Lil Uzi Vert Free?

While many big names and projects have popped back up since the start of 2019, one major figure has been missing for a while now, namely Lil Uzi Vert. Ever since being blocked by his label and Don Cannon, he has been unable to release his upcoming project Eternal Atake, and decided to quit making music. It’s been about 2 months since he came to Instagram to talk about retiring from music, and it seems like the problem has finally been resolved with a little help from Jay Z and Roc Nation.

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Lil Uzi Vert (taken from Complex.com)

Reportedly by Complex News, Jay Z and Roc Nation have successfully dealt with Lil Uzi’s legal issues with his former label and Don Cannon/DJ Drama, and Mr. Vert is now being solely managed by them. Lil Uzi has been recently posting of the success with his new label, frequently using the caption and hashtag ‘Free Uzi‘. On March 28th, Uzi released a celebratory song of the same name, and it’s available on all music streaming platforms.

Jay Z and Roc Nation are not unfamiliar to helping out artists in need; Jay was one of Lil Wayne’s main helping hands during his own legal fights with Cash Money Records, and he even helped Wayne pay off his taxes while in the process. On top of that, Jay apparently helped pay for Meek Mill’s lawyers when he was in legal trouble in Philly in 2017.

Now with Uzi free from his label and officially a member of Roc Nation, there’s one question on everyone’s mind: when is Eternal Atake going to drop?

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Cover of Lil Uzi’s new song, “Free Uzi” (taken from Flexyjam.com)

The album is rumored to be entirely finished, and if the main problem delaying it was the legal issues with his old label, then we should be seeing a release very soon. The release of “Free Uzi” today backs up this thought process, as it’s his first song dropped since his last album, Luv is Rage 2, back in 2017. Tons of leaks and snippets of the project have been released as well, and while nothing can be totally confirmed, it seems as if the album is just sitting around at the moment.

While there are still many questions, it’s good to see that Lil Uzi Vert is back to making music and has escaped the struggle of Generation Now’s legal battle. On another note, men like Jay Z are a blessing to the music industry, and it’s been thanks to him that a lot of artists have been able to continue making music.

Drake’s Best: IYRTITL

In February of 2015, Drake surprised everyone when he released If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, an unannounced mixtape made up of 17 tracks and over an hour of material. While the reasons behind its release aren’t entirely certain, with some speculating it was to help Lil Wayne’s contractual agreement with Cash Money Records, what is known is that IYRTITL is easily Drake’s best project to date. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 495,000 copies in its first week. With such huge success, it’s time to look back on the tracks that made this mixtape the pinnacle of Drake’s career thus far.

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Cover Artwork (taken from genius.com)

Energy

Gritty and relentless with hard flows; the second track demonstrates Drake at his most confident, calling out his adversaries of draining him of his energy. Coincidentally, his energy on this track is at its peak, almost sounding out of breath at times. The beat is simple but effective, with the reverbed piano line sounding deep and ominous under Drake’s vocals.

10 Bands

Directly following is ’10 Bands’, a track with a more relaxed Drake and a harder beat, with the bell line underlaying the entire song. On this, Drizzy spits about the money he’s made and the critics continuing to sleep on him as a rapper. He “ain’t trippin’” though, as is repeated on the refrain, and Drake continues to show confidence in himself as a great rapper (and proving it, too).

Jungle

One of the calmer tracks on the mixtape, Drake sings of loving a girl so much that she makes him feel like a baby the way he ‘drools’ over her. He also describes how she’s so wild that she’s ‘from the Jungle’ (hence the title). The hook and instrumental are what make this song, with the former reminding me almost of an early jazz sample with its choice of melody. The instrumental seams comfortably around it, with bouncy sounds of reverb and piano chords that are deep and lush. Out of Drake’s prettier tracks, this is one of the most memorable.

Know Yourself

Runnin’ through the six with my WOEs“. Easily the most recognizeable line of 2015, it comes from this track and describes how Drake runs the city he’s from, Toronto. The song starts slower and over time gains in momentum as Drake begins going in on top of the changing instrumental. With the beat being very open, Drizzy has plenty of room to spit line after line of braggadocious wordplay.

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Drake in 2017 (taken from wikipedia.com)

While this represents only a handful of tracks off of the mixtape, the rest essentially follows the same formula while keeping ideas fresh and inventive; simple, compelling instrumentals with confident Drake flows over top. It may seem cut and dry, but the simplicity is exactly what allows Drake the room to expand himself all over this project in terms of rhymes, personality, and storytelling. It’s an incredible project, and If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late remains as arguably Drake’s best work to date.

