Depthfinder #6: Real Hoops Summit

Part one of my favorite music from March and my top 60 NBA Draft Prospects

This is part one of this writeup: I will link part 2 here when it is complete, along with a playlist here of all of the music featured. I had some data loss unfortunately, but wanted to get what I had done out anyways. I hope you enjoy.

A lot has happened since the last Depthfinder was released: I had a nice Urgent Care visit due to an issue with my spleen, impacting my ability to attend the Powderhorn May Day Parade (tragic), I went to Fargo and South Carolina for the first time, I moved dangerously close to that White Castle that had “99 Cent Sloppy” written on its letterboard, I caught a shark and stingray while fishing (both firsts for me), I got rid of an old treadmill my job pawned off on me (this was a huge deal), and both Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton tore their Achilles tendons, the Ayatollah made a massive claim that on June 17^th, a great surprise will occur, one that the world would remember for centuries, correctly predicting that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl would combine for zero points as the Edmonton Oilers fail to defeat the Florida Panthers in their second straight Stanley Cup championship attempt, and Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton both tore their Achilles tendons in route to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his band of unethical hoopers winning the team’s first NBA Championship since moving from Seattle.

Plenty of other things, ranging from fun, lame, tragic, and horrifying, have occurred during this time as well, but tonight is the NBA Draft, and I wanted to ensure I get this one out beforehand so I had an excuse to drop not only some great music from the month of March on my glorious readers, but also some NBA Draft takes: as a fan of the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and White Sox, I am used to desiring “what’s next”, as the “what’s currently happening” of these teams is usually nothing to get excited about, so, since around 2014, I have watched at length copious amounts of film and crunched endless numbers attempting to predict who will be good once they enter their respective leagues, so below are my rankings of this year’s crop of prospects.

One other note on Depthfinder’s content for this installment: I grind new music daily, both because I love to stay on top of what is new in an attempt to not be old (and because I genuinely love the music), but sometimes, I must return to things that are old or explore past released I have not yet listen – I have written up a few blurbs here detailing some of those experiences. Let me know how you think of this – does this add/detract from these lists? Should this be something that is explored separately? Ultimately, I want to explore more music from outside the current year in some form on this blog, but I haven’t fully decided how yet – I value every one of you who reads these in any capacity and would appreciate your feedback! Also – I am going to attempt to get more voices on Depthfinder, both to take some time off of me and also to showcase a wider range of taste: if you are interested in writing a blurb for an album that means a lot to you or want to create your own Depthfinder, I would love if you reached out in any way! The more of a community this is the better, and you don’t have to know what you’re doing from a writing perspective (clearly) to be a part of this whatsoever – the people just need to know what you’re into. You are all the best, and I will see you back here sooner than ever for our next installment!

NBA DRAFT RANKINGS:

While sports drafts are inherently evil institutions, heavily scrutinizing the details of the skills, work ethics, bodies, and backgrounds for a chance to be a superstar or multimillionaire, I can’t help but be fascinated by prediction. Sports are always something that have been low-stakes fun for me, and at the end of the day, these kids have been working hard for most of their lives to achieve a dream here. The NBA is a tough one, as being a great basketball player doesn’t necessarily cut it – you have to fit the vision of both the league’s structure and style as well as the ideals set in place by Adam Silver and those who line his pockets. 60 players will be drafted, and a few more will make it despite not being selected – here is who I would choose, in order.

1. Cooper Flagg: I mean, he’s practically Kawhi Leonard – tighten up that handle and we have an All-NBA type guy

2. VJ Edgecombe: Supercharged Andre Iguodala – I feel like those words should carry more weight than the do.

3. Dylan Harper: A big lead guard who sets up his team well, his shooting skill and explosiveness aren’t strong enough to lock him in at #2 with the consensus.

4. Noa Essengue: He’s the second youngest player and despite not having a ton of muscle scored and rebounded more physically than grown-men competition

5. Collin Murray-Boyles: We can’t get behind a 5-position defending true power forward who finishes efficiently? We might be losing recipes here.

6. Derik Queen: Most of the hate he receives is due to him being a hefty guy, but his offensive finesse and movement feels like that of a much lighter player.

7. Khaman Maluach: I’ve came around to Maluach given the NBA’s efficiency of developing bigs – it is crazy how well he moves for his massive size.

8. Rasheer Fleming: He is a sickening athlete with legitimate 3-and-D upside with enough bounce and explosiveness to expand his role as he develops.

9. Adou Thiero: The fact that he had to play on a deep college basketball roster versus adults instead of in Overtime Elite hides the fact he could be the third Thompson.

10. Kon Knueppel: He has great upside as a movement shooter, a super valuable skill in the modern NBA, but he isn’t athletic or defensively sound enough to rank higher.

11. Nolan Traore: At age 18, he showed high-impact playmaking skill against grown men, but his jumper isn’t a tool he can truly fall back on yet.

12. Tre Johnson: He can score in bunches from multiple looks, giving him a high scoring ceiling, but his game screams less athletic Jalen Green too much for me.

13. Bogoljub Markovic: Sure, he cannot defend at all despite his incredible length, but I’m willing to bet big on the 6-11 guy with well-rounded offensive skill.

14. Walter Clayton: He doesn’t really look like an NBA player at first glance, but this man knows nothing of fear – there is too much Steph Curry going on here to sell stock.

15. Nique Clifford: Versatile, clutch, and consistent – he’s just an older prospect who took longer to get to this level, usually at least a bit of a red flag.

16. Ace Bailey: He can make practically any shot, he just takes too many of them; way too many of these are the worst ideas you’ll ever see, too.

17. Noah Penda: Penda plays one-way basketball at a high level – he is ferocious and twitched-up on defense, but he probably doesn’t ever become a scoring monster.

18. Kasparas Jakucionas: He’s a long guard and such a visionary passer, but he doesn’t have that burst to weaponize his length in offense or much defensive skill.

19. Thomas Sorber: This man has crazy long arms, which he uses to thwart defensive efforts consistently, but he looks lost protecting the paint (he gets steals though!)

20. Cedric Coward: He’s solid on defense and makes big-time three-point shots look easy, but all of his worst games came against his best opponents.

21. Ryan Kalkbrenner: An insanely tall human with even longer arms, he maximizes his length to protect the rim and is a better shooter than given credit – not fast, though.

22. Carter Bryant: Low-usage, high bounce athlete who is good enough at shooting and defense – I just get too many flashbacks of Patrick Williams watching his game.

23. Liam McNeely: He’s a tough and potentially lethal shooting wing who has some nice movement to his skillset, but when he goes cold, he’s nearly worthless.

24. Will Riley: Another guy who doesn’t look like an NBA player, he passes the eye test only when you watch his quality defense and elevate to finish at the basket.

25. Maxime Raynaud: As an older big who is a defensive liability, you have to temper expectations here, but his passing and scoring ability from the paint is special.

