Asian Da Brat, PnB Rock, YG, and Young Nudy are the hip-hop artists releasing new rap albums you should check out this week, as YG makes his long-awaited return to the spotlight, PnB Rock makes his “official” debut, and Asian proves she’s more than just another doll in the hip-hop game.
In some ways, each of the artists releasing this week is out to prove a point. While Asian wants to set herself apart from the pack of new rappers who emerged with similar names last year by changing her own name, PnB Rock aims to be a pop star, separating himself from the XXL Freshman class he entered the game with.
Meanwhile, Young Nudy is working his way out of his famous cousin’s shadow, while hoping to generate some positive press after his arrest alongside 21 Savage earlier this year. The production partner on his latest project, Pi’erre Bourne, is taking the career turn from hit-maker to executive producer to prove he can craft an entire project without losing the magic that made his “you want to come out here” tag inescapable.
Finally, YG is shaking off the instability that surrounded his prior projects and paying homage to a fallen friend. He’s also stepped up his pen game and is clearly looking for more recognition as a lyricist than he ever got previously, although his rhymes were an underrated part of his appeal. Hopefully, each of these artists is able to make their mark and deliver projects worthy of entering fans’ rotation past the next big release day.
Asian Da Brat, Unfuccwitable
With a new name and a new label, Misharron Allen puts her Asian Doll persona to rest and emerges as Asian Da Brat to distance herself from the plethora of female rappers who cropped up in the last few years bearing the same name — as well as the beef that emerged as a result. After signing to Gucci Mane’s 1017 Records, Asian has been steadily working on polishing her flow and refining her style, and Unfuccwitable aims to reestablish her at the forefront of the wave of female rappers who have recently staked a claim on the public’s attention with pounding trap beats and cocky, dismissive raps such as the ones on lead single “Tweakin’.”
PnB Rock, Trapstar Turnt Popstar
Philadelphia rap singer PnB Rock has been around for a minute but calls Trapstar Turnt Popstar his debut album. Best known for his 2015 single, “Fleek” and 2016 single, “Selfish”, PnB Rock was selected as a member of XXL‘s 2017 Freshman Class. He appears to be ready to make good on the promise he flashed on mixtapes Catch These Vibes and GTTM: Goin Thru the Motions, and hopes that appearances from guests like A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Diplo, Lil Durk, Quavo, and XXXtentacion will be enough to deliver him a hit.
YG, 4Real 4Real
After pushing back 4Real 4Real when Nipsey Hussle died, YG is ready to release what he calls his most focused album yet. For the first time since he made his official debut in 2014 with My Krazy Life, YG says he actually wrote down his raps, resulting in more personal and potent rhymes. While he lost the element of surprise with the delay, he’s still kept much of the production process under wraps, although his first single, “Stop Snitchin’,” proves he’s still flexing street-centric flows over turnt-up west coast G-funk beats.
Young Nudy and Pi’erre Bourne, Sli’merre
After being arrested alongside his cousin 21 Savage in February, Young Nudy is back and ready to spin the negative publicity into positive attention for his latest effort, executive produced by ATL standout producer Pi’erre Bourne. After producing mega-hits for Playboi Carti and Tekashi 69, Pi’erre’s new focus on completing a full album alongside one of Atlanta’s emerging trap rap talents displays a shift from crafting radio earworms to a body of work that can hopefully establish the rising talent as a star in his own right. The duo will have plenty of help on that end, with appearances from 21 Savage and Lil Uzi Vert, banging beats provided by Bourne, and Young Nudy’s charismatic, ice cold flows to prove that talent runs in the family.
