The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Vic Mensa, Rico Nasty, and more. While the Windy City star followed up his well-received V Tape EP with another fiery diatribe, Rico Nasty launched yet another whimsical video from her debut album with “P*ssy Poppin.”
Meanwhile, Lil Tjay prepared for the release of his third album with the Fivio Foreign and Polo G-featuring “Headshot” video, Polo G fed his fans with a new freestyle video, Lil Yachty joined in the freestyle trend with a video combining “No More Parties” and “BeatBox,” Deante’ Hitchcock delivered his own unique take on Outkast’s “Roses,” and Baby Keem shared an apocalyptic video for his new single, “No Sense.”
Friday saw the releases of Brockhampton’s “Buzzcut” featuring Danny Brown, Kenny Mason’s “Play Ball,” and Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” video along with the releases listed below.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 26, 2021.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Armand Hammer & The Alchemist — Haram
Say what you want about these New York-based practitioners of wordy, avant-garde hip-hop; they have risen to the moment and made their most accessible work yet, courtesy of The Alchemist’s eerie loops and resurgent popularity.
BlueBucksClan — Clan Virus 2
LA rap duo BlueBucksClan drops off their latest collection of clever sports references and turnt-up gangsta party anthems. The sole feature is Lil Yachty, highlighting the Atlantan’s gift for surfacing burgeoning movements before they pop.
Caleborate — Light Hit My Skin
Bay Area rapper Caleborate’s latest is a reflective compilation of soulful songs featuring a who’s-who of indie rap favorites including Deante’ Hitchcock, Duckwrth, Kota The Friend, Tone Sinatra, and more.
Rod Wave — SoulFly
Shaking off label blues to release his third full-length in as many years, the 2020 XXL Freshman delivers even more gospel-inflected trap crooning, including the Polo G-featuring “Richer.”
Vic Mensa — I Tape
Vic Mensa’s been on a tear lately, reviving his flagging rap relevance with the V Tape EP and reuniting with longtime friend and collaborator Chance The Rapper on “Shelter.” I Tape keeps up the momentum, promising a warm reception for the presumed C Tape that logic would tell us is in the works.
Young Dolph & Key Glock — Dum And Dummer 2
Since their first Dum And Dummer tape was so successful, the two Paper Route EMPIRE rappers decided to go back to the well — and come up with a bucket of head-knocking beats and smirk-inducing boasts like “Aspen” and “Penguin.”
Singles/Videos
Big Jade — “No Hook”
Promoting her upcoming debut project Pressure (set for release in April), the Texas native employs a BeatKing production to kick in the door with a self-confident demonstration of her ruthless rhyme skills.
Bobby Sessions –“Cog In The Machine”
The Dallas native is fresh off a Grammy win for penning part of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” remix with Beyonce, but returns his focus to criticizing America’s capitalistic system on his latest.
Calboy — “Miseducation” Feat. Lil Wayne
Calboy’s lost a lot of friends to gun violence in the last year; he addresses the ongoing miseducation he and other young Black men are receiving in the streets on his somber new single.
Internet Money — “Jetski” Feat. Lil Mosey & Lil Tecca
Sometimes, you just want to turn on some frothy, low-calorie pop-rap candy. This should satiate your sweet tooth.
Kalan.FrFr — “Look At Me”
Compton’s Kalan is out to enjoy his recent success — he signed to Roc Nation earlier this year and put out his major-label debut this month — and takes a little advice from fellow West Coast native, putting jet skis on, well, the Miami Bay, but the theme still stands.
Pacman da Gunman — “Zero Tolerance” Feat. Mozzy & Nipsey Hussle
Coming from Nipsey Hussle’s All Money In Records, Pacman explains his worldview alongside a posthumous verse from his label boss and fellow West Coast indie evangelist Mozzy.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.