Music Tracking 2025

These are 2025 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

  • 2hollis: Star (Interscope) [04-04] - experimental hip-hop [**]
  • $ilkMoney: Who Waters the Wilting Giving Tree Once the Leaves Dry Up and Fruits No Longer Bear? (Lex/DB$B) [07-18] - hip-hop [***]
  • Abbatia: Phantasma! In the Ends of the Loom () [03-21] - hip-hop
  • Kevin Abstract: Blush (X8/Juno) [06-27] - hip-hop
  • Action Figures of Speech: Action Figures of Speech () [02-15] - hip-hop
  • Phil Adé: Philip () [10-01] - hip-hop
  • Aesop Rock: Black Hole Superette (Rhymesayers) [05-30] - hip-hop [***]
  • Aminé: 13 Months of Sunshine (CLBN/10K Projects) [05-16] - hip-hop
  • Fly Anakin: (The) Forever Dream (Lex) [04-25] - hip-hop [*]
  • Anitek & Tabinstereo: Indigo Immaculate () [01-22] - hip-hop
  • Ant: Collection of Sounds Vol. 4 (Rhymesayers) [04-04] - hip-hop
  • Apathy: Mom & Dad (Dirty Version/Coalmine) [06-13] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Arrested Development: Adult Contemporary Hip Hop () [07-04] - hip-hop
  • Atmosphere: Jestures (Rhymesayers) [09-19] - hip-hop
  • Backxwash: Only Dust Remains (Ugly Hag) [03-28] - hip-hop [***]
  • The Bad Seed/Murda Megz: From Us With Love () [02-06] - hip-hop
  • MC Paul Barman: Tectonic Texts (Househusband) [03-25] - hip-hop [***]
  • Big Cheeko: Coulrophobia () [01-17] - hip-hop
  • Bigg Sluggathor: The Wizard Behind the Curtain () [03-31] - hip-hop
  • Black Milk & Fat Ray: Food From the Gods (Computer Ugly/Fat Beats) [02-13] - hip-hop [**]
  • Yugen Blakrok: The Illusion of Being (IOT) [05-21] - hip-hop [***]
  • Blockhead: It's Only a Midlife Crisis if Your Life Is Mid (Future Archive) [02-21] - hip-hop [**]
  • Blu & August Fanon: Forty () [04-18] - hip-hop
  • Blueprint: Vessel (Weightless) [07-29] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Boldy James/Chuck Strangers: Token of Appreciation () [02-27] - hip-hop
  • Boldy James & Nicholas Craven: Late to My Own Funeral () [07-11] - hip-hop
  • Boldy James & Real Bad Man: Conversational Pieces () [05-02] - hip-hop
  • Brother Ali: Satisfied Soul (Mello Music Group) [02-14] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Apollo Brown & Bronze Nazareth: Funeral for a Dream (Escapism) [07-25] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Danny Brown: Starburst (Warp) [11-07] - hip-hop
  • Bruiser Wolf: Potluck () [05-30] - hip-hop
  • Buck 65: Keep Moving (Handsmade) [04-28] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Cardi B: Am I the Drama? (Atlantic) [09-19] - hip-hop [**]
  • Loyle Carner: Hopefully! (EMI/Universal) [06-20] - UK hip-hop [**]
  • Ken Carson: More Chaos (Opium/Interscope) [04-11] - hip-hop
  • Isaac Castor & Foul Mouth: The Rabbit Hole 3: Smoking Caterpillar () [02-23] - hip-hop
  • Central Cee: Can't Rush Greatness (CC4L/Columbia) [01-24] - UK hip-hop [**]
