The big names who drop in hip-hop this weekend that just might crop up around the digital water cooler include some viral stars, some current hitmakers, and an old favorite making one final go-round at the end of his once highly-touted major contract. Blimes, the San Francisco MC dropping her debut, went viral not too long ago with the hit “Come Correct,” a throwback-sounding ode to straight up rhyming with her homegirl Gifted Gab that preceded the uber wave of female rap talent that hit this year with smart rhymes and a rebellious attitude to match.
Meanwhile, Nav and Rich The Kid have popped up on some of your favorite records of late, including Travis Scott’s “Yosemite” and Tyga’s “Girls Have Fun,” respectively. Finally, Yelawolf is back for one last rodeo as a member of Eminem’s Shady Records roster, where he’s the last man standing from the ballyhooed round of signings in 2011 that also included the now-defunct Slaughterhouse, and Queen Key drops the long-awaited follow-up to her standout 2018 EP, Eat My Pussy.
In case you’re wondering about the rest, battle rapper Mach Hommy has a tape with Cypress Hill producer DJ Muggs, underground rapper Ill Bill is dropping his eighth non-group project with production from Stu Bangas, and Bay Area indie rapper and former member of Kreayshawn’s White Girl Mob Lil Debbie is putting out an EP. Texas indie favorite Le$ would have been included below, but his latest Expansion Pack has no tracklist or cover out yet, so it’s hard to say what it’ll be other than dope, and Chicago rapper Queen Key’s raunchily-titled album is also set for release after being delayed last month. Let’s get to the breakdown:
Blimes, Castles
One half of West Coast boom-bap rap duo Blimes And Gab, the Seattle rapper, also known as Blimes Brixton, is making her official debut with the independently-produced 15-song Castles. In lead single “Woke Up In Paris” with Reverie, she branches out into gruff, aggressive trap rap, so expect a lot more variety on her first official album, which precedes partner Gifted Gab’s follow-up debut Cause And Effect by a month.
Nav, Bad Habits
After what was surely the shortest retirement in rap history — sorry, Jay-Z — Nav is ready to return with a The-Dream-produced follow-up to his robotic 2018 debut, Reckless. After appearing on Travis Scott’s Astroworld and lead single “Know Me,” it seems Nav is ready to make a fresh impression, with the help of a new, high-profile producer.
Queen Key, Eat My Pussy Again
If you missed out on Key’s raucous, raunchy 2018 breakout, have no fear. It doesn’t look like the Chicago rapper is going anywhere anytime soon. This one was supposed to come out last month, but the extra cooking time may result in a more polished product. With a collected delivery that hides the bite in her hilarious one-liners, this lyrical pugilist drops side-splitting punchlines with casual aplomb over destructive beats that sound like they’re trying to tear a hole in your speakers. Turn it up, but proceed with caution — your ears will take a beautiful beating.
Rich The Kid, The World Is Yours 2
With a ton of features from a whos-who of hip-hop luminaries including A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Big Sean, Gucci Mane, Gunna, Lil Pump, Offset, Takeoff, and Young Thug, it would almost seem like there’s no room for Rich on his sophomore album, but there are just enough solo tracks on the 14-song collection to showcase his own unique flow.
Yelawolf, Trunk Muzik 3
Yelawolf really wants us to listen to his latest album. He even went so far as to start a semi-fake beef with fellow tatted-up white rapper Post Malone to drum up attention for his final Shady album. According to Yelawolf himself, the album will mark a return to his southern rap roots after experiments in country folk and weirder forms of hip-hop on prior projects. After spending a month picking on Post Malone, it remains to be seen if beef is still the promotional tool he thinks it is (spoiler alert: It is not).
Correction: An earlier version of this article listed Blimes as a Seattle MC and Blimes And Gab as a Pacific Northwest group. The text has been updated to reflect Blimes’ correct origin. Uproxx regrets the error.
