Welcome to our Rap Weekly 53: Earl Sweatshirt and The Alchemist make rap dreams come true. Rap Weekly is a format where we bring you all the hot news from the scene, all new releases, clips, announcements that you should not miss. Today’s news feed is filled to the brim, Fielded hypnotizes us with her psychedelic R&B, Armand Hammer or Kenny Segal will not be missing on the new album. Rome Streetz conquers Europe, Noise Kandy 5 is coming. Estee Nack decides to take all the rap awards. The wait is over, DJ Muggs is wrapping up his Soul Assassins trilogy 26 years after the release of the first installment. redveil makes magic with his flows again in the new video. What albums and music videos has been released last week? That and much more is just a one scroll away.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Earl Sweatshirt and The Alchemist make rap dreams come true
The wait is over. It’s hard to believe, but after years of fan wishes, a collaborative album from artists Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist comes to us. We believe this duo has made many a rap fan’s dream come true, and they’ve done it again in a totally unexpected way, as we’ve come to expect from Earl and The Alchemist. But everything in order. The artists have already announced several times that they have already released one album together. On YouTube, under a fake name, on a secret account, and with a fake cover. According to our information, it should be another album, so if Voir Dire is not enough for you, you can go to YouTube and search for the next project from Earl and Alchemist.
You won’t find Voir Dire on streaming services either, only its pilot single, Sentry (feat. MIKE). The album was released exclusively on Music Gala. Don’t worry, though; you can stream the whole album for free and unlimited. Just sign up via email and accept the fact that you’ll be stepping out of the comfort zone of your regular streaming service. But that’s not all. The individual tracks are on the service as NFTs and can be purchased for $225 each. Owners of NFT Voir Dire can then use their purchases to earn rewards on the Gala platform by pairing the digital songs in the chain with a node that will stream the songs to the masses through a decentralized user network. Points accumulated on Gala can be redeemed for a variety of unique rewards, such as exclusive merch, starring in one of Earl’s music videos, or a facetime call with Earl and The Alchemist. Fans also directly support their favorite artists and don’t have to worry about streaming moguls taking a bite out of the biggest share.
But now to the album itself: In a narrower context, we understand the term Voir Dire as a jury selection process and, in a broader context, as “speaking the truth.” And don’t expect anything else from Earl’s words or Alchemist’s beats. Nothing but the plain truth. The record can be a conceivable counterpoint to Earl’s last year’s project Sick!, where he tested a wide range of sounds, was chaotic in his lyrics, and sought a calm place on a stormy ocean to rest for a while. Voir Dire is that imaginary place. The whole record is tight and cohesive, and Earl is calm and balanced. He has nothing to hide, so he stands naked in front of the jury and shares bits and pieces of his life. The whole record is laced with great skits, but its essence is best captured by the one that introduces the record’s final track, Free the Ruler:
„The message I’m trying to give to my audience is not one
I’m just trying to make them understand me as a person.“
And that’s where the greatest strength of Earl’s latest record lies—offering a way to understand Earl. Sure, it’s not as punchy as Doris (2013), as mesmerizing and atmospheric as Some Rap Songs (2018), or as diverse as Sick!. The Alchemist doesn’t experiment as much as some might wish, but it offers exactly the kind of beats that give the rapper a firm footing. As a result, Earl may not have to worry about a jury judging him for the first time in his life. That jury, however, is not us, the listeners, but the reflection in the mirror.
NEWS
Rome Streetz conquers Europe, Noise Kandy 5 is coming
We’ve known for a while now that Rome Streetz will soon be expanding his discography. His next project will be Noise Kandy 5, the fifth installment in the rapper’s acclaimed series. The release of the album is imminent, as we can look forward to a European tour in addition to the announced videogame that will accompany the album. The tour will kick off on September 27 in Vienna, with the last simultaneously announced concert taking place on October 7 in Athens. In addition to the two cities mentioned, the rapper will visit Milan, Bologna, Rome, Lyon, Eindhoven, and Dublin. This is not the whole list of stops on the tour; more stops will be announced soon, as well as the support acts Rome Streetz is currently looking for. The rapper will be joined by Armani Caesar on some of the stops, so we really have something to look forward to. To remind you just how talented Rome Streetz is, we’ve attached a new video for the track One More Sale, which features Streetz alongside rappers Chase Fetti, Boldy James, and Mikee Mula.
