Welcome to Rap Weekly 162: Light-Years. 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 Light-Years by Nas & DJ Premier, You Can’t Kill God with Bullets by Conway the Machine, To Love a Phantom by Verb T & Vic Grimes, Mile 790 by Phiik & DVNTBEATS, What Happened to the Streets? by 21 Savage, and Acapulco Gold by Dewey Bryan & Small Professor. Also look forward to great music videos from Hit-Boy, The Alchemist, $NOT, Lord Sko, Statik Selektah, MAVI, MIKE, Clipse, Tyler, The Creator. All this and much more in Rap Weekly.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Nas & DJ Premier – Light-Years
Thirty years of waiting are finally over. One of the most anticipated albums in rap history has seen the light of day — Nas and DJ Premier have released their joint album Light-Years. Ever since 1994, when one of the most essential rap albums of all time, Illmatic, dropped and fans heard tracks like N.Y. State of Mind, Memory Lane (Sittin’ in da Park), and Represent, the call for a full collaborative album from Nas and Preemo never stopped. That moment has now arrived as part of the Legend Has It… series, which we are likely writing about for the last time today. The series includes seven albums by legendary artists released throughout 2025: Slick Rick, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Mobb Deep, Big L, De La Soul, and the grand finale in the form of Light-Years.
Light-Years is a pure tribute to hip-hop and a celebration of what it represents today. Expecting a record from these two artists to have the same impact, aura, or level of innovation as their legendary projects that permanently reshaped rap would be naïve. Nas and Preemo are in a completely different artistic space now, firmly positioned as veterans of the rap game. On their joint album, they reflect on the beginnings of their careers; rap is still a passion and a way of life for them. They approach rap culture broadly — the album includes tracks about graffiti and about women in hip-hop. Preemo delivers beats that carry his unmistakable signature, and even though they may not sound overtly contemporary, it’s hard to fault him for simply doing what he loves. The clear highlight is the beat on Pause Tapes, which reminds all of us why we fell in love with Preemo’s production in the first place.
NEWS
Showbiz! (Deluxe)
MIKE expands Showbiz! with a deluxe edition that doesn’t take the route of new tracks, but of a new experience. The additional eleven songs aren’t new in the traditional sense — they are Tiny Desk versions of familiar material, recorded with the live band Band of the Century. This is where Showbiz! shifts into a more intimate space. Live instrumentation, subtle transitions, and room to breathe transform tracks like Burning Desire, man in the mirror, and World Market (Mo’ Money). MIKE isn’t rewriting his story; he’s simply telling it more calmly and without a filter. The Tiny Desk format works like a magnifying glass, highlighting lyrics, uncertainty, and the silence between the lines. Instead of grand gestures, there’s focus and empathy. Showbiz! (Deluxe) isn’t about adding content — it’s about deepening the relationship between MIKE and the listener.
MAKING DELTRON 3030
Few rap albums are as iconic as the self-titled debut by supergroup Deltron 3030. The group consists of producer Dan the Automator, rapper Del the Funky Homosapien, and DJ Kid Koala. This hip-hop concept album was originally released in 2000, marking a major milestone this year. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the album has been reissued as a limited Deluxe 4xLP Box Set. The box set comes with a 12.5″ x 12.5″ 50-page hardcover book featuring the album and all instrumental tracks on four smoke-colored LPs. The 50-page book includes artwork, lyrics, and liner notes by Hanif Abdurraqib. A documentary has also been released to coincide with this milestone, with more details available in the official synopsis: “Dive into the making of the classic hip-hop record Deltron 3030, with the artists who brought it to life. Featuring Dan the Automator, Del the Funky Homosapien, Kid Koala with appearances by Randall Park, Zane Lowe, and Damian “Domino” Siguenza, you’ll hear a first-person account of creating this one-of-a-kind record. An allegory for the French Revolution? A sci-fi cornucopia of 20th century influences? Or just some talented people with diverse reference points and deep intuition? All of the above? Peep it.”
