With most of the hip-hop world’s mind still on the Kendrick and Drake beef, a number of rap releases in these early January-February months are getting overlooked. There are many hip-hop projects releasing soon that will garner mainstream attention.
So, Super Bowl performance aside, new Drake record aside, mainstream hip-hop aside — here are four great underground rap albums out right now.
“Sorry I Been Ballin” — Rx Papi
Starting off with Rx Papi’s “Sorry I Been Ballin,” the Bronx-rapper ventures into new territories that even he has not fully crossed into yet. This east-coast trap-plugg project mixes witty and self-referential lyricism, as well as anxiety-inducing, chilling production.
The third track, “One Foot In Pt. 2,” incorporates all of these elements and more. The haunting production acts as a backdrop to Papi’s boastful yet disturbing lyrics. While impressively well conceptualized, the project just takes off from there.
“Fay Da 5th,” “Narcissistic Narcotic Abuser” and “No Voodoo To Bring Da Dead Bacc” are my favorite tracks on “Sorry I Been Ballin.” All of these tracks seem like they are more of the same, however, that may be the point. Each performance from Papi, each of the track’s production and atmosphere make you feel the everlasting dread and weight that Papi feels.
“Jump Out” — OasamaSon
“Jump Out” by OsamaSon seems like just your basic, annoyingly high-pitched, overly excited rage rap record … and you would be partially right.
Walking in the footsteps of Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Ken Carson and Yeat, OsamaSon’s newest folly is an album basking in its influence fully. Mixing in elements of rage, trap, plugg, digicore and tread music, “Jump Out” may seem too large and bloated of a record to succeed. Despite this, I can say that OsamaSon’s third record is his best yet.
“Jump Out” is a maximalist outing akin to the most lavish and decadent hip-hop records of the 2010s — just in a different way. “Break Da News,” “Made Sum Plans” and “Frontin” are some of the best rages he has to offer.
Yes, it is overly high-energy. Yes, it is biting a lot of flows from rage-pioneers like Carti. And yes, it is very, very niche. However, I think “Jump Out” has a lot to offer for fans of this subgenre.
This record is perfect for mosh-pit enthusiasts, drivers who love to blow out their car-speakers or just your acreage fan. Give “Jump Out” a chance and you may find yourself smiling — just a bit.
“Leaving Home” — FearDorian
Fear Dorian is in the same cloudy, low-end, sample-filled rap camp that artists like Polo Perks is in. But unlike Polo, Dorian fields this lo-fi atmosphere in both the production on the record and the vocal work.
Dorian uses the lo-fi production and simple beats to his advantage. Tracks like “Forecasting” and “Las Vegas” rely on unique vocal and guitar samples to lay out a groundwork for Dorian’s jerky flows and on-the-nose lyrics.
The features on this project are not only well done, but they also complement the album perfectly. The aforementioned Polo Perks is on “Floor Tom,” digicore artist Quinn is on “Las Vegas” and of the members of now defunct experimental hip-hop group Injury Reserve — RiTchie — is on “Not Just Yet.”
“Leaving Home” is definitely one of the most unique rap projects I have heard in a long time, and a breath of fresh air.
“Dear Psilocybin” — Zelooperz
A dreamy yet dreary project, “Dear Psilocybin” by Detroit underground rap veteran Zelooperz is a real treat. At many points on this short-but-sweet record, Zelooperz conveys a druggy and slurred inflection.
The mood on this project is immaculate and he really sells a faded feeling on this album. At some points on “Dear Psilocybin,” Zelooperz uses multiple voices: some high-pitched and manic, as well as low-pitched and dopey. Songs like “Explain it Scientifically” and “Sweet Celine” explain these feelings perfectly.
This album is not just one note though, the Boldy James assisted “Hansel & Gretel” is the closest we get to a hardcore hip-hop track on here. The screeching, staccato piano chords really lend to a tense atmosphere.
“Dear Psilocybin” is one of those albums that leaves you wanting more. The abstract, drumless beats by Real Bad Man and the intriguing vocal performance by Zelooperz is a match made in heaven.
