New York emcee & revered battle rapper RJ Payne formerly known as Reign Man dropping his 16th EP. Building up an extensive solo catalogue for himself with 24 mixtapes as well as well as his last dozen EPs & 4 full-length albums, Benny the Butcher even signed RJ to Black Soprano Family Records for a brief period of time & putting out some of best material like Leatherface & Square Root of a Kilo under Benny’s ever-growing indie label of his own. My Life’z a Movie produced by Stu Bangas quickly became my favorite LP in RJ’s discography & Enemy Soil Entertainment in-house producer C-Lance went on a trip with him to The Barbershop, coming off Erick Sermon producing a 3-Piece & Drega33 fully producing Triangle D’or to team up with Cartune Beatz on Sinners.
After the “Let Me In” intro, the first song “Stacks” hooks up a bare slowed down sample to refer himself as royalty in the flesh whereas “Sammy’s Guitar” takes the chipmunk soul route instrumentally hoping that everyone has accepted their fate. “Ryan Coogler” warns not to make him come to your house for cleaning only leaving nothing behind but the bill & “Land of the Sinner” soulfully talks about his heart being bigger than his patience, but then “Smoke” wraps up Sinnerz with 1 last drumless observing a glitch in the game.
Furthering the acclaim of 3-Piece & Triangle D’or, the Reign Man’s consistent 2025 run carries on with another EP that will likely go down as amongst the best RJ has ever done similarly to both predecessors I mentioned earlier. Cartune Beatz’ production here goes for a primarily drumless sound further pulling from chipmunk soul & RJ refrains from having guests once again to spit the Payne fans have come to love him for.
Another month & we got the 5th EP from Atlanta, Georgia recording artist Diorvsyou. Coming up in 2021 off his debut EP Scoreboard, it wasn’t until I saw him open up for southsidesilhouette in Brooklyn the following November where I was personally introduced to his music & I was actually impressed with his set. The next EP w.t.f.i.dvy? (who the fuck is diorvsyou?) marked a bigger breakthrough for him artistically & returned up from the Ashes almost a year since Diorvsrxlvnd’s eponymous debut. The last couple EPs Untitled EP.9 & So Cunt. have both been received well enough to the point where Paussus.99 could elevate himself & the guests on the 1st leg.
“Pierce My Lungs” featuring ApolloRed1 was an exciting collab to open things up talking about being rockstars whereas “West” featuring untiljapan shows off a back-&-forth chemistry from the 2 that impressed me. “OnTheWay” featuring Sk8star has a tropical approach thanks to Taurus finds them having cash coming in their direction while “FountaineeBleu” cloudily pauses for the pictures only.
A reversed sample of “Olympian” by Playboi Cartipops up during “In Loading…” assuring nothing will stop him until “Flat Shoals Road” featuring Sk8star & southsidesilhoutte produced by Pi’erre Bourne finishes the EP with a sequel to “sex” off of Sk8’s most recent EP Rebelution only a few months ago carrying the energy they had on that standout over once again.
Both predecessor EPs we’ve gotten from Dior this year so far have been increasing his popularity due to his personal & artistic growth, but Paussus.99 could be my new favorite of the trilogy. He gets some of the biggest names in the underground trap scene within these past few years on a vast majority of it showcasing their styles complimenting his on top of elevated production catering to everybody’s own individual strengths.
This is the 2nd mixtape from Michigan rapper Big Bye. Originally known as byetimo, he released his first couple EPs Bye & Big Bye in the late 2010s/early 2020s until changing his moniker after the Bye’s successor at some point between 2022 & 2023. Coming off his debut tape The Big Lebyeski couple months ago, Detroit music executive Lando Bando has officially signed Timo to his own imprint The Hip Hop Lab Records & is letting him make his debut for the label with Paper Plates.
The title track is a creatively soulful jazz rap/Detroit trap hybrid talking about having bitches everywhere that only know him by his looks & only asking for grace whereas “Sparkle” boasts of him breaking weed down to particles as well his chain glistening. “Ballin’ Hard” featuring BandGang Javar finds the 2 talking about the za being so good that it’s like they’re smoking cigars while “No Tattoos” finds himself deciding not to get freshened up for the day.
“Waterboy” works in some pianos & 808s to suggest one should come to his suburbs if you wanna get a cup of lean while “Fat Packets” featuring Babytron cloudy trades the mic back-&-forth with each other for a couple minutes. “Big Yuck” featuring BYEVIXEN finds the 2 over a Jakesand instrumental talking about having gold in their teeth like popcorn kernels just before “Girl Next Door” works in some shimmering pianos from Danny G selling sunshine & happiness.