26. Hansen Yang: If Jackzebra is Chinese Bladee then Hansen Yang is Chinese Nikola Jokic: I don’t make the rules.

27. Ben Saraf: The way he moves the ball into the paint belongs in the Louvre, but the way he shoots the ball is an embarrassment to baskeball.

28. Egor Demin: If the point of basketball was not to score more points than your opponent but instead do everything else well, Demin would be a Hall of Famer

29. Jeremiah Fears: I really dislike Fears as a prospect given he’s small, can’t shoot, can’t pass, and turns the ball over a lot, but he is wicked fast and will get to the line.

30. Alex Toohey: There is a non-zero chance he is a zero when it comes to offense, but he is a nasty defender who closes out space and doesn’t lose position.

31. Hugo Gonzalez: Another international prospect who can’t shoot, but on defense, it feels like he is completely fearless and can make game-changing plays.

32. Asa Newell: I want to be higher on Newell, especially as a young big with crazy athleticism, but I really am unsure if his skills translate to a true NBA role.

33. Danny Wolf: As a college basketball fan, I hate Danny Wolf with my whole heart, but if he doesn’t turn the ball over as much as he did for Michigan his offense translates.

34. Johni Broome: He’s an older big without bounce that scores below the rim, which feels wrong, but he’s probably a top-5 player here at “knowing what to do”

35. Payton Sandfordt: Sam Merrill is the cliché for player that might be the best shooter in the league but can’t do anything else: Sandfordt feels like he’s most likely Merill.

36. Jase Richardson: I wanted to not even include Richardson here, but his skillset, even at his size, is well-rounded enough to work out as a quality 6-man. I concede.

37. Kam Jones: I feel like I’ve watched Jones enough in college to have a feeling that he’s too inconsistent, but he can flex into any offensive role with at least some success.

38. Alijah Clark: I feel like I’m being a coach with my evaluation here – he’s a grinder or pest in a hockey sense that is just a winner. Andrew Shaw, if you will.

39. Chaz Lanier: Most of Lanier’s game is not NBA-level, but his shooting is pristine, and his movement shooting ability has grown enough for him to exceed expectations.

40. John Poulakidis: Probably not a popular selection to rank him this high, but the Ivy Leaguer is a true sniper who can hit nothing but net from the logo with ease.

41. Tyrese Proctor: He can’t stick as an on-ball guard in the NBA, but if he gets stronger, he has the skills to rotate in as an off-ball 3-and-D guy

42. Koby Brea: I might be too low on Brea, as his 3-point shooting and ability to create space as a shooter is special, he might just be too negative in any other facet.

43. Hunter Sallis: Wake Forest lives and dies by Sallis, who is a technician on-ball and clinical from midrange – he’s currently too shook by physicality for his role.

44. Dink Pate: A pure upside swing based on age and traits, Pate was legitimately awful last year, but his size-athleticism-ball skills combination is too tantalizing.

45. Jamir Watkins: Sort of an eye test-type player, Watkins will be able to handle the physicality the NBA demands, but handling the speed may pose different problems.

46. Joan Beringer: I might be Beringer’s biggest hater, as he has a Clint Capela-like ceiling with a Lebanese League floor with likely a long developmental road ahead

47. Sion James: James’s path to NBA minutes will be in shadow coverage – he has the processor for that role, but the rest of his game is rudimentary

48. John Tonje: The way Tonje plays is built for the B1G but not the NBA; however, he is physical and has enough lights-out shooting days to sense some viability

49. Brice Williams: He’s already 24, and much of his tape looked like he was bullying Freshmen, but his pull-up shooting and off-ball movement are intriguing traits

50. Ryan Nembhard: If he was 6-3, he would be a lottery pick; the type of player who would get MVP votes if the NBA had a height cap at 6-6.

51. Drake Powell: As an on-ball defender, you can buy into Powell as a big defensive wing, but he won’t stick without significant growth on both sides of the ball.

52. Chucky Hepburn: He’s a focused shooter and pesky on-ball defender and can have TJ McConnell-esque upside if he can overcome his height and length limitations

53. Jahmai Mashack: Mashack was a memorable college player for three reasons: he looks like Tupac, he is dreadful on offense, and he plays defense like Lu Dort.

54. Rocco Zikarsky: The Aussie is 18, 7-3, and can kind of shoot, but his game is way too underdeveloped in most aspects to expect his frame to be enough of an advantage.

55. Lamont Butler: Teams will shy away from Butler because of a lack of potential for more, but if you want a guard who can defend on ball, Butler comes pre-wrapped.

56. Kobe Sanders: Another player to bet on due to size at the wing, he’s good enough at passing and dribbling to potentially overcome defensive and explosive deficiencies

57. Lachlan Olbrich: Another big that is bad on defense, ball screens are just too big of a deal in the NBA to ignore Olbrich, as he is exemplary in this aspect.

58. Max Shulga: Against NBA combine prospects, Shulga’s 3-and-D upside looked low, but he constantly had his best college games against his most refined competitors

59. Dylan Cardwell: He looks the part of a purely defensive depth center who can keep up with much quicker players than you’d expect.

60. Micah Peavy: Peavy is an older wing with only one good year as a shooter, but his defense in the Big East this past season can help you buy in that it sticks

Sunlight Zone

Angel Tumbado & Chino Pacas – Que Los Billetes Sean De Cien: Probably the catchiest corridos tumbados song I’ve heard all year brought me to the conclusion that the romantic qualities of the style is reminiscent of the classic Italian music you’d see the mobsters of the Silver Screen listen to, although when it comes to the Mexican Cartel, the individuals involved aren’t granted that same degree of romanticization, despite the similar beauty and musicianship on display in front of the violence that precipitates this music to begin with.

BossMan Dlow – Sum Out Of Nun: The Wolves may no longer be back, but BossMan Dlow was a random figure that added some goofiness and character to the team’s season. This song perpetuates his weath-stricken, designer-dripping hustler aura over one of the most luxurious beats the Floridian has ever rapped over, yet both his innate strangeness coincided with his blatant lack of actual taste - two of the most essential components to his image, in my opinion - are both allowed to shine through. This is probably a Top-3 track from Dlow for me.

Chuckyy – Downers & N**** Poetry: Had to highlight two singles from Chicago’s Chuckyy: the first track, “Downers”, hits that harbinger-of-death note that darkens much of his discography but feels special to me, mostly because I got to hear this song live prior to its release when caught him opening for Sahbabii. These experiences are some of my favorites at concerts - hearing your favorites is always bliss but discovering your new favorites through a face-to-face experience like that is always special. Despite that connection, the second track, “N**** Poetry”, is even better. The glorious, string-sampling beat courtesy of Bugg adds an extra layer of reality to Chuckyy’s vivid raps here, straying away from a demonic aesthetic yet remaining within a supernatural one equal in beauty and weight.

