{"id":438085,"date":"2025-12-10T15:19:37","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T15:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/438085\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T15:19:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T15:19:37","slug":"the-25-best-hip-hop-albums-of-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/438085\/","title":{"rendered":"The 25 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>From comeback albums by established legends to more experimental offerings from the younger generation, 2025 was a marquee year for rap, streaming numbers be damned<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tWe\u2019re at the end of yet another year where commentators and fans speculated on the health of the rap world. In October, it was reported that, for the first time in 35 years, there were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/billboard-hot-100-no-rap-songs-top-40-1235456294\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">no rap songs in the Top 40<\/a> on the Billboard Hot 100. This spurred a familiar discourse around the current \u201clack\u201d of rap superstars. JID, whose excellent album God Does Like Ugly was among the year\u2019s best, noted that the genre had simply gone back underground, and there would appear to be some evidence of that. Where 2025 might not have had the kind of mainstream commercial rap hit we\u2019ve grown accustomed to \u2014 especially from a certain rapper from Toronto \u2014 the year was as dynamic a year in rap as we\u2019ve seen in recent history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tFor one, we saw the return of many of the genre\u2019s legends. Clipse released their first album in 16 years, and Slick Rick returned to the mic with his signature vivid storytelling. New generation stars like Osamason and Che expanded the range of the \u201crage-rap\u201d universe, introducing melodic textures that prove the sound is more than a fleeting trend. Earl Sweatshirt delivered one of the most lyrically compelling projects of the past several years and MIKE provided more evidence that he\u2019s among the leaders of today\u2019s indie rap scene. All of which is to say that if you were looking for chart-topping hits this year, you might\u2019ve been disappointed but if you were looking for good hip-hop music, 2025 was one of the best years to be a rap fan. Here are our picks for the best hip-hop albums of the year. \u2014J.I.<\/p>\n<p class=\"production-credits-title-text \/\/  production-credits-title-text \/\/ lrv-u-display-inline lrv-u-font-family-basic u-font-size-15 lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase u-font-weight-800 u-letter-spacing-0 u-line-height-16\"> Photographs in Illustration<\/p>\n<p class=\"production-credits-markup \/\/ production-credits-markup \/\/ lrv-u-display-inline lrv-u-font-family-body lrv-u-font-size-13 lrv-u-line-height-16 u-letter-spacing-0\"> Thibaut Grevet; Brian Ziff; Scott Dudelson\/Getty Images; Amy Sussman\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<ul class=\"pmc-fallback-list-items lrv-a-unstyle-list lrv-u-margin-t-2\">\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tOpen Mike Eagle, \u2018Neighborhood Gods Unlimited\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"298\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Open Mike Eagle, 'Neighborhood Gods Unlimited'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Open-Mike-Eagle-Neighborhood-Gods-Unlimited.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tChicago-raised, Los Angeles-based rapper Open Mike Eagle has been making albums filled with observational comedy, self-deprecating wit, and quietly devastating tragedy for nearly two decades. Neighborhood Gods Unlimited marks a new creative peak. That\u2019s partly to excellent production from Child Actor, Kenny Segal, and others, who complement Mike\u2019s \u201cDark Comedy Television\u201d with softly insistent bops that fit him like a pair of comfortable shoes. Then there\u2019s his own charms, which include imagining himself as a shitworker who transforms at night into a Superman-like bedroom rapper. \u2014M.R.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tCardi B, \u2018Am I the Drama?\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Cardi B, 'Am I the Drama?'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Cardi-B-Am-I-the-Drama.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tOn\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-album-reviews\/cardi-b-am-i-the-drama-review-1235430895\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Am I the Drama?,\u00a0<\/a>Cardi B makes up for lost time with a massive comeback triumph. She\u2019s got a long list of scores to settle, enemies to crush, crowns to claim.\u00a0As always, she brings so much larger-than-life personality to the party that she could coast on charisma if she wanted. But Cardi\u2019s been in the news lately for everything\u00a0except\u00a0her music, so it\u2019s a trip to hear her finally get to cut loose and have fun. She\u2019s out to remind everyone she\u2019s looser, wilder, less predictable, just plain funnier than anyone else in the game. As she declares, \u201cAll of my cars is chauffeured\/I ain\u2019t touched door handles in years!\u201d \u2014R.S.