Welcome to Rap Weekly 130: Papaholic. 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. Papaholic, Vol. 1 is a banger that carries with it the typical signature of the duo Papo2oo4 & Subjxct 5: raw beats, a sense of timing, and natural wit. Nas, Slick Rick, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, De La Soul, Big L and Mobb Deep will release new records this year as part of the Legend Has It series. Wow. Kendrick Lamar & SZA have released a breathtaking music video for the song luther. This is the top rap league. AJ Tracey reminds us that a new album is coming. The video for Friday Prayer (feat. Headie One & Aitch) is building up giant anticipation. Passport Rav & Tre Eiht take you on a journey out of a reality that burns, hurts and limits you on Escape Artist. This is an escape through understanding and pain. The album Stadium Lo Champions brings together Raz Fresco, rapper, thinker and voice of a generation, and Futurewave, producer, who relies on precision and atmosphere instead of pomp. All this and much more in Rap Weekly.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Papo2oo4 & Subjxct 5 – Papaholic, Vol. 1 review
New York rapper Papo2oo4 and producer Subjxct 5 confirm that they are currently one of the most cohesive duos on the independent scene. After a strong February release, WINNERTIME 2.0, they serve up another project, Papaholic, Vol. 1, which takes their collaboration a step further. The result? 24 tracks that rely on a hard-hitting sound, precise lyricism, and an atmosphere that draws you in from the very first track. Papaholic, Vol. 1 is all about consistency. On the beats, Subjxct 5 combines a raw approach with an eye for detail; the bass is thick, the samples are captivating, and the tempo is held by an uncompromising drive. The production is not about eccentricities but about the purity of the manuscript, which feels confident and cohesive from start to finish. Papo2oo4 presents himself here as a rapper in top form. His flow is natural and precise, his language crisp yet playful. In the lyrics, you can find classic flex, allusions to street reality, and also moments of irony and personal reflection. His style is both gritty and charismatic; there’s a strong local identity and experience in speaking to people who know what rap is about.
The track Shorty Goin captures the mood of the album well. It sounds like a club banger, but also carries a typical Pap touch, sharp language, sense of timing and natural wit. KD In Dyckman, Pulaski, and Triple Black offer similarly strong moments. Familiar names from the associated scene, DJ Lucas, YL, GWOLLA or Big Ouee appear on the feats. All with a natural connection to the sound and flow the album is pushing. It’s not about chasing big names, but about community spirit and authenticity. Although it’s a 24-track album, Papaholic, Vol. 1 doesn’t come across as wordy. On the contrary, it moves along briskly, with no dead spots. In a time when tracklists are deliberately inflated for streams, Papo and Subjxct come up with an album where every track has its place.
NEWS
Legend Has It
A few weeks ago, we told you that a new Mobb Deep album was coming and that Nas himself was overseeing its production. However, it looks like the album will be part of a huge, completely unprecedented project. If you’re a true fan of rap and hip-hop culture, you better sit down because this news is going to take your breath away. Nas and the Mass Appeal label have released a preview for the Legend Has It series, which will feature seven new albums from seven legendary rap entities. There are plenty of little hints in the video, but the biggest one comes at the very end, where you see a list of release dates for the legendary rap albums: Nas – Illmatic (041994), Slick Rick – The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick (110188), Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (080195), Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientele (020800), De La Soul – 3 Feet High And Rising (030389), Big L – The Big Picture (080100), and Mobb Deep – The Infamous (082595, PS: this date is propably wrong in the video, but we believe it refers to Mobb Deep). Yes, it means exactly what you think it means. This year we’ll likely see new albums from all of the aforementioned artists, including the anticipated collaboration between Nas and DJ Premier and the return of Slick Rick. Wow. What album are you most looking forward to?
Reject 3
Conway the Machine, like his other Griselda colleagues, has a catalogue packed with great projects. Albums like God Don’t Make Mistakes, From King to a GOD, and mixtapes Reject 2 and G.O.A.T are among the modern rap classics. But we’ll stick with Reject 2: the 2015 project established Conway as one of the most exciting rappers of our time. Reject 2 is his second solo mixtape on Griselda Records and follows his first mixtape, The Devil’s Reject. The project was produced entirely by one and only Daringer and boasts features from Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Mach Hommy, Nes, Roc Marciano, and Skyzoo. The cover of the legendary record features a black-and-white photo depicting Conway’s gunshot wound in 2012, when he was shot in the neck and partially paralyzed. Conway posted a picture on his Instagram of two songs that are five minutes long in total, and their cover title will be none other than Reject 3. Whether the legendary series will be followed up with just a double single or if this is the first snippet of a full-length album, we don’t know yet. We hope, however, that we’ll see more of the latter and that Daringer is once again in the production chair.
