Hip Hop: Spring 2020

Monarch HipHop Recommendations

Jay Electronica
A written testimony

Jay Electronica randomly appeared on Twitter in early February to warn that March would be a very special month – the month he finally releases his debut studio album. “Album done. Recorded over 40 days and 40 nights, starting from Dec 26,” he wrote in a series of tweets. “Releasing in 40 days. A Written Testimony.”.

Young Guru, Jay-Z’s engineer, quote-tweeted Electronica, ensuring the public that, “This is not a drill.” Just Blaze added, “Are you watching closely,” and Jay-Z liked the mini-tweet storm

Big Sean
TBD

Sean Don’s fifth studio LP should drop this year and reportedly has a thematic premise around social media. It’s set to feature the likes of Post Malone on a family-centered cut called “Wolves,” as well as contributions from Diddy, A$AP Rocky, Meek Mill and more. Sean has released three singles from the project: “Overtime,” “Berzerk,” and “Single Again.” The album was thought to be called Don Life, but Sean refuted this to iHeartRadio. He also said the album will be his best “by far.”

Tierra Whack
After School

Tierra Whack is nothing less than impressive. Her debut album, Whack World, stuck to the highly-challenging concept of each song being exactly one minute in duration. The 15-minute album was critically acclaimed and built buzz for the Philly rapper. She kept the momentum going with a series of singles dubbed “Whack History Month” starting in February 2019. She told NPR that same month that she wasn’t thinking about a timeframe for her next project. No one can blame her for marching to the beat of her own drum, as her approach is the reason for her success.

Joyner Lucas
ADHD

Joyner Lucas has taken to social media to suggest that his sophomore album would be delayed, by his account not dropping “in another 5 years.” Lucas has released six singles from the album, including “Isis,” which features Logic and reached No. 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Joyner Lucas already has the attention of Eminem. His next album is sure to catch the ears of many more in the culture.

Black Starr
TBD

A long time ago, when DMX was topping the charts and Diddy threw the world into the shiny suit era, two young MCs named Dante Smith and Talib Kweli Greene joined forces to craft a classic album that married hardcore beats with intellectual musings. Rumors flew for years about a follow up to Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star, culminating in Yasiin Bey’s (AKA Mos Def) announcement of a sequel in February 2018. Producer Madlib, says that that the album is in the mixing stages. With Madlib behind the boards, it’s fair to expect sonic brilliance to back what could be more conscious lyricism from Kweli and the artist formerly known as Mos Def. One thing is for sure, this is an album you won’t want to miss.

Conway the Machine
God don’t make mistakes

Griselda is ice cold. Having just released the gully WWCD, the trio is arguably the most exciting thing in Hip Hop. Conway will look to keep the momentum going with his Shady Records debut, God Don’t Make Mistakes. He told HipHopDX in October that the album is a change from his previous projects. He also said it will consist of different concepts on every song, contain surprise features, and have production primarily from Daringer and Beat Butcha. As he put it, “This album is the growth and maturity of Conway the artist and the person.”