StereoVision’s Top 25 Albums of the First Half of 2020

By StereoVision Team

Although 2020 seems to be the year of the L so far with a deadly pandemic, civil unrest, and murderous hornets (that have been ominously silent since they were last reported on weeks ago), it is still hard to deny that this has not been a great year for music. With new projects from The Weeknd, Childish Gambino and Charlie XCX, countless ‘surprise drops’, and deluxe albums that double the size of the original record, there has never been a better time to be a hip-hop fan. When life is tough and hope is lost, we can always count on music to be a righteous force that bring us together even in the harshest times. With so many new projects being released weekly, many might wonder where to start when catching up with the year’s biggest releases. Look no further, as our writers have ranked and compiled our favorite records and projects from the year so far, starting from January 1 to the release of Pop Smoke’s posthumous album. We should note that to keep things fair, we counted the “deluxe” versions of certain records separate from the original, as many of them (like Uzi and Nav) intended on them being separate projects released in one package. Hopefully you spot some albums you recognize and some you don’t in our top 25 Albums of the Year list (so far)!

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25. ptsd - G herbo

Chicago rapper G Herbo shocks listeners with his new level of maturity. After seeing a therapist following a charge for gun possession, the 24-year-old was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder upon unpacking his painful past. His goal with P.T.S.D. was to bring awareness to the severe effects of growing up in a city like Chicago. Within songs like “By Any Means” featuring 21 Savage and “High Speed,” G Herbo validates the lasting emotions that accompany the trauma many experience. -Amaya Lorick

Favorite Tracks

Intro

Death Row

High Speed

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24. Dark lane demo tapes - drake

Drake's surprise mixtape of leaks and throwaways gives every kind of Drizzy fan something to latch onto and reminds us why he’s one of the most successful rappers ever. From R&B tracks too smooth for their own good (Toosie Slide, Desires, etc.) to classic Drake bangers (Chicago Freestyle, D4L, etc.) Dark Lane Demo Tapes checks every box. The six god is far from complacent though as he continues to experiment and draw inspiration from other camps in hip-hop. He showcases this at the end of the album where Drake clearly calls on sounds and styles from UK and New York hip-hop which continues to keep his sound fresh and to give his already lengthy career even more longevity. Also, it’s important to remember at the end of the day that the tape is full of throwaways meant to hold fans over for the time being. It’s hard for me to picture an album where songs like “D4L”, “Time Flies”, and “Demons”, are tossed to the side in favor of other tracks but believe me, that’s an album I’m VERY excited for. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks

Chicago Freestyle (Feat. Giveon)

Time Flies

D4L (Feat. Future & Young Thug)

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23. My turn - Lil baby

If you admire Hip-Hop in the slightest, I’m certain you already know all about Lil Baby’s hot new album My Turn. Lil Baby has been in the scene for some time now and he is proving he is here to stay, after this release, I am certain he has plenty more #1’s left in the tank. This album has been running the charts ever since its release in February. Even just by looking at the features on his track list before the release, I knew he wasn’t going to miss. This album has been steady in my rotation and I hope everyone is bumping it when we all get to go back outside. This tremendous project deserves nothing less. -Colson O’Connor

Favorite Tracks

Heatin Up (Feat. Gunna)

We Paid (Feat. 42 Dugg)

Emotionally Scarred

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22. the price of tea in china - Boldy James x alchemist

There’s something intoxicatingly grim about Boldy James’ apathetic, lackadaisical delivery. The Detroit MC’s flat, monotone vocals have been helping him kick ill bars so smooth, a passive listener might gloss over the haunting tales about dead friends, drug trafficking and the mental trauma that comes with life in the underbelly of society. If anything has been a constant in Boldy’s relatively overlooked discography, it’s that he’s a master of utilizing minimalistic tones. But for his latest LP, The Price of Tea in China, Boldy has once again linked up with raps most distinguished minimalist: The Alchemist. While The Alchemist couldn’t be more of a sonic foil to Boldy’s usual beat selection centered around hard-hitting trap production, he welcomes the challenge with open arms, as Boldy kills each and every one of the beats cooked up for him on this project. Luke Modugno

Favorite Tracks

Surf & Turf (Feat. Vince Staples)

Slow Roll

Speed Demon Freestyle

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21. take time - giveon

Well most fans were introduced to Giveon when he was featured on Drake’s “Chicago Freestyle” at the start of 2020, the Long Beach singer will be remembered for far more. On his debut project TAKE TIME  he graces us with his beautifully unique baritone voice that will undoubtedly carry him to R&B stardom. While the 8-track EP only runs for 24 minutes, that’s plenty of time to get to know Giveon as he masterfully walks us through a recent relationship from the promising start full of excitement and potential all the way to the painful end full of heartbreak and jealousy. TAKE TIME should have every R&B fan begging Giveon for new music, it’s so rare for an artist to not only have a generational voice that is aggressively authentic but also be a genius songwriter. There's no doubt that Giveon is going to be one of the biggest stars in music, the only question is when. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks

THE BEACH

FAVORITE MISTAKE

HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY

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20. ungodly hour - chloe x halle

Grammy nominated sister duo, Chloe x Halle, received an abundance of attention after appearing on the Freeform sitcom, Grownish and singing its theme song. Their second studio album, Ungodly Hour, arrived after the nationwide protests demanding justice for the many Black people murdered by police. Advised by Beyoncé and given creative freedom from Parkwood Entertainment, Chloe x Halle encapsulated the many realities Black women face surrounding personal identity, relationships, and young adulthood. -Amaya Lorick

Favorite Tracks

Forgive Me

Do It

Ungodly Hour

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19. fuck the world - brent faiyaz

If Brent Faiyaz is a name you are unfamiliar with, now is the time to get familiar. Brent slid under my radar for too long, and I soon realized he featured on some of my favorite songs and I just didn’t know it. His new album ‘Fuck The World’ is full of incredible, spacious layering that paint pictures in excruciating detail. This is the perfect album to throw on during a late night drive, you are simply bound to catch a vibe. I enjoy his sound because he just doesn’t sound like anyone else. Not to mention, homie can SING! The R&B scene is in good hands as long as Brent Faiyaz stays in the game, and based off his progress so far, I think his next project will somehow be even more captivating. -Colson O’Connor

Favorite Tracks

Fuck The World (Summer in London)

Clouded

Been Away

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18. unlocked - Denzel Curry x kenny beats

Over the past couple of years, Denzel Curry has become one of the most discussed artists in the current generation of rappers, breaking out of the underground due to his slick flows, high-energy delivery, and clever—often goofy—lyrics. Meanwhile, Kenny Beats has become one of the most sought-after hip-hop producers, largely due to his collaborations with Vince Staples, Rico Nasty, and JPEGMAFIA. With that said, it only makes sense that a joint project between the two would’ve gone this hard. Throughout its tight eight-track runtime, Denzel delivers some of his most aggressive and rowdy performances yet, taking inspiration from legends such as Ol’ Dirty Bastard and DMX. On the production side of things, Kenny arranges an extremely intricate blend of boom-bap, experimental hip-hop, and jazz rap; the tone he sets is immaculate, and it perfectly compliments Curry’s combination of dark and cartoonish bars. The duo truly proved how well they could work together, and I hope to hear more collaborations from them in the near future. -Owen Tait

Favorite Tracks

Take_it_Back_v2

DIET_

‘ Cosmic ’ .m4a

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17. High off life - future

High Off Life is the best project Future has put out since Beast Mode 2. While not perfect, the highs on this album are very high. The production is dark and booming putting you right in the middle of Future’s world. Above all else he sounds hungry and motivated again which is dangerous if he has more music to come this year. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks

Ridin Strikers

Too Comfortable 

Accepting My Flaws

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16. everything - kota the friend

The timing of Kota The Friend’s new 12-track album couldn’t have possibly been better. By the time of his release, I was very cooped up due to the pandemic, and the negative vibes were catching up to me pretty quick. I liked Kota’s previous work, but I wasn’t necessarily a major fan. That all changed after one play through of EVERYTHING. I have probably bumped this project every day and its positive and wholesome energy has really help me stay grounded and calm in a time full of uncertainty. My favorite thing about this album is that Kota has nothing to prove. He is solely trying to catch a vibe and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. This reminds me a little bit of J. Cole in that sense. If you haven’t checked it out, I highly recommend you do so. EVERYTHING has easily made its way to my top five albums this year. Big props to Kota for killing it on this one. -Colson O’Connor

Favorite Tracks

B.Q.E (Feat. Joey Bada$$ & Bas)

Always (Feat. KYLE & Braxton Cook)

Summerhouse

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15. it is what it is - thundercat

A few weeks into many of our quarantines, Thundercat blessed us with his fourth studio album It Is What It Is. Thundercat continues to show the best of his new age jazz and RnB sound with tracks such as “Funny Thing,” “Dragonball Durag,” and “King of the Hill” (feat. Steve Lacy). It Is What It Is has everything you would expect from a Thundercat project: bass, humor, and unrequited love. On this project, however, Thundercat gets more introspective and philosophical than ever before. His ability to hold the space for laughs, grooves, simping, and curiosity all within the scope of a single album is nothing short of an incredible feat. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks

Funny Thing

Dragonball Durag

King Of The Hill (Feat. Steve Lacy)

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14. 3.15.20 - Childish Gambino

Childish Gambino is a vet. He has earned the right to be trusted in basically all of his artistic endeavors. It seems almost blasphemous to say that 3.15.20 seems to have flown under the radar. This album sonically sounds like nothing else to drop this year. Gambino once again expands his vocal range track after track, never allowing the project to become stagnant or stale. While the production can be off the wall, it makes it equally if not more refreshing than the sharpest albums this year. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks

12.38

47.48

35.31

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13. how i’m feeling now - charli xcx

Following the seamless blend of pop and experimental aesthetics that appeared on her 2019 outing Charli, fans were definitely eager to see where UK pop artist Charli XCX’s sound would venture next. Trapped in self-isolation, she took the time to reflect on her relationships with her significant other, her friends, and herself—a process that resulted in her most intimate and innovative project to date. On how i’m feeling now, Charli pushes further into the strange more than ever before, as the majority of the tracklist is saturated with glitchy percussion, distortion, noise, and busy synths that perfectly compliment Charli’s heavily-manipulated vocal delivery. Additionally, Charli manages to bring one powerful performance after another to the table, delving into a variety of introspective topics such as her love life, friendships, and mental health. If you’re searching for the future of pop music, look no further than this one-of-a-kind album. -Owen Tait

Favorite Tracks

forever

claws

enemy

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12. wunna - Gunna

In the accompanying documentary that was released with Wunna, Gunna talks about needing to leave Atlanta to quiet the noise and find new inspiration well crafting his latest wave. This tactic pays off tenfold on Wunna as the album successfully transports listeners to the Caribbean from the first swirling guitar bend on “ARGENTINA”, the addicting intro to the album. Gunna flexes the best writing of his career on WUNNA meaning there isn’t a single throw away across the 18-track album. More than ever Gunna also steps back and shines the spotlight on YSL’s team of superstar producers (Wheezy, Turbo, Taurus, etc.) resulting in one of the most cohesive projects of the year that is undeniably fun. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks

DOLLAZ ON MY HEAD (Feat. Young Thug)

SKYBOX

NASTY GIRL / ON CAMERA

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11. eternal atake - lil uzi vert

The drama this album caused is honestly what makes it one of my favorite drops this year. The wait for this album was insane, but when it finally dropped, it literally shook the industry. Uzi’s journey to get this project to drop is one of the best stories in music this year. It was just a great moment for music as a whole, Uzi beat the label! Drama aside, it’s just a fun album, it’s impossible to be in ai bad mood well playing Eternal Atake. -Courtney Fields

Favorite Tracks

Homecoming

Prices

Secure The Bag

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10. rtj4 - run the jewels

Four years after the release of their last studio LP Run The Jewels 3, the rap duo of Killer Mike and El-P return once more for a healthy dose of their subversive style of hip-hop in what may be their best album yet. El-P’s tangible in-your-face production paired with the aggressive rap styles and political register makes this record perhaps more relevant than the ones that preceded it. The free mixtape’s release timing was perfect, delivering iconoclastic and status-quo shattering bars in a time we needed it most. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks

JU$T (Feat. Pharrell & Zack de la Rocha)

walking in the snow

holy calamafuck

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9. chilombo - Jhené Aiko

For an album with 20 tracks, every song on CHILOMBO beautifully transitions into the next. Longtime fans will notice Jhené is happier especially in songs like “Happiness Over Everything (H.O.E)” and “Love.” With features ranging from Future to John Legend, Jhené successfully cultivates a project that appeals to various audiences. The simple yet detailed production shows Jhené’s commitment to the process itself. -Amaya Lorick

Favorite Tracks

Triggered (freestyle)

Tryna Smoke (feat. MicahFoneCheck)

10K Hours (feat. Nas)

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8. pray for paris - Westside Gunn

The resurgence of the grimey boom-bap roots of New York hip-hop in recent years can almost solely be accredited to Westside Gunn, the head-honcho of Griselda Records. Pray For Paris exemplifies the greatest aspects of the boom-bap renaissance, as Gunn’s ever-unique inflection and ad-libs paired with his beat selection make for one of the best debut albums in recent history. With a star-studded line-up of rappers, producers and a few of the best cyphers of the year, Pray For Paris is amongst the elite albums of 2020. -Luke Modugno

Favorite Tracks

$500 Ounces (Feat. Freddie Gibbs & Roc Marciano)

George Bondo (Feat. Benny The Butcher & Conway The Machine) 

327 (Feat. Joey Bada$$, Billie Essco & Tyler, The Creator)

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7. shoot for the stars aim for the moon - pop smoke

Long Live The Woo! Pop Smoke’s debut album gives me a jaded feelings; I’m never sure if I’m happy or sad when I’m playing it. The songs on this project prove two things:

1. I’ll never get tired of Pop Smoke’s signature sound (many dub this as making the same song over and over again), but Pop is the one artist I don’t mind that from. I was actually disappointed that there weren’t more “Dior” or “Welcome to the Party” sounding tracks on there. 

2. Pop Smoke was a STAR. Tracks like “Enjoy Yourself”, “What You Know But Love”, and “Diana” prove that Pop was far from a one-dimensional artist. He clearly had so many different sounds in his bag, and he was destined for stardom.

RIP Woo, a young legend gone far too soon. -Courtney Fields

Favorite Tracks

Enjoy Yourself

Got It On Me

Diana

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6. she already decided - smino

It’s been a minute since we’ve gotten a complete project from St. Louis rapper Smino. Fortunately, Smino is another artist this year that treated fans to a surprise release, though in Smino’s case it was a free mixtape that was partially composed of both original tracks and remixes to the past year’s most iconic hits. On She Already Decided we see Smino at the top of his game, proving himself to be one of the most dynamic and versatile artists in hip-hop today. Synthesizing elements of soul, hip-hop and R&B, this record is full of hits that are certain to stay in rotation. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks

Already

Good Ol Julio

2MuchFronto

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5. after hours - the weeknd

There isn’t an album I appreciate more this year than After Hours. Being in the industry for almost 10 years, I’m glad Abel took a step in some uncharted territory. It’s always refreshing to see such a big star sift into new genres and sounds. The Weeknd’s take on 80’s Synth Pop easily makes this my favorite album of his. This album shows Abel’s love for music; he didn’t have to shift his entire identity and sound to sell this project, but he did. He took a huge risk that reaps huge rewards in my books. -Courtney Fields

Favorite Tracks

Snowchild

Escape From LA

Save Your Tears

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4. LUV vs. the world 2 - lil uzi vert

If someone were to ask me what the most fun album of 2020 has been so far, I would likely respond with this project, a deluxe album that Philadelphia rapper Lil Uzi Vert saw fit to drop only a week after the colossal success of his highly anticipated record, Eternal Atake. On the sequel to his 2016 mixtape, not only did Uzi meet the bar he set for himself a week earlier, but completely he flew past it, exceeding everyone’s expectations. The tracklist was tighter, the mixing was cleaner, and Uzi’s vocal performances were far more dynamic, leading to an album with far fewer skips than Eternal Atake and a lot more replay value. Meanwhile, a star-studded list of features and catchy production only added to its appeal, making it one of the most enjoyable and infectious listens of 2020. -Owen Tait

Favorite Tracks

Yessirskiii (Feat. 21 Savage)

Strawberry Peels (Feat. Young Thug & Gunna)

Moon Relate

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3. circles - mac miller

In what may be his final album, Pittsburgh producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and rapper Mac Miller crafts a tear-jerkingly beautiful ending to his discography. Produced and arranged by legendary producer Jon Brion, the project is amongst the most well-produced in Miller’s catalog.  The album serves as both a tribute to Mac’s life and a beautiful love letter to his fans and loved ones. Circles is the final step in a sonic and artistic revolution of one of the music world's most brilliant minds. -Luke Modugno

Favorite Tracks

Circles 

Good News 

Right 

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2. a written testimony - Jay Electronica

After almost a decade of waiting for Jay Electronica’s debut record, fans were rewarded for their patience earlier this year with a surprise release from the man himself. A Written Testimony is a masterfully produced exercise in top-notch writing, production, and lyricism. Over the course of the record’s ten tracks, created in a span of only 40 days and nights, Electronica and the equally mythological Jay-Z trade bars on success, self-doubt, and religion. Together the duo produced a project that was truly worth the wait. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks

A.P.I.D.T.A

The Blinding (Feat. Travis Scott)

Fruits of the Spirit

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1. alfredo - Freddie Gibbs x alchemist

Alfredo is the perfect storm. Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist have both been crafting incredible music individually over the past year. It seems strange that such successful artists seem to be getting better as they age, yet this is what we have. Alfredo is coke rap done at the highest level. Alchemist utilizes such unique instrumentation on each track yet still allows Freddie to navigate every beat with ease. There are so many levels to this project, and with each listen another one is revealed. It may be early, but this will not be an easy project to top. -Miles Hagan 

Favorite Tracks

Scottie Beam (Feat. Rick Ross)

Something to Rap About (Feat. Tyler, The Creator)

Skinny Suge 

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Polo G, Chicago’s Youngest MVP: 'THE GOAT' Album Review

By Courtney Fields

Since its birth in the early 2010s, Drill music has been used to fuel negative stereotypes on Black men. 

Artists such as Lil Durk and Chief Keef are believed to be glorifying a life of violence and criminality. The connotation that Drill music has had, is honestly unfair; the violent lyrics and music videos are purely forms of artistic expression. It’s a genre dominated by the Black community’s disadvantaged youth, who strive to tell their stories the best way they can. This way of life was not a choice for these young men, the root of why Drill music exists in the first place is a whole new article in itself.     

However, the conversation at hand is about Polo G, an artist who shows that Chicago Drill may be the most socially aware genre in rap. 

In track 1 “Don’t Believe The Hype”, Polo raps about drug addiction, lost loved ones, and the lack of support he’s dealt with in his life. We hear Polo admit it’s hard for him to find the line between his old life and a new life (“He want all them niggas dead, it's sad to say, but I feel him / If I ain't had so much to lose, I'd be riskin' it with him”). Mostly though we hear Polo brag about his fame, and how he persevered to get there (“They weren't with me through my struggles, all this shit I sacrificed / I climbed out the darkness, now my Patek shinin' bright”).

Track 2 is the certified gold single “Heartless” featuring Dj Mustard. The first half of this song describes Polo in his essence: a ladies man, a proud Chicago native, and an aspiring businessman (see Polo break down the meaning of the hit single for Genius). 