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tAesop Rock, \u2018Black Hole Superette\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"aesop rock Black Hole Superette\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/aesop-rock-black-hole-superette-1.jpeg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tAt its best,\u00a0Black Hole Superette\u00a0elevates rap-for-rap\u2019s-sake into an ennobled Zen practice. Its guests include\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/billy-woods\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Billy Woods<\/a>\u00a0and ELUCID of Armand Hammer on \u201c1010 WINS,\u201d and Woods is particularly game for Aesop Rock\u2019s lyrical shadow play as he raps, \u201cLuckily or unluckily for me, my brain discrete analgesics.\u201d \u201cSo Be It\u201d is anchored by Open Mike Eagle\u2019s sung chorus, while \u201cCharlie Horse\u201d costars Homeboy Sandman and Lupe Fiasco. The contrast between Lupe and Aesop Rock is notable. The former fights against injustice, whether in national politics or the music industry, through deftly rendered yet sentimental opuses like last year\u2019s\u00a0Samurai. However, Aesop Rock finds joy in observing the strangeness of life, even as he remains aware of how brutal we can be towards one another.  \u2014 M.R<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tMobb Deep, \u2018Infinite\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"infinite\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/MD_INFINITE_COVER.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tMobb Deep\u2019s Infinite represents the best-case scenario for a posthumous album. Havoc and the Alchemist built each song from the late Prodigy\u2019s verses and hooks, arranging them atop production that upholds the classic Mobb Deep aesthetic. His bars aren\u2019t the stitched-together, bottom-barrel verses that often plague posthumous albums \u2014 tracks like the Nas-featured \u201cPour the Henny,\u201d and \u201cClear Black Nights\u201d with Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, are missives from beyond. True to that album title, Mobb Deep have made a boundless impact that will resonate as long as human history itself. \u2014Andre Gee<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tCentral Cee, Can\u2019t Rush Greatness<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Central Cee, \u2018Can\u2019t Rush Greatness\u2019\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Central-Cee-\u2018Cant-Rush-Greatness.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tCentral Cee\u2019s proven a reliable Gen Z hitmaker with the streaming stats to back it up, all before dropping a debut album. With Can\u2019t Rush Greatness, he\u2019s out to show that he can live up to the hype, and at 17 tracks spanning a range of sounds and styles, the album makes his case mightily. On opener \u201cNo Introduction,\u201d Cench flexes the international scale of his appeal, making a quick melody of the countries he\u2019s famous in \u2014 \u201cSweden, Norwegian, New Zealand\/Australian, Arab, Armenian, even Asia and Indonesian.\u201d You\u2019re inclined to believe him. To debut the record, he joined the ascendant Twitch streamer Plaqueboymax, playing the album live for more than 200,000 people. A true representative of his generation (\u201cGen Z Love\u201d has the makings of an anthem for an era), Cench is as attentive to the music as the optics surrounding it, and his acumen for both is what makes his debut album a success, and why his reign is likely just getting started.\u2014J.I.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tDrake and PartyNextDoor, \u2018$ome $exy $ongs 4 U\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Drake and Partynextdoor, '$ome $exy $ongs 4 U'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Drake-and-PARTYNEXTDOOR-\u2018ome-exy-ongs-4-U.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tBilled as an R&amp;B album in time for Valentine\u2019s Day,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-album-reviews\/drake-with-ome-exy-ongs-4-u-review-1235271531\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">$ome $exy $ongs 4 U<\/a>\u00a0is the first official project, albeit a collab, from Drake after a year of basically the entire world dragging his name through the mud. It\u2019s a savvy diversion, given it was only a few weeks before its release that the entire country wondered if he\u2019d get called a pedophile at the Super Bowl. That in mind, the LP is a clean, well-executed production of Drake\u2019s signature product meant to push the plot along \u2014 a slick new offering from the embattled Drake Cinematic Universe.\u00a0\u2014J.I.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tSlick Rick, \u2018Victory\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"slick rick victory\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/slick-rick-victory.jpeg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tVictory pairs Slick Rick\u2019s signature storytelling flair with a shimmering production palette that nods to the classic boom\u2011bap and club beats that he entered the rap world spinning street fables over. Throughout the record, he punctuates his witty, melodic rhymes with colorful vocal inflections as he tells a story of redemption. The album emerged after a period of turmoil, when the MC faced legal struggles and a shifting hip\u2011hop landscape. Rather than feeling dated, Slick Rick\u2019s comeback radiated a sense of liberation and resilience, reminding listeners why his earlier work was so influential. \u2014 R.S.