KISS OF DEATH (Chapter Five)
“Uh, this sound like the kiss of death
Where I’m from you would killed for less“
From Kiss Of Death by ANKHLEJOHN
60. Rapsody – Please Don’t Cry
Rapsody returned last year with a long-awaited album Please Don’t Cry, an album full of deep emotion, faith, and raw lyricism. The record features a host of stellar guest appearances, including Lil Wayne, Niko Brim, Baby Tate, Phylicia Rashad, Mantragold, Bibi Bourelly, Keznamdi, Nicole Bus, Erykah Badu, Alex Isley, DIXSON, and Bee-B. Each of them brings their own unique energy, and together with Rapsody, they create a musical experience that resonates long after listening. The lyrics are a meditation on faith, hope, and finding light in dark times. Rapsody reflects on the days of loneliness, when she sought solace in God while never losing her unrelenting energy and determination. Her words are full of strength, whether she is talking about her struggles in life or how she is learning from her mistakes and growing. The production on Please Don’t Cry is carefully balanced and supports Rapsody’s lyrical depth. Each track offers something new, from introspective ballads to energetic bangers. Rapsody isn’t afraid to show her vulnerability and humanity on this record. The lyrics are full of personal confessions that draw the listener into her world. Please Don’t Cry is an album that will leave no one unmoved. The rapper confirms her place at the top of the hip-hop scene and shows that her music has the ability to heal and inspire.
59. Ovrkast. – KAST GOT WINGS
Ovrkast. flies high with KAST GOT WINGS, a record that serves up introspective storytelling on a wave of soulful beats. Each track sounds like a nightly reflection on life, successes, doubts and the pressure that comes with growing up. Ovrkast. raps with humility and determination that no success will just fall into your lap. Musically and lyrically, he maintains his distinctive style, soulful and effortlessly fluid, yet full of deep meaning. Ovrkast. further confirms that he is not just a mere player on the scene but an artist who transforms reality into art.
58. Kendrick Lamar – GNX
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 used his momentum to the fullest and like a bolt from the blue, he released GNX in November, 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.
57. Willyynova – PARDON MY SLEEZE
Art connects, and we as listeners are always delighted when we are confronted with a work that brings us microscopically closer to the artist. PARDONMYSLEEZE is just such an album. Last year Willyynova released his most expansive albums to date: PARDONMYSLEEZE and SLEEZE WAS PARDONED. PARDONMYSLEEZE is a kaleidoscopic dive into the artist’s inner soul, a journey through a magical cave where ancient ancestral paintings dazzle you on every wall. Willyynova reflects on both his inner self and the socio-cultural issues of his people. It’s all underscored by sixteen spectacular beats that beg for your attention.
56. Michael Christmas – Unsexy
We praise Massachusetts rap quite often, with artists like BoriRock, al.divino, and Estee Nack regularly releasing quality projects. But this time we’re not bringing strictly street rap, but an album influenced by 70s soul. Four years since Hiding, charismatic rapper Michael Christmas has stopped hiding and released Unsexy, inspired by The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend. You know that feeling you get when you need to hear something positive, playful, and feel-good? Just switch off for a while, put on some great music, and have fun. That’s exactly what the Unsexy album is for. Michael Christmas raps about mundane things to beautiful soulful beats, but doing so with a skill that is definitely not mundane. The record also features guest appearances from phiik & Lungs, Domo Genesis, and more, so you can look forward to a diverse range of guests.
55. Saint_JAME$ – BY ANY MEAN$
Few albums are more appropriately named than BY ANY MEAN$, the debut album from producer Saint_JAME$. The project was supposed to be released in 2023, but it was accompanied by legal complications, funding problems, delays, and repeated recording sessions. Saint_JAME$ even had the slogan BY ANY MEAN$ tattooed six months before the album’s release, even though at the time he didn’t know if the album would ever be released. That’s how determined he was. A dream has come true, and you can look forward to a cinematic album that is a showcase of the current underground. Saint_JAME$ has produced immersive, atmospheric, and cinematic beats that he has worked out to the last detail. Listening to the album, you’ll be fully immersed in the action, and there are tons of little details for the more attentive among you. The list of guest rappers is also impressive, with artists including Rome Steetz, Chase Fetti, Kool G Rap, Rick Hyde, Estee Nack, Pink Siifu, Hus KingPin, Boldy James, al.divino, ETO, Elcamino, and Conway the Machine.
54. Bloo Azul & Good Food – Cordon Bloo
Can you hear it bubbling on the stove? Bloo Azul and Good Food serve up 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.
53. The Musalini – Active & Attractive
Summer never ended, at least not in Musalini’s world. Active & Attractive is the soundtrack to a life of luxury, where champagne is chilled in ice and every move is a winner. The Musalini relies on confident flow and smooth delivery, while the beats give way to smoky evenings and reflective morning moments. The guests add variety, but the essence remains the same: be fresh, be the boss, and enjoy the game to the fullest.
52. ShrapKnel & Controller 7 – Nobody Planning To Leave
The duo ShrapKnel introduced themselves to the world in 2019 with the project Cobalt, but the turning point in their career was the self-titled 2020 album ShrapKnel. Curly Castro and PremRock instantly made their mark on listeners as some of the best artists to come across in underground rap. No surprise, they release under Backwoodz Studioz.Last year it was two years since they released their last album, Metal Lung, so it’s time for a new project. The album Nobody Planning To Leave was completely produced by Controller 7, and we have no choice but to take a bow. The beats are absolutely phenomenal; they have countless layers, and you never know what the next minute will hold. Nobody Planning To Leave is an ever-changing rap ecosystem, an ode to the desire to create. Every track will surprise you, Curly Castro and PremRock will hypnotize you, and guest appearances from Open Mike Eagle, Onry Ozzborn, Lungs, Breezly Brewin, D-Styles, and E L U C I D add a new dimension to the whole experience. ShrapKnel never stops creating, and neither should you. Whatever you create.
51. Blvck Svm – michelinman
We haven’t had an album like this before. Blvck Svm is a rapper from Florida who started making music only a few years ago. He has several successful singles and EPs to his credit but only released his debut album last year. michelinman is a concept album that revolves entirely around fine dining. Blvck Svm has taken inspiration from the best restaurants in the world and turned their sophisticated, sensitive, and conscious approach to food into music. Every person in the world can connect to music and food, yet only a chef and an artist can understand the attention to detail with which both worlds can be created. michelinman is a truly serene record to be enjoyed with conscientiousness and delicacy. You can look forward to guests like Boldy James and Curren$y and beats from producers like Mike Shabb. michelinman is a menu from the best chef and one of the most unique albums of the last year.