Track 6, “21” is one of the best on the album. It’s Polo’s 21st birthday, and what may have him reminiscing on this track so much is how many people he’s known who haven’t made it to 21. He mentions the passing of another Chicago G.O.A.T Juice Wrld, whose untimely death reminds him to not fall back into the habit of abusing drugs. “Can't relapse off these drugs, man, R.I.P. to Juice / We was tweakin' off them Percs, I popped my last one with you.” Polo’s raps are often all over the place, but it’s delivered in the best possible way. Almost every line in the second verse refers to a different point in Polo’s life, and the lives of those he loves. Polo raps about being successful ever since he started rapping and never being satisfied with his achievements, to then commenting on how Chicago’s streets resemble battlefields at times. Every bar Polo delivers paints a picture into the listener’s head on this track. My favorite line by far is “Took losses in these streets, shit got me singin' gang blues”. “Gang Blues” might be the best description of Drill music I’ve ever heard. 

Track 8 is “I Know”, an extremely emotional song. In the chorus Polo raps about losing the life of a dear friend, it seems as if he lost the friend while he was famous. He shared drugs, good times, and bad times with this friend; but still they lost their life. “How the fuck I wake up from a dream to a nightmare?” Is this line an indication that Polo may feel some guilt for being able to escape his past lifestyle? If the line is what I think it is, this may be why Polo struggles to see the advantages of fame since all of his friends can’t live like him. The track also features how hard it was to grow up in Chicago, and how it’s hard to find a girl who wants him for a reason other than his fame. 

Track 15 “Trials & Tribulations”, leaked on Soundcloud the day the album was set to release and I’ve got to admit… I probably replayed this song for an hour straight. “Trials and Tribulations” starts off with another great chorus from Polo, he might have the best hooks in the game right now. Almost all of Polo G’s songs revolve around life in Chicago, which is pretty funny considering people from other places say Chicagoans never stop talking about Chicago. The streets of Chicago are what made Polo the man he is today, and he learned early on that no one could save him but himself. People who aren’t accustomed to life in the streets often make it seem like you always have a choice, or that getting help is an easy task, but Polo knows this isn’t true. “Them streets'll turn a good kid into a cold lil' savage / No point in church 'cause the preacher can't keep them poles from clappin' / It seem like evil and my soul attractin'”. As soon we wiped our eyes from hearing that chorus, midway into the first verse we hear Polo say “Hood on my back, was bustin' two-fours like Kobe Bryant / Sometimes I think like what's the likelihood of Kobe dyin'?”. I don’t think I’ll EVER get used to Kobe’s death. This song is one of Polo’s “tell-alls”, he’s always honest with fans, and he could care less about haters cause he knows his message will reach those who need to hear it.

Finally, we’re at the last track, “Wishing For A Hero” featuring BJ The Chicago Kid. The song samples 2Pac’s song “Changes” and at first, it gave me mixed feelings. There’s always something off about hearing artists sample 2Pc tracks to me, but now it’s my favorite from the whole album. The song proves that Polo is the most socially aware rapper from Chicago since Kanye (don’t @ me). He raps about how his Blackness puts him in a constant emotional, and physical battle with himself and others. He raps about Black on Black crime being a direct result of racism. He even hints at self-hate and drug addiction. Hearing a man who was conditioned to hate himself, rap like this puts a smile on my face.

The originators of Drill Music are Chicagoans, so it makes sense that now in 2020, Polo G and other Chicago artists are taking the genre to new heights. In my opinion, Drill is a genre that describes daily life in the streets; all of the violent and dark details are embedded in the music. Now that many of our favorite Drill artists are no longer in the streets (Chief Keef, G Herbo, Lil Durk, and Polo G), much of their music describes past ordeals and the struggles of putting the street life behind them. Is this an evolution of what Drill once was, or are the artists mentioned no longer a part of the Drill scene? 

favorite songs:

21

Trials & Tribulations

Wishing For A Hero (Feat. BJ The Chicago Kid)

Rating: 9

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The 42 Dugg Interview: The Quarantine, Detroit Rap Legends, and Being an XXL Freshman Nominee

“I feel like everything I do is from the heart, I don’t do no clout chasin’,  none of that fake shit. You gon’ get the real with me every time, you know what I’m sayin’?”

By Courtney Fields

Dion Hayes, popularly known as 42 Dugg was essentially “born in conflict.” Being from the Eastside of Detroit, one of the city’s roughest areas, Dugg landed himself into some legal trouble. 

At age 15 he was arrested for carjacking and felony firearms possession, this arrest earned Dugg 4 years in prison but he ended up doing 6 after his sentence was extended for a physical altercation with another inmate.

The rapper was placed into solitary confinement after the altercation, which ended up being the start of his rap career. Writing raps while in solitary confinement is what honed Dugg’s rap skills. In the one hour per day allotted for Dugg to leave confinement, he rapped to his fellow inmates and seemingly gained his first fans. 

Although in Dugg’s eyes, the raps weren’t very good. In an interview on the Stewe Show, Dugg admitted that initially when he “had got to writing music, but it was a bunch of bullshit.” In 2018, Dugg began to acknowledge rap as more of a serious career path. In 2018 at the studio with fellow Detroit rapper 42 Twin, 42 Dugg wrote his first breakout single, “Mama I’m Sorry”. 

The song is an ode to his mother, who was disappointed to find out his jail sentence had been extended for 2 more years. The rapper went on to release more popular singles like: “The Streets” featuring Babyface Ray and “Stfu” featuring Peezy, EWM Kdoe, Bagboy Mel, Cash Kidd, and EWM Buck. 

 “11241 Wayburn” and “11241 Wayburn Pt. 2” were two projects that led to Dugg becoming a roster member of both Yo Gotti’s CMG record label, as well as Lil Baby’s 4PF record company in 2019. The signing then prepared Dugg’s Young And Turnt mixtape release.

 The rapper earned a feature on “Grace” , the fourth track on Lil Baby’s album My Turn. The track was arguably the best track on the album and this feature caused a great buzz for Dugg’s budding name in the industry. 

Despite the fact that 42 Dugg has been rapping for some time now, Young And Turnt seems like a proper introduction to the rapper’s career. I recently got a chance to catch up with Detroit's next star to discuss how he's been handling the quarantine, his hometown of Detroit, and why fans should vote for him as an XXL Freshman. Our conversation, lightly edited for clarity, follows below:

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Courtney Fields, StereoVision (CF): What are you up to during quarantine? You still going out or staying in?

42 Dugg: Shit, chillin’ for real. I just moved out just trying to get everything straight with my new house. 

CF: I feel like right now Detroit having a sort of resurgence in the rap world. You all have a lot of good artists coming up right now... if you had to make a starting five of some Detroit rappers, who would that include? 

42 Dugg: Let’s see… Me, Peezy, Baby Face Ray, Cash Kidd, Big Sean, Dej Loaf, 42 Twin. Haha, I can’t just do five though, Eminem you know? I can’t just do five.

CF: You mention Big Sean, I hear him talk a lot about making sure he reaches out to other Detroit artists, do him or any other artists reach out?

42 Dugg: Big Sean reaches out, I fuck with him. Peezy, Dej Loaf, Cash Kidd too.

CF: You and Yo Gotti are very close, I know he’s a great businessman, do you see yourself following that blueprint maybe in a few years? Or are you already working towards being bigger than just rap?

42 Dugg: Man hell yeah! I’m really trying to follow his model right now. I want to do some different things outside of rap, anything really. I’m really just trying to stay focused with rap right now though, just staying in the studio.

CF: Detroit Rap has a very distinctive sound, all the rappers are very lyrical and don’t really follow any trends that are hot among most rappers. I see that in your music as well, do you think that’s a result of being from Detroit, or are you just a guy who’s always gonna be himself despite the circumstances?

42 Dugg: Shit, both… you know I’m from Detroit but it’s like, I’m still gonna be me regardless at the end of the day.

CF: Any guilty pleasures? Any specific brand or item you can’t stop buying?

42 Dugg: Ha, Amiri’s and white Air Force Ones lows, yeah, I’m obsessed with those two. Moncler, Off-White, I’m obsessed with all that, I gotta have all that. 

CF: Who are some rappers you wish to work with?

42 Dugg: I’ll work with anybody, anybody who fuck with me. I’m not really just trying to be picky you know, anyone who rock with my music. 

CF: When you signed with both Yo Gotti and Lil Baby, was it more a shocking feeling, or were you ready to get to work?

42 Dugg: Both, it doesn’t really shock me now cause they’re my guys now. It’s just like being around all the guys. 

CF: Lastly, I know you’re currently in the running to be an XXL Freshman… congrats by the way. Why should fans vote for you?

42 Dugg: Appreciate you... I think fans should vote for me cause I'm turnt... you know what I’m sayin’, I make good music. I feel like everything I do is from the heart, I don’t do no clout chasin’,  none of that fake shit. You gon’ get the real with me every time you know what I’m sayin’?

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Albums To Ride Out the Quarantine To

By StereoVision Staff

As many of us remain isolated in our homes, resigned to living lives devoid of social interaction not involving our roommates or family members, it can feel difficult not to go a little bit stir-crazy. Whether you live totally alone, or if you came back home to help your parents only to be asked to sanitize every room of the house on a tri-weekly basis (yours truly), many of us have had to get creative when coping to this change of lifestyle. Luckily, some members of the Stereovision team decided to provide their favorite records for riding out the all the sheltering, social distancing, and quarantines that have quickly dominated our daily agendas. From recent releases to modern classics, we hope you give these records a listen.

Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return (2013)

“Speaking from my own perspective - I am so fucking anxious all the time, so naturally you can expect that the past month has not been the greatest time for me. In dire need of an outlet where I can allow myself the opportunity to *relax*, I find myself listening to this album almost constantly. Straight from the brain of one of the people who popularized the term ‘chillwave’, Toro Y Moi’s 2013 opus is packed with easily digestible indie-electronic tracks that can range from relaxing to plain fun.” -Carter Fife

Jay Electronica - A Written Testimony (2020)

“After patiently waiting many years, Jay Electronica fans rejoice now that his new album A Written Testimony has dropped. The timing of the release couldn’t have been better, considering his wisdom can provide us with a sense of clarity in this uncertain time. The best part is we all have more time now, allowing us to give he album the in-depth listen it deserves.” -Colson O’Connor

G Herbo - PTSD (2020)

“Most G Herbo projects are definitely an acquired taste for many listeners from outside his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. PTSD is slightly different. G Herbo's reflections in songs such as "Feelings" and "Intuition" are a clear indication that the rapper is transforming into a better artist and person. The most popular song named after the album features Chance the Rapper, Juice WRLD, and Lil Uzi Vert. Sitting at just around a month old, it is time to give PTSD a listen if you have not already. Check out a more in-depth review of the album here!” -Amaya Lorick

Mac Miller - Circles (2020)

Being stuck around the house all the time can put you through a lot of different moods. Mac Miller’s ingenious album Circles, consists of songs for every one of those moods. His slow-tempo, rainy day jams are perfect for staying sane at home during this crazy time.” -Colson O’Connor

Sevdaliza - Ison (2017)

“Dutch-Iranian songwriter & producer Sevdaliza delivers a dark, atmospheric, and lush blend of alternative R&B and trip-hop with her debut album Ison. Across the project’s exploration of love and what it means to be a woman in our modern world, she creates a landscape of stuttering drum loops, sinister chord progressions, and haunting vocal refrains that ultimately transcend into pure, unadulterated beauty. It’s one of my personal favorites of all time, and I would highly recommend listening to the tracklist in order, but if I had to pick and choose a few standout tracks, then “Hubris,” “Amandine Insensible,” “Hero,” and “Loves Way” would be a good place to start.” -Owen Tait

REASON - There You Have It (2018)

“Top Dawg Entertainment signee, REASON, is still early in his career but has already made a name for himself in his debut album There You Have It. The project opens with a skit, titled "Rufus Collection", and is followed by 11 vividly reflective songs. Before signing with TDE in August 2018, There You Have It was independently released in 2017. The remastered project's most popular song Better Dayz was well received by Ice Cube in a special segment posted by Genius. This album was a great introduction to where REASON came from and could possibly be key to understanding who he is as an artist.” -Amaya Lorick

Jai Paul - Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones) (2019)

“Originally leaked six years earlier by an anonymous user on Bandcamp, UK producer, singer, and songwriter Jai Paul officially released Leaked 04-13 (Bait Ones) to streaming services in 2019. The project is a collection of 16 demos Paul wrote prior to the album’s leak, but the quality of the music here wouldn’t indicate their unfinished nature in the slightest. Featuring slick vocal hooks and tons of wonky production tricks throughout, Bait Ones is a tight, feel-good alternative pop record that will be sure to keep your vibes up during social isolation. Check out tracks such as “Str8 Outta Mumbai” and “jasmine - demo” for a good taste of what this album has to offer.” -Owen Tait

Isaiah Rashad - The Sun’s Tirade (2016)

Isaiah Rashad has no problem having his fans wait for new music. This album from 2016 is what really put him on the map as the next one up out of TDE. The Sun’s Tirade is a showcase of emotional and self reflective raps, and the sounds on this range from jazzy instrumentation to more traditional trap. -Miles Hagan

Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1 (2014)

“Prior to the beef and bullshit, one duo reigned supreme, prolifically dropping music and poised to take over the rap game. In 2014, Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan might as well have been Andre 3000 and Big Boi the way they took the direction the sound was heading and forced it to turn on a dime, changing the course of hip-hop history in the process. The duo resembled Outkast in more ways than the influence though. Rich Homie Quan acted as the Big Boi to Thugger’s three stacks by anchoring the young superstar and providing constancy, allowing him to develop into one of the all-time great he was born to be. In addition, there are few tapes that show such palpable influence to today’s specific pop rap sound, just listen to “I Know It” once and tell me you don’t hear DaBaby, Gunna, and Lil Baby. Tha Tour 1 is one of the most important mixtapes of this generation and is absolutely as slimy as it gets.” - Spencer Lobdell

The Internet - Ego Death (2015)

“Lead by Odd Future vocalist Syd and assisted by artists such as Steve Lacy and Kaytranada, The Internet’s Ego Death is a fresh, charismatic fusion of R&B and neo-soul that will ease the pressure of being cooped up at home. Boasting plenty of groovy bass lines and jazz-inspired percussion, this project is simply hypnotic, a quality that is certainly aided by Syd’s infectious refrains and melodies. The standout tracks on this record include—but are not limited to—“Go With It,” “Under Control,” and ‘Special Affair.’ ” -Owen Tait

Grimes - Art Angels (2015)

“You might be thinking: What if being too relaxed is my biggest problem right now, and what if I am struggling to feel something underneath the weight of perpetual isolation’s monotony? Look no further - Art Angels is so off-the-walls and high-octane that one listen will have you sprinting around your home screaming “B-E-H-A-V-E, arrest us!” into your hairbrush. At just under 50 minutes long, it will provide you with the perfect daily workout, forgetting you are confined to your home in the first place” -Carter Fife

Action Bronson - Mr. Wonderful (2015)

In a time where our scenery may get a bit repetitive music is a way for us to still paint vivid pictures. Few are better at this than Action, who delivers slick verses over incredible and unique production. There are several standout singles from this project that still impress me till this day. -Miles Hagan

EARTHGANG - Torba (2015)

“Throw it back to 2015 in quarantine and listen to EARTHGANG’s EP “Torba”. Every track is named after each day of the week, and each cut perfectly depicts the vibe of each day. The beats on this album have such a unique bounce, and EARTHGANG comes in with a crazy flow that do the beats justice. There also happen to be smooth features from artists Mac Miller and JID that add to the greatness of this EP.” -Colson O’Connor

NxWorries - Yes Lawd! (2016)

“In 2016, NxWorries (Duo made up of singer/rapper Anderson .Paak & producer Knxledge) released their only project ever titled Yes Lawd! While Anderson .Paak music is always excellent, Knxledge’s production brought greatness out of the artist and led to him creating his best music ever. The album is one of the more cohesive hip-hop projects I’ve ever heard showcasing a similar chill vibe and cool energy that never gets old on most tracks. I don’t know if it’s Paak’s cutting vocal inflections, ultra-dynamic singing voice, or the introspective ways he writes about love, but something about his performance on this record is very special to me, solidifying Yes Lawd! as a personal top five record of all time.” - Spencer

KAYTRANADA - 99.9% (2016)

Production allows the imagination to wander. 99.9% is one of the best albums we have received from a producer in a while. Not only does he offer stellar beats from start to finish, but the list of guest features is to notch. Its upbeat tone and wild creativity draw you in from the moment you press play, and make it hard to press pause for the next hour. -Miles Hagan

Dom Kennedy - Los Angeles Is Not for Sale, Vol. 1 (2016) 

“While LA native Dom Kennedy has made some great music over the course of his career, nothing comes close to his magnum opus, Los Angeles Is Not for Sale, Vol. 1. Nobody does relaxed west coast gangsta rap like Kennedy and he is in full force throughout this entire project. On this record, Dom combines a sharp pen with a laid back SoCal delivery resulting in an hour of addicting bops to hotbox your mom’s car to.” -Spencer Lobdell

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment - Surf (2015)

“Back in 2015, Chance the Rapper, Nico Segal (formerly known as Donnie Trumpet, and their band partnered with Apple Music to release Surf for free! It's leading single "Sunday Candy" will get you in the mood to do something productive and spread love from afar. The 16-song project has features including Big Sean, J. Cole, and Quavo but these artists were purposely left unlisted. If you have not already listened to Surf, I challenge you to allow yourself to be surprised by all of its guest appearances.” -Amaya Lorick

Baby Keem - DIE FOR MY BITCH (2019)

“I really do not have too much to say about this one. Is it too late to call it a deep-cut at this point? It doesn’t matter. Fans of outrageous rap and stellar production link up and join the Baby Keem fandom before the hype-train leaves the station. Keem’s irresistibly catchy hooks on tracks like ‘BULLIES’ and ‘TOP RAMEN’ will make you an instant fan, and the possibility of an upcoming collaboration with Kendrick might give you something to look forward to this year. Whether or not you’re already a fan, it is never too early - or too late - to enjoy this record.” -Carter Fife

We hope these records help lift your spirits in such an uncertain time. Stay safe out there, and be sure to let us know what you’ve been listening to over the past few weeks.

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Genres and Generations Clash in The Weeknd’s New Album "After Hours"

The Weeknd’s Dark Take on Alternative R&B Fused With 80’s Synth Pop Results in One of His Most Complete Projects to Date

By Courtney Fields

The year 2019 was slowly coming to an end and fans were beginning to realize yet another year would pass without drops from some of the industry’s biggest names, but on November 25th, Abel Tesfaye, The King of The Fall himself took to Instagram to announce a “NEW BRAIN MELTING PSYCHOTIC CHAPTER” of The Weeknd’s career that would start with the release of his new single “Heartless.”

The single is a great beginning to the new chapter of The Weeknd’s career. Part of what makes The Weeknd a great artist is his ability to story tell, which is something that has become a lost art in the two genres he has mastered: Pop and R&B. 

Upon the first listen, it seems like your average boastful song, but although fame, women, money, and drugs dominate the majority of the song, “Heartless” is more of a self-awareness track than anything else. In “Heartless,” The Weeknd’s Ego and his Sacred Self are playing a game of tug and war.

