Welcome to Rap Weekly 114: The Boogeyman. Every Monday, we’ll take you into the world of rap and summarise the most exciting news, announcements and can’t-miss stories. Find out everything you need to know in one place. We only write about the best, so you get the best rap delicacies on a golden platter. The album GNX builds on the beef with Drake and balances between Kendrick’s role as a bogeyman and a prophet of rap culture. Next January will see the release of Mac Miller’s second posthumous record, the lost album Balloonerism. In INEVITABLE, a raw and reflective limited audio series, J. Cole takes listeners on an unfiltered voyage through his life, career, and personal evolution. The sequel to the modern classic is here. The pillar of Papitas 2 by Estee Nack & Giallo Point is the commitment to do things unconventionally and visionary. The Bricktionary is a survival manual for the streets, where every step you take could be your last. Boldy’s calm flow meets Fraud’s beats, and the result is a heavily addictive blend of modern Detroit. All this and much more in Rap Weekly.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
The Boogeyman
The beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake is undoubtedly the biggest rap event of 2024. We’ve already broken down the whole beef several times, both rappers hit each other from all angles, and in the end, the fans were the winners. The triumphant hit Not Like Us is a manifesto about Kendrick being on the side of culture. Kendrick made the most of his momentum and made a phenomenal music video for the track that changed the rap game. At the beginning of the video, we got a taste of the new track, which we only got to hear in its entirety last week. That’s because like a bolt from the blue, Kendrick Lamar released GNX, an album that builds on disstracks, builds on beef, and balances between Kendrick’s role as the boogeyman and the modern-day martyr of rap culture.
“No, you not a colleague, you a fuckin’ colonizer.” This line from the track Not Like Us is crucial to the GNX album. On the album, Kendrick reflects on his role as a rap prophet who is the bulletproof voice of his culture that the outside world wants to exploit or desecrate. Kendrick continues his adrenaline rush, railing against every injustice he feels in his environment with an absolutely hungry passion. He comments that Lil Wayne felt offended that Kendrick would perform at Super Bowl LIX instead of him and takes back the subtitle of The Heart Part 6 that Drake used in the aforementioned beef. The album has a modern west coast sound, with Kendrick giving space to young rappers and giving it all back to his community. This message is emphasized by the minimalistic cover art.
NEWS
Balloonerism
RIP Mac Miller. Few artists have influenced rap in the second decade of the new millennium as much as Mac Miller. His love of music, charisma, and talent left an indelible imprint on people. Mac sadly died young, yet created a body of work that will resonate for decades to come. Miller’s estate approved the release of a posthumous album, Circles, in 2020, treating the legend’s legacy with tremendous sensitivity. Five years after the release of Circles, we’ll see another record, Balloonerism. This is a record that Mac Miller created between 2013 and 2015, and one that he cared deeply about. This years-lost record will be released on January 17, 2025. Watch the trailer.
Bahamian rap motion picture
As is Obijuan’s way, he released FLDSZN album this year exclusively on Bandcamp. We supported the artist so we could write about the record the week of its release. Last weekend, however, Obijuan celebrated his birthday and gave rap fans a gift in the form of a music video for the track WISEMAN. But that’s not all; he released the FLDSZN on all streaming services. So now you have no excuse; go immerse yourself in the whirlwind of a monumental twenty-four-track project. FLDSZN is both a celebration of Bahamian culture and a manifesto that Obijuan is the most distinctive rapper working today. FLDSZN is raw in a whole new way, much like the first time you discovered the dirty streets of New York, slang, or a new soundscape when listening to Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) or Only Built 4 Cuban Linx….. FLDSZN takes you to a third-world country with a history of injustice and betrayal in a similarly exciting way. We wish Obijuan a happy birthday, and may his discography continue to grow.
Audio series by J.Cole
J. Cole, one of the minds of the rap game, has come up with a project that may resonate not only with fans but also with those who find themselves in his path. The INEVITABLE Season 1 limited audio series is no feel-good commemoration; it’s the raw story of Cole’s life, career, and evolution as a man and artist. Cole, along with his brothers Ibrahim Hamad and Scott Lazer, has created something that has the power to sit your ass down. In the trailer, he himself admits that this is new territory for him. And the fact that he wasn’t sure how to handle it himself only adds to the sincerity of the project. This isn’t about images or superficial slogans; it’s about a man telling you what it’s like to have your dreams light up right before your eyes. The whole series is built on Cole’s ability to reflect, not only on what went right but also on the moments when he was down. But it’s that honesty that gives the project its charm. In the series, we follow the arc of Cole’s career, from the time he wrote his first rhymes as a kid, which he enjoyed more than math at school, to the moment he realized that rap wasn’t just a journey; it was his land, his voice, his way of speaking to the world. Everything he’s been through has shaped him, and he doesn’t deny it. On the contrary, he serves it to you raw and unfiltered. This isn’t just for Dreamville fans or rap enthusiasts. This is for anyone who has ever felt that the journey to a dream can be painful. And now for the big stuff, while you wait for INEVITABLE, you can remind yourself of Cole’s roots on streaming platforms, where you can now find his classics The Come Up Mixtape Vol. 1 and The Warm Up. These records are the foundation that shaped his journey. You can hear how it all began—a diamond in the rough that over time turned into one of the most well-known storytellers on the scene.
