Hip Hop: Summer 2025

Monarch HipHop Recommendations

BURNA BOY
No Sign Of Weakness

With No Sign of Weakness, Burna Boy delivers his most sonically daring and emotionally resonant album to date. The Nigerian Afro-fusion superstar expands his global sound without losing his cultural grounding, crafting a project that explores vulnerability through strength. From the politically charged “Update” to the introspective “Empty Chairs” featuring Mick Jagger, Burna shows there is power in reflection. Collaborations with Travis Scott, Stromae, and Shaboozey add genre-bending flair without overshadowing his unmistakable voice. The album examines identity, love, legacy, and perseverance. Burna floats between swagger and soul searching, never afraid to question himself or the world around him. The title track, “No Sign of Weakness,” is more than a mantra; it’s a declaration of resilience forged through personal growth. Burna Boy’s ambition is matched by execution. This album not only reaffirms his status as an international icon but also elevates him as one of music’s most thoughtful storytellers.

JOYNER LUCAS
Adhd 2

Joyner Lucas is set to release his third studio album, ADHD 2, via his independent label, Twenty Nine Music Group. Serving as a sequel to his 2020 debut, ADHD, this album continues Lucas’s introspective exploration of mental health and personal growth. The 18-track project boasts an impressive lineup of collaborators, including DaBaby, Chris Brown, Big Sean, and Ty Dolla $ign, among others. Leading with the single “One of Them,” Lucas showcases his rapid-fire delivery and lyrical prowess, setting the tone for an album that blends raw emotion with mainstream appeal. Tracks like “Active” featuring Big Sean and “New Sofas” with Ty Dolla $ign highlight his versatility and ability to craft compelling narratives. With ADHD 2, Joyner Lucas reaffirms his position as a distinctive voice in hip-hop, offering listeners a deep dive into his psyche while pushing the genre’s boundaries.

KEVIN GATES
Lucas Brasi 4

Kevin Gates’s Luca Brasi 4 marks a compelling return to his acclaimed mixtape series, blending raw street narratives with introspective lyricism. The album’s rollout, featuring singles like “Stutter,” “Hiding Emotions,” and “Stir the Pot,” showcases Gates’s versatility, from assertive declarations to vulnerable reflections. “Stir the Pot,” in particular, stands out with its dynamic beat switch, highlighting Gates’s duality and lyrical prowess. With 19 tracks, including “Hard for Pt. 2 (Many Times),” the mixtape promises a deep dive into Gates’ experiences and growth. As anticipation builds, Luca Brasi 4 is poised to reaffirm Gates’s position as a formidable voice in hip-hop, offering fans a blend of authenticity and evolution.

CLIPSE
Let God Sort Em Out

After a lengthy hiatus, legendary Virginia duo Clipse returns with Let God Sort Em Out, an album that reaffirms their dominance in lyrical street rap while introducing a matured, spiritually nuanced perspective. Pusha T and No Malice remain razor sharp, trading bars laced with wisdom, regret, and unflinching realism over haunting, sample-heavy production reminiscent of their Hell Hath No Fury era. But this isn’t just a nostalgia play. This project reflects personal evolution. No Malice’s refined moral compass contrasts Pusha’s relentless delivery, creating a dynamic tension that drives the album forward. Themes of redemption, betrayal, and divine judgment echo throughout, suggesting a deeper reckoning beyond the streets. Executive production by Pharrell helps balance grit and grandeur, ensuring the soundscape is as rich as the verses. With Let God Sort Em Out, Clipse proves that hip-hop’s most potent stories come from artists who’ve lived both the pain and the transformation.

A$AP ROCKY
Don’t Be Dumb

A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb arrives as a bold, genre-defying return from one of hip-hop’s most stylish innovators. After a seven-year gap since Testing, Rocky delivers an album brimming with artistic risk, emotional maturity, and sonic ambition. Collaborations with J. Cole, KayCyy, and Jessica Pratt infuse the project with unexpected texture, while production from Pharrell, Metro Boomin, and Madlib provides a rich, diverse soundscape that moves between psychedelic soul, trap, and experimental hip-hop. Lyrically, Rocky is reflective, exploring themes of identity, fatherhood, fame, and personal growth. Tracks like “Pray4DaGang” and “Highjack” reveal a man navigating life’s dualities—chaos and clarity, ego and evolution. The album’s title itself, Don’t Be Dumb, feels like both a mantra and a warning, signaling Rocky’s sharpened worldview. In a climate of formulaic rap releases, Don’t Be Dumb reaffirms A$AP Rocky’s place as a fearless creative, unafraid to challenge norms and elevate the culture.

SEPTEMBER GRAY
Proprietor of September Gray Fine Art Gallery

BIO 

Gray’s life’s work is a reflection of her enduring passion for the arts. Following a noteworthy career in the performing arts, Gray launched a successful fine art consultancy practice wherein she was celebrated for her ability to assist corporate and private collectors with articulating and executing single acquisition and long–term collecting strategies. Gray’s career in the arts and decade as an art consultant inform her role as gallerist. An avid collector, Gray has a talent for “speaking the language” of both artist and collector and a knack for connecting the gallery’s clients to works by artists whose vision and methodologies resonate with their individual tastes, complement their existing collections and honor their overall investment strategy and appetite for risk. Gray holds a B.A. in Art History from DePaul University. A committed art education advocate, Gray serves on a number of non-profit boards and is co-founder of The Gray Foundation, an organization committed to building a world of enriched life options for youth through the promotion of art and education. Gray shares art news and collection strategies in her electronic quarterly journal, The Gray Book.

https://septembergrayart.com/

JUSTIN SULIVAN, CFP
Senior Vice President Market Leader

BIO 

Justin oversees a team of professionals striving to achieve the highest level of client satisfaction. His top priority is that the team not only meets, but also exceeds the client’s expectations. Through Justin’s leadership and commitment, he helps ensure that the client benefits form a full complement of investment, trust, financial planning and private banking services to help them achieve their financial goals.