Best Rap Tracks Out Right Now

With today’s rap scene constantly changing, the sounds, styles, and cast are generally being cycled just as rapidly. Every month can be defined by a set of new tracks, albums, and snippets of music to come. A lot of this is due to the beauty of the internet and how quickly new material can become viral. With that being said, what songs are representing the current sound? Here’s a list of some of today’s rap hits that are the most genre-defining and telling of what could be to come.

Blueface – Bleed It

At this point, everyone knows of Blueface’s biggest hit “Thotiana“, and it’s definitely his most successful song, for sure. However, “Bleed It” just has so much more to it that not only makes it a more enjoyable song, but also demonstrates the potential Blueface has to become one of the next big names in trap. The beat hits hard, the mixing is on par, and the hook is infectious. Not to mention, his “off-beat” flow has the same flavoring but sounds much more controlled. Overall, this track shows all the signs of a rapper coming into his own, and it’s only a matter of time before Blueface is on billboards everywhere.

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Blueface in 2018 (worldstarhiphop.com)

J Cole – Middle Child

With this song, J Cole proves that there’s still a place for non-trappers in the rap scene. He sounds confident and experienced, challenging others to come at him if they really think he’s fallen off. His lyrics describe some of the troubles that he’s witnessed in places like the projects, as well as references to conversations with Jay Z, 21 Savage, and Kodak Black. Delightfully, the hook on this track ties it together the most, displaying the most energy and ruthlessness I’ve heard from J Cole in a while. Not to mention, his singing voice sounds good, something that can’t always be said about Hollywood Cole. This is some of his best stuff in a while, and this upcoming album should be one of his best to date.

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J Cole performing in 2018 (complex.com)

Gunna – Outstanding

One of the biggest names of 2018, Gunna is still going strong into 2019 with the release of Drip or Drown 2. Along with Lil Baby, Gunna has respectably defined the current sound, guiding production, flow, and lyrics into the direction it’s heading. On this track, Gunna displays every attribute that makes his music likable to so many people: great production, catchy hooks, and the usual drug-laced lyrics. It’s probably the single most defining track of today’s trap sound, and it will most likely be the formula for some time to come.

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Gunna in 2019 prior to the release of Drip or Drown 2 (consequenceofsound.com)

Juice WRLD – Robbery

The breakout “Lucid Dreams” star, Juice WRLD is back with his emo-rap style, a subgenre that seems to be taking hold of the mainstream more and more. Off his new album Death Race for Love, “Robbery” demonstrates Juice WRLD’s development as an artist the best; the instrumental sounds clear and interesting, and Juice’s vocals are great, showing how good of a singer he really is. His blending of emo and rap is way more cohesive on this project, too, with this track specifically featuring the iconic rattling hi hats and snares while Juice spits lyrics of lost love and heartbreak. While some of emo-raps biggest stars, such as Lil Peep and XXXTentacion, have faced tragic deaths, the demand for the genre is as strong as ever, and Juice WRLD seems to be the driving force to take it into the future.

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Juice WRLD in the Lean Wit Me music video (rollingstone.com)

While there are definitely many more defining tracks of today, these songs are the MOST so. The sounds of these four songs alone can succinctly define the beginning of 2019, and will most likely guide where the scene is going for the remainder of the year. Like it or not, many of these trap rappers are here to stay, and it will take a major event for the current course to change.

 

New Offset Single

At 12 AM on February 14th, Offset of the rap group Migos released the first single, Red Room, off his upcoming solo project, The Set Gala, along with a visual. Known for his hype, banger tracks along with Quavo and Takeoff, this song sees Offset go in a different approach for his solo effort. The song goes into detail of the Migos rapper’s come up from the ghettos of Atlanta, to blowing up as an artist, up until the point of crashing and almost dying in a bad car accident last spring. He spits about growing up with just his mom, and how he was finally able to repay her after music started paying off by getting her her own house. The remembrance of his grandma’s cooking is melancholy, as he can only think about how “humble and sweet” she was, undeserving of the slum life they were subject too. As he got older, he got mixed up with gangs and drug life, speaking of his times breaking into houses and robbing them. He had to “sleep on his feet”, always carrying a gun in fear of being killed in a drive by while in the trap. Later on, he speaks of the moms he’s seen break down and cry because the “cops shot their babies”. All in all, the lyrics depict a miserable and dark time in Offset’s life, needing to turn to crime just to survive and protect his family, while at the same time risking hurting them himself.