Fielded hypnotizes us with her psychedelic R&B
We can’t remember a month when we didn’t write about the Backwoodz Studioz label and praise its unprecedented last two years. There’s no point in listing all the great albums that have been released under its wing in the last two years; we’ll just remind you of the latest cut, Decay, by rapper Fatboi Sharif and producer steel tipped dove. On September 29, we’re getting the Armand Hammer duo’s sixth studio album, We Buy Diabetic Test Strips. But that’s not all. A week earlier, on September 22, Plus One, the new album by Brooklyn-based artist Lindsay Powell, aka Fielded, will arrive.
Fielded has several solo projects under her belt, all in the vein of psychedelic R&B, but she has also built a reputation as a sought-after musical collaborator. On Plus One Fielded, the elite of indie music are brought together, including Armand Hammer, Felicia Douglass, Kenny Segal, They Hate Change, DJ Haram, Wolf Weston, The Lasso, Child Actor, and steel tipped dove. The record is executive produced by billy woods, continuing a creative collaboration that dates back to the rapper’s 2019 album Terror Management. You can pre-order the vinyl today. But don’t wait; quantities are limited.
Estee Nack decides to take all the rap awards.
Estee Nack has decided to snag all the rap awards, and after the highly successful release of Nacksaw Jim Duggan album, he’s moving on. This time he has teamed up with the talented producer Machacha, who can be known from the projects A Stream of Consciousness (w/ Jay Nice), Dark Nights And D Fitted’s (w/ Ty Farris), GROUND PROVISION (w/ Nowaah The Flood), and more. Both artists have been very productive in recent years, and this process of creation is definitely working for them as their quality continues to rise. For now, you can listen to their collaborative album .357 on Paka The Plug’s YouTube channel, but it won’t arrive on streaming services until September 1. For collectors of physical media, the release of vinyl, CDs, and cassettes will be on September 7. Needless to say, .357 is another gem for both artists to add to their discographies. Copenhagen Crates has released a video for the track Nack + Hoot, featuring Bori Rock, a new street anthem.
BEST RELEASES
DJ Muggs – Soul Assassins 3: Death Valley
The wait is over. DJ Muggs is wrapping up his Soul Assassins trilogy, 26 years after the release of the first installment. As usual, Muggs has invited some of the best names in the business to join him on his record, including Roc Marciano, Boldy James, Westside Gunn, Evidence, Rome Streetz, and many more. The record is totally unique, and Muggs once again did not disappoint; he collected countless dirty sounds and made them harmonious. The result is phenomenal; no one makes beats like the legendary Muggs. Aside from the productions, you can also look forward to various combinations of names you’ve never heard on either Muggs’ or indeed any beat before, such as Westside Gunn x Ghostface Killah, NWA x Cypress Hill, or Roc Marciano x Rome Streetz. The trilogy couldn’t have been concluded better; the record offers a great contrast between the veterans and the biggest names in the contemporary underground.
Mello Music Group – Omakase
The renowned Mello Music Group label has a habit of releasing great compilations on which their artists shine. This year is no different, serving up the Omakase album. The album is a musical journey inspired by the very essence of that Japanese phrase often used in sushi restaurants, signifying trust in the chef’s hand. The album features a plethora of talented artists, including Apollo Brown, Raheem DeVaughn, Marlowe (L’Orange & Solemn Brigham), Namir Blade, Denmark Vessey, Nolan, and Stalley. Mello Music Group has even invited names that are not released under the label’s umbrella, so you can look forward to Fly Anakin or Danny Brown. Omakase is an excellent tasting of top-notch contemporary rap that you should definitely check out. No video was released for the album, so we’re attaching the full album.
D2x – Hotel1105
D2x, a rapper from Chicago, is back and releasing a new project, Hotel 1105. The record features D2x at his best, being very open and honest and reflecting on the past in his great lyrics. For example, he describes his chaotic childhood without his father or what he had to go through to get behind the mic. The rapper is not afraid to be sensitive; even though the lyrics show that people close to him have betrayed him countless times, he still has love and appreciation for every single person. For the artist himself, the project is a stepping stone, thanks to which he opened up topics that were previously taboo for him and that he was afraid to talk about. We are very happy for such honesty and look forward to more things to come.