XAVIER DANIELS

BIO  

Paintings are influenced by his experiences with brotherhood at both Morehouse and as a firefighter. In creating his art, he is actively thinking about the perception of black men and attempting to be a catalyst for a different view on the black male experience. According to Daniels, the conversations happening in popular culture about black males leave them invisible in discussions about themselves. The portraits of black men Daniels creates are large in an effort to symbolically assert black male presence into those conversations. His work has been shown around the world through Almine Rech and Richard Beavers Gallery. Xavier lives and works in Atlanta, Georgia.

https://xavierdaniels.com/

MARRYAM MOMA

BIO

A Tanzanian-Nigerian visual artist based in Atlanta, GA, is renowned for her prolific exhibition history. Moma’s dedication to her art has earned her prestigious residencies at The Migration Artist Residency, Atlanta, GA, and a blended residency and teaching opportunity at The Swimming HoleFoundation in Upstate NY. The Hambidge Center for the Arts awarded her a Distinguished Artist Fellowship, enriching her narrative-driven solo exhibitions like “ICONoclasts.” This showing intertwines paper cut elements to celebrate and empower revolutionary Black figures. Moma continues to innovate within her practice, expanding her presence through murals, public art installations and exhibitions including an indoor mural for Clark Atlanta universities student innovation lounge sponsored by Dell Technologies and Home depot, ICONoclasts Atlanta building-wide public installation sponsored by Dashboard and If Not Us then Who public digital art mural sponsored by A&E Atlanta. 

https://www.marryammoma.com/

DL WARFIELD

BIO

Atlanta-based artist DL Warfield, a veteran artist who has consistently proven himself a talent of the highest caliber – one who has delivered at the highest levels repeatedly throughout his life and career. Yes, many artists are talented; DL Warfield is prolific.

Warfield’s body of work proves his instinctive knowledge and understanding of pop culture and has given him a permanent place at the cutting edge of the new and next. From St. Louis to New York City, Atlanta and worldwide, his talent, skill and endless creativity have taken him to the top of his field again and again, and he intends to push forward wherever a path to artistic excellence can be forged.

The following is a snapshot of his works and clientele. 

Nike, Sprite, Heineken, Anheuser-Busch, Geffen Records, Sony Entertainment, DreamWorks, Sony Music, OutKast Inc., Universal Records, Boys & Girls Clubs, HBO, Virgin Records, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Vibe Magazine, automotive giant Ford Motor Company. He designed the branding for the City of Atlanta’s Film and Entertainment office and at the same time, His fine art has been featured at national landmarks, including the Time-Life Building in New York City, and the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, KY, which he loaned two original pieces for three years.

https://dlwarfield.com/

EDDIE FONTNO

BIO

A native of the Bronx, New York, is most inspired by the brilliance and uniqueness of excellence within the African American culture. The subjects of his work have all possessed a transformative greatness, which paved the way and changed the lives of many, providing a guiding light for the world around them. Fontno takes a subtle approach and focuses on that “light” to capture the detailed nuances through his usage of graphite and oil paint (black and white) that enhances the contrast between light and dark. Fontno’s never-ending quest to find truth and beauty in its most natural form is reflective in the choice of figures in his pieces; paying homage to those who have in some way shaped his view of the world and positively affected his evolution as an artist, father and man. Fontno attended the High School of Art & Design in New York, New York and Howard University in Washington, DC. His work has been displayed in the White House (Madam Vice President Kamala Harris’ private office) and the much-acclaimed October Gallery in Philadelphia, Pa. He has also been commissioned for portraits throughout the Northeast region. 

www.eddiefontno.com

RSVP

We are no longer accepting RSVPs for the Art of Luxury Lifestyle Dinner, but you are welcome to RSVP Here for the Portrait Reveal Event from
9:30PM to 11:30 PM!

ROBERT KOOL BELL| LE KOOL CHAMPAGNE

BIO

For many years, Robert Kool Bell, Leader and Co-founder of Kool & The Gang, sought out Grand Cru Vineyards from owners that have been selling for generations and decided to work with Paul Berthelot a Multi-Vintage producer since 1884. Voila The Celebration Champagne was born! 

https://lekoolchampagne.com

EDDIE FONTNO

BIO

A native of the Bronx, New York, is most inspired by the brilliance and uniqueness of excellence within the African American culture. The subjects of his work have all possessed a transformative greatness, which paved the way and changed the lives of many, providing a guiding light for the world around them. Fontno takes a subtle approach and focuses on that “light” to capture the detailed nuances through his usage of graphite and oil paint (black and white) that enhances the contrast between light and dark. Fontno’s never-ending quest to find truth and beauty in its most natural form is reflective in the choice of figures in his pieces; paying homage to those who have in some way shaped his view of the world and positively affected his evolution as an artist, father and man. Fontno attended the High School of Art & Design in New York, New York and Howard University in Washington, DC. His work has been displayed in the White House (Madam Vice President Kamala Harris’ private office) and the much-acclaimed October Gallery in Philadelphia, Pa. He has also been commissioned for portraits throughout the Northeast region.

Website: www.eddiefontno.com