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Offset in 2018 (taken from cbs.com)

In the visual, even more is depicted of Offset’s painful upbringing. Scenes of shootings, police break ins, and a graphic remake of the crash that influenced the entire song are all included. These scenes bring a certain life to the song that no lyrics could, showing Offset’s entire life up until that point in only a couple minutes, and it really helps demonstrate for the audience just how much he needed to work to get to the point he’s at now. Along with this, the visual hints at Offset’s current life, with scrawled writing of the names of his kids on the walls, possibly referring to how he would never go back to that lifestyle due to his duty to his family.

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Scene from the music video depicting a reenactment of Offset’s near-fatal car accident last spring (taken from stereogum.com)

Overall, Red Room sees Offset taking his fans into a much more personal aspect of his life than ever before. His flows and skills as a rapper are only enhanced by his storytelling ability, and it’s very exciting to see how the rest of his album will turn out when it finally drops.

The Best of The Weeknd

The Weeknd came onto the music scene in 2011 with the release of three mixtapes: House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. At the time of House of Balloons’ release, not much was known about the man behind the music; people were unsure whether it was one person or a group, and the singular project released to SoundCloud was the only real information about the artist. However, as the subsequent mixtapes were released, later known together as Trilogy, and once Drake got involved with bringing this artist into the spotlight, more and more people came to know the real identity of Abel Tesfaye. Since then, Abel has cemented himself as one of the most popular R&B singers of the decade, with critically acclaimed albums Beauty Behind the Madness and Starboy, as well as huge features with artists like Future, Travis Scott, and Kanye West. Since 2016, though, The Weeknd has remained pretty quiet in music, other than a six song EP released in 2018 and some other singles here and there. With this, I thought it would be appropriate to look back on the mysterious character’s career thus far, giving a little bit of info about some of his most defining tracks.

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The Weeknd, taken from people.com

The Hills

This track, released as the first single off Beauty Behind the Madness, was my own introduction to the Weeknd and many others’ as well. The single was a huge success with it’s grimy bass, distorted vocals, and catchy hook. It took the listeners into the mind and dark imagination of the Weeknd, showing the world a glimpse of what he was all about.

Kiss Land

With Abel’s debut album, he went all-out cinematic, with songs that sounded huge and ethereal at times. While this was sometimes hit or miss, Kiss Land was definitely an interesting time in his career. On the song of the same name, The Weeknd sounds as darkly confident as ever, his voice smooth and soft over an energetic instrumental. His wide vocal range is displayed greatly on this song as well, with his high-pitched “don’t hold back! let it out” breaking through the chorus. It’s a great developmental track that, when looked back on, demonstrates the direction Abel was going in and how he wanted to grow as an artist.

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The Weeknd in 2015, taken from vogue.com

Wicked Games

Coming off of Abel’s very first project, House of Balloons, the song was going viral upon its release, along with the rest of the album, due to his unique sound in the R&B scene of the time. Abel’s voice sounds damaged and forlorn, while his lyrics of addiction, sex, and depression were done in a way that made The Weeknd a recognizable name in the industry.

Can’t Feel My Face

Another single off of Beauty Behind the Madness, “Can’t Feel My Face” was a huge directional swing for the Weeknd, having a very pop-oriented sound, a funky bass line, and a radio-friendly sound. The lyrics were still very much the same content of drugs, sex, and relationships, but it was done in a way that Weeknd fans had never heard before. It was a huge success, and remains as one of the Weeknd’s best polished songs.

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At the 2016 Juno Awards, taken from theguardian.com

Starboy

Coming off the album of the same name, “Starboy” sees The Weeknd continuing in the pop direction he hinted to on “Can’t Feel My Face”.  A feature from Daft Punk, groovy synths, and an infectious hook all come together on this track to provide The Weeknd with one of his biggest hits, and it helped him remain a mainstay on popular music radio.

Call Out My Name

This track, released in 2018, was the first material that The Weeknd had released since 2016’s Starboy, and it showed him once again going in a different direction as an artist. It seemed to meld together elements from his pop-oriented discography while sticking pretty tightly to the themes all the way back from his mixtape days. The lyrics and performance are some of Abel’s strongest ever, with some points of the song sounding like he might just break down from emotional stress.