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tOsamason, \u2018Jump Out\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Osamason, \u2018Jump Out\u2019\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Osamason-\u2018Jump-Out.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tOsamaSon is a 21-year-old rapper from Goose Creek, South Carolina, who, alongside a small coterie of rising acts his age, is beginning to define the coming zeitgeist in modern hip-hop. His album, Jump Out, released in February, is a 45-minute trip into the blistering sonic universe of his generation. The record offers a cohesively chaotic vision for the future \u2014 razor-sharp synths set ablaze in digital audio workstations, drums modulated to frequencies at the edge of the ear\u2019s functional limit, and lyrics like mantras punching straight through to one\u2019s lizard brain. A product of rendering emotional precision from the endless feed of information available everywhere all of the time. \u2014J.I.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tSaba and NoID, \u2018From the Private Collection of Saba and NoID\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"From the Private Collection of Saba and NoID\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Saba-and-No-I.D.-\u2018From-the-Private-smallerCollection-of-Saba-and-No-I.D-copy.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tWith a deft mix of soulful samples and \u00adoriginal loops from one of hip-hop\u2019s most consequential producers, From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID feels like a sliver of \u00adsunlight hitting you while you uncover treasures in your grandma\u2019s attic.Though the ever-lowkey Saba has built a dedicated fan base, Private Collection feels like a reintroduction, in which he\u2019s as skilled at magnifying the minutiae of his life \u2014 like growing out his hair and taking up yoga \u2014 as he is at processing horrors like the killings of some of the people closest to him. Yet the album radiates optimism and personality, a bright mosaic of the both artists\u2019 layered lives. \u2013 M.C.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tLizzo, \u2018My Face Hurts From Smiling\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Lizzo, 'My Face Hurts From Smiling'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Lizzo-My-Face-Hurts-From-Smiling.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tGetting back in touch with her hip-hop roots has inspired Lizzo and her collaborators to dig in deeper and craft a mixtape that allows her more space to play. The raunchy, high-energy\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-album-reviews\/lizzo-my-face-hurts-from-smiling-review-1235375645\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">My Face Hurts From Smiling<\/a> starts off with a bang \u2014 as Lizzo big-ups her ability to go \u201cthrough the bullshit, turn it to a boppin\u2019.\u201d That idea, where the only way out of a rough patch is through music, persists throughout the tape, with Lizzo sending fire in the direction of her naysayers and reveling in how unstoppable the idea of complete creative freedom makes her feel. \u2014Maura Johnston<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tFreddie Gibbs, \u2018Alfredo 2\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Freddie Gibbs, 'Alfredo 2'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Freddie-Gibbs-Alfredo-2.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tEach new Alchemist LP is greeted by a small but persistent audience clamoring for the legendary beatsmith to evolve from his palette of sleepy soft jazz and moody noir soundscapes. Others, correctly, never grow tired of filet mignon. This second link-up with Freddie Gibbs is predictably sumptuous, which is not a bad thing to be when Gibbs is still rapping with the intensity of someone with a gun to his head and the cool of someone who doesn\u2019t care. Gibbs\u2019 bitter edge cuts the smoky haze of Al\u2019s beats like a sip of cognac in a dimly lit back room. \u2014Clayton Purdom<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tMonaleo, \u2018Who Did the Body\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Monaleo, 'Who Did the Body'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Monaleo-Who-Did-the-Body.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tHouston rapper Monaleo\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-album-reviews\/monaleo-who-did-the-body-review-1235452875\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Who Did the Body\u00a0<\/a>feels like a meetup with cousins to celebrate life.\u00a0\u201cOpen the Gates\u201d is pure ancestral veneration in verse, calling out the names of her deceased friends, and the theme of transformation and death is paired with vivid storytelling on \u201cDignified.\u201d Monaleo embodies an ethic rooted in her community and commitment to Blackness as a way of life and art, a testament to the idea that the right way may be fulfilled when we learn to blend our Black livelihoods, combining the unorthodox and traditional. \u2014Meagan Jordan <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tJID, \u2018God Does Like Ugly\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"JID god does look ugly\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/JID-god-does-look-ugly.