For this year I have a few choices from the dying embers of 2019 like my top song, Mozzy’s Big Homie from the Hood, and some of the albums/songs like Chicken P’s stuff that came out in late 2019 but that I didn’t start listening to until 2020 but I’m not going to leave them off this year because a. they slap and b. they left a big impression on me in 2020. Same for FMB DZ Ape Season which came out on 2019’s album of the same name but the video came out in early 2020. Also the YNW Melly album/songs from it here, which seems like it was from a whole different world and a lifetime ago but was just from November 2019 so just over a year ago. (I have a feeling the same thing might happen again next year since there’s albums from Cash Kidd and Lil Chicken that came out this month that I haven’t gotten a chance to listen to yet) I didn’t get to put any of them on last year’s list since they fell in between when I posted it and when 2020 started. I just want to highlight dope music that came out so I’m not going to be overly scientific about if it’s the end of 2019 or 2020.
Happy holidays and happy New Year’s to everyone who read my site this year and hopefully 2021 will be better than 2020 for everyone. Shout out to some of the people I read, talk to on here, and find great music from, and interact with, which is really what makes the sense of community that makes it worth keeping a site like this – Martorialist, Crimedawgbylaw, Ray Garraty, Hotbox Social and a couple of others!
I mentioned in my Hellgodz post that Nuk and Hellboy Rodd are my two new favorite rappers that I’ve been bumping the most over the last month or so; here’s another banger from Nuk. Just when you thought Detroit couldn’t possibly get any deeper in terms of talent, they’re going deeper than the Lakers bench
“WE GOT A BAG JUST LIKE THE BRONCOS WE GO MILE HIGH”
This HellsWorld video is from last year, and last summer at that, but I wanted to post it/write about it anyway since I just found it recently and since I’m feeling it so much. As I wrote previously, Hellboy Rodd might be my new favorite rapper. Just when you think that the Detroit/Flint rap scene couldn’t get any deeper, I start listening to Hellboy Rodd and Nuk more than any of my previous favories for a couple of weeks on end. Rodd raps with a chip on his shoulder and this song/video is the ultimate example of that.
I like how he’s rapping angry; he can’t believe that you don’t think he really has this much money. He can’t believe you have the audacity to think he really doesn’t have these glocks. He’s literally indignant about it, and that he isn’t getting the attention/recognition he deserves yet, and rightfully so.
“Real recognize real, you ain’t gotta ask, money speaking for itself we ain’t gotta brag” he says as he angrily grips his two straps, which is actually refreshing to see because let’s be honest, these rappers happily flashing their straps in videos as part of their swagger is usually a mirage, usually you are angry when you need to. I’m feeling the urgent but somehow still casual flow he employs as he pummels this beat, and more than anything I’m just feeling the conviction that he raps with.
No reliance on flashy jewelery or designer man purses here, this is real hustle music from the heart of a soldier on their way climbing out of the trenches – “Fuck a Wraith little nigga I’m tryna drop a jet. Fuck a bussdown Rollie brother we tryna cop Pateks. I’m mad that I’m rapping about it but don’t got it yet. Pops was on drugs, momma died from a heart attack. Y’all niggas swear that you’re some shooters but don’t got a strap. This interstate treat me good I ain’t gotta rap. I’m popping three percs a day cause I gotta trap. I watched the junkies do the dog out the bottle cap. You little niggas hold your water you can’t bottle that. Them niggas popped my cuz you know we got em back.”
“Talking all that crazy shit like we won’t roll up. Me and Jalen back to back you know we poled up. We got 80 with us too you know we showed up. We put some gas in the whip now we gonna go nuts.”
IT’S HELLBOY RODD WE KNOW WHO REALLY GOT THEM GLOCKS
I also love Rodd’s commitment to always pushing this demon/hellscape imagery, like the heavy metal devil hand you’d see a white metalhead from the 90s do at ‘It’s Hellboy Rodd we know who really got them Glocks” or the visual effect with the devil horns and his eyes blanked out at 2:30.
