MOSQUITOES (Chapter IV.)
“I won’t bug you, but I’ll punctuate the emphasis
Mosquitoes don’t got purpose, but these bloodsuckers getting rich”
From Mosquito by Mary Sue & Clementi Sound Appreciation Club
70. byJ., Judah, Nyku – The First
“People are the meaning.” A simple phrase that offers no revolutionary idea, yet is absolutely essential. In the shadow of a capitalist society based on individuality and selfishness, it is an almost revolutionary thesis that needs to be constantly reminded. And we were reminded of it by rappers Judah and Nyku and producer byJ. on their collaborative record The First, which they worked on for over two years. The First was written by life itself, strong friendships, and a heartfelt community. byJ. produced beautiful, soulful beats that blossom with the voices of both rappers and guest artists SEVENDI and Jahmiu. If you’re looking for a soundtrack for the upcoming spring, the first sunny days, and moments when you want to be quiet and just be alone with your music, this is the record for you.
69. Defcee & Parallel Thought – Other Blues
Defcee is one of the most distinctive artists from Illinois, leaving an indelible mark on the underground rap scene last year. As he raps on the opening track of Other Blues, “I’m not even Chicago famous,” it’s worth revisiting his standout year. In 2025, Defcee appeared on a series of excellent albums, including Worm In Heaven, Vivid Visions, Contacting, Punctiform, Grateful Dread, Espejismo, SALT (LP), What It Looks Like, FAST EDDIE, emerge “n” see, and several other projects. What interests us most, however, is his outstanding album Other Blues, produced by the duo Parallel Thought. On it, Defcee masterfully showcases honesty, humor, and the lightness with which he captures everyday emotions in his tracks. This is an album for people who work 9 to 5 and whose lives don’t resemble gritty action movies. Even so, it delivers powerful moments, such as the storytelling on the track Graduation Picture or the great hook on Broke. Other Blues has the potential to become a classic, much like the best albums by Atmosphere. Vulnerable rap for unbreakable people.
68. Slumber Logic & klwn cat – What Was Found in the Fire
Slumber Logic and klwn cat created an album that tests all of the listener’s senses. Their collaborative record, What Was Found in the Fire, is a grimy, surreal, and deeply human plunge into the chaos of adulthood and parenthood. The Toronto-based rapper introduces himself on his Bandcamp with the words: “Slumber Logic is a lucid dream where you decide to fly, the question of simulated life, growth patterns inherent in nature that coax adaptation, and the author’s rakish lethargy.” This description is strikingly accurate, because even though the emotions on the album grow out of everyday events, Slumber Logic lends them a distinctly dreamlike aura. The production by klwn cat, no longer a newcomer but an established artist, crackles like burning wood and creates space for lyrics that are as abstract as they are sincere. The track Duck Billed Platypus is masterful in this regard, with Slumber Logic rapping about shadowboxing with his own ego. Slumber Logic and klwn cat found truth in the fire.
67. amitai sno – For; Before
amitai sno, a rapper from Kansas City, Missouri, first caught our attention in 2023 with the album Red Earth (w/ MaulistikTheMaker). Since then, he’s released several excellent singles, including the phenomenal project A.C.O.R. (w/ Adam Dunn, Shakim Shallah, and AGHETTOPHILOSOPHER). For; Before is the rapper’s strongest work to date — it builds on his previous projects while offering a more refined, cohesive, yet more diverse vision. For; Before goes deep: amitai sno doesn’t just rap to you, he raps through you. He pierces the illusions of the current system, yet still searches for beauty in the world. His emotions weave a mosaic that reflects the injustices of late-stage capitalism, but also the hope, power of art, and strength of community. The album features a wide array of talented collaborators. On the mic, you’ll hear Z1ro, Omari Dee, ÅGĦETTØPĦIŁØSØPĦER, HIDDEN GEM, meka maraschino, SINBAD, WuLxrdShakim, and Unknown Inc. Production comes from MaulistikTheMaker, Soek, DEADPAN, Chasay, Mack, BLOODBLIXING, Mal’Ahk Kasa, Kiaah, Sumwon, and Chiarelli!. Despite the long list of producers, the album holds a powerful vision and delivers a rich yet compact soundscape. The beats are truly beautiful, filled with stunning samples that embrace your soul, while the rapper’s distinctive voice — instantly recognizable — hypnotizes you and takes you on a nearly hour-long journey into his world. Let the outside world fade away — only rap and music remain. Pure beauty. While no music video accompanied the release, we’re sharing the full album here.
66. Be Manic & dylantheinfamous – SHED
dylantheinfamous, the master producer, and Be Manic, the seasoned wordsmith, have joined forces on a record that’s so gritty you’ll need a few hours to catch your breath. Dylantheinfamous has brought his best game; the whole record is a sonic landscape where melancholy blends with darkness and chaos finds its order. The beat on NORAIN is like a night without a moon, a deep, hypnotic yet eerie beat. Subtle piano in the background, heavy drums, atmospheric layers. dylantheinfamous knows how to build tracks that cut under your skin. And then comes Be Manic. This is the type of rapper that doesn’t need hooks; his bars are so thick they keep you glued to every word. On the final track, NORAIN, he’s joined by Dylan on the mic, and they both go beyond any standards. Their metaphors are rich, and you may have to take a break to decipher them all. The artists strike at the mainstream, the fake players who make entertainment rather than art with substance, and they also delve into their own minds, which teeter on the edge of genius and madness. The whole of NORAIN is like a conversation with demons whispering behind your ear. Dylan raps about battling your own ego, antisocial settings, and the toxic inspiration that can destroy you if you let it take over. The whole SHED album is a conceptual ride. On the album, Be Manic builds his lyrics on the delicate line between reality and dreams, while dylantheinfamous creates a soundtrack to the apocalypse. No music video was released for the album, so we attach the video for the track Zushi.