As for “Dick Dastardly”, we have Big Bye referencing the titular antagonist of the Warner Bros.-owned Wacky Races franchise over a sample & 808s meshing with one another leading into “Payday” featuring Certified Trapper dabbling with lowend a bit talking about lining their opps out in chalk as well as receiving the wages they’re owed within 24 hours & a reference to one of my favorite WRs of all-time Randy Moss.
“My 1st Rodeo” starts the final leg of Paper Plates with a bell-inflicted beat responding to weirdos calling him a rookie who won’t amount up to anything solely because they’ve done more than him musically while “Counting on Us” talks about going from rags to riches. “Rainman” wraps up the mixtape with Bye riding in the same Buick convertible as depicted in the 1988 road comedy-drama of the same name.
Straying further away from the pop rap influences of his earlier output, Big Bye’s inaugural release under The Hip Hop Lab Records further capitalizes on the Detroit sound of The Big Lebyeski only 9 weeks after it’s predecessor & cements Timo as a welcoming addition to Lando’s roster. 75% of the features are underwhelming, but Bye’s growth both artistically & personally within nearly a decade remains easy to hear.
Here is a solo extended play of material from London, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer Farma G. A member of the Mud Family collective & 1/2 of the Task Force alongside his brother Chester P, he would go on to produce for several big names within the underground from Rome Streetz to Vinnie Paz & the latter’s Heavy Metal Kings cohort Ill Bill. Signing to High Focus Records a couple years ago, How to Kill a Butterfly was a solid beginning of this new chapter in his career has enlisted Brighton, East Sussex producer Relense to help him Burn It Down.
After the intro, the title track begins with this fierce boom bap intro making a rebellious statement about the government whereas “What’s the News?” discusses the time to hit the streets & let these muhfuckas know not to bribe them being now. The final song preceding the outro militantly finishes Burn It Down asking all sorts of “Questions” over an orchestrally-driven boom bap instrumental & a great deal of them being consciously charged.
It’s not even 10 minutes long, but Burn It Down was inspired by the clear frustration & sadness Farma G has been building up inside of him because of all these global conflicts occurring & drifts away from extending beyond his Task Force/Mud Family output much like what How to Kill a Butterfly did for the most politically charged statement of his solo discography thus far ahead of Relense running it back with Farma on the latter’s sophomore effort Nearly Nothing’s Enough under High Focus next spring.
Atlanta, Georgia recording artist southsidesilhouette delivering his 1st offering of 2025 in the form of his 8th EP. Emerging in the SoundCloud scene of his debut EP Metanoia & later the full-length studio LP Diafora, he continued to build his discography from there whether it be ( ︶︿︶)_╭∩╮ & ♃ or the original Hits followed by the sequel & 2009. The final chapter in the Hits trilogy came out 14 months ago & has returned so he can tell everyone to Dream But Don’t Sleep.
“Pain.” works in some synthesizers & heavy bass to open the EP talking about taking his time of the essence staying ready to in whereas “So Back” turns the rage up boasting that he’s a young prodigy that you might probably catch on the east side. “Haunted House” talks about turning up & having to learn from all the Ls he had to take finally getting his hands on the ball again while “Marching with the Bands” assures he’s living a wonderful life now & shows off his 1 of a kind status.
Finishing the first half of the EP, we have southsidesilhouette getting turnt to the max on “I Been” cautioning about betraying him possibly becoming the biggest mistake of your life just before “World Gone Hate” keeps the hypertrap vibes going telling his girl he can’t get sick of her face. “In My Hands” produced by n9ck talks about the increase of problems as a result of becoming richer leading into “Forever” abrasively suggesting he got the loose screws in his head from his mother.
“Sayonara” steps it up with his flow boasting that he stays making hits on the phone in addition to leaving you where you stand because of him never saying goodbyes & keeping a heater on him putting a cloudy spin on the rage sound, but the lead single “Tattoos” finishes the EP by throwing it back to his earlier material talking about thuggin’ in the street the second he wakes up on top of telling his listeners you can do it too as long as you find it.
Got to catch this guy perform a headlining set in New York with UnreleasedSnip back in November 2022 & that being my introduction to him, it wasn’t hard for me to see what made him so appealing in the underground realm of trap music hearing him do songs like “Untouchable” in person. Finally getting the chance to cover his music 30 months later, there’s no denying he’s grown since that show. Internet Money Records & Vanguard Music Group usually bring in the best outta him production-wise, although Chxncex holds his own weight & southsidesilhouette flows over his sound well enough.