Chinatown Sound
We haven’t written about new installments of the Chinatown Sound series in a while, but we hope you’ve been keeping a close eye on it. And if not, we’re here today to remind you. Rapper, a single shot, urban environment, and acapella rap – these elements create an unmistakable atmosphere. Recent episodes have featured artists like Xanman, Millyz, and Armani White.
BEST ALBUMS
Conway the Machine – You Can’t Kill God with Bullets
A few weeks ago, Conway the Machine announced his full-strength return with the single Diamonds, featuring the legendary Roc Marciano. Fans of the Griselda label can look forward to this year’s biggest project yet, released under the renowned collective. Don’t expect a pleasant or easy listen, though – Conway embraces his late style, and his new album is appropriately bleak. You Can’t Kill God with Bullets is anticlimactic in the rawest possible way, telling an epic yet painful story of the journey from rock bottom to the top. The production isn’t as flashy or opulent as Griselda’s past work; Conway reflects on his past with the calm of a veteran full of experience. His bars are filled with sadness, regret, and pain, but also with a sense of vindication and triumph. Hold Back Tears is the emotional peak of the album, a heart-wrenching track in which Conway says goodbye to all his loved ones who left too soon. Don’t expect features from other Griselda members – the main star of the album is Conway himself. You Can’t Kill God with Bullets is an album that carries genuine weight in every track.
Verb T & Vic Grimes – To Love a Phantom
On To Love a Phantom, Verb T and Vic Grimes don’t come across as just a rapper and a producer but as two storytellers building a world together. It’s not an album in the sense of a collection of tracks, but a cohesive, filmically narrated story divided into two acts. From the very first minute, it’s clear there’s no rush here, no chasing energy for playlists – this demands time, focus, and a willingness to step inside. After three decades on the scene, Verb T raps with the calm of someone who no longer has anything to prove. He’s introspective and grounded, yet deeply imaginative. His low-fantasy world functions as a metaphor for internal states: anxiety, addiction, doubt, and identity. The phantom isn’t a monster but something everyone carries within themselves. Vic Grimes underpins this theme with production that’s tense, cinematic, sometimes claustrophobic, and at other moments surprisingly delicate. The music doesn’t lead Verb T; it walks with him. The album’s strength lies in the details – in how ordinary situations intertwine with the supernatural, in how words cling to beats and create vivid images. The track To Kill a Phantom is a key moment: its lyrics, full of rituals, obsession, magic, and destruction, read like a dark poem about a relationship as alluring as it is dangerous. It’s suggestive, unsettling, and captivating. Guests from the UK underground don’t feel like obligatory features but like characters in the story, each bringing a different energy, voice, and perspective without disrupting the atmosphere. The second act of the album is calmer and more introspective – fatigue, reflection, and the attempt to close something. Not everything gets resolved, but perhaps that’s precisely the point.
Phiik & DVNTBEATS – Mile 790
Mile 790 by Phiik & DVNTBEATS hits like a rap ambush – intriguing minimalist beats, introspective chaos, and a fascinating level of rap technique. The duo somewhat unexpectedly released a collaborative album, even though the first two tracks were already heard more than two years ago. The minimalist production gives Phiik space to delve much deeper into himself than in his verses for the duo Another Planet. Here, we find him in perhaps the most vulnerable state he’s ever been, transforming from an extraterrestrial rap superhero into a regular mortal. Yet his rap technique remains otherworldly.
