Best of The Month – May 2024

Mach-Hommy’s art is as unique as a SAMO canvas and could easily hang in the MOMA in New York. The rapper originally from Haiti, not only shares the origins of Jean-Michel Basquiat, but also in some way the original and disruptive artistic genius with respect to contemporary art and culture. Afro-Caribbean musical and cultural influences flow heavily within the veins of Mach-Hommy’s music as well as the centuries of suffering that oppressed the Haitian people, first deported into slavery from Mother Africa, then subjected to extreme poverty by various foreign sovereigns , violence and cataclysms. Mach-Hommy also in #RICHAXXXHAITIAN manages to elevate his music to art, thanks to an accurate musical production and his original poetic flow, bringing inside the soul of the people of Haiti.

Conway The Machine’s ambition is now increasingly clear: to have his face carved on the Mount Rushmore of Hip-Hop and become a legend. Money and success are nothing compared to eternal glory. Slant Face Killah represents another step towards immortality cementing his legacy.

The West Coast Hip-Hop scene has woken up to an unexpected new leader: The father of Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy, Big-Hit, after having served his long sentence, has not only decided to take back his life but also to lead with his voice the L.A. and California Hip-Hop movement and streets. In fact, after having already released one of the best albums of 2024 together with The Game in January, he returns with this new “Black & Whites”, produced by none other than The Alchemist and Hit-Boy. The time spent still, deprived of his freedom, gave him the opportunity to reflect and write down the many things to say, thus filling that void of an authoritative O.G voice, that can lead people in the tumultuous times we are living  through music. All this on the incredible musical carpet created by the two Californian super producers.

In Houston,Texas, Lil Keke’s name is not far from the importance level of the legendary pivot of the Houston Rockets of the 90s, Olajuwon. Raised in the legendary DJ SCREW’s crew, the Screwed Up Click, Houston Rap veteran Lil’ Keke returns with, in our opinion, one of the best albums of the month: Can’t Rain Forever. He brought out  together legends, OG’s and new idols from the local and beyond Rap scene, giving his city a testament of its legacy and an album that also has the intent to educate the next generation to survive the turbulent streets of Houston.

MONDO $LADE is one of the hot new names on the stars and stripes underground scene. Unorthodox in both style and ideas, the Cleveland-born rapper brings freshness and a new energy to the panorama of the American underground, while maintaining a grimey, dirty and decidedly underground style. SHE LOVES ME NOT is a romance concept album with a strong street and gangsta approach.

Rome Streetz is day by day becoming the knight of Brooklyn and the entire New York City underground rap scene, where skills, street lyricism and the authentic flavor of the New York streets converge. In Buck 50, Wavy Da Ghawd also provides him with the perfect musical carpet to demonstrate all his talent and sharp rhymes.

Memphis legend, member of Three Six Mafia, Juicy J, despite his long career, has never quit releasing music and, we can say, is one of the few veterans who has always managed to keep up with the music market , never really going out of fashion. Onthe other hand, productivity and commercial compromises cannot always go hand in hand with artistic inspiration and the overall quality of each release. In our opinion, as early Juicy J fans, this Mental Trillness 2 is one of the best projects released by the North Memphis rapper in the last 10 years, whose vibes took us back to the creepy sounds of the old Three Six Mafia.

There are few MC’s on the scene right now with the talent and street credibility of Kensington (not far from Philadelphia) rapper OT The Real. PALE HORSE is the demonstration that, if we understood the rap game as a horse race, OT The Real would be among the horses to bet on for the best placings at the finish line.

Being fly and class cannot be bought or paid for in gold, but if you have the innate talent and natural flyness of the rapper, artist and stylist from Buffalo (NY) Billie Esco (other than brother of the home producer Griselda Records Camoflauge Monk) or of the Toronto MC, 6Th Letter, member of Raz Fresco’s BKRSCLB then it becomes easier to do FLY stuff, just like this THE CREAM TAPE.