Playboi Carti - I Am Music/Music (R.I. Review)

Playboi Carti is a rapper from Atlanta Georgia. Playboi started an honorary member of Asap Mob, which meant he had a dual market and a lot of clout before he had music. From his first released song, he was different. He has a score to settle with elitist culture and it manifests itself in this extremely nuanced competitiveness in his lyrics and presentation. However, that's why he's so popular. His conquest is soothing to his marginalized audience and is consistently victorious as well. This album is as good as his former releases and the collaborations are impressive. His branding is based on effortlessness, but it kinda feels wrong to praise such lazy writing. If he wanted to, he could do a better job of earning his position as an artist but we'll see how many times he can get by with his current formula.

SZA - SOS Deluxe : LANA (R.I. Review)

SZA is an rnb singer from St. Louis, Missouri. She was a peculiar signee to Top Dawg Entertainment because before SZA, they had been a pretty hard rap label with no track record of producing artists that sound like SZA. She has a hip hop cadence in her raw song writing and rapper-featured high moments. There's something infectious about her humility and relatable subject matter. However, that same presentation makes her incomparable to other females at her level of fame. Maybe she doesn't want that. SZA is good, but there's room to be a little more. Maybe she needs a strong, memorable song or to be rebranded with more mainstream appeal but SZA has proven her ability to achieve and maintain the spotlight.

The Weeknd - Hurry Up Tomorrow (R.I. Review)

The Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd is a singer from Toronto Canada who you couldn't miss if you tried. He's more popular than most pop stars which is even more impressive when you consider how experimental his presentation is. Hurry Up Tomorrow is the halfway point between his last pop releases and his former style. He has diluted his eclectic melody writing to better assimilate with his ethnically singular connections and fan base. As a result, the songs are good, but not great. The features of Playboi Carti and Travis Scott are the high-points of the album, but it's not because they are more talented but because they keep The Weeknd in a better mentality. The Weeknd sounds a little sad, which isn't new, but his albums post-fame have been a little happier. For some reason sadness at the top is more alarming because there isn't the hope of escape using success. Abel needs to take a break and find himself before making more songs about pain.

Central Cee - Can't Rush Greatness (R.I. Review)

Central Cee is a rapper from Shepherd's Bush London. After going viral several times, Central Cee has released his most high-profile album, "Can't Rush Greatness". The album starts strong and stays consistent. The lyrics are about his authentic come-up story and harsh lifestyle; delivered just complicatedly enough to be impressive while understandable. His bars aren't very memorable because there are few pauses and his lyrics are all at the same level of cleverness. Cee has a formula that works well for him, but it would have been nice to be surprised every now and then.

Mike Body - It Is Finished (R.I. Review)

Mike Body is a rare rapper. His delivery is Tupac reminiscent, but his gospel focus mixes with that well. Some gospel music is a little judgmental, but Mike Body isn't as pious as a "Lecrae" or "Tedashii". The production is interesting because it isn't based on a singular goal. Mike is not imposing a pushy objective, he seems like he's searching for answers as much as he's providing them. The album is a little bland, but reinventing the wheel isn't always necessary.

BossMan DLow - DLow Curry (R.I. Review)

BossMan DLow is a rapper from Port Salerno, Florida. In the early 2020's, hyper-organic rap music had become the norm. It's probably about an overload on technology that makes people hunger for rappers that don't seem like they have a ghost writer. BossMan DLow has a nuanced sense of humor and a lot of confidence. This album is questionable creatively, but where it shines is the personality. BossMan DLow is so charismatic, that although he could care less about his music, he makes music that stands up to most new artists.

Kendrick Lamar - GNX (R.I. Review)

Kendrick Lamar has had a big year. His infamous Drake beef song has had more exposure than his entire discography put together. Intelligently, he has chosen to use that spotlight to introduce these casual listeners to his actual music. Kendrick Lamar is the most creative rapper in the game. Every release he does something you haven't heard. We choose to stay away from the "Big 3" argument because being a great "indie rapper" is a different set of criteria. Any 10 seconds of "GNX" proves his talent and is top notch hip hop, but activism is divisive. How do we make the world better? More fair? "Tv off" is a great song, but the message is a little open ended. He explores several different angles of reality.  The rappers with depth are getting older, and although they are aging well, the lack of upcoming artists makes celebrating seasoned rappers seem like over-hype. Interestingly, the song "GNX" addresses this reaction by featuring three rappers that seriously miss the target.

