LEGEND HAS IT (Chapter III.)
“Uh-huh, stronger than ever
I’m back, ni**a
…
New York is just one crumb on the map, one crumb ain’t a lot
You happy with that piece, I’m gon’ need that pie”
From Against The World by Mobb Deep
80. AJ Suede – The Duke of Downtempo
The world is changing at a turbulent pace, but fortunately some things remain the same. Another year has passed in which the rap magician from Seattle, Washington — AJ Suede — gifted us yet more excellent albums. Last year he released four strong projects: The Duke of Downtempo, Throne Away, Grateful Dread, and Relinquished (w/ Lord OLO & TELEVANGEL). We enjoyed the first one the most, defined by sluggish, immensely creative beats and a hazy atmosphere. AJ Suede produced the entire project himself, and even though the runtime is just 18 minutes, it offers plenty of memorable moments. The hypnotic beat on the track One Thing I Know ranks among the very best things we heard last year, Pruitt Eye Go has a great groove that instantly gets stuck in your head, and Blind Driver ft. ShrapKnel delivers references to many cornerstone works of underground rap, from Funcrusher Plus, through Fantastic Damage, to Vaudeville Villain. And it is precisely thanks to artists like AJ Suede that this branch of bold hip hop remained alive in 2025.
79. FN DEVILMAN & FLEA – Un Jinete Blanco En El Baile De Los Diablitos (Florida, Where the Fish First Sprouted Limb)
That we are fans of the collective PUBLICHOUSINGNYC is no secret. BA PACE is still coming up later on our list, but for now we’ll stop with producer FLEA and rapper FN DEVILMAN, whose joint album Un Jinete Blanco En El Baile De Los Diablitos (Florida, Where the Fish First Sprouted Limb) ranks among the very best releases of last year. Both artists come from Florida, which is not only present in the album’s title but is also deeply encoded in its DNA. The artists build the genius loci of Miami and other local cities but imbue them with a mysterious aura, as if they were guiding you through hidden corners, opening up a world beneath the world. The album features YUKA and BA PACE, and what awaits you is a hypnotic journey full of unorthodox rap.
78. Ovrkast. – While The Iron Is Hot
The title of the album, While The Iron Is Hot, suggests that Ovrkast. is speaking in the present tense. While the iron is hot, the blows land—but not with theatrical force. Instead, they carry the awareness that time moves faster than emotion. The album is deeply personal and formally diverse, but more than genre shifts, it captivates through language—through the way Ovrkast. thinks in rhymes, building verses as layered constructions of meaning, texture, and occasional internal tension. The track truth? exemplifies this—it’s not a straightforward narrative but a stream of associations, blending biography, critique, self-reflection, and linguistic play. Guest appearances from MAVI, Vince Staples, Saba, Frsh Waters, and Malaya feel more like parts of a community than flashy name drops. Their presence deepens the atmosphere rather than distracts from it. Each contributes a distinct voice and lived experience, yet none overshadows the cohesive world that Ovrkast. carefully maintains. Production-wise, While The Iron Is Hot moves between lo-fi aesthetics and cleanly produced beats—but never crosses into overly polished territory. The project weaves jazz, boom bap, and electronic elements, though no single influence dominates. Everything is in service of the rhythm of the voice, which acts not just as an instrument but as a tool for thinking. Ovrkast. doesn’t present himself as someone who has it all figured out—quite the opposite.
77. Leikeli47 – Lei Keli ft. 47 / For Promotional Use Only
Until the end of 2024, rapper Leikeli47 performed wearing a mask or bandana. However, in October of that year, she released the pilot video for her new album, Lei Keli ft. 47 / For Promotional Use Only, in which she took off her mask for the first time and revealed her true face to the world. She also shows her true face on the aforementioned album, which has a symbolically simple cover signifying artistic and personal freedom. The entire album is both emancipatory and introspective, yet it doesn’t lack the drive that is essential to the rapper’s music. You’ll also find dance and electronic beats on the album, such as on the banger Starlight. But don’t expect anything tacky. Leikeli47 has a groove and swag that is reminiscent of Missy Elliott at times. This drive doesn’t leave the album even at its conclusion, with the last two tracks – Stella’s Groove and HNIC – among last year’s best hits.
76. demahjiae – what do you hear when you pray?
In the silence between beats. In sentences left unfinished. In a prayer that no one else hears. That’s exactly where last year’s project by Californian rapper and producer demahjiae lurks, whose album what do you hear when you pray? really feels like a confession. It is a fragile, coded, deeply personal work, yet open to those willing to be vulnerable. The tracklist is compact but rich with inner tension. demahjiae revisits old mistakes, failed relationships, and questions without clear answers in each song. That’s why the album’s title, What Do You Hear When You Pray?, resonates so much — because often, we hear nothing at all, just the echo of our own fears. Gentle beats, ambient layers, muted vocals — everything harmonizes with emotionally charged production that suggests more than it says. The track Stacy Adams is a powerful example of demahjiae’s lyrical style.
