BILLY WOODS – Golliwog
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BILLY WOODS – Golliwog

Indie rap isn’t dead. By bringing in his longtime producers (El-P, Ant, Preservation, Kenny Segal, The Alchemist) and rappers in his vein (Bruiser Wolf, Elucid, Cavalier), by invoking Company Flow, MF DOOM, and Antipop Consortium, and by delivering a Black, committed, and experimental form of rap, Billy Woods carries on the underground tradition of the 1990s.
GORILLA GLUE & LIL NAKUR – Russian Trap House
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GORILLA GLUE & LIL NAKUR – Russian Trap House

Long live globalization. It makes this kind of glorious absurdity possible. Trap-A-Holics-style trap music, complete with all the sounds and imagery that come with it, but cooked up by real muzhiks, by backwoods hicks from deep rural Russia rapping about saunas, and eating pancakes. And what's more, their music actually works, as if this style of rap had truly been born over there.
IDK – e.t.d.s. A Mixtape by .idk
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IDK – e.t.d.s. A Mixtape by .idk

Duality is embedded in the very meaning of IDK's stage name: his rap is both "ignorant" and "conscious." On "E.T.D.S.", however, it is the "I" that takes center stage. Its content is devilish and gangsta. Yet in reality, this faux mixtape- which takes us back to the days of DJ Whoo Kid and G-Unit - is a carefully crafted album, one that does not abandon its urge to preach a moral message.
MCKINLEY DIXON – Magic, Alive!
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MCKINLEY DIXON – Magic, Alive!

McKinley Dixon, this is artistry through and through. A jazz-infused musical framework, with real instruments weaving unpredictable flourishes. Lyrics that tell a story, play with layers of meaning, and explore major themes. Guest appearances from artists rooted in other genres, or from the same school of rap. And in the end, an album filled with standout moments and, yes, a touch of magic.
CEO TRAYLE – Happy Halloween 3
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CEO TRAYLE – Happy Halloween 3

Every year, CEO Trayle releases a new edition of his "Happy Halloween" series. The most important is probably that one, in 2020. The one featuring his signature track “OK Cool.” And also the one that runs counter to that breakup song, with a nihilistic, drill-inspired atmosphere, fueled by the rapper’s traumas and by this composite sound that sounds like no one but him.
MEXIKODRO – Still Goin The EP
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MEXIKODRO – Still Goin The EP

MexikoDro, the producer who, together with his Beat Plugz colleagues, created plugg, returns to his roots. Stepping up to the mic, he successfully revisits the motivational trap music of its early days. Except that after all these years, that same motivation has changed in nature: the veteran’s aspiration now is to live a sober, ordinary life, harboring no illusions about anything.
JOHN GLACIER – Like A Ribbon
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JOHN GLACIER – Like A Ribbon

This occasional model that is John Glacier has all the hallmarks of a Londoner. Her wide-ranging circle, her music infused with post-punk and electronic influences, her monotone, low-key poetry, and her doubts and uncertainties ultimately have very little to do with rap. Nevertheless, on this compilation album, her formula often proves as haunting as it is seemingly disembodied.
TYLER, THE CREATOR – Don’t Tap The Glass
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TYLER, THE CREATOR – Don’t Tap The Glass

This is Tyler, the Creator’s dance album. His return to basics, as signaled by a cover that evokes 1980s hip-hop. But as this grotesque, parodic image also suggests, everything very quickly takes on a particular tone - acidic, acrimonious, and atrabilious - with a rapper like him. The sound is funky, but the sharp-tongued provocateur from Odd Future is still very much present.
KEY GLOCK – Glockaveli
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KEY GLOCK – Glockaveli

Following the success that was "Glockoma 2", Key Glock once again demonstrates, with his first album released through a major label, that he is capable of stepping into Young Dolph’s big shoes. With releases like "Glockaveli", he and his crew are securing for their label, Paper Route Empire, another decade at the forefront of the rap game - and the top spot within Memphis’s vibrant scene.
BIG YAVO – Dingers
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BIG YAVO – Dingers

Like him, hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, Big Yavo is Luh Soldier’s brother-in-arms. If "Dingers" is not quite what its title claims - a perfect hit, a home run - it is nonetheless his best album to date. It is a funny, full-blooded release, delivered with gusto by a bona fide showman, in a style that may be well-worn but remains effective: that of rough, unruly Southern rap tradition.
PAYROLL GIOVANNI – If Not Me Then Who
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PAYROLL GIOVANNI – If Not Me Then Who

Payroll Giovanni is one of the greatest, period. Since his days with Doughboyz Cashout, he has built a remarkable and hard-hitting discography. With this album, he adds yet another solid brick to an already towering body of work. It’s titled "If Not Me Then Who", and this is a fair question. If this man isn’t the greatest rapper to come out of Detroit, then who else could truly claim that title?
RIO DA YUNG O.G. – F.L.I.N.T. (Feeling Like Im Not Through)
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RIO DA YUNG O.G. – F.L.I.N.T. (Feeling Like Im Not Through)

Some come out of prison worn down, but others emerge in top form. In 2025, Rio Da Yung O.G. clearly belongs to the latter category. Dedicated to his city, his second album since his release is a success. Whether solo or alongside RMC Mike, YN Jay, and a few others, its leading figure does justice to Flint rap with a project packed to the brim with his flavorful, off-the-wall antics.