Denzel Curry - King Of The Mischievous South Vol 2 (R.I. Review)

Denzel Curry is a rapper from Carol City, Florida. He started with a shaky hipster following that didn't really embrace him. As a result, he flickered between sophistication and conventional presentation. This album feels like the first album where he's found himself. The music is good. The audience is clear. Denzel Curry has proven his brand, but when you aren't reinventing the wheel, the challenge is making a great song that gets recognized. G's Up is a great song featuring 2 Chainz and Mike Dimes. He didn't have the connections to make it surface, but Denzel Curry has a strong enough internet following to compensate for that. This album is worth a listen if you like hip hop.

Tyler, The Creator - Chromakopia (R.I. Review)

Tyler, The Creator... Arguably the pioneer of indie rap/hipster rap/alternative rap; His career is gargantuan compared to the hipster bands beside him at the time of his rise to fame. He's a blend of intelligence and radical perspective that mixes German and African culture in a way that has a social value only limited by its inability to be faked by other rappers.

Tyler began as the Marilyn Manson of hip hop. Although it's nice that he has gathered a younger content-sensitive audience for his newer music, disowning his previous music like he often does is just a waste of a lot of momentum.

Chromakopia may not blow you away the first listen, but that's not what his music does. He meticulously designs his music to combine his visuals, messages, and audience representation, into a unified experience that makes more sense each time you listen. His songs are also created to be performed.

The best song of the album is a collab with School Boy Q, which is a good matchup because Tyler doesn't always have imaginative flows or clever punchlines, and Schoolboy Q doesn't have a brand as strong as Tyler to generate listeners.

Belittling Odd Future is a little dismissive of their contributions to his career, and the raps themselves are probably the least impressive aspect of the release. All in all, Tyler is working hard and it's paying off.

Foster Lancaster - Origin (R.I. Review)

Foster Lancaster is a pop artist from Detroit, Michigan that began as more of a social media persona, than a serious artist. He had a larger than life personality that immediately attracted the attention of celebrities and record labels. Origin is a snapshot of his life in 2024 that in Foster Lancaster's signature style, creates "almost" love songs. He has really pushed the vocals and production to industry standards and created a cohesive project that rivals the best of the best. The breakout single, "Butterflies Come In Every Color" has expanded his market into areas that have been borderline fans by logical definition. This album is mature and fun, genius yet simple, and distinctly Foster.

Childish Gambino - Brando Stone & The New World (R.I. Review)

Childish Gambino is a lot of things. He's an actor, a rapper, a singer, a band? Brando Stone & The New World is a very good album. The problem is it's a lot of things at the same time. Variety can be a good thing. Billie Eilish mixes genres and cultures too, but she has more artistic integrity and a cohesive end result. This album sounds perfect to be performed at a 2024 festival and he's blazing a trail culturally with the sound of this album. It just feels more opportunistic than artistic.

Eminem - The Death Of Slim Shady (R.I. Review)

Eminem is an amazing rapper. Eminem is an amazing rapper. Eminem if you're reading this, YOU ARE AN AMAZING RAPPER! This album is good. The production fits Slim Shady's famous sound brand. Eminem is always trying to secure his legacy, which is understandable but it isn't necessary. However, as great as the music is, he's selling a lot of volatile ideas with art. Wharf talking makes sense when you need buzz, but at his fame level, it's not necessary. His presentation is comparable to recent Kanye music. What I mean is when pushing ideas few people agree with, even with fantastic music it's important to effectively make your controversial point to some extent. Eminem rhymes every syllable and uses complicated word play. That's hard to do for the trained ear but it isn't interesting or impressive after the 100th song. These songs are very good, but I wonder if Eminem listens to Eminem on a regular basis.

Vince Staples - Dark Times (R.I. Review)

Vince Staples is a rapper from Compton California. He gained prominence in the era of conscious rap alongside Odd Future. Vince eats, sleeps, and breathes his craft and as a result, he is lyrically one of the most effortlessly consistent in his lane. He's made a lot of music. He also has a lot of equality creating perspectives. That's what "Dark Times" is really about. One weakness of his style is none of his songs particularly standout. It's just good music to vibe or skate to.

