Welcome to Rap Weekly 116: This, Is Not That. 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. Which direction is our universe heading? Kenny Segal & K-the-I??? seek the answers on Genuine Dexterity. This, Is Not That bridges two generations of modern boom bap, delivering street poetry with the smell of cigarette smoke and experiences that are both adrenaline-rushing and motivating. The Skeleton Key is coming. The Alchemist & Roc Marciano will soon release a new collaborative album. Groundbreaking album 1ST COMING is a cumulation of the work of three of Montreal’s most exciting rap talents. Denzel Curry, 7xvethegenius, and Doechii. Check out three great live performances. All this and much more in Rap Weekly.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
This, Is Not That
Apollo Brown and CRIMEAPPLE, these are the artists we don’t need to introduce. Apollo Brown is a veteran producer from Detroit who has been building a strong discography for over fifteen years, led by classic albums with artists such as Guilty Simpson, O.C., Ras Kass, Skyzoo, and Planet Asia. CRIMEAPPLE, a rapper with Colombian roots, would have fallen more into the “future stars” category just a few years ago. Today, we can write without hesitation that on This, Is Not That, Apollo Brown has teamed up with a rapper who can rank alongside artists like Guilty Simpson, Skyzoo, and Planet Asia. CRIME is a rap hard worker who has released five excellent records this year: El León (w/ Preservation), LETHIMCOOK, Bazuko (w/ Big Ghost Ltd.), Tucibi (w/ MichaelAngelo), and Los Pollos Hermanos (w/ DJ Muggs & RLX). The record with veteran Apollo Brown was earned by.
This, Is Not That connects two generations of modern boom bap. It is the essence of the sound that Apollo Brown has helped build for over a decade with his heavy, spacious beats with great samples, and CRIMEAPPLE puts a modern twist on it. This album isn’t just another boom-bap nostalgia album; CRIMEAPPLE takes you on a walk down a street full of dust, wisdom, and acerbic humor while Apollo builds beats that sound old school at their best. Look forward to heavy bass, gritty guitars, and atmospheric loops that add soul to the beats. Apollo also draws on modern classics, for example sampling Marciano’s banger Richard Gear on the chorus of Superstitious. CRIMEAPPLE raps without compromise. He raps about luxury and dirt, and, as is his habit, the lyrics are full of contrasts—on the one hand, they describe extravagant experiences, and on the other, the artist’s growing up in poverty and around drugs. This, Is Not That delivers street poetry with the smell of cigarette smoke and experiences that are both adrenaline-inducing and motivating.
NEWS
The Skeleton Key
Roc Marciano revealed on his Instagram that something special took place at Art Basel in Miami on December 7. A special listening party was hosted by fashion designer and artist Josué Thomas’ brand, Art That Kills. The second headliner of the event was The Alchemist. The artists hosted a listening party for their new project, The Skeleton Key, and it sounds like something that will unlock not only our speakers but our souls as well. Get ready for dark cuts, clever verses, and chemistry that will crack any beat. The album will be released on Friday, December 13th.
The Jazz Possession
SudetyRaport is primarily a project about rap, but sometimes we take a small step in a different direction. We are sure you’ll forgive us today, as we want to give you a truly spiritual experience. Shabaka Hutchings, aka Shabaka, is a British jazz musician, composer, and bandleader. He leads the band Shabaka and the Ancestors and previously led the band Sons of Kemet (before its disbandment in 2022). Why are we writing about him? Because he released the excellent Possession EP, which features guest appearances from billy woods, E L U C I D, Andre 3000, and more. Yes, you read that right; we really couldn’t spare you about the fusion of jazz and Armand Hammer.
Great live performances
We really like the great live performances on SudetyRaport. The energy they can convey is truly unmistakable. Sure, there’s nothing like going to a concert, but if you can’t see your favorite artist live, video is a great substitute. You can usually find the performances in Quick News, but last week so many of them came out that we have to dedicate a separate news item to them. The Tiny Desk Concert is now a legendary format, and the latest episode features the great Doechii. Denzel Curry performed GOT ME GEEKED from his latest album on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and 7xvethegenius gave a great live performance of a very personal song called Deuce.
