Welcome to Rap Weekly 131: Kush + Orange Juice . 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. Kush + Orange Juice 2 by Wiz Khalifa is a sequel to the classic, an ode to rap perfect for smoking, full of star guests. Pinball II by MIKE & Tony Seltzer will be released on May 7. The duo has revealed the cover and tracklist and released the pilot music video. Young Thug’s spectacular return to the scene is imminent; the rapper has announced the album UY Scuti and launched pre-orders. Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Armand Hammer, a new drum kit, and a tour with Boldy James. There’s a lot going on around The Alchemist; let’s recap. Dylan Gray takes you into the dark places of British society with the same virtuosity and a touch of magic as Andrea Arnold. Forty by Blu & August Fanon is about vulnerability, humility, and the joy of having lived to the point where one understands what true value is. All this and much more in Rap Weekly.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Wiz Khalifa – Kush + Orange Juice 2 review
Wiz Khalifa is a rapper who definitely needs no introduction. The legendary artist has been active since 2006 and has released many classics in his 20-year career, including Kush & OJ (2010) and Rolling Paper (2011). His new album, Kush + Orange Juice 2, is the follow-up to the former and is the perfect project to smoke, chill, ride with friends, and hang out with the ladies.
Kush + Orange Juice 2 is a truly diverse colossus, a seventy-six-minute-long album full of stellar guests. Its diversity is its greatest strength. Wiz Khalifa is by no means a lyrically super-strong rapper, and the long running time might put listeners off, but the rapper has used it to his advantage. The project is very musical; the beats are sophisticated and varied, plenty of choruses are sung, and the choice of guests is on point. Artists such as Larry June, Smoke DZA, Juicy J, DJ Quik, or Gunna have great chemistry with Khalifa. Take Your Time Get Paid feat. DJ Quik is a modern-day West Coast banger that will get young listeners moving and make many an OG’s heart dance. Time will tell if the new project will become as classic as the first installment; yet it’s no disappointment, but a hefty helping of excellent rap that Wiz Khalifa can be truly proud of.
NEWS
Pinball II
New York rapper MIKE and producer Tony Seltzer are joining forces once again to release the follow-up to their collaborative journey, Pinball II, on May 7. The first preview, Track Prezzy, arrived with a visual reminiscent of a hallucination from a low-budget digital camera. The footage is fractured, raw, and yet captivatingly vivid, much like the track itself. Prezzy is not a track you put on as a backdrop. It’s a statement. Mike reopens old wounds here, without pathos, without cheap sentimentality. Tony Seltzer, meanwhile, creates a beat that doesn’t impose itself but penetrates. It sounds like lo-fi deconstruction meets the paranoid atmosphere of NYC’s underground tunnels—cold, tight, and heavy. The whole track has the tension of a rubber band about to snap. MIKE stays true to his signature style: introspective lyrics and fractured streams of thought that refuse to straighten out. He talks about what it’s like to be alone with yourself, even when the noise of the world is all around you. And Tony doesn’t let it fall flat; his production doesn’t dictate the direction but carries the atmosphere. Here they are together as two friends who have survived something that cannot be described elsewhere. The album cover just underlines what’s going on here: a distorted reflection of reality. A portrait of smiles that seem joyful, but in their distortion you can find an imprint of heaviness. An aesthetic that resembles something between a VHS statement and a twisted security camera shot. Everything here feels personal, yet collective, as if they speak for an entire generation trying to navigate a time when everything is blurring. With Pinball II, MIKE and Tony Seltzer probably don’t just want you to understand. They want you to feel it. And if Prezzy hits you in the ribs, brace yourself; the rest of the album is probably headed straight for the heart.
The return of Young Thug
The story of Young Thug, one of today’s biggest and most influential rappers, doesn’t need to be recounted to you. Albums like Barter 6 and So Much Fun are modern classics that shaped a generation. Thug was arrested in May 2022 and released only one project during his time in prison, the album Business Is Business (2023). In October 2024, after accepting a plea deal in which he admitted to several charges, Young Thug was released and sentenced to serve his sentence and 15 years of probation. So the rapper is finally out and free to create. All signs point to a spectacular comeback soon. The rapper has officially announced his album UY Scuti and has started pre-orders. On his website you can pre-order the CD or vinyl in two variants: merch and a digital version of the album. We don’t know the release date or other details yet, but one thing is for sure: the album is coming.
