There are always online debates raging about which four faces belong on the hip-hop Mount Rushmore for any given genre or era. The cover art of Lil Baby’s latest depicts himself occupying all four slots. With just how meteoric his rise has been over the last couple years, from a popularity standpoint, it’s hard to … Continue reading Lil Baby – It’s Only Me
Southern Rap
Megan Thee Stallion – Traumazine
Continuing an impressive release pace, the woman known as the Houston Hottie has been gifting fans with mixtapes, studio albums and extras with at least a yearly project since exploding onto the mainstream hip-hop scene back in 2019 with her Fever mixtape. Racking up the awards and accolades in the meantime, Megan has set out … Continue reading Megan Thee Stallion – Traumazine
2 Chainz – Dope Don’t Sell Itself
A decade after his classic debut, Based On A T.R.U. Story, the veteran MC and one of rap’s funniest people has released his third album in just under three years. Loaded with features and without much of the surprisingly poignant social commentary he has tested the waters of on his last couple of projects, 2 … Continue reading 2 Chainz – Dope Don’t Sell Itself
NLE Choppa – Me vs. Me
After hitting the top 10 on the albums chart for the first time with 2020’s Top Shotta, 19-year-old NLE Choppa returns with the 2nd full-length project to fully capture the attention of hip-hop listeners. Heralded for his raw aggression and visceral power behind his lyrics, Choppa’s bars often feel more like an impassioned rant than … Continue reading NLE Choppa – Me vs. Me
Rick Ross – Richer Than I Ever Been
15 years and 11 albums into his career, there’s not a lot that Rick Ross can do anymore that’s going to be new or surprising. Still, he’s arguably built up one of hip-hop’s strongest and most reliable brands, and he delivers more of what people are expecting on his latest project. With a litany of … Continue reading Rick Ross – Richer Than I Ever Been
Megan Thee Stallion – Something For Thee Hotties
Continuing a torrid release pace, Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion delivers a thank you to her dedicated fanbase – in the form of some highly requested freestyles and outtakes from over the years – just under a year after dropping her debut studio album. While many of these tracks feel a little incomplete – the … Continue reading Megan Thee Stallion – Something For Thee Hotties
Isaiah Rashad – The House Is Burning
Regardless of the mountain of complaints seemingly levied against the label every day for taking their sweet time to get releases out to the world, the artists of Top Dawg Entertainment almost always seem to go above and beyond expectations when it comes to the public’s interest – one of the lesser-known names in Isaiah … Continue reading Isaiah Rashad – The House Is Burning
Gucci Mane – Ice Daddy
Trap pioneer and borderline hip-hop legend Gucci Mane is usually known for his impressive and prolific release pace, often dropping multiple projects a year – for better or for worse, as many often display his inconsistencies with a quantity over quality attitude. However, since he’s been focused on compilation projects and promoting some of the … Continue reading Gucci Mane – Ice Daddy
Moneybagg Yo – A Gangsta’s Pain
Long seen as a mixtape-heavy “street rapper,” one of those figures who is much more well-known to his community than chart positions and sales numbers would suggest, Moneybagg Yo’s 4th studio album has finally seen him ascend to the top in the latter respect as well as he tracks for a #1 debut with A … Continue reading Moneybagg Yo – A Gangsta’s Pain
Kevin Gates – Only The Generals Part II
Continuing a tireless pace of music, longstanding street rap icon Kevin Gates surprise drops his seventeenth(!) commercial mixtape, a sequel to 2019’s Only the Generals Gon Understand. Recorded in Puerto Rico, apparently to get more in touch with the Hispanic side of his heritage, Gates returns with his increasingly soulful and melodic flow in combination … Continue reading Kevin Gates – Only The Generals Part II
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 