The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Fivio Foreign, Kid Cudi, and K Camp.
It is the second week of July and the second week in a row that The Game was supposed to release Drillmatic – Mind Vs. Heart but didn’t. Despite the pump fake, music lovers got the chance to revel in nostalgia as Kid Cudi released a compilation of many of his seminal records. Plus, per usual, the gems that you might have missed this week.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending July 8, 2022.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Kid Cudi — The Boy Who Flew To The Moon Vol. 1
Kid Cudi captures various eras of his career in The Boy who Flew To The Moon Vol. 1. It is a solid reminder of all he’s given us for longtime fans, or a nice sampler of his extensive discography for newcomers. Either way, everybody wins.
Westside Gunn — Peace “Fly” God
Westside Gunn has a knack for beat selection and curation and furthers that truth on Peace “Fly” God. The Griselda founder opts to have no features this go around, but of course, he can’t avoid the wrestling references with tracks like “Bobby Rhude” and “Danhausen.”
Ken Carson — X
Ken Carson is here with 20 new records on X. Destroy Lonely gets verses off on two separate songs, “MDMA” and “Murda Musik,” plus Homixide Gang joins Carson on “Delinquent.”
Kota The Friend — Memo
Kota The Friend is back with a Memo in the form of his latest album. Samuellimata joins him on the title track, as well as Brianna Castro on “Empty Cup” and Hello O’shay on “Soho House.”
D Double E — Bluku Bluku EP 2
D Double E is here with a 7-track EP loaded with good raps. He enlists the help of Novelist and Chip on the tracks “Pace” and “G’s Only” respectively. It’s a fun listen.
Badda TD & DJ Drama — The World Is Yours: Gangsta Grillz
If DJ Drama’s name is on it, you know you should be expecting heat. Badda TD drops off his seven-song collaborative EP with the Hip-Hop legend, enlisting the help of Ron Suno on “Moonwalking” and Dusty Locane for “Put In Work.”
Singles/Videos
K Camp — “Holy Spirit”
This record may not be aligned with the trapsoul that Bryson Tiller popularized in 2015, but K Camp’s “Holy Spirit” blends a thumping drum pattern and vocal soul sample in his own beautiful way. “Last hoe I chased was the last hoe I chased,” he affirms as he reflects on how good life is and his gratefulness for it. K Camp is one of the most consistent artists of the last near-decade despite not getting the mainstream attention he deserves, and this is just another addition to that reality.
Joey Badass — “Survivors Guilt”
While the upcoming Joey Badass album has eluded us due to sample clearances, his vulnerability hasn’t. “Survivors Guilt” is an organ-laced, bar-laden confessional. The NY rapper tackles mental health, the darkness consuming his mind, the experiences of his friends, and even tension he has had with them. He feels at fault for their downfalls, calling it his internal war.
Yo Gotti ft. Moneybagg Yo, 42 Dugg, EST Gee, Mozzy & Blac Youngsta — “Steppas”
CMG the army, better yet the navy? Whichever they prefer, they fully leaned into the military themes on “Steppas.” They sport camouflage as they inhabit a military base, ride around in jeeps, and drink liquor amongst their comrades. Visuals aside, the raps are fun, as expected with a roster like this.
Melii — “Mala”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P96xvq1UyRg
Melii is a fun hybrid artist, blending bars with melodies and switching between English and Spanish seamlessly. “Mala” follows suit, addressing how men want a bad girl and she is just that. “You gon’ see the reason why they say them hips don’t lie,” Melii says emphatically. I could see a fun video coming out of this song.
JID — “29 Freestyle”
JID taps into his inner outdoorsman in the “29 Freestyle” video, rapping as he trudges through water and stands amongst the weeds. He even pulls out a fishing rod and catches a small fish, only to later drop it. Thankfully, he doesn’t drop the ball when it comes to his bars. One question though: where is the album we’ve been waiting on for years at this point?
Shordie Shordie — “Body Language”
Shordie Shordie lays it all out on “Body Language.” Though the title conveys a non-verbal form of communication, Shordie is quite transparent over this mid-tempo bop. In summary, it’s all about the “sloppy toppy.”
Russ — “Paddington Freestyle”
Russ has no shortage of confidence in the “Paddington Freestyle,” opening the record stating he feels like he is outrapping everyone as he drives. He later says he feels like he doesn’t flex enough, which is definitely up for debate but it sounds good over the soul sample and drums. I’m just glad he doesn’t spend too much time looking into the camera and focuses on the road.
Dom Kennedy ft. Kalan.Frfr — “Say Lady”
It’s not the column without a welcome West Coast bop! This week, Dom Kennedy taps Kalan.Frfr for “Say Lady,” detailing a woman getting nasty in a bathroom and how she needs their loving. Dom urges the woman to not be shy as they should get to know each other, especially with her tight dress and glowing skin.
Chinese Kitty — “Attitude”
There is a lot going on in Chinese Kitty’s “Attitude” video but I am not complaining. Flanked by beautiful women, she walks through a junkyard which later reveals a wrestling ring where men fight shirtless. While they tangle it up, the video flashes to scenes of her rapping in a photo studio and exclaiming how she can’t carry all of the junk in her trunk because her attitude is so hefty. It doesn’t seem like she’s struggling much carrying either, but who am I to debate how she feels?
Loyle Carner — “Hate”
Driving while rapping seems to be a theme of the day, as Loyle Carner delivers the “Hate” video trading off scenes of him looking stoic and others of him yelling. While it is unclear whether he is yelling at a passenger or simply into the void, the rapper had a lot to get off his chest. “Let me tell you what I hate / Everything I ain’t.” Don’t worry, he also takes time to tell us what he loves. Balance.
Self Jupiter ft. D-Styles — “It’s All About The Temple…Tempo!”
Closing off this week is a heavy instrumental track “It’s All About The Temple…Tempo.” Self Jupiter and D-Styles switch their flows effortlessly as the drums and cymbals crescendo. They definitely did not lie in the song title, and the aggressive tempo may just cause some pain to the temples. All in the name of loving rap though!
Metro Marrs ft. Duke Deuce — “Violence”
“Violence” sounds like the theme music that would play as you take on the final boss in a video game, but Metro Marrs instead finds himself crooning in a bathroom. Perhaps he just had a bout with White Castle, a final boss in its own right, and often doing some violent things to one’s stomach. Duke Deuce joins the fray, dancing and rapping all while holding an AR. Though he’s usually clowning around and showing off his dance moves on social media, he fits “Violence” seamlessly.
AAP Deno ft. B-Lovee — “Wishin”
Who doesn’t love a good 2000s sample? AAP Deno provides his own take on Ray J’s “One Wish,” trading the singing in the rain for crooning while throwing ones in the club. B-Lovee’s hostile flow pushes the record even further from its original iteration, but it works. We don’t all wish the same way.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