QUICK NEWS
- V Don tweeted that a collaborative album with Boldy James is being mastered now.
- Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s Missionary album will be released next week. Watch the explosive trailer.
- August Fanon revealed that the collaborative album with Blu is mixed, mastered, and has been handed into the label.
- Discover the creative process of one of the best producers of our time. Nicholas Craven presents NO SAMPLE SNITCHING.
- To know illsugi is to understand the essence of Japanese hip-hop. The second episode of the third season of The Renaissance Show docuseries is out.
BEST ALBUMS
K-the-I??? & Kenny Segal – Genuine Dexterity
This year we have once again covered almost every album from the renowned label Backwoodz Studioz (Duncecap will surely forgive us with his Pay or Dispute album). Under the label’s wing this year, as in previous years, some of the best and most interesting projects of the year were released. Each of them broke down boundaries with such vigor that we’ve reached the universe itself, where together with Kenny Segal & K-the-I??? and their record Genuine Dexterity we’ll be looking for answers to the question, “Which way is our universe going?” Kenny is a producer who perhaps needs no introduction, but to introduce rapper K-the-I??? we’ll borrow the words of the label itself: “Rapper/Producer Kiki Ceac, best known by his stage name K-the-I???, was at the forefront of the mid-00’s experimental hip-hop wave that laid the groundwork for much of the alternative rap music that followed. Originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts, Kiki moved to Los Angeles around the same time that fellow East Coast transplant Kenny Segal was beginning to make noise under the Project Blowed umbrella. Despite moving in the same circles for many years, they had never worked together until Genuine Dexterity- which, ironically enough, came about after Kiki moved back to the East Coast.” Genuine Dexterity is a bottomless pit of creativity and modern experimental rap. Both artists know no boundaries and together have created a plethora of transformative and innovative tracks that are not easy to listen to but all the more rewarding when you return to them. In addition, the record features guest appearances from Armand Hammer, Open Mike Eagle, ShrapKnel, Fatboi Sharif, Self Jupiter, and Jesse the Tree, so if you’re a fan of underground rap, this record is a must-hear. “I bet I can touch the sky so easily.”
TRAPMAT SAVIOR , Nicholas Craven & Mike Shabb – 1ST COMING
A year ago, we wouldn’t have expected to be writing about “mumble” rap with a heavenly sound. However, Montreal has produced some of the most exciting rap artists of the moment in recent years. Nicholas Craven has emerged as one of the most important producers of recent years; Mike Shabb is a rap and producer star whose albums we regularly praise, and this year TRAPMAT SAVIOR impressed us with his innovative approach. His breakthrough album, 1ST COMING, is the result of the work of three of Montreal’s greatest rap talents. Half of the record was produced by Craven, half by Mike Shabb. TRAPMAT SAVIOR jumped on the modern, almost heavenly-sounding beats with gorgeous samples and raps the emotional and introspective lyrics with his new-age mumble flow. To accuse him of making some bars harder to understand is out of place in this case. TRAPMAT SAVIOR fully connects his words with the beats and conveys the stories and emotions to the listener mostly melodically. 1ST COMING is by no means a blank album in terms of substance; on the contrary, with its almost revolutionary sound, it manages to leave a much more intense imprint on the listener than some heavily storytelling album. Throughout the album, especially when listening to the tracks Scraping and December 26th, we really felt like we were floating.
AKTHESAVIOR – Blessings In The Grey Ill
AKTHESAVIOR has returned to bring us another installment of his spiritual journey through the grey area of reality. Blessing In The Grey III is like a therapy session on the beats, where introspection meets raw streets. AK shows that he still has the desire to find the light even in the darkness, giving space not only to himself but to those who share the same vision. The project is teeming with guests who add their own unique vibe to the album. There’s Billy Lemons, Sagun, Elijah Who, Ella Gilbert, and Meechy Darko, who brings classic Flatbush Zombie chaos to the album. Safa Gaw, Holly, and Rai Ca$h give the album additional layers and flow. This is more than just a record; it’s a community effort. The track La Brea Boys, Pt. II with guest Safa Gaw is simply dynamite. The lyrics make you feel Brooklyn in full force, alive, unbridled, and raw. AK paints pictures of everyday life where spiritual ideas meet violence and a determination to not only survive but to live fully.