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tJID\u2019s fourth studio album, God Does Like Ugly doubles down on the southern hip\u2011hop and trap sounds that define his earlier work, all while taking adventurous and unexpected turns. \u201cSk8,\u201d with Ciara and EarthGang, taps into Atlanta\u2019s rollerskating culture and \u201cGlory\u201d brings listeners into the Black church, using a Memphis choir to weave a narrative about faith and family. \u201cNo Boo\u201d finds him rapping in Spanish alongside Jessie Reyez. In each creative pocket JID explores, he maintains his elastic flow and vivid sense of storytelling. Backed by an all\u2011star cast of producers like Lex Luger, Boi\u20111da and Thundercat, along with guest verses from Westside Gunn, Clipse and Vince Staples,  God Does Like Ugly is a well-crafted project that celebrates Atlanta\u2019s past while expanding its future. \u2014R.S.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tclipping., \u2018Dead Channel Sky\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"clipping dead channel sky\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/clipping-dead-channel-sky-1.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tOn Dead Channel Sky, clipping. move away from their horrorcore past and venture into a cyberpunk landscape that feels like the glitching sounds of the 56K modem whines that open the record on \u201cDominator.\u201d That track barrels forward with Daveed Diggs\u2019 spellbinding flow, critiquing techno capitalism and the increasingly eerie surveillance of social media. Producers William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes lace each track with shape-shifting electro-funk, pushing and pulling techno textures to create a warp-speed momentum. Guitar legend Nels Cline and indie rap luminaries like Aesop Rock offer guest verses, yet Diggs\u2019 agile rapping remains the centerpiece, blazing through the album\u2019s metallic soundscape, and making for one of the year\u2019s most adventurous hip-hop releases. \u2014 R.S.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tChance the Rapper, \u2018Star Line\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Chance the Rapper, 'Star Line'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Chance_SL_cover.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tWhen\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/t\/chance-the-rapper\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chance the Rapper<\/a>\u00a0announced his first album in six years, one couldn\u2019t help but wonder if the 32-year-old Chicago rapper had anything interesting left to offer. He hasn\u2019t lost his innate optimism, and it\u2019s that quality that ultimately makes\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-album-reviews\/chance-the-rapper-star-line-review-1235411038\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Star Line<\/a>\u00a0a worthy and even remarkable return to form. The album bursts with themes \u2014 Chance\u2019s affinity for Black people and his \u2019Raq hometown, the loneliness of being a bachelor, his love for his two daughters, and much else. Even when the big-tent vision falters, Chance sews the album\u2019s 17 tracks into a cohesive, memorable statement. \u2014Mosi Reeves<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tTyler, the Creator, \u2018Don\u2019t Tap The Glass\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"tyler the creator DON'T TAP THE GLASS\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Tyler-the-Creator-Dont-Tap-the-Glass-1.jpeg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tTyler, the Creator\u2019s Don\u2019t Tap the Glass folds his love of glossy soul, synth-funk, and vintage rap cadences into something that feels both meticulous and chaotic. Tyler famously treats production like  cinema, and on this record he\u2019s building a technicolor universe, drawing elaborate scenes in blossoming detail. Don\u2019t Tap the Glass arrives after years of Tyler challenging the borders of rap stardom, and lyrically he volleys between not-so-humble bragging about flying on private jets with Maverick Carter and Lebron James to more vulnerable raps about fame and a seemingly impossible romantic life. Rather than burden the tracks with any heaviness, Tyler\u2019s more melodic moments arrive with a kind of levity that refuses to settle into melancholy. On Don\u2019t Tap the Glass, Tyler is energized and also restless, using the album as a kind of terrarium where his thoughts and ideas grow into full fledged sonic ecosystems. \u2014J.I<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tChe, \u2018Rest in Bass\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"che rest in bass\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/che-rest-in-bass-1.jpeg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tChe\u2019s Rest in Bass, released in July, is a rage-rap treatise that pushes the 19-year-old Atlanta rapper\u2019s vocals to extremes and fuses Southern hip\u2011hop with the distorted industrial synths of the new generation. The album hits like getting flattened by an avalanche made of tangled audio cables. Blown-out bass hits and serrated synths crash against each other in tightly wound bursts while Che\u2019s half-shouted vocals melt into the production like someone trying to punch their way through the speakers. The album moves with an energy more rooted momentum and texture than clean structure, though there are flickers of melody that peek through the distortion. Featuring guest verses from underground staples OsamaSon, Xaviersobased, and Chuckyy, the album\u2019s chaotic layering of red\u2011lined bass and frenetic melodies offer a case study of rage-rap done properly. \u2014 J.I<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tLittle Simz, \u2018Lotus\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Little Simz, 'Lotus'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Little-Simz-Lotus.