Yuno is a 34 year old psychedelic indie pop singer/songwriter from Jacksonville, Florida by way of The Bronx, New York not to be confused with comedy rapper Yuno Miles considering he signed to Sub Pop Records in the summer of 2018 for his debut EP Moodie taking it’s name after an original moniker Yuno Moodie later shortening it. However, he’s returning to show his growth personally & artistically for a full-length debut studio album of his own following several years of inactivity.
The title track brings together alternative R&B & indie pop facing the overwhelming rush of emotions that comes with falling in love with somebody head-on whereas “We Belong” dabbles with rock a little singing about being back where he feels like he & his partner should be. “Massive” continues the indie pop & rock hybrids having a feeling in his soul that the bane of staying young is gettin’ older not understanding why it’s taking over while the final single “Unfair” goes for a dream pop direction singing about it not being right that he & his partner never had a chance.
“Perfect Pear” sounds reminiscent to P.M. Dawn during the duo’s final years actively releasing music while “Fall Apart” sings about the walls closing in him & his partner having time to kill. “Worst of Times” acknowledges how hard it is to be here with all the bullshit going on today prior to “True” breezily captures the tension of a relationship caught between misunderstanding & reconciliation. “Gimme Ocean” psychedelically asks for the ocean waves to make him float to his romantic interest & the closer “Blitz!” sings about people hating him from the bleachers trying to keep it peaceful.
Transforming the emo-tinged suburban malaise of Moodie into more expansively widescreen pop drama suited for big moves & bigger stages, the kaleidoscopic sound he devised as a millennial hermit in his childhood bedroom in Florida has since broadened his horizons. Blest bids for love & connection which especially in the fractured era of social media have resonated with many listeners who find solace in his vulnerability imbued with elements of dream pop, rock music, trap & psychedelia.
Xzibit is a 50 year old MC, actor, television presenter, radio personality & record executive from Los Angeles, California starting as a member of the Likwit Crew collective. His first 2 full-lengths At the Speed of Light and 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz under Nightz under Loud Records & RCA Records were prominently bout around the traditional boom bap sound, forming his very own label Open Bar Entertainment & fulfilling a 1-album deal with Epic Records for my favorite of his Restless. X later signed to Columbia Records to put out Man vs. Machine & Weapons of Mass Destruction, opting to release Full Circle & Napalm independently through distribution by MNRK Music Group & EMI Records respectively. Over a decade later, Mr. X to the Z is joining former UFC Featherweight & Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor’s newly formed Greenback Records to back his 9th studio LP.
“Play This at My Funeral” was a tight boom bap single to start off the rollout suggesting to say it with your chest if you want to make it out in the west whereas “Everywhere I Go” produced by Dem Jointz thunderously talks about rockin’ both coasts regardless of where he’s at. “Been a Long Time 2”recaptures the energy of a Restless highlight avoiding a conversation that was had almost 25 years ago while “The Moment” featuring Busta Rhymes & Jason Martin formerly known as Problem promises to fuck up any pussy on sight over a boisterous Focus… beat.
The horns on “Earth is Over” were a nice touch dismissing these muhfucka out here for being actors instead of experiencing the hardships of the streets like X has just before “Leave Me Alone” featuring Dr. Dre hooks up some organs with the help of Swizz Beatz so both of them can talk about wanting to have some peace. “Belly of the Beast” featuring Jason Martin aggressively tells everyone to manifest their destinies & making them into reality, but then the sample-driven “History” nods some of the albums that’ve inspired him.
“Genesis” finds him telling this woman that he can be her everything acting all innocent & her becoming his origin or beginning of something while “Perfect Alibi” makes his own a statement under suspicion of a crime he was in a different place around the time the offense was committed. “American Idol” featuring Symba goes for a soulful flare courtesy of Sndtrak explaining that they’re make to kill they own through circumstances they were given while “Crash” featuring Royce da 5’9” reminds us the million ways to die.
Ice Cube appears for the final single “For the Love”sampling “Quiet Storm” by the late Prodigy feeling the rain almost as hard as they did when they fell in love while DJ Battlecat provides a g-funk groove to “Shut Yo Mouth” featuring Compton AV clapping back at the people who’ve been doubting them. “Higher” featuring B-Real & Redman unites the trio for a funky weed smoker’s ballad clocking at 2 & a half minutes while until will.i.am flips “Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)” by N*E*R*D throughout “Success” breaking down what that means to X.
