17-year-old Memphis rapper – and recently announced member of the 2020 XXL Freshman Class – NLE Choppa has been gaining attention after sending hit after hit to the Billboard charts through an engaging blend of raspy and rambunctious bars and a serviceable singing voice. His debut album comes after a couple of high-profile mixtapes, and … Continue reading NLE Choppa – Top Shotta
Southern Rap
Future – High Off Life
It’s been pretty annoying lately to be witnessing just how much hip-hop music is stuck in a rut creatively, and quite a bit of that can be attributed to young artists trying to ride on the coattails of musical styles popularized by veterans of the game like Future. The man drops a lot of music, … Continue reading Future – High Off Life
DaBaby – Blame It On Baby
The prolific rapper who quickly shot his way to the top has once again returned with his third album in a little over a year, still winning people over with his infectious personality and top-tier rap voice but veering dangerously close to Migos oversaturation territory as jokes about his slapdash instrumentals and never switching his … Continue reading DaBaby – Blame It On Baby
Lil Wayne – Funeral
Man, it used to be a much bigger deal if Lil Wayne and Eminem were to release albums in the same month. Regardless, one of the most influential figures on the modern rap landscape has returned – despite being a couple years older than the age at which he threatened retirement – with his first … Continue reading Lil Wayne – Funeral
Rapid Fire Reviews (Nav, Yelawolf, Billie Eilish)
Nav - Bad Habits A signee to The Weeknd’s XO label and one of the first Punjabi artists to make it this big with North American audiences, Nav’s Auto-crooned trap melodies have been getting more and more attention leading up to the release of his sophomore solo project, Bad Habits. Of course, there have also … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Nav, Yelawolf, Billie Eilish)
Rapid Fire Reviews (2 Chainz, Maren Morris, Juice WRLD)
2 Chainz - Rap Or Go To The League Usually one of the most cartoonish and comedic faces in rap, 2 Chainz’s fifth studio album Rap Or Go To The League – apparently executive produced by basketball star LeBron James – sees him dial the punchline bars back and address some more serious issues, all … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (2 Chainz, Maren Morris, Juice WRLD)
Gucci Mane – Evil Genius
Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane’s output since being relased from jail in 2016 has been so prolific that the timespan of just under a full year since his last project is an unusually long gap for him. It’s certainly given him some of his best sales in a while. He’s stated that he was trying to … Continue reading Gucci Mane – Evil Genius
Machine Gun Kelly – BINGE
Seemingly capitalizing off of the many new eyes on him in the wake of his feud with Eminem, Midwestern rapper Machine Gun Kelly drops a 9-track EP that includes the now-massive diss track “RAP DEVIL”. Once a prominent force in the indie rap scene, Kelly’s 2017 pop-rap collaboration with Camila Cabello, “Bad Things”, exposed him … Continue reading Machine Gun Kelly – BINGE
Rapid Fire Reviews (Rae Sremmurd, Charlie Puth, Playboi Carti)
Rae Sremmurd - SR3MM/Swaecation/Jxmtro Brotherly hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd embrace their inner OutKast on the third in their Sremmlife album series, branching out and turning into a sprawling triple disc edition that allows a full album for each member to shine individually. Rae Sremmurd’s youthful, jubilant cloud-rap sound is often a joy to listen to, … Continue reading Rapid Fire Reviews (Rae Sremmurd, Charlie Puth, Playboi Carti)
Big Boi – Boomiverse
Atlanta rapper and former OutKast member Big Boi has released his third solo album and his first in 5 years. His previous project, 2012's Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, never really lived up to the widespread critical and commercial acclaim of his debut, but this project here is certainly a swing back in the right direction. … Continue reading Big Boi – Boomiverse
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 