This month’s Hip Hop gems came to conquer and retain. From upbeat bangers and modern instrumentation, to old-school beats and pondering reflections, these are the top Hip Hop 10 songs we are proudest to have discovered and highly recommend you for digesting this month.
10. The Real by The TapeTrip
Starting on a simple air bell progression, The Real allows for the listener to gradually get accustomed to the artist’s voice, who steps in with a curt phone-filtered speech. Then, as if transported back to 30 years ago, the drums drop, and the good vibes start. The moderate pace of the instrumental flows intricately with the rapper’s own lyrical arrangement. The vintage mood is also reflected in most of the nouns being used in the past tense, referring to treasured memories of the artist. Several instruments gallantly walk alongside each other to complete the sonic frame of The Real, oozing sophistication and silent grandeur. Halfway through the song, we are allowed to indulge in the music only, thus savoring the old-school flavor of days long gone. In conclusion, The Real is one of the most relatable Hip Hop songs you will hear during April 2023 as “the story of a regular Joe” delicately combines real-world issues with love, struggles, and ambitions.
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
9. Tie-Dye Skies by Foster the Prankster
Grabbing the attention of the listener from the start by offering up Tie-Dye Skies‘ chorus —heavily relying on the acapella aspect of the two voices and accompanying choirs—Foster the Prankster then delves into soothing the acoustic senses of Kanye West fans. Why that name specifically? Well, the man popularized electronically enhanced vocals on organic instrumentation, think the hook of Heartless. Nearing a minute in, one distinctly remarks the real-life references to poverty, honesty, and circumstances nobody asked for but were born in. It’s rather a poetic accomplishment to speak of hardships on sophisticated instrumentals. We also must applaud the artist for being coherent in diction and landing smoothly at every flow alteration. Another beautiful ingredient that must not be overlooked is the female vocal track complementing that of the main artist. It suavely confers a touch of softness and soul to the record.
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
8. ALONE by Casino ATX
A song in Casino ATX’s catalog, that might we dare to say, has been grossly overlooked. Commencing at once with its hook, Alone surprises the usual Casino ATX fan by featuring another voice first, that of King Nasir. The segment unavoidably permeates the resistance a new listener might have when giving a shot to two indie artists quickly turning into an untouchable earworm. Funnily enough, although he claimed he didn’t want to speak of anything serious in the curt intro, Casino ATX does exactly that when he kicks off the first verse rapping about the world being a crazy place, and we’re glad he didn’t keep his word for too long for the artist doesn’t hold back speaking his mind and calmly detailing his views. We like strong personalities here at BRE. The listener will pleasantly encounter an old-school type of flow and groove in both the rapper’s delivery and the song’s mixing style. Many grown rappers try to fit in in today’s new age of hybrid Hip Hop but fail, being given away by their outdated productions. Alone, however, is one of the few that successfully blends in today’s soundscape while keeping the artist’s loyalty to the ’90s sound and authenticity.
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
7. Oh Baby by Cele Cortez
The minor piano chords adjoined by the light xylophone nearing a harp-like sound instantaneously reinforce the one thing Cele Cortez is most known for: a Rap artist using music as an amplifier of the man’s emotions in today’s world. From the first hook, we are taken by surprise by the new technicality the musician is dabbing in; and that is heavily auto-tuned vocals intentionally arranged to hit pitch-perfect notes rivaling Pop singers. However, one must credit the fact that the words are perfectly comprehensible when compared to mumble rappers (think more like T-Pain and less like Future). When the verse starts, the passionate vein of the artist is apparent and the autotune is let out, being replaced instead by the usual Cele Cortez we all know and like. Mixing the old with the new is one of the most intelligent techniques an indie artist can abide by to gain favor with crowds of all ages. The instrumental is rather monochromatic, and we’re grateful for it as we get the opportunity to zoom in on the performer’s message and delivery. The romantic lyrics in Spanish on the second verse are the prime exponent of the new-age Rap we live in: multilingualism that was well overdue in the music industry.
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
6. Walked In by Otis Fonde
Teasing the listener with an instrumental that overflows with attitude and swag (does Gen Z have a newer word for ‘cool’ yet?), Walked In brings about the carefree mindset we had as a society before the pandemic, a recession, and a war. The bouncy synth aided by thunderous drums gift the public an exquisite Hip Hop experience that’s been out of mainstream media for a long time now. Otis Fonde’s flow marvellously finds its place on the beat and works with it and not against it. The melodic line it follows is highly reminiscent of strong rain drops hitting consistently against the window until you begin hoping it doesn’t end because the sonic comfort is too precious. That is, indeed, the X factor Otis Fonde can proudly claim: a flow so smooth and a delivery so astute that even non-Hip Hop fans will take a liking to Walked In. For being the sole artist, the rapper effortlessly fills in the room and stays ahead of predictability intercalating fun ad-libs and welcome mhm pauses.
