The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, songs, and videos from Lil Durk, French Montana, Lupe Fiasco, and more.
We’re a little over a month into my running this column, and I hope you guys have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed putting it together. These are my final days as a 26-year-old and so I wanted to kick my 27th year off right by blessing you all with 20+ entries this week because who would ever complain about more music?
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending June 24, 2022.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Lil Durk — 7220 (Deluxe)
Lil Durk teased the 7220 deluxe for months, and it has finally arrived, adding 14 new songs to the mix. EST Gee, Moneybagg Yo, Ella Mai and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie are tapped to harmonize or spit alongside “The Voice.”
French Montana x Harry Fraud — Montega
These days French Montana is usually the least interesting part of his songs, so he looked to take it back to the days people didn’t feel that way alongside Harry Fraud for Montega. Quavo, EST Gee, Rick Ross and more aid in this endeavor.
Lupe Fiasco — Drill Music In Zion
Lupe Fiasco challenged himself to make a 10-song project within a day in 2021. Obviously, Drill Music In Zion arrived a year later, but it’s always nice to get new Lupe music and a shorter runtime.
Cochise — The Inspection
Cochise’s full-length is here. The Inspection features Chief Keef, Young Nudy, Mally and more. Cochise has shown he’s a solid song maker, so it makes sense he enlists this roster of talent to join the magic.
J.I. The Prince Of NY — Young & Restless Vol. 1 Baby Don
J.I. The Prince Of NY is a charismatic young man, so it makes sense he labels himself Young & Restless. The 12-track project is energetic mixed with melodic vocals and heavy flexes.
Money Man — Big Money
Having Big Money sometimes means multiple streams of income. Money Man opts for multiple streams of bars, bringing talents like Benny The Butcher and Nardo Wick into his world for the cash talk.
DeeYounginn — Next To Blow
DeeYounginn is predicting his greatness on his latest project Next to Blow. With the sole feature coming from 2x, he gives listeners a full project to be convinced of that too. It doesn’t matter though, he’s got the vision.
Phocuz x J-Mac — Vibes R Eternal 2
Phocuz and J-Mac are here to let you know the Vibes R Eternal for a second time. They tap The Game, Chris Millz, GQ and more to contribute to the aura.
Singles/Videos
The Game — “Violence”
If you only paid attention to headlines, or haven’t been following his career since its inception, you may not know how talented a rapper The Game is. Ahead of his next album with Hit-Boy, he offers a heat check with “Violence.” Even if you have to question many things he says in life, he sure makes the potentially true, potentially false statements sound good. Not to mention, there’s a fun interpolation of Jeezy’s classic “Go Crazy” hook.
Coast Contra– “Never Freestyle”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HIrPv3-73k
The four men in Coast Contra are stars in the making and they don’t need any gimmicks to prove it — just the energetic, in-depth, face-scrunching bars that many of the greats have also gotten famous for. Though the “Never Freestyle” went viral months again in its in-studio iteration, the rap squad is fresh off of their national TV debut this week on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and immediately uploaded the track in audio format on the DSPs. So you’ve got multiple versions you can enjoy, but the one consistent theme is Ras Austin, Taj Austin, Rio Loz, and Eric Jamal are some real spitters.
Buckshot — “Hey”
Buckshot stands confidently in front of a white BMW in the “Hey” video, though the video also flashes to scenes of him struggling with VR goggles. The classic TV set is a nice touch along with some of the special effects. Overall, a solid effort from Buckshot. One could say the shot went in.
Russ — “Yes Sir”
Russ has no problem talking about himself. “Yes Sir” is a boss anthem, acknowledging how well he is doing to the point where people quite literally say the title of the song to him when he makes an order. He makes a lot of fun sports references here too.
Kalan.Frfr ft. Blxst — “No Stoppin”
Kalan.Frfr and Blxst are the upcoming entrants into the melodic avengers. “No Stoppin” captures their California energy and insistence on singing the songs women like to hear. They nail it again.