BEST ALBUMS
Estee Nack & Giallo Point – Papitas 2
Estee Nack is undoubtedly one of the best rappers of our time. It never ceases to fascinate us with the cadence with which he releases albums that are sophisticated to the last detail. Estee Nack has guested on a plethora of great projects this year, helped release several albums by Massachusetts new wave rappers, and still managed to release three LPs. Following STONE TEMPLE PYREX (w/ Futurewave) and SYSTEMATICALLY WE WERE NEVER FREE (w/ Boneweso) comes PAPITAS 2 (w/ Giallo Point), the follow-up to the modern classic from 2019. Papitas, or chips, are the money Estee Nack gets for experimental and innovative rap. The pillar of Papitas 2 is a commitment to doing things unconventionally and visionarily. Math intertwines with the drug underworld; the album features a plethora of great guests like Bori Rock and ???, and Giallo Point shows why he’s one of the best producers working today. Estee Nack has released another future classic.
Bloo Azul & Good Food – Cordon Bloo
Can you hear it bubbling on the stove? Bloo Azul and Good Food serve up their new project, Cordon Bloo, which is longer and more mature than its predecessor, Bloo Appetit. And just like last time—no guests, just the pure essence of Bloo’s world. This chef doesn’t need sous chefs, just his own recipes. From the first minute, this record smells of a strong atmosphere and the smoke of introspection. Bloo plays with words like he’s rolling them on a steamroller, serving up metaphors as sharp as Japanese knives. On the track Prime Cut, he goes to the bone. This isn’t just rap; it’s a philosophy of life wrapped in sharp lyricism. Bloo paints a dark world where facades crumble and truth often lies hidden under a layer of pretense. With Good Food behind the stove, Cordon Bloo gets a dense and heavy sound that pulls you in and doesn’t let go. The production is raw and dark, yet as elegant as a steak in a high-class restaurant. The beats pulsate but give way to Bloo’s lyrics, which are like stories etched in stone. And just when you think you’ve read it, the punchline comes in to bring you back down to earth. Cordon Bloo is dark, complex, and makes you think about yourself, the world, and all that lies beneath the surface. Bloo isn’t afraid to open sore wounds here, talking about pain, loss, and battling his own demons. Bars are not just for listening to while having your morning coffee; this is the soundtrack to a long night’s journey, with all the mistakes and victories running through your head. Cordon Bloo is like an experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant—complex, sometimes almost uncomfortable, but damn satisfying. Bloo Azul and Good Food show that if you have the courage to tell a story without exaggeration, you can create something real.
J.U.S – Lord of the streams part 2 “Curse in the Castle”
J.U.S., a member of the Bruiser Brigade, delivered again. This time he takes us on a trip to a dark castle with his new project, Lord of the Streams Part 2: Curse in the Castle. This isn’t just a record; it’s a dungeon full of bangers where each track untangles a different adventure. Feats from names like Fatboi Sharif, Ahmad DaGod, PremRock, and Chip$ add even more layers and colors to this crazy labyrinth. Producers such as Kevin Bailey, Ahmir X, and J.U.S himself serve up beats that are sometimes minimalistic, sometimes so dense you feel like you’re surrounded by the fog of an old legend. The whole sound setup feels like the soundtrack to a movie about an antihero who wields a microphone instead of a sword and spouts bars about life, dreaming, and all the injustices that come his way. Track NASA? That’s the highlight of the album and the anthem. J.U.S spits punchlines like a knight of the round table, serving up harsh reality instead of morals. You can feel how much the rapper is in war mode, battling frustration, talking loudly about a fake system where everyone has to carve out their own place, while ironically describing the absurdities of the world around him. There are plenty of references on the record that true nerds and those who just want to bang their heads will enjoy. J.U.S composes lyrics like a puzzle: one word hints at the next, associations fly all over the place, and you have to concentrate like hell to not miss their meaning. And then it dawns on you—it’s chaos, but the kind of chaos that makes deep sense. If you’re expecting a party banger, you’re not going to have it easy here. Curse in the Castle is more for long evenings, when you have time to sink into the lyrics like you’re reading dark poetry for the 21st century. But don’t be fooled; even here there are moments when the beats pound hard and you realize that J.U.S has a gift for switching between introspective storyteller and battle-rap warrior.