  • Chance the Rapper: Star Line (self-released) [08-15] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Che Noir: The Color Chocolate 2 (Poetic Movement) [06-20] - hip-hop
  • Che Noir & the Other Guys: No Validation () [08-29] - hip-hop
  • Ciel: Spice (Nomad) [04-11] - UK hip-hop
  • JD Cliffe: Misfit. (APLCO -EP) [04-16] - UK hip-hop
  • Clipping.: Dead Channel Sky (Sub Pop) [03-14] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Clipse: Let God Sort Them Out (Roc Nation) [07-11] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Confucius MC & Bastien Keb: Songs for Lost Travellers (Native Rebel) [02-07] - hip-hop
  • Miles Cooke: Ceci N'est Pas Un Portrait () [01-10] - hip-hop
  • Cortisa Star: E.M.O. (Evil Motion Overload) () [04-11] - hip-hop
  • Curren$y & Harry Fraud: Never Catch Us () [03-14] - hip-hop
  • Chuck D: Chuck D Presents Enemy Radio: Radio Armageddon (Def Jam) [05-16] - hip-hop [*]
  • Da Inphamus Amadeuz/The Punchline Academy: The Punchline Playbook: Lesson 1 () [02-07] - hip-hop
  • Defcee & Parallel Thought: Other Blues LP () [06-06] - hip-hop
  • Dear Derrick Featuring Kool Keith: Galaxy Thot () [02-14] - hip-hop
  • DirtyDiggs: Gold Chain Music () [02-26] - hip-hop
  • Distrik22: Brooklyn Queens Expressway () [01-20] - hip-hop
  • McKinley Dixon: Magic, Alive! (City Slang) [06-06] - hip-hop [**]
  • DJ Haram: Beside Myself ( Hyperdub) [07-18] - hip-hop [**]
  • DJ Premier & Roc Marciano: The Coldest Profession (To the Top) [08-08] - hip-hop
  • Doja Cat: Vie (Kemosabe/RCA) [09-26] - dance-pop [**]
  • Doodlebug & 80 Empire: A Galactic Love Supreme (Gladiator) [03-07] - hip-hop [B]
  • Doseone/Steel Tipped Dove: All Portrait, No Chorus (Backwoodz Studioz) [01-10] - hip-hop [**]
  • Doseone & Height Keech: Wood Teeth (Hands Made -EP) [07-04] - hip-hop [***]
  • Duckwrth: All American F*ckboy (Them Hellas/The Blind Youth) - alt-r&b
  • Open Mike Eagle: Neighborhood Gods Unlimited (Auto Reverse) [07-11] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Dave East & Ransom: The Final Call () [02-21] - hip-hop
  • El Michaels Affair: 24 Hr Sports (Big Crown) [09-05] - hip-hop
  • EST Gee: I Ain't Feeling You (Interscope) [01-31] - hip-hop
  • Evidence: Unlearning Vol. 2 (Rhymesayers Entertainment) [08-15] - hip-hop [*]
  • Farma G: How to Kill a Butterfly () [01-31] - hip-hop
  • FastLife, Madhattan & Spanish Ran: Bergin Hunt & Fish () [02-10] - hip-hop
  • Fatboi Sharif & Driveby: Let Me Out (Deathbomb Arc) [04-24] - hip-hop [*]
  • Feng: What the Feng () [02-14] - UK hip-hop
  • Fines Double: Espejismo (self-released) [01-28] - hip-hop [***]
  • G-Clef Da Mad Komposa & Jus-P: Xavier & Logan () [02-14] - hip-hop
  • Ghostface Killah: Supreme Clientele 2 (Mass Appeal) [08-22] - hip-hop [*]
  • Freddie Gibbs & the Alchemist: Alfredo 2 (ESGN/ALC) [07-25] - hip-hop [*]
  • John Glacier: Like a Ribbon (Young) [02-14] - UK hip-hop [*]
  • Grand Official: Supreme () [02-02] - hip-hop