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tBritish rapper Little Simz\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-album-reviews\/little-simz-lotus-review-1235357856\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sixth album<\/a> and first after a public split with longtime producer Inflo feels more like living in her skin than any project she\u2019s done before. All of the album\u2019s instrumentals are crisp, careful, and raw, whether they\u2019re the rugged rock of \u201cThief\u201d and \u201cFlood,\u201d the jazzy R&amp;B of \u201cLonely\u201d and \u201cFree,\u201d the softly orchestral lament of \u201cHallow\u201d or the vintage Afrobeat of \u201cLion,\u201d and her hard-earned sense of self-worth courses through every song. In the aftermath of an imploded childhood friendship,\u00a0Lotus is\u00a0a rigorous ode to the trauma and wisdom of truly growing up. \u2014M.C.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tThe Boy Who Played the Harp<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"dave the boy who played the harp\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dave-The-Boy-Who-Played-Harp-1.jpeg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tDave\u2019s third studio album The Boy Who Played the Harp, released in October, presents an introspective sound that blends gospel\u2011inflected UK rap with elements of afrobeats and R&amp;B. Mostly self\u2011produced under his Santan alias, the ten\u2011track record leans on sparse piano lines, fluid chords and subtle percussion to build a contemplative, almost devotional atmosphere. Throughout the album Dave explores themes of faith, destiny and identity, framing himself as a modern David, drawing on biblical references as well as a slick and earnest style of personal reflection that by now has become the rapper\u2019s trademark. 2025 was a marquee year for UK rap with breakout acts like Jim Legxacy (Who appears on Dave\u2019s album) as well as proven crossovers like Central Cee. With The Boy Who Played the Harp, Dave delivers yet another reason to pay close attention to the rap scene across the Atlantic. \u2014 J.I.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tMIKE, Showbiz!<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"MIKE, \u2018Showbiz!\u2019\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/MIKE-\u2018Showbiz.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tMike\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/mike-and-tony-seltzer-pinball-ii-review-1235334667\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Showbiz!<\/a>\u00a0is a stellar glimpse into the human experience \u2014 24 songs that offer a wide-ranging glimpse of the Brooklyn-based rhymer\u2019s personal excavation over a variety of beats. On \u201cWatered down,\u201d he admits, \u201cI get hotheaded and mean sometimes, my fault, forgive me\u201d over a chipper, high-pitches sample. \u201cMan in the mirror\u201d shows him rhyming over an upbeat dance track, while \u201cWhen it Rains\u201d has a groove that harkens to his excellent\u00a0Pinball\u00a0series with producer Tony Seltzer. There aren\u2019t many artists as vulnerable as Mike, and even fewer craft their reflections with his technical precision. \u2014A.G.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tBilly Woods, \u2018Golliwog\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Billy Woods, 'Golliwog'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Billy-Woods-\u2018Golliwog.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tBilly Woods rose out of the Brooklyn rap underground as a virtuoso poet, one of hip-hop\u2019s most independent and brilliant minds over the past two decades. On\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/billy-woods-golliwog-review-1235335615\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Golliwog<\/a>, he goes for an album full of horror stories. It\u2019s a densely poetic, totally masterful tour de force where Woods lets his expansive imagination run loose in a dystopia where the real-life monsters are scarier than anything he could invent.\u00a0Golliwog\u00a0is a horror show that demands \u2014 and replays \u2014 close attention. But it\u2019s an album that offers no comfort \u2014 for Woods, the monsters are everywhere, and survival means keeping on your toes. \u2014R.S.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tJim Legxacy, \u2018Black British Music\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Jim Legxacy, 'Black British Music'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Jim-Legxacy-Black-British-Music.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tAs a writer, the U.K.