The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Cardi B, Chika, Lil Baby, and more.
New releases this week came from Gunna (“F*kumean“), Flo Milli (“Flo The Whistle“), and more, but the pickings were slim after a busy week prior. The highlights included Cardi B, who teamed up with FendiDa Rappa for yet another of her signature remixes, “Point Me 2” (and stole the show as usual), Chika, who finally announced the impending release of her debut album with “Demigod,” and Lil Baby, who commemorated Fanatic’s Merch Madness with a song of the same name.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending July 7, 2023.
Conway The Machine , Drumwork Music Group — Drumwork: The Album
Conway The Machine’s label — which consists of 7xvethegenius, Goosebytheway, Jae Skeese, Shots Almigh, and SK Da King — unites for its first-ever group compilation album. There are guest appearances from Conway’s Griselda compatriot Benny The Butcher and fellow New York natives 38 Spesh and Rome Streetz. You already know what to expect. It’s gritty, it’s grimy … it’s gangsta.
Supastition, Praise, Speaker Bullies — Art Of Disrespect
Supastition is a personal favorite. A rapper’s-rapper from North Carolina who tells it like it is, Sup teams up here with Praise and Speaker Bullies for a sample-heavy, drum-driven, bars-over-everything trad-rap album full of slick wordplay and old-school humor. It’s definitely grumpy old man hip-hop, but if you don’t like it, you can get off my lawn.
King Von — “Heartless” Feat. Tee Grizzley
The complete depths of Von’s vault have yet to be plumbed, but provided the quality remains as consistent as it has been, I reluctantly say “Plunder away.” Pairing the Chicago standout with one of his Midwestern street rap brethren is the sort of savvy decision that keeps Von’s posthumous releases from getting stale.
Mick Jenkins — “Smoke Break-Dance” Feat. JID
An Uproxx fave once again pokes his head out to prepare listeners for yet another heady, lyrically-focused release, presumably coming in the very near future. Meanwhile, JID makes for the perfect counterpoint to this wordy release as another rapper in a similar vein who can actually keep up with him from a delivery standpoint.
Symba — “Hell Of A Feeling” Feat. LaRussell
Bay Area boys unite on this track from a pair of plainspoken — but relentlessly witty and insightful — rappers who refuse to lower their standards to fit into the industry. I’ve tweeted repeatedly about how much I love what LaRussell does, so seeing him get this look (I know they know each other, but rarely do majors and indies get to keep personal relations intact on actual music releases) warms my heart.
Valee & Harry Fraud — “Vibrant” Feat. Action Bronson
Okay, I know I’ve been critical of Valee’s prior output but it appears he’s found the perfect ingredient to cut my salty responses: La musica de Harry Fraud. With a tinkling, soulful beat, Valee’s … unconventional flow suddenly sounds as magical as I’ve been told it is. I’m sure those folks who told me this will now reverse course, because that’s how these things usually go, but for now, I get it and I’m all in.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.