Awesome ad lib/body language to go along with “Final Destination shit, he won’t make the flight” BOOM
And lastly respect to Rodd for acknowledging that he knows Balenciagas are ugly but that he just wears them because the ladies like them – this is a true man of the people right here. And hell yeah I’m down with him rapping from the barber chair and the weight bench from his yard.
This is one of the most unique and interesting artists in the game right now and he’s rapping with a chip on his shoulder that he doesn’t have what he wants yet; in fact I feel like I have a chip on my shoulder that this video doesn’t have nearly as many views as it should.
P.S. is ‘purple like that Jewish shooter’ some sort of Joker reference? Lmao.
Nuk x Hellboy Rodd – Hellgodz (2020) Kodak Black – I Wanna Live (2020) Peezy ft. Rio da Yung OG, RMC Mike – CFWU (2020) Sosa Geek – Rambo (2020) Peezy ft. GT, Overlord Scooch, Motown TY – YRN (2020)
Nuk x Hellboy Rodd – Hellgodz
UMM HOW DID I JUST FIND OUT ABOUT THIS NOW? I think Hellboy Rodd is easily my new favorite rapper. And Nuk is coming in as a close second. Just when I thought this whole Detroit/Flint ecosystem couldn’t possibly get any deeper, I belatedly find out about two new guys who could both become two of my top artists of the year.
Hellboy Rodd is getting that COVID money, $150,000 in the pandemic. This dude is flowing like a… demon on this.
“On the east or the west I can’t be touched, they got these fake ass demons trying to be us, that murder or that dope I got my hands in it, I made $150,000 off this pandemic.”
“These ain’t regular Adidas these the Yeezy kind, big demon big Glock don’t get demonized”. Side note I love how dedicated Rodd is to pushing this demon ethos.
I don’t know why but I love the “Bitch I’m on the block I’m selling big pies, I pull up on the east I’m with the big guys” line and Hellboy Rodd’s mannerisms as he raps it. My favorite part of this video is the look on Nuk’s face as he holds up his Bag Godz chain when Hellboy Rodd says “Pull up on the East I’m with the big guys”
I sent this video to my brother a couple of nights ago and he said that when the video started he wasn’t sure who the rapper was going to be and was surprised when Hellboy Rodd was ‘the big dude’ which I feel like just makes Hellboy Rodd even better. One of the things I like about Rodd is that he raps like he has a chip on his shoulder, but I’ll get more into that in my next post that I’m working on.
While Nuk might not have quite the same ridiculous bars as Hellboy or quite the same commitment to the demon vibe, he more than makes up for it with the casual swagger that he delivers his lines with; “trap nigga so they get the picture just like Vizio, ” “Pull out 50 if I get provoked,” “My bitch been to 8 countries”
As you all know I’m a fan of the rapper’s whole crew joining in and yelling along with the end of a line once per video, a la Big Wan’s Fast Lane Lifestyle or Rio and Big Colin’s Ghetto Boyz so I was pleased to see this tactic used again here. I’m not sure who made this beat but it sounds like it could be a 1800.
Seems like we’ve got not only the East and the West coming together here but a demon and a Bag God linking up to create something magical. Definitley one of my top videos/songs for 2020 already.
P.S. is it just me or is Nuk really tall?
Kodak Black – I Wanna Live
Lil Kodak did it again. Kodak came through and knocked down the buildings with this one. They can try to keep Kodak locked in a cage but they can’t stop him from making a hit!
This is that vintage, ebullient Kodak that I’ve been missing. The hook goat is back…
I WANT THE ROLLS ROYCE TRUCK IM IN A MUSTANG, I ALREADY SHOWED MY ASS NOW I LET MY NUTS HANG
“I wanna live I want to chill I want a bunch of things”/”I’m tryna run my money up I’m tryna die slow” Can’t we all get behind this message? If you can’t get behind this message/song I don’t want to be friends with you. Maybe this is like when Snoop Dogg linked up with Willie Nelson, something that can bring everyone from all walks of life in this divided country together.
“My uncle knew I was a star he called me maestro. I’m blowing jet fuel pack I blow nitro, I’m tryna throw the roof back and live life though.” I hear you Kodak, I hear you. I love the nitro/life though rhyme; Kodak really is underrated as a lyricist.
