Playboi Carti, Key Glock, B.G., And More Hip-Hop

Playboi Carti – ‘MUSIC’

Playboi Carti finally released MUSIC, and he made the wait worth it as the album is made up of 30 songs.

Future, The Weeknd Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, and Skepta are scattered throughout the hour and 10-minute experience, but the biggest surprise comes in the sparse Kendrick Lamar verses, ad-libs, and drops throughout the project.

“Backd00r” plays like the sequel to “Luther” but with Carti’s vamp sounds, and “Good Credit” is heavily trappy. For the first time in over a year, K. Dot isn’t directing any shots at his opponent, Drake, which was a breath of fresh air given the constant discourse.

As for Carti, this album bridges the gap between his early sound and the new vocal inflections he has experimented with. Though 30 songs is daunting, a handful of keeper records are here. – Armon Sadler

Key Glock – “No Sweat”

Key Glock is one of the most consistent rappers of the last decade, and “No Sweat” continued that run.

He stuck to his bread and butter, spitting over a hard Memphis beat with his cool, calm, and collected flow. It feels effortless, which makes “No Sweat” such an apt title. He pays homage to legendary Street Fighter character Ryu, and it’s an accurate comparison given both of their longevity.

The best part about Glock is he never overstays his welcome; no bars feel forced, songs are never too long, he simply excels at conveying what he set out to and then gets out of the way. “No Sweat” is perfect for athletes, car shows, and several other environments. – AS

B.G. – ‘Freedom Of Speech’

Southern rap legend and Hot Boys member B.G. has gradually been rebuilding his musical profile since his release from prison back in 2023.

He’s released multiple singles, as well as the collaborative album Choppers & Bricks with Gucci Mane, but had yet to drop a solo album upon his return.

That’s now changed, as B.G. liberates his new studio album Freedom of Speech, on which the veteran speaks his mind on a myriad of topics, from his tumultuous history to his renewed sense of hunger and purpose.

On the title track, B.G. proudly commends himself for remaining solid and standing tall through adversity, including past legal battles and ongoing attempts to seemingly silence him.

He quiets any doubts regarding his relationship with Cash Money Records on “First Question” as he professes his allegiance to Birdman, who also appears on the track.

Personal accounts of his past heroin addiction and incarceration are shared on “Rock-A-Bye-Bye” and “Real Life.”

Admitting “It really took that 12 and a half for me to learn my lesson/ It really took that federal bid for me to get the message/ I was in these streets neck-deep, nothing no one could tell me” on the latter, B.G. measures out the vibes with more catchy tunes such as the Finesse2Tymes-assisted heater “Got It Poppin” and the female-friendly standout “All Nite.”

Bolstered by contributions by E-40, Boosie Badazz, Fiend, Fredo Bang, and more, Freedom of Speech proves B.G. remains as lyrically formidable as he was before his lengthy sentence and that his flow hasn’t fell victim to the hands of time. – Preezy Brown

Curren$y, Harry Fraud – ‘Never Catch Us’

Curren$y and Harry Fraud‘s musical batting average is up there with the best rapper/producer combos in Hip-Hop today. The duo took a hiatus for 2024 after last teaming up for their 2023 effort Vices, but have returned with their latest offering, Never Catch Us, their *** collaborative project to date.

Consisting of 12 tracks, Never Catch Us begins with Spitta lamenting acknowledging his underdog status on “Drop Zones,” rapping, “Considered a legend by legends/ But overlooked by peasants with media presence/ I never gave a f**k ’bout their credit.”

Longtime collaborator Wiz Khalifa pops up on the lead single, “Airport Industries,” while Curren$y shines in his own right on the solo cuts “Duct Tape” and “Encrypted Messages.”

Never Catch Us gets on a roll during its latter half, as the posse cut “True Lies” featuring Babyface Ray, Styles P, and 03 Greedo, and the Fendi P assisted “No Wrinkles” are prime candidates for repeated listening.

Packed with additional appearances by Conway the Machine, Dave East, Rome Streetz, DRAM, Jay Worthy, and Premo Rice, Never Catch Us carries on Curren$y and Fraud’s tradition of crafting strong bodies of work that may not reinvent the wheel, but cater to the core of their bases. – PB

Benny The Butcher, 38 Spesh – ‘Stabbed & Shot 2’

Deluxe versions of albums have become all but a customary prerequisite for every rap album rollout, somewhat subtracting from the luster of their release.

