Much-hyped releases from some of rap’s hottest emerging talents headline this week in hip-hop. This week is also destined to be a fan favorite of 2019 so far, as it prominently features a few artists and groups they’ve been excited about, including Dreamville’s roster of breakout stars. 03 Greedo also gets an assist from a surprising collaborator, another gift from the rush of recording sessions he completed between his 20-year sentencing to 20 years and his incarceration. Finally, legacy rapper Jaden Smith, whose 2017 debut Syre impressed with its adventurousness and lyrical dexterity, makes his long-awaited return after thrilling enormous festival crowds with his high-energy performances. Let’s break it down.
03 Greedo And Travis Barker, Meet The Drummers
Just judging from the first single, “Cellout,” whatever time these two got in the studio together was clearly not enough to satisfy their talent and chemistry. At only five tracks, this EP seems like more of a snack or taste test of what they’re capable of. Greedo promised that he’d reconnect with the Blink 182 drummer at the end of his sentence — we can only hope that his legal team somehow gets those 20 years commuted down to time served, because it’s clear he and Travis enjoyed working together.
Dreamville, Revenge Of The Dreamers III
Not to beleaguer the point, but Dreamville’s rollout for ROTDIII has been downright masterful in building anticipation for not just the full-length project, but also any hints of what went down at the Atlanta recording studio to which they invited dozens of rap’s hottest artists and producers for a weeklong “rap camp.” Between the initial flurry of invitations posted to social media, the documentary they released to Youtube detailing the sessions, the singles teasing an album full of epic, rap cipher-esque posse cuts, and the teasing rivalry between South-based Dreamville and LA’s TDE, the fan frenzy has reached a near fever pitch — and they won’t be disappointed.
Jaden, Erys
Sporting an eye-catching new look and promising a menacing new persona, Jaden Smith has stepped out of the shadow of his famous father — although not too far, as the two apparently love sharing the stage — to become a well-liked rapper in his own right. Since Syre dropped, Jaden has released his Syre: The Electric Album remix EP, starred in two well-received but undeniably weird Netflix original series, Neo Yokio and The Get Down, and dropped an 11-song mixtape proving Syre‘s success wasn’t a fluke. Now, he’s ready to follow-up and build on that momentum with some help from guests ASAP Rocky, Kid Cudi, and Tyler The Creator, with whom he’s also signed on to tour later this year.