Kateel — “Don’t Be A Hero”
Kateel offers some solid advice in the “Don’t Be A Hero” video if you’re into that whole pessimistic thing. Agree or not, he’s got a very composed and sharp flow on top of simply looking like he’s having fun rapping.
BlueBucksClan — “Just Hit Me”
BlueBucksClan comes to terms with being dope in the “Just Hit Me” video. I get it, imposter syndrome is real. It’s nice to see them own their confidence in that way.
Denzel Curry — “LA Leakers Freestyle”
Denzel Curry stops by LA Leakers to set the microphone on fire. The Florida lyricist brings his fierce lyricism to Lil Durk’s “Ahhh Ha” beat and Jeezy’s “I’m Just Sayin.”
Bino Rideaux ft. Ty Dolla Sign — “Outta Line”
A pool party with beautiful women and West coast sounds means one thing — you need Ty Dolla Sign. Bino Rideaux understands the assignment in the “Outta Line” video, joining Ty on the roof to survey the area and get their verses off. “Outta Line” is summer music through and through.
DCG Brothers — “Buss It”
While the DCG Brothers’ new video for “Buss It” doesn’t quite mirror the viral sensation of last year’s #BussIt challenge, they are certainly strapped up with something. Shun and Bsavv mix in confident flexes with firm threats over the course of this two-minute, 56-second visual.
Papoose — “Cap”
“It’s too hot to be cappin’!” I’ve never thought of the weather in relation to truth-telling, but Papoose has changed that in his new record “Cap.” The Bangladesh-produced cut is pretty simple production-wise, allowing the New York rapper to ascend above the beat and look down at all liars in shame.
22Gz ft. Kodak Black — “Up And Stuck (Remix)”
Who doesn’t love a record where a popular colloquial phrase gets used? Between the menacing drill beat, and 22Gz lyrical barrage, this song could very well be “Up And Stuck.” Adding Kodak Black to the remix is certainly a choice in terms of optics, but musically he makes it a worthwhile choice.
Currensy x Fuse — “Too Late”
Currensy loves his cars, his weed, and his ability to still rap at a high level. The “Too Late” video puts that all on display. He doesn’t have time for the nonsense either, closing the record with the line “That’s why I’m on some leave me on my lonely with my weed” because sometimes a spliff is the best companion.
Tobe Nwigwe — “Round Here (Part One)”
Tobe Nwigwe raps with a purpose on “Round Here (Part One).” The urgency is reminiscent of a driver trying to beat a red light or a college student trying to beat a midnight deadline for an essay. The white ensembles and marching trumpet players circling him are a very nice touch. Things eventually descend into madness with more white-dressed dancers sprinting across the field, but who doesn’t love a little madness?
Huey Briss — “Living Off The Land”
“A player got to play on / Let’s give ’em something to hate on / You know the love never lasts unless your name is Faizon.” Huey Briss opens “Living Off The Land” with some fun bars as we take a tour through his neighborhood in the video. He addresses the internal envy within the Black community as well, making this a layered thought experience in alignment with the record’s title.
Young Devyn — “Decisions”
Young Devyn might just be a siren because her voice on “Decisions” is extremely endearing and if you don’t listen hard enough due to the trance you’re put in, you may not catch just how aggressive she can be. The flex is uninhibited and the beat selection here seamlessly matches her approach. She may be posted outside of a corner store where danger has often been present, but you’d be a fool to try and mess with Young Devyn.
Icewear Vezzo ft. Payroll Giovanni & Peezy — “The Commission”
Gucci Mane once said to “Keep it light but excessive; clean but opulent” and Icewear Vezzo, Payroll Giovanni, and Peezy certainly take that advice to heart in their video for “The Commission.” The visual finds the rappers at an elegant table adorned with fine dinnerware, but the hood party doesn’t stop due to the environment. Bosses do what they want, right? Video aside, the rapping is high level and I love a good interweaving performance between multiple lyricists. There’s real chemistry here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