  • Ghais Guevara: Goyard Ibn Said (Fat Possum) [01-24] - hip-hop [***]
  • Goya Gumbani: Warlord of the Weejuns () [03-21] - hip-hop
  • Handsome Gentlemen: Filmed by Quentin Tarantino () [02-01] - hip-hop
  • Omari Hardwick: BuffalOes & Butterflies () [02-03] - hip-hop
  • The High & Mighty: Sound of Market (Eastern Conference) [06-06] - hip-hop [***]
  • Ho99o9: Tomorrow We Escape (Last Gang/999 Deathkult/MNRK) [09-09] - hip-hop
  • Benny Holiday: Holiday Land () [01-17] - hip-hop
  • Homeboy Sandman & Illingsworth: Dancing Tree (self-released -EP) [02-28] - hip-hop [***]
  • Homeboy Sandman & Yeyts.: Corn Hole Legend (self-released -EP) [04-04] - hip-hop [*]
  • Homeboy Sandman & Brand the Builder: Manners (self-released -EP) [05-16] - hip-hop [*]
  • Homeboy Sandman: Soli Deo Gloria () - hip-hop
  • ILL Tone Beats: The Outcome () [03-07] - hip-hop
  • Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals: A City Drowned in God's Black Tears (Phantom Limb) [04-04] - hip-hop [**]
  • Jeshi: Airbag Woke Me Up (Because Music) [01-24] - UK hip-hop
  • JID: God Does Like Ugly (Dreamville/Interscope) [08-08] - hip-hop [***]
  • Josiah the Gift & Machacha: The Happening (BarsOverBs) [02-14] - hip-hop [**]
  • Larry June, 2 Chainz & The Alchemist: Life Is Beautiful (The Freeminded/ALC/Empire) [02-07] - hip-hop [**]
  • Eddie Kaine & Machacha: Crown Me Kaine () [02-03] - hip-hop
  • Eddie Kaine & Rim: Welcome to Stuyville () [01-08] - hip-hop
  • Wiz Khalifa: Kush + Orange Juice 2 (Taylor Gang) [04-18] - hip-hop
  • Kid Cudi: Free (Wicked Awesome/Republic) [08-22] - alt-r&b
  • Knowledge the Pirate: The Round Table (Pimpire/Trouble Chest Entertainment) [05-06] - hip-hop [**]
  • Kool Keith & Dane Uno: The Yoohoo Bros. () [03-07] - hip-hop
  • Kool Keith: Karpenters () [04-18] - hip-hop
  • Krept & Konan: Young Kingz II (Play Dirty) [02-07] - UK hip-hop
  • KRS-One: Temple of Hip Hop Global Awareness (R.A.M.P. Ent Agency) [03-21] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Henny L.O. & Ewonee: The Coldest Season Ever () [03-21] - hip-hop
  • Jim Legxacy: Black British Music (XL) [07-18] - UK hip-hop [*]
  • Lex Nyre: The Best Language () [03-28] - hip-hop
  • Lil Baby: Wham (Quality Control/Motown) [01-03] - hip-hop
  • Lil Wayne: Tha Carter VI (Young Money/Republic) [06-06] - hip-hop [*]
  • Little Simz: Lotus (Little Simz) [06-06] - hip-hop [*]
  • Lizzo: My Face Hurts From Smiling (Nice Life/Atlantic) [06-27] - mixtape [*]
  • Lord Sko: Piff () [03-28] - hip-hop
  • Lords of the Underground & Snowgoons: So Legendary (Goon MsSick) [04-11] - hip-hop
  • M.W.P.: Temple of Roses () [01-09] - hip-hop
  • Lawrence Matthews: Between Mortal Reach & Posthumous Grip (self-released) [09-16] - hip-hop
  • Maze Overlay & Slang Hugh: Word () [02-14] - hip-hop
  • MC Homeless: Stay Slick () [02-14] - hip-hop