I havent seen the production credits but whoever made this for Kodak laced him with the perfect beat for this type of Kodak.
FREE KODAK
Can Kanye get in Trump’s ear and PLEASE tell him to pardon Kodak before he leaves office?
Peezy ft. Rio da Yung OG, RMC Mike – CFWU
What a blessing it is to get a new album from Peezy right at the tail end of 2020. It’s too bad Peezy can’t be here for the video but his team is in here heavy. Like Peezy himself said back in ‘New Car Smell’, Ghetto Boys really is the “new Death Row.” I’d go as far as to say the new Death Row, new No Limit, and new G-Unit.
We’ve even got some cameos from Babyface Ray and GT here.
Rio absolutely slaughters this. “Ghetto Boys we untouchable. I bet a nigga ain’t gon hit my bitch she unfuckable. Real ghetto shit, turned some Benny’s down for Lunchables. TAKING PICTURES WITH MY FAMILY FRESH AS FUCK LIKE THE HUXTABLES, HALF A MILLION WORTH OF JEWELRY THEY CAN’T FUCK WITH US.”
Free Big P!
Sosa Geek – Rambo
I’m feeling Sosa Geek’s ‘blunt instrument’ type of delivery here, “I KEEP A GUN ON ME LIKE I’M RAMBO, I GET MAD I’M USING THIS AMMO”. I also just love the name ‘Sosa Geek’.
Peezy ft. GT, Overlord Scooch, Motown TY – YRN
Another selection off of the new Peezy album, mainly off the strength of the Overlord Scooch verse (still my favorite name in rap). Overlord’s verse is just so damn smooth. I’m feeling the “I hit the yard with Vice Lords nigga all is well, if I feel threatened nigga we gonna fill your car with shells” line, so dope.
UMM HOW DID I JUST FIND OUT ABOUT THIS NOW? I think Hellboy Rodd is easily my new favorite rapper. And Nuk is coming in as a close second. Just when I thought this whole Detroit/Flint ecosystem couldn’t possibly get any deeper, I belatedly find out about two new guys who could both become two of my top artists of the year.
Hellboy Rodd is getting that COVID money, $150,000 in the pandemic. This dude is flowing like a… demon on this.
“On the east or the west I can’t be touched, they got these fake ass demons trying to be us, that murder or that dope I got my hands in it, I made $150,000 off this pandemic.”
“These ain’t regular Adidas these the Yeezy kind, big demon big Glock don’t get demonized”. Side note I love how dedicated Rodd is to pushing this demon ethos.
I don’t know why but I love the “Bitch I’m on the block I’m selling big pies, I pull up on the east I’m with the big guys” line and Hellboy Rodd’s mannerisms as he raps it. My favorite part of this video is the look on Nuk’s face as he holds up his Bag Godz chain when Hellboy Rodd says “Pull up on the East I’m with the big guys”
I sent this video to my brother a couple of nights ago and he said that when the video started he wasn’t sure who the rapper was going to be and was surprised when Hellboy Rodd was ‘the big dude’ which I feel like just makes Hellboy Rodd even better. One of the things I like about Rodd is that he raps like he has a chip on his shoulder, but I’ll get more into that in my next post that I’m working on.
While Nuk might not have quite the same ridiculous bars as Hellboy or quite the same commitment to the demon vibe, he more than makes up for it with the casual swagger that he delivers his lines with; “trap nigga so they get the picture just like Vizio, ” “Pull out 50 if I get provoked,” “My bitch been to 8 countries”
As you all know I’m a fan of the rapper’s whole crew joining in and yelling along with the end of a line once per video, a la Big Wan’s Fast Lane Lifestyle or Rio and Big Colin’s Ghetto Boyz so I was pleased to see this tactic used again here. I’m not sure who made this beat but it sounds like it could be a 1800.
Seems like we’ve got not only the East and the West coming together here but a demon and a Bag God linking up to create something magical. Definitley one of my top videos/songs for 2020 already.