YL – Basketball Diaries
YL has thrown his new project, Basketball Diaries, into the rap game, and it’s a banger that takes you on a nostalgic ride through the concrete where streetball meets life lessons. This record is like a reflection of everyday life, simple but full of emotion and stories that will get you going. YL keeps things intimate; the only guest on the record is The Musalini, which only accentuates the vibe of the project. This minimalism gives YL’s bars and his signature flow room to shine, reminding you of summer nights where every move counts, whether on the field or in life. The track LAY UP LINES is the highlight of the whole project. The production from $MOOVE is smooth as silk; the beat swings just like you’d expect from a baller story soundtrack. YL goes into deep introspection on the track, where every line feels like a shot at the basket; some fit, some don’t. The EP teeters between melancholy and motivation; the beats are light, but the lyrics can weigh you down. YL raps about everyday struggles, how time never waits, and how every strip he wears had to be earned. This gives Basketball Diaries an authenticity that you’ll only find in someone who truly lives what they rap.
Bad Tofu (Milc & Chuck Strangers) – Affordable Luxuries
The duo Bad Tofu, consisting of Milc and Chuck Strangers, has released Affordable Luxuries, an album that takes you through a world where luxury is not about money but about mentality. Chuck Strangers on the beats, Milc behind the mic, and the two work together like two sides of the same coin—inseparable. Moreover, you won’t find any guests on the record, just pure alchemy between the two artists mentioned above. The production on the album is like a carefully stirred wok stir-fry—simple, but every detail makes sense. Chuck has produced a soundscape that goes from boom-bap to moody atmospheres where you can feel the influence of both coasts while still hearing that unmistakable 90s nostalgia. Milc’s lyrics, on the other hand, are very raw, authentic, and full of stories that pull you right into the streets and the whirlwind of the rapper’s life. The track Ben Davis is an example of what this album does best—blending street details with deeper themes. Milc raps with ease, but his words carry weight. Milk gives you stories that are somewhere on the edge between dream and reality. Chuck’s beats, meanwhile, create a mood that draws you into a world where rap becomes a tribute to an ordinary but worthwhile life. Affordable Luxuries is a record for those who love authentic stories without pretension. It’s about the balance between the mundane and the luxury found in the little things.
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.
Stu Bangas & Wordsworth – Two Kings
Pro Dillinger & Futurewave – Dirtwave Vol. 2
Teknology – Teknology
andrew & Jesse The Tree – Swan Dive
money mogly – A JOURNEY INTO THE DARK
Rich Amiri – War Ready
BhramaBull & PhilINRich – Goldie
Mav & Cotola – Nothing Goes Wasted In The Wild
DJ Alkemy, Empuls, Shark – Delusions are Grandeur Too
Bun B & Statik Selektah – Trillstatik 4
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
Big Hit & Hit-Boy prove once again that when music is made by a father and son, it can be Bigger Than Life.
OT The Real takes you on an adrenaline ride through the city at night in his new music video.
“The youth carries the country on their back.” Serious Klein released a new music video dedicated to the country of his parents the day before Ghana elections.
AKTHESAVIOR highlights the release of Blessings In The Grey III with a great BTG Freestyle.
MUTANT ACADEMY remind us of their debut album with a hypnotic video for the track COMPUTER BLUE.
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.
Vel Nine – Where Will I Go?( Prod. by 4th Beats)
Che Noir- Shadow Puppet Feat. Brady Watt & Abiodun Oyewole
Grafh ft. 38 Spesh “Rock, Paper, Sissors”
CKooliente – Exterminator Thoughts
Freddie Gibbs – Cosmo Freestyle
WILLJXMES – STEVE NASH PROD MIKE SHABB
MONDAY NIGHT & GRIMM DOZA – PRIVATE ISLAND
House on the Water Curren$y & B G
Papo2oo4 – “TAKE EM TO CHURCH” (PROD. DVNTBEATS)
Metro Boomin, 21 Savage, Mustafa – Walk Em Down (Don’t Kill Civilians)
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.
