Welcome to Rap Weekly 141: Canary. 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 CANARY by Kemp Dupri & Ill-Sugi, Omega Beams by Tha God Fahim & Richard Milli, PAPERWEIGHT by Camden Malik & DVNTBEATS, Paradigm Shift by Tylr C & $adflcko, Terminal Illness by Termanology & Myster DL, LOSSES TURNED 2 LESSONS by willjxmes & Mike Shabb. Also look forward to great music videos fromal.divino, Ski Mask The Slump God, YL, Another Planet, or Benny The Butcher, DJ LUCAS. All this and much more in Rap Weekly.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Kemp Dupri & Ill-Sugi – CANARY
American rapper Kemp Dupri and Japanese producer Ill-Sugi present their joint album CANARY, a fifteen-track project that feels like a sonic sketchbook of personal introspection, calm, and subtle poetics. At a time when most rap releases chase sensation and viral impact, CANARY moves in the opposite direction—quiet, carefully layered, and deeply personal. Most tracks are short in length, evoking the format of minimalist vignettes that feel more like captured moments, fleeting thoughts, moods, and fragments of life reflection than conventional songs. Yet the album never feels disjointed. On the contrary, it flows as a cohesive, meditative exploration of the relationship between body and spirit, city and nature, tradition and the present. The opening track BK to JAPAN immediately sets the tone: introspective rather than showy, and with its gentle, understated delivery, it creates space for deeper contemplation. Kemp Dupri frequently returns to themes of solitude, memory, and the identity of a Black man’s life. It’s not traditional storytelling—it’s a stream of consciousness, stylistically akin to jazz improvisation.
The production work of Ill-Sugi is equally subtle and sophisticated, rich in texture. His beats blend analog warmth with electronic detail, using silence and noise as full-fledged instruments. On tracks like GYOZA, NIKUJAGA, or SELECT FEW, one can hear the influence of lo-fi aesthetics, the Japanese ambient school, and classic boom-bap structures—all delivered with poise and precision. Food, clothing, urban textures, architecture, nature—the album often moves along the edge of everyday life and symbolic meaning. Tracks like SHOYU RAMEN, LEMON GRASS, or PIGEON HANDS aren’t just titles; they act as keys to the themes of the ordinary and its poetic elevation. The entire record feels like a modest yet thoughtfully stylized journal. A standout moment comes with RAP CHECK, the only track featuring a guest—none other than producer Ill-Sugi himself. It offers a brief moment of more direct interaction and subtly reminds us that this is, despite its minimalism, a collaborative effort. CANARY is an album for listeners who aren’t looking for instant gratification but rather for a slow unfolding of meaning. In today’s landscape, it may seem like a quiet project—but that’s exactly where its power lies: through its restraint and elegance, it leaves a lasting impression.
NEWS
GDLU: PRELUXE
“Starting this new journey coming off The Forever Story has been a very strange, productive yet tedious process, but I live my life by the saying ‘You can only control what you can control.’ So this is the first step into a new world that I control. And. It’s. F*cking. UGLY.” This May, JID sparked a wave of speculation and emotion when he released the official trailer for his upcoming album God Does Like Ugly, set to drop on August 8. A grand return calls for grand teasers, and so last week, JID surprised us with the release of GDLU: PRELUXE—an EP of four tracks that just missed the final album cut yet remain closely tied to it. We won’t lie—we’re not the biggest fans of exhibitionist rapid-fire flows, so the new EP didn’t quite blow us away. But for die-hard fans of the rapper, it’s a dream come true. We’re curious to see how the highly anticipated album will turn out.
It’s ShrapKnel Season!
