5 Hip-Hop & Rap Albums I Overlooked In 2024
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Despite Happy New Year greetings now officially past their proverbial sell-by date, I can't seem to quit 2024 entirely. Part of that has to do with the relatively slow start to the 2025 new release flow, to be sure, but mostly it's because I have regrets.
I lament that I only had so much space and bandwidth to cover all the cool shit that dropped last year in the indie hip-hop and rap music underground. Sometimes these records escaped my radar altogether; other times, they languished in my overstuffed inbox for too long. In an attempt to give myself (and, perhaps, you as well) some closure, here are five rap albums from 2024 that didn't get the CABBAGES coverage they deserved.
Pataka Boys, Thugs From Amritsar [Azadi]
Considering my genuine admiration for UK rapper Sonnyjim, his involvement in this trio with Foreign Beggars co-founder PAV4N and Indian beatmaker Kartik should've sharply piqued my interest. Had I taken the time it warranted, this absolutely stellar album centering South Asian talent and channeling Griselda-esque new bap cool would've been a strong contender for my Best Of 2024 list.
Gangrene, Heads I Win, Tails You Lose [ALC]
The Alchemist had such a productive 2024 that one could/should be forgiven for overlooking his latest team-up with Oxnard, CA-bred rapper/producer Oh No. Coming some nine years after the last Gangrene album, this one employed gambling metaphors and scammy tropes to construct a clever scheme for both artists to deploy their crate-plundering beats and resourceful rhymes.
Bryson The Alien, In Space... [Sumalienz]
My least favorite part of how the music media approaches its year-end coverage is the arbitrary mid-November cutoff for consideration, leaving December drops in limbo. That's all the more reason to give this PNW-based avant-rapper's album from three weeks ago–with production coming entirely by Blu (yes, that Blu!) and features from Guilty Simpson and Planet Asia–a dedicated listen in this new year.
Lexa Gates, Elite Vessel [48 Lights / GoodTalk]
Despite some folks' feeble attempts to pigeonhole or otherwise label it, New York hip-hop means so many different things right now. That leaves ample room for local rappers to find a place for themselves artistically and, as such, this SZA-cosigned boricua from Queens brought an authentic outer-borough attitude and retro R&B sensibility to her 2024 breakout project.
Brian Nasty, Anywhere, But Here With You [Big Dada]
There's something truly unique about this London-based artist, so much so that I initially had a little difficulty figuring out what exactly I liked about him. This concise yet eclectic record makes a compelling case for him as an exceptionally gifted emerging figure in the alt-rap space, aided here by such differentiated outliers as Felix of Paris Texas and former Ratking emcee Wiki.
NAHreally, Secret Pancake
Riding a wave of positive vibes after his impressive 2024 collaboration BLIP with The Expert earned a significant number of year-end nods, NAHreally commences 2025 with a true solo album. Handling both the beats and the bars himself, save for features by Jesse The Tree and Meechy718, the Jersey City denizen presents a self portrait set to breezy new bap on the whimsical yet melancholy Secret Pancake. He comes across less pleased with the cleverness of his punchlines than breathily relieved by the fact that he landed them at all, his deceptively laidback delivery transmitting a genuine, deeply human wit on "Do Not Say Thanks" and "Nik Wallenda." Oftentimes he crouches down behind his humor, a self-preserving defense mechanism that insulates him on vulnerable moments like "Landslide, Landscape, Landmine" where he outwardly critiques the quality of his productions and even his physical appearance. Don't beat yourself up, bud. You're doing great.
W4RP Trio, Sermon Of The MatriarK
Chamber music and hip-hop would scarcely be considered genre bedfellows. Yet it's precisely that diametric musical opposition that makes Sermon Of The MatriarK all the more absorbing. In partnership with self-described artivist LiKWUiD's performance poetry, this ensemble comprised of Josh Henderson (violin, electric bass), Mikael Darmanie (keys, synths), JY Lee (cello), and Rick Martinez (percussion) defiantly fuse together their desired styles across 17 tracks. Several songs appear in larger movements, with the titular triptych veering between country jam and soulful repose as LiKWUiD righteously rants and adroitly rhymes. In a similarly ambitious vein, the eight-part "Gimme Dat" proves the album's worthy centerpiece as it shapeshifts. Hoedowns become throwdowns on "The Devil Went Down To Cackalacky (via Georgia)," its Charlie Daniels callback benefitting from creative reinvention and a refreshed rap battle narrative.
Three new tracks to snack on...
clipping., "Change The Channel"
Eddie Kaine & RIM, "Never Stop (feat. Che Noir)"
Circa 97, "Brown Bag Money (feat. Daniel Son, Snotty & Giallo Point)"