Battle of the rap Gods

 

We have truly been blessed in recent months: due in no small part to the after-effect of the Covid pandemic, we have rarely seen such a deluge of new releases reach our shores — or ears, whichever metaphor you like best. Such is also clearly the case when you zoom in on Hip Hop: in recent months, we have seen J. Cole, Tyler the Creator and Pop Smoke (to name but a few) release new — and great — material. But that’s not all: the genre’s top contenders for the championship belt, if it were, are also weighing in…

These top dogs would be, in no particular order, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Kendrick Lamar, who shared news about his impending/upcoming project Oklama a few days back, has emerged in recent years as the most likely (relatively) new blood to enter the Hip Hop pantheon when all is said and done. Everyone from Common to Rick Rubin says as much: when you have such O.G.’s praising your work, chances are there is a reason for all the commotion. Needless to say, everyone is now waiting for his first new solo material since 2017’s already classic DAMN..

Meanwhile, Drake has been teasing his new album Certified Lover Boy since 2019. Its lead single “Laugh Now Cry Later” featuring Lil Durk reached #2 on the Billboard 100 last summer: we’re now waiting for the rest. Other recent work of his includes “Popstar” on DJ Khaled‘s latest LP as well as “What’s Next” from his Scary Hours 2 EP — both making it to #1 on the charts. Lest we forget, Drake is arguably the most dominant force in the last decade when it comes to Hip Hop and RnB, having released 5 consecutive #1 albums, not to mention his innumerable EPs, non-album singles and collaborations. He famously rapped about the fact that you should never underestimate him — he might very well be right…

Finally, you have Kanye West. A lot has been said about him recently, as the singer masterfully communicated on his still upcoming Donda project. We all know that it is extremely close to his heart, as the record bears the name of his late mother, and it is being released amidst news of West separating from wife Kim Kardashian. Also, we have come to expect that every new West project will come with a bit of noise: the man is equally talented at creating music and controversy… Following a dwarfed presidential campaign, various social statements that were highly criticized and an ever growing stature in the world of Hip Hop, Kanye-mania may very well be at its highest ever this summer, with successive listening parties unfolding for the still-unfinished new LP. There is hope the rest of the world will get to hear those tracks too…

Regardless who drops their project first, it seems likely that all of them should hit a (virtual) store nearby soon. And equally likely that we will relish those listening sessions to come. Keep them coming, guys! Talking to you, Jay Z, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg…

Photo credits: @intrld.