 “Never need a bitch I’m what a bitch need”

 “Trying to find the one that can fix me” 

The title of the song almost serves as a front since, in a way, all men aspire to be heartless. I, as well as many other men often fall victim to social constructs that tell us to be tough, and not show our feelings.

“Machismo culture” is no conspiracy, it has been defined as overly exaggerated masculinity and it often damages the quality of our romantic relationships. The reason we fell in love with The Weeknd’s songwriting early on was his ability to relate to the plight of everyday people, despite being a superstar. In the two verses The Weeknd has on this song, they’re both filled with how many women, clothes, money, and fast cars he has. He’s not afraid to tell you how many women he's sold dreams to, how long he’s been living like a rockstar, or how many magazine covers he's been on. The verses do a great job of distracting you from the chorus, as well as the bridge at the end of the track. 

In the chorus, Abel still claims that he has no heart, but not in the way every man would like to believe that they themself are heartless. He’s heartless because after all he’s done to grow, he still finds himself falling into the hole he dug for himself when he first moved to Los Angeles. A hole that caused him to use drugs as a crutch, as well as a hole full of toxic and misogynist behavior.

 In the second half of the chorus, the song highlights one of the main themes throughout the entire album: the negative side effects of fame and money.  Abel figured since he’s moved away from LA, a place that caused him so much pain; he was escaping his old ways as well. Still, he feels as if he will never be able to change his ways.

Is The Weeknd no longer falling victim to lust, or is he still desperate to find the right woman? “Heartless” gives us no clear answer.

The Weeknd released two more singles, with one being nostalgic of the dance-pop sound of the ’80s. “Blinding Lights'' gets you moving with its upbeat, synthesized production while simultaneously proving why The Weeknd is such a polarizing artist. He can give fans a certain nostalgia for one of the best eras in music and deliver a deeply emotional track at the same time. The star still yearns for a partner who can show him how to love, one who will never leave his side and one he'll simply never let go. 

The third promotional single for After Hours was the title track. The song serves as a powerful single because it’s very reminiscent of his earlier works. Abel’s life is falling apart and despite his growth as a man, he still finds himself drifting in the pool of the aftershocks of his success. Seven years past his heavyhearted debut album Kiss Land, still risking everything for love, The Weeknd manages to relate to audiences by being the heartbroken singer we all know and love.

The Weeknd dropped After Hours on March 20th. The album contained no features.

A good beat drop excites any music fan, but in the intro song “Alone Again” the drums were almost useless. The track does a great job of building your excitement as a listener, but honestly the beat drop is very underwhelming. The powerless moment in the first track takes away from track two, “Too Late” which probably should’ve been the intro to the album. “Too Late” sets the tone for this synth-heavy album, it also introduces the first signs of pessimism and the need to move away from Los Angeles we see throughout After Hours. 

In “Too Late” Abel is still putting the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“It’s way too late to save our souls

It’s way too late, we’re on our own”

Abel also shows his selfish nature throughout “After Hours.” He knows that he’s probably ran his relationship into the ground; but rather than letting his partner go on her own path, he suggests she join him in his life of lust. He then goes on to sing, “I can’t trust where I live anymore” in reference to LA. Later in the album, this mistrust leads to him escaping to The City of Sin: Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tracks two and three are probably The Weeknd’s most mature tracks within his discography. Both “Hardest To Love” and “Scared To Live” again show The Weeknd placing the blame on himself, but this time he takes all of the responsibility while allowing his partner to find true happiness. “Scared To Live” is also one of the best vocal performances on After Hours. Track two, three and four is where the listener should begin to notice the battle of ego versus sacred self that The Weeknd is struggling with. 

“Snowchild” is the fifth song on the new LP. In this track, The Weeknd reflects on his past. In an attempt to support his need to leave LA, he begins to wonder if he had any ill will that motivated his rise to the top. 

In track six, “Escape From LA” insinuates that Los Angeles enticed him for all of the wrong reasons. This is a point in After Hours where we see the clearest nod to “Old Abel” since this is one of the most gloomy songs on the project. 

Relocating to Sin City was an interesting choice for The Weeknd, considering the fact that what he wanted to escape from in Los Angeles was its vices. After his “Escape From LA” the Weeknd backpedaled into his old habits. 

“I’ve been sober for a year now, now it's time for me

To go back to my old ways, don’t you cry for me 

Thought I’d be a better man, but I lied to me and to you”

Tracks nine through twelve show The Weeknd in his classic egotistical state. This particular stretch of songs are fun too, they show the most striking resemblances to 80’s dance music. There is a bit of a contradiction since you would most likely be up dancing to the most toxic tracks of 2020. 

During the last two tracks of the album, The Weeknd has come to the realization that he put every ounce of literal blood, sweat, and tears into basking in the glory of his fast pace lifestyle, as well as sulking in shame. 

In Track 14, “Until I Bleed Out” we see an Abel who has been relapsing since he got to Vegas. Unlike any other song on the project, Abel shows signs of wanting to pick up his sobriety and regretting what he has done to his life. Sadly, the track ends abruptly, as Abel is slowly bleeding out. It seems as if our favorite new 80’s pop star’s short-lived run has come to an end.

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After Hours was initially released with 14 tracks and no features. Two days later a deluxe version was released with five more songs, all remixes of songs already on the album. The deluxe version includes a feature from Lil Uzi Vert on the “Heartless (Vapor Wave Remix)”.           

Three days after the album’s release, a music video for “In Your Eyes” was released. The opening scene shows Abel as he attacks a young couple in the elevator. He kills the man but somehow the girl ends up getting away. Abel spends the entire video chasing this young woman just for her to chop his head off. The chase showcases how Abel has chased women, fame, and all the other vices a celebrity like him is exposed to.

In the promo for the second deluxe version of this album, he is shown sporting a black suit, rather than the red suit jacket he’s had on since November. The murder kicks off the journey for a new version of himself, or for a new character in After Hours.

Abel released three new tracks over a week after the album's initial release. The tracks “Nothing Compares”, “Missed You”, and “Final Lullaby” were added to the second installment of the deluxe version for After Hours. When you’ve been an XO fan for as long as many have, you eventually come to learn that The Weeknd would never release any songs for aimless reasons. He values his art, which is why these songs were released after his video for track 10 “In Your Eyes.” Sonically, these tracks deviate from the rest of After Hours and with the change of suit, it’s fair to say “Nothing Compares,” “Missed You,” and “Final Lullaby” are our first introduction to this new version of Abel.

This new project is refreshing for The Weeknd’s hardcore fanbase, as well as music fans everywhere. With his picked-out afro, thick mustache, red suit and black serial killer gloves, it’s simply fun to see an artist like the Weeknd completely indulge himself into a new identity. When all is said and done, After Hours will end up being his most complete project. 

Favorite tracks

Snowchild

Escape From LA

Save Your Tears

Rating: 9

Listen to After Hours here:

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Going Galactic: Uzi Meets Astronomical Expectations With Eternal Atake

The eternal wait for Eternal Atake is finally over. After nearly 600 days since the announcement of the album, Philadelphia rapper Lil Uzi Vert’s sophomore album has finally surfaced.

By Luke Modugno

From the outside looking in, Eternal Atake looked like it would never be released. From social media feuds with his own label (Generation Now), to announcing his retirement from making music, the road to the release of Eternal Atake was certainly rough. Due to his impressive debut album Luv Is Rage 2 and the few leaked tracks from Eternal Atake, the expectations for the album skyrocketed during the long wait between the announcement and the release of the record. But hip-hop's favorite extraterrestrial has finally returned to Earth with a truly fun trap album that lives up to its astronomical expectations. 

Sonically, Eternal Atake is split into three distinct parts, each exhibiting and playing on one of Uzi’s talents as an MC. On tracks 1-6, Uzi raps aggressively over energetic, intense trap production. From the hard basslines and siren sample on “You Better Move,” to the assertive flows on “Silly Watch,” this section on Eternal Atake is braggadocious, unrelenting and illustrates Uzi’s inherent talent for producing club and house party anthems. From tracks 7-11, Uzi’s sharply melodic, auto tuned singing voice takes center stage. On Luv is Rage 2 standouts “The Way Life Goes,” “X,” and “Dark Queen,” Uzi established his extraordinarily entrancing singing voice, floating over dark, spacey, 808-heavy production to create catchy hits. Eternal Atake takes that same success and replicates it, allowing Uzi to diversify the soundscape of the album with tracks such as “I’m Sorry,” and “Bigger than Life.” The rest of the LP relies on a brilliant blend of the two aforementioned styles employed by Uzi on Eternal Atake, closing out the project with speaker rattlers (“Prices”), catchy melodic tracks (“Venetia”), and the brilliant remix and follow up of his viral hit “XO TOUR Llif3.” Closing the album with the markedly introspective cut “P2,” Uzi complete’s a truly enjoyable, bumpy ride through his intergalactic universe. 

The segmented approach to the album is both a positive and a negative for Eternal Atake’s overall sound. On the bright side, each section works to highlight Uzi’s individual strengths, resulting in a few tracks which are some of Uzi’s best work. The opening track, “Baby Pluto,” sees Uzi experimenting with his flow, spitting rapid fire couplets over some of the best production on the album. “I’m Sorry,” taps into the lovesick melodies that filled Luv Is Rage 2, as Uzi tries to reconcile with a girl over an uptempo pop trap beat. On the track “Prices,” Uzi combines both his rapping ability and singing over a sample of Travis Scott’s track “way back,” off of his 2016 project Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight. With imaginative production and energetic delivery from Uzi, the track is a clear standout on Eternal Atake. 

But Eternal Atake is, at times, a bloated project that overstays its welcome. Clocking in at 62 minutes long spanning 18 songs, the project is simply not sonically diverse enough to justify its length. Yes, the vast majority of the tracks are hits and there are hardly any skips on Eternal Atake. But few songs are standouts relative to the rest of Uzi’s catalog. At times, the album is simply not fascinating, as around the halfway point, the songs begin to sound the same. Risks are avoided in favor of oversaturated trap aesthetics, which is disappointing considering the proven versatility of Uzi’s artistry on previous albums. Excluding a few songs (“Price,” “Venetia”), the album is comprised of relatively generic trap beats, few which are truly inventive. And with only one feature on the album, Uzi has the sole responsibility of making Eternal Atake engaging enough to keep the listener on edge, which at times, he fails to do. 

Although not particularly interesting sonically, Eternal Atake’s cosmic, cultic theme is explored in a compelling fashion. At the end of most of the songs, a sci-fi narrative is told, where Uzi is abducted by a UFO which is featured on the cover art. The album's narrative is accompanied by a mini film, giving a visual aspect to the narrative created by Eternal Atake. It’s an amusing and unique characteristic of the album, one that won’t be found in most trap projects. 

Nonetheless, Eternal Atake is undeniably entertaining. As a sophomore album with some of the highest expectations for a project in recent history, Uzi delivers a pleasant surprise. The album’s constant delays and the pure spectacle and hype surrounding its eventual release have made this moment even sweeter for Uzi and his fans. 

Favorite Tracks

Baby Pluto

Prices

P2

Rating: 7

Listen to Eternal Atake here:

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2020 Preview: A Look Ahead at What Could Be a Legendary Year in Hip-Hop

By Luke Modugno

With 2010’s coming to a close last month, we leave behind a legendary 10 years of hip-hop. The genre grew leaps and bounds, becoming arguably the biggest category of music in the world. As we embark on the new journey of the next decade, 2020 seems to be shaping up as one of the best years in the recent history of hip-hop. Here are the albums we’re looking forward to, speculating about, dreaming of, and practically begging for.

Coming Soon: 

Drake 

For the first time since 2014, Drake had a relatively slow year, neglecting to release a new album in 2019. But Drizzy fans weren’t completely deprived. Day-one fans were treated to Care Package, a compilation of the 6 God’s greatest hits not on streaming platforms, and a two song EP titled The Best In The World Pack, celebrating the Toronto Raptors’ NBA championship. Last year, Drake appeared to hint at an album slated for 2020 a few times. The first time was last April, when Drake revealed to his crowd in London that he aimed to return to England with new music in 2020. Additionally, in December, Drake made a surprise appearance at DaBaby’s show in Toronto, telling his hometown that 2020 was a target year for new music, “I’m going to go back to the crib and try to finish this album up so we can turn up in 2020,” Drake told the crowd before he exited the stage. On top of that, Drake and Future have been heavily teasing a follow up to their legendary joint project What a Time to be Alive. Last month, the duo released a new track titled “Life is Good,” with the pair emulating the success and chemistry they’ve formed over the years. And considering Drake was booed off stage at Camp Flog Gnaw 2019, we have to believe the Toronto native has something to say this year. It’s an exciting year to be a Drake fan, I’m expecting both a solo project and another collaboration album with Future in 2020. 

J. Cole

The head-honcho of Dreamville had a remarkable year in 2019, continuing his legendary run of features and exceeding expectations with the Dreamville compilation album Revenge of the Dreamers III. Back in November of last year, Cole previewed a trailer for his upcoming project titled The Fall Off at Day N Vegas. The video, styled like a political campaign ad, shows Cole as the savior of America, during “these turbulent times,” and schedules the album to drop sometime in 2020. Considering the final track on Cole’s 2018 effort KOD was titled “1985 (Intro to ‘The Fall Off’),” the album is being speculated as a direct follow-up. The teaser for The Fall Off doesn’t feature the serious introspection featured on KOD, so Cole may be looking to go in a completely different direction for this project.

A$AP Rocky

2019 was a genuinely scary year for A$AP Rocky. After being arrested and accused of assault, at the time, it was unclear if Rocky would be coming home anytime soon. The situation caught the attention of President Donald Trump, as he stepped in and influenced Rocky’s release and return home. 2020 has been a positive contrast to last year for Rocky, as he seems in a good place. The New York native announced late last year that his album All Smiles is on the way. All Smiles will be Rocky’s first solo album since his 2018 LP Testing. As the title suggests, Testing was certainly an experimental venture, which split fans and critics alike on the quality of the project. Rocky released two new singles in 2018 and 2019, “Sundress” and “Babushka Boi,” it is unclear if either will make the album. It will be intriguing to see if Rocky continues his sonic tinkering, or if he reverts back to his old sound established in his earlier albums. Expect new music sometime in the first half of 2020. 

Joey Bada$$

Besides a group project with East Coast collective Beast Coast, Joey has been relatively quiet since the release of his second studio album ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$. Following the release of his classic debut mixtape 1999, rap fans have hung on Joey’s every word. Joey has shown a lot of maturity and development as an MC since then, developing his sound and subject matters to become a fairly undisputed top five rapper in the game at the moment. Last month, Joey confirmed new music is on the way, “JUST GETTIN’ A FEW MORE DUCKS LINED UP FO I START BUCKING THESE N****Z. WORLD NEED NEW BADA$$ & ITZ COMING#LP3.” During the Beast Coast tour in 2019, the Brooklyn rapper released a series of vlogs and on the first episode, Joey tells A$AP Rocky, “New album, almost done bro.” He further hinted at a new project in an Instagram post, “Might be a few album snippets in there,” referring to the vlog series. Expect new tunes from Joey very soon. 

Hopefuls (fingers crossed): 

Kendrick Lamar

We last heard the crowned king of West Coast hip-hop in 2018, when he curated and produced tracks for the Black Panther movie soundtrack. Since then, it’s been radio static on Kendrick’s end, with no singles, few features and no concrete plans for a new album. The good news: Kdot performed his last DAMN. show at Day N Vegas in November of last year, and with Kendrick headlining 12 festivals across Europe starting in June(Lollapalooza Stockholm, NOS Alive, etc.), there’s a good chance new music is on the way. Multiple reports have speculated that the album may have a heavy rock influence, something we saw glimpses of on DAMN. Former Billboard editorial director Bill Werde added fuel to the fire last month when he tweeted, “Did anyone not named Beyonce release better, more meaningful back-to-back albums last decade than Kendrick Lamar? Are you interested to know that I hear from several friends that recording on the new album may finally be done? And that he’s pulling in more rock sounds this time?” With 1,041 days passing since the release of DAMN.,this has been the longest running wait for a Kendrick album since the time between good kid, m.A.A.d city and To Pimp a Butterfly, making it seem like a lock that Kendrick drops in 2020.

JID

Cole’s label partner at Dreamville has been making some noise the past two years. After impressing listeners with lightning quick raps and witty punchlines with his debut album The Never Story and turning heads in 2018 with his sophomore album DiCaprio 2, JID has as much potential as any rapper in the game. JID has tweeted multiple times over the past few months hinting at a new album this year, however in an interview with Revolt, the 28-year-old spoke on his recent writers block, “My grandmother just passed,” J.I.D told REVOLT TV. “I haven’t been able to write a verse since. Everything has been blank, which is weird.” Legendary producer NO I.D. is reportedly a large part of the album. Considering it's been 2 years since a solo project from JID, I see it likely we will get an album from him later in the year.

Lil Uzi Vert 

Perhaps one of the most anticipated artists in 2020, Uzi has kept fans waiting for almost two years for his upcoming project titled Eternal Atake. From threatening to quit music to making a diss track against his own label Generation Now, Lil Uzi had a very trying year in 2019. However, Uzi has been positive on Twitter as of late. After releasing a single from the album, “Futsal Shuffle 2020,” Uzi has been teasing Eternal Atake heavily, suggesting it’s 16 songs, saying it “slaps way harder” than Luv is Rage and hinting at Tyler, The Creator’s production involvement on the album. In addition, Uzi has constantly compared 2020 to his break out year of 2016, saying it will be “2016 part 2.” During that year, Uzi was a XXL freshman, gave one of the most iconic freestyle cyphers, and dropped two albums in Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World and The Perfect LUV Tape. Considering the delays on the album, the expectations for Eternal Atake are sky high. If we learned anything from last year, we know Uzi is a terribly unpredictable artist, so nothing is really concrete until the album arrives on streaming services. 

Playboi Carti

Incredibly, Playboi Carti has had more songs leaked than songs in the entirety of his discography (125 leaked, 34 released). Despite this, Carti’s supposedly upcoming album Whole Lotta Red is still one of the most coveted potential drops of 2020. In October of last year, Carti posted on Instagram, captioning the post “red incoming.” Since the announcement, heaps of leaks have surfaced, including songs, potential tracklists, album artwork and some possible features. Even Drake posted about the album on Instagram, captioning the post “Nobody:   Me: Somebody play Whole Lotta Red.” Considering it's been nearly two years since Die Lit, Carti will most likely feel the pressure to drop this year. Whether he will or not, is still a mystery. 

Pipe Dreams: 

Kanye West

The past few years have been a rollercoaster ride for Ye. From his constant donning of the MAGA hat and his head scratching slavery comments in 2018, to a steady batch of delays on his now released album JESUS IS KING, Kanye was back to being one the most hated figures in pop culture. Although JESUS IS KING got very mixed reviews, Kanye is supposedly planning a JESUS IS KING sequel. Last November, Ye tweeted a picture of him and Dr. Dre in the studio with the caption, “Ye and Dre Jesus is King Part II coming soon.” Before you get too excited, let's pump the brakes on the hype train for Jesus is King Part II. Kanye and Dre are infamously known for torturing their fans with delays, postponements and scrapping albums all together. Dr. Dre’s highly anticipated solo album Detox has been delayed for nearly two decades. Kanye has a slew of unreleased projects that were scrapped and later leaked, including Yandhi, So Help Me God, TurboGrafx16, Donda’s Boy and more. Don’t expect this album anytime soon. 

