Welcome to Rap Weekly 132: (The) Forever Dream. 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. We review the albums (The) Forever Dream by Fly Anakin, Fada♡of$ by Niontay, Let Me Out by Fatboi Sharif & Driveby, Bad Karma by Manny Noir, The Good the Bad the Dollar Menu by Ray Vaughn, Odyssey by Harry Shotta, bring you news about Lil Wayne, ANKHLEJOHN and The Renaissance Show. Also look forward to great music videos from Willyynova, Knowledge the Pirate, YL & SUBJXCT 5, redveil and T.F. All this and much more in Rap Weekly.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Fly Anakin – (The) Forever Dream review
Fly Anakin is undoubtedly one of the best rappers of today. It’s been almost two years since he released his last solo album, Skinemaxxx (Side A & Side B), entirely produced by Foisey, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t heard from him. Last year, he dropped the mixtape Anakin & Friends: Episode 2 and also released the debut album of his label, Mutant Academy. However, last week he began a new era of creative freedom by releasing a project featuring some of his most experimental and ambitious tracks. (The) Forever Dream by Fly Anakin is a spectacular rap experience that will remind you why you love music.
The album was executive produced by Quelle Chris, and by the time you reach the final track, you’ll truly feel that someone with a deep artistic vision was overseeing the project. (The) Forever Dream is a textbook example of masterful track sequencing and album flow. It’s colorful, beautifully sounding, musical, and frequently shifts in tempo, cadence, and mood. The guest appearances always bring fresh energy and add their own part to the story. From tracks like My Ni**a (feat. $ilkmoney, Quelle Chris & Big Kahuna OG), an ode to brotherhood, friendship, and love within communities, the hypnotic CheckOnMe (feat. lojii), all the way to the breathtaking banger The Times, you’ll be captivated by the diversity of beats, flows, and emotions poured into the album.
Fly Anakin assembled a true dream team for the project — expect production from Chris Keys, Quelle Chris, Mosel, Shungu, Micall Parknsun, August Fanon, Child Actor, Denmark Vessey, Mono En Stereo, The Alchemist, Sycho Sid, and Foisey, and verses from Pink Siifu, Turich Benjy, Sycho Sid, Quelle Chris, bbymutha, Denmark Vessey, $ilkMoney, Nickelus F, lojii, and Big Kahuna OG.
By the time the final track, Say Thank You, finishes, you’ll feel like you’re walking out of the theater after the final scene of a movie you’ll remember for the rest of your life. And it doesn’t matter whether you went to the movie with someone you love, excited about your accomplishments, exhausted from work, or alone with a broken heart – this album will remind you that you feel your emotions, and that’s why you live.
NEWS
GRACE GIVEN
ANKHLEJOHN, a rapper from Washington, releases his new project GRACE GIVEN, which was previously available for purchase only on his website but has been on all major streaming platforms since last week. The eight tracks offer an honest look at personal experiences, hard truths, and his own growth. The album opens with WELCOME TO AMERICA, where ANKHLEJOHN reflects on his place in the system and the journey he’s had to go through. The lyrics are raw and unapologetic but not overly dramatic, addressing issues without unnecessary moralizing. He raps about hard work, turbulent relationships, and the fact that he’s lost many things in life in order to find something meaningful. GRACE GIVEN is a minimalist and focused album. Instead of relying on big productions, it leans on lyrics, energy, and the atmosphere that ANKHLEJOHN creates with his natural delivery.
Lil Wayne & Miley Cyrus
A few weeks ago, Lil Wayne officially confirmed the release of the next installment in his iconic series: Tha Carter VI is set to drop on June 6, 2025. He shared a brief announcement on his social media, along with a teaser that, for now, sets the mood rather than revealing much. The release is slowly approaching, and with it, more and more updates are coming. Wayne revealed that he approached this album differently than before—imagining what it would sound like in collaboration with various artists. As a result, we can expect a diverse lineup of guests, including Miley Cyrus, MGK, Bono, Elephant Man, his son Kameron, and, surprisingly, Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli, who will sing Ave Maria in a personal track about Wayne’s childhood health struggles. There were rumors that Billie Eilish would feature on the album, but it turns out it will not be a feature but just a sample. The production includes contributions from Wyclef Jean, Wheezy, and Kanye West, although Kanye’s beat will likely not be used due to his completely unacceptable behavior. You can also check out the official cover. June is coming up fast.