D. Savage – 30 Round Clip (2017): I heard a fifteen-or-so year old kid playing this song off a JBL one day, and it spiraled me into madness for about two weeks. I caught about 10-15 seconds of the track, and I knew it was a song I hadn’t heard in at least five years. While listening for perhaps five more seconds would’ve allowed me to catch one of the many times in which D. Savage repeats his name like he’s Pikachu on this track, one of those 2010s SoundCloud nostalgia psychological warfare Tweetdeck operations relieved me of my suffering after days of feeling like I was being held by my toes. Was it worth it? I mean, the song is fine, just like most of D. Savage’s work, but this isn’t a track I want to play on loop or anything, one full listen satiated me, at least until the next time a 2016-nostalgic kid preparing to pass their driver’s test sends me into similar madness.

DJ Vitin do Pc, DJ YAN DO FLAMENGO, Mc Paulin do G, Mc Th, Mc Tos, DJ TAVIN SJ & MC GABIL – Um Dedinho no Md: Leave it to a clade of seven Brazilians to make a baile-ready banger centered around an off-kilter clarinet melody – given the natural tone of the instrument and the method in which it is either processed or the sample was played (I have no insight into this song’s process) it shouldn’t flow as smoothly as it does.

EBK Jaaybo – F*ck Everybody (Free Maxx): As of the time of writing, unfortunately, it is free Jaaybo too, but this song is belligerent, hateful, and comprised of sounds that sound like weapons only Israel could conceive of developing. The cherry on top: just when you think the track is over, Maxx collect calls in to add even more animosity to the track from behind bars, adding to the stakes of the animosity on display here.

Feid – NOS DESCONOXIMOS: Feid, despite being a massive global artist who is married to Karol G, has songs with Bad Bunny and J Balvin, and shares a birthday with me, isn’t someone I’ve listened to before. The Colombian artist stirs in reggaeton, afrobeats, R&B, and Hip-Hop on this track, which likely should be a red flag, especially given the obvious mass appeal this song is aiming for, but the song melts like butter, is painted with vibrance in mind, and feels like a song I’d love to hear when I find myself in a place where the club-pop music I typically loathe is typically played.

GELO & GloRilla – Can You Please: This song isn’t bad at all, plus the chemistry with GloRilla is quite impressive, she belongs on this track; however, this song makes the list because that video of Matas Buzelis hitting that move to this song after a Chicago Bulls W is ingrained in my mind. Lonzo kind of did his brother by playing that track in the locker room – this song is better than “TWEAKER” in my opinion (which I also legitimately enjoyed), but that celebration video will always come to my mind first over GELO being a legitimate artist. With a more throwback sound coming back en vogue within rap music, GELO fits in the rap meta a lot better than he may have a few years back, and I think a lot of people are rooting for him to make music. Sure, we need to fix the collective swag of all three Ball brothers, but an album from LaVar’s failson could move him up his father’s favorite sons list the way Shilo Sanders’s album couldn’t.

Gente de Zona – Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora (2008): CUBATON!!! If you are familiar with Gente de Zona, it is likely either because you know a thing or two, are Cuban, or have heard them on the song “Bailando”. While Gente de Zona is in no ways an underground group, their older music is hardly talked about despite this album being a masterpiece. Due to the fact the mere mention of “Cuba”, especially in a year like 2008, is likely to send the American Mind into fight-or-flight mode, this album didn’t cause the widespread Gringo idolatry many reggaeton and reggaeton-adjacent records of its era did. While an obvious oversight, now is when you need to make up for lost time, as this is probably my favorite album ever recorded in Spanish (note: probably. The Cuban at Buena Vista Social Club have something to say, too). Take “Le Gustan Los Artistas” - while I have never complained about hearing “Gasolina” or “Danza Kuduro” at any point in my life, why is this track not viewed in the same way? To many, many Cubans, it is, and at the end of the day, it can be their secret if that’s how it’s going to be. “Soñé”, yet another smash on this album, has one of those hooks that just glues itself to your brain. “La Palestina”, “Yo Te Enseñé”, “Tierra Caliente”, I could keep going - every song on this project is a nonstop party, longer in runtime than you’d typically want but never long enough. This is like a top-25 album of all time for me, and if you like reggaeton or Cuban music at all, I expect you to feel similarly about Lo Mejor Que Suena Ahora.

Lil Tony – Born Again: When I first heard Born Again, I wrote it off, thinking it was boring. I’ve never connected with Lil Tony’s sound much, and his lowkey style could be interpreted as uninterested, but I’m here to say my impression of the Atlanta artist was incorrect - this tape is invigorating and captures an unblemished underground aesthetic with comprehension. The first three tracks of this album, “God Butt Dialed My Buddy”, “50 Seconds Could Be 50 Years”, and “I Will Be The Greatest” are impeccable tonesetters that demonstrate the fleeting nature of this album’s slimy and emotional tracklist. My apologies to Lil Tony for sleeping.

Playboi Carti – MUSIC: Part of my punishment for being late on these writeups is missing the moment - MUSIC’s release was certainly a moment - the Before Times, breaming with delays, leaks, alleged subliminal message-laden photoshoots, and Opium PR nightmares, feel long gone. In the months succeeding MUSIC, one key point that has been missing between allegations of AI use, claims of low replay value, and children complaining online, is that Carti made an album for people his age. Bankroll Fresh, Rich Kidz, hell, even Dedication 3 are all essential cogs in Hip-Hop’s history that were essential at times when most of Carti’s fans were more interested in Team Umizoomi. Hip-Hop as a history lesson hasn’t caught up to a point where Skooly’s name appears in bold in the Atlanta chapter, so here’s to hoping Carti’s influence can point some in a fresh direction, although many seem keen on standing in opposition to that notion. The tracks on MUSIC as a collection are scatterbrained individually and disorganized within the tracklist, adding to the 2000s/2010s mixtape feel and perhaps echoing the molly-fried gray matter found within Carti’s skull. The album starts out with an absolute meat grinder, as “POP OUT” shreds your brain to align your mental clarity Carti’s. Following is a swarm of tracks featuring multiple voices and personalities over expertly-curated production, with only Jacques Webster, “WE NEED ALL DA VIBES”, and a at home plate standing in the way of a perfect game - even Abel did his part, I was a big fan of the controversial “RATHER LIE”, which should read “featuring Lawson” to some (I am not one of those people). My favorite track has grown to become “OPM BABI”, which features an unstable Carti performance over a hypnotic beat that, paired with the battle cries of SWAMP IZZO, imprints itself in my brain regularly. “LIKE WEEZY”, “OLYMPIAN”, and “MUNYUN” are some other favorites. If I had to rank Carti’s discography, I think I would put MUSIC in second place behind Die Lit - despite the ride it took to get here, I couldn’t be happier with the payout.