-based musician Jim Legxacy\u2019s talents lie in his nimble sense of songcraft. Take the cheekily titled \u201cI just banged a snus in canada water,\u201d from his mixtape Black British Music. He\u2019s effectively pumping himself up in the mirror, growling the hook, \u201cI can\u2019t let them do me like they did me as a kid,\u201d which itself manages to carry within it a world of meaning. Black British Music succeeds in expressing something deeply personal. The sound of hospital vital monitors on album closer \u201cbrief,\u201d like the flurry of samples throughout the record, strikes a singular emotional frequency. Like Nas\u2019s Illmatic, Black British Music paints a portrait of a young artist as informed by their heart as their surroundings. While Legxacy feels like \u201cthere\u2019s always gonna be mud,\u201d as he says on \u201cContext,\u201d his latest mixtape is remarkably hopeful. \u2014 J.I.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tEarl Sweatshirt, \u2018Live Laugh Love\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Earl Sweatshirt, 'Live Laugh Love'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Earl-Sweatshirt-Live-Laugh-Love.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tEarl Sweatshirt has become known for rhyming in hushed tones over melancholy production, a sound that\u2019s birthed an entire wing of like-minded indie rappers. But that\u2019s just one part of his artistic arsenal. On his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-album-reviews\/earl-sweatshirt-live-laugh-love-review-1235418293\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">latest album<\/a>, Sweatshirt proposes that sometimes rap superiority can just be about a strong pen and the power of language, breakthroughs, and life lessons can be as resonant as anthemic hooks and slogans, and it can all happen over tailor-made beats that are indifferent to mass appeal.\u00a0Live Laugh Love is the kind of rap mastery that shuns maximalism for pristine, unadorned poetics. \u2014A.G.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tPlayboi Carti, \u2018Music\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Playboi Carti, 'Music'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Palyboi-Carti-\u2018Music.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tPlayboi Carti\u2019s 2020 album, Whole Lotta Red, is a foundational text for dozens if not hundreds of extremely online acts.\u00a0With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-album-reviews\/playboi-carti-music-review-1235297700\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Music<\/a>, Playboi Carti seems decidedly aware of his potential as a generational talent. There are a handful of moments where synthesized washes burble and soar, the net effect of arena lights splashing onto a crowd of thousands. As Carti stands on the mountaintop, he finds himself looking back at his journey as well as admiring the view and puzzling over his inevitable descent. Even when he slips into an uninspired chant or exhausts with his monomaniacal focus on drugs, women, cars, and taunting opps, he still magnetizes as a unique pop star.\u00a0\u2014M.R<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"pmc-fallback-list-item-wrap lrv-u-margin-b-2\">\n<p>\tClipse, \u2018Let God Sort Em Out\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Clipse, 'Let God Sort Em Out'\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Clipse-Let-God-Sort-Em-Out.jpg\" data-lazy- data-lazy-\/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-line-height-copy  lrv-a-font-body-l   \">\n\tIn the first decade of the 2000s, there were few hip-hop acts with standards as exacting as the\u00a0Clipse. Their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-album-reviews\/clipse-let-god-sort-em-out-pusha-malice-1235371027\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">first album since 2009 <\/a>shows that Pusha T and Malice are still the ice-cold lyrical kingpins you remember. \u201cP.O.V.\u201d is a showcase for their finest luxury-car wordplay (\u201cThe only Audi here is driven by my au pair\u201d); \u201cEBITDA\u201d makes a memorable hook out of the\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Earnings_before_interest,_taxes,_depreciation_and_amortization\">biz-school term<\/a>\u00a0for \u201cearnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization\u201d; \u201cF.I.C.O.,\u201d as in\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Credit_score_in_the_United_States#FICO_score\">credit scores<\/a>, recounts high-stakes turnpike trips vividly enough to send a chill up your spine. The songs that aren\u2019t named after acronyms are just as excellent. \u2014S.V.L.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From comeback albums by established legends to more experimental offerings from the younger generation, 2025 was a marquee&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":438086,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[11259,31346,197008,171,78964,197844,13765,202534,54258,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-438085","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-cardi-b","9":"tag-clipse","10":"tag-earl-sweatshirt","11":"tag-entertainment","12":"tag-jid","13":"tag-jim-legxacy","14":"tag-mike","15":"tag-osamason","16":"tag-playboi-carti","17":"tag-united-states","18":"tag-unitedstates","19":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115695952383171841","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=438085"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438085\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/438086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=438085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=438085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=438085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}