Isaiah Rashad

It’s been 1,265 painful days since the release of Isaiah Rashad’s last solo LP The Sun’s Tirade. With two terrific projects under his belt, TDE’s most reserved member has potential to be a household name in hip-hop. In June of last year, Isaiah took to an Instagram livestream where he announced the title of his upcoming album to be The House is Burning. He also claimed the album will be “as tight as Aquemini.” Since then, there has been no update on a release date of any kind. With Zay constantly previewing new music on his Instagram (Including songs with JID and Zacari), an album is presumably coming this year. TDE tends to spread out the release dates of their albums, and with Reason, ScHoolboy Q and possibly Kendrick Lamar dropping this year, we could possibly expect The House is Burning in the second half of 2020. But due to how tight-lipped TDE is about their upcoming projects, we can’t be sure new Zay music is coming this year. 

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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

Lil Tjay Perfomrs His Debut Album "True 2 Myself" at the Novo in Downtown Los Angeles

By Spencer Lobdell

Photo by Owen Markham

Confetti rained down as Lil Tjay looped the chorus to his smash hit “F.N” one last time for a rowdy crowd of screaming fans. As the 18-year-old finished, he took a moment, looked at his fans with admiration, and smiled. The moment felt grand and triumphant and at that moment it was impossible to not feel overwhelmingly happy for the young artist.

While this moment was incredibly special, his whole performance on Friday, February 7th was inspired. The show was part of the True 2 Myself Tour and took place at the Novo in Downtown Los Angeles. Tjay is currently on the road with Big Havi and Kid Laroi who both did a great job at getting the crowd loose, excited, and ready to turn up for the New York rapper.

Photo by Owen Markham

When Tjay finally came on stage after an hour-long DJ set the crowd absolutely lost it. He was wearing a custom Kobe Bryant jersey and later paid tribute with a 24-second moment of silence. Opening with “Goat,” Lil Tjay had the Novo jumping from the start. After the intro, his vocals cut through the instrumental showcasing the Novo’s perfect sound mixing as he sang “No one can stop me I feel like the greatest.” As an 18-year-old playing for a packed crowd of screaming fans in downtown LA, I don’t doubt for one second that Tjay really did feel like the greatest in that moment and time.

The rest of the show kept the same energy as he played more than half of the songs off his debut album True 2 Myself as well as a couple old songs and all the songs he’s released since the album. Fans sang and danced along with unparalleled spirit motivating Tjay to continue to sing every line even when it was apparent that he was out of breath and needed a break.

Everything about the show was magical until a rude fan threw something at Tjay during his  performance of “Go In” during the encore. Tjay stopped the song, pointed out the unwanted fan, and sent a member of his team into the crowd to remove him and rough him up a little. The fan tried to escape at which point Tjay said to let him go but continued to mock him until he was out of the venue. The altercation was uncomfortable and was a strange ending to what otherwise was an excellent show. Concert goers, DON’T BE STUPID AND PISS THE ARTIST OFF, NO ONE WINS IN THAT SITUATION.

All-in-all, the 18-year-old hit maker put on a killer performance at the Novo in LA giving fans everything they could’ve asked for and more. He sang, rapped, and danced his heart without ever having to sacrifice quality for energy. If you get a chance, go see Lil Tjay on the True 2 Myself tour, you won’t regret it!

Photo Gallery by Owen markham:

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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

Mac Miller's Posthumous Album 'Circles' Completes His Career

By Luke Modugno

In 2018, the music world lost a monumentally talented individual. Pittsburgh rapper, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Mac Miller had just released his magnum-opus and Grammy-nominated album, Swimming, when he died of a drug overdose at the age of 26.

Like other late artists, the Miller estate was left with heaps of unreleased music from Mac and fans desperate to hear it. 

Posthumous albums are a delicate and tricky concept. The family was tasked with honoring Miller’s artistic vision, which can be immensely difficult to navigate in a classy and sonically gratifying way. With that being said, Circles is one of the most complete and honoring posthumous projects to date. 

Prior to his death, Miller worked closely with composer and producer Jon Brion on various songs — tracks that became the foundation of Circles. Following Miller's death, Brion was committed to finishing the project that Miller had started. 

Conceptually, Circles is the completion of a paradox created by Swimming.

“My God, it go on and on / Just like a circle I go back where I’m from,” Mac rapped on the closing track of Swimming titled, “So It Goes.” 

Swimming preaches growth, perseverance and being an actively positive force in your own mental health. Narratively, Circles is more of a cry for help, as Mac seems to fall into the same habits he swam away from in his previous project. 

“I cannot be changed, no / trust me I’ve tried / I just end up right at the start of the line / drawing circles,” harmonizes Miller during the title intro track on “Circles.” 

Musically, the album is breath-takingly gorgeous, each track evident of an elegant blend of Miller’s lofi, jazzy production and Brion’s grandiose mastery as a producer. Circles greatly benefits from Brion’s presence, as it breaks up the sonic monotony of Mac’s favoring for sleepy funk beats that oversaturated Swimming. 

Since the release of GO:OD AM and his musical renaissance as an artist, Mac has been attempting to bridge the sizable gap between through-and-through hip-hop and the visceral, spacey world of jazz. 

Circles sees Miller blend the two genres the most successfully. He seems to be comfortable in his own skin as a producer, as he finally did on Swimming.

Tracks “Blue World” and “Complicated” bring the jazz-inspired beats that graced and brightened the Swimming tracklist, like “Ladders,” “Small Worlds,” “What’s the Use?"

The project also infuses a hint of indie-folk, with “Hand Me Downs” and “Hands,” experimenting with Miller’s vocal range and singing voice. The lead single from the project, “Good News,” is an undisputed highlight of Circles. From the plucky guitar and slow drums, to Mac’s heartbreaking lyrics regarding how others perceived his tiring mental state, the track is a clear standout. Although meant to be a sonic and conceptual foil to Swimming, certain tracks bring the same lofi, sleepy mood that defined the latter, such as “Woods” and “Surf.”

Although Circles sounds dazzling, the project takes few risks sonically, generally following the same song structure and overall production established by Swimming, with only a few moments that truly break the mold in “Everybody,” “Hand me Downs” and  “Complicated.”

The album concludes with the morbid “Once a Day”:

“It never really mattered what I had to say / I just keep waiting for another open door to come up soon / Don’t keep it all in your head / the only place you know nobody ever can see.” 

It’s a truly painful end to a career that blessed the lives of millions, and an album that will surely do the same. Unfortunately, Miller won’t be able to build on the success of this album. The artistic vision and mind that provided one of the best discographies in contemporary hip-hop is gone. Fans of Mac should be beyond pleased with this, presumably, final entry to his catalog. 

Yes, the album completes a cycle of depression, but Mac was still trying to find a way forward, a way out of the circle. 

For that reason, Circles is a genuinely beautiful work of art. Expect it mentioned among the top albums of 2020 at the end of the year.

Favorite tracks:

Circles

Blue World

Good News

Rating: 8.5

Listen to Circles here:

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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

The Top 25 Hip-Hop/R&B Albums of 2019

By StereoVision Staff

Welcome to StereoVision’s top 25 hip-hop/r&b albums of 2019. The past twelve months have been filled with highly anticipated releases that exceeded expectations, debut albums that catapulted unknown artists into stardom, and experimental projects that pushed boundaries and continued to move us towards a world where music can no longer be described by genre. With so much great music constantly being released, it can be hard to keep up and sometimes exceptional albums go overlooked. That’s where we come in. Over the last two weeks on 2019, our team of writers and critic here at StereoVision have been revisiting 2019’s deep discography and making sure that our readers won’t enter the new decade having missed out on one of the best projects of the year. For each album selected in our year-end list, our team selected three standout tracks from the record which were compiled into a playlist which you can find here:

Listen along as you read and get a taste of any project you might have not tapped into in 2019. Now without further ado, the top 25 hip-hop/r&b projects of 2019:

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25. Please Excuse ME For Being AntiSocial by Roddy Ricch

Release Date: December 6th

Record Label: Atlantic Records

At the beginning of December, LA’s golden child released his debut album Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial and solidified his spot as one of the top emerging emcees rapping. After dropping potentially the song of the year in “Ballin” with DJ Mustard, Roddy Ricch continued to ride his momentum into his first real album creating a project that is packed with hits without ever sacrificing cohesion or the flow. The album clearly showcases everything fans love about Roddy: His vivid story telling that instantly transports listeners to South Central Los Angeles upon pressing play (“Intro”), his ear for hit melodies and cool California vernacular (“The Box”), and his piercing singing voice that always flexes perfect pitch (“High Fashion”). The cherry on top of this excellent offering is masterfully crafted transitions that allow each song to seamlessly flow into the next making the entire album feel complete. Omitting only Baby Keem, there is no new artist I’m more excited to hear music from in 2020 than Roddy Ricch. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

The Box

High Fashion (Feat. Mustard)

Bacc Seat (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)

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24. foto by Kota the friend

Release Date: May 15th

Record Label: Independent

This spring, Kota the friend dropped the incredibly bright FOTO, an instant classic for his cult following and a wholesome introduction to the New York rapper to new listeners. Throughout the album’s hour long run time, Kota uses each song as a different memory painting an authentic self portrait and helping us understand who Kota the Friend truly is. This intimate connection he is able to make with listeners is undoubtably why the rising artist has such a dedicated fan base and why his stock continues to rise everyday. On FOTO Kota accomplishes exactly what he set out to achieve. He paints a picture of his life so vivid that I felt like I was there when Kota’s mom and his aunt Marcell saw their father at the dance studio for the first time in years. Kota beautifully creates a photo album that he can go back to and reference while still keeping the quality of his music and its mainstream appeal at an all-time high. Thank you to Kota The Friend for a summer soundtrack that I predict will still be getting played in years to come. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Songs:

Church

Hollywood

Alkaline

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23. Outer peace by toro y moi

Release Date: January 18th

Record Label: Carpark Records

Within the first few weeks of 2019, fans of Toro Y Moi were blessed with a new album from Chaz Bear himself. During the promotion for Outer Peace, Bear frequently mentioned how he was tired of making sad love songs, and on Outer Peace there is a clear shift from the pensive sadness of 2017’s Boo Boo into a emotional range that while being fun and optimistic, still has its moments of melancholy and doubt. At 10 tracks long, the Bay-Area native provides his fans with a diverse family of tracks, some low-fi and melodic like “New House” or “Monte Carlo” featuring Wet, others infectiously catchy and uplifting like “Freelance” and “Who Am I”. This was my favorite record of the year, and I have found myself revisiting these tracks almost constantly. The record is perfect for every occasion, so don’t be afraid to throw this on next time you get aux. You won’t regret it. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Law of the Universe

New House

Monte Carlo (Feat. Wet)

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22. Rap or go to the league by 2 Chainz

Release Date: March 1st

Record Label: Def Jam Records

Completely A&Red by LeBron James, Rap or Go to the League is a triumphant comeback for our favorite trapper, 2 Chainz. The album is conceptual and frequently draws parallels between rap and basketball while diving deeper into the troubling idea that the two occupations are two of the only viable options for underprivileged blacks to succeed in America. Chainz uses a polished pen to do so and flexes some of his most impressive verses since his come up on this project. With help from an impressive feature list including Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Ariana Grande, Lil Wayne, E-40, Chance the Rapper, and many others, it should come as no surprise that Rap or Go to the League secured a spot on our list. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Money In The Way

Momma I Hit a Lick (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

I’m Not Crazy, Life Is (Feat. Chance The Rapper & Kodak Black)

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21. Perfect ten by Mustard

Release Date: June 28th

Record Label: Interscope Records

LA producer Mustard, formerly known as DJ Mustard, gave us everything we wanted and more in his third studio album Perfect 10. Aside from many features from hot artists like Roddy Ricch, Migos, and Nipsey Hussle, Mustard killed the execution on the production side. It is chock-full of anthems and there is so much bounce throughout the whole project that it’s almost impossible to sit still while bumping the album. His #1 song off of the album, “Ballin”, is now grammy nominated for best rap/sung performance. This turned out to be both Mustard and Roddy Ricch’s first ever grammy nomination, and it was definitely well-deserved. -Colson O’Connor

Favorite Tracks:

Baguettes in the Face (Feat. NAV, Playboi Carti, & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie)

Ballin’ (Feat. Roddy Ricch)

Perfect Ten (Feat. Nipsey Hussle)

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20. Fever by Megan Thee Stallion

Release Date: May 17th

Record Label: 300 Entertainment

Megan Thee Stallion is the “it girl” of 2019. This summer, Megan blew up with her mixtape Fever, ​released in May. ​Fever​ was the perfect project to kick off the summer, with Megan trading in her Tina Snow persona for a new one she deemed “Hot Girl Meg.” Hot Girl Meg was what she called a “college party girl,” and was the embodiment of sex appeal, independence, and a carefree attitude. On ​Fever​, Megan showed her range in being able to rap about anything from sensual lovemaking to robbing a man of everything he is worth. Truly an inspiration for the girls. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Cash Shit (Feat. DaBaby)

Best You Ever Had

Simon Says (Feat. Juicy J)

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19. The Life of pi’erre 4 by pi’erre bourne

Release Date: June 21st

Record Label: Interscope Records

The return of famed rapper/producer Pi’erre Bourne has been long awaited. Since wrapping up 2018 with his collaborative record with fellow producer Cardo, many have been anxiously awaiting the fourth installment in the ‘The Life of Pi’erre’ saga. When the album finally dropped in June 2019, fans were not disappointed. TLOP 4 is a rollercoaster through contemporary hip-hop from the eyes of the man who has helped shape it. From forming the careers of artists like Young Nudy, Playboi Carti, and 6ix9ine, Pi’erre Bourne’s influence and expertise in modern hip-hop/trap synthesis cannot be understated. On his newest record Pi’erre constantly flexes his production skills and his songwriting abilities, delivering heartfelt and saccharine tracks like “Ballad” and “Racer” in one moment, and fast-paced bangers like “Routine” and “Speed Dial” the next. Each track is dense with expert engineering skills and tactics, while still being accessible enough to appeal to hip-hop fans both old and new. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Poof

Routine

Speed Dial

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18. baby on Baby by dababy

Release Date: March 1st

Record Label: Interscope Records

DaBaby shows the world that short men do in fact have rights with his infectious breakthrough project Baby on Baby which was the beginning of a dominant 2019 for the Charlotte newcomer. DaBaby does not take himself too seriously in his music or his visual aesthetic. His music videos are completely kitschy and absurd. He has posed as figures such as Scarface and Suge Knight, and even filmed a video that parodied sitcom television. DaBaby’s bars are hilarious and clever. But do not get it twisted: He is not one to mess with. He is tough as hell, and, as he spits in the track “Suge,” if given any disrespect he will “... beat your ass up all in front of your partners and children.” Baby on Baby is a refreshing project that is funny, surprisingly crude, and full of dope bangers prime for all your summer antics. —Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Suge

Pony

Carpet Burn

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17. assume form by James Blake

Release Date: January 18th

Record Label: Polydor Records

Ominous, hypnotic, and ultimately gorgeous, James Blake blends his signature downtempo sound with elements of rap and trip-hop on Assume Form. Blake’s vocal melodies soar over the album’s minimalist production, and the instrumentals show just how much he can make out of so little. Moments such as the climactic ending to “Barefoot in the Park” and James’ vocal cracks in “I’ll Come Too” are enough to conjure emotions on their own, and his candid lyrics only make these segments more potent. His arrangements are simply beautiful—even experimental at times—and the result is an extremely cohesive blend of alternative music and hip-hop. -Owen Tait

Favorite Tracks:

Mile High (Feat. Travis Scott & Metro Boomin)

Where’s the Catch (Feat. André 3000)

Don’t Miss It

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16. Everythings for sale by boogie

Release Date: January 25th

Record Label: Interscope Records

Compton MC Boogie made some major waves in 2018 when he received a huge Eminem cosign and an actual record deal from Shady Records. In January, the young rapper returned with his Shady Records debut Everythings For Sale and it did not disappoint. Over the 40-minute run time, Boogies honestly reflects on a broken relationship, new fame, and his current day to day life. Throughout the tape Boogie proves why Pitchfork called him one of the best young emcees in the country. The tape is exceptionally cohesive and if you immerse yourself in Boogie’s world and experiences you should find that 40-minutes will feel more like 20. Boogie’s lyricism is a perfect mix of cool California dialect and witty lines that emphasize his smart and reflective themes. He gives us up-beat bangers like the JID assisted “Soho” as well as introspective reflections like “Lolsmh” or “Whose Fault”. This album is complete, thought-provoking, and one of the best releases of the year. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Silent Ride

Soho (Feat. JID)

Live 95

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15. crash talk by schoolboy q

Release Date: April 26th

Record Label: Interscope Records

From a rap standpoint, Schoolboy Q has everything. Critical acclaim came to him with the Blank Face LP. He is a member of arguable the most respects collective in hip-hop in TDE. Yet his life outside of music has not been a walk in the park. On CrasH Talk Q looks at himself as a man and takes a step back to evaluate his own life and the people around him. This is the most relatable he has every sounded on any project. He does stay true to his hardened exterior on excellent cuts like “Numb Numb Juice”, on which he sound cut throat and motivated from the start. While this was the single released from the album, what is a more accurate representation of what makes CrasH Talk so quality is a song like “Black Folk”. Schoolboy strips away all ego and is just a man with many doubts and fears which he articulates over the ominous production in the background. This is what people want from artists when they release projects, not more of the same. This is an honest picture that Schoolboy painted for us of his life right now, he isn't a gangster or famous rapper, but a person just like you or me with doubts about himself, his carrer, and the world around him. While it may seem like a melancholy collection of music, Q finds a way to communicate these feelings in an interesting way and still come the conclusion that no person to ever walk this Earth is immune to what he, and a lot of us, are going through and that is perfectly okay. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Drunk (Feat. 6LACK)

Black Folk

Dangerous (Feat. Kid Cudi)

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14. flamagrama by flying lotus

Release Date: May 24th

Record Label: Warp Records

Very few names carry the weight that Flying Lotus’s does in music. A mysterious prodigy who masterfully meanders through genres like electronic, experimental, R&B, jazz, funk, and hip-hop, Lotus returns from a long hiatus to deliver ‘Flamagra’, a 27-track record that spends approximately an hour showcasing Lotus’s musical prowess. It is impossible to sum up this album in just one paragraph, but listening to this album is an experience very akin to Alice’s trip through Wonderland. While some tracks may not last as long as one might wish, they each leave lasting impressions that resonate within long after Flying Lotus transitions to another musical ideas. Featuring help from artists like Thundercat, Toro Y Moi, Solange, David Lynch, Denzel Curry, and Anderson .Paak (just to name a few), Flamagra was certainly worth the wait. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Post Requisite

More (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

Land of Honey (Feat. Solange)

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13. The lost boy by ybn cordae

Release Date: July 26th

Record Label: Atlantic Records

Although he is only 22 years old, YBN Cordae managed to get two Grammy nominations on his debut studio album The Lost Boy: one for best rap album and the other for best rap song. YBN Cordae seemingly came out of nowhere and took the world by storm. He released his album in July and is already touring internationally with hundreds of thousands of fans screaming his lyrics. Cordae brings an original sound and flow to the table that is undeniably smooth. When you take that and pair it up with a couple features from incredibly successful artists such as Anderson .Paak and Chance the Rapper, it’s a no-brainer he was grammy nominated twice. The best part is, he is only just getting started, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for him in 2020. -Colson O’Connor

Favorite Tracks:

RNP (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

Broke As Fuck

We Gon Make It (Feat. Meek Mill)