75. McKinley Dixon – Magic, Alive!
McKinley Dixon, a rapper from Richmond, Virginia, is one of the most compelling voices in contemporary hip-hop—an artist who builds entire worlds shaped by his lived experiences. He first reached a broader audience through the critically acclaimed albums For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her (2021) and Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? (2023), both essential listens and cornerstones of modern rap storytelling. But McKinley Dixon is more than a brilliant storyteller—he’s also a captivating performer. His live set at Prague Sounds proved that his deeply emotional narratives, which often work best as full-album experiences, can still carry raw, magnetic energy on stage. Magic, Alive! is steeped in that same spellbinding power. This is cinematic rap storytelling at its finest—an album you won’t want to pause once you press play. The concept follows three children grieving the loss of their best friend, spiraling into confusion and searching for a way to bring him back—or at least reconnect to ensure their bond doesn’t end with death. Dixon leads listeners with the same charisma found in artists like Quelle Chris, while the album’s musical range recalls the adventurous spirit of OutKast. Tracks like We’re Outside, Rejoice are hypnotic, laced with emotional depth, humor, and immersive beats. The production—rich with jazz flourishes—is phenomenal, and the album is elevated by a roster of standout guests, led by the incredible Teller Bank$. With Magic, Alive!, McKinley Dixon once again proves he can craft rap albums that breathe with life, love, and a deep sense of community—all while preserving raw emotional authenticity and lyrical sharpness.
74. Herbie Lancock – wunderland
“These cold cruel streets led the bravest astray,” raps Herbie Lancock on the track cats in the stray. Herbie Lancock, a rapper from Sunderland, UK, takes us on his album wunderland for a walk through a freezing city where asphalt drinks tears and emotions freeze in puddles. It’s an album about in-between time, about a strange vacuum in which a person has grown up, yet inside still desperately searches for an answer to who they really are. What emerges is a work that breathes raw, almost tangible melancholy. The title wunderland is a cruel irony—Lancock’s wonderland is no fairy tale, but a reflection of greyness, tired bar counters, and inner uncertainty. A key moment of the album, the track who do you think you are, opens with a chillingly plain monologue about how you can like your job and the people around you and still feel completely lost. It is the voice of a generation that seemingly has everything, yet lacks inner grounding. wunderland is a soundtrack for late-night walks home, when the streets are empty and your own thoughts are far too loud. Herbie Lancock offers no cheap solutions or false optimism, but something far more valuable—a deep understanding for those who are still searching. Last year he also set a dizzying pace in releasing strong projects, which he continues this year as well, making him an artist truly worth watching in 2026.
73. Black Milk & Fat Ray – Food from the Gods
Detroit. The soul, essence, atmosphere, and genius loci of this city can be found in every detail of the album Food From the Gods by producer Black Milk and rapper Fat Ray. The rapper from Detroit’s Bruiser Brigade Records released his last album, Santa Barbara, in 2021. On his spectacular new record, he teams up with legendary producer Black Milk, who has worked with rap titans like J Dilla, Elzhi, Phat Kat, Frank-N-Dank, and Canibus. “Doin’ it for Dilla” isn’t just a phrase heard on a Talcum track, but a powerful message that Black Milk reflects in his beats. They have a specific groove that would make Dilla proud, yet they are modern, punchy, and uncompromisingly fresh. In his lyrics, Fat Ray takes you through life in a metropolis that is full of obstacles and violence but also inspiration and culture. In addition, the record features guest appearances from some of Detroit’s best contemporary rappers, like Bruiser Wolf, Danny Brown, and Guilty Simpson. This is an album that all of Detroit can be proud of.
72. FastLife, Madhattan & Spanish Ran – Bergin Hunt & Fish
Spanish Ran, a producer from the Bronx, is one of New York’s most prominent artists. His sound is one of the pillars of the current underground and we never cease to be amazed at the ease with which he can draw from golden age hip-hop, yet every beat sounds incredibly modern and fresh. Spanish Ran is simply one of our favourite artists and last year, as in the last few years, he has released many great projects. He’s teamed up with the usual suspects that are FastLife and Madhattan on his record Bergin Hunt & Fish, whose title refers to the former Gambino crime family hideout at 98-04 101st Avenue in Ozone Park. The dynamic between the two rappers brings a fusion of adrenaline-charged mafioso rap, but it’s authentic, down-to-earth, and all the more powerful and believable for it. All three artists manage to translate their complex lives into art that is very hard-hitting and effective. A case in point is the great chorus of Paid the Price, where not one word is extra. You can also look forward to a verse from Al-Doe and scratches by Pinnland.
71. Tzusan – Ponzu
Last year, something happened to us that had never happened before. While listening to a phenomenal Czech rap album (we are a rap website from the Czech Republic, but we also publish articles about international rap in English), SOMA by Dvě Slunce, we discovered a great foreign rapper we had not known before. We immediately dove into the discography of the Scottish rapper and producer Tzusan. His album Ponzu, released last year, just like SOMA by Dvě Slunce (which we placed among the TOP 30 best Czech or Slovak rap albums of 2025), makes it onto our list of the best rap music of last year. Ponzu is a heavily atmospheric album; Tzusan created a living, breathing world that sounds like a hyper-modern memory. Every track is completely immersive, with various sounds always audible in the background—on the track Snow Blind, for example, even beatboxing—so you never feel like Tzusan is rapping from a studio, but rather as if you’re standing right next to him. The album is genre-diverse and features a lineup of talented guests. Creating an album that pulses with life and sounds like nothing else is no easy task, and it’s no surprise that Tzusan had been working on it since 2017.
