Welcome to Rap Weekly 124: Token of Appreciation. 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. Chuck Strangers produced beats with so much space that they let Boldy James’ stories and emotions stand out with maximum weight. Little Simz has announced a new album, Lotus. Check out the phenomenal music video for the pilot track. The album Life Is Beautiful is even more hypnotic now. Listen to the Chopped Not Slopped version, which was done by Houston veteran OG Ron C. The album Free Big Hit is the story of a man trying to break out of a vicious cycle. It’s gritty, it’s true, it’s real. #FREEBIGHIT. Queen Herawin is back with Awaken the Sleeping Giant. The title fits; one of the goddesses of underground rap is back in the rap game. On I Love You Again, Reason creates art with determination and love for music. All this and much more in Rap Weekly.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Token of Appreciation
Boldy James gives so much to contemporary rap culture that he deserves real appreciation. And as a token of that appreciation, we had to pick Token of Appreciation by Boldy James and Chuck Strangers as the main new release of the week. We had no choice anyway; both artists are among our favorite contemporary creators, and we’ve been writing about their music regularly for several years now. Boldy James is now in his fifth year of continuing his legendary release pace, which has intensified in recent months. In the last four months he has released albums: The Bricktionary (w/ Harry Fraud), Hidden in Plain Sight (w/ WhoTheHellIsCarlo), Murder During Drug Traffic (w/ RichGains), and Permanent Ink (w/ Royal House Recordings). We weren’t too impressed with the last two records, but we understand that Boldy James will never reach for the same sound twice, and we’re glad he’s not afraid to experiment. Token of Appreciation, however, is back in full force.
Chuck Strangers produced beats with enough space to let Boldy’s stories and emotions shine through with maximum weight. In every second of Token of Appreciation you feel the pain but also the gratitude for all the bad and good Boldy has experienced. This is true mafioso rap without a hint of glorification. Boldy James raps about the inhospitable and ruthless life on the edge of the law with the virtuosity of an absolute master. Token of Appreciation feels like a therapeutic session for a gangster, similar to the ones we know from The Sopranos. Mixed and mastered by The Alchemist, Chuck’s beats are perfectly intertwined with Boldy’s rapping, and together they form one strong cohesive story.
NEWS
Flood
Little Simz will release her new album, Lotus, on May 9th. It will be her sixth release and follows on from albums such as Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, which won her the Mercury Prize and the BRIT Awards. After albums NO THANK YOU and Drop 7, Simz is coming up with a project that will show where her sound and artistic direction will go next. Not forgetting the pilot single Flood, which features Simz collaborating with Obongjayar and Moonchild Sanelly. The track has a dark, punk-rap vibe and production from Miles Clinton James. On the track, Simz delivers a strident sermon on the way things are in the rap world, and with this cut, she further anchors herself as one of the most authentic figures in contemporary rap. The track Flood is about perseverance, about no one taking you seriously, but you keep going anyway. It’s about presence, strength, and survival. Finally, we should note that Simz has been named curator of the 30th annual Meltdown Festival, which takes place June 12-22. She joins legends like David Bowie and James Lavelle, which clearly shows how far she has come.
Mother & Gun
38 Spesh released a great album, Mother & Gun, last year, which of course we wrote about in our Rap Weekly. Mother & Gun is a record about living between two worlds; 38 Spesh keeps a distance from the life beyond the law, yet you can’t fully escape it. He’s got a lot of demons he needs to get out. He has transformed these demons into elaborate stories that you experience while listening to the record. The rapper, however, decided to really bring his songs to life and wrote and directed the semi-autobiographical film Mother & Gun that accompanies the album. We can watch the film on YouTube after more than half a year. It’s a sequence of music videos for all twelve tracks on the album that build on each other perfectly and only underscore the rapper’s ability to tell adrenaline-soaked, introspective, and emotional stories through his music. The film stars 38 Spesh, Method Man, Che Noir, Lloyd Banks, Havoc, Marley Marl, and more.
Chopped Not Slopped
It’s only been a few weeks since Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist released their successful album Life Is Beautiful. New music videos are still being released for the album, and last week it was even released in its Chopped Not Slopped version, which was handled by the father of the method himself, Houston veteran OG Ron C. The new version even has a shuffled tracklist, so you’re in for many surprises. And if you don’t know what Chopped Not Slopped means, we’ve got a little theory for you. Chopped Not Slopped is a style of remixing music that originated in the Texas hip-hop scene, specifically Houston. It’s a variation of chopped and screwed, which is a technique of slowing down music and adding effects like repeating and chopping beats (chopping). Chopped and screwed was popularized by the legendary DJ Screw. Chopped Not Slopped is a more modern approach that emphasizes smoother editing and a cleaner sound. OG Ron C himself claims that his version is more precise and better edited than some unprofessional screwed remixes.