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12. revenge of the dreamers iii by dreamville

Release Date: July 5th

Record Label: Interscope Records

This year J. Cole and the rest of his Dreamville team set out to create a rap album unlike anything we’ve seen before. With fear of regret not working with more artists in his career, Cole decided to host a 10-day rap camp. Golden ticket-like invites were sent out to over 100 artists and producers from all over the music genre spectrum. Not only was it the diversity of the artists that was so important, but the blend of popular and low-key artists is what made the project so special. It gave smaller artists a chance to finally get some recognition for their outstanding talent. A documentary was released along with the album, and it truly painted the picture of the competition that was created among themselves. In a situation like this, you don’t get put on the album by being passive. You gotta come with the heat and you must make the most of your opportunities as only the top songs will make the cut. This created a friendly and competitive energy, and they would feed off of each other to push themselves to bring out their best work. When discussing the top rap album of 2019, Revenge of the Dreamers III must be in the conversation. -Colson O’Connor

Favorite Tracks:

Under the Sun (Feat. J. Cole, Lute, & DaBaby)

Down Bad (Feat. JID, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG, & Young Nudy)

Sacrifices (Feat. EARTHGANG, J. Cole, Smino, & Saba)

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11. Angel’s pulse by blood orange

Release Date: July 12th

Record Label: Domino Recording Company

Following the release of his fourth studio album ​Negro Swan ​in 2018, Blood Orange kept the up his momentuem with the drop of his mixtape ​Angel’s Pulse i​ n July. Blood Orange is an incredibly multifaceted artist who, over the course of his decades long music career has created rock tracks, funk, R&B, indie pop, and even dabbled in a bit of hip hop and rap. ​Angel’s Pulse ​is nothing short of these influences with Blood Orange traversing through different musical styles and genres effortlessly throughout the course of the project. With his wonderfully smooth and funky production style coupled with his immaculate lyricism, ​Angel’s Pulse ​was undoubtedly one of the most refreshing and artistic projects of the year. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Dark & Handsome (Feat. Toro y Moi)

Benzo

Tuesday Feeling (Choose to Stay) (Feat. Tinashe)

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10. All My Heroes are cornballs by jpegmafia

Release Date: September 13th

Record Label: EQT Recordings

Rapper & experimental producer JPEGMAFIA follows up his captivatingly chaotic Veteran with an equally unpredictable and glitchy trip on All My Heroes Are Cornballs. Opting to incorporate sung hooks and melodic verses, JPEG’s delivery is more dynamic than ever, and the plunky synths and heavy chords he casts across the record compliment his characteristically unhinged drum patterns extremely well. Despite this instrumental shift in tone, JPEG’s lyrics are as aggressive and self-aware as ever, and he evens manages to shout his way through verses on tracks such as “PRONE!” and “Kenan Vs. Kel.” Overall, the album displays a larger range of what JPEGMAFIA is musically capable of, all while remaining compact, cryptic, and undeniably awesome. -Owen Tait

Favorite Tracks:

Kenan Vs. Kel

All My Heroes Are Cornballs

Thot Tactics

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9. Zuu by denzel curry

Release Date: May 31st

Record Label: Loma Vista Recordings

Coming off his most conceptual album to date (TA13OO), many wondered what direction Denzel would head next. The answer to that was obvious to Curry: he would go home. With ZUU, Denzel tastefully simplified his music showing us that sometimes the obvious answer can be the best answer with proper execution. ZUU is a short album with no skippable tracks. It’s abrasive and in-your-face without being inaccessible for less intense fans thanks to cuts like “WISH” and “SHAKE 88”. Songs like “BIRDZ”, “AUTOMATIC”, and “RICKY” provide long term Denzel fans with his unmatched flow and clever lyricism that they have grown to expect. All-in-all, Denzel made an excellent career decision and the result is a Miami masterpiece. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

WISH (Feat. Kiddo Marv)

SPEEDBOAT

CAROLMART (Feat. Ice Billion Berg)

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8. Bandana by freddie gibbs & madlib

Release Date: June 28th

Record Label: RCA Records

If it’s bars you’re looking for, look no further. Backed by lush, opulent instrumentals from legendary hip-hop producer Madlib, Freddie Gibbs flows effortlessly throughout the vast majority of Bandana’s runtime. The midwestern rapper tackles his past, his success, his wrongdoings, and an array of sociopolitical issues that truly allow his lyrical & storytelling abilities to shine. And while Gibbs is certainly capable of manning an album by himself, he is more than happy to add excellent features from his A-list friends, with Pusha T even turning in Complex’s “Rap Verse of the Year” on the sixth cut “Palmolive”. The power behind Gibbs’ words and his technical abilities were enough to make the album continue to grow on me throughout the year, and standout features from Gibbs’ colleagues solidified the project’s spot on my list. -Owen Tait

Favorite Tracks:

Palmolive (Feat. Pusha T & Killer Mike)

Flat Tummy Tea

Giannis (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

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7. Mirrorland by earthgang

Release Date: September 6th

Record Label: Interscope Records

BREAKOUT ALBUM! That is the only way that Mirrorland can and should be described. Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot put the rap game on notice that they are a force to be reckoned with and maybe the best duo in rap right now. Mirrorland sounds exactly like them, and it is incredible to see these young artists make their major label debut and not compromise. Instead they use it to get a host of guest features that simply lift the album to a completely different level. Young Thug on “Proud of U” brings an energy that perfectly matches EARTHGANG, and it seems like the three Atlanta rappers have been spitting together for years. As the album slows down the group calls upon Kehlani to deliver a seductive smooth verse on “Trippin”. Mirrorland perfectly displays the versatility of the group. The first half of the project gives audiences the energy and flows that caught the attention of people early on in their careers, but the second half where they slow their storytelling ability and emotion makes the project so great. They should get praise for getting T-Pain to deliver on of his best contributions to a song in a very long time. It all come to a fitting conclusion on “Wings”, where the boys reflect on where they came from and where they want to go. If Mirrorland is any indication, they have a very bright future. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Tequila (Feat. T-Pain)

Trippin (Feat. Kehlani)

Wings

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6. Die For my bitch by baby keem

Release Date: July 19th

Record Label: Independent

If you tapped into Baby Keem’s Die For My Bitch in 2019 you witnessed history. On my personal favorite album of the year, fans witnessed an artist with an unmatched ceiling come into his own and deliver his first excellent body of work. The LA artist showed significant growth since his last project highlighting his aggressive rise to inevitable stardom. The tape sacrifices unity and cohesion to instead display Keem’s wide variety of sounds and styles that he is proficient in, a great decision for an upcoming rapper looking to catch the attention of unfamiliar fans. While “ORANGE SODA” was one of the most fun hip-hop moments of the year and introduced the world to Keem’s sharp flow and one-of-a-kind vocabulary, some fans might not have realized that Keem’s entire album is equally as captivating and entertaining. All the claims I made throughout 2019 saying that Keem was a superstar were confirmed in November when I went to his show in Los Angeles and was treated with one of the most electric live performances I’ve ever been to. There’s a reason that A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar were spotted at his shows on the Die For My Bitch tour. There’s a reason he was photographed having lunch with Jay-Z this past winter. There’s a reason that Drake called Die For My Bitch the best album of 2019 along with Young Thug’s So Much Fun. On the second track “Honest” the LA artist raps “Baby Keem, shit I’m chosen” and after one listen through Die For My Bitch, it’s hard not to believe him. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

ROCKSTAR P

ORANGE SODA

APOLOGIZE

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5. When I get home by solange

Release Date: March 1st

Record Label: Columbia Records

Solange Knowles’ radical album When I Get Home is easily the most artistic project of the year. When I Get Home is not easy to explain, to start, what exactly is the genre? Is it hip-hop, as suggested by features with prominent rap artists Playboi Carti and Gucci Mane? Is it soul? R&B? Further, what is the “home” that Solange is referring to? Is this place literal or figurative? Solange manages to answer all of these questions throughout the course of the album. When I Get Home is an iconographic representation of the black experience in the most celebratory sense. Solange embraces her black womanhood and embraces Houston, Texas. The project radiates warmth and familiarity. It creates a home within itself. When I Get Home is wholly inviting, sonically stunning, and lyrically beautiful album that I cannot help but come back to when I am in need of empathy, of comfort, of a place to call home. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Almeda (Feat. Playboi Carti)

My Skin My Logo (Feat. Gucci Mane)

Binz

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4. BUBBA by kaytranada

Release Date: December 13th

Record Label: RCA Records

It has been over three long years since the Montreal prodigy Kaytranada released his debut LP 99.9%, a funk-laden electronic record complete with over a dozen guest appearances (including names like hip-hop favorite Anderson .Paak and jazz legend Karriem Riggins). BUBBA, Kaytranada’s recently released sophomore album, is another example of masterful and intentional dance/hip-hop/funk synthesis. On tracks like “10%” with Kali Uchis and “Grey Area” with Mick Jenkins, fans are treated to a signature style of electronic that urges the listeners to lean forward, and lay back simultaneously. Not every track is played safety to Kaytranada’s strong suits however, as certain dancehall-inspired tracks like “Go Dj” and “Vex Oh” show signs of risk-taking that pays off as the record becomes more familiar. It was a long wait for BUBBA, but after hearing Kaytranada collaborate with industry heavyweights like Tinashe and Pharrell, it is safe to say that fans will be satiated for a while. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

2 The Music (Feat. Iman Omari)

Puff Lah

The Worst In Me (Feat. Tinashe)

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3. Ventura by Anderson .paak

Release Date: April 11th

Record Label: Interscope Records

Anderson .Paak’s Ventura showcases everything we love about the soulful California native. Said to be a counter-part to his prior album Oxnard which was released five months earlier, Ventura showcases Paak in his ideal environment being authentically himself. It is musically unmatched and conceptually rich. It’s both sexy (“Jet Black”) and politically charged (“King James”) but always in moderation to keep it tasteful. Ventura is an album that proved it’s enduring replay value by getting better everyday since it’s release in early April. With Ventura Anderson truly created timeless music as I foresee songs like “Make It Better” and “What Can We Do” staying in my musical rotation until I can no longer hear. Well we all would like to be, no one is quite as smooth as .Paak. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Make It Better (Feat. Smokey Robinson)

King James

Jet Black (Feat. Brandy)

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2. So Much fun by young thug

Release Date: August 16th

Record Label: Atlantic Records

Does Young Thug Speak English? I think he answered that question with 2018’s Slime Language. The album title speaks for itself. So much of what makes So Much Fun great can really be seen through the way Thugger has talked about the project both before and after the release. There is no concept, no real goal or take-away, rather it is just Thug having a good time making music that will make his fans have a good time listening to. What we received was once again a version of the Atlanta rapper we were not accustomed to. “What’s the Move” and “Hop off a Jet” have a crisp beautiful island sound of production that captures the listener's ear instantly. The features across the board do not disappoint and help carry the project. So Much Fun also features what may be one of the most popular songs this year with “Hot” and its remix. Thug’s protegé, Gunna, shines on this effort and his verse on “Diamonds”on the deluxe version of the album needs to be talked about. What can really be taken away from this album is how it fits into the landscape of 2019. Hip-Hop has lost a lot of great talent recently because of the drug culture that artists like Young Thug and Future were a large part of creating. Thugger seems to be moving away from those narratives, or at least doing his best. There is a way to be this same well respects talented performer without the use of such detrimental lyrics, and its seems like Thug may have caught on to that. So Much Fun is a breath of fresh air, with an artist at the peak of his powers creating a vibe of positivity. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Hot (Feat. Gunna)

What’s The Move (Feat. Lil Uzi Vert)

Big Tipper (Feat. Lil Keed)

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1. igor by tyler, the creator

Release Date: May 17th

Record Label: Columbia Records

In a time where it feels like so many creatives are doing things for popularity or to be the next big meme, an artist who goes against expectations to make a beautiful piece of art that is entirely authentic is invaluable. This is exactly the feat Tyler, the Creator accomplishes on IGOR. This project comes on the heels of his most successful mainstream record yet, Flower Boy. Expectations were high and everyone was wondering what was next for the 28 year old rapper. If Flower Boy was his most honest album, on IGOR he tells the best story. The entire album plays like a movie not navigated by lyrics, but by stellar productions. Songs like “I THINK” and “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” are so incredible because they capture the feeling of falling for someone despite your best efforts almost entirely through the way the track sounds. Throughout, it seems Tyler’s character IGOR is trying to find out what is next the same way we all are and it is beautiful. Tyler still has tracks where he flexes his skills as an emcee. “A BOY IS A GUN” has bars from front to back, but he never overstays his welcome. Gone are the days of him trying to shock the world with every bar that comes out his mouth, now he is focused and precise with everything that he touches. That is what makes IGOR album of the year. There is nothing else that came out this year that sounds anything like it, and Tyler is an artist that is still hungry to get better, and that deserves to be celebrated. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

EARFQUAKE

A BOY IS A GUN*

ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?

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The PoohBenji Interview: The Hometeam, Spokane Rap, & His Upcoming Debut Project

“There are people that I’m cool with and like to be around, then there are my brothers who I love. Those are the guys that makeup HomeTeam”

By Spencer Lobdell

While August in Spokane is normally known as “Smoke Season,” the sky was clear on August 16th and the 90-degree sun beat down on me as I drove north to conduct an interview I had been anticipating for months. When I arrived at the house that PoohBenji and I had agreed to meet at, I eagerly parked my car and walked to the backyard where Pooh sat, getting his haircut and laughing with all his homies about the prior weekend which was hazy yet undeniably memorable for this specific group of friends. While I sat and waited for Benji’s haircut to finish, I found myself enthralled by the demeanor of the upcoming rapper. Pooh was friendly and easy to talk to, yet extremely confident. He didn’t participate as much as his friends did in the conversation, but when he did speak it was captivating and everything he said drew me in. PoohBenji had the demeanor of a star and before the interview even began, I validated his SoundCloud hit “Legend” where he sings “Bitch it’s a legend in the making”.

Chauncy Ford (PoohBenji) was born in Spokane, Washington but moved around frequently in his youth living in Florida, Louisiana, and Oregon before returning to Spokane in 2015. Moving frequently is never easy for a kid and young PoohBenji found comfort in his mom, his sister, and playing basketball during his nomadic childhood. Upon his return to Spokane, Chauncy attended North Central High School where he continued to play basketball. Benji currently goes to college at Spokane Falls CC and spends the rest of his time working and making music.

PoohBenji began putting music out on SoundCloud around two years ago. The young rapper caught a buzz when he released the infectious party banger “Fuck A Chorus” and began performing at local venues around Spokane. Things really started to take off for the Washington rapper when he moved to a new SoundCloud account (HomeTeam9) and put out songs like “Do The Most” and “Legend” which show off his unique style, a fusion of autotuned melodic rap and precise lyricism comparable to the rap game’s heaviest hitters. This summer Pooh made his Spotify debut with his addicting cut “Change On Me” showing fans that the Washington rapper was here to stay.

Ever since the artist's earliest SoundCloud releases, the common question floating around the Spokane hip-hop scene hasn’t been if PoohBenji will make it, but rather when will PoohBenji make it. While I’ve loved Benji’s music for years, my interactions with Chauncy Ford the person solidified my belief in his inevitable rise. My conversation with PoohBenji, lightly edited for content and clarity, follows below:

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Spencer Lobdell, StereoVision (SL): Your early SoundCloud music was released under Benji x HomeTeam while your recent music has been released under HomeTeam9. Who makes up the HomeTeam and what’s their role in your music?

PoohBenji (PB): My cousin JC made it up. We were just up at the house one day when we realized we needed a brand that we could publish all our ideas under. It’s not a rap group though, HomeTeam is really just all my close homies that I’m gonna take with me when I get up. 

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SL: Does the HomeTeam have a definite roster or is it always changing?

PB: There’s a definite roster. There are people that I’m cool with and like to be around, then there are my brothers who I love. Those are the guys that makeup HomeTeam.

SL: Did you always know you wanted to make music or was there a defining moment when it clicked for you that you were gonna rap for a living?

PB: It started for me and my homies Thomas and Troy went over and made our first song in Caden Townsend’s studio. A couple of days after we were over there, I went by myself and recorded a song called “Make It Happen” which started doing numbers on Soundcloud. That was my big song and when I saw the reaction it got I knew I was going to be a rapper.

SL: You and fellow Spokane rapper King Dre frequently go to producer PeeJay for your production needs. When did you link up with him initially and what do you like about the way he works?

PB: I don’t even remember bro, me and PeeJay have made so many songs. It was right after I started making music with Caden though so it must have been right around two years ago. I love everything about the way PeeJay works. He moves fast, gives me really good pieces of advice, and honestly is the guy that helped me find my sound and exposed me to all the different ways I can manipulate my vocals.

SL: Recently on your social media you’ve been teasing a lot of unreleased music and this week you posted what looks like some album art. Should fans be expecting a new project soon?

PB: The art is for my debut project Alpha which is scheduled to come out on September 3rd. It’s going to be shorter, six or seven songs, and is really gonna show a wide variety of sounds people haven’t heard from me before. Every song is different and I already know people are going to be vibing to it.

SL: Who’s on your playlist right now?

PB: I try and listen to everyone who’s hot and just learn what I can from them so basically anyone that’s dropped in the past month I have downloaded right now. My favorites would probably be Drake and NBA Youngboy though. They’re probably the artists I draw the most inspiration from too.

SL: The Spokane hip-hop scene has been on the rise for the last year. How would it feel to be the first rapper to make it out of Spokane and do you feel any kind of responsibility to be that guy for the city?

PB: I mean it would be cool, but I don’t really look at it like that. It doesn’t really matter who’s first because as soon as one of us pops, the whole city’s on.

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SL: What other Spokane rappers besides you and Dre do StereoVision readers need to know about? 

PB: Rondough & Jiah, they aren’t apart of RMG anymore but they have been putting out some crazy stuff lately. And then my boy Trey (Cfn Trezzy) who’s really going up right now. He’s got a couple of songs out right now but the stuff he’s been showing me lately has been insane. Every day he’s getting better and better, he’s going to be a real problem soon.

SL: Lastly, is there anything else you want readers to know about PoohBenji?

PB: Man, I just want to tell everybody to stop sleeping on Spokane Washington. There’s a lot of talent here, and not just rappers. We got insane hoopers, super dope visual artists, and a lot of other really gifted people that the world needs to know about.

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Baby Keem’s New Offering “Die for My Bitch” Is Captivating, Refreshing, and One of the Best Projects of the Year

The Vegas rapper/producer won a grammy months before releasing his debut mixtape. Now he’s back to show exactly why that grammy won’t be his last.

By Spencer Lobdell

Hykeem Carter (AKA Baby Keem) is hip-hop’s most exciting young voice. The young Las Vegas artist has been deeply rooted in the industry since long before any of his own solo music was released. He is particularly connected to powerhouse label TDE as he got his big break when he landed a spot producing tracks on Kendrick Lamar’s 2018 Black Panther movie soundtrack. Since then he won a grammy for producing tracks on Jay Rock’s Redemption, produced hit songs like ScHoolboy Q’s “Numb Numb Juice”, and created a large buzz for his own solo music.

In October of 2018, Keem released his well-received debut mixtape The Sound of Bad Habit. The tape boasted impressive songs like “Baby Keem”, “Gang Activities”, and “Miss Charlotte” which all point to early signs of stardom. The tape showcases Keem’s stylistic diversity as well as his unique dialect and vocabulary. Anyone who heard Sound of a Bad Habit spent nine months in intense anticipation for the promising projects follow up.