Post Malone – Go Flex (2016): Every Wednesday I look forward to my most Caucasian pastime - Brewery Trivia in Minneapolis, Minnestoa. The final round is always a music round, and one of the tracks one week was Post Malone’s “White Iverson”. It was a good reminder that the older Post Malone music, no matter how industry-backed or how white that man is, reached as broadly as it did due to legitimate catchiness and excellent production courtesy of FKi 1st. This prompted debate over what the best Post Malone song was, and this took me back to a brief period of my life when I lived in rural Ohio. One of my best friends from over there, Eli, got me tickets to see Post Malone and Jazz Cartier in 2016 over there, and we even got to chill with them after the show for a bit. Eli’s favorite Post Malone song has been absorbed as mine – “Go Flex”, while an obvious hit song, didn’t have as much reach or longevity as many of his other Billboard-topping endeavors from this era, but to me, that is a mistake. The softer, guitar driven beat, which drops out for what I believe is Post’s most captivating hook, gives this track an (I apologize) popular loner vibe that to this day I enjoy quite a bit. This is likely the last time I write about Post Malone on this page, but I had to include this track for this month as I listened to it a ton the days following that fateful Wednesday.

Project Pat & 2Chainz – Moneh Maine (2011): I’m just going to copy and paste this from Genius and call it worthwhile:

“Me and Project Pat-ah, this the new chapter
All this fucking 'caine like a motherfucking cap-ah
And I'm from thе A, I'm bout to bring it back-ah
Tip blocked the way and Ludacris is a actor
Burning like tobacco, southsidе trapper
Spell 'south' wit' a F, the 'F' stand for fuck-ah
And you know I did it, I do it, like, daily
Fuck wit' me, I'll show you how to turn a brick into a Bentley
Money, money man, ten hundred grand
N****, that's a mil, that pussy deep, quicksand (deep)
All up in that thang like "you it" when I do it
Chain so dumb, got yo' n**** looking stupid”

Saosin – Translating the Name (2003): The kids must be onto Saosin right now, as I would’ve never guessed in a million years they were as contemporarily popular as they actually are. This is a good thing, as I used to scare my mother as a child by listening to this project, which I believe was my first exposure to the concept of an EP. I love how Translating the Name has that usually awful cleanliness exhibited by some Warped Tour-type metalcore acts of the 2000s and 2010s but approaches it tasteful manner, preserving the band’s thrashing energy and uncut emotion. “Seven Years” and “Lost Symphonies” were my favorite tracks as a kid and remain that way today.

Santa Fe Klan & Lefty Gunplay – Lumbre: If Lefty Gunplay chose to rap his entire part here in Spanish, this song would hit much harder; however, Santa Fe Klan’s electricity here is the only thing that made that feel like a necessity. At the end of the day, this song is a banger no matter which language is used by the artists on the song.

Shoreline Mafia – BACK IN BIDNESS: I loved Shoreline Mafia’s reunion project - its douchey, rowdy, and maintains that hallmark West Coat bounce that made their scummy, drug-laden raps blow out speakers back in 2018. Some favorites include the steel drum-backed “Touch Down” and the classless “Go For Me”.

Soulja Boy, Kwony Ca$h & J Money – Zan wit dat Lean (2011): I am (shocker) a list-brained ADHD individual, so the existence of genres as categorization tools doesn’t bother me in concept. Specific “genres”, however, do bother me quite a bit. One is “Epic Collage”. Look me in my eyes and say “I’m really into Epic Collage”. Another is “Slacker Rock”. To quote my friend Alex, just say they sound like Pavement. They were calling that new Key Glock album “Chipmunk Soul” - maybe he deserves it for the lack of Bandplay on there. Why I bring this up is the term “Futuristic Swag” - this is usually a genre descriptor I loathe, but for “Zan wit dat Lean”… man, it might just be Futuristic Swag.

Will Smith – Lunch Break Freestyle: This is the funniest piece of music that has occurred this year. I’ve always been a Cole Bennett skeptic, but whatever his involvement was in the production of this YouTube freestyle was a stroke of genius. Giving Will Smith the “Just Wanna Rock” beat is an insane thing to do, and Will Smith heard something remotely trappy, did some calculus inside his head, and determined the only thing left to do was approach the track with a UGK-inspired flow. I appreciate Will’s openness to this style of production here and didn’t think his lyrics were all that bad for a Hollywood Dad rapping, but it is hard to take this too seriously as a track, which is why it works as a piece of entertainment to me. Will Smith even cusses here, which I didn’t expect, although I haven’t necessarily been keeping track of any of his stylistic evolution over the years. The cherry on top for this was a Tweet which declared he was rapping like Erick the Architect on this beat; I have no idea how that conclusion was drawn, as it would take a real sick individual to even conjure that thought, but I don’t know if a truer statement has ever been published on The Everything App.

Other Considerations:

Babyfxce E & Monaleo – PTP [Remix]

DJ Arana & Mc Denny – Roupa de Academia

Jace! – F*ck the Industry!

Money Musik & Babyface Ray – DESIGNER LUGGAGE

Nemzzz – Bad Decisions

Nino Paid & AC640 – NinoAc

Tropa do Bruxo – VEM QUE VEM

Twilight Zone

21 Lil Harold – The Realest: When Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 Presidential Race, a tweet went around asking who would be an ideal running mate for Kamala Harris. I, obviously, suggested 21 Lil Harold, and both he and his manager reached out to me with fire emojis and thanking me for supporting the artist. While both their knowledge of the tweet and gratitude for it were surprising developments, Lil Harold certainly does rap like a perfect second-in-command – his vocal inflections and natural bounce make his music, this track included, feel like it belongs on one of those Pi’erre Bourne minion tapes, projects which I always indulged in despite their quality level back from 2017-2022.

Certified Trapper – Shine: This is one of the best Trapper beats that has graced my ears in a minute, just the perfect amount of obvious clicking in the FL Studio sequencer paired with some oddball note combinations that add dissonance while avoiding increasing tension, instead adding obscurity to the track’s overall bounce that made me move like I was being forced to dance at gunpoint.

DJ Python – i was put on this earth: DJ Python’s newest EP sheds a light on some of his talents which haven’t been displayed on previous efforts of his, making these five tracks a noteworthy addition to his discography. While vocals from Isabella Lovestory and Jawnino are undoubtedly exciting to see prior to entering this project, DJ Python singing on his own tracks was an even more exciting touch given he has never exercised those capabilities on his solo work prior to now. This whole EP is full of glassy, introspective ambience and relaxing rhythms which circumvent the neoperreo rowdiness that you’d expect on a Lovestory collaboration or the deep house pulse of some of Python’s previous works, yet the fine-tuned, detail-oriented atmospheric approach from left field allows the EP to reach its potential better than it would have if he stuck to expectations only.

