Shabazz The Disciple and Ed Nodz caught our attention with their new single Chant Down Babylon. If you’re not familiar with Shabazz and his legacy, then you’re not paying attention. One of the originators, he had prominent guest spots on 6 Feet Deep, the 1994 debut of the RZA/Prince Paul-helmed group Gravediggaz, and put out a handful of singles — including the provocative, intelligent “Death Be the Penalty” on Tommy Boy.
From there Shabazz was repeatedly derailed, finally dropping his solo album in 2003. The new track is another highlight from the iconic rapper. Get into it.
Hear Chant Down Babylon now on our Best New Hip Hop Playlist.
Alyssa Jane is simply one of our favorite under the radar alternative R&B artists. Her collaboration with SV continues to produce some of the best underground jams we’ve found. Their recent One Who Wins fits the association.
Alyssa Jane brings some added sultry twang, adapting her voice intriguingly compared to prior releases. The subtle rap amplifies her ability as a wordsmith, as she wades between English and Spanish excitingly. She’s always a revelation, but there are some killer producer moments to the track too. The cutup vocal part is simply brilliant.
Hear One Who Wins now on our Best New Hip Hop Playlist.
Philly represent! We can’t step into the new year without showing love to our hometown and the abundance of buzz worthy hip hop artists. Today’s celebration features the infectious rap ability of Miles Anthony. His new single Chevy is stylistically lush in tandem with the scenes champions like Meek Mills. He belongs in that conversation.
Miles was first drawn to the hip-hop scene at age 12. As a child constantly invested in literature he took quickly to rhythm and patterning rhyme schemes paired clever punches and cerebral wordplay into tracks that caught the ears of many at a young age. Fast forward to his years attending Drexel University and his support and fan base began to flourish.
Find out why Philly is the best. Hear Chevy now on our Best New Hip Hop Playlist.
STOVALIEN was a staple on our list all year long and he keeps the streak alive with his new rare holiday rap. Little Operation Christmas pays homage to black culture in the Eddie Murphy sampled opening sequence.
Through the song STOVALIEN honors the influence of 90s rap icons with a verse that reflects the influence of Cypress Hill, DMX, and The Lox. It’s killer! STOVALIEN is featured on our Best New Hip Hop Playlist.
We can get into gangster rap. The new single from Kingdom Kome and G Fam Black is an elite throwback. After all, the track is called Deaths Grip. Featuring a grimy vocal performance, the vibe gets amplified by the intense music video (see above). Not for the faint of heart, this ones for the straight gangster. It’s a Hollywood level kind of video. What’s going on out there? This is warfare.
Deaths Grip is featured on our Best New Hip Hop Playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 