Likwit Crew founder King T preludes his upcoming final album with his own solo joint “Notified” proving that he’s still got it 4 decades later with Beat Butchataking it into rap rock territory while DJ Khalil turns the funk up once more during “What U Like” featuring Guapdad 4000 talks about having fortunes on both of their sides. “End of the Day” featuring Domo Genesis& Tre Capital encourages everyone to do whatever it takes for them when it’s all said & done while the title track finishes by asking if you’re ready for the throne or something greater.
Kingmaker reads as more of a sign that he wanted to share his knowledge of the good, the bad, the ugly, the ups & downs he’s faced throughout his life & career that he attributes to making him successful rather than getting called royalty or sitting on the throne & being a part of some kind of hierarchy, which I ultimately feel improves on everything that made Napalm feel so mature during my sophomore year in high school over a decade ago. It may be the best he’s sounded production-wise in over 2 decades & yet, he hasn’t lost a step with the pen & the guests hold their own weight.
Detroit rapper & singer/songwriter Tee Grizzley continuing the Moment series going with his 6th mixtape. Originally a member of the quartet ASBH, it wouldn’t be until 2016 where he would blow up off his first solo single “First Day Out” & earned a contract with 300 Entertainment. His profile would continue to grow by dropping projects like his debut mixtape My Moment, the debut album Activated, his 2nd tape Still My Moment, the Timbaland exec-produced sophomore effort Scriptures or my personal favorite: his 3rd mixtape The Smartest. Built for Whatever, Chapters of the Trenches, Half Tee, Half Beast & Tee’s Coney Island were generally mixed, coming off the sonically diverse Post Traumatic declaring it’s Forever My Moment.
The title track produced by Helluva boasts that he’s never done any hoe shit ever since being in the rap game for a little over a decade whereas “Customs” explains most people being aware of his life being different since the fame & not being broke in a grip. “They Shot at Trump” reassures the fact nobody is immune to being touchable regardless of money, power or fame over a Chopsquad DJ instrumental while “Overthinking” finds him becoming his own biggest critic.
“Jalen Hurtski” was a great choice of a single referencing the Philadelphia Eagles star QB Jalen Hurts in terms of how hard his shit stays hittin’ leading into “My God” making a plea for people to stay focused & not let be tricked out in the streets on top of him acknowledging his own imperfections. “Me Too” promises that that’s exactly what you’ll get hit with the second you try to press any of his buttons & provoke him, but then the lead single “Rick Jameski” talks about people being shocked at his status in Detroit trap.
It was only a matter of time until the bells made their way into the equation on “Stash House in Dearborn” letting y’all know you can find him wherever the racks are while “I Can’t Cap” finds him talking about never lying because he’ll always be blessed. “Beware of Dog” suggests that people should be more cautious regarding the sticks he has on him while “Pullin’ New Foreigns” describes the ways shit is different around his parts.
“Gone But Not Forgotten” takes 2 & a half minutes to remember the people in his life who’re no longer here whether it be his mother, his friend Charles Brown or the late PnB Rock telling God that he would give all this shit back to Him in a heartbeat to see either one of them 1 last time & the closing track is actually the 9th installment of Tee Grizzley’s prolific “Robbery” series, teasing a 10th entry down the line since he finished the tape by saying the saga’s incomplete.
Meshing confidence & gravity together, Forever My Moment feels like a full-circle statement from the Detroit star who changed the game almost immediately after coming home from behind bars 8 years ago. He gives nods to his beginning whilst making a testament to his artistic growth since My Moment was when most people heard him for the first time by channeling the hunger of his early days & the reflection of a man who’s lived through love, loss, loyalty & lessons.
Maryland recording artist Rico Nasty finally releasing her sophomore effort. Turning heads in 2018 off her 6th mixtape Nasty, I was still very much impressed by her unique personality & her eclecticism although it was just ok. However the next spring, she got Kenny Beats to produce her debut EP Anger Management in it’s entirety & that ended up being my favorite body of work of hers even to this day. Nightmare Vacation was a bit of a step down from Anger Management even though it has a good share of bangers like “iPhone” & “10Fo”, but Las Ruinas showed a more experimental side to her & A Nasty Summer was kinda mediocre truthfully. HVRDC0RE DR3AMZ produced by Boyz Noize showed improvement building further anticipation for Lethal approximately 12 months later.
“Who Want It?” produced by Rogét Chahayed kicks it all off with an industrial hardcore hip hop intro asking if anyone wants smoke with her whereas “Teethsucker (Yea3x)” works in elements of rap rock, trap metal, pop rap & pop punk boasting that she has pulled up to the spot. “On the Low” fuses pop rap, trap, electropop, rage, digicore & pluggnb promising she’ll keep this relationship she has on the DL leading into the bubbly “Pink” talking about her bitch’s favorite color.