EQ (Estratosfera & Qiri) – B.S.A.S. (Si Alguna Vez te Sentís Sola de Noche): Few songs are capable of melting the party into the afterparty quite like this one - the atmospheric, club-ready beat is ripe for derealization, allowing for their vocal performances to lure you into the depths as if they are dancefloor sirens with translucent intentions.

fakemink – Milk: This song is a perfect equilibrium of pretty and tough, sporting both an angelic performance from fakemink over a beat that feels like Heaven’s Gates are opening. More on that beat: it is driving me mad. fakemink, who self-produced the track, went online claiming that there was no sample used in the construction of this beat. Unfortunately, I am not that dumb, and I can’t place where it is from. Google results show others debating the sample, although they are discussing the guitar part at the tail of the track - I’m lasered in on the synth loop. This could be another case of it being a loop I once heard in a sample pack, something that drove me insane once with Thouxanbanfauni’s “LESSGETIT”, but until I know, I will be tweaking!

feeble little horse – This Is Real: Another smash from the Pittsburg-based magicians known collectively as feeble little horse, “This Is Real” is a rollercoaster, probably best compared to The Smiler at Alton Towers. The blastbeat jumpscare occurring around the song’s first corner is immaculate and just one of many knuckleballs this track throws at you throughout its three-minute lifespan.

Frostydasnowman – Ya Digg (2017): I had a moment on a weekday where I was up too late with a friend because we were having too much fun bumping MiLLion DoLLA MiSSion, Frostydasnowman’s best tape. “Ya Digg” is the stupidest track on the album: off-centered, crass, and capable of causing apoptosis in your prefrontal cortex. At the end of the day, blending that off-beat West Coast flow, suspicious pulse, and those Purity stock sounds was always going to bear fruit - the idiosyncratic delinquency that Frosty’s personality oozes with just makes it special.

Glokk40spaz – Do the Math / NUN 4 NO SCHMUCK: While Glokk40Spaz was behind bars, his team did an excellent job ensuring he remained relevant and that his new music would be highly anticipated upon his release. Initially, his output was a bit disappointing to me, with “I’m Oso Shiesty” being his only standout track, but he has reacclimated (plus, some label puppetry was attempting to occur) and is dropping tough singles left and right – these two have been my favorite of his recent crop, with “NUN 4 NO SCHMUCK” quickly ascending as one of his most acclaimed tracks since his freedom: I can’t hate the pick either, those piano stabs and delay-laden synth melodies in the beat add buoyancy to Glokk’s raps in a near-utopian manner.

Hiroshi Yoshimura – Flora (1987/2006): Hiroshi Yoshimura’s Flora was recently reissued, but despite my love of his albums Green and Surround, I had never given this project a listen until now. Recorded in 1987, Flora wasn’t released until 2006, three years after the artist passed away. An extremely stimulating ambient work, Flora is another one of Hiroshi’s works that project his observational ingenuity and unrelenting appreciation for nature through electronic compositions that depict every detail of life and environment coded into our surroundings. The tracks on Flora possess a complexity to them that make the project stand out in his discography, especially compared to Green, another album that immerses itself in biology yet is more focused on shape and shade. My favorite track is “Silence”, a track which utilizes the stereo field and textural depth to make quieter sounds feel rich, allowing the electronic sounds and the instinctive zen they possess to tuck me in to the tune of a National Geographic time-lapse video of bright pink petals emerging from their bud. What a beautiful, serene work from the ambient music first ballot hall-of-famer.

LA NINA – FURESTA: Pitched to me as “Italian Rosalia”, my initial reaction was a “here we go again”: the amount of European pop girls with some sort of traditionally rooted art direction who garner the Rosalia comp is ridiculous. With LA NINA, it makes a bit more sense than others, although a pivot to reggaeton doesn’t seem as likely here – the baroque influences, spiritual roots, and blend of traditional and forward-thinking make this album hit like a Neapolitan “El Mal Querer”, although FURESTA should get credit for being the more personal and experimental of the two projects, expanding the folklore crafted by the centuries-old sounds by bursting through identity crises and reclaiming one’s roots.

MexikoDro – No Date: Plugg’s most iconic producer has found a new life as a rapper making grizzly, aggressively Southern trap bangers which all have essentially the same music video. “No Date” has taken off the fastest of all of these songs, and I agree that it has been his best track in this sound – his slick talk on this track is regenerative to the mind, body, and soul. This song has also outed me as an old man, as dozens of kids unaware of MexikoDro’s impact as a producer yet fans of this song have collectively given me hypertension.

Peysoh – Baby Ima Lunatic: “Baby if you cheat I’ll kill your daddy and we’re equal”.

Realbleeda & BabyChiefDoIt – Step 2K25: A Baton Rouge-meets-Chicago banger, “Step 2K25” is one of the most inviting rap songs I’ve heard all year – it feels like nothing can stop this one from being blasted at the park or beach this summer.

Rx Papi – The Johnny Sparks Story: Likely to the chagrin of Aintnobodycool, a noted hater of the sound, it was about time Rx Papi leaned into a more Philly-heavy sound throughout an entire tape. While far from his best work, the dustier mic quality and more ominous production make for a strong slate for Papi to chisel his slick talk into – some of my favorite tracks include “No One Man Above the Gang” and “Whatever You Heard Its Worst.”

Starlito – Lt. Dan: Starlito hasn’t garnered as much respect with the younger generation in terms of legendary status, even though we literally wouldn’t have Gen Z favorite Lucki without his influence. The Nashville native deserves credit for his lengthy career which has seen him continue to make strong music even as he enters his 40s, “Lt. Dan” being an obvious example as the best track on his album REGRETFULLY. He toes the line between 2000s trap and oldhead Hip-Hop well here, using a saxophone-heavy beat to spill out an expectedly thoughtful translation of his life’s experiences and observations in a way that feels robust yet pensive and open to growth.

They Are Gutting A Body Of Water – gestures been (2018): I saw a tweet from a kid hyping this album up, claiming that they found this album from a YouTube video that instructs you how to have good taste – a horrifying concept, but a great selection to include in such a video. After I found the video, with other included albums being the expected selections of White Pony, Kid A, Bottomless Pit, WLF GRL, and others, I was a bit shocked to see TAGABOW’s 2018 full-length debut included amongst those albums, but it is also intriguing to see the late 2010s/early 2020s albums that are now being selected by the so-called Patricians of music review boards as rightful entries into their canons, and this album is honestly an admirable choice. “fake twenty” and “houseplant” are two of those rare Gen Z tracks that use distorted and reverberated guitar tones as tools to add expanse and beauty to their tracks instead of desperately desiring the shoegaze label to be added to their profiles, something lost within the music of artists such as Glixen, Wisp, and thousands of others. The effects and electronics added to their music intersect analog and digital and feel like results of curiosity from the bandmembers given this project was released in 2018, years before the digital and underground rock sound made certain bands into meal tickets, and their newer works continue to push themselves into new territories within their cultivated sound. Even if many have taken to YouTube or TikTok to have a tastemaker allow them to like this music, there is nothing here to suggest that the influenceable nature of the viewers of that said video were led astray.

YT – OI!: YT is one of the most explosive artists of the UK’s underground scene, although the music featured on OI! is likely to push him further and further from that “underground” label. Over laser-focused beats with valedictorian swagger, YT creates a welcoming environment with his raps, which feel as if they can land with any audience. While this music isn’t groundbreaking by any means, unlike plenty of other agreeable rap projects, this one is both quality and pleasant, making YT an ideal torchbearer if the UK’s underground scene is ever to break out to an even wider audience than it already has.