The Alchemist makes dreams come true
There’s always a lot going on around The Alchemist, yet this year looks like it will be another milestone for him. Last week was another nutritious one for news surrounding Alan, so let’s recap. The Alchemist & Boldy James have released the third vlog in the BAD PIZZA TOUR series, in which they take you to Oslo as part of their tour. You can purchase the new Drummo Drum Kit & Soundbytes Sample Pack on Al’s website. What can you expect from them? The Drummo Drum Kit contains over 40 new drum breaks, & the Soundbytes Sample Pack contains over 100 sounds and samples sourced from VHS tapes. But that’s not all. The Alchemist once again answered questions on Twitter and hinted that we’ll be seeing a collaboration with Armand Hammer this year. Will it be just a single, an album, or maybe a feat? And finally? During an interview with EricTheYoungGawd, the artist revealed that the previously announced records with Mos Def and Erykah Badu are dreams come true for him and that they will be even better than we expect. Both projects are almost finished, and we shouldn’t have to wait too long for them.
QUICK NEWS
- The documentary Vega7 Capturing The Ghost Orchid takes you behind the curtain of the creative process.
- Statik Selektah, Westside Gunn, Joey Bada$$, Stove God Cooks & Rome Streetz on one track? This is literally The Louvre of contemporary rap.
- Boldy James & Valee is a duo we desperately needed. Check out their track WATCHU THINK prod. by MVW.
- JID released a banger, WRK. Is a new album on the way?
- Check out the great Bloo Azul “Off Top” Freestyle by Top Shelf Premium.
BEST ALBUMS
DYLAN GRAY – SITUATIONS review
If you read us regularly, you should be familiar with the name Dylan Gray, aka dylantheinfamous. The British rapper and producer is one of the most distinctive artists of our time, and he lets his incredible talent shine through on his latest album, SITUATIONS, which you can find on Bandcamp Rotary Tapes. Written, recorded, produced, mixed, mastered, artworked, researched, and creatively directed by Dylan, this artist is a one-man army like few others. Our review will be quite specific, as we have a truly unique experience associated with the album. On the same day that Dylan released the new album, the film Bird (2024) by British director Andrea Arnold was released in Czech cinemas, and we, of course, saw it in the theater. The intertextuality of both works brought us some really thought-provoking ideas and an interesting experience. On his new album, Dylan takes you into the dark corners of British society with the same virtuosity and touch of magic as Andrea Arnold’s Bird. Dylan’s ability to describe the current hyper-digital age, full of insecurities, broken families, and inaccessible homes, is truly fascinating. The artist is able to wrap his songs in a vortex of magic and lend them a fanciful dreamcoat that creates an inimitable atmosphere, much like Andrea Arnold does. Whether we’re referring to SHEIN, which eerily describes the life of the younger generation, or the hypnotic ROLL with its spiraling chorus, SITUATIONS is full of timeless tracks that prove Dylan’s visionary spirit.
Tony Bontana – Sunday Service review
Sunday Service is not an ordinary rap record; it’s a confession. It’s therapy. A place you go to cleanse yourself from a week of chaos and pain. Tony Bontana recorded it all on a Sunday, and that’s exactly what it sounds like: quiet, introspective, raw, and spiritually heavy. Tracks like Lonely Life, Blood Type, and Rest/Spite speak for themselves. Short but profound. No excess words, no unnecessary filler. Each track is like a piece of soul that has decided to speak. Tony doesn’t play on image here; he doesn’t flex; he talks about the death of his mother, the feeling of abandonment, the pressure to survive, and how love can save you and break you at the same time. Production-wise, the record moves between lo-fi meditation rap and minimalist boom-bap. Beats from Tony himself, 46Nova, Sink600, and 12Serene act as a soundtrack to Sunday solitude. Sometimes they evoke gospel, sometimes ambient reverie, but often they sound like cassettes forgotten under the bed, full of dust and emotion. Tracks like Dungeon Family or Brew 2 have a strong vibe, evoking a spiritual dimension. Tony doesn’t play savior but offers understanding through the music. Sunday service. For anyone who needs to hear it. Unfortunately, no music video was released for the album, so we’re attaching the full album.
