More than any other genre, July was a triumphant time for hip hop. The month saw releases from legends as huge as Eminem and as iconic as Rakim, with countless albums dropped by MCs old, new, and underground. There have been myriad notable rap albums in 2024, but now is a better time than ever to be a hip hop fan.
Eminem – The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace) (2024) [Hip Hop]
The Death of Slim Shady is an album I adore in concept but feel indifferent towards in execution. An album all about the mischievous Slim Shady trying to sabotage the modern career of Eminem is a fun idea, but the rapper does little to unleash the concept’s potential. There are great moments here and there like the debate Em has with himself on “Guilty Conscience II” and the Eminem Show throwback “Houdini”, but otherwise, Coup de Grace fails to engage me.
With constant jabs at the transgender community, cancel culture, and Christopher Reeve, Eminem rehashes the same subject matter time and time again, reducing its shock value and, in turn, creating a monotonous listen. The beats are dark and atmospheric, pairing nicely with the twisted persona of Slim Shady, but the hooks simply don’t captivate me. His rapping ability is still apparent, but when that talent is used to repeat the same punchlines and tired cancel culture themes, the performance loses its impact.
Denzel Curry – Kings of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 (2024) [Southern Hip Hop]
After reaching his creative height with the introspective glory of Melt My Eyez See Your Future, this mixtape sees Denzel Curry strip back the emotion to focus solely on sound. Vol. 2 is a love letter to Southern hip hop, embracing the double-time flows, reverbed vocals, and woozy production of Memphis rap.
The mixtape is an eclectic fusion of sounds found all across the South, with Curry inviting on a plethora of hip hop legends to bask in the hard-hitting, grimy atmosphere. “ULTRA SHXT” is a spacey callback to the days of Three 6 Mafia; “HOODLUMZ” is a synth-laden banger where Denzel, Rocky, and Zay roar into the mic. What the songs lack in any deeper meaning or lyrical nuance, Curry makes up for with some of the most explosive, energetic, and consistent work of his career. Every hook is hypnotic; every verse is delivered with maximum energy and bravado. Not every feature leaves the same impact, but Curry delivers on every performance, asserting himself as one of the most consistent rappers working today.
Common & Pete Rock – The Auditorium Vol. 1 (2024) [Jazz Rap & Midwest Hip Hop]
Over the past decade, the soulful sound of the Soulquarians and Midwestern hip hop have faded into the background, but The Auditorium is proof that the style will never fully die. The long-awaited collaboration between Common and Pete Rock is about as excellent as any rap fan might expect, with slick jazz rap instrumentals and poetic verses laced throughout its 15 tracks. Common is predictably consistent on the mic, offering an array of colourful verses brimming with insight, wordplay, and elegant rhyme schemes.
Perhaps the greatest strength of The Auditorium is its production. Pete Rock is a master of beat-making, crafting a summery soundscape through his seamless talent to weave modern drum patterns with vintage soul samples. “Dreamin’” is the prime example of this: a vibrant opener where Common floats over a wave of upbeat vocals, triumphant horns, and some head-bopping percussion. The Auditorium does not break the mould, but rather, it sees two of hip hop’s greatest talents perfect their signature sound for one of the best collaborations this decade.
Rakim – G.O.Ds NETWORK (REB7RTH) (2024) [East Coast Hip Hop]
A decade and a half after his last album, G.O.Ds NETWORK is the unexpected comeback of Rakim, the God MC who blessed hip hop with classics like Paid In Full and Follow the Leader. Unfortunately, however, the legend’s new album doesn’t hold a candle to the heights of his early work. Across its seven songs, Rakim only offers three verses, stepping back for an overwhelming 26 features to dominate the project. As a result, G.O.Ds NETWORK hardly feels like a Rakim album at all.
On the positive side, Rakim produced the entire album himself. The beats are nothing extraordinary, but the smooth, soulful loops offer a simple foundation for the plethora of rappers to rhyme over. The performances are competent, but rarely is there a standout verse. Despite having a stacked list of guests including Method Man, Masta Killa, DMX, Kool G Rap, and Prodigy, no rapper delivers their best performance. Even worse, the poor mixing makes it apparent that the MCs featured were never in the same studio, as if the album is a stitched-together compilation of throwaway verses rather than a cohesive body of work. Looking at the track-list, G.O.Ds NETWORK looks like a dream for those who miss hip hop’s Golden Age, but the music itself is a far cry from the classics of that era.