Other Considerations:

Bandmanrill & MCVERTT - Wave

Certified Trapper - Intake

DJ PHAT & Maine CG – Understand Me

damon r. - team

Jaeychino – ARPFREE

Li Rye – Yellow Tape

M Row & Kay Glizz – Demon

Nettspend & xaviersobased – Impact

Percaso & Polo Youngin – Enough

RMC Mike & Fox BD – MixMatch

Six Sex & Dillom - Tocame

Midnight Zone

AC640 & Dise – Cross That Line: AC640’s March tape You Can’t Hide was a solid project – “Full Metal Jacket” and “Taco Swap” were some other tracks I was fond of – but “Cross That Line”, a coldhearted track featuring a Black Ops-type beat and one of my current favorite guest spot artists in the DMV, Dise, trading gunfire with BoJack. Hard track.

Baby Osamaa – What’s The Word: A beautiful, minimalist, and atmospheric melodic rap cut from Baby Osamaa here that feels like it would be a cult-classic deep cut if it was like track 14 on a Drake album – just another single that shows the incredible highs that Baby Osamaa is capable of, one that shows that she could shoot for commercial viability without sacrificing her uniqueness as a person if she ever chooses to; if she ever does achieve mainstream stardom, there’s no way I couldn’t rep her still – I’d probably be out here bragging that I was there first.

Big Homie DreCash – Nowadays: “Smokin’ on that bullshit / you gon’ need an Advil” – as someone who isn’t afraid to say I love me some Midwest Mid every once in awhile, I’d recommend using a hemp wick to avoid butane leeching in and staying hydrated, potentially with some nice water (Waimea is never a bad option) to avoid the headache.

Big Steff, Chicken P & Mariboy Mula Mar- Conference Call: An insanely spring-ready Milwaukee rap cerebus of a track here that has already inspired hoards of kids from the Great Lakes region to post their fit pics on Instagram with this song playing in the background. Breezy, high chemistry raps to roll down the windows to.

Bodybox – 3: Florida’s Bodybox showed up on my radar last year after the oracular Billdifferen posted the Florida-based terrorsquad’s lead single, a reggaeton-influenced, gore-laden, sludged-out single “Skante”. From that moment, I knew I was a fan, and after months of playing their 2021 EP Through the Bongfire, Harrison Brown and company come through with an album that feels as if it was a chemically-reborn, mystery meat-based lifeform with a personality programmed by LiveLeak and an insatiable craving for Schedule 1 drugs. Capturing elements of goregrind, brutal death metal, sludge metal, beatdown hardcore, and slam metal, the end product here is not only a unique expression of all of the ingredients here but also something only conjurable by a born-and-raised Floridian.

Dody6 – Juice Wrld Crazy: Juice Wrld has never moved the needle for me as an artist, but the way Dody6 channels the late Lyrical Lemon (sorry) on this song makes the track – perhaps I don’t give Juice enough credit for how ridiculous he can get his voice sounding, but Dody6’s application of his technique is as ridiculous as it is fun.

Flycatcher – Dissolve: Flycatcher is one of those bands that I didn’t know about until I saw them live. While I didn’t catch their entire set opening for Teen Suicide at the Cobra Lounge in 2023, I saw enough to know these kids had something working in their favor. “Dissolve” is a ripper with some familiarity working in its favor too – it sort of reads like if The Fray was a group of zoomers who came up on 2000s emo music, and I mean that with no offense. This feels like a song that would play on some pop-punk XM Radio station in between seas of junk that would force your hand and dig into the band more.

Moh Baretta – SAY2U: I couldn’t tell you a word Moh Baretta says on this track, I’m just enthralled by this beat – classic Surf Game textures and timbres, but with a bounce that slots in perfectly between New York Drill and DMV Crank. Shout ot Olivia Jones.

Paco Panama – The Player Coach: On a day where I wasn’t able to get my prescriptions in a timely fashion, Paco Panama’s massive double album gave me a bit of dopamine when I needed it most. While the whole project is worth a listen, the “Player’s Side” would be my recommendation if you’re in a pinch.

Planning for Burial – A Flowing Field of Green: The lead single for Planning for Burial’s upcoming album likely will be further realized as a piece to a greater whole on the upcoming album, but the release of this single instantly brought It’s Closeness, It’s Easy to the top of my list of most anticipated albums of 2025. One of my favorite musical projects of this millennium, this track is more upbeat than plenty of the artist’s catalog, but brings the gloom with some crushing guitars that are contrasted nicely by some airy yet caged vocals.

Raisa K – Affectionately: This album sends me hazy footage of my semi-lifeless body loosely covered in tattered garments lying on a sandy beach during a Syracuse orange-tinged sunrise, conscious of every grain of sand the purple-stained waves wash over my body as androids upload my memories to volumes of blank video cassettes, likely to be recorded over with reruns of ABC daytime programming in three weeks’ time. It’s not that deep, but its fuzzy, washed out, slice-of-life hypnagogia that just gets the creative juices flowing. A gorgeous, passivizing listen crafted with the heart steering the ship.

Reese Youngn – On Ya Dresser: I’m in tears man, this one you just need to hear to believe.

SINN6R – CC: Southeast London’s SINN6R is keen on ensuring UK Hip-Hop stays hard-nosed as long as he’s on the track – “CC” sees him execute over a New Orleans-influenced beat courtesy of producers Cppo, Saiz & Teegup, which amounts to nothing short of an explosive cut.

Other Considerations:

1300SAINT – SUNSEX

70th Street Carlos - Meds

Deem Spencer – even if it is tho

GrindHard E & Twicee – Find Me

Lilrb & Big davie – Blue hunnits

Reace Sosa & 8x8 Bocci – OFF THE FLAP

RONRONTHEPRODUCER & 03 Greedo – DON’T RUN

Shawny Binladen & Big Yaya – PLACE YOUR ORDER

Sparkheem & AC640 – In Love

Verde Babii – Heart of the Verde

YSRenoo – Ain’t Nothin Change

The Abyss

Cerop & Lee Lo – Catch A B: Milwaukee underground staples Cerop and Lee Lo link here for one of the most anxious lowend tracks I’ve heard in a minute – despite the insane tension the coldhearted vocals and boss battle synths produce, the danceworthy backbone of the track allows that potential energy to convert to kinetic at Georgia Football driving-worthy speeds

Courtside Uzi – SWITCHES & DRACS: Courtside Uzi is a DMV rapper that possesses that impish voice that made 42 Dugg enough money to bankroll Underdog – he stands at about the same height as the Michigan artist too. His new tape SWITCHES & DRACS is a high-octane affair with plenty of smashes – “UPOW WIT BLATT”, “PAY WAT IT COST”, “GET IN THAT CAR”, and “ACTIVE YOUNGINS” are all bangers, but “BABYFULL” stands out amongst them all and should be your introduction to the Courtside Uzi if you aren’t already acquainted. Is this a flawless record? Not in the slightest. Starting off your tape with a sample of Lukas Graham’s “7 Years” is a good way to get people to shut off your music, and while JG Wentworth and Empire both have made commercial jingles which have stuck with me for what feels like my entire life, sampling BOTH of these on the same project is beyond overkill. Had Courtside Uzi sampled, I don’t know, anything else on this project, we could be talking about one of the best DMV rap tapes of the entire year.