What a blessing it is to get a new album from Peezy right at the tail end of 2020. It’s too bad Peezy can’t be here for the video but his team is in here heavy. Like Peezy himself said back in ‘New Car Smell’, Ghetto Boys really is the “new Death Row.” I’d go as far as to say the new Death Row, new No Limit, and new G-Unit.
We’ve even got some cameos from Babyface Ray and GT here.
Rio absolutely slaughters this. “Ghetto Boys we untouchable. I bet a nigga ain’t gon hit my bitch she unfuckable. Real ghetto shit, turned some Benny’s down for Lunchables. TAKING PICTURES WITH MY FAMILY FRESH AS FUCK LIKE THE HUXTABLES, HALF A MILLION WORTH OF JEWELRY THEY CAN’T FUCK WITH US.”
Lil Kodak did it again. Kodak came through and knocked down the buildings with this one. They can try to keep Kodak locked in a cage but they can’t stop him from making a hit!
This is that vintage, ebullient Kodak that I’ve been missing. The hook goat is back…
I WANT THE ROLLS ROYCE TRUCK IM IN A MUSTANG, I ALREADY SHOWED MY ASS NOW I LET MY NUTS HANG
“I wanna live I want to chill I want a bunch of things”/”I’m tryna run my money up I’m tryna die slow” Can’t we all get behind this message? If you can’t get behind this message/song I don’t want to be friends with you. Maybe this is like when Snoop Dogg linked up with Willie Nelson, something that can bring everyone from all walks of life in this divided country together.
“My uncle knew I was a star he called me maestro. I’m blowing jet fuel pack I blow nitro, I’m tryna throw the roof back and live life though.” I hear you Kodak, I hear you. I love the nitro/life though rhyme; Kodak really is underrated as a lyricist.
I havent seen the production credits but whoever made this for Kodak laced him with the perfect beat for this type of Kodak.
FREE KODAK
Can Kanye get in Trump’s ear and PLEASE tell him to pardon Kodak before he leaves office?
Favorite songs from a month where I went from YN Jay and the Flint boys to Charlie Wilson to 21 Savage and Morgan Freeman and back again. I’m super late posting this for October now because life has been getting brazy but I have a bunch of new songs I want to get to so might as well post this first.
21 Savage x Metro Boomin – Runnin (2020) Charlie Wilson – One I Got (2020) 21 Savage x Metro Boomin x Morgan Freeman – Intro (2020) Lil Yachty x Rio da Yung OG x Veeze x RMC Mike x Louie Ray x Grindhard E – Run Down (2020) YN Jay – Nicki Minaj (2020) 21 Savage x Metro Boomin ft. Drake – Mr. Right Now (2020) 21 Savage x Metro Boomin – Steppin on Niggas (2020) Drake ft. Lil Durk – Laugh Now Cry Later (2020) Lil Yachty x Krispy Life Kidd – Krispy Boat (2020)
21 Savage x Metro Boomin – Runnin
I’m hella late on this but you’ll have to forgive me because life has been brazy lately. Better late than never!
Like I said in my last post, this feels like a fucking movie! I’m loving the foreboding beat and the evil laugh in the beginning. As my brother pointed out, Savage’s half-assed ‘running’ dance move also just adds to the overall dark vibe here somehow; if I was doing it it would not look remotely intimidating but he somehow makes it sinister.
“I’M SLAUGHTER GANG P*SSY, YOU KNOW I BOUGHT MY KNIFE” I love Savage’s sporadic but consistent messaging over the years going back to his earlier tapes that you know he has his knife on him/that he brought his knife because he’s Slaughter Gang; all rappers talk about keeping their strap with them but something about always having your knife on you just sounds even grimier. I’m feeling Metro Boomin’s knife dance move when he says it too.