Playback
In the Chinatown Sound Playback series, New York rapper Lord Sko brings a personal and relaxed insight into the making of his latest album, PIFF, a project that smells like weed, sounds like a lo-fi 2011 cassette tape, and also opens up deeper layers of his own life. In the Playback series, Sko looks back at six key tracks from Understand, Girbaud Talk, Bong Rips, Robinhood, Second Thought, and Randy Moss, each of which functions as a chapter in a story of music, laughter, experience, and restlessness. PIFF isn’t just a tribute to stoner rap; it’s a memoir about growing up in a city where the sidewalks teach you faster than school. Sko talks openly about psychedelic experiences, freedom, and the pitfalls of addiction, while never losing perspective or his sense of humor. Names like Harry Fraud and Statik Selektah contributed to the beats, giving the album a nostalgic vibe without slipping into copycat. Collaborations with Curren$y, Mavis, and Conway the Machine only confirm that PIFF has soul and range. The Playback series gives a peek under the hood. How did the track Bong Rips come about? What was going through the artist’s head while writing Robinhood? How does the idea of becoming a rapper become microphone therapy? Lord Sko lucidly describes the moments when laughter is replaced by paranoia and when a weekend vibe turns into an introspective reflection on the meaning of existence. Watching this video is like sitting by the window in a smoky room with a friend, where trap and soul, laughter and silence, beats and stories alternate.
QUICK NEWS
- A new Ab-Soul single produced by Roc Marciano will be released soon.
- billy woods has released BLK ZMBY, the second single from GOLLIWOG.
- The Alchemist & Boldy James take you to Denmark in the second episode of their BAD PIZZA TOUR series.
- Mary Sue and the Clementi Sound Appreciation Club have announced a collaborative album; listen to the fantastic pilot single.
- On July 11th, a new album by Boldy James and Nicholas Craven will be released; this time it will be a “summer album.” The first single will be out in May.
BEST ALBUMS
Passport Rav & Tre Eiht – Escape Artist review
In a time when rap often tries to be louder than life, the album Escape Artist whispers, but whispers so urgently that you stop and listen. Passport Rav and producer Tre Eiht have delivered a record that feels like a nightly recording from the soul of a man trying to escape not only society but also his own demons. The record is called Escape Artist, and the name really fits. In the very first track, Rav takes you on a journey out of a reality that burns, hurts, and limits. But this isn’t escape by hiding. This is an escape through understanding, through pain. Like sitting on the roof of an apartment building trying to breathe at night when everything seems too much. Tre Eiht renders a decade-old boom-bap aesthetic with fine detail and melancholy behind every sample. The beats don’t hug you; they smother you, but they do so knowingly. Just the way Rav needs it for his words. And the Rav? He doesn’t go for punchlines; he raps as if each verse is an exhale after several years of silence. He doesn’t sound like a man trying to be real; he just is. The deepest moments come in the track The Escape, the record culminates here in a vision of the world. Rav talks about death, loss, games without rules, and how the system resembles a rigged Monopoly. Yet he still holds onto a spark of hope that there is a way out, even if it’s dark, winding, and no one will show you. Tracks like Good to You or Nothing Like You, with Mia Jae’s soft vocals, bring moments of relief. Relief is like sunshine in winter, beautiful but not enough to warm you up. This is what makes Escape Artist a strong album; it doesn’t sell false hope; it offers truth. And that’s rare.
Raz Fresco & Futurewave – Stadium Lo Champions review
On Stadium Lo Champions, two creators who have long established themselves as consistent architects of aesthetics within the indie scene meet: Raz Fresco as a rapper, thinker, and voice of a generation growing up on the essence of boom bap, and Futurewave as a producer who relies on precision and atmosphere instead of pomp. Their collaboration feels like a return to their roots without falling into the trap of nostalgia. The album doesn’t build a monument to the past but rather builds new foundations from it. Stadium Lo Champions is a collection of anthems about perseverance, self-awareness, and spiritual ascension, set within the aesthetic of Lo Life culture. This record transforms the street aesthetic into a literary statement. It has dirt and refinement, gunshots, and meditation. Futurewave’s beats work with minimal elements but maximum impact. They are raw and dusty but open, giving Raz enough space for his words to resonate. At the same time, they don’t slip into sterility; each track has its own pulse, its own color, even if everything remains in an austere, deliberately muted palette. Raz Fresco raps like someone who has found peace in the midst of chaos. His lyrics are incisive, full of metaphor and insight. Strong moments come in tracks like Lauren Story and Sam Never Was My Uncle, which have autobiographical depth without slipping into pathos. Guests like Estee Nack, al.divino, Sonnyjim, and Daniel Son respect the poetics of the record and enrich it with their bars. Each of them brings their own language, their own energy, but they all stay on the same frequency. Stadium Lo Champions feels like a quiet victory. It’s not a record that shouts or shows off. Instead, it offers a focused, introspective experience, built on the belief that less is more and that there is true beauty in the details. Raz Fresco and Futurewave have created a work that needs no outside validation, standing firmly on its own, with an aura of confidence and spiritual depth.
