The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Mount Westmore, and more.
There is no question, this week’s new music Friday belongs to SZA and her long-awaited return in S.O.S., but that doesn’t mean there’s no new hip-hop to look forward to this weekend. In fact, depending on your taste, there might be too much good stuff (shout-out to AMPM) this close to the end of the year.
In addition to ASAP Rocky’s “Sh*ttin Me” video, this week, we got new songs from Blxst and Larry June, YG and Lil Wayne, Polo G, Russ, and more.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending December 9, 2022.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie — Me Vs. Myself
After pushing his album back — allegedly to duck Drake and 21 Savage, whose Her Loss was guaranteed to be a No. 1 — A Boogie returned with his fourth full-length project on Atlantic Records. Led by “B.R.O (Better Ride Out)” featuring Roddy Ricch, the album is a solid entry to his catalog.
Kamaiyah — Keep It Lit
Yaya is enjoying being independent and the freedom it gives her to release what she wants when she wants. Case in point: this seven-song EP, her second this year, continues her consistent tradition of turnt-up, Bay Area anthems.
Kool G Rap — Last Of A Dying Breed
The Queens rap legend is 30-plus years deep into his career, but you won’t find a speck of rust on him — especially not in his set, his first since 2017. He raises up a few youngbloods and reunites with some of his fellow pioneers (Grandmaster Caz!), but he remains the star of the show.
Mount Westmore — Snoop Cube 40 Short
Although the California supergroup ostensibly made its debut earlier this year with the NFT-only Bad MFs, they couldn’t just leave their fanbase hanging. Rather than chasing trends, they stick to their guns, and the album is all the better for it.
Stalley — Somebody Up There Loves Me
I promise this isn’t meant to be hate, but I cannot for the life of me understand how rap fans just moved on from Stalley right as he got really good at rapping. He’s in a good groove now, and hopefully, the casual consistency of his independent releases will start garnering some of the buzz he genuinely deserves. Maybe this will be the one to do it.
Xian Bell — Crenshaw At Midnight
The Los Angeles rapper/singer firmly established himself with some standout appearances on projects from the likes of Reason, Jayson Cash, and Katori Walker (the two former both appear here), but on his latest solo release, he makes himself the focus — and really earns that attention.
Singles/Videos
Meek Mill — “Don’t Give Up On Me” Feat. Fridayy
Well, this is a departure. Although Meek has been in mixtape mode lately, here, he slows it down a whole bunch for a ruminative track that works despite being way outside his usual wheelhouse.
Smoke DZA & Girl Talk — “Season”
Building on the chemistry from their April collaboration Full Court Press (which featured Wiz Khalifa and Big KRIT), Girl Talk teams up with Harlemite Smoke DZA once again for an upbeat, loft party-ready single that promises more gold from their partnership.
Tiron & Ayomari — “More Than Like”
Here’s a name we haven’t seen in quite some time. Once upon a time, Tiron & Ayomari were blog rap mainstays whose every release was met with excitement thanks to their willingness to experiment and get vulnerable. Times have changed, but fortunately, their chemistry remains as potent as ever.
Wynne — “Glass Slipper Flows”
Portland upstart Wynne takes a step into a new lane, grabbing a beat that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Drake album, and goes for broke, detailing her mindset as her profile gets higher on the back of relentless independent hustle.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.