“2016 we was running around beating niggas up in the club”
“I LEAVE ALL MY CARS RUNNIN, RUNNIN, RUNNIN, ALL MY OPPS BE RUNNIN, RUNNIN, RUNNIN”
“I’M IN THE DEN WITH THE THIEVES”
“All that pillow talk I’ma have to send the boogie man come and get you”
I hate the sample that they play at the end of this/beginning of the next track on the album but I’m glad that Morgan Freeman drops plenty of jewels throughout to make up for it. Like I said in my last post, my brother nailed it when he said they got Morgan Freeman going from narrating March of the Penguins and Nat Geo’s “God” to talking about rats and snitches on a trap album; these guys are winning. I don’t listen to a ton of mainstream rap these days as you obviously know if you read this site but I have to give 21 Savage credit, this whole album feels like a movie. This is the first album I’ve listened to in a while that felt like an ‘event’ to me and we could certainly use that in 2020.
This was a dope concept for a video too, to bring the Grammy back to the hood.
Charlie Wilson – One I Got
Ummmmm… HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS UNTIL NOW??????
Legend in the game.
CW is feeling himself here, see the epic head shake move at 2:20, and you know what, why would he not be? The man is a beast.
(Thank God my wife had the DL Hughley show on in the car last night late at night on the way back from a family party (since you know, I can’t always have Rio da Yung OG or YN Jay on in that situation) so I found out that Charlie Wilson blessed us with this new single this summer.)
All of these fits are on POINT too, some of the young bols in the game could take note
The beginning of the hook about Wilson’s relationship with the ‘one he’s got’ could just as easily apply to Wilson himself; after all this time, it just gets better
I’m feeling this one today as a nice Sunday jam
21 Savage x Metro Boomin x Morgan Freeman – Intro
As my brother said, Morgan Freeman was narrating March of the Penguins and National Geographic’s ‘God’ and now 21 Savage and Metro have him narrating a trap album; if that’s not going big I don’t know what is.
I had kind of stopped checking for 21 Savage tbh but he came back and knocked down the buildings – this whole Savage Mode 2 slaps. This feels like a fucking movie.
I wonder if Morgan Freeman wrote this stuff himself, or if they gave him a general idea of what they wanted him to say, or perhaps best of all (what I hope) is that they all sat around at a table together with a bunch of drinks and chopped it up together to come up with what they wanted.
Lil Yachty x Rio da Yung OG x Veeze x RMC Mike x Louie Ray x Grindhard E – Run Down
Man it seems Yachty really took Hotbox Social’s advice about buying a $75k fixer upper in Flint and staying in town for a while to heart. Seriously, how long has Lil Boat been here for?? CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE BUY THIS MAN AN AUTOWORLD SWEATSHIRT
I’m pleased to see Rio has finally joined him on one of these since he was conspicuous in his absence before this. As an added bonus I love seeing Grindhard E aka Lil E on here since not too long ago it would have been hard to imagine him appearing on a track with Lil Yachty but the whole scene is deservedly leveling up. As Mike says, “Spice talking got the Ghetto Boys moving up the ladder” Perhaps my only regret is no YN Jay this time, but hey I guess he can’t be in all of them.
Yacthy is sounding better than ever and is clearly being influenced by his new Flint cohorts, talking home security “I live on the lake leave the crib and forgot to lock it, it’s okay I got cameras there, and my brother’s sleeping upstairs he’s got hammers there.”
The only guy I wasn’t too familiar with here before this was actually Veeze, and he actually has some fire; “I’ve got bitches selling p*ssy that look like Tyra Banks, I’m rocking Carhartt shooting basketballs like I’m Drake”
“I’ve been sipping dirty water with my Flint niggas, hey Cuz I just made a lot of blues with my Crip niggas, hey Blood I could never be bool with no snitch niggas”
Martorialist won’t like this part but “I’ve been dripping since the Trues with the thick stitching”!
Rio is always cold af “The funeral home will probably run out of dirt if you murk me, if the pastor sold dope I’ll walk into church with a turkey” (2 church references in the same Rio verse!)
RMC Mike never disappoints “Walking through the set with seppys on by Palm Angels, lil bitch been chasing me for years she got strong ankles”
I’m kind of feeling the Washington Nationals hat/Heron shirt combination
P.S. even more fire from Enrgy Beats
P.P.S. Yachty is really taking his artist-in-residency seriously as there is now even Yachty/Krispy Life Kidd collab
YN Jay – Nicki Minaj
I’m feeling this quick hitter off YN Jay’s Coochie Land. Is Nicki Minaj really typing back to YN Jay’s DM? We have no way of knowing for sure, but one thing is for sure – if she’s not, it’s her mistake because Jay is the hottest artist in the game right now.