While Keem and his manager, Brock Korsan, both teased album snip-bits on their Instagram for months during the conception of the album, the official rollout for Die For My Bitch began on June 11th with the release of his absolutely addicting single “INVENTED IT”. The upbeat, infectious cut only lasts a minute and a half and will have you hitting replay for hours. The hook boasts his unique vocabulary that takes some deciphering (“Big protein I’m smoking lonely for the culture/No Ted Talk I’m stepping on a little roach”) leading to the consumption of Baby Keem’s music being somewhat reminiscent of that of fellow LA artist Drakeo The Ruler.

A month later Keem released the album’s second single, “FRANCE FREESTYLE”. The cut is gritty, tough as nails, and couldn’t sound less like the radio-friendly “INVENTED IT”. The menacing song hits every beat and should be added to weight-lifting playlists across the country.

A week later on Hykeem released the final single off Die For My Bitch, “ORANGE SODA”. The song’s title is one way that Keem refers to the women in his life yet again shining a light on his uncommon way of talking.

On July 19th Baby Keem independently released Die For My Bitch. The mixtape is 14 tracks long, runs for 34 minutes, and has no featured artists.

The album starts with a voicemail from an unnamed girl who is furious with Keem and tells him to call her back immediately. This voicemail is a reoccurring theme throughout the project although the mystery women’s tone changes from angry to desperate as the tape progresses. After the short voicemail commences the beat hits and it hits hard. “STATS” is an excellent attention-getter and introduces new fans to Keem’s intentionally-provocative rapping and his unmatched confidence (“Baby Keem just humbled a model”). Halfway through the song, there is a soulful ten-second interlude that alerts us that Keem is far more than your standard trap rapper. This interlude is interrupted by Keem’s slicing ad-libs as we are instantly transported back to chaos.

On the second track “HONEST” Keem makes it known that he is far from one dimensional as he turns the intensity down for the emotional cut about returning to your ex when things aren’t going so well. Keem’s brutal honesty is on display throughout the whole tape but is especially present on this track (“You’re not who I love, I just need to pass the time”). In the second verse, Keem sings “Baby Keem, shit I’m chosen” and even though we’re only six minutes into the tape, it’s hard to not believe him. 

After we hear two of the afro mentioned singles (“INVENTED IT” & “FRANCE FREESTYLE”) we are transported to the beautiful soundscape that is “BULLIES”. The team of producers that worked on this track masterfully created an instrumental that is layered with swirling synths and harmonies that make this track feel like it exists in its own world. Keem’s hook on this track is one of the most addicting stanzas on the album making chill cut an early favorite.

The ninth cut “TOP RAMEN” is undeniably peculiar and gets better with every listen. Keem flexes his whisper-rap flow over a minimalistic instrumental leading to the same awesome effect that Chicago rapper Valee has mastered.

“TOP RAMEN” is instantly followed by the most dramatic deviation on the album “MY EX”. On this track, Baby Keem is no longer a rapper but rather a rock star singing over a punk-inspired acoustic guitar chord progression. Keem spits facts that anyone who has had a bad breakup can relate to while simultaneously ruining any shot he ever had at a partnership with Trojan (“And I want to see you naked but I hate safe sex”).

The last song on the album is a sure-hit if it gets the exposure it deserves. On the pulsing banger “APOLOGIZE”, Keem effortlessly fuses the creative and sophisticated soundscape of a song like “Wolves” by Kanye West with the catchiness and addicting nature of a Juice WRLD hook. “APOLOGIZE” is such an excellent song because of the conflicting emotions Keem feels and how effectively he articulates these emotions. This song belongs on every hip-hop radio station in America and I believe it’s only a matter of time before it gets there.

Baby Keem’s Die For My Bitch was highly anticipated by fans and artists alike and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The LA artist showed significant growth since his last project highlighting his aggressive rise to inevitable stardom. The tape sacrifices unity and cohesion to instead display Keem’s wide variety of sounds and styles that he is proficient in, a great decision for an upcoming rapper looking to catch the attention of unfamiliar fans. Die For My Bitch is thoroughly entertaining, giving fans fourteen new bangers as we begin the painful wait for his debut album.

Favorite Tracks:

INVENTED IT

BULLIES

APOLOGIZE

Rating: 8

Listen to Die For My Bitch here:

DIE FOR MY BITCH, an album by Baby Keem on Spotify

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Top 20 Hip-Hop and R&B Albums of the First Half of 2019

By Spencer Lobdell, Miles Hagan, Kaila Cherry, Carter Fife, & Izzy Stroobandt

Welcome to StereoVision’s top 20 albums of the first half of 2019. It has been a great six months for Hip-Hop, R&B, and music in general making this list challenging yet insanely fun to form. The creation of this list came from compiling all of our writers personal AOTY (Album of the Year) lists as well as extensive album debate and conversation throughout the first half of the year to ensure we have the perfect list that represents exactly what we dig at StereoVision. To get this list out in time, we had to cut off all albums released after June 23rd from consideration meaning albums like “Bandana” by Freddie Gibbs that were released in the last week of June are not eligible for selection. Listen along to our top 20 albums of the first half of 2019 by tapping in to our Spotify and Apple Music playlist which contains three spotlight songs from each selection. Stream it here:

This platylist contains three spotlight songs off of each of our top 20 Hip-Hop/R&B albums released during the first half of 2019

Without further ado, our top albums of the first half of 2019:

20. Still Summer in the projects by 03 greedo

Release Date: April 19th, 2019

Record Label: Alamo Records

03 Greedo is a living legend and if his face tattoo of that exact phrase doesn’t convince you, one listen through Still Summer in the Projects should do the trick. The album is Greedo’s most cohesive effort to date and plays smoothly from start to finish. Greedo raps about familiar topics such as living life in Watts (“10 purple Summers”) as well as unfamiliar ones like a new perspective he received from being in the middle of a 20-year prison sentence (“Visions”). Overall Still Summer In The Projects is another exceptional release from 03 Greedo and with news that Greedo might be able to get out after five years on good behavior, we can only prey this is the case and continue to support his truly unparalleled music. Greedo is a musical anomaly, a figurehead for his hood, an LA icon, but above all, a living legend. Free 03! -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

10 Purple Summers

Gettin’ Ready

Visions

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19. Grey Area by Little Simz

Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Independent

At the beginning of March majority of the United States was introduced to London-based emcee Little Simz and the pleasure was all ours. Deviating from the eccentric, dreamy, synth sounds that characterized her last album, on GREY Area, Simz opted for a blend of aggression, vulnerability, and genre-splicing to convey her experiences growing up and developing as an artist in a male-dominated industry. While following a theme of self-discovery and personal development, Simz displays true artistry through the presence of influences from a variety of musical genres that elevate her voice and message. The English artist displays great strength with hard hitting verses on cuts such as “Offence” and “Boss” but reels it back allowing us to invade her headspace on songs like the excellent “Venom”. With every bar she spits it’s clear that Simz has something to say and she demands you listen. -Izzy Stroobandt

Favorite Tracks:

Offence

Wounds

Venom

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18. diaspora by goldlink

Release Date: June 11th, 2019

Record Label: RCA Records

Diaspora is an ambitious project. GoldLink tasked himself with consolidating the global sounds of the black experience into a single album. And with each genre he explored, he owed it to the culture in which he drew from to do their music justice, to represent them accurately and genuinely with his audience. Diaspora is just that: the amalgamation of the black cultural experience as told through the sound we engage with in each pocket of the world we inhabit. GoldLink features afrobeat, house, Carribean dancehall, reggaeton, trap, classic hip hop, and more on his extremely diverse and funky project. Not the most lyrically strong, GoldLink nearly makes up for it with how well he executed the concept for the album. Diaspora is an accessible project for anyone, from the person who wants to globalize their ear to the person who just needs some tunes to vibe to. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Joke Ting (feat. Ari PenSmith)

Maniac

U Say (feat. Tyler the Creator and Jay Prince)

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17. Baby on Baby by Dababy

Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Interscope Records

DaBaby shows the world that short men do in fact have rights with his infectious breakthrough project Baby on Baby. DaBaby does not take himself too seriously in his music or his visual aesthetic. His music videos are completely kitschy and absurd. He has posed as figures such as Scarface and Suge Knight, and even filmed a video that parodied sitcom television. DaBaby’s bars are hilarious and clever. But do not get it twisted: He is not one to mess with. He is tough as hell, and, as he spits in the track “Suge,” if given any disrespect he will “... beat your ass up all in front of your partners and children.” Baby on Baby is a refreshing project that is funny, surprisingly crude, and full of dope bangers prime for all your summer antics. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Suge

Pony

Carpet Burn

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16. We All shine by ynw melly

Release Date: January 18th, 2019

Record Label: Independent

YNW Melly’s We All Shine is far and away the best music he has every released. The Florida rapper is packed with personality and it comes through on every track. His songs are filled with authentic emotion giving them a powerful effect on listeners. “Ingredients” is fun and infectious to the point where you can’t listen without smiling while “No More” is a passionate public service announcement where he calls out a homie on his bullshit. If it wasn’t for a timely jail sentence, We All Shine showed every sign of being Melly’s coming out party and ushering him towards being a household name. Hopefully he can get out soon and continue to make excellent music full of emotion, substance, and his unparalleled pipes. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Robbery

Mixed Personalities (Feat. Kanye West)

Ingredients (Feat. Fredo Bang)

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15. Flamagrama by Flying Lotus

Release Date: May 24th, 2019

Record Label: Warp Records

Very few names carry the weight that Flying Lotus’s does in music. A mysterious prodigy who masterfully meanders through genres like electronic, experimental, R&B, jazz, funk, and hip-hop, Lotus returns from a long hiatus to deliver ‘Flamagra’, a 27-track record that spends approximately an hour showcasing Lotus’s musical prowess. It is impossible to sum up this album in just one paragraph, but listening to this album is an experience very akin to Alice’s trip through Wonderland. While some tracks may not last as long as one might wish, they each leave lasting impressions that resonate within long after Flying Lotus transitions to another musical ideas. Featuring help from artists like Thundercat, Toro Y Moi, Solange, David Lynch, Denzel Curry, and Anderson .Paak (just to name a few), Flamagra was certainly worth the wait. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Post Requisite

More (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

9 Carrots (Feat. Toro Y Moi)

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14. Assume form by james blake

Release Date: January 18th, 2019

Record Label: Polydor Records

James Blake’s presence in contemporary music has grown heavily over the past several years. No longer is the singer-songwriter confined to the occasional appearance or feature on throwaway tracks, instead now Blake has evolved into a cultural mainstay. While previously established as an expert in the realm of laments and dejected tracks laced with heavy electronic instrumentation or glitchy production effects, Assume Form sees Blake exiting a depressive period. Blake quite literally assumes form on tracks like “I’ll Come Too” or “Power On”, where the listener can track in real time Blake shedding his reserved and destructive tendencies in the enjoyment of a new love interest. Each track is just as incredible as the last, featuring help from artists like Travis Scott, Moses Sumney, Andre 3000, Metro Boomin and ROSALÍA. Although some of the moments on this record could be explored more thoroughly, James Blake offers a precise and relatable emotional tone on this record that will not soon be forgotten. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Assume Form

I’ll Come Too

Power On

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13. Foto by kota the friend

Release Date: May 14th, 2019

Record Label: Independent

FOTO was the perfect album for the summer. Kota the Friend is an artist who seems to have really found a signature sound on this project. He mixes his slick flows and relatable lyrics with laid back gorgeous beats. Rather than attempting to force a message on the listener, he paints a vivid picture with each track. A stand out single from the project was “Birdie”. On the album, he added a beautiful saxophone from Hello Oshay which compliments the song perfectly. He captures what it feels like to really be in love with the girl of your dreams. He shines on this project when he is really just rapping about his thoughts and feelings because Kota is a very relatable character. “Hollywood” offers a realistic perspective on fame and all that comes with it. Kota doesn't want to be that stereotypical rapper who went “Hollywood” and forgot who he was, but rather wants to attain this success in the industry through remembering and honoring where he came from. This idea of him paying homage to the people and experiences that brought him to this point is what makes FOTO so endearing to even the most hardened of listeners. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Church 

Birdie (Feat. Hello Oshay)

Alkaline

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12. Outer Peace by Toro y moi

Release Date: January 18th, 2019

Record Label: Carpark records

Within the first few weeks of 2019, fans of Toro Y Moi were blessed with a new album from Chaz Bear himself. During the promotion for Outer Peace, Bear frequently mentioned how he was tired of making sad love songs, and on Outer Peace there is a clear shift from the pensive sadness of 2017’s Boo Boo into a emotional range that while being fun and optimistic, still has its moments of melancholy and doubt. At 10 tracks long, the Bay-Area native provides his fans with a diverse family of tracks, some low-fi and melodic like “New House” or “Monte Carlo” featuring Wet, others infectiously catchy and uplifting like “Freelance” and “Who Am I”. Although I wish it were longer than half an hour, this summery record has something for everyone. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Laws of the Universe

Freelance

Monte Carlo (Feat. Wet)

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11. Rap or go to the league by 2chainz

Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Def Jam Recordings

It seems like whenever 2 Chainz releases a project at least one song off of it is a hit single in clubs and at parties all over the country. He has made some solid projects over the years, and is an established vet in the rap game. That being said Rap or Go to the League felt different. From the lack of singles before its release, to it being executively produced by LeBron James, this had the potential to be a great album from the well-versed trapper. What we got was actually one of the most cohesive projects of his entire career. A Standout track like “I’m not Crazy Life is” shows just how good this project is when it’s at its best. 2 Chainz flows over stellar production that allows him to really get across a point to the audience. There is a constant parallel between rap music and basketball throughout the album which intentionally alludes to America’s current social climate where young African American males feel like those are their only two ways out of their current situation. While Rap or Go to the League does have a message, there are still some bangers. “Momma I Hit a Lick” may take some listeners a few times to appreciate, but eventually the hard beat and unique flows from 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar are too much to deny. Overall this project succeeds because its feels like 2 Chainz really had a goal in mind this time around, rather than aim for as many radio plays as previous works. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Forgiven (Feat. Marsha Ambrosius)

Momma I Hit a Lick (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

I'm Not Crazy Life Is (Feat. Chance the Rapper & Kodak Black)

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10. the falling man by duckwrth

Release Date: May 17th, 2019

Record Label: Republic Records

For those whose know Duckwrth solely from his earlier works such as I'm Uugly (2016) and An Extra Uugly Mixtape (2017), they will be quite surprised to hear the direction the South Central rapper went for his latest EP, The Falling Man. A complete divergence from the pop influenced lo-fi aesthetic he leaned on for the first leg of his career, The Falling Man shows Duckwrth experimenting with genre, voice inflection, and lyrical depth in a way he has never done before. Duckwrth dips his toes into rock, gospel, and trap throughout the course of the album and each venture is a success. The Falling Man is, for lack of a more creative term, a very solid album. It is a reliable listen that keeps listeners engaged and intrigued. Seeing Duckwrth explore and expand the scope of his music is exciting, and I am eager to see what he has in store for us next. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Bow

King King

Nobody Falls (feat. Kiana Lede, Terrence Martin, Madasin)

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9. Arizona baby by Kevin Abstract

Release Date: April 25th, 2019

Record Label: Question Everything Inc/RCA Records

Kevin Abstract has managed to maintain his individual stardom while being part of the wildly successful super-group, Brockhampton. He has been able to accomplish this rare feat by always making sure his music contains emotion. Each track on ARIZONA BABY, no matter what the subject matter or actual lyrics are, is uncompromisingly honest. Sometimes this honesty is beautiful like on the track “Peach”, which features two of Kevin’s Brockhampton band mates in Joba and Bearface as well as rising star Domonik Fike. Like many of the songs on this project, it is able to mix a more sing song chorus and beautifully played guitars with some solid rap verses from Kevin. While the appeal of this track mainly stems from it just simply sounding beautiful, Kevin really shows his talent as a rapper on a track like “Use Me”. This has one of the most interesting and unique beats to be used in a rap song. Kevin experiments with different flows and tells a compelling story on this cut, but is so impressive because like most of the other tracks on ARIZONA BABY we have never heard anyone spit over sounds like this. This project shows what the bright future of rap in this generation has the potential to be. A seamless combination of rap and incredibly produced pop music. No other mind would be better equipped to spearhead this new sound than the very talented Kevin Abstract. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks: 

Baby Boy

Use Me

Peach

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8. The Life of pi’erre 4 by Pi’erre bourne

Release Date: June 21st, 2019

Record Label: SossHouse/Interscope Records

The return of famed rapper/producer Pi’erre Bourne has been long awaited. Since wrapping up 2018 with his collaborative record with fellow producer Cardo, many have been anxiously awaiting the fourth installment in the ‘The Life of Pi’erre’ saga. When the album finally dropped in June 2019, fans were not disappointed. TLOP 4 is a rollercoaster through contemporary hip-hop from the eyes of the man who has helped shape it. From forming the careers of artists like Young Nudy, Playboi Carti, and 6ix9ine, Pi’erre Bourne’s influence and expertise in modern hip-hop/trap synthesis cannot be understated. On his newest record Pi’erre constantly flexes his production skills and his songwriting abilities, delivering heartfelt and saccharine tracks like “Ballad” and “Racer” in one moment, and fast-paced bangers like “Routine” and “Speed Dial” the next. Each track is dense with expert engineering skills and tactics, while still being accessible enough to appeal to hip-hop fans both old and new. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Ballad

Doublemint

Speed Dial

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7. Anger Management by Rico Nasty

Release Date: April 25th, 2019

Record Label: Sugar Trap Records

Rico Nasty is one of the most awesome, if not the most awesome female rappers to enter the game over the past few years. To take note of her womanhood is not to say that she does not hold her own in comparison to male rappers. It is instead to say that what Rico Nasty does as an artist and a personality is extremely revolutionary, and her gender is a large part of what makes what she is doing right now so impactful. On her newest project Anger Management, Rico Nasty does not water down the aggressive, in-your-face rap style she became known for with singles such as “Smack a Bitch” and “Key Lime OG.” Rico Nasty reclaims anger not as something inherently negative. She rejects the notion that black women are angry without cause. On Anger Management, Rico Nasty explores the various facets of aggression, frustration, and how such emotions dissolve into, or are perhaps fronts for, melancholy and exhaustion. And with the entire tape produced by the dynamic Kenny Beats, Anger Management is not a project to sleep on. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Cheat Code (Feat. Baauer)

Hatin

Big Titties (Feat. Baauer and EarthGang)

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6. Everythings for sale by boogie

Release Date: January 25th, 2019

Record Label: Shady Records/Interscope Records

Compton MC Boogie made some major waves last October when he received a huge Eminem cosign and an actual record deal from Shady Records. In January, the young rapper returned with his Shady Records debut Everythings For Sale and it did not disappoint. Over the 40-minute run time, Boogies honestly reflects on a broken relationship, new fame, and his current day to day life. Throughout the tape Boogie proves why Pitchfork called him one of the best young emcees in the country. The tape is exceptionally cohesive and if you immerse yourself in Boogie’s world and experiences you should find that 40-minutes will feel more like 20. Boogie’s lyricism is a perfect mix of cool California dialect and witty lines that emphasize his smart and reflective themes. He gives us up-beat bangers like the JID assisted “Soho” as well as introspective reflections like “Lolsmh” or “Whose Fault”. This album is complete, thought-provoking, and one of the best releases of the year. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Silent Ride