Pop rap, experimental hip hop, Jersey Club rap, digicore & emo rap all collide during the final single “Butterfly Kisses” moving like a nomad making her neighbors thinking she’s selling keys while “Eat Me!” keeps the aggressive trap flares going talking about people looking up to her these days. “Soul Snatcher” boisterously runs with the paper taking guys’ souls since the head was so good, but then “Grave” darkly talks about rocking shit as if she’s ripping a guitar.
“Son of a Gun” gets back in her trap metal roots so she can advise not to run whenever she shows up & refusing to let anyone put batteries in your back while “Smoke Break” turns the heaviness up talking about fucking shit up for herself. “Crash” brings a pop punk vibe to the table looking for a place she can let off some steam much like waves while the cloudy “Can’t Win ‘Em All” asks if she’s a bad person & if it’s ever enough.
The song “Say We Did” reaches the backend of Lethal finding Rico in her sassy bag having a trick or 2 up her sleeve & becoming unsure of what this person in her life exactly wants while “You Could Never” disses those who’re trying to steal her shine & people criticizing her for being too out of the box when that’s what made many including myself pay close attention to her. “Smile” is an acoustic closer dedicated to the special someone in her life while “Pepper” starts the deluxe run reuniting with Kenny Beats to flex her new Attico boots.
“Pretea” takes inspiration from pop punk again singing about her being a diva while the cloudy trap crossover “Pearls” telling anybody who’s sittin’ down the section that they’re not gettin’ lit enough. “Black Lace” shifts towards a rage-inducing direction suggesting this bitch is late to findin’ out about her when approached regarding Rico being late to a party & the final bonus track “Stunna” boisterously talks about being a top dog.
Feeling there was an investment she needed to make in herself, Lethal further reveals every facet of Rico Nasty whether it’s the styles that made her a household name or more guitars than previously & even touching on her own motherhood journey. She taking the energy of her previous output & channels it in a very cocky way with the production drawing inspiration from rap rock, trap metal, pop rap, pop punk, industrial hip hop, hardcore hip hop, electropop, rage, experimental hip hop, Jersey Club rap, digicore & emo rap.
This is the 3rd studio LP from Portland, Oregon rapper, singer/songwriter & music video director Aminé. Making his full-length debut in the summer of 2017 with the Republic Records-backed Good for You & fulfilling his contract with them releasing the sophomore effort Limbo during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns. KAYTRAMINÉ made their eponymous debut in the summer of 2023, now joining 10K Projects to embark on 13 Months of Sunshine coming off a handful of well-received singles.
“New Flower” produced by DJ Dahi & FNZ was a funky ass intro to get the ball rollin’ talking about success being all he wants whereas “Feels So Good” takes a rawer approach instrumentally flexing that the drank & his girl got him feeling great. “Sage Time” awkwardly admits to having depression soon as he nuts dabbling with hip house just before “I Think It’s You” tropically chooses to think about everything he’s lost.
Meanwhile on “Cool About It”, we have Aminé crossing over funk & house trying to maintain his composure with this woman he wants to sleep with leading into “History” taking a shot at alternative R&B talking about the previous run-ins he’s had with his partner. “Vacay” brings back the hip house vibes expressing his desire to get away from everything for a certain amount of time while “Familiar” blends alternative R&B, hip house, deep house, glitch pop, microhouse, chillwave & French house showing obsession for his romantic interest.
“Doing the Best I Can” gets the 2nd half of 13 Months of Sunshine going by hooking up some pianos singing that he’s trying when all of us are, but then “Temptations” soulfully talks about not knowing what he has until it’s eventually taken from him. “Be Easier on Yourself” opts for a slicker approach to the best advising not to be so hard on themselves while “Raspberry Kisses” asks for a woman to take him in now they’ve sealed the deal.
The title track starts the final leg with a 2-parter refusing to put shame on his name since he was named after his grandfather while “Changer” explains he has to be at terminal 7 when his girl wants to have dinner at 7, hoping the love he has for her doesn’t change. “Arc de Triomphe”samples “Has it Come to This?” by The Streets to make this hip house/UK Garage fusion wanting to know what everyone else on & “Images” featuring 454 ends by calling days in our life moments in time.
When you take in consideration of Aminé descending from Eritrean-Ethiopian heritage, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise to many that 13 Months of Sunshine acts as an overt love letter to his African ancestry. The production shows influences of alternative R&B, hip house, deep house, glitch pop, microhouse, chillwave, French house, UK garage, speed garage & 2-step refraining from having guests join him for most of the performances to his ancestors.
Legends Will Never Die 