Dude’s ad lib game is a work of art too.
21 Savage x Metro Boomin ft. Drake – Mr. Right Now
I’m not even going to front, I actually really like this one. Metro Boomin came up with some sick production for this. I could obviously have lived without hearing about Drake’s sex life but it’s Drake what else do you expect. It’s some good feel good music to drive around with in nice weather. However, words can’t explain how much I hate the snippet at the end of this song.
21 Savage x Metro Boomin – Steppin on Niggas
Yet another selection from the 21 Savage/Metro Boomin album; this Eazy E beatjack is tough.
Drake ft. Lil Durk – Laugh Now Cry Later
Two Drake songs in one month? I don’t know maybe I’m getting soft but I like this one too. I wasn’t expecting to hear Lil Durk on a megahit in 2020 but good for him; the part where he swoops in with his verse after Drake sounds sick and works really well because of the contrast. I still am more used to seeing bald Lil Durk than Lil Durk with dreads.
Cardo came through with some heat for this production and I’m glad he’s getting paid.
Could this be the first time Cleveland Browns gear has ever made an appearance in a rap video?
Lil Yachty x Krispy Life Kidd – Krispy Boat
I kind of just love the fact that Yachty is so deep in the Flint rap game now that he’s linking up with Krispy Life Kidd, and that Krispy Life Kidd is about to get a million views on this. That Georgia Tech hat is kind of fire.
I’m hella late on this but you’ll have to forgive me because life has been brazy lately. Better late than never!
Like I said in my last post, this feels like a fucking movie! I’m loving the foreboding beat and the evil laugh in the beginning. As my brother pointed out, Savage’s half-assed ‘running’ dance move also just adds to the overall dark vibe here somehow; if I was doing it it would not look remotely intimidating but he somehow makes it sinister.
“I’M SLAUGHTER GANG P*SSY, YOU KNOW I BOUGHT MY KNIFE” I love Savage’s sporadic but consistent messaging over the years going back to his earlier tapes that you know he has his knife on him/that he brought his knife because he’s Slaughter Gang; all rappers talk about keeping their strap with them but something about always having your knife on you just sounds even grimier. I’m feeling Metro Boomin’s knife dance move when he says it too.
“2016 we was running around beating niggas up in the club”
“I LEAVE ALL MY CARS RUNNIN, RUNNIN, RUNNIN, ALL MY OPPS BE RUNNIN, RUNNIN, RUNNIN”
“I’M IN THE DEN WITH THE THIEVES”
“All that pillow talk I’ma have to send the boogie man come and get you”
I hate the sample that they play at the end of this/beginning of the next track on the album but I’m glad that Morgan Freeman drops plenty of jewels throughout to make up for it. Like I said in my last post, my brother nailed it when he said they got Morgan Freeman going from narrating March of the Penguins and Nat Geo’s “God” to talking about rats and snitches on a trap album; these guys are winning. I don’t listen to a ton of mainstream rap these days as you obviously know if you read this site but I have to give 21 Savage credit, this whole album feels like a movie. This is the first album I’ve listened to in a while that felt like an ‘event’ to me and we could certainly use that in 2020.
This was a dope concept for a video too, to bring the Grammy back to the hood.
As my brother said, Morgan Freeman was narrating March of the Penguins and National Geographic’s ‘God’ and now 21 Savage and Metro have him narrating a trap album; if that’s not going big I don’t know what is.
I had kind of stopped checking for 21 Savage tbh but he came back and knocked down the buildings – this whole Savage Mode 2 slaps. This feels like a fucking movie.
I wonder if Morgan Freeman wrote this stuff himself, or if they gave him a general idea of what they wanted him to say, or perhaps best of all (what I hope) is that they all sat around at a table together with a bunch of drinks and chopped it up together to come up with what they wanted.
