The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Ab-Soul, Ferg, and Cordae.

The past few weeks have featured a glut of new hip-hop, so even though this week slows things down a lot, listeners will have plenty of time to catch up on the wealth of releases from the likes of Tyler The Creator, Earthgang, and more. Meanwhile, just because things slowed down, doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty of indie rap to satisfy fans’ appetites for just about any kind of underground rap.

LaRussell’s Tiny Desk Concert may not technically count as new music, but it’s well worth checking out:

However, there was a notable link-up in hip-hop this week: Cordae and Joey Badass, who you’d think would have teamed up long ago, finally joined forces on “Syrup Sandwiches.”

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending November 8, 2024.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Ab-Soul — Soul Burger

2024 has been a stellar year for Top Dawg Entertainment. The South Los Angeles-based label scored a Grammy nomination with the release of Doechii’s debut commercial mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal, and now, first-generation TDE rapper Ab-Soul returns with a mixtape of his own. Soul Burger is dedicated to Ab’s late friend who encouraged him to make more club-ready music than the cerebral, introspective material that is his trademark. It turns out, he’s just as adept outside his comfort zone.

Ferg — Darold

The “real first name album title” trend continues with the former ASAP Mobster. Darold may not be the ultra-personal biography that the title format so often suggests, but Ferg steps out of his comfort zone a few times, such as on “Alive :(,” “Pool,” and “French Tips.” Still, much of the album consists of what fans have come to expect from the Harlem firestarter: thunderous anthems that will shake the block when played out of those 10″ subs in the trunk.

BabyTron — Tronicles

BabyTron’s third full-length of 2024 finds the Detroit native carrying over his usual wit and productivity from Case Dismissed and Mario & Luigi.

Kyle & Steven Shaeffer — LVL1: At Least It Was Fun

An unexpected 10-song release from Kyle with producer Steven Shaeffer, LVL1 is built around the concepts of gaming, using samples from some of your favorite 16-bit platformers and lyrics from Kyle referencing familiar mechanics — such as leveling up. His songwriting continues to revolve around romance, from the cheeky “Good Neck” to the heartbroken “Lonely.”

Real Boston Richey — Richey Rich

The XXL Freshman returns with 24 tracks of street anthems and pain rap featuring guest appearances from GloRilla, Lil Yachty, and YTB Fatt. If Florida rap is your thing, you can’t do much better than Boston.

Singles/Videos

Dave East & AraabMuzik — “Percocet”

AraabMuzik is exactly the right producer to bring the best out of Dave East. Living Proof is coming out on November 15, and if it’s as consistent as the rest of Dave’s material, I’m looking forward to it.

Finesse2Tymes — “Very Demure” Feat. NLE Choppa

In hindsight, it’s kinda wild that no one turned the “very mindful, very demure” trend into a song sooner than this. It’d probably have worked better coming from one of the legion of women rappers who are constantly being criticized for their perceived lack of said traits, but Finesse2Tymes and NLE Choppa do a serviceable job.

Kenny Mason — “Hoodrat”

Kenny Mason continues to plug away at pitching his oddball blend of grunge, shoegaze, and trap music, and I’m certain he’s only months away from finding his audience, which I think is bigger than it appears at the moment. No one else is doing what he is, either, so the lane is wide open.

Mozzy — “Blood Diamonds” Feat. Peysoh

It’s Mozzy. If I have to sell you on this, you’re just on the wrong wavelength.

Skilla Baby — “Jwett”

A surefire sign that an act is about to break out is when the slang they made up catches fire. If you start hearing folks talking about “jwett” soon… it’s Skilla Baby’s time.

Young Nudy — “Right Now”

The Atlanta Impressionist is working on a sequel to Sli’merre, his 2019 mixtape with P’ierre Bourne, and let’s just say, they are off to a great start.