The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Cordae, Denzel Curry, and Lil Nas X.

Big week, no time for preamble. Let’s get into it.

The Golden State Warriors recruited P-Lo to lead an all-star cast of Bay Area rap faves including G-Eazy, LaRussell, Saweetie, and more on “Players Holiday ’25.”

Lil Baby returned with “5AM,” a new single aimed at kicking off the Atlanta rapper’s next album, WHAM (Who Hard As Me.

Speaking of comeback albums, Lil Nas X’s “Light Again” video delivered an unexpected glimpse at his upcoming Dreamboy era.

Finally, Juice WRLD’s posthumous release, “AGATS2 (Insecure)” reconnected him with Nicki Minaj and hearkened back to his breakout hit.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending November 15, 2024.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Cordae — The Crossroads

Two years removed from his last full-length release From A Birds Eye View, Cordae has plenty of life experiences and an insatiable drive to prove himself as a rapper. Fortunately, he’s chosen the perfect cast of characters to complement his heady wordplay, including Anderson .Paak, Joey Badass, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne.

Dave East & AraabMuzik — Living Proof

Sourpuss attitude about modern hip-hop aside, Dave East is one of New York’s finest contemporary rappers, waving the flag for that gritty, late-90s/early-00s sound. AraabMuzik is a fitting collaborator, as his production buttressed many of the mixtapes that defined that era; adding guest stars Benny The Butcher, Fabolous, and Ransom to the recipe just sets off their chemistry.

Denzel Curry — King Of The Mischievous South

Curry’s ode to the lineage of the Dirty South’s regional styles and sounds runs the gamut from mid-90s Memphis trap to Houston chopped-and-screwed. As the polished version of the mixtape he released earlier this year, it contains a handful of new tracks and a slew of fitting collaborators, from the ASAP Mob to Juicy J.

Kash Doll — The Last Doll

Is the title perhaps a cheeky reference to the glut of doll-themed rappers Kash came into the rap game alongside, only to be the sole surviving relevant member of her rap class? We’re sure DreamDoll is still kicking around somewhere, but it certainly seems Kash is the last woman left standing, and her latest is a testament to the street certified skills that kept her there.

Young Nudy & Pi’erre Bourne — Sli’merre 2

Young Nudy is a fascinating case. He’s one of the more unique representatives of Atlanta hip-hop, but he’s also something of an iconoclast among his Peach State brethren, delaying his breakout in spite of a massive groundswell of support from a tapped in fandom. While he’s grown in acclaim with each release, most recently 2023’s Gumbo, his 2019 joint album with producer Pi’erre Bourne still constitutes the high point of his commercial endeavors. Perhaps going back to that creative well will see him reach a new commercial peak.

Singles/Videos

Armani White — “TTSO.”

The Philadelphia native remains fashion focused on his new single, promising to “throw that sh*t on” rather than stressing the hate or pressure that comes with his newfound levels of success.

Killer Mike — “Still Talkin That Sh*t” Feat. Key Glock & Project Pat

Killer Mike’s last few releases have been autobiographical, spiritual, and uplifting, so it makes sense Mike wants to prove he can still “talk that sh*t.” Debuting the new song with a From The Block performance, he’s joined by Memphis standouts Key Glock and Project Pat, who suit the production style, a departure from Mike’s usual preference.

Quando Rondo — “Grow Up”

The controversial Georgia star’s new album, Here For A Reason, is out today, and its focus track is a nostalgic, uplifting meditation on his unusual rags-to-riches biography. It’s also somewhat of a departure from some of his mainline material — a change that oddly mirrors a similar shift from his ostensible rival Lil Durk. Let’s hope it doesn’t have similar motivations.

Ray Vaughn — “East Chatt” Feat. Isaiah Rashad

TDE’s Long Beach flag waver trades in his usual hyperactive production to pair up with the more mellow Isaiah Rashad to prove that he can do a little a bit of everything. The video repurposes performance footage from last year’s TDE holiday concert to remind fans that Christmas is coming, and Ray Vaughn is certainly very gifted. This year’s concert is on December 19, by the way.

Tyga — “Mmphh”

Man, if this came out in May, it would have been inescapable. The beat is hypnotic, Tyga’s deep in his bag, and the energy just screams summer house/pool party. It’s probably still be in heavy rotation at the clubs for the rest of the year.