Welcome to our Rap Weekly 56: Nas & Hit-Boy are ending an era. 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: Westside Gunn travels Europe to share the process of making And Then You Pray For Me, The Alchemist fulfills more rap dreams, he will release an album with Wiki and Mike, Aesop Rock is going to make magic again, announces his tenth album. Really Hiiim & Rahiem Supreme mix Street Poison so strong that the other duos fall unconscious. Ransom is not slowing down, and he has released another great EP, Spare The Rod, Spoil The Child. This week, you’ll get some quick news that you can’t miss. What dope albums and music videos have been released last week? That and much more can be found by scrolling down.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Nas & Hit-Boy are ending an era
The legendary rapper Nas needs no introduction. Nas aka Nas Escobar aka Nasty Nas is one of the artists who have influenced the entire rap game in the most fundamental way. Whether we’re talking about classics like Illmatic and It Was Written or more recent records like Life Is Good. Nas has kept the bar very high for over two decades, and we can’t blame him at all for his newer records not being as revolutionary as his first two. We dare say Nasty Nas surprised a lot of rap fans when he teamed up with Hit-Boy in 2020 to release their collaborative record, King’s Disease. The rapper took a step in a different direction and wrapped his unique lyrics around a modern sound.
It’s 2023, and on his 50th birthday, the legendary rapper and Hit-Boy release Magic 3, their sixth album together, concluding two trilogies and three years of hard work. Magic 3 is a victory lap and a celebration of Nas’ life and success. The rapper hasn’t had to prove anything to anyone for a long time and is simply having fun on his latest albums. Hit-Boy has given him a second wind, and Nas has been churning out album after album, enjoying the last few years immensely. Is there anything more important?
Magic 3 is a hard-hitting record, full of catchy beats and captivating lyrics. As mentioned, the rapper is mostly having fun, reminiscing about his beginnings, reflecting on his career, and celebrating the last three hugely productive years. The album feels like the finale of an era and foreshadows that both artists will be heading in a new direction, and we won’t see another joint album from them for some time. We wish Nas a happy birthday and hope he continues to be as hungry as he has been in the years to come.
NEWS
The Alchemist fulfills more rap dreams, he will release an album with Wiki and Mike
It is unbelievable, but The Alchemist does not know what rest means, and there’s not a month that goes by where he doesn’t make himself known in some way. More admirable, though, is the fact that his work is still incredibly unique. One of his last year’s projects was a short EP called ONE MORE with rappers MIKE and Wiki. The EP was amazing. Last week, this trio shared great news: they will release a full-length album, Faith Is a Rock, on September 22nd. We do not know anything else, but the expectations are skyrocketing.
Westside Gunn travels Europe to share the process of making And Then You Pray For Me
The album And Then You Pray For Me by Westside Gunn belongs in between the most anticipated projects of the year. The album got postponed multiple times, but now it seems that the album might be coming very soon. Gunn is teasing the album pretty much every day. Last week, the rapper released the first part of the documentary series Westside Gunn: And Then You Pray For Me Episode 1, where he talks about his creative process, inspiration, and the depths of his music while traveling Europe. The documentary series shows the luxury lifestyle, hard work ethic, and art of Westside Gunn that the world has not seen yet.
Aesop Rock is going to make magic again, announces his tenth album
Aesop Rock is one of the most unique rappers of all time. For more than three decades, the rapper has fascinated countless listeners around the world with his complex lyrics, atmospheric beats, and unique concepts. And this year, he plans to continue to do so. On his tenth album, Integrated Tech Solutions, Aesop uses insidious corporate speak as a tool to separate a parasitic worldview from the parts of life that really matter. So look forward to a concept album about an organization offering “lifestyle and industry-focused applications designed to provide the desired multi-industry experience.” The album will be released on November 10 and features guest appearances from billy woods, Hanni El Khatib, Lealani, Rob Sonic, and Nikki Jean. Watch the pilot video for the track Mindful Solutionism below.
QUICK NEWS
- Legendary Havoc from Mobb Deep jumped on the beat from 2WO OFFISHALL and the result is definitely worth it.
- The latest episode of Outside With Gorilla Nems features the legendary DJ Muggs and T.F. Get ready for an hour-long barrage of excellent rap information.
- In his short film International Connection, Raz Fresco visually explores hip-hop as a powerful medium that connects like-minded individuals around the world and provides a constructive expression of innate creative energy.
- AJ Suede & steel tipped dove announce their collaborative album Reoccurring Characters, out October 13th. We can’t wait.
- dylan gray is not only an exceptional producer but also a great rapper. Last week, he shared a sneak peek of a new track. Is there an album on the way?
- Vic Spencer revealed on Twitter that we will soon be getting the next installment of the Psychological Cheat Sheet series with producer August Fanon.
- Rome Streetz has posted a short leak for his highly anticipated album Noise Kandy 5 on Twitter.
- Phiik and Lungs release the pilot track SCOOBY from their collaborative album Planet X, which will be produced entirely by No Face. The album will be released next month.
- Gia……La Carte EP from artists Nicholas Craven x Raz Fresco x Estee Nack is finally available on all streaming platforms.
- Chinatown Sound has prepared great guests for us again; last week, 7xvethegenius and Piif Jones performed in the unique rap show.
BEST RELEASES
Shaykh Hanif & MichaelAngelo – Wilderness of North America
We have a new masterpiece by artists Shaykh Hanif and MichaelAngelo. Shaykh is tremendously sensitive in his lyrics; he is not afraid to show pain, which is also quite inspiring. Through his music, he wants to motivate people in his community and also people who don’t have the opportunity to express their opinion. He has been using the power of his own words since 2019, when he was released from prison after serving a decade. Through his lyrics, he details his experiences and different moments in his life. If you haven’t heard the album yet, do yourself a favor and drop in. The production is handled by the brilliant MichaelAngelo, so expect nothing but amazing symphonies here. Guest appearances from CRIMEAPPLE, Primo Profit, Keisha Plum, BoriRock, and FUNERAL Ant Bell.