  • Drayco McCoy: World Domination (self-released) [02-25] - hip-hop
  • Otis Mensah & the Intern: Before the Noise My Cousin () [03-14] - hip-hop
  • Mexstep & Principe Q: Tráfico (Puro Unity -EP) [09-04] - hip-hop [***]
  • MIKE: Showbiz! (10k) [01-31] - hip-hop [**]
  • MIKE & Tony Seltzer: Pinball II (10k) [05-07] - hip-hop
  • MindsOne: Stages (Fort Lowell) [02-07] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Murderers' Row & Snowgoons: Murderers' Row () [01-24] - hip-hop
  • Napoleon Da Legend & Giallo Point: F.L.A.W. (Legendary) [02-14] - hip-hop [***]
  • Rico Nasty: Lethal (Fueled by Ramen/Elektra) [05-16] - hip-hop
  • Nerves Baddington: Driving Off Cliffs (Apt. B Productions) [02-28] - hip-hop [**]
  • Niontay: Fada<3of$ (10k) [04-25] - hip-hop [*]
  • OC From NC: Project 25 () [01-01] - hip-hop
  • Offset: Kiari (Motown) [08-22] - hip-hop
  • Onyx: Lower East Side () [04-11] - hip-hop
  • ERR: grade bad priority: Bill Orcutt/Steve Shelley/Ethan Miller: Orcutt Shelley Miller
  • OsamaSon: Jump Out (Motion Music/Atlantic) [01-24] - hip-hop
  • Kassa Overall: Cream (Warp) [09-12] - hip-hop [***]
  • Ovrkast.: While the Iron Is Hot () [05-30] - hip-hop
  • Nino Paid: Love Me as I Am (Signal/Columbia) [02-04] - hip-hop
  • Pan Amsterdam: Confines () [05-23] - hip-hop
  • Vinnie Paz: God Sent Vengeance (Iron Tusk Music) [04-25] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Phill Most Chill/Djar One: Deal With It () [02-07] - hip-hop
  • Phill Most Chill: I'm (Volume One & Volume Two) () [04-29] - hip-hop
  • Pink Siifu: Black'!Antique (Dynamite Hill) [01-27] - hip-hop [*]
  • Playboi Carti: [I Am] Music (AWGE/Interscope) [03-14] - hip-hop [**]
  • PremRock: Did You Enjoy Your Time Here . . . ? (Backwoodz Studioz) [03-21] - hip-hop [***]
  • Preservation & Gabe 'Nandez: Sortilège (Backwoodz Studioz) [08-15] - hip-hop [***]
  • Public Enemy: Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025 (Enemy) [06-27] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Joey Purp & Thelonious Martin: Champagne Seats () [06-06] - hip-hop
  • Queen Herawin: Awaken the Sleeping Giant (Matic) [02-28] - hip-hop [***]
  • Kojey Radical: Don't Look Down (Warner/Asylum/Bellyempty) [09-19] - UK hip-hop
  • Raekwon: The Emperor's New Clothes (Mass Appeal/Ice H2O) [07-18] - hip-hop
  • Real Bad Man & Genevieve Artgadi: Everything Is Under Control (Real Bad Man) [10-03] - hip-hop
  • Recognize Ali & Stu Bangas: Guerilla Dynasty 3 () [03-14] - hip-hop
  • Recognize Ali & Tragedy Khadafi: The Past the Present and the Future () [07-04] - hip-hop
  • Redline the Ace: Origin Story () [01-13] - hip-hop
  • Rio Da Yung OG: Rio Free (Something Happen) () [02-07] - hip-hop
  • Rizzle Kicks: Competition Is for Losers (BMG) [02-14] - UK hip-hop
  • Rome Streetz & Conductor Williams: Trainspotting () [05-30] - hip-hop
  • Saba & No I.D.: From the Private Collection of Saba and No I.D. (From the Private Collection) [03-18] - hip-hop [A-]