June 6. We C6. Tha Carter Six. Captain Carter C6. https://t.co/tl6UHscK5Y pic.twitter.com/EbLBPtJ5yW
— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) April 22, 2025
The Renaissance Show
The Renaissance Show is one of our favorite projects in rap journalism/documentary work. DJ Mastamind continues with the third season of his unique documentary series, where he showcases the most interesting artists of today’s underground rap scene. Each episode is filmed with a specific sense of timing and feel, with the creative process being the alpha and omega. Through sensitive editing, alternating shots of the music creation process, the environment where the artists live, and the artists themselves—who often hold back when commenting on their work—DJ Mastamind creates a calm space where nothing distracts you from truly understanding the artist in question. What can you expect from the new episode? “From the Bay Area to Tokyo, Sniper Lew is building bridges with beats. In this Renaissance Show episode, we visit his apartment studio in Japan where he reflects on how living abroad has helped him slow down, reconnect with his artistry, and develop a deeper, more intentional approach to producing music. With the 2025 Japan 404 Day Tour on the horizon, Lew plays unreleased beats in prepartion for his set and opens up about his love for the craft and his admiration for DJs who masterfully cut and scratch their own productions—a dying art that he still reveres.”
QUICK NEWS
- In the new episode of Chinatown Sound – Sound-Off, Bigshot, Nitty Blanco, Teeg Austin, Bekim, Theoryetti, and others show off their rap skills.
- OT The Real has released a DELUXE version of THE DEVIL YOU KNOW; you can look forward to six new tracks.
- Listen to a great live performance of Breakdown from From the Private Collection of Saba & No ID.
- Bloo Azul & Spanish Ran have released MF Bloo Deluxe with seven new tracks to mark the five-year anniversary of the original album.
- Nicholas Craven and Brusier Wolf have released a joint single Beat The Charge.
BEST ALBUMS
Niontay – Fada♡of$ review
Niontay, along with collaborators like MIKE, Sideshow, and El Cousteau, is one of the most prominent artists in contemporary rap. The rapper and producer from Brooklyn released his debut album, Dontay’s Inferno, in 2023, and since then, he has firmly established himself as an artist worth keeping an eye on. Last week, he dropped his biggest project yet, the album Fada♡of$. Fada♡of$ is a sonic tapestry woven from freedom and the desire to have fun with music, capturing the chaos of today’s hyper-digital, fast-paced world. The beats screech, the hi-hats dominate the entire soundscape, the tempo is relentless, and the rapper’s voice functions as another musical instrument, blending with the beats and dissolving into one unified whole. Niontay produced most of the album himself, but other contributors include Tony Seltzer, DJ Blackpower (MIKE), and Harrison from Surf Gang. The album features guest appearances from MAVI, Sideshow, El Cousteau, Jadasea, lil peanutbutter, and Dav1d. The track Triangle Offense feat. MAVI & Sideshow is a highlight, as all three artists relentlessly jump on the beat and, with a cadence that will send adrenaline rushing through your veins, spit punchline after punchline. This album is impossible to get bored with. Niontay’s approach to making music is all about fun, and he transfers that same energy to the listeners. Yet, the album is still an authentic reflection of the present era—fast, constantly changing, and if you’re not careful, it will run you over.
Fatboi Sharif & Driveby – Let Me Out review
Fatboi Sharif is a truly unique artist whose works have fascinated us for several years. We dedicated an entire article to his album Decay (w/ steel tipped dove), which he released under Backwoodz Studioz, where we combined an experimental sci-fi short story with a list of Fatboi Sharif’s TOP 5 mind-bending rap albums and an analysis of the mentioned album. After all, how do we write about albums that defy all conventions, create new worlds, and take listeners to places they’ve never been? The same can be said for his latest album, which is even sharper, more striking, and darker than his previous projects. The world is bleeding, and from its wounds come things that can’t be described. Let Me Out by Fatboi Sharif & producer Driveby is a mind-bending experience. The bone-chilling album mirrors the current turbulent times in a fantastic and epic way, uncovering the demons hiding under the veil of illusions. The album will put glasses on you like in They Live (1988) and recharge and free your mind from the prison of self-doubt. Driveby didn’t produce rap beats—this is not music; it’s an entirely new world where blood and oil flow through its veins. The album features Beans, Lungs, and Curly Castro, who enter the story as new crazy characters, disrupting the trajectory of the narrative in ways the listener doesn’t expect. Wow.
Manny Noir – Bad Karma review
Manny Noir faced his demons and his own reflection in the cracked mirror on Bad Karma. The entire album is woven with raw, untamed energy, no mask, no filter. Manny stands on his own: he took care of the beats and the rap. And you can definitely hear it. Tracks like Non Fidarti Della Notte cut straight under the skin; they’re not just bars, they’re messages from the edge of the night, where every step is an uncertain game. The lyrics fly between the desire to become a legend and the fear that in the chase, one might lose themselves. Manny’s voice is both tired and determined, like someone who knows every stone on the way up. Musically, Bad Karma maintains a minimalist, dirty sound, sometimes just a few drums, a suffocating bass pulse, and the artist’s distinctive, almost whispering rap, which makes you listen to every word. It’s as if someone is whispering a secret in a silent room. The production is intentionally raw, with no polished studio fluff, more like a cold breeze at four in the morning. The vibe of the album is heavy, melancholic, yet filled with hope. Bad Karma isn’t about being the best rapper in the world. It’s about living with yourself. It’s about finding peace when everyone around you wants to drag you back down. You can hear that Manny Noir has been through something with this project. And now we get to experience it too.