DE SCHUURMAN – AS THE DYNASTY GROWS: While not as sprawling as some of his prior releases, DE SCHUURMAN’s new EP continues to prove that he is the best artist in bubbling and a top legacy artist in all of music (his uncle, DJ Chippie, helped launch the genre in the ‘80s). This is not music where dancing and vibing out are optional – the hypnotic polyrhythms and rippling drum beats treat you like they are the cordyceps and you are the ant. The three-track run spanning “OFF MY FEET’, “ENERGY BOOST”, and “3 AM IN KRAKOW” is especially scintillating – if you’ve never heard of bubbling before, especially in its modern iteration, this would be an ideal launchpad.

DJ Elmoe – Battle Zone: A surprising and special release in 2025, the return of legendary footwork composer DJ Elmoe was a thing of beauty. This album feels designed for ballroom dance if the style was based in dance battle – you can feel that vintage lux on tracks such as “Tryin Too Hard”. The retro color that paints this project can be felt on less grainy tracks as well; I love the way he adds that washed out filter to his Lil Wayne-remixing cut “Wayne Train.” Some other favorite songs of mine were “Come Back” and “Bangin Vox” – this project is an essential entry in footwork’s canon.

DJ Travella – Twende: Four of the most fun tracks to be released in 2025 come from DJ Travella. After 2022’s amazing Mr Mixondo tape turned my brain into gelatin, Twende is just pure good vibrations – the BPMs are still high but not at numbers you can’t count to, the layers of rhythms still somehow manufacture additional rhythms in the negative space they create but that space feels like I’m outside grilling some food and enjoying some Modelos with my friends, and the synth choices are still zany but feel like they have better intentions concerning my sleep schedule. My favorite two tracks were “TRUST” and “BELIEVE”, but the entire eight minutes of music on this EP hit like a big hug and warrant the full attention of your mind, body, and soul.

frazerforevr, K1llbrady & twin.smoke – wake up/get to it: This three-headed monster of a track feels like what early-career Lil Uzi Vert would’ve made if they came up out of South Africa. The vocal inflections and flow are accurate in that regard, yet the track lands far from copycat territory. Maybe Uzi has some DMs to shoot before Lil Yachty reaches the South Africans first.

Mel V – Chaponomical: The Dark Plugg maniacal rapping sphere is heavily male-dominated, so its only right that Mel V Chapo comes through with yet another album pleading her case that the genre’s hierarchy is matriarchal. Less than one minute after pressing play on Chaponomical, “NEVER GAF” will have already formed fresh neural pathways in your brain. By the time you finish the second track, “JIMMY CHOOSE”, sizzling bass and various pluhhhhs will disintegrate your IQ to the Australopithecus range. This pattern occurs throughout the duration of the project, but the constant onslaught of sound is never lacking in dimension – part of what make Mel V one of the most essential voices within her style is the distinctly Houstonian breath she pumps into these tracks, sliding with Pimp C-esque swagger over production typically graced by artists that are dominated by internet influence as opposed to a regional one and are more keen on shocking their listeners than being authentic with them.

Siobhan Linnane & MuddyMya – Lemme Ask You: This song just makes you levitate – a perfect amount of dissonance exists for such a lush atmosphere, and the vocals are imperfect enough to add some character to the vocal croons that power over the track.

Time Cow – Scaring 1100 Chickens To Death: I’m pretty sure I only know about this album from a RedFace Radio tweet, so make sure you go follow Danny if you don’t already (you probably do). Time Cow returns with his first new album in about five years, and the way rhythms are realized on this project are fascinating. Combining a bunch of Jamaican genres such as dub and dancehall with trap drums and other Afrodiasporic dance sounds, Time Cow manifests a sound that balances its influences to a degree which makes the music feel like it has none. While not necessarily the most visceral album experience, it is the world this album creates that does the moving for you – even if you are sitting still, it is impossible to adore the twists and colors the music adds to your ecosystem. I love when a project works out this way: my favorite tracks were tone setting opener “Mind Controlled Alligators” and the gracious closer “Thank You For Dancing.” The only thing about this album I didn’t like was a particular noise used on the second track “Only One Z I Want To Catch”, which sounds nearly identical to the XeroX Scanner in my work area which jams or sends me blurry documents more often than working correctly, but that is a me problem, the track is quite nice anyhow.

Other Considerations:

ballhogbaby – ski lodge

DJ FAEL DA BA, MC Saci & Mc Magrinho – VEM PRA CA COM AS SUAS COLEGA

FlickDaWhipUp & Flym9neyc0untup – FREESTYLE

Hezzoo & ZayP – Serende

HoniChrome & DJ PHAT – all abt me

Polo Mayesvillain & Trap Dickey – Stamp & Wics

Richest Opp - Fashion

Samosthated & Cashjunko – dreadlocks

Scooby Stackz & Louie Ray – Cup Muddy

snoa – tell tha world

Xavier Anthony & Tezzus – 27 Klub

xxhang & FLEA DIAMONDS - Belly

The Trenches

Big dewy – Pops told me: Big dewy is one of those Milwaukee guys that will get ahold of just about any beat and make you hold your breath over it. Taking the “teaching” motif of “Teach Me How To Dougie” and spinning it to be about some potentially violent lessons dewy’s Pops taught him is genius. The original track is a lab-crafted dance track, yet dewy’s rendition has even more bounce to it, especially through his SteveDaStoner-adjacent flow that pops up throughout the track – this song could for sure turn a Qdoba into a nightclub on a moment’s notice.

BP Dinero – Rich Habits: BP Dinero has already released two solid tapes in 2025 (note: if this post was being written on-time this should only be one) and a Valentine’s Day song which I regrettably missed on my roundup of one of rap’s biggest holidays, so I’m here to say I’m thankful he decided to pursue rapping as opposed to a career in mathematics, which he suggests he’d excel at here.

Chicken & Jigg – Dawg Brothers (2018): When my friend first moved to Milwaukee, we had to look up Hip-Hop artists from the area, and this was the first album that I found. In my ignorance, I though the “Chicken” in question was that BlocBoy JB affiliate who does that dance that puts intense strain on your neck, but I quickly learned that was not the case – instead, it was one of my favorite Hip-Hop artists of all time. In tandem with Jigg, a Milwaukee legend who was tragically lost in a double homicide alongside Celly Cell in 2023, the two made a classic that immediately sent me down a regional rap rabbit hole that continues to grow deeper by the week. This tape is built on seamless chemistry, smooth raps, and a hard-hitting grit-fueled sound that lacks skips and deserves legendary status. Some favorites include “Cooking Class”, a banger which perfectly balances shimmer and haze, and “In Wit da New”, which features that perfectly imperfect singing that permeates the Milwaukee rap scene today. Long Live Jigg.