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
5. City Back by C. Henry
By far, the most aggressive beat we have on the list aided by the liveliest vocal bursting with zest for proving oneself. The instrumental’s high energy level perfectly complements the rapper’s skillful mastery of his delivery, phrasing, and rhythm. The comprising elements of City Back unequivocally suggest that the artist has been honing his craft in secret for years, leading up to this momentous performance. We do like that the song is 6 seconds short of 2 minutes as bangers don’t ever need to overstay their welcome. The curt duration makes the listener replay the song many times before moving on to another song. As a matter of fact, the bilingual mix that C. Henry introduces in the second part of the song, adds more spice to the very entertaining composition.
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
4. Deep Ends by Shubz
Shubz knows how to pull in the listener and then take him for a ride he can’t get off. The rich hook very elegantly and promptly takes hold of your ears, then transcends to your body and you just might find your head moving from left to right or your right hand moving up and down. There is a major commercial potential in Deep Ends and nobody can take that away from Shubz. It’s a song that is impossible to dislike and inconceivable to forget. A highly melodic flow that does not sell itself cheap just to cash in on the catchy beat or melancholic piano. It rather pushes the artist to take on the task of keeping up his bars and Hip Hop vein all the while respecting the music’s lead. A beautiful, phenomenal song that in a better world would push the likes of Drake into anonymity. Oh did we tell you that Shubz is from Canada too?
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
3. Nothing To Prove by Brettwill ft. Emerson
Nothing To Prove features two lyrically accomplished artists who astutely command the beat without overriding its melodic basis. The song rather immediately catches the listener’s attention with its compelling and commercially appealing hook that reveres self-confidence and self-belief (the courtesy being extended to taking haters to church and praying for them). Even the first verse follows in the pre-established engaging melodic build-up, vividly displaying a rapper who seeks to entertain and not to prove he can chop the beat helicopter style. The gravitas ingredient is rooted in the perpetual up-and-down synth trajectory that was introduced to the listener in the very first seconds of the record. We also observe beautiful alterations of the song’s structure; for example, around 01:08, the music is stripped away entirely, leaving just the vocals to shine for a moment, then it brings back the expected instruments. The cherry on the cake is delivered by the oh-oohs choir voices adorning the song’s sonic space, taking the prime spot towards the end.
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
2. DREAM SICKLE by Levi Deadman
Do not be deceived by the mellifluous tones of a romantic guitar and the serene atmosphere it creates in the first moments of Dream Sickle. Levi Deadman is a musical enigma, defying expectations at every turn. The ample mix room, reverb, possibly intentionally misaligned back vocals, cursive flow, and monochrome pitch – resemble a contemporary abstract painting, initially appearing haphazard but gradually revealing its sublime intricacies upon closer inspection. When Levi Deadman raps, he does so with purpose and precision, weaving together a remarkably contrasting tapestry of defiant words and calming music. The hook is a bonafide earworm that forces the listener’s hand to press ‘play’ as soon as one gets to the end of the 2 minutes and 33 seconds. The artist’s boundless creativity transports the listener to a realm of unparalleled comfort and imagination sprinkled with eerie undertones. Given his previous groundbreaking works such as Mothership, Agony, and Clone, it would be a disservice to expect conventional bars from this rapper. Levi Deadman has carved out a distinct niche for himself and we hope he sticks to it.
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
1. Dat Drama by Nicki Jem$
Stepping further from Pretty Trap and more into bonafide Rap music, Nicki Jem$’s Dat Drama unveiled itself as the most impressive track on this list coming from an indie artist. Deep drums, repeated ad-libs, and prolonged synths promise an epic rendition, and the reality, much to our delight, matches the expectation. Diving straight into the hook, Nicki Jem$ proudly flaunts her songwriting arsenal, delivering a melodic, crystal-clear chorus, followed by a Rap verse entrenched in gravitas and austerity. Starting slow, then spiking up in flow rhythm, Dat Drama shows the public a different, less filtered version of the new Rap name, and we’re here for it. The immaculate rhymes and the addition of the second artist, who touches on the most serious topics —best if you discover for yourself by streaming the song— demonstrate that Nicki Jem$ is not afraid to share the spotlight with talent who bring equal value to the table.
Stream the song on Spotify HERE.
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