Schoolboy Q - Blue Lips (R.I. Review)

Schoolboy Q is a rapper from South Los Angeles, California. Blue Lips is a much more polished release than his previous work. His flows are innovative, his concepts and messages are well-put together, and his music videos are cinematic. The problem with this album conceptually is he's hinting at an elitism argument for his culture that isn't connected to any sort of integration or approval. That makes the flex a little pointless. Rapindie appreciates it though. Schoolboy Q has a grounded outlook on culture that is highly actionable and coherent. Some artists don't seem to be as calmly in control of their destiny. Blue Lips is a good cohesive album, but it isn't a "must listen".

Lyrical Lemonade - All Is Yellow (feat. Various Artists) (R.I. Review)

Lyrical Lemonade is a music production website that focuses on modern and universal hip hop. Lyrical Lemonade has created some of the best rap music videos in recent years. This album is perfect for audiences that may be a little sensitive to hip hop music. These are really good songs, but they may be a little soft for rap aficionados. "All Is Yellow" is good, but not great considering the DJ Khaled reminiscent amount of features. There are some really interesting collaborations that Lyrical Lemonade magically put together. This is a good introduction to the culture. Lyrical Lemonade has produced some rappers' most universal moments, but this album doesn't reflect that. Aside from fantastic instrumentals and presentation, it's a little underwhelming at times. Despite that, this piece may be the start of the next generation of XXL, We The Best, etc.

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday 2 (R.I. Review)

Nicki Minaj is a rapper from Trinidad that grew to superstardom from signing to Lil Wayne's Young Money record label. From her debut, she had fiery flows and punchlines that were better than most of the male rappers on the scene at the time. In all fairness, she's better than most male rappers now too. Pink Friday 2 doesn't reinvent the wheel artistically. It's Nicki Minaj putting good bars on good beats. Some of the sampling seems a bit awkward and forced, but for 22 songs, the album is consistently good. Nicki's formula inspired all of the female rappers and they don't always give her credit. This album is a reminder that Nicki Minaj is a phenomenal rapper with an inspirational rap career.

Teezo Touchdown - How Do You Sleep At Night? (R.I. Review)

Teezo Touchdown is a rapper, singer, and producer from Texas that gained notoriety from touring with Tyler, The Creator and Travis Scott. What does he sound like? A mix... a mix of cultures, a mix of genres, and a mix of messages. Although his music is uplifting and positive, it's loosely pushed towards a radical audience. In Tyler's Camp Flog Gnaw carnival, Teezo displayed a performance talent that was eons more impressive than on his Amazon debut. His songs perform extremely well, but listening to them on their own, they don't seem to represent any specific demographic well-enough. Teezo is finding himself, but his progression is really looking promising. Teezo's charisma and sense of humor make him stand out, but as far as bars? or pipes? He's refreshingly original. I hope Teezo keeps making music because there's some genuine talent there, but with a little more focus on a demographic and a little more impressive of a soundtrack, he could really compete with the other indie rappers.

The Kid Laroi - The First Time

The Kid Laroi is a singer and rapper that first appeared on a collaboration with JuiceWrld. Since then, he was re-branded on a mainstream debut as more of a pop artist. His music is usually about heartache and "The First Time" has an emo rock feel. The Kid Laroi is struggling to find his niche in the very weird 2023 market. Collectively, everything about him adds up to a cool artist, but individually nothing about him stands out as necessarily relevant. Do 2023 females enjoy listening to heartbroken men?

Drake - For All The Dogs (R.I. Review)

Drake is one of the most accomplished rappers in the world. He rivals Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne; any of the titans of the genre culturally. He adapts to every new artist's style, he conforms to every trend within the culture, and his lasting appeal in the industry is unmatched. With all that said, "For All The Dogs" is a decent album. He has his OVO style production; which is nice to hear, but his lyrics are not emotionally vulnerable. The powerful cultural message of the drawing on the cover would have made an excellent topic: "what we teach children about humanity". Drake's lyricism is consistent, his vocals are consistent, but if we weighed these songs against the rest of his own music, these wouldn't be his best. Drake has done a wonderful job of making an album that helps hip hop culture (and we need that right now). Drake doesn't need to drop his best music to outdo a lot of the artists in the genre.

Travis Scott - Utopia (R.I. Review)

Travis Scott is a rapper/singer from Houston, Texas. Utopia is his first album since the Astroworld controversy and as a result there was a lot of pressure to really blow audiences away. Utopia is very similar to his previous releases, but the songs are very polished and showcase his sound at its most consistent. For some reason, the beats have a very dark feel while the lyrics have positive meanings. This album is much higher quality than the other rappers of 2023, and culturally it definitely fulfills a need.