, and manipulation, yet most of the lyrics revolve around drug dealing and the roads from the underworld to the top.
Support artists: Bandcamp, Bandcamp II
Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
26. Knowledge the Pirate & Big Ghost LTD – Wolves Don’t Eat With Shepherd’s
Knowledge the Pirate separates himself from the crowd by his overall attitude toward the rap itself; his more street-like attitude makes him different, and his music projects sharper images. Wolves Don’t Eat With Shepherd’s is another shining trophy we can add to his name. A big part of this success should be given to the producer Big Ghost Ltd who delivered his perfectly mixed dark essence. This time around, the producer pushes the whole thing to another level with vocal samples, which combined with the beats themselves embody an amazing recipe that allows Knowledge to shine.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
25. Lukah – Raw Extractions
Raw Extractions is an album that is perfect and without flaws. Lukah is less cold-blooded, but his lyrics are on a higher level. Rapper discusses interesting topics; each track has its own concept, and some rhymes are simply stunning. Track Rare Formulaz is on a top of the one of the best posse cuts of the last few years. Between the guests on this track are Jason Da Hater, Cities Aviv, Dame Mufasa, Suni Katz, Deener, The Derelick, J Royal, Yasin Allah aka Milk, and Fathom 9, and even though that track is 10 minutes long, it is anything but boring.
Support the artist: Bandcamp
Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Ti
24. Willie The Kid & V DON – Deutsche Marks 3
There aren’t many rap artists who have the same chemistry as Willie The Kid and V DON. They already gave us gems like Deutsche Marks (2017), Deutsche Marks 2 (2020), and let’s not forget about Blue Notes (2018). Five years after the first installment of this DM series, artists deliver its highly anticipated third installment, and it did not disappoint, providing us with a first-class cold rap. Producer V DON delivered perfect beats that combine danger and luxury, and Willie killed everything with his unique wordplay, by which we are still fascinated. Add the feature list full of first-class rappers like Eto, Ransom, Abe Linx, Lord Apex, and Rome Streetz, and it is already an absolute necessity for everybody.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
23. E L U C I D – I Told Bessie
Backwoodz label took over the last year. E L U C I D, half of the Armand Hammer duo, came out with his third solo album, I Told Bessie. The album is his best and most thorough project to date. billy woods, who was working on the album’s sequencing with the rapper, also contributed to the success of the album. The name of the project is the name of the rapper’s grandmother from his father’s side, Bessie Hall, who had a big influence on him until her death in 2017. E L U C I D creates a mystical, personal, and vulnerable world into which he invites every lister, and the visit will most likely be unforgettable.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
22. Danger Mouse & Black Thought – Cheat Codes
Cheat Codes is a joint project of the legendary rapper Black Thought, who left an indelible mark on the genre thanks to his work with the group The Roots, and producer Danger Mouse, who produced, for example, the album The Mouse and the Mask for MF DOOM. Both of these artists had a huge influence on the whole scene in the past, and this album proves why they belong among the best that Hip hop ever offered. This album features Raekwon, Joey Bada$$, A$AP Rocky, Run the Jewels, Conway the Machine, and MF DOOM.
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Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
21. Your Old Droog – YOD Presents: The Shining
Your Old Droog released five EPs last year. The first four were: YOD Wave, Yod Stewart, Yodney Dangerfield, and The Yodfather. At the end of the year, the rapper got us a nice present for Christmas called YOD Present: The Shining. The name itself suggests that the whole project will be stylized like the famous book by Stephen King and movie adaptation by Stanley Kubrick. Beats have a very thick atmosphere, and the rapper comes with a great punchline basically in every verse.
Support the artist: Bandcamp, Shop
Album: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal
