The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Benny The Butcher, Lil Durk, and more.
A relatively slow week produced the video for Vince Staples’ “Magic,” as well as a new video for Kanye West’s anti-Pete Davidson song “Eazy,” whie Friday saw the releases of Key Glock’s “Painkillers,” Latto’s “Wheelie” with 21 Savage, and Megan Thee Stallion’s unsettling “Sweetest Pie” featuring Dua Lipa, along with the releases listed below.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 19, 2021.
Benny The Butcher — Tana Talk 4
The latest addition to the ever-expanding Griselda empire finds Benny trading verses with J. Cole, Boldy James, Stove God Gooks, and the rest of his Buffalo-based bar-bearing battalion, as well as remixing one of The Notorious B.I.G.’s fan-favorite album cuts.
Dave East — HDIGH
Concision is the key to pulling off a lot of lyrics-forward rap releases — something it seems Dave East has finally figured out. He makes his latest project’s nine songs count, roping in both soulful singers like Anthony Hamilton and Musiq Soulchild and fellow rhyme-first advocates like Benny The Butcher, Method Man, and Trae The Truth.
Fly Anakin — Frank
Fly Anakin is calling this his debut album, which is fine by me. It’s certainly sonically worthy of the title, as he strips away any unnecessary features (and even the drums on many of the 17 tracks) to reintroduce himself to potential fans who might not be aware of his extensive mixtape catalog.
Kali — Toxic Chocolate
When Latto jumped on Kali’s breakout hit “Mmm Mmm,” I knew the up-and-coming ATLien was going to be a star. Her debut EP goes a long way toward proving it, flipping gender dynamics and cleverly reimagining hometown hits for a new, social media-savvy generation.
Lil Durk — 7220/em>
The delay might well have been worth it; Lil Durk’s latest is a polished crowd-pleaser. The Windy City veteran sticks close to his comfort zone, but since when has that ever been a bad thing? When he does, it’s on the head-scratching closer with Morgan Wallen, which the unlikely collaborators actually make work.
Tobi Lou — Non-Perishable
The perky Chicagoan follows up his 2019 project Live On Ice with an eclectic mix of upbeat songs displaying a chipper flow, a gift for hooky melodies, and a whimsical sense of humor backed by sumptuous synth-laden production.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.