It’s ShrapKnel Season! The duo ShrapKnel first introduced themselves to the world in 2019 with the project Cobalt, but their true breakthrough came with their self-titled album ShrapKnel in 2020. Curly Castro and PremRock instantly established themselves as some of the finest artists in the rap game. Their last two albums—Metal Lung (2022) and Nobody Planning To Leave (2024)—were both featured on our lists of the best records of their respective years. So it’s no surprise that we’re genuinely excited about their next release. What we didn’t expect, not even in our wildest dreams, was that they’d drop not one, but three albums in the coming months. Yes, you read that right—ShrapKnel will release three full-length albums, each produced by a different beatmaker. Their season kicks off on July 17 with Lincoln Continental Breakfast (with Raphy), continues on August 5 with Saisir Le Feu (with Mike Ladd), and concludes on August 26 with Armature (with Ohbliv). Here’s what Fused Arrow Records had to say about the upcoming records: „Over the last six seasons, ShrapKnel hit the road. The DIY path isn’t always paved with fortune and glory but instead it offers alternative rewards to those that seek. Other than tearing down stages, and scorching new earth the goal was building a better conduit to all supporters and this was achieved beyond a shadow of a blade. Among these new bridges built, ShrapKnel crossed paths with three incredible producers cut from the same cloth but distinctly different regional fabric. Having linked for the first time in all three cases the energy was kinetic and just like that three new LPs were born.“
Alfredo
The sun is blazing, people are laughing, kids are running between food trucks, and somewhere amid Wagyu meatballs and the scent of fresh pasta, the energy is exploding. Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist brought their Alfredo’s Pop-Up to the legendary Family Style Food Festival. This isn’t just about merch and music. This is love for food, rap, and community—all served on one plate. The Family Style Festival returned with a single goal: to unite the flavors and styles people adore, featuring the best streetwear, top restaurants from across the USA, exclusive collaborations, a cooking competition, and an atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. But this year, something extra was added—Alfredo, one of the most essential albums of recent years, got its own culinary dimension. The vlog captures not only legendary festival moments but also appearances by artists Bun B, Boldy James, Daringer, Evidence, and especially some shots from the studio where the magic keeps happening. In a time when music often burns out as fast as fast food, this project proves otherwise. The Alfredo album remains relevant, alive, tangible—and now literally something to taste. Freddie and Al aren’t just in the kitchen or on stage; they’re among the people. They’re part of the community, not above it.
BEST ALBUMS
Tha God Fahim & Richard Milli – Omega Beams
Great beats, determined rap, and a mentality that knows no rest. The album Omega Beams offers exactly what you expect. Tha God Fahim is the hardest-working artist on the rap scene. On the album Omega Beams, produced by Richard Milli, he once again takes on the role of a mythical rap hero. Otherworldly endurance, endless bars, and a legendary run. Fahim has already released fifteen albums in 2025, so don’t expect overly innovative or sophisticated tracks—this is rap as natural as breathing itself. Rap is Fahim’s part of the body, a daily routine, and a superpower. It serves to express thoughts and emotions. Of course, we wouldn’t write about the album if we didn’t think it was great; Fahim still manages to surprise with his bars, and Richard Milli conducts the whole soundscape with masterful precision. Unfortunately, no music video was released for the album, so we’re sharing the entire album right away.
Camden Malik & DVNTBEATS – PAPERWEIGHT
In a time when rap is often wrapped in shiny foil, Camden Malik and producer DVNTBEATS come through with the album PAPERWEIGHT, which doesn’t sugarcoat anything. It’s raw, short, and purposeful. It doesn’t play the genre grandeur game. But what it lacks in length, it makes up for in weight. PAPERWEIGHT is a small, heavy object meant to keep things from blowing away. The title fits perfectly. This album acts as an anchor. It burdens your mind. Reminds you what weighs more than money, rap status, or shallow loyalty. It weighs past trauma and survival. The opening track, Cargo, sets the tone, with minimalist production and an industrial scratchiness, sparse but decisive lines. Malik doesn’t rhyme for sport. He speaks of things as they are. Not for you, but because he has to. Nothing fell into his lap. Everything came muddy, complicated, and painful. The environment? A trap. The future? Unclear. But despite the rawness, there’s no self-pity. Rather, a calmly accepted burden. DVNTBEATS’ production is tightly controlled. It doesn’t play melodramatic beauty. It creates space where even silence matters. The beats are raw but cinematically specific. Every beat feels like a dusty shot from a basement security camera. Low BPM, deliberate roughness, heavy groove.
Tylr C & $adflcko – Paradigm Shift
Some albums aren’t just collections of tracks, but calls. Calls to awareness, to awakening, to change. Such is Paradigm Shift, the joint project of Tylr C and $adflcko. An album that doesn’t excuse emotions, doesn’t avoid the truth, and doesn’t speak quietly, even though it has the soul of a poet. This recording is deeply political, but not ideological. It doesn’t look for simple villains. Instead, it points to a system that grinds people to pieces. The track America Don’t Love Me is the centerpiece of the whole project. Tylr C and $adflcko don’t just deliver political commentary here—they lead a personal confession of someone who has been part of the system since childhood but was never welcomed in it. The album is angry but carries deep sadness and disappointment inside. The artists don’t fight for war; they want to educate, they want to be free, and they want to open the third eye and seek peace. But how do you seek peace in a world that doesn’t even want you to breathe? In their lyrics, they go beyond the borders of the USA, talking about Congo, Palestine, Vietnam, Iraq, and Sudan, reminding us that oppression has no nationality, only the face of power without conscience. Such interconnected, globally aware rap is rare. And most importantly, the message of the project isn’t just for effect: it carries genuine care. For people. For truth. For justice. The beats sound like the soundtrack of a protest march turning into an inner prayer. Gentle piano loops, unsettling atmospheric layers, subtle noise—everything seems to go against expectations to make you listen more attentively. Nothing on the album is superficial; everything is thoughtful and aligned with the message. Paradigm Shift is not background music. It’s not chill. It’s not just anger. It is a conscious, brave statement about life in a system that betrayed you at birth, yet you still don’t give up faith in unity, change, and higher awareness.