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The Weeknd on tour for Starboy, taken from forbes.com

While there are certainly many, many more songs that could be gone into detail and have had an impact on Abel’s career, these are the most defining of the defining tracks. Each of these songs represents a different era in his discography, and if you like any of them, I’d recommend checking out the rest of The Weeknd’s material if you aren’t familiar with it already. Let me know in the comments if you’re a Weeknd fan and your favorite songs/album if you have some.

The Best of Lil Uzi Vert

Recently, Lil Uzi Vert came onto social media to tell the public and his fans specifically that he was ‘done’ with music and that he had ‘deleted everything’ (referring to his upcoming album Eternal Atake). All of this was done in frustration with his record label, and while it’s unknown if he really deleted his new material, and unlikely that he’s really finished, I thought it would be an appropriate time to look back on his discography. Here’s some of the most iconic songs from Uzi’s career thus far.

Note: I’m not including snippets, leaks, etc. Everything compiled is from mixtapes/albums you could find on Apple Music or Spotify (official releases). Also, this list is in no specific order of quality, just a compilation of defining tracks.

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Lil Uzi Vert in 2017 (taken from hotnewhiphop.com)

Money Longer

The third track off of Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World, ‘Money Longer’ is one of the songs that allowed for Uzi’s blow-up into the mainstream. The catchy hook along with the bass-boosted instrumental pair nicely for a very original sound that defined 2016. Not to mention, the music video for the track was a huge hit for its flashiness and quirky personality, currently sitting at over 130 million plays on YouTube. Not too shabby.

XO TOUR Llif3

Inspired by the troubles Uzi was going through while touring with the Weeknd, ‘XO TOUR Llif3’ is one of Uzi’s sadder songs in his discography, however it’s still a party anthem. Great production from TM88 set the stage for Uzi’s whines, howls, and, of course, his monster hook (all my friends are dead!). The track was one of the biggest hits of 2017, as well as the lead single to Uzi’s first official album, Luv is Rage 2. Certainly a major success for the Philly native.

Do What I Want

‘Do What I Want’ was another one of Uzi’s singles that helped boost him to superstardom in 2016. The upbeat instrumental fazing in and out compliments the bass great, creating a bombastic sound that is always a headturner. Then there’s Uzi, his shrill voice chanting “now I do what I want” over and over again until you finally start saying it back. Put this song on to get any party going.

7 AM

Off of the first Luv is Rage, ‘7 AM’ helped to generate noise around Uzi’s first commercial mixtape. The dark, atmospheric instrumental fades into a rhythmic banger, with Lil Uzi telling the tale of his night with a girl (specifically his longtime girlfriend Brittany). The song was the start of a series of songs revolving the two, and its a collection of tracks that Uzi fans cherish deeply.

Ps and Qs

Another song off of Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World, ‘Ps and Qs’ is one of the most Uzi-ish songs there could be. The poppy instrumental, the sing-style rapping, the infectious hook: all classic Lil Uzi staples. The song also had a very popular music video, currently sitting at over 50 million views on YouTube. Alongside ‘Money Longer’ and ‘Do What I Want’, this track helped make Uzi what we know him as today.

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Lil Uzi promotional shooting in 2017 (taken from altpress.com)

New Future Album

In the genre of trap, there are a few names that jump out right away: Gucci Mane, Young Thug, 21 Savage, and of course, Future. However, the last-mentioned artist seemed pretty quiet in 2018 after a monster year prior with smash hits “Mask Off” and “Coming Out Strong” with the Weeknd. Sure, he had a collab mixtape with Juice WRLD as well as a follow-up mixtape to Beastmode, but there was no full-length album from the astronaut kid. Now that we’ve entered a new year once again, though, it seems as if Future is right back in stride.

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Future in 2018 (taken from spin.com)

Earlier this week, Mr. Hendrxx released his highly-anticipated album The WIZRDand it was well worth the wait with 20 tracks clocking in at a little over an hour of material. Despite the usual filler attributed to a tracklist of this length, the album feels very complete with each song delivering a unique set of drug-laced flows and lyrics with punchy production. Songs like “Faceshot” and “Crushed Up” reminisce of Future’s earlier work while still sounding fresh and new. Overall, the energy of the project is always at 100%, with Pluto belting out chants and choruses. On “Jumpin on a Jet” Future’s constant repetition of ‘jumpin’ on and off the jet’ becomes hypnotic, tying in well with the themes of trapping and intoxication. “Temptation” is a much moodier and depressed track without sacrificing liveliness. Most of this can be attributed to Future’s much improved singing voice, which actually molds nicely with his rapping and adds a whole new dimension to his sound.

