The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Lil Nas X and Playboi Carti.

What looked like it might be an uneventful release day in hip-hop turned into a five-alarm blitz overnight, thanks to the machinations of two of the genre’s biggest troublemakers (complimentary). While Lil Nas X had been releasing singles all week (“Dreamboy,” “Big Dummy,” “Swish,” and “Right There“), culminating in the release of his “Hot Box” video (see below), Carti threw up an absolute buzzer beater for his album MUSIC after what seemed like years of pump fakes, fakeouts, and otherwise unserious behavior.

Meanwhile, Aminé made his return with the hot-stepping “Familiar“:

Rich Brian announced his next album with A Little Ray Of Light“:

And Lil Baby released his long-awaited “Dum Dumb & Dumber” video with Young Thug and Future:

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 14, 2025.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Finesse2Tymes — Stuck In My Ways

I’m torn. On one hand, with a rapper like Finesse2Tymes, you really do want them to grow up and grow beyond what they’ve known — if only for their own self-preservation, since hood habits have often ended with less than ideal results. On the other hand, F2T is also quite hilarious, a little like a rap Tracy Morgan, and you really want him to have enough anecdotes to draw on to keep him slinging off-the-wall punchlines for as long as possible.

Heno. & Mad Keys — Healing Out Loud

Longtime readers can probably guess, this is my favorite pick of the week. Y’all know I love me some rappity rap, especially as it relates to self-actualization. Healing Out Loud is right up my alley in that respect. The Maryland rapper and St. Louis multi-instrumentalist find a harmonious balance with each other, at least, as they strive to find that same balance in themselves.

K Camp — Built Different

There was a time the Milwaukee native ruled the airwaves, and while he saw a brief resurgence in public esteem in 2020 thanks to TikTok and “Renegade,” he hasn’t really gotten the attention he deserves. But, he keeps plugging away, and you have to respect it. Built Different arrives a little over a year after his last full-length, Float 2 London, and finds him taking a more insular approach, with only three features on its 15 tracks. Hey, and as a bonus: He’s shared the album as a performance stream on YouTube! That’s the sort of innovation that deserves recognition:

PartyOf2 — We Owe You An Explanation

At just three songs, this EP left me wanting more — a lot more — but I’ve been fascinated with this group since they were a trio going by the name Grouptherapy. The trio of former child actors self-released three full-length projects as a way of coming to terms with their experiences in the entertainment industry, and the idea of rap as self-expression and fulfillment, rather than a quick payday, or a backdoor to other opportunities in the industry, intrigues me. Minus one member, but bonded together all the more strongly for it, the rechristened PartyOf2 retains the same level of vulnerable honesty on their latest that makes them one of my prime examples for what hip-hop can be at its best.

Playboi Carti — Music

Atlanta rap misfit Playboi Carti is another fine example of pushing the limits of what hip-hop is and can be, but your mileage may vary. After years of asking myself what the draw was, though, I think I cracked the code with this album: For a generation of fans so disconnected from anything older than the past five years, he’s Lil Jon, before Lil Jon was a meme unto himself, or aggressive rap groups like M.O.P. and Onyx, back when boom-bap didn’t sound like Beethoven to anyone under 40. Which is all well and good; y’all can enjoy, but when I need some temper tantrum raps, I’ll stick to YoungBloodz and Lil Scrappy.

Singles/Videos

Armani White — “Cut The Lights”

Armani White has turned out to be something of a rap chameleon. Judging from “Billie Eilish,” his breakout hit, you might expect that he would specialize in bar-buying party rap, but here, he evokes prime ASAP Mob (albeit less chopped and screwed), with a little prime Meek Mill. It’s his greatest gift; hopefully, not having a go-to sound won’t ever hold him back.

Chuckyy — “N**** Poetry”

A South Side Chicago native who was signed to Lil Durk’s Only The Family label, Chuckyy is insanely popular in his hometown, with a slew of mixapes to his name, despite only rapping for the past two years (he’s 19). He’s got that slippery, slurry delivery that’s so popular among street rappers these days, but there’s no denying that lyrically, he’s pretty compelling (think Polo G in his teens). I may, tentatively, be a fan.

Fly Anakin — “The Times”

Frank back! The Richmond, Virginia rapper has been out of sight since 2022’s Frank, but he was never far from the Uproxx radar. With a new project, (The) Forever Dream coming down the pike, he resurfaces with a new soulful, introspective stream of consciousness. If you’re a fan of the Earl Sweatshirts and MIKEs of the world, Fly Ani is your guy (I like him a little more for his slightly sharper delivery).

Lelo — “Pot Of Greed”

Lelo’s flow is fun. It’s like a constant rolling stop at a stop sign — that four-beat is only a suggestion, but the rhyme never sounds “off-beat.” Fellow Detroiter Big Sean does something similar, but Lelo’s laconic delivery sells it better. “Pot Of Greed” isn’t going to win any converts, but it is going to feed the base, which is what he needs right now to raise his profile on those search engines.

Mozzy — “Under Oath”

“The Nipsey Huss’ and Makaveli, put me next to those,” Mozzy raps on his latest. Lofty aims, to be sure, but … he ain’t wrong. At this point, the only things holding him back from such status are his independent grind, which puts an unofficial paper ceiling on his ascent, and, well… knock wood. You a real one, Moz. Stick around as long as you possibly can.

Ray Vaughn — “Flat Shasta” Feat. Ash Leone

A departure from much of what we’ve heard from the TDE signee to date, “Flat Shasta” is a vulnerable reflection on the Long Beach rapper’s tough upbringing through the lens of a letter to his mom. It also highlights his commitment to remaining humble despite his hustle; it’s not like they stock Shasta just anywhere.

Rexx Life Raj — “Take Me To The Sunlight” Feat. Mick Jenkins & Blk Odyssey

After getting really therapeutic on his last album, it sounds like Rexx Life Raj is looking outward on his next one. “Take Me To The Sunlight” finds Raj playing cultural critic, taking stock of the social justice movement and how little has changed since the last major uprisings. Mick Jenkins makes an excellent foil to this endeavor.

Sugarhill Ddot — “Energy” Feat. Star Bandz

Harlem teen star Ddot is still at it, picking up where he left off with the deluxe version of 2 Sides Of The Story. Star is also fresh off her own release, Estrella, and they keep the chemistry from their last collaboration, “My Baby,” going on this upbeat, sexy drill single.