Vel Nine & NugLife – NINA
Vel Nine, the hottest name in the female rap scene, is back, and in collaboration with producer NugLife, she released a new album, NINA. Vel is a very talented rapper who won us over last year with her album Freakjet (w/ zoomo), which we included in our Top 100 Best Rap Albums of 2022. NINA is not as experimental, but on the other hand, the sound is more diverse, so we can find trap, boom bap, and funk productions. Vel has really outdone herself on the record; besides the great rap, she has delivered singing passages that really don’t have a flaw, making the record feel complete and elaborate to the smallest detail. In addition to the rapper, we find names like AKTHESAVIOR, The Musalini, Chyna Streetz, and Dot Demo. Make sure you don’t miss this gem. Vel gets better and better with every release, and we’re curious to see what else she has in store.
Kuya – Tales From Ophir: Moros y Cristianos علامت مولا سا اوفير موروس إي كريستيانوس
The fact that rap can take us to completely different parts of the world and be a tool for generating empathy was discussed in the extensive article Obijuan & dylantheinfamous – GUANAHANI. However, on Tales From Ophir: Moros y Cristianos علامت مولا سا اوفير موروس إي كريستيانوس by rapper Kuya, we look not at the Bahamas, but at the island nation of the Republic of the Philippines. The talented rapper weaves his latest work, like all his previous ones, with Philippine history and culture. Listeners can look forward to a calm delivery that is nonetheless gritty and full of emotion, sophisticated lyrics with a myriad of nuances, and beautiful beats. Kuya tells us his stories from Ophir, a region mentioned in the Bible and renowned for its wealth. We put our hand in the fire for the title of the album; the listeners are indeed being handed one precious treasure after another, but not in a material form but in a spiritual one. We are very glad to have come across this talented rapper, and we have no hesitation in ranking his latest album among the best we have heard this year.
ANOTHER DOPE RELEASES
The five albums mentioned above are not the only ones you should hear. We’ve picked ten more dope albums that no one should miss. Give all the projects mentioned a chance; every single one deserves it. August Fanon proves on Cool Things why he is one of the best producers. Sha Hef and Dark Lo are both making their presence known. They’ve teamed up with production elites Nicholas Craven and V Don. #FreeHef #FreeLo. Open Mike Eagle delivers his next triumph, aptly named another triumph of ghetto engineering. If you’re looking for dope modern rap, MLM KLUB VOL.1 by the duo Chuuwee & Money Montage is the obvious choice. Other excellent releases have come from Griot Noy & sean links, Supreme Cerebral, Blannco & Jose Cienfuegos, Da Flyy Hooligan & Kong The Artisan, and Stik Figa & The Expert.
August Fanon – Cool Tings
Sha Hef & Nicholas Craven – Shark Tank
Griot Noy & sean links – STEEL FLY
Supreme Cerebral – Broken English
Blannco & Jose Cienfuegos – El Bautismo
Dark Lo & V Don – Charlie Pope 2
Open Mike Eagle – another triumph of ghetto engineering
Da Flyy Hooligan & Kong The Artisan – Foma
Chuuwee & Money Montage – MLM KLUB VOL.1
Stik Figa & The Expert – The Forgotten
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
Whatsup, or better said, Dimelo. When al.divino & Estee Nack come together on a track, rap can celebrate. MichaelAngelo’s beat underscores the duo’s bone-chilling verses perfectly.
Renelle is at his soul-searching best, running through the city on a quest for the finer things, expertly scored by Bay29’s signature swins in the amazing video.
The hypnotic music video by rapper chester watson will leave you in a daze.
Join Alecs DeLarge in the garden of earthly delights (aka Wonderland).
redveil makes magic with his flows again in the new video.
ANOTHER DOPE VIDEOS
We’re definitely not done with the best music videos. We’ve picked out ten more dope clips that you definitely need to see. Give all the artists below a chance; they deserve it. The greats Nas and Hit-Boy release the music video for Black Magic. Young talent Gritfall proves that the rap game is definitely not about age. Mick Jenkins recalls his latest record, and ElCamino and King Ralph play rap chess. Another unique notch is delivered by the trio of Slug x ZooDeVille x HEBL. Top-notch videos were also released last week by artists Sythe & B1 The Architect, Eddie Kaine & Finn, Starz Coleman, Eto x Tony Yayo, and Mesiyah & Boldy James.
Mick Jenkins – Sitting Ducks (feat. Benny The Butcher)
ElCamino x King Ralph – CHESS MOVES
Sythe & B1 The Architect – Hold The Weight
slug x ZooDeVille x HEBL – Tucson
Eddie Kaine & Finn – Leave It To Me
Starz Coleman – Reprende (Coming Soon)
Eto x Tony Yayo – The Light Produced By Nottz
Mesiyah & Boldy James – Crime Partner
And that’s it all the important news on the scene from the last 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.