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Future on the Summer Sixteen Tour (taken from wikipedia.com)

Surprisingly for a trap album, the WIZRD is very scarce of features, with only Young Thug, Gunna, and Travis Scott taking verses. All three add a refreshing element in their own way, with Young Thug and Gunna sounding as energetic as ever and Travis Scott spitting on one of his best guest appearances in a while. Along with the features, the producer list has a huge impact on the success of this album. Innovators like Southside, Tay Keith, and Wheezy all have their hands in on this one, providing the hazy atmosphere for Future to work in. Tracks like “Goin Dummi”, “Call the Coroner”, and “Overdose” show off the skill of these beatmakers the best, demonstrating their creativity with samples, sounds, and effects.

Overall, Future’s latest project delivers on all fronts, providing fans with the usual bangers while sounding fresh and clean. As if the past decade hasn’t already showed this enough, we have most likely not heard the last of Future in 2019, and I am excited to see what else he has planned and how he will grow in the coming year.

Kanye West’s Hyper-Successful 2018

Now that 2018 has come to a close, many people have already began speculating what will come out of the music scene in the year to come. Artists like Lil Uzi Vert (possibly), Playboi Carti, the Weeknd, and others have already hinted at dropping projects in the near future. However, before we get too ahead of ourselves with what’s in store, it’s necessary to acknowledge the great string of records, singles, and collaborations of 2018 that were all generated from one man: Kanye West.

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Kanye West in 2018

The last 365 days of rap were dominated entirely by West, having made two of the year’s best albums in Ye and Kids See Ghosts alongside Kid Cudi, as well as projects he produced like Pusha T’s Daytona and Nas’s Nasir. Kanye was also responsible for many of the year’s top tracks, such as 6ix9ine’s “MAMA” and “I Love It” with Lil Pump. In 2018, Mr. West made himself the most relevant person in the music scene, having had appearances with everyone from the up-and-comers to the vets of the genre, all while holding his own on a song with the same personality and wit he’s always had. After all that, he’s not done yet; an album previously slated for a September 2018 release under the name Yandhi is still in the works and expected to drop in 2019. While none of the material from the Yandhi recordings may still be on Ye’s project (as he is infamous for his perfectionism and the changes that come with it), it’s clear that at the age of 41 he’s showing no signs of stopping any time soon. So what does this mean for the rap genre as a whole?

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West prior to the release of Ye on June 8, 2018

Having been many changes in the genre with the advent of Soundcloud, streaming, and the mainstream success of trap, there has been just as much tumultuousness. Artists being arrested, committing suicide, or battling drug abuse among other things has become a huge problem in the music scene as a whole, let alone rap. Many of these new artists, some of which are as young as 17-18 years old, may have the musical talent or attraction to become famous, but aren’t really prepared for what that lifestyle has in store. This is where veterans of music like Kanye are needed; they provide a rock of stabilization to the industry, becoming a voice of familiarity and guidance to others. Many musicians are forgotten just as soon as they blow up, especially in the internet age where singles can accrue millions of streams in a day. With longstanding artists like Kanye, Jay-Z, and others still making popular music, it only goes to show how much we should appreciate these innovators and their material before they’re gone.

Two Major Releases this Week

This week was a relatively big one for the rap industry, with two major releases: J.I.D’s DiCaprio 2 and 6ix9ine’s Dummy Boy. For both, these are their major debut albums, a huge landmark in the industry. However, that’s where the similarities end for the two artists. J.I.D is a very energetic, lyrical MC with wordplay and mentor-ship from J Cole, while 6ix9ine is, as his name would suggest, a fairly crude, abrasive rapper with gang-laced shouts in his verses. How are the two projects, though? Let’s dive in.