21 Savage – What Happened to the Streets?
21 Savage on What Happened to the Streets? returns to a question rap keeps asking, but few dare to voice so directly. The title itself feels more like a sigh than a provocation. This isn’t nostalgia for the old days, but an attempt to understand where the reality of the streets broke when it became business, a brand, and a global sound. The album hits hard but is never empty. 21 Savage raps with cold certainty, without overblown emotion, creating space for empathy. He doesn’t dramatize—he observes. Tracks like WHERE YOU FROM, CODE OF HONOR, and ATLANTA TEARS show that the streets aren’t a myth but a system of relationships, loyalty, and losses that success can’t erase. Money changed the backdrop, not the consequences. Features are smart and purposeful. Young Nudy, G Herbo, and Lil Baby fit naturally into the album’s world, with no distractions for numbers. Metro Boomin adds his signature cold grandeur to GANG OVER EVERYTHING, while Latto and GloRilla bring contemporary Atlanta energy without diminishing the weight of the subject. The album’s pivotal moment is undeniably MR RECOUP with Drake. Sonically, the track feels almost out of time—sterile, futuristic, and seemingly detached from physical space. The beat carries emptiness that resonates more than any bass hit. Drake raps with the detached ease of someone already at the top, while 21 Savage stays rooted in the reality where trust matters more than fame. That contrast makes the track unsettling, like a message from another galaxy, yet still speaking about the same violence and paranoia.
Dewey Bryan & Small Professor – Acapulco Gold
Dewey Bryan and Small Professor on Acapulco Gold don’t come with an album that tries to please or explain itself; instead, it drops you into an alternative climate. Small Professor really sounds like he froze the music, chopped it into blocks of ice, and reassembled it. Cold samples, staccato rhythms, rough textures. Nothing melts quickly; everything hangs in the air. Dewey Bryan moves naturally in this environment. He doesn’t rap about grand gestures but about a state of being—navigating between comfort and unease, between art and everyday survival. Tracks like Plateau, PressKit, or ChestnutHill feel almost documentary-like, like notes from different places and moods. The album peaks with Troubadour (feat. lojii). The lyrics are a showcase of associations, cultural references, and a lifestyle that’s both luxurious and weary. Dewey raps with the ease of someone who knows that style isn’t a pose but the result of a journey. Bars about music as a canvas, the soul left on stage, and the future listener who will return to this music feel surprisingly sincere. There’s a hunger for recognition, but also humility toward the craft.
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.
Jamal Gasol & Sayzee – Smoke Wave 2
Doza the Drum Dealer & Hobgoblin – Five O’Clock Tea With Bricktop
Harris Rudman & Brian Lentz – In Some Ways
BONES – DeathBecomesHim
Chop The Father, Nvy Jonez Lkr, NugLife – DESPERADOZ
Chris Patrick – Pray 4 Me
J. Arrr & BP Infinite – A Villain Preys in Slow Motion
Theravada – T90 GYRO
Bun B & Statik Selektah – Trillstatik 5
Ill Conscious, Alcynoos, Parental – The Aggregation Of Marginal Gains
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
Hit-Boy and The Alchemist have released a truly unique music video for the track Doing My Best, directed by Chris Motley.
A minimalist visual for a hard-hitting banger: $NOT has dropped the video for ROCKY BALBOA.
MAVI and MIKE are artists who truly understand each other on a beat—check out the video for Triple Nickel.
MAVI a MIKE jsou umělci, kteří si na beatu opravdu rozumí. Pusť si videoklip ke skladbě Triple Nickel.
Clipse have unveiled another monumental music video, this time for P.O.V. featuring Tyler, The Creator.
DOPE VIDEOS
Our list of must-see music videos doesn’t stop at the top five. We’ve selected ten more fire clips you need to check out. Show some love to all the artists below — they truly deserve the spotlight.
LORD JAH-MONTE OGBON – TEXTING THIS FINE SHIT FOR A MONTH
BLUEHILLBILL – PRESIDENTIAL PRESSURE (Prod. Vinyl Villain)
Sly Moon – Never Running out of Moon Funk
Daniel Son x Killah Dilla x HNIC – Dollarama
CURREN$Y – “STORE OWNERS” ft LE$
Papo2oo4 & Subjxct 5 – Rlly Love
That’s a wrap on today’s news roundup. What caught your attention the most? Hit us up on Twitter, Instagram, Threads 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!