QUICK NEWS
- Big Sean has released Amazon Music Songline (Full Movie) featuring live performances and interviews with the rapper.
- Masterpiece Lived & Born by Sunmundi & Klwn Cat will soon be released on vinyl under the auspices of Buenaventura Records.
- “The Final Chamber is Upon Us… Are You Ready?” Wu-Tang Clan has announced their final tour. Watch the trailer.
- The new episode of “Off Top” Freestyle (Top Shelf Premium) features the one and only The Musalini.
- Fatboi Sharif & Driveby have announced their collaborative album Let Me Out, which will be released on April 24. Listen to the pilot single.
BEST ALBUMS
O.T. the Real & Nickel Plated – The Devil You Know
O.T. the Real and Nickel Plated serve up a hard-hitting record, The Devil You Know, that’s a hot line between the street and the microphone. Raw, uncompromising, and full of reality checks. This is no polished mainstream, but true storytelling without filters, where every word counts for something. GOATS opens the record with an energy that grabs you by the throat. O.T. the Real fires off bars about respect, survival, and the tough decisions that make the difference between a legend and a forgotten name. What he raps isn’t just flex; it’s a chronicle of a life where for every mistake there can be a fatal price tag. Nickel Plated keeps the production concrete tight, no overstuffed beats, but raw samples and drums that sit on your chest like a ton block. COUNTRYFRIED with a feat from Smoke DZA brings a smoky, thick vibe, while TALEZ with Recklezz goes deep into street storytelling. The highlight of the record? DEVIL, a track that makes you think about all the things that can bring you down and how thin the line is between loyalty and self-destruction. And when O.T. the Real starts throwing in his realistic bars, you feel every word. The whole record is like a night out in a seedy neighborhood where every move has consequences. Not an embellished version of life, but a raw, authentic look at the struggle to survive. The Devil You Know is not an album for the holiday listener; it’s an anthem for those who know the world isn’t fair but are still finding their way in it.
Willie the Kid & V Don – Catch Me If You Can 2
Willie the Kid and V Don are back with the sequel to Catch Me If You Can, and if the first installment was a masterful game of hide-and-seek in the dark alleys of high-class rap, the second adds another level: sharper bars, a more sophisticated vibe, and production that pulls you into a swanky nightclub for the elite where reality is played in check. From the first track, Don’t Be Sorry, Be Careful, it’s clear that Willie is in form. Flows like tailored suits, references that let you know this is no beginner rapping, but high-level storytelling for a select circle. Meanwhile, V Don keeps the beats in a dark, cinematic veil, no gimmicks, just pure premium street luxury vibes. Bases Loaded shows Willie at his best: clever wordplay, precise delivery, and a vibe that makes you feel like you’re part of something big. The bars are crisp, to the point, and show that Willie is not playing in the second league. This track is like the last step before a home run; the pressure is on max, but the confidence level is even higher. Another highlight? Champagne at the Harris Building, a track that makes you feel like you’re sitting in a leather chair overlooking the city while something expensive swirls in the glass. V Don has produced a minimalist beat that makes every word stand out. And that’s the key to the whole record; it’s not rap for everyone, but for those who appreciate details, symbolism, and the art of telling a story between the lines. Willie the Kid confirms that he is one of the lyrical elite, and V Don serves beats that have a soul of their own. This isn’t fast food rap; this is a mature, carefully mixed cocktail for connoisseurs. No music video was released for the album, so we attached the video for the track EXXON.
Big Hit – Free Big Hit
Big Hit had a chance to breathe freedom, but the system threw the sticks under his feet again, and unfortunately he is back behind bars. His new album, Free Big Hit, is not just another rap project but a prison manifesto, a voice calling out from behind barbed wire. From the outside and from the inside. Interestingly, this time he’s not just relying on his son Hit-Boy’s production, although they’ve dropped bangers together before. The album has other producers as well, giving it an even rawer feel. The beats aren’t slick mainstream cuts but have a dirty, authentic West Coast energy where the club sound meets the street. Bigger Than Life is a prime example of this, with Big Hit laying down straightforward bars about a game that’s always about everything. The risk, the reward, and also the fall. Every big move comes with a price, and Big Hit has learned this the hard way. On the track, Hit-Boy has his back, but this time not just as a producer, but as a player who knows what it looks like to go from zero to a hundred. His verse is about the past, the woes, and the prospects for the future. Other standout moments? Snoop Dogg serves up OG charisma on Got What You Need, Ty Dolla $ign adds a melodic vibe on Slow Your Roll, and Jay Worthy and TeeFlii add West Coast flavor on Thug Love. But the main driver is Big Hit himself. It’s his moment. Free Big Hit isn’t an album to get you moving at a party; it’s the story of a man who tried to break out of the cycle, but it pulled him back in. Tough, true, real.