Blu & Evidence – Los Angeles (2024) [West Coast Hip Hop]
Blu has long-been one of the most versatile and consistent rappers in the West Coast, and Los Angeles is further evidence of that. Teaming up with rapper-producer Evidence, the album sees the duo embrace the eclectic sounds of California, using the soundscape to narrate all the highs and lows of living in the summery streets of LA.
“Three Wheel Motion” is a psychedelic whirlpool of drowsy, droning vocals; “LA Traffic” is an ear-shattering bombardment of percussion, replicating the thunderous sounds of the busy LA streets; “Wild Wild West” is a gentle, soulful cut with some classic chipmunk soul production. The variety of sounds on display, paired with the consistency of each MC, makes for an exciting listen where nothing is predictable aside from the unwavering quality of every verse.
John Coltrane – A Love Supreme (1965) [Post-Bop & Spiritual Jazz]
For newcomers to jazz, A Love Supreme is perhaps the best entryway into the masterful catalogue of John Coltrane. The album opens up with a hiss of percussion, soon making way for a lively sax solo from Coltrane himself. From there, A Love Supreme expands into a rich world of ever-evolving sounds, with horns, bass, and the rhythm section all playing in unison to maintain the triumphant soundscape.
From time to time, the musicians break away from the unity to perform long and intricate solos before joining back together as one, representing all the highs, lows, and surprises of life through the sound of music. Although the structure is not as clean or digestible as other Coltrane classics like Blue Train or Giant Steps, the sheer emotion exuded in each performance is enough to consider A Love Supreme one of the best jazz albums ever made.
Prince – Sign O the Times (1987) [Funk & R&B]
Following a run of classics in the ‘80s including Purple Rain and 1999, Prince outdid himself yet again with the funk-infused brilliance of Sign O the Times. An epic 80 minute double album, the LP is a testament to the boundless creativity and versatility of Prince as an artist. Emotional ballads are sandwiched between energetic funk jams and triumphant pop cuts, with political messages blended in with party anthems and sexually-charged highlights. From the raunchy duet “U Got the Look” to the climactic build of funk sounds on “It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night”, every song on Sign O the Times is a contender for the best song of 1987.
8ch2Owens & Tali Rodriguez – The Art Attack (2024) [Southern Hip Hop]
After a tumultuous period in 8ch’s life, The Art Attack is the product of all that unrest: a cathartic adventure into the rapper’s psyche, scored by Atlanta beatmaker Tali Rodriguez. The album sees 8ch explore his inner struggles, but ultimately his perseverance to push through them. That sense of hope is reflected in the music – 11 high-energy tunes filled with bombastic flows and complex rhymes from the MC. Rodriguez offers a range of colourful beats for 8ch to glide over, with highlights including the pulsing synth-line on “Coastin” and the spiral of finely-diced orchestral samples throughout “Party Hats”. The most vulnerable, introspective, and explosive album from 8ch2Owens, The Art Attack is an unforgettable statement on the power music has to heal.
INSMNC – Echoes II (2024) [Dance & Experimental Hip Hop]
INSMNC is one of the most inventive voices in the underground. The producer has made a name for himself by blending samples from various genres, creating amalgamations of noise no other beatmaker would dare to fuse. Echoes II is yet another experimental joyride from INSMNC – a cosmic splatter of sounds Eastern and Western, weaved together by the tight grooves of dance and hip hop.
The opener, “Garaabara”, entrances the listener with a passage of didgeridoo, quickly smothered in drums, stuttering vocals, flute, and synths. “Bira Ceremony” is another highlight, where a groovy bassline is wrapped up in layers of pitched-down vocals. Echoes II bridges the gap between the traditional and the modern, blending synths with digeridoo, communal chants with electric basslines, and flute passages with drum machines.
L1FEL1NE – Friends with Judas (2024) [Emo Rap & Trap]
Described as “devilish trap,” Friends with Judas is the twisted debut album from rapper L1FEL1NE. The artist combines the tight, danceable rhythms of trap music with the edge and grit of emo and metal. As a result, the album is as catchy as it is foreboding, with meticulous, hypnotic instrumentals contrasted by guttural vocals and moody verses. On some tracks, L1FEL1NE offers a breathy, icy-voiced performance; on others, he screams into the mic, straining his voice with the anguish and volume of a black metal vocalist. The constant dichotomy between his benumbed rapping and ferocious screaming keeps the listener on their toes, with his sudden change in delivery acting almost as a musical jump-scare.
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