65. shemar – emerge “n” see
Brooklyn talent shemar is a rapper and producer whose album obtuse ways to say that i love you was featured in our TOP 100 Best Rap Albums of 2023. At the start of 2024, he released sunscreen w/ Child Actor, and since then he has been working on his latest project. emerge “n” see is a monumental album with a revolutionary undertone that sounds the alarm. The record is truly diverse—a constantly pulsing mosaic that surprises you with every track. The beats were produced by Outside House, shemar, bloomcycle, kiluhmanjaro, MILLENIUM, and Sasco, and together they’ve crafted a weighty soundscape capable of carrying the full emotional force of shemar’s words. The album features guest appearances from bcvbaby, Jay Cinema, Yo OG, Hester Valentine, baegull, Deleteeglitch, Defcee, and money for water, giving the project a communal essence, woven from the thoughts of like-minded individuals who truly have something to say. emerge “n” see is a constant battle of the individual within a capitalist system, living in the heart of a global superpower ruled by white supremacists with fascist tendencies supporting genocide. shemar doesn’t approach these themes in a didactic or macro-political way; instead, he portrays the experience with sensitivity, reflecting through his emotions and channeling his inner rage. emerge “n” see is a mind-bending work we desperately need right now.
64. Qontinue – A Mother’s Touch
A Mother’s Touch by Qontinue is a raw, deeply personal monologue about gratitude, generational trauma, and the strength to break free from it. It’s an album that soothes the soul while simultaneously forcing you to look in the mirror. The emotional core of the record is the track Love You Too, in which Qontinue defines the album’s entire mood—honesty as the only path toward oneself. The lyrics about finding strength in one’s own weaknesses feel like a process of healing. The production is minimalist and organic, allowing every word and emotion to fully resonate. Shout-outs are also due to the beautiful cover art, which tells you everything you need to know about the album.
63. SALIMATA – The Happening
Under the auspices of the 10k global label, many great albums were released last year. Projects such as Showbiz! by MIKE and Fada<3of$ by Niontay probably didn’t escape anyone’s attention. One of the most interesting projects was released by SALIMATA, a rapper originally from Brooklyn living in Marseille. The change of environment is reflected in the album, The Happening, which feels much sunnier than her previous projects. The jazzy beats go perfectly with SALIMATA’s rapping style. Expect laid-back flows; The Happening is a modern, stylish album, not some “preachy jazz rap.” The whole album is very lively, with hard-hitting tracks like Foil alternating with lighter songs, such as 9-5, giving the listener the feeling of traveling with the rapper—from her difficult adolescence in Brooklyn, through her world tour, to the seaside city of Marseille. SALIMATA is an artist who is definitely worth following this year.
62. JVNUS & LUNAR. – NOSTALGIA
We’ll admit we didn’t know about rapper JVNUS until last year, yet after listening to NOSTALGIA, we feel like we’ve known his life and artistic story for years. Which is perhaps the highest praise. On NOSTALGIA, JVNUS recaps his past with honest introspection and massive scope. Each track focuses on an aspect of the rapper’s life, an idea or theme that is tied to a specific stage of his journey or transcends time and is universal. An example of a track from the latter category is IT GETS WORSE, which urgently draws attention to the fascist aspect of American society, the building of a police state, or the expansion of empires. The production from LUNAR. is thunderous, yet gives the rapper plenty of space. Unfortunately, no music video was released for the album, so we are attaching the full album.
61. Blackchai & Illohim – PATHFINDERS
blackchai is part of a new generation of a distinct group of rappers who, with a unique sense and worldview—one stripped of the illusion of justice by the current system—are creating their own musical movement. “You’re a revolutionary, you’re a revolutionary.” Alongside artists like shemar, SOO DO KOO, Sunmundi, or amitai sno, blackchai stands out as one of the leading voices of this movement. He proved this in 2024 with his album OTHERWISE A BLUR (w/ August Fanon), which we included among the best releases of the year. Last year, he teamed up with rapper illohim, and thus The Traveler and The Wayfarer Cross Paths. PATHFINDERS is a mind-bending spectacle—a search for a way out of the maze and toward revolution. The Traveler and the Wayfarer meet across fourteen tracks to deliver absolutely phenomenal rap, full of sensitive observations of the surrounding world, with anti-capitalist and anti-colonial undertones and a radical mindset.
„The Hubble Telescope has infected the coloniser’s brains.“
From Flawed Skin by blackchai & illohim
„Best believe them crackers won’t make it to Mars Mars, Mars, Mars.“
From Corinthians by billy woods
blackchai & illohim depict exploitative capitalism as an ever-expanding cosmic entity, so deeply rooted that it’s more likely the planet will burn before true change occurs. Despite the thematic depth, intellectual richness, and conceptual complexity of the album, each track hits hard, the beats are excellent, and the entire project remains tightly cohesive. PATHFINDERS is an album that even an occasional rap listener can fall in love with—but its content will take you much, much deeper. There is also an interview with PATHFINDERS on our website that you should definitely read.