  • ShrapKnel & Mike Ladd: Saisir Le Feu (Fused Arrow) [08-05] - hip-hop [**]
  • Skaiwater: #mia (GoodTalk/Capitol -EP) [02-14] - hip-hop [*]
  • Edward Skeletrix: Museum Music (none) [01-01] - hip-hop
  • Slick Rick: Victory (Mass Appeal) [06-13] - hip-hop [***]
  • Slik Jack/Vincent Pryce: Everyone's Gotta Pryce () [01-22] - hip-hop
  • Smif-N-Wessun: Infinity () [02-21] - hip-hop
  • ERR: stream no grade: Enoch Smith Jr.: The Book of Enoch Vol. 1
  • Will Smith: Based on a True Story (Three Six Zero/NEON16/Slang Music) [03-28] - pop rap
  • Snoop Dogg: Iz It a Crime? (Death Row/Gamma) [05-15] - hip-hop
  • Earl Sweatshirt: Live Laugh Love (Tan Cressida/Warner) [08-22] - hip-hop [*]
  • Antony Szmierek: Service Station at the End of the Universe (Mushroom Music) [02-28] - UK hip-hop [***]
  • Kae Tempest: Self Titled (Island) [ 07-04] - UK hip-hop [A-]
  • Tetsuo: Gossamer () [01-19] - hip-hop
  • AJ Tracey: Don't Die Before You're Dead (Revenge) [06-13] - UK hip-hop
  • Tyler, the Creator: Don't Tap the Glass (Columbia) [07-21] - hip-hop [*]
  • UFO Fev & Body Bag Ben: Thousand Yard Stare (1332) [03-21] - hip-hop [**]
  • uMaNg & B.B.Z. Darney: Monu-mental () [07-11] - hip-hop
  • Uncle Murda: Murda He Wrote () [01-24] - hip-hop
  • Joey Valence & Brae: Hyperyouth () [08-15] - hip-hop
  • Vega7 the Ronin/Machacha: The Ghost Orchid (Copenhagen Crates) [03-21] - hip-hop [***]
  • WateRR & Machacha: Almighty II () [03-14] - hip-hop
  • Westside Gunn: 12 () [02-14] - hip-hop
  • Wolfacejoeyy: Cupid () [01-08] - hip-hop
  • Billy Woods: Golliwog (Backwoodz Studioz) [05-09] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Landon Wordswell & Es-K: Remember to Breathe () [02-21] - hip-hop
  • Wretch 32: Home? (AWAL) [05-02] - UK hip-hop [**]
  • Wu-Tang X Mathematics: Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman (36 Chambers/DNA Music) [04-12] - hip-hop [A-]
  • Xzibit: Kingmaker () [05-16] - hip-hop
  • The Young Mothers: Better If You Let It (Sonic Transmissions) [02-21] - jazz-hop [**]
  • Young Nudy: Paradise (RCA) [08-08] - hip-hop
  • YT: Oi! (G2G) [03-28] - UK hip-hop
  • ZelooperZ & Real Bad Man: Dear Psilocybin () [02-07] - hip-hop

Reissues, Etc.

  • Ant: Collection of Sounds Vol. 4 () [04-04] - hip-hop
  • Homeboy Sandman: Rich 2.5 (self-released) [01-24] - hip-hop [***]
  • JPEGMafia: I Lay Down My Life for You (Director's Cut) (self-released) [02-25] - hip-hop
  • Mac Miller: Balloonerism (REMember Music/Warner) [01-17] - hip-hop [***]
  • Outkast: Stankonia [25th Anniversary Edition] (Sony) [10-31] - hip-hop
  • Serengeti: Mixtape 2 (self-released) [03-07] - hip-hop [*]
  • Spectacular Diagnostics: Raw Game [Ten Year Edition] (2015, Vinyl Digital) [02-00] - hip-hop [***]

Priority Counts

  • Priority 1: 105
  • Priority 2: 7
  • Priority 3: 0
  • Priority 4: 81
  • Priority 5: 0

Total: 193