Published in:
11 August 2022, 21:42
HIPHOPDX – We hit the midpoint in August, which means the end of summer and (hopefully) cooler weather, but the hot months are not over yet and there are still many artists chasing the coveted Album of the Summer crown.
The Game – Drillmatic: Heart vs. Mind
This week’s edition of New Music Friday boasts one of the best and most diverse line-ups of the year — a list sure to satisfy fans of all ages and preferences. Starting the summary HipHopDX is The Game with Drillmatic: Heart vs. His long awaited Mind LP, executive produced by Hit-Boy.
Like almost everything Compton did, the California original, Drillmatic: Heart vs. Mind comes with fair action. To see also : Agricultural Sales Near Pre-Pandemic Levels. First comes the delay. Originally set to be released in early 2022, Drillmatic continued to be pushed back before finding a firm August 12 release date.
Then came Eminem’s beef, which found the “How We Do” rapper constantly pushing Detroit MCs. These eye-catching antics eventually gave way to the album itself, a 31-track effort combining Game rap with producer Hit-Boy’s West Coast sound.
Megan Thee Stallion – Traumazine
The Game’s tenth studio album features a vicious ensemble that includes Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Pusha T, Rick Ross, A$AP Rocky, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Cam’ron, Fivio Foreign, the late Nipsey Hussle and more.
The star power and influence of Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion is unstoppable. Read also : Broncos was nominated as a finalist for ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year 2022. He’s released several singles and guest verses since last year’s “Something for Thee Hotties”, including “Flamin’ Hottie”, “Lick” with Shenseea and lead single “Plan B”, but has remained relatively quiet otherwise.
Rod Wave – Beautiful Mind
That ends now with the release of Traumazine, an 18-song project that shifts attention from the drama surrounding Meg to the music itself. On the same subject : Saturday’s Sports: Watertown Rapids look set to retain consecutive wins. In addition to featuring some of its most fiery bars in recent memory, Traumazine includes a mind-boggling guest list including Future, Latto, Pooh Shiesty, Key Glock and Rico Nasty, as well as fellow Houston hard-core players Sauce Walka, Big Pokey and Lil Keke.
With such undeniable talent, it seemed clear that, one way or another, Florida singer Rod Wave would find his way into the spotlight. If it wasn’t “Heart On Ice,” her now triple platinum single from 2019, which catapulted her to stardom, it would be one of her next singles (“Girl Of My Dreams,” “Rags2Riches 2” with Lil Baby, or “Rock gravestone”); looking back the breakout seems destined.
Danger Mouse & Black Thought – Cheat Codes
Led by two winning singles in “Alone” and “Stone Rolling,” Rod Wave’s latest effort, Beautiful Mind, picks up exactly where SoulFly (and its deluxe) left off. Although the album is a lengthy 24 tracks, Wave carved out most of the space for itself, bringing only Jack Harlow, December Joy and comedian Druski for a play.
In the 2022 rap scene, Danger Mouse and Black Thought are two names that rarely appear. Hip Hop is a fast-paced genre with an homage to the past, but with a constant stream of trends, it’s hard for young listeners to keep up. That doesn’t mean the two veterans are irrelevant. As evidenced by Cheat Codes, their collaborative release, the duo are as sharp as ever.
Danger Mouse — producer responsible for projects such as The Gray Album, a cross between JAY-Z and The Beatles, The Mouse & Mouse with the late MF DOOM and more — a perfect fit for the rap of Black Thought, one of the most respected lyricists in all of Hip Hop.
Young Nudy – EA Monster
Cheat codes may appear on the surface to appeal to nostalgia, but listen closely and you’ll hear innovations present even after their combined decades in the music industry. Guest spots from MF DOOM, Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky and many more just amplify this project.
Atlanta rapper Young Nudy has graced the streets with brooding, slimy trap music since 2016’s Slimeball, a horror project that included one of his first hits on “Yeah Yeah.” Cousins of 21 Savage released several more albums over the following years before collaborating with renowned producer Pi’erre Bourne on Sli’merre, an album that is now considered the best album of Nudy’s career.
Royce Da 5’9″ – The Heaven Experience, Vol. 1
EA Monster, the 29-year-old rapper’s latest Atlanta-Noir release, first streamed earlier this week. With only 11 tracks (a rarity nowadays), EA Monster is sleek and tidy. Only one feature graces the album on BabyDrill, but it includes amazing producers from Bourne and COUPE to Rio Leyva and Mojo Krazy.
Destroy Lonely – NO STYLIST
Detroit lyricist Royce Da 5’9″ retraces his journey in Hip Hop with The Heaven Experience, Vol. 1, a 15-song highlight reel from his career spanning over 20 years. Including his 10 biggest songs from studio albums and mixtape releases — including “Hip Hop,” “Tabernacle” and Eminem-assisted “Caterpillar” — as well as five previously unreleased tracks, including a collaboration with Black Thought, Big K.R.I.T. and Courtney Bell.
Playboi Carti’s influence on Hip Hop in 2022 cannot be overstated. The list of his descendants is getting longer every day. Some of the artists who drew inspiration from King Vamp were biters; others, like Destroy Lonely, help push the sound forward.
Signed to Carti’s Opium Records, Destroy Lonely released his first album NezzusDestroyed in 2018, but really started to attract attention in 2019 with the wildly viral “Bane”, the following year with the album < / 3 and songs like “F.U.N.”
Joony – Pretty In Black (Deluxe)
NO STYLIST marks Lonely’s first album in two years and, for many fans of the Carti-influenced sub-genre, is the most anticipated album besides NARCISSIST.
It can be said that DMV rapper Joony had the best year of his career so far. In late May, Joony released Pretty In Black, one of the most underrated albums of the year. From there he was recruited by fellow DMV artist Brent Faiyaz to work on “FYTB,” one of the best pieces from his best-selling competitor WASTELAND. Now the “LIFESTYLE” MCs are back with a deluxe edition for their newest offering, adding ten new songs to the original eleven.
AUGUST 08 – Seasick
A unique blend of rap and R&B that draws influences from an eclectic variety of sources ranging from drums & bass (“DRIFTING IN TOKYO”) to love ballads (“DRUGS AND FASHION”). The deluxe edition continues to focus on dance, but is changed by Joony’s nuanced approach.
AUGUST 08’s newest rapper/singer hybrid effort, Seasick, has just arrived. AUGUST 08, another noteworthy newcomer capable of blazing summery tunes and more introspective and moody tunes, released his first album FATHER in 2018 and has continued to gain momentum ever since.
Your Old Droog – Yodney Dangerfield
Seasick, an extension of the EP Towards The Sun, added eight new songs to the original seven which included songs such as “Towards The Moon” and “Water Sign” with female singer Jhené Aiko.
If that wasn’t enough for you, be sure to stream Ivory (Marfil) Omar Apollo and OKANLAWON YungManny, this week’s honorable mentions.
Also check out this week’s New Music Friday Singles coverage, featuring new songs from Nicki Minaj, YG, Ari Lennox, Cordae, JID, Roc Marciano and more.