Ray Vaughn – The Good the Bad the Dollar Menu review
Ray Vaughn plays an open game on his new album, but it’s not a sob story without hope. The Good the Bad the Dollar Menu is raw and honest but also full of moments where Ray rises from the depths. Tracks like MILES AWAY from heaven will put you in a corner, dealing with depression, addiction, and thoughts of escaping reality. But it’s not just about pain. Ray shows that even when life pushes, he still knows how to find fire within himself. Bangers like XXXL Tee or KLOWN Dance with Jay Rock will remind you that there’s still a huge dose of boldness and energy in Ray. He doesn’t lose his swag even in the darkest moments. The album’s strength is also amplified by the features: Isaiah Rashad, Jay Rock, and LaRussell, each bringing a different layer and helping to balance the weight Ray has loaded onto his back. Sonically, the album is diverse; melancholic moments mix with beats that will make your subwoofers shake. Ray Vaughn serves a complete menu: sadness, laughter, anger, and hope. And most importantly, he shows that even when life knocks you down, you can still stand tall and shout your name into the world. The Good the Bad the Dollar Menu is not just a confession; it’s also a celebration of survival.
Harry Shotta – Odyssey review
Harry Shotta is back, and not with just any project. Odyssey is not just an ordinary album; it’s a personal manifesto, a journey through memories, pain, and victories. 21 tracks of pure passion, hard work, and respect for his roots. After years of dominating the drum and bass scene and breaking records with his rap speed, Shotta returns to where it all began—to hip hop. And it’s a comeback with a capital “C.” This album isn’t about chasing trends. This is Harry, taking off the mask and showing his true self. Different Fabric clearly showcases his mindset and confidence built on hard work, experience, and love for the craft. No fake vibes, no flex without substance. Harry steps into the beats like a bulldozer, spitting bars that stay with you even after the tenth listen. He’s not playing the superstar but showing why he’s in the elite. Every track on Odyssey has its place. Powerful moments like It Wasn’t Easy, where he speaks about struggle and loss (a tribute to his mentor Skibadee can be felt in every word), are contrasted by bangers like Imposter with Rag’n’Bone Man, P Money, and MC Spyda, where Harry shows that he can dominate across genres. The album feels like a letter to fans and to himself, full of gratitude but also hungry energy that drives him forward. The beats are diverse, from classic boom-bap to harder basslines to melodic passages, and Harry surfs on them with absolute ease. This is not an album for a single listen. Odyssey is a journey—and like any great journey, it forces you to stop, reflect, and maybe even rewrite something within yourself. Shotta shows that making real rap without posturing, yet without losing its sharp energy, is still possible. All you need is your heart in the right place.
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.
Kendall Spencer – Taking Losses
Nowaah the Flood & Giallo Point – The Anomaly
Eddie Kaine – Play For Keeps
RJ Payne & Drega33 – Triangle D’Or
TRAPMAT SAVIOR – Still Grinding 2
Staten Stacks & John Dutch – Coming to America
Stoop Rebel Murda & Retrospec – Live Fast: DieHard
DEAD PERRY – Acoustic Shadows
Bishop Nehru – Trapbap
AVEMATIX – bluehillbill x al.divino
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
With the video for SLEEZEPARDONED, Willyynova lets you know that he’s an artist you just have to know.
Knowledge the Pirate and Roc Marciano, the godfathers of the contemporary rap underground, are making a joint album – check out the pilot video.
The dopest duo of the year? YL & SUBJXCT 5. The joint album will be released in May; check out the new music video.
The vibrantly colorful video for square one will stick in your mind as quickly as the track itself.
Mr. Serv-On by T.F and Bun B is a first-class cross-generational fusion of raw and authentic rap.
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.
Jay Royale – The Jay & Dehaven Prod by Ray Sosa
OT The Real ft. SKNJ – AFTER MIDNIGHT
The Musalini, DJ.Fresh – Live & Let Fly ft. O Finess
Megan Thee Stallion – Whenever
DAYLAN GIDEON & GABE ‘NANDEZ – SKY IS THE LIMIT
Young Thug – Money On Money (feat. Future)
DeusGod x Rice Master Yen – Juss Thinkin’
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.