Soho (Feat. JID)

Live 95

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5. Crash talk by schoolboy q

Release Date: April 26th, 2019

Record Label: Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records

When a TDE project drops it is almost a lock that it will be one of the best of the year and CrasH Talk seems like an album that Q really made for himself. This album finds the Los Angeles artist in a vulnerable headspace as he not only was going through depression, but also dealing with the passing of two of his peers in Mac Miller and Nipsey Hussle. What came out of this tragedy was an album that really gave us an audience a look into the inner workings of Schoolboy Q’s mind. A track like “Numb Numb Juice” is still able to be one of the standouts on CrasH Talk because of just how hard hitting and quality the beat is, and the way Q is able to sound so cut throat during the duration of the song. That being said this is in stark contrast to a song like “Black Folk” which is very self deprecating. Q acknowledges his shortcomings and fears not even just as a rapper, but as a man walking through life. He no longer has the gangster exterior that audiences have grown so accustomed to, but instead is now a vulnerable man who is just trying to do right by himself and the people he loves. That is the whole theme of CrasH Talk and it can be seen even more clearly in the title track “CrasH”. Though we all may not be famous rappers or have grown up in the streets of California like Schoolboy Q, we all could “crash” at some point. No person is invincible to the struggles of life, and Schoolboy reminds us that we should embrace these difficulties and use them to make us that much better in the long run. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Numb Numb Juice 

Drunk (Feat. 6LACK)

Black Folk

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4. ventura by anderson .paak

Release Date: April 11th, 2019

Record Label: Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records

Anderson .Paak’s Ventura showcases everything we love about the soulful California native. Said to be a counter-part to his prior album Oxnard which was released five months earlier, Ventura showcases Paak in his ideal environment being authentically himself. It is musically unmatched and conceptually rich. It’s both sexy (“Jet Black”) and politically charged (“King James”) but always in moderation to keep it tasteful. With Ventura Anderson truly created timeless music as I foresee songs like “Make It Better” and “What Can We Do” staying in my musical rotation until I can no longer hear. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Make It Better (Feat. Smokey Robinson)

Jet Black (Feat. Brandy)

What Can We Do (Feat. Nate Dogg)

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3. When I get home by solange

Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Columbia Records

Solange Knowles’ radical album When I Get Home is easily the most artistic project of the year so far. When I Get Home is not easy to explain, to start, what exactly is the genre? Is it hip hop, as suggested by features with prominent rap artists Playboi Carti and Gucci Mane? Is it soul? R&B? Further, what is the “home” that Solange is referring to? Is this place literal or figurative? Solange manages to answer all of these questions throughout the course of the album. When I Get Home is an iconographic representation of the black experience in the most celebratory sense. Solange embraces her black womanhood and embraces Houston, Texas. The project radiates warmth and familiarity. It creates a home within itself. When I Get Home is wholly inviting, sonically stunning, and lyrically beautiful album that I cannot help but come back to when I am in need of empathy, of comfort, of a place to call home. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

My Skin, My Logo (Feat. Gucci Mane)

Jerrod

Beltway

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2. Zuu by denzel curry

Release Date: May 31st, 2019

Record Label: Loma Vista Records

Coming off his most conceptual album to date (TA13OO), many wondered what direction Denzel would head next. The answer to that was obvious to Curry: he would go home. With ZUU, Denzel tastefully simplified his music showing us that sometimes the obvious answer can be the best answer with proper execution. ZUU is a short album with no skippable tracks. It’s abrasive and in-your-face without being inaccessible for less intense fans thanks to cuts like “WISH” and “SHAKE 88”. Songs like “BIRDZ”, “AUTOMATIC”, and “RICKY” provide long term Denzel fans with his unmatched flow and clever lyricism that they have grown to expect. All-in-all, Denzel made an excellent career decision and the result is a Miami masterpiece. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

ZUU

RICKY

AUTOMATIC (Feat. Tay Keith)

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1. IGOr by Tyler, the creator

Release Date: May 17th, 2019

Record Label: Columbia Records

Tyler, The Creator can't be ignored any longer. It is officially his time. Gone are the days of him trying to shock the audience more and more with each track on an album. On IGOR, Tyler manages to continue his incredible growth while also remaining appealing to mainstream audience. A song like “EARFQUAKE” sounds like nothing else that has been put out this year, but is also topping the charts and is able to seamlessly utilize one of the most unique talents rapping today in Playboi Carti. Not only is IGOR sonically interesting, but it also tells a story of falling in and out of love that any listener could relate too. While a song like “A BOY IS A GUN” has some of Tyler’s best rapping on the project, what shines through is what he is saying about the dangers of falling for someone who may not feel the same way back. What makes this the album of the year thus far is that we are seeing an artist who knows his talents as a lyricist, yet still tries to make an album that is great without the traditional constraints of the rap genre. Each track is produced with great care and focus so that the beats aren't just something in the background of him rapping, but actually what helps the listener really feel what Tyler wants them to feel. The perfect example of this is the closing track of the album “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS”. This is a beautiful conclusion to the journey that Tyler just took us on. On this conclusion, Tyler doesn’t even rap but instead he once again lets his amazing production take the stage and what comes out of it one of the most heartfelt and emotional tracks on an album that deserves every bit of critical acclaim that it has received. Though clearly not a trained singer, Tyler doesn't shy away from his more melodic side and it comes across as honest and real. IGOR is one of the best albums of the year because it isn’t just a great rap album, but a great musical experience throughout. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Earfquake 

A Boy is a Gun

Are We Still Friends

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The King Dre Interview: Backwoods, Phase 2, and the Spokane Hip-Hop Scene

“When he [my brother] died I was so hurt but also felt like I had a lot to say. That’s when I knew I was gonna rap.”

By Spencer Lobdell

If you live anywhere but Spokane Washington, chances are you haven’t heard King Dre’s hot new single, “This Ain’t a Swisher”. But if you do so happen to live in the 509, it has been impossible to escape the infectious cut since the track’s music video dropped earlier this May. The local hit has blessed every joyride, smoke sesh, and game of basketball this month and is showing no signs of slowing down.

King Dre, or KD for short, was born in Sacramento California. At the age of three he was moved to Long Beach where he stayed for 12 years. Here he attended Long Beach Poly Tech High School which boasts impressive alumni such as Snoop Dogg and Cameron Diaz. In April of 2014, Dre moved up to Spokane where he went to Rogers High School for two months before starting Job Corps to finish his education and learn specific trade skills.

While KD has music on his SoundCloud dating back to over three years ago, he really began to drop music consistently eight months ago with his debut project, an EP titled Phase 1. Four months later on New Year's Day, Dre dropped his first mixtape ‘98’ on SoundCloud. Dre made his streaming services debut earlier this month when Phase 2 was released on Apple Music and Spotify. The mixtape’s drop also included a music video for the projects lead single “This Ain’t a Swisher”. The song features 02Hauncho and and is currently receiving lots of playtime in Eastern Washington in large part thanks to the entertaining video cooked up by TheGreatBambi42. The video showcases the two rappers flexing around Spokane as they go in on top of a hard hitting instrumental created by local producer PeeJay.

While KD has been on my radar for about a year, no project of his has grabbed me and refused to let go like Phase 2 has this month. Upon hearing “This Ain’t a Swisher” I instantly ran the rest of the mixtape and was blown away when the rest of the tape sounded just as good. The tape is solely produced and engineered by PeeJay adding to the cohesion of the project. Dre comes correct on every track as he constantly switches his flow and adds unique vocal inflections to keep every song interesting. After one listen through Phase 2 I knew the Spokane artist had something worth talking about so I immediately reached out. Last week I picked Dre up and we headed to a local park to light a backwood and discuss his early life, the creation of Phase 2, the Spokane hip-hop scene, and much more. My conversation with King Dre, lightly edited for content and clarity, follows below:

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Scuba, a song by King Dre KD on Spotify

Spencer: Thanks to Job Core, at 16 you were completely done with school. What did you spend all your time doing?

King Dre: Smoking and writing music. Back then I wasn’t even recording on anything yet I was just writing in a book.

Spencer: What was the first song you wrote and how did it come about?

King Dre: The first song I wrote was a song called Tarped. I recorded that on an Android phone, you can hear the TV in the back and everything. I had been writing hella shit in my book and then one day I picked my hardest verse and said fuck it, let’s record it. I figured out if I played a beat and turned it down halfway I could record directly into my SoundCloud and that was that.

Spencer: Was that first song you recorded the moment when you realized you wanted to do rap?

King Dre: Fuck no. I didn’t think about really rapping until 2017. That’s when my brother died. He was a super talented rapper living down in Sacramento he just got caught up in gangbanging. September 24th 2017 he got shot three times by some niggas from shootergang who were on some retaliation shit. When he died I was so hurt but also felt like I had a lot to say. That’s when I knew I was gonna rap.

Spencer: Who are you listening to right now?

King Dre: Me hahaha. I promise to God I know my friends get annoyed, I’m that guy that plays my own music in the whip but the truth is, I make what I like. It’s crazy though because since that’s all I’m listening to, that’s my motivation to make new music. When I get tired of whatever I got out, I know it’s time to get back to work so I can have something new to listen to. That’s why Phase 2 came out. I dropped ‘98’ on New Years Day and freestyled over half of that tape so I just got tired of it fast. I don’t see myself getting tired of Phase 2 anytime soon though.

Spencer: I noticed that Phase 2 is the first project you’ve made that you put on the major streaming services. Does something about this tape that feels different from the rest of your music?

King Dre: That’s so crazy you ask that cause hell ya bro. That plus the fact that PeeJay produced the entire tape and my homie Bambi cooked up the video so we don’t have to worry about any kind of Copyright issues or nothing. That’s all out money.

Spencer: Everything about “This Ain’t a Swisher” sounds like a hit. How did that song come about?

King Dre: One day I was just rolling some weed and that first part of the hook came to me. I knew it was hard off top so I wrote it down and finished the hook the next day. The next day was 02Hauncho’s birthday who I met three and a half years ago just partying out here in Spokane. He lives right underneath me and was kicking it at my place and I wasn’t trying to leave him at my house so I brought him to the studio with me. When we showed up to the stu the first beat that PeeJay played for us was the one we ended up using. Hauncho wrote his verse there, I helped bring his swag out in the booth, and that was that.

Antics, a song by King Dre KD on Spotify

Spencer: Let’s talk about PeeJay because the production on Phase 2 is definitely one of its strengths. How did you two initially link up?

King Dre: Man I met PeeJay through my homie Chauncy (PoohBenji) who’s making dope music out here. We would rap together and one day he told me to come through to PeeJay’s. That day we made “Getting Old” and the way he mixed my vocals was so hard. My dude is certified in ProTools, he be making the beats, recording the vocals, and mixing the track all in-house. PeeJay is so dope the way he goes back into the beat after the vocals are recorded to make everything hit like crazy.

Spencer: The urban music scene in Spokane seems to be the hottest it’s ever been right now with you, Pooh, Icy Ike, and PeeJay all building fan bases. Do you feel any kind of pressure or responsibility to be the first rapper to make it out of Spokane?

King Dre: Honestly, I don’t feel a lot of pressure because I promise to God I’m not breaking a sweat. This is just me focusing and doing something I like. I get bored real fast and rap is the one thing that I haven’t gotten bored of. All I’m saying though is that when one of us makes it, we’re all gonna make it because people are gonna start tapping in to what’s going on out here.

Spencer: Talk to me about Lost Future. What is it right now and what do you see it becoming?

King Dre: Lost Future is the personal label. That’s me and everybody that’s working behind me. I got a bunch of clothes being made right now for me and my homies to rock at shows and sell on the side. It’s also a label that I can add artists to that want to rap. I’ve got an appointment to get that shit trademarked here in six days.

Spencer: I know Phase 2 just dropped but have you started working on anything new?

King Dre: Yeah, freestyle tape as well as a bunch of singles coming this next month

Spencer: Is there any other Spokane artists we didn’t mention today that I need to know about?

King Dre: RMG Rondoughh, RMG Jaih, Pooh Benji, and HomeTeam. Shoutout KapoDuhG too & CFN Treezy.

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Phase 2, an album by King Dre KD on Spotify

Koto the Friend’s Debut Album “FOTO” Is a Beautiful Self-Portrait of the Authentic New York Artist

The independent emcee is an open book welcoming us to come flip the pages and learn from his life experiences

By Spencer Lobdell

Kota the Friend is as pure as the alkaline water has continuously endorsed his entire career. He has the heart of a lion and the head of an elder. His modesty is only matched by his honesty and his positive demeanor is impossible to fabricate.

This past week the talented New York rapper dropped his debut album which was released independently. FOTO is 19 songs long and runs for just under an hour putting it at the longer end of the spectrum in today’s music climate.

At its core, FOTO is a concept album that takes listeners through Kota’s life, one memory at a time. In an interview with Donna-Claire Chesman of DJ Booth, Kota speaks about his love for photographs and how it led to the shaping of the album: “My mother will tell you that I could look at photo albums all day. I like pictures because it brings me back to that time. I like feeling things. I feel like people like to feel things. This album is like a photo book. It’s like flipping through the pages of my life. The stuff that makes you sad, and the stuff that makes you really happy. It’s my version of a photo album.”

The album opens with a monologue from an old head that has watched Kota grow up in the hood. The wise man, voiced by Richard Parker, advises Kota to enjoy his neighborhood and take some photos before it changes.

The second track “Church” might be my favorite track on the album in large part due to the mesmerizing flow that Kota locks into on the second half of verse one. Kota has a true gift for being able to keep the tempo of his music low to maintain a relaxed feeling while still making it sound bright and uplifting. “Church” is a perfect example of Kota masterfully mixing a slower tempo with major melodies to create a product that is easy and enjoyable to listen to. When Kota raps “Hands up in the air like we in church” I couldn’t help but be reminded of a rapper from Chicago, also independent, who has frequently alluded to church as a party.

“Hollywood” is another early standout where Kota addresses those from his hometown that didn’t support him on the come up but now feel entitled to his fame. The production on this track is excellent and feels different from most of the other instrumentals on this project which sound similar. One of my favorite moments on the album comes in the second verse of this song when Kota talks about ghosting fake homies when they hit his phone:

“I be hitting niggas with the dot, dot, dot
Can we kick it when you back home, dot, dot, dot
Can you put me on a track, bro, dot, dot, dot
Didn’t even know you rapped, bro, dot, dot, dot”

— Kota the Friend "Hollywood"

The seventh track “Chicago Diner” was released last year as a single and is a sweet love song that sounds like the soundtrack to a lazy morning.

“Bagels” was one of the few instances on FOTO where Kota’s positivity and vulnerability come off as slightly corny and while I don’t think it is Kota’s best writing, I think Lizzy Ashliegh’s layered vocals throughout the track are what makes it feel artificial for me. With this being said, the track is catchy and based on the rest of Kota’s music, I think it’s fair to say he rather be corny than misleading.

The twelfth track “Mommy” is the potentially the most thought-provoking track on the album as it showcases Kota rapping from three different perspectives. Verse one is from the perspective of Kota’s own mother and gives us insight into how he was raised. His mom was positive and uplifting (“You better than some Uptowns/You better than your bad decisions”) while always instilling knowledge into the brain of a young Kota. Based on the previous interlude and her mentioning in the first verse, I assume that in verse two Kota is rapping from the perspective of his aunt Marcell speaking to her son. His aunt had a very different style of parenting than her sister and seems far more worried with monetary wealth than the values she is responsible to teach to her son. Verse three is rapped from the perspective of a kid who grew up with no home, no family, and all the ambition in the world. While I’m not sure who this character is exactly, it seems likely to me that the narrator of verse three is a fictitious character whose purpose is to show that while Kota and his cousin may have grown up in difficult situations, someone somewhere has it worse. Kota’s profound perspective on life is one of his greatest strengths and it shines through on “Mommy”.

“Backyard” was the last single released before FOTO. It’s a light-hearted bop that will be gracing sunny days in the park all summer. While I am a big fan of the track, “Uncle Cal’s Interlude” which prefaces it seems out of place and easily adds the least to the album out of all the interludes.

When speaking about FOTO Kota made sure to let it be known that every good photo album captures every memory, not just the good ones. “Good To Be Home” is the picture in the album that brings back bad memories, but memories that are equally as important as the good ones nonetheless. This track contains the most melancholy instrumental on the album and Kota delivers the darkest stories to accompany it. From casual gangbangs to drug overdoses, Kota peels back any protective layers on “Good To Be Home” and is deeply authentic.

Kota concludes the album perfectly with the titled-track. “FOTO” is one of the sweetest yet most heartbreaking stories on the album. The song gives us a glimpse into a beautiful relationship Kota had with a girl. The story ends with the female passing away after the two seperate. This is the perfect outro because Kota uses this story to reemphasize the importance of photographs and appreciating those moments before that’s all they are.

On FOTO Kota accomplishes exactly what he set out to achieve. He paints a picture of his life so vivid that I felt like I was there when Kota’s mom and his aunt Marcell saw their father at the dance studio for the first time in years. Kota beautifully creates a photo album that he can go back to and reference while still keeping the quality of his music and its mainstream appeal at an all-time high. Thank you to Kota The Friend for a summer soundtrack that I predict will still be getting played in the late months of Autumn.

Favorite Tracks:

Church

Hollywood

KOALA

Rating: 8

Listen to FOTO here:

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The Tale of Lil Snupe: A Story of Talent, Hard Work, and Tragedy

Meek Mill’s protege who went from the most exciting new voice in rap to shot dead over a game of 2k in just two months

By Spencer Lobdell

In just 18 years of life, Lil Snupe has earned many monikers. From “The Freestyle King” to “Meek Mill’s Protege” to “2Pac Reincarnated” it is easy to gather that he was beyond well-respected. Snupe had peers twice his age looking up to him due to his absolutely lethal flow and southern drawl that allowed his punchlines to be piercing. For the two months following the release of his only mixtape R.n.i.c (Real Niggas In Charge), there was a unanimous belief in the rap game that the throne was Snupe’s for the taking. That is until tragedy struck changing the fate of rap forever.

Lil Snupe was born in Jonesboro, Louisiana in 1995. Born Addarren Ross, Snupe frequently got into trouble as a kid and alludes to spending time in juvenile detention in his music. It’s unknown when Snupe started rapping, but his career took off in 2012 when he approached Meek Mill’s tour bus. In 2013, Lil Snupe spoke about that day with MTV news. “He (Meek Mill) was in a van, they was finna pull off. And I went and knocked on the van, on the window. They let the window down and grabbed the mixtape.” 20 minutes later, before even finishing the mixtape, Meek Mill called Lil Snupe and asked him to be apart Dream Chasers, Meek’s record label. "He was spittin' so much pain, he's from the south with a flow like an east coast guy," Meek told MTV.

Meek quickly took Lil Snupe under his wing and began to show him how to be a successful rapper. The two spent a lot of time together that year and became close. There are many videos of Meek and Lil Snupe freestyling together and in almost all of them Snupe has to go ahead and body his mentor. There is a reason the 18-year-old MC was referred to as “The Freestyle King”, Snupe could rhyme for an hour straight without hesitation while always keeping his bars fresh and entertaining. The young emcee ability to spit was unparalleled and he is the best freestylers I’ve ever heard.

The mixtape that led to Snupe joining Dream Chasers (R.n.i.c) was rerecorded under Meek’s guidance and released in April of 2013. Upon release, the world was introduced to the gifted rapper and his instant impact on the rap game was palpable. The effect R.n.i.c had on the genre was felt strongly in the south but resonated throughout the entire country. Emcees everywhere started to feel a new pressure and it was widely excepted the Dream Chasers was soon to be the best rap collective in the game.