J.I.D – DiCaprio 2

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Cover of DiCaprio 2

The project overall builds on J.I.D’s mixtape last year, The Never Story, in that it keeps the same style of hard-hitting flows and quirky instrumentals but with a tighter focus for a debut commercial release. He’s been frequently compared to Kendrick Lamar and for good reason, as J.I.D’s nasally, machine-gun flow often harkens back to the great rapper. While at times it may seem like he’s wearing his influences too hard on his sleeve, J.I.D manages to distance himself as a unique artist through his great singing ability throughout the project on cuts that feature other current R&B artists such as 6lack, Ella Mai, and BJ the Chicago Kid. In all, I enjoyed DiCaprio 2 quite a bit and felt like it delivered on all fronts of expectations. Anyone who has interest in rap or is a fan of the genre should definitely check out this LP.

Favorite Tracks: Off Deez, Off da Zoinkys, Workin Out, Hot Box, Skrawberries

6ix9ine – DUMMY BOY

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Cover art for DUMMY BOY

While 6ix9ine is definitely not a lyrical or very talented rapper by any means, I was very pleasantly surprised by some aspects of his debut album. With assists from major producers Murda Beatz and Scott Storch, as well as Kanye West, 6ix9ine’s LP actually has a fair amount of cuts on it that sound great and really improve the style he was going for on his lackluster mixtape earlier this year, Day 69. The production is fantastic and the features from Kanye, Tory Lanez, and Nicki Minaj add a lot of flavor and help break up would could easily end up a very monotonous sound. While still a very loud, in-you-face rapper, 6ix9ine dials it back on this project into a very structured form that works well on an album release. While 6ix9ine’s style is very hit or miss, as displayed even on this LP, I think it’s unfair to completely disregard his music due to controversy (including one which landed him jail time currently) as he is still able to put out some pretty catchy tracks every once in a while. If you feel curious, I’d say have a listen at your own risk.

Favorite Tracks: MAMA feat. Nicki Minaj, Kanye West; KANGA feat. Kanye West; KIKA feat. Tory Lanez

Highly Anticipated Rap Albums for the Coming Months

Although it may be hard to believe, the end of 2018 is only a few months away. Despite this, there’s still a good handful of albums to look forward to before the end of the year. A lot of these projects have actually been highly anticipated and will most likely end as year-defining records. Here’s a selective list of some of the biggest names yet to come:

Kanye West – Yhandi

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Possible cover of Yhandi

The supposed sequel to 2013’s Yeezus, West’s upcoming project Yhandi has had multiple pushbacks already, originally billed at releasing Sept. 29, then Nov. 27, and now unknown. This has become a common theme for much of Kanye’s discography. However, the controversial artist has already been having a hugely successful year; he released the solo project Ye and collaboration project Kids See Ghosts with Kid Cudi in June, and he also produced albums for Pusha T and Nas. With such a busy early half of 2018, it’s understandable for Ye to be taking some time off to reflect and relax a little before finishing up Yhandi. All that’s left to do is wait as the hype builds for one of the year’s most successful artists’ next move.

J.I.D – DiCaprio 2

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Proposed cover for DiCaprio 2

J.I.D has remained pretty unknown to the general public thus far in his career, but in the opinion of most rap/hip-hop critics, his upcoming project just might be his blow-up album. J.I.D came onto the scene as a signee to J Cole’s label Dreamville, and ever since he’s been making waves in the rap scene. His 2017 mixtape The Never Story gave him notability among critics as a highly lyrical and rhythmic MC, with quirky and nasally delivered flows in his back pocket. Due to his favor among rap media, he was invited to be a member of the 2018 XXL Freshman List, a group of rappers sponsored by XXL Magazine to be the next stars through interviews, freestyles, and more. J.I.D was quickly realized as one of the best rappers lyrically of his class, and ever since the XXL list he’s been growing in hype. DiCaprio will be his first project since the XXL feature, and this along with support from J Cole have made J.I.D one of the most anticipated artists of the year. Will he live up to the hype on this next album? Only time will tell.

Anderson .Paak – Oxnard

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Poster for a carnival in anticipation of the album

Anderson .Paak has always been a unique voice in rap with his very diverse style; while he can freestyle over a trap beat like no other, he also has the vocals to sing a ballad, pop track, or most anything else. Currently, he’s been working in a lot of funk and soul type feels, and his singles Tints and Who R U? have been some of my favorite of 2018. It seems as if Anderson .Paak is finally beginning to find his style and niche in the industry this year, and if Oxnard is what it’s hyped up to be, he could land himself a few Grammys and radio hits. With a refreshing sound and overall energetic personality, it’ll be exciting to see what Anderson .Paak pulls together on this upcoming record.