The Street Dreamer – 96’til review
The Street Dreamer is a producer from Philadelphia who released his latest album 96’til last week. As the name suggests and as the artist himself announces, 96’til is a project poised to leave a lasting impression, offering both a tribute to hip hop’s roots and a bold step forward into the future. The producer has accomplished the task he set out to achieve with flying colors. From the opening track 96’til (intro), the producer hypnotizes you with a unique beat, rap, and closing skit. The noise, the scratches, the imperfections—it’s all there, and it gives the impression that the album has a life of its own, not just a 2D data somewhere on streaming services, but a tangible work of art that has a story to tell. The diverse array of guests will make you want to hear the album more than once. From the sharp flow of rapper CAUTION, whose honeyed voice literally hugs you, to the chaos that E L U C I D brings to the album, 96’til is a record that has soul. Unfortunately, no music video was released for the album, so we’re attaching the full album.
Deante’ Hitchcock – Good Things Take Time review
Freedom and pure sound, that’s the scent that lines up with every track on the Riverdale rapper’s project. Deante’ Hitchcock reflects on his position in the music industry and personal life on the Good Things Take Time project. This is a mixtape that lives up to its title. We’re going to tell this story nicely one at a time. Deante’ Hitchcock made a name for himself as a rapper after releasing three mixtapes: 19 Summers (2012), Wishful Thinking (2015), and Good (2016). In 2017, he signed with ByStorm and RCA Records and three years later released his debut album Better, which he followed up with Once Upon A Time in 2023. However, the label deal is history, and Deante’ Hitchcock is once again an independent artist. Right from the start of the new project, you can feel the calm and the desire to create. The track They Know What’s Up reflects the rivalry in the music industry and highlights that the greatest artists may be those who are the least free. Throughout the record, Deante’ Hitchcock returns to the people he cares about and finding his place in the world. The final track, Red Clay, is the ultimate storytelling that pumps a lot of emotion into you. Unfortunately, no music video was released for the album, so we’re attaching the video for the track Woah!
DøøF & ill sugi – DOOF TOGO review
Virginia rapper DøøF and Japanese producer ill sugi have teamed up on DOOF TOGO to create a world where creativity has no boundaries. DøøF and ill sugi have translated a blend of Japanese and rap culture into DOOF TOGO with a level of imagination that honors the legacy of Takao Saito. Before ill sugi releases his anticipated album with the duo phiik & Lungs, the producer has teamed up with another prominent artist in the contemporary rap scene. The artists were inspired by the famous manga Golgo 13, the story of cold-blooded assassin Duke Togo. Even though DøøF comes up with innovative punchlines on the album and builds fantastical hypnotic worlds that mirror our own, there are also emotionally charged tracks. The closing track, BraveThaStorm, is a pillar of warm nostalgia, love, and friendship in a turbulent world. The record features guest appearances from S!LENCE, Phiik, and Rim, bringing more unexpected twists to the hardboiled detective story. You can listen to the album on Bandcamp.
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.
Shxdow & Frost – Fire & Ice
Lords of the Underground – So Legendary
Verbz & Zar – In Time EP
Chase Fetti – AIM & SQUEEZE
Midaz The Beast – Fort Knox
Figerson & Machacha – The Fifth Horseman
Four Limbs & elBrown016 – Green Light Sessions
Fam Ross & Arsinel – Audio Messiah (The Mic Ronin)
Unorthodocks & Solute – ALL MY HOMIES HATE TRUMP
Tha God Fahim X Drega33 – Lethal Weapon 2
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
Black Josh feat. Sly Moon prod. Lee Scott? We don’t need to give you another reason to watch the video for Flu Game.
THE CORNER by Steel Sessions, AA RASHID, and FEED THE FAMILY is the essence of the phrase “street poetry.”
Kendrick Lamar & SZA have released a breathtaking music video for the song luther. This is the top rap league.
AJ Tracey reminds us that a new album is coming. The video for Friday Prayer (feat. Headie One & Aitch) is building up giant anticipation.
RRR & 2oo4 season is coming. YL & SUBJXCT 5 have officially announced their joint album with the music video for BOBYAHEAD2DIS.
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.
Drill Scott Heron & Dj_Dndy – At dusk
The Musalini, DJ.Fresh – Red Eye
ElCamino, Flames Dot Malik, Black Soprano Family – On The Day We Met
NEW SUITS PROD. BY MALLY ABSTRACT FT. NAVI EL
Jaykae ft The Streets – Hooligan
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.
