Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine are absolutely diabolical on the mic. They are incredibly prolific when it comes to putting out solo material. When they team up, however, it’s even better. These two know how to bring the best out in each other. They up each other’s game, and the two song single that marks their latest release, The Pre-Game, is proof. Benny the Butcher and Conway team up with a producer named ILL Tone Beats for music that is every bit as gritty, soulful, and aggressive as die-hard fans could hope for. Benny and Conway put their…
Author: southpawer
Dave East and Ransom don’t have a really robust history with one another, but they show that were always capable of greatness on The Final Call. Leading up to their first-ever joint project, the two East Coasters had only teamed up on two occasions. Those include “Everything For Sale” and on the near 40-minute behemoth known as “Rolling 110 Deep” by DJ Kay Slay. However, we really only view the former of the two as a true collaboration. However, after hearing the two lead singles for this project in “THE MOSQUE” and “MAYHEM,” our perspective on how they would sound…
Nardo Wick gives off the impression that he’s someone you don’t want to mess around with, especially on WICK. That’s the name of his sophomore album, which is also his first since his debut back in 2021. Who is Nardo Wick? was a success for the then teenage rising star out of Jacksonville. “Wicked Witch,” “Me or Sum,” “Dah Dah DahDah” and of course, “Who Want Smoke??” were all huge tracks. Despite the long wait for WICK, these tracks, as well as some features and spot singles, kept him more than afloat. While some might view him as 21 Savage…
AZ Chike has been continuing to build a name for himself. In 2024, he appeared on two albums from Black Hippy artists. First, he appeared on the track “Movie” from ScHoolboy Q’s excellent album Blue Lips. Later in the year, he appeared on Kendrick Lamar’s surprise album GNX, delivering the standout feature verse on the track “Peekaboo.” The song became a fan favorite and Lamar even performed part of it during the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. Since his guest spot on GNX, he’s released a handful of singles. “Whatx2” is the latest, and the strongest of his recent solo…
If you’re into rappers with an off-kilter style, you may want to consider Jorjiana and her “ILBB2 (Remix).” This is a new version of one of her breakout 2024 tracks, and also on her shortest at just 1:33. She’s what we would consider a female Blueface. She doesn’t really rap on beat and has a more conversational, nonchalant delivery. The beat doesn’t change for this altered edition, which is a Detroit hip-hop style instrumental. The glitchy and rumbling sounds are all present. She hails from Michigan City, Indiana, so we can why she would be borrowing from that palette. For…
Cardi B and DJ Khaled, despite their recent lack out of output of the last couple of years, are still artists that are in high demand. That applies to all of the above, including soundtracks. So, it’s not too big of a surprise to see the folks behind the next Smurfs film to recruit them for the accompanying project. There’s no release date for that just yet, but there’s an expectation that it will be close to when the movie hits theaters on July 18. When it releases, it will be fourth motion picture in the Smurfs franchise, and first…
Fivio Foreign has been taking some interesting directions this year and that now includes experimenting with country music. The Brooklyn drill rapper is doing so with newcomer to the pop-country scene, Caldwell, who hails from South Carolina. It’s called “Get Out The Way” and it melds each artist’s respective sounds together. How well they do so is up to the listener, but it’s an interesting mashup for sure. Melding rap and country music together has become increasingly more popular over the last few years. Overall, it’s had its moments, with Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road”…
Playboi Carti’s highly anticipated third studio album, I Am Music, has been the subject of much speculation and excitement among fans. Initially announced in early 2021, the album has undergone several title changes, including Narcissist and Music, before settling on its current name. Despite multiple teasers, surprise singles, and live performances of unreleased tracks, the official release date remains unconfirmed as of February 2025. In September 2024, Carti released the single “All Red” on his birthday, marking his first official solo release since 2020’s Whole Lotta Red. He also launched merchandise bundles featuring I Am Music-themed vinyl and CDs, with…
A$AP Rocky’s highly anticipated fourth studio album, Don’t Be Dumb, is slated for release in early 2025. This project has been in development since 2018, following his previous album, Testing. The album’s journey has been marked by multiple delays, primarily due to legal challenges and issues with sample clearances. Notably, after his recent acquittal on felony assault charges, Rocky has reignited excitement among fans by teasing new material from the album. HIPHOPDX The album is expected to feature an impressive lineup of collaborations. Released singles include “Highjack” featuring Jessica Pratt, “Tailor Swif,” and “Ruby Rosary” with J. Cole. Production credits…
J. Cole shared his first offering of 2025 and there could be plenty more in the arsenal down the line. Via his Inevitable blog, the Dreamville boss released “cLOUDs” on Friday (Feb. 21). The dreamy tune, produced by DZL and Omen, finds Cole referencing the Donald Trump assassination attempt at a Phildelphia rally in June. “I’m that bass in your trunk, the bullet that missed Trump/ The gun that jammed ’cause it seemed God had other plans,” he raps on the second verse. In a blog post, Cole provided some context on the track, which he cooked up a few…