Rather than merely tacking on a few extra tracks onto a tracklist, Benny The Butcher and 38 Spesh took a differing approach on their Stabbed & Shot 2 (Deluxe Edition) album, giving their fans an in-depth backstory to their origins both as individuals and collaborators.

While the duo gifts fans a new song with “Ice,” the deluxe version doubles as an audio version of The Making Of Stabbed & Shot documentary, which includes unreleased snippets taken from recording sessions during he album’s creation. – PB

Lil Tecca – “Dark Thoughts”

Lil Tecca jumped into a different bag on “Dark Thoughts.” The production sounds like early 2000s Jay-Z and Pharrell, but with his autotune-heavy vocals.

This works, largely due to Tecca molding himself to this beat seamlessly. Whether it came naturally or he took his time to figure it out doesn’t matter because it sounds great. And Tecca excels at crooning about love, especially of the dirty macking variety.

It’s been a while since he’s made a record that could play anywhere outside of someone’s headphones, but “Dark Thoughts” has real potential to penetrate the great outdoors. As always, time will tell. – AS

Diany Dior – “THiCK”

Diany Dior brought the vibes with “Thick.” The production has a slight tinge of Latina acoustics, primed for a bachata or a twerk.

She blends Spanish and English throughout the record to drive that point home and bring those audiences together. The rapid delivery of the chorus sounded reminiscent of Missy Elliott, and she fully leaned into that by quoting a line from “Work It.”

Selfishly, the only issue with this record is the fact it is only one minute and 24 seconds. Nonetheless, its got the beat, chorus, verses, and nuances to be stick for some time in this fast-moving era. – AS

Armani White – “Cut The Lights”

Armani White brought the energy on “Cut The Lights,” which may be paradoxical to write but it makes sense when you play it.

His flows and cadences are endless, almost as if his studio session was about to close and he just had to get these bars off. The Philly rapper quoted the popular sports term “belt to a**,” and it’s fighting for the aggression he displayed on this track.

The beat is also very immersive, sucking you in on the hook before completely knocking you over your head during his verses with hard drums. This is how you show the world you’re here to stay. – AS

Mozzy – “UNDER OATH”

Sinister piano keys and ghastly vocal wails make way for pulsating 808s on this jittery selection from Mozzy, as the West Coast mainstay spouts parables from his travels across the concrete.

Comparing himself to the likes of late rap legends Nipsey Hussle and Tupac Shakur, Mozzy lets loose, rhyming, “Under oath I gotta make sure ni**as all gon’ eat/ That’s just the dog in me” atop production by Julian Cannon.

Foreshadowing a looming LP from the street orator, Mozzy leaves no secret that his code is bond on “UNDER OATH,” testimonies not included. – PB

Boldy James, V Don – “Split The Bill”

A weekly Boldy James drop of some sort seems all but inevitable these days. The Detroit native continues to live up to that reputation, as he unleashes his latest salvo, “Split The Bill.”

The lead single from Alphabet Highway, his newly announced collaborative album with producer V Don, “Split The Bill” finds Boldy tending to business as usually, plastering streetwise rhymes atop murky production.

The outcome is splendid, with James cooking up yet another banger while keeping the stove hot until Alphabet Highway‘s arrival, due on April 4. – PB

Flau’Jae – “WHAT IT TAKES”

Money Man – “Socials”

Dyce Payso – “Trappin’”

Soulja Boy, Hoodtrophy Bino – “Broke Boy”

Sugarhill Ddot Featuring STAR BANDZ – “Energy”

G Perico, DJ Drama – “Commas”

Chuckyy – “Ni**a Poetry”

310Babii Featuring BabyTron – “Permission Slip”

Slim Thug, Propain – ‘Double Cup’

K CAMP – ‘Built Different’

DeeBaby – ‘Ms. Salazar’

10Percent Featuring Lil Poppa – “Sidewalk”

Jon Keith, Miles Minnick – ‘WEST INDIES’

Lil King Featuring STAR BANDZ – “Fight For Love”

LUCKI – “OverTh!nking”

FattMack Featuring Lil Tony – “Hit It”

Evilgiane, Rojuu – ’62 Starz’

Lelo – “Pot Of Greed”

Lu’ – ‘Gold Linen’

Joeboy – “Taxi Driver”