Termanology & Myster DL – Terminal Illness
Termanology is a legendary rapper and producer from Massachusetts who no longer needs to prove anything to anyone. Yet, even after twenty years in the rap game, he creates with the passion, energy, and hunger of someone who loves rap with every cell in his body—because stopping would be a terminal illness. On his second album this year, he teamed up with producer Myster DL, and together they sparked a record born from the deepest darkness and long-forgotten memories, carrying a whiff of hell. Trauma, memories, and pain come alive in intricate stories, building momentum over gritty, tightly crafted beats: Termanology & Myster DL have released the album Terminal Illness. If you’re unsure whether this album is for you, we have just one task for you—listen to the track The Raid, then the rest of the album. The Raid is a chilling storytelling highlight, the spine-tingling peak of the album. Police are knocking on the door, drugs are flushed down the toilet along with any hopes for a better life, and all you’re left with is yourself. Termanology raps with the precision of a veteran, yet his bars are alive and utterly contemporary.
willjxmes & Mike Shabb – LOSSES TURNED 2 LESSONS
Montréal brings another fresh artist to the rap scene – willjxmes with the immersive album LOSSES TURNED 2 LESSONS, where hypnotic production by Mike Shabb reflects on tougher times. Mike Shabb is not only Montréal’s most prominent rapper but also, alongside Nicholas Craven, one of the most respected producers, admired by OGs while giving space to new talents. Last year, thanks to him, we discovered TRAPMAT SAVIOR, and just last week we stumbled upon willjxmes, whose project LOSSES TURNED 2 LESSONS immediately captivates you from the opening track Way Back Then. The rapper’s melodic flow unfolds, painting a collage of fragmented memories of harder times, shaped into life lessons, together with Shabb’s hypnotic production. Both Mike Shabb and TRAPMAT SAVIOR guest on the project, and all three together demonstrate what the future of rap sounds like—rooted in the genre’s origins but unafraid to innovate.
DOPE ALBUMS
The five albums above aren’t the only ones you need to hear. We’ve handpicked ten more dope records that no one should sleep on. Give every one of these projects a shot — they all deserve your time.
Splurgeboys & Novelist – Nov Flip EP
HAGAKURE & Nyeusi Loe – GIFT OF GREASES
Sankofa & G Fam Black – Monster Factory
MONEY MOGLY & TEV95 – WXLFGOATZ
Streets Soprano & Heckler – Birth of a Dynasty
Recognize Ali &Tragedy Khadafi – The Past The Present And The Future
Xcel – The Magnificent 7
Artisin & Reks – Kill Writers Block
Dough Networkz & DirtyDiggs – Above Cloud Vision
Smoke DZA – On My Way To Berlin
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
MASTERSELF by al.divino is a rap masterclass.
Ski Mask The Slump God roams through a metropolis pulsing with his music in the grandiose video for Catch Me Outside 2.
“Yeah, this is what you asked for.” YL, Another Planet, and illsugi have released the lead video from their joint album.
Summer has begun: Benny The Butcher has released the video for his track SUMMER ’25.
DJ LUCAS brings order to chaos in the hypnotic banger ETA REMIX.
DOPE VIDEOS
Our list of must-see music videos doesn’t stop at the top five. We’ve selected ten more fire clips you need to check out. Show some love to all the artists below — they truly deserve the spotlight.
Sunmundi & Sasco – Clout Spells (feat. shemar)
Artisin & REKS (AR16) – “Kill Writers Block”
Radamiz, Fortes – The Good Part
Work To Do – Kingdom Kome x RUEN
Dave East & Young Chris – GET THAT $
Grand-O & Serg2x – Onomatopoeia
Larry June, Cardo Got Wings & E-40 – Ya Feel Me
Fliptrix x General Levy – Energy! Energy! Energy! (Prod. Forest DLG)
From, The 3 – Hurt November (feat. KayDank & Spirit.Gze)
That’s a wrap on today’s news roundup. What caught your attention the most? Hit us up on Twitter, Instagram, Threads, TikTok or Bluesky We’ll be back next Monday with another dose of the Rap Weekly and fresh heat from the scene — don’t miss it!
