Music Tracking 2026: Hip-Hop

These are 2026 releases that I've taken note of, listed alphabetically by artist, with VA comps at the bottom. My grades, where available, are in brackets at the end of the line (stars in B+ range). Lines in blue indicate that I have a physical copy (albeit sometimes just a promo CDR); in green are records that I graded based on a Rhapsody stream or other such source. Most records have release dates and a brief generic note.

Unheard records are prioritized 0-3 (graded records are 4-5). The priotization is based subjectively on personal interests, reviews I've noticed, reviewers I particularly respect, what I know about the artists, etc. Roughly speaking: 0 is something I have no reason to consider (default page omits 0); 1 has been noted as having some cred somewhere; 2 is something I have some specific reason to search out; 3 is something I'll listen to ASAP.

Option selectors:

Genre switches (selection not implemented yet):

New Releases

  • A-F-R-O & Motion Plus: Frequencies (Fro Thizzle Productions) [06-26] - hip-hop [***]
  • Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman: Miami Lice: Season Four (Rhymesayers Entertainment) [03-11] - hip-hop [***]
  • Akhavelli: Moorthodox Psyence (Below System) [05-29] - hip-hop [***]
  • B0YG1RL & Novagang: Exit 2B (Surf Gang) [05-26] - hip-hop
  • Teller Bank$: Hate Island ($357ENT) [03-29] - hip-hop [**]
  • MC Paul Barman & Kenny Segal: Antinomian Pandemonium (Fused Arrow) [02-26] - hip-hop [**]
  • Blu & Exile: Time Heals Everything () [04-20] - hip-hop
  • Bop Alloy: Masters of the Artistry (Bop Alloy) [03-20] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Buck 65: Do Not Bend (Handsmade) [02-26] - hip-hop [A-]
  • By Storm: My Ghosts Go Ghost (Dead Air/By(e) Storm) [01-30] - hip-hop [*]
  • J. Cole: The Fall-Off (Cole World/Dreamville/Interscope) [02-06] - hip-hop [**]
  • Dälek: Brilliance of a Falling Moon (Ipecac) [03-27] - hip-hop [***]
  • Doseone & Height Keech: Wood Teeth II (Hands Made -EP) [07-04] - hip-hop [**]
  • Open Mike Eagle/Kenny Segal: Doomed! (Backwoodz Studioz) [08-14] - hip-hop
  • Elucid & Sebb Bash: I Guess U Had to Be There (Backwoodz Studioz) [03-13] - hip-hop [**]
  • Fakemink: The Boy Who Cried Terrified (EtnaVeraVela -EP) - UK hip-hop [*]
  • Joshua Idehen: I Know You're Hurting, Everyone Is Hurting, Everyone Is Trying, You Have Got to Try (Heavenly) [03-06] - UK hip-hop [A-]
  • IDK: E.T.D.S. A Mixtape by .IDK. (Rhymesayers Entertainment) [01-23] - hip-hop [***]
  • Anthony Joseph: The Ark (Heavenly Sweetness) [04-24] - spoken word [A-]
  • JPEGMafia: Experimental Rap (Peggy/AWAL) [05-21] - hip-hop [*]
  • KJADE: On Everything I Love (self-released) [02-21] - hip-hop [**]
  • Kneecap: Fenian (Heavenly) [05-01] - UK hip-hop [A-]
  • Lizzo: Bitch (Nice Life/Atlantic) [06-05] - hip-hop
  • M.I.A.: M.I.7 (Ohmni) [04-17] - UK hip-hop [**]
  • Roc Marciano: 656 (self-released) [01-23] - hip-hop [**]
  • Rico Nasty: RX (Sugar Trap -EP) [07-24] - hip-hop [**]
  • Navy Blue: Sir Render (Freedom Sounds) [06-05] - hip-hop [***]
  • Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon: As of Now (Lex) [01-30] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Genesis Owusu: Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge (Ourness) [05-15] - hip-hop [***]
  • Sha Ray and DJ Haram: Critical Thot (Backwoodz Studioz) [06-19] - hip-hop
  • Ren: Vincent's Tale (Freckled Angels/Rebel Creator Services) [01-29] - UK hip-hop [A-]
  • RJD2 & Supastition: According To (RJ's Electrical Connections) [02-27] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Serengeti: Symphony of Psalms (CC King) [05-23] - hip-hop [*]
  • Aktu el Shabazz: As Seen on TV (766303 DK) [01-04] - hip-hop [**]
  • Sideshow: Tigray Funk (10k) [02-27] - hip-hop [**]
  • Jae Skeese & Ill Tone Beats: The Good Part, Vol. 1 (Griselda) [03-06] - hip-hop [**]
  • Vince Staples: Cry Baby (Loma Vista) [06-05] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Cletus Strap: Rappers Suck (Tan Cressida) [08-07] - hip-hop
  • Stu Bangas & Wordsworth: Chemistry (1332) [01-30] - hip-hop [A-]
  • AJ Suede: Atomic Justice (Knowhatimean -EP) [07-14] - hip-hop [*]
  • Earl Sweatshirt/MIKE/Surf Gang: Pompeii//Utility (10k) [04-03] - hip-hop [**]
  • Unagi: Western Mass Hysteria (442) [05-01] - hip-hop
  • Tierra Whack: Whack's Museum (Interscope) [06-18] - hip-hop [***]
  • Wiki: Ancient History (Wikset) [06-21] - hip-hop [***]
  • Xaviersobased: Xavier (1C/Surf Gang/Atlantic) [01-30] - hip-hop [**]
  • Zel: Still Right Here (self-released) [02-12] - plugg [***]
  • ERR: stream no grade: : Concrete Rock: New York DIY

Reissues, Etc.

    Priority Counts

    • Priority 1: 5
    • Priority 2: 2
    • Priority 3: 0
    • Priority 4: 39
    • Priority 5: 0

    Total: 46