Queen Herawin – Awaken the Sleeping Gian
Queen Herawin is back with Awaken the Sleeping Giant. The title fits; one of the goddesses of underground rap is back in the rap game. Before we introduce the album itself, we need to take a short trip down memory lane. Queen Herawin is part of the legendary and iconic New York underground rap group Juggaknots, which, along with her, consists of her two brothers, Breeze Brewin and Buddy Slim. The group released their debut EP Clear Blue Skies in 1996, which they expanded with eleven new songs in 2003, resulting in their debut album Re:Release, now a cult classic. A second album, Use Your Confusion, followed in 2006. Queen Herawin embarked on a solo career in 2015 with Metamorphosis, and we haven’t seen another record since. However, that is in the past; the sleeping giant has awoken, and Queen Herawin is once again behind the mic. As she announces, her new record is about awakening your true self, your innate power, embracing it, and celebrating who you are. Queen Herawin has the blood of unorthodox rap running through her veins, so she wraps strong introspective themes in roaring beats and raps with the verve of a samurai. Her personal confessions are very universal and easy to relate to, yet their form is reminiscent of mystical raw rap, where you don’t go half throttle. The highlight is definitely the track Anxiety, on which Queen Herawin raps about her anxieties. The record features a lot of great guest appearances, including Open Mike Eagle and Breeze Brewin. Awaken the Sleeping Giant is back in full force.
Reason – I Love You Again
REASON was supposed to be the new star of Top Dawg Entertainment, but his albums were not as successful as expected. Last year, after seven years with the label, REASON left TDE and embarked on a solo career. He reflects on the hardships, but most importantly the freedom, independence, and outsider position on his new mixtape, I Love You Again, on which the rapper burns with determination and love for music. The project lives up to the motto “back to the basics” in the best sense of the word. This is rap, west coast vibe, community, and the joy of creating. REASON guides us through the entire project, giving shoutouts to newcomers, revealing his plans, and encouraging his fans to interact when they meet him on the street. Connecting with people and music is essential to him; gone are any ambitions of becoming a magazine star. I Love You Again is pure raw rap. The beats are great to listen to, and expect hard street rap passages as well as atmospheric vocals. The project features guest appearances from artists like Bas, Hit-Boy, Kota the Friend, and more.
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.
Milc & TELEVANGEL – Things To Do In Portland When You’re Dead
pty – Superstition
Homeboy Sandman & Illingsworth – Dancing Tree
Jim Jones – At the Church Steps
Chuuwee, Money Montage, Keithisjust – MLM KLUB VOL.2
Flames Dot Malik & Black Soprano Family – Sorry I Was Pimpin’ 2
camille – TUFF CROWD
Jay NiCE & Fredro Starr – FLAiRSTARR
Krimelife Ca$$ – Devil On My Shoulder
Fam Ross & Arsinel – Physical Hell/Mental Heaven
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
A track of countless flavors: K.A.A.N. and JONAH RENNA have released a video for the track OH MY.
Get in the mood for this summer with IN MY WHIP by Trevor Spitta.
AKTHESAVIOR is too cold on the Peekaboo (Freestyle). Watch the great music video.
BORIROCK comes up with an innovative flow on FETTYGAMO, while BONEWESO creates a thunderous soundscape. INFINITE WAVE season is here.
Termanology & Bronze Nazareth turn on Beast Mode and remind us that their collaborative album will be released on March 28.
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.
ZelooperZ & Real Bad Man “In the Wind” Feat. The Alchemist
Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist – Colossal
Daniel Son x Ghostnotes – 4th Quarter
Pink Siifu – TRANSLATION’! ft. Turich Benjy, TYAH, CRYSTALLMESS
LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON – Nah, You’re Mad Extra
Black Josh – Aw, Here it Goes ft Lee Scott
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.