Boldy James & Harry Fraud – The Bricktionary
Boldy James and Harry Fraud have joined forces to release something that has the potential to become a classic. The Bricktionary isn’t just an album; it’s a survival manual for the streets, where every step you take could be your last. Boldy’s calm, precise flow meets Fraud’s beats that draw you into a world where reality mixes with cold detachment, resulting in a heavily addictive blend of modern Detroit, trap attitude, and boom-bap legacy. The album is spiced up with stellar feats from the likes of Benny The Butcher, Tee Grizzley, and Babyface Ray. Guests bring their perspectives to the endless grind. Whether it’s Benny’s hard-hitting street bars or Ray’s distinct Detroit style, each guest has their place here and adds another chapter to The Bricktionary. Rabies, where Boldy teams up with Benny, is a clear highlight. Both paint pictures of a life here that revolves around dealing, hustling, and survival. Boldy serves up scenes straight out of a crime movie, with drugs, money, and danger hovering over every deal. It’s a reality few of us know, but his storytelling makes you feel it for a while. Fraud’s beats are a chapter in themselves. His ability to create an atmosphere that throws you right into the heart of the scene is uncanny. Whether he’s taking you into the dark alleys of Detroit or moments of introspective reflection, his production won’t let you rest. On the album, hardness meets melody, and each track is like a puzzle that only comes together when you hear the whole. Boldy certainly has something to say; whether it’s his experiences on the streets, his desire to escape, or his view of the world around him, his bars will make you think. The Bricktionary is an album for those looking for something authentic, something that takes them away from the comfort of their living room and plunges them into a world where every sight can mean danger.
herratic – AUTHOR
Monumental. Last week, Indian producer herratic released a huge two-hour album, AUTHOR, which is so massive and expansive that it’s hard to provide a key to it. Here, however, there’s not even a need. Let us quote Bell Hooks: “The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is-it’s to imagine what is possible.” AUTHOR is not the result of the creative process, but the capture and immortalization of the process itself. Hypnotic beats are interspersed with spoken word and verse from a plethora of talented underground rappers, and together the artists are forging something special. Through the omnipresent empathy of herratica, AUTHOR is both a vast and intimate record that you simply have to experience, get lost in, and search for what’s possible.
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.
kakarot & King Kashmere – THE HOLY ARMOUR
Mary Sue & Prime Manifez – Rabbit Foot
Maze Overlay – ENZO
Marlon Craft – The Long Game
Nym Lo & 183rd – Money Ink Millionaires
SUBSTANCE810 & Chuck Chan – Catacomb
Jamil Honesty & Giallo Point – SHOTS FROM THE SOVIET
Reek Osama & BhramaBull – Street Purgatory
Juga-Naut & Mr Brown – Relative To Craft
7X3=21 + August Fanon – The Intentional Whatever
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
What works does not need to be changed. HIGHER THAN EVER by Maxo Kream is a trap banger.
BoriRock takes you into his world in the music video for MINI ME.
Ovrkast. is the voice of his community. CUT UP is reminiscent of rap classics in a modern twist.
Papo2oo4 and Subjxct 5 continue their legendary run with the music video for Ooo.
Milc and Chuck Strangers are Bad Tofu. Their joint album is coming; check out the great music video.
DOPE VIDEOS
Our list of must-see music videos doesn’t end with the top five. We’ve picked out ten more dope clips that you definitely need to see. Give all the artists below a chance, they deserve it.
DJ MUGGS x RLX – 2 To The Chest
Vitamin G & Mr Slipz – Boiling Point Feat. Bil Next
Cise Greeny – “IF YOU WOKE UP TODAY YOU ALREADY WON” (PROD. BY SWIPEEX)
CLYDE & Algernon Cornelius – LEMONS / PLUTO
Pro Dillinger, Futurewave – Covered In Dirt
SEAN LINKS “THE MOST FLY” (Prod by WITZ THE KING)
Ab-Soul – I, Myself & Me ft. Doechii
Lee Scott – Bedtime Resistance (Volkoff Edit II)
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.