Ransom – Spare The Rod, Spoil The Child
Ransom is not slowing down, and after the successful album Directors Cut 4 with Nicholas Craven and their collaborative EP Deleted Scenes 2, he releases another EP Spare The Rod, Spoil The Child. The project is just five tracks long and features guest appearances from 38 Spesh and Che Noir and, of course, a beat from seasoned bandmate Craven. Each track is unique in some way. Ransom is an amazing lyricist, and listening to his bars is always a great joy. On the track Scape Goats, we can taste great chemistry between the artists from TCF Music Group. Do not let this EP slip away; it is a worthy listen. Unfortunately, there was no clip released for the album, so here is a video for the track Last Gasp.
Sankofa – BLKTCHP3
Rap veteran Sankofa has been in the game for about twenty years and still has something to say. This year, he has set a ferocious pace and has already released three projects: Multitudes Vol. 1, Iron Kofa Sharp, and a digital version of Invest-Mentality. Last week, his latest album, BLKTCHP3, saw the light of day, and like the previous installments in the series, it was produced entirely by phdbeats. You can look forward to an imploding post-capitalist hydrogen bomb that blows away the status quo. Sankofa spits out one bitingly incendiary lyric after another, and the listener can lose themselves for hours in elaborate tracks full of socio-political commentary. The rapper has made the lyrics to each track available on his Bandcamp, so you can study the album in real depth. The beats are dense and will especially please fans of golden-age hip-hop. Not many albums like this are coming out.
C-Red & Agent M – Duty Hours
Urologic surgery resident AKA C-Red, releases her’s Duty Hours. Production of the album has been taken care of by Agent M. Straight from the get-go, you can say that C is well educated and has things to share in her lyrics; she is inspiring and motivates her listeners. In addition to rapping on the album, C-Red offers singing passages that are just as good as her rapping. Practice your Muscle Memory and give this album a listen. The productions are varied, so you definitely won’t get bored. Unfortunately, no music video has been released for the album, so check out the video for track 56.
Really Hiiim & Rahiem Supreme – Street Poison
Rahiem Supreme absolutely blew us away this year with Snake & Crane Secret (w/ Wino Willy). For those of you who know the rapper, you know that he has been releasing one project after another. We didn’t have to wait that long, and here comes Street Poison, an album produced entirely by Really Hiim, a talent from Texas known for his dark cinematic beats. Rahiem Supreme is one of the most dope rappers of our time and has swag like few others. If you’re looking for music that has a unique style, this project is for you. Rahiem’s albums feel like his music videos; they are stylish, authentically capture life moments, and are constantly in motion. Everything in life is obviously not great, so get ready for introspective tracks like Runway.
DOPE ALBUMS
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. Phro., for his latest project, Ambition 2, has recruited stellar guests led by Lord Apex, Blu, and Skyzoo. The new BOŸBAND introduces itself. Pink Siifu makes a guest appearance on their debut album. Underground stalwarts Sketch tha cataclysm also make his presence known. Rasheed Chappell proves why he is one of the most exciting rappers of today on Sugar Bills. Other excellent releases have come from CKooliente, Jus-P & Body Bag Ben, Dom2XL & Playboy Payso, Xcel, JRoberts & Imperetiv, and Smuff Tha Quiz.
Rasheed Chappell & The Arcitype – Sugar Bills
Phro. – Ambition 2
BOŸBAND – BOYBAND
Sketch tha cataclysm & Ch’varda – Somewhere On The Way To Somewhere Else
CKooliente – A Treme Tale
Jus-P & Body Bag Ben – Fortune Favors The Bold
Dom2XL & Playboy Payso – Overseas Business V.2
Xcel – The Testament
Smuff Tha Quiz – Waiting For You
JRoberts & Imperetiv – Shamrocks & Machine Guns
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
Sauce Heist on the R.I.P SuperB track offers only the bone-chilling truth.
DJ MUGGS and Rome Streetz take you to Death Valley, the hottest f*cking place on Earth, on the track Skeleton Bones.
Ufo Fev is Stronger than ever behind the mic. The new music video only confirms this.
SALIMATA captures the beauty of Marrakech in a great video clip. Support the victims of Morocco’s devastating earthquake if you can.
The album from Earl Sweatshirt and The Alchemist was missing one thing: Vince Staples. With the release of The Caliphate video, everything is now perfect.
DOPE VIDEOS
We’re definitely not done with the top five 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. Killer Mike is teasing the deluxe version of his album with the YES video. ZooDeVille x HEBL x slug deliver another atmospheric track, and Gabe ‘Nandez proves with the video for Cortado that he is in top form and that his upcoming album will be worth it. Maxo and Zelooperz are a perfect match, and New Villain & Enkay remind us of their great trilogy. Top-notch videos were also released last week by artists The Legendary Traxster & Vic Spencer, Døfus, Jay NiCE & Big Cheeko, Sideshow, and Alecs DeLarge.
The Legendary Traxster & Vic Spencer – Just Dance
Døøfus – OFF THA PRESS. PRODUCED BY JAY LEVISON
ZooDeVille x HEBL x slug – Providence
Maxo – PlayDis! feat. Zelooperz
Sideshow – LEX (Every Workhouse Go To Heaven)
New Villain & Enkay – Extreme Rulez
Jay NiCE & Big Cheeko – Fractions
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.
Translated from Czech by Rado.