R.n.i.c is 14 songs long and is all killer no filler. The mixtape opens with the in-your-face “Take Over”. The track concludes with a minute of DJ Khaled co-signing Snupe and calling him the future. The third track features Meek Mill and, in hindsight, is easily his most tragic song. The cut contains grim foreshadowing as at the end of the first verse Snupe raps, “I gotta get it, ‘cause I’m tryna get full rich / And I refuse to let my mama lose me to some bullshit.”

The fifth track on the mixtape, “In Tha Air Freestyle” is easily one of his most iconic tracks. The combination of the soulful, slower, sampled instrumental and Snupe’s brutally honest lyrics make this song hit different. Snupe instantly changes the mood as goes into one of the most braggadocious and cocky cuts on the mixtape “I’m That Nigga Now”. This track shows Snupe at his most playful which is so fun to listen to.

“X Bitch” is the ninth track on the mixtape and potentially my favorite. I believe it to be one of the best odes to an ex-girlfriend in rap history. Snupe’s youthful confidence shines brightly throughout this cut as he raps about his “ex-bitch” who is constantly concerned with his “next bitch”. While “X Bitch” has one of the catchiest hooks on the album, it isn’t quite as addicting as the hook on “Melo” Lil Snupe’s biggest hit to date. The eleventh song on the tape is upbeat, fun, and showcases the rappers unmatched pen game. “Melo” is frequently the first song I show rap fans who are unfamiliar with the work of Lil Snupe.

While R.n.i.c was very well received and quickly threw Lil Snupe into stardom, he only enjoyed the limelight for two months after its release until the night of his death. Addarren Ross was shot dead in Winnfield Lousiana by 36-year-old Tony Holden on June 20th, 2013. Ross and Holden supposedly had bet a large sum of money on a game of NBA 2k. The story goes that Lil Snupe beat Tony Holden on a buzzer beater leading him to shoot Snupe twice, leaving the 18-year-old boy dead. Holden turned himself in six days later to the authorities.

The story of Lil Snupe is one of tragedy, but at the same time, one of familiarity. As a nation, we have become used to the story of a young black man being gunned down before he could even scratch the surface of his potential.

“He would spit off the top like it was written. Rap real tight for hours and not mess up. That’s unheard of, I’ve never seen nobody like that”

— Meek Mill

Snupe’s death was devastating to the rap community, it was blatantly apparent to any fan or artist that Addarren Ross was something special. Six years after his death, Lil Snupe is still held in the highest of standards among rappers and is shouted out many times a year. If we can learn anything from the fatal story of Lil Snupe, it is that we need to understand the value of our own gifts and value them so highly that we are careful about who we choose to be around. Snupe had so much to offer the world, as do we all. Rest in Peace to The Freestyle King. Rest in peace Lil Snupe.

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Rico Nasty Embraces Her Multiplicity on "Anger Management"

Rico Nasty is one of the most fascinating, dynamic, and badass artists to break into the rap scene in recent years. Her assent through the ranks of hip hop began in 2016 when she came into contact with artist Lil Yachty. Yachty saw potential in the up and coming rapper and lent himself to a remixed version of Rico Nasty’s song “Hey Arnold.” This remix is what brought to bring her into the consciousness of hip hop fans at large. After the “Hey Arnold” remix, Rico Nasty continued to find success and garner an audience with tracks such as “Key Lime OG,” “Poppin” (both from her 2017 mixtape Sugar Trap 2) and “Smack a Bitch,” released in 2018.

With these singles along with her previous mixtapes, Rico Nasty asserts herself as a tough and imposing character who does not take shit from anyone. She lives her life on her own terms. She acts how she wants, dresses how she wants, and does whatever she pleases. Her confidence is not one that comes from a place of ego or arrogance. Instead, it is the result of immense resilience from someone who has been through the pitfalls of love, death, grief, and motherhood all before the age of 21.

Cover Art for Rico Nasty’s breakout 2018 mixtape, Nasty (2018)

Rico Nasty saw her career gain immense momentum in the summer of 2018 with the release of her mixtape Nasty. For many, Nasty was their first introduction to the wonderfully chaotic world of Rico. Here is a rapper who is wholly  in your face for the nearly forty minute run of the project. Nasty in several respects serves as Rico Nasty’s manifesto to the rap scene. On the project, she is loud, her voice is strained and raspy, her flow is punchy, and her rhymes are straight to the point. With Nasty, Rico tells the audience that she is not like any other rapper currently in the game and she will not compromise herself one bit to fit into any kind of mold imposed upon her.

With her stake in the hip-hop scene firmly established, Rico Nasty has only built upon the spotlight she has found for herself within the last year. Since Nasty, she has released several singles and music videos, performed at festivals such as Coachella, starred in a documentary for FADER, and most recently, put out her highly anticipated new mixtape, Anger Management. Produced by her main collaborator Kenny Beats, Anger Management is a strong addition to Rico’s already strong discography. The title alone is a play on the assertion by some that Rico Nasty is “too angry” or aggressive in her musical style and cultural presence. Rico’s mixtape is not a mitigation of anger, but an embrace of it in the most energetic and hyped up way possible.

Anger Management begins with a computerized voice that asks “Aren't you tired of the same old thing? At every day, every minute, every second?” This is the first of several samples and interludes that serve as thematic threads throughout the length of the project. With the questions asked, the tone shifts quickly from contemplative to chaotic as Rico screams “KENNY,” the beat drops, and we are fully launched into the mixtape. In the first track, “Cold,” Rico Nasty spits rapid fire verses about the money she has earned, the designer clothes and jewelry she wears, the luxury cars she drives, and the never ending supply of weed she smokes, broken up with a chorus in which she states in no uncertain terms that “None of these bitches cold as me!”

Rico Nasty’s braggadocious energy does not let up in the first half of Anger Management. On the track “Cheat Code” featuring Baauer, Rico acknowledges the spectacle she has become and how some have tried to mimic her style in order to gain her level of success. This idea of “bitches trying to be like Rico” sees itself come back up in another track featuring Baauer, this time with the duo EarthGang, on “Big Titties.” Rico’s verse largely focuses on her disdain for biters and copiers, Rico spits “You hoes can't pull it off like me/ Talk like me, bet you wanna be the boss like me/ All these hoes wanna sauce like me/ Floss like me, walk up in the club with no ID” to the backdrop of a quirky yet turnt up beat courtesy of Kenny.

After the radio station bumper parody “Nasty World,” the tone of Anger Management takes a somber turn. In the second leg of the album, Rico is more introspective as she contemplates on the ways in which her life has changed since the advent of her fame. “Relative” shows Rico’s wavering trust in those around her. As she has gotten more and more success, she finds people coming out of the woodwork to befriend her out of nowhere. All of these people want to act like her “relatives” but in actuality, they are simply leeching off of her success. The track ends with a sample from the 1950s educational film, “Age of Turmoil.” The sample mentions a girl who daydreams, who replays “success and failures” over and over again.

This outro correlates well with the last two tracks on Anger Management, “Sell Out” and “Again.” Both tracks showcase a more relaxed, melodic flow from Rico. On “Sell Out,” Rico declares to always be herself for her own sake as well as for the sake of her fans who look up to her. The project ends with “Again,” a reflection on the struggles she has been through. With lyrics such as “Thought I fell in love but I found out that it was lust/ I felt like something was missing, it must have been trust” and “Sometimes I get distracted by madness/ Why do tragedies happen? What if I'm not adapting?” Rico opens up to the audience and allows us into the more raw parts of psyche. However, this song, as well as Rico Nasty’s life story, is not one to sob to. At the same time she details her strife, Rico raps, “But you know good and well I'm not the one to put your pity on” and “I just woke up to a check, you dig?/ Let me take a deep breath, I ain't going broke again.” With this assertion of her capability to make through whatever life throws at her, Rico Nasty ends Anger Management on an encouraging note, the final spoken statement being,“Well now, if there's anything you should need, just let me know/ I'd be very pleased to do it for you/You only have to say the word.”

With Anger Management, Rico Nasty reclaims her temper while also expressing vulnerability, demonstrating that the two can coexist without contention. The project is a symbol for the multiplicity of her identity as a black woman. Women are often told, whether through clear verbal cues or subdued societal sanctions, that they are not allowed to be loud, have complex emotions, or speak of themselves highly. To do so would be arrogant, and, in the case of black women, correlated with idea of being “ghetto” or “hostile.” Rico Nasty vehemently denies all stereotypes and notions about what it means to be loud as a black woman, showing with each track that she has the capacity for depth and introspection. In this way, Rico Nasty and Anger Management both are pieces of radical art that stand in resistance to societal norms and expectations. When we get down to the core of Anger Management, it is simply another example of Rico Nasty being unapologetically herself. And it is her commitment to herself, her personality, and her values that make Anger Management the great album that it is.

Favorite Tracks:

Hattin

Big Titties (Feat. Baauer & EarthGang)

Again

Rating: 8

Stream Anger Management here:

Anger Management, an album by Rico Nasty, Kenny Beats on Spotify

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Billie Eilish's Album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” Debuts at No. 1

By Izzy Stroobandt

It’s hard to call Billie Eilish’s new album ‘long-awaited’ because she hasn’t been a well-known artist for really that long.

Eilish rose to high levels of fame in no time after the online drop of “Ocean Eyes”, her first released bedroom-production. If her vocal range and songwriting hasn’t impressed you enough on it’s own, consider the fact that she was just 14 years-old when “Ocean Eyes” was released.

She began making music with her brother, Finneas, in their one-bedroom Los Angeles home from a young age and have continued to work as a production-songwriting team since. They’ve continued to release hit-singles since her first EP, don’t smile at me, giving listeners hints to what her first album could sound like.

She teased the album with four separate song releases prior to the drop. After she released “you should see me in a crown”, “when the party’s over”, “bury a friend”, and “wish you were gay” listeners were hyped up and anxiously awaiting the rest of the album to be released. Soon after the drop, Eilish’s first album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? hit no. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

What I find most impressive is Eilish’s ability to seamlessly mix comedy and tragedy on one cohesive album.

The album opens with “!!!!!!!”, a 13-second recording of her removing her Invisalign and laughing with her brother. “!!!!!!!” showcases Eilish’s comedic side, reminding us that despite the deep lyricism and emotionally-mature content in many of her songs—Eilish is still only 17 years-old.

Eilish explores the dangers and toxicity of recreational drug use on “xanny”. The title of the song references Xanax, a drug prescribed to treat anxiety that is commonly mentioned in hip-hop music for its recreational abuse. Eilish told The Guardian that the intended message behind “xanny” wasn’t “‘don’t do drugs’ it’s more; ‘be safe’.” The message is deeply rooted for Eilish, who said “I don’t want my friends to die anymore.” Eilish’s vocals on “xanny” are slightly off-beat, soft and slow which mirror the effects of Xanax.

“wish you were gay” allows listeners to see a softer side of Eilish. She’s hurt by the person she loves and wishes that there was an explanation (like them being gay) for why they don’t love her the way she loves them.

On “my strange addiction”, Eilish samples parts of The Office’s “Threat Level Midnight” episode. An unexpected sample on the album, Eilish explained to MTV News that the original beat they made for the song reminded her of the music they play during the ‘scarn dance’. Yet another example of the innovation and creativity that went into the production for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

In an interview with Pop Buzz, Eilish explained that she wanted the track names at end of her album to sound like a sentence. Eilish said there was a song titled “i don’t know, i just wish i wasn’t breathing” on the original track list, but they cut it because the lyrics weren’t ever actually written. On the album, “listen before i go”, “i love you”, and “goodbye” are the last three songs. Together, even after “i don’t know, i just wish i wasn’t breathing” was cut, the final song names on the album create an emotionally dark and cohesive statement— “listen before I go, i love you, goodbye.”

In a variety of ways, Eilish has shown her creative mastery and deep thoughtfulness on this album. Her songs focus on mature content, from heartbreak to drug abuse, and the metaphors in her creative vision lie deeper than just her lyrics. From track list organization to music videos to album art and beyond, Eilish uses all mediums at her disposal to convey her creativity and emotion to listeners.

There’s no doubt that Eilish has talent. She is breaking the stereotype that female pop-artists need to sell sex and wear revealing clothing to be successful, and taking risks by following her creative inspirations. Her horror film-inspired music videos compliment her signature angelic-yet-haunting vocals and tie audio and visual elements together in a unique way that many artists haven’t explored yet.

FAVORITE TRACKS

bad guy

xanny

wish you were gay

Rating: 9

Listen to When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? here:

WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, an album by Billie Eilish on Spotify

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Songs of the Week: April 7th

By Spencer Lobdell

Welcome to “Songs of the Week” a weekly segment where I highlight three of the best new songs released the week prior along with one throwback song of the week. To stay up to date on all new music, follow my Spotify playlist “What I’m Feeling” which is updated weekly to always include the freshest new music. Always 30 songs, hottest always at the top. Stream it here:

A playlist updated weekly with whatever new songs I'm feeling at the time. Always 30 songs and in order with what I'm feeling the most at the top.

New Songs of the Week:

“Make It Better” by Anderson .Paak (Feat. Smokey Robinson)

Make It Better (feat. Smokey Robinson), a song by Anderson .Paak, Smokey Robinson on Spotify

This week Anderson .Paak released the second single off his upcoming album Ventura which is starting to look like a can’t-miss album. On “Make It Better” the soulful rapper recruits music legend Smokey Robinson to help him craft a track about lovers who have fallen out of love but are determined to reignite the spark they once shared. Anderson’s vocals are absolutely to die for as he rides one feel-good melody after another on the way to a musical masterpiece. The instrumental, which was aided by legendary producer The Alchemist, is just as impressive as the production team uses a stringed orchestra beautifully to create a modern symphony that is equal parts fun and brilliant. If you haven’t already, you need to hear this cut.

“Remember when we first met?
We were havin’ so much fun
So, now, how can we both forget
Tellin’ each other, “We’re the one”?”

— Anderson .Paak "Make It Better"

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“Song 32” by Noname

Song 32, a song by Noname on Spotify

Claiming that Nonmame is the most talented female MC in the game right now is far from an outlandish statement and on “Song 32” we see exactly why this is the case. The Chicago rapper absolutely snaps bouncing between unique flows that we’ve only heard in other Noname tracks. It would be more accurate to call her a poet than a rapper and she makes this clear on the hook when she raps “Started getting money from writing the haiku.” Both of Noname’s recent releases have been excellent and we can only be excited for what the talented artist has in store for us in 2019.

“I’m patriarchy on Sunday, don’t push me, I’m Viacom
Y’all niggas got Diddy money, don’t push me, I’m atom bomb
I’m Obama pushing the button, in Lybia, Pakistan
Humanly a hypocrite, the sinner and the civilian”

— Noname "Song 32"

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“UDIGG” by Cheeks Bossman (Feat. Young Thug)

UDIGG (feat. Young Thug), a song by Cheeks Bossman, Young Thug on Spotify

Florida rapper Cheeks Bossman has been making waves in the underground scene for awhile now and with a solid Young Thug feature, it might finally be his time to share some of the spotlight. “UDIGG” is an extremely catchy cut that lacks context but makes up for it with a rattling hook, braggadocios bars, and an instrumental that kicks like crazy.

“I’m gettin’ straight to the check in the morning
I’m tryna double my bag while you snoring
I got your bitch givin’ top in a foreign
If they ain’t talkin’ ‘bout racks, I ignore ‘em”

— Cheeks Bossman "UDIGG"

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Throwback Song of the Week:

“Traumatized” by Meek Mill

Traumatized, a song by Meek Mill on Spotify

Meek Mill’s biggest strength as a rapper is his ability to pump an absurd amount of emotion into every bar he spits and make you truly feel everything he’s saying. No song in his catalogue displays this skill like “Traumatized” and while it may be an unpopular opinion, I believe it to be the best song on his classic mixtape Dreams and Nightmares.” Over the course of the four-minute cut, Meek tells us the story of his fathers murder and how it effects him everyday of his life. The rhyme schemes in this emotional anthem are extremely complex and allow this song to have the power and impact that it does. Do yourself a favor and revisit the Dreams and Nightmares mixtape today.

“So I’mma let this flame hit you just to let this pain hit you
And for all them cloudy days I’mma let this rain hit you nigga”

— Meek Mill "Traumatized"

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Meet Foreign Jay, the Hottest Act Currently Coming Out of the Midwest

By Spencer Lobdell

In an industry saturated with so much of the same, Foreign Jay is a breath of fresh air. The young Cleveland MC is energetic, different, and the next big thing to come out of the midwest. Jay has been slowly gaining traction since releasing the visual to his eerie cut “Choppa Go” almost a year ago. There is a lot to love about the plethora of singles the young rapper has released since. Jay seems to draw inspiration from a number of regions making his music incredibly diverse and widely appealing. While his up-front flow and provocative punchlines remind me of the rap renaissance currently taking place in the bay area, his cool and unique dialect and bass heavy instrumentals are reminiscent of Drakeo the Ruler and the Los Angeles underground. Jay seamlessly connects these styles as well as many others to craft his own distinct sound that will carry him to stardom in the near future.

Foreign Jay first caught my attention when a friend sent me his EP Lil Jet Pack last fall. This three-song tape begins with the hard hitting “One Take Shawty.” While this song has received more attention than anything else in his catalogue, it was the second track, “Flashy” that really made me a fan. “Flashy” is menacing, purposefully ignorant, and home to one of the catchiest hooks I’ve heard in recent memory. Jay’s flow throughout the chorus manages to emphasize every punchline perfectly and the rattling bass in the instrumental makes this cut an essential for every joyride.

Jay followed his EP up with one of my favorite songs he’s put out to date, “Keyshia Cole.” The Cleveland rappers delivers a worthy vocal performance but ultimately it’s the ominous instrumental with a powerful ascending bass line that steals the show. With this being said, Jay yet again brings his insanely fun energy to this track and again uses unique flows to make his most critical bars unignorable. There is something different about “Keyshia Cole” that is somewhat difficult to place, but I believe to be foreshadowing for the new lane I see Jay carving out in 2019.

Currently my favorite song by Foreign Jay (and one of my favorite songs of the year) was the late January release, “Bad Guyz.” On this groovy cut we see Jay tackle a new kind of 80s-inspired instrumental that few rappers are currently spitting too. This risk paid off in full as “Bad Guyz” is infectious, high-energy, and so much fun. A portion of this can be attributed to the unique beat but majority of the credit belongs to Jay’s witty word play that never comes off as anything close to corny. The Midwest MC dropped a dope music video for the bop that perfectly captures the care-free vibe of this song.

In one short year Jay has crafted an impressive catalogue of singles, gained a following of loyal fans from his hometown and the rest of the country, and has created a buzz for himself by receiving frequent attention from the music publication Elevator. The young rapper is now in perfect position to release his breakout mixtape, which according to his instagram, is exactly what he plans to do next. Last week he posted the following picture on his instagram announcing that his debut mixtape should be arriving very soon. In the post, Jay proclaims that All Graved Up will be his biggest piece of work yet and needless to say here at StereoVision we are beyond excited for the release. With Jay’s mix of influences, unique flows and dialect, and prolific release strategy, 2019 is bound to be a hell of a year for the Cleveland MC.

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Gallery Block

This is an example. To display your Instagram posts, double-click here to add an account or select an existing connected account. Learn more