Blu & August Fanon – Forty review
Blu is a poet. August Fanon is a beat alchemist. And when these two join forces, the result is a record like Forty, a project that doesn’t push for effect but slowly and lovingly gets under your skin. This record isn’t about making you jump around the room but rather sit down, turn off the noise of the world, and listen. And most importantly, feel. Forty is not just a number in the title. It’s age, reflection, crisis, peace, and wisdom all rolled into one. A confession of age that isn’t afraid to show vulnerability, humility, and the joy of having lived to the point where one understands what true value is. Each track is like a drop from a diary where Blu has surrounded himself with people who have something to say, and more importantly, say it with respect and a soul vibe. The record has a rich line-up of guests: Mickey Factz, Chester Watson, Charles Hamilton, Homeboy Sandman, Asher Roth, Fashawn, and more, but no one overpowers each other. Everyone here has the space to be themselves, in peace and in soul. Fanon’s beats are like a meditation—no boom bap in a box, more free-flowing sound collages, jazz-kissed loops, drums that don’t rush, and keys that caress. And then there’s Love (1-4), nearly eight minutes of pure poetry about love in its many forms. Love for family, partner, God, music, love that hurts, heals, destroys, and saves. A confession that is more of a modern psalm than a classic rap song. Every verse here pulses with a heartbeat. This track is the essence of the album. Love here is the foundation of life, of rap, and of aging itself. And that’s the power of Forty. It doesn’t pretend to be tough. It doesn’t play at eternal youth. It celebrates evolution, gratitude, depth, and acceptance. And it also shows that Blu is still the same emcee who blew up the scene years ago with Below the Heavens; only now he’s more mature, more calm, and perhaps even more in touch with what makes rap rap. Sure, this record isn’t for everyone; it’s not the soundtrack to Friday night parties. But if you enjoy rap as art, not just entertainment, Forty will reward you.
Markus Da Indigod – GOOD AS STONE review
Markus Da Indigod and Starker’s GOOD AS STONE comes across as a raw imprint of identity, brotherhood, and unbreakable proof that rap can be more than just music; it can be home. Solid as a rock, resistant to chaos and time. The cover art alone suggests that this will be no polished affair; the cover blends ancient wisdom with modern reality, graffiti tags with ancestral symbolism, and dirt with pure intention. Sonically, the record feels like a beat tape with soul, dirty, at times paranoid, but human. The production gives room for statements but also carries its own character that holds the project together like a concrete frame. Starker brings a rawness, a voice that knows heavy nights and hard knocks. The lyrics are full of reflection, gratitude, trauma, and faith. Tracks like ALL WE GOT IS US or NEVER LASTS (feat. YL) work as a manifesto, reminding us that when you have nothing, you still have yourself and your people. And even when the world is falling apart, you know you’re holding on, stone by stone. They’re not looking for excuses; they’re building their own temple out of what’s left. And maybe that’s why it’s so believable; it’s not an act, it’s a statement. GOOD AS STONE is not just a name; it’s an attitude. It means standing firm even when everything around you is falling down. The record holds together not just with beats and rhymes, but with friendship, a connection that’s not just about music, but about survival, about building, about respect. Unfortunately, no music video was released for the album, so we are attaching the whole album.
Ferris Blusa – GAWD GAWD review
Ferris Blusa, a rapper from New Orleans, released And That’s When I Saw Gawd (w/ Observe since ’98) in January of this year, which we wrote about in Rap Weekly. Last week, he shared with us another work, the record GAWD GAWD, a three-part story that combines mythology and authentic insight from the lives of the exploited in an unjust system. The whole album really feels like one big cohesive story. The individual skits are reminiscent of broadcasts from an old-time radio station, giving the album a steampunk vibe. The highlight of the album is the track Of A Dolla. Ferris Blusa jumps on a beautiful beat and raps with pain and calmness in his voice about living in a system that puts competition and empty materialism above community living and empathy. Unfortunately, no music video has been released for the album, so we’re attaching the full album.
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.
Emilio Craig & sherman – Powdered Rouge
Godfather of Harlem & Swizz Beatz – Godfather of Harlem: Season 4 (Original Series Soundtrack)
Kool Keith – Karpenters
Westside Gunn – Heels Have Eyes
P-Ro & Flu Dust – Used Crayons
The Underachievers (Issa Gold &AKTHESAVIOR) – Homecoming
Bfb Da Packman – Thats Brilliant!
Video Dave – Old Chicago Stadium
CVV.VINO & laron – BLOCKWORK EP
Tha God Fahim X Nicholas Craven – Dump Gawd : Hyperbolic Time Chamber Rap 11
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
Ovrkast. and Samara Cyn in the music video for Small Talk? This is a rap duo that will take your breath away.
Ray Vaughn tells an immersive cinematic story in the video for DOLLAR menu.
The Musalini, SwuM, and YL pay tribute to the legendary artist with the LARGE PRO music video.
AKTHESAVIOR continues the series of phenomenal freestyles with God Hr.
ESTEE NACK and al.divino on AMERICAN GRAFFITI prove why they are the coldest duo ever. When you add in ??? and GRUBBY PAWZ, you’re in for an unprecedented combo.
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.
Manast LL’ & 528ron – God Bless
The Underachievers – Losing Feathers
Jesse James (Solomon) – waterfalls
Farma G – Say It How You See It (Prod. Joe Dirt)
KOTA The Friend “MICHIGAN” feat. BIG SEAN
TRAPMAT – FXCKKDAT (PROD OYEDEVKLOK!)
Boldy James & Real Bad Man “Come Back Around” ft. Dreamcastmoe
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.