D4 – Fuck hitda: Every time I listen to D4, in between bars referencing waffles or lawnmowers or whatever else is on his mind, I ask myself if I am okay. D4 is a wild person who makes wild music, and this tape, featuring wild cuts like “Hawkin” and “Otg stop playin”, exemplifies why that trait of his makes for some strange, uncouth, and, ultimately, extremely entertaining music.

Foenem – Vape due: Peak AyooLii Instagram story music, there are just no better words for this one.

KAISLEVSKYLE & Donearl – XnO: This is the South African underground rap equivalent to Linkin Park’s “Breaking the Habit”, which I won’t elaborate on further, but I promise that means this song is worth listening to. Speaking of “Breaking the Habit”, that song for sure sported the most memorable music videos of my childhood, enthralling my elementary school brain whenever Mario Lopez threw it on the VH1 Top 21 Countdown on a weekend morning back in the day.

Lilmarupp200k – ME VS THE WORLD: Lilmarupp200k dropped, at this point, what is my most listened to Milwaukee rap project of the year. As a rapper, he is the perfect vehicle to make by far my favorite Milwaukee beats of the year drive at Autobahn-worthy speeds. If you are looking for top-end emcee skills or clean mixes or microphones, I would stay far away from this tape before I put you in a Korean Zombie twister for complaining – I don’t know how you can listen to songs like “Hopped off” or “Thru the lane” and not want to tear down the walls of your reality and boss up.

lil TraeYoung – 40Shells: “40Shells” is my favorite track on Welcome To Da Northghanistan, a new tape by a rapper I only listened to because of his name, lil TraeYoung, one which may limit his popularity in New York City. I couldn’t find out much about this artist, but I’d recommend this track if you’re into the type of drill music they make in Stockton or Sacramento.

melly! & BRISTACKZ – Rock out: I know I mentioned Linkin Park just a few tracks ago in this rundown, but they were such an important band in my youth and influenced my taste today in plenty of ways. This track samples “Bleeding Out” by the band, a song that appears on Minutes to Midnight, which may have been the first album I purchased with an iTunes giftcard. Anyways, the sample is used well here and both melly! and BRISTACKZ make sure the track has some rockstar energy to it.

Pablo turnt – Life I Chose: Pablo turnt is one of my favorite Milwaukee rappers as a singles artist, but I underrated his ability to put together an elite tape like he did on Life I Chose, which is easily one of the best tapes the city has produced in 2025, probably top-three at the time of writing.

qua, SteezTheProducer & HazeTheProducer – Stone #jerseyclub: When these three link up, the result is always Jersey Club Black Magic. This track hits like Macamp using Close Combat and in no way is it concerned with the stat drops that come with the move at all. If there was a Church of Jersey Club, it would be music by these three that lead to schisms and excommunications.

Sg Kingpin – NBA Jam: Milwaukee rapper flexes his thirteen-incher over a Take Me Out To The Ballgame-type beat.

Siddakid Montana – Montana Money 2: Siddakid Montana’s follow-up to his 2023 EP Montana Money (check out “florida boy” and “city” on that one) expands on and diversifies the style he defined for himself. A smooth operator from a flow perspective, Siddakid’s superpower is injecting his ear for melody and distinct Floridian voice to the natural pulse of a track. Tracks range from having that tough, lowkey quality of a Wizz Havin track, as seen on “Money”, to blending a drill bounce with Florida breeze on “Sarasota”. One of the most underrated artists out of Florida operating right now, this album is a perfect regional rap tape if you are looking for a diverse in sound yet true to home sound with some catchy singing thrown in the mix too.

Tay Love – D.R.O.P. (Dedicated To Rewards Over Poverty): First time I listened to this Tay Love tape, I was in a magnificent mood, and I was taken aback by how consistent and solid this tape was. I had only listened to his 2024 tape The World Is Yours prior, and I thought that tape was just fine, so this was a marked improvement from the Milwaukee national. Highlighting key songs doesn’t make sense for me on this one, as part of what makes it so good is the track-to-track electricity that feels both honed in and naturally confident, but the opener “Aint Nun” makes me feel like I have blacked-out windows and “GPS”, while utilizing a string sample that is far from original, makes me feel like I’m laying in bed, counting my earnings my capos just paid up to me.

Trale Lowkey – Gift & a Curse: These lyrics are just way too jarring for me not to shout out this track. Trale Lowkey is like the definition of a Milwaukee Gem, sporting a grand total of five monthly listeners on Spotify, but these lyrics just deserve more attention. This is for sure his most insane song.

Yadda Baby – Rising Star: Yadda Baby is one of the standout rappers out of Akron, Ohio, which is one of the United State’s most underrated pools for regional Hip-Hop talent. His new tape Rising Star shows how he can take ideas propagated within other Midwest cities – if you thought he was from Milwaukee or Detroit off sound alone, I wouldn’t blame you – and add his own flair to it. On this project, he draws from staples of Hip-Hop’s history in order to add a distinct yet diverse smoothness to his tracks. The opening track “Dis Mornin” brings some classic Gucci Mane-style drawl, “Air BNB” has some classic East Coast sway to it, riding the bounce of the track like 50 Cent in a way that also reminds me of Papo2oo4, and “Hood Princess (Sexyy Red)” feels like a track made after revisiting some early entries in Lil Uzi Vert’s catalog. While that is a lot of comparisons to fire off in one sentence, the influence of those artists feel naturally incorporated into Yadda’s personal sound and mistaking him for a clone, copycat, or someone drowning in his influences would be shortsighted. Also of note – Ohio has a breadth of talented women in the state’s various scenes, and Yadda Baby employs four on this project. While many popular male artists fail to do anything to ensure there is any chemistry with a woman they feature on their track, Yadda Baby works well with the girls he puts on his album, especially Jade Kouture, who appears on “Yetti Party”. Overall, this is a solid tape from the Akron artist, treading that line between familiar and personal well enough so that you enjoy your listen yet remember his name.

Other Considerations:

4wayginoo & Percaso – Dont Be Late

artistkbb & Leakionn – stop leakin

Ba6y Jay – Cant Wait

Bizzo Swoh & Trizz – 100k

Boom DaBizness & Bossman JD – Corner Store

BrandoBuckz & NWM Cee Murdaa – Creep on Toes

BUYDRUGSFROMGIRLS & Lerado - PACE

Cp Slap, SME TAXFREE & Dre Buckz – Whole Load

DJ GUI & MC Saci – Nao Quero Romance

Emmy Glod - Lemonade

Kingdom Molongi – Volca outi Wapi

lil 5inn & Stunna 4 Vegas – 5 Point Star (Remix)

Nbliltrell & Smacksloww – Jiggle baby

SippinDirtyy, Skino & FENDIMADEPRADA – Like Ryan

SleepyyGas - Change

Spaidez – BEO BOUNCE

Tombo - scarecrow