Jay Eazy is easily the Linsanity of 2023 - This brief period of pure ecstasy where they just don't miss but instead of playing basketball, this is just a dude who's like 5 foot 3 and he unironically likes Mega Man a lot like that Sonic kid from back in the day. Like Jay is really with it too - Nobody who doesn't fuck with MegaMan isn't wearing the jeans like that lmao. But the song? Ehhhhhhh. It's okay? But everything else surrounding it? Incredible. From the ridiculous memes, to the videos of him running endlessly like he's training for Paris 2024, to the way this man made a videogame song and didn't make it the lamest shit on earth, Jay Eazy made a stamp in history with this one. Will I even know who the fuck this dude is in the next 5 years? Prolly not, but the real heads out there will remember where they were on January 7th.
I know Beethoven and Mozart weren't really around at the same time, plus classical composers really didn't do collabs, however, I really do think that tdf and perc40 are the closest I think we'll ever get to two musical goliaths like that meeting minds. The Minnesota and Atlanta producers are some of the main architects behind one of the most absurdly abrasive sounds coming from the underground, as they provide the main artillery to rappers such as Smokingskul, wildkarduno, thr33, among many others. Here on this 8 minute collage of beats, they show you why they are some of the best in the game - 808s that are so ridiculous if you've never heard them before, melodies that feel like they're almost too advanced for the regular ear, and ingenuity that we've haven't seen from the underground in quite some time. Yeah, we live in an era of the "Type Beat" but man, there's always these producers that make something so unlike anyone else and this is one of those times.
This shit is just stupid lmao. Same concept as the saya/loru song a few spots ago where you get 2 folks on Soundcloud together who are just out there and as a result, you get a bubbly monstrosity like this. London's Gomi seems like the closest we have to someone sounding as insane as South Carolina's Islurwhenitalk, as they both have this strung-out lucid aura to them that feels so incredibly inhuman. This tune sounds like this cutesy anime-laced montage that somehow utilizes a Michigan beat a little bit - I can't unhear it. Then both Gomi and Slurr sound like these little Chibi characters over it, and it still sounds like the hardest shit ever. I don't know how they do it, evil sorcery or not, but it's why they are some of the best on the cloud.
Man, you really don't know what you got til it's gone..... While the first ever club rap boyband 2Humpy lived a life shorter than an insect (with hour long YouTube explanations as to why they dissolved - For the Real Heads lmao), we will always and forever have this to treasure. This On The Radar freestyle is like the Fishmans Long Season for club rap, as this is a 10 minute, 5 man battle royal that feels like the equivalent of those cartoonish clouds where it seems like they're all fighting each other because the energy here is just so damn chaotic, I feel like I have to frisbee my laptop out of the window and shake my hips until eternity. The always stellar DJ Crazy holds this mix down greatly, from the "Who Run It" callbacks to the more lush and grand beats towards the end; he never lets go of the throttle. The "2HUMPY" opener is an obvious standout as well, as that frantic, old-school energy could get me to charge my phone even if I was in Ancient Rome. While I'm continuously delusional, that Philly Goats Super Bowl Halftime show in a few years gets realer and realer by the day and we'll get to see the greatest boyband reunite to do this once again. DEEKHEAD.
I know that it's been said until kingdom come, but "I'm God" might be the greatest beat ever created by man - Yeah a lot of it (honestly all of it) can be attributed by one of the most influential human voices in history, Imogen Heap, but you know what I mean - It's so timeless and never ever gets old. However almost 14 years later (jesus fucking christ), there's been so many different interpretations of that particular beat, and I feel like Chattanooga's idkcap has given us one of the great reimaginings of that godly song. "Blood Pt 2" starts immediately with Imogen Heap's instantly recognizable voice, however it's much more glitchy and evil-sounding compared to the euphoric clammy original - And that shit just loops over and over again like you're falling like a feather through time. Cap's voice feels so subtle as he slides through the chaos endlessly like that one Sol Campbell tackle. It's so cool that even though so much has changed over the years, some of the shit just stays the same. Also just realized that idkcap is only 17 which means that "I'm God" came out when he was 3 years old - I'm fucking jumping out the window right now lmao
There is seriously something in the water over there in Atlanta dude... skypearleddat was someone who just blindsided me out of nowhere when I stumbled across them on SoundCloud, because this is some of the hardest music being made by anyone right now. You know that scene in a horror movie when you're minding your business, doing something menial like taking a shower and then all of a sudden, a motherfucker comes out with a machete and hacks you to pieces? That paranoia and fear is what "SHE AIN FWM!!!" feels like the entire time because you have that shrieking crescendo of strings giving you an anxiety attack, plus the bass is so blown out, they can probably feel that shit down in the South Pole - It seriously drowns everything out lol. Also, Sky just sounds so sinister here too despite her vocals sounding like they're in 240p. Real demon shit overall - My biggest fear now is giving this girl a sword.
UK DRILL ALERT - David Drake, now is the time for your break if you need lmao.
Back when the UK really started to take the Chicago drill influence and make it something of their own, I was probably the only crazy person in East Texas playing that shit almost everywhere I went. This was like prime college time too - I always had a pair of headphones on whenever I was on campus, so you had all these hick-ass people seeing my dumbass have British dudes yelling out of my ears. I think about that a lot because what the fuck was I doing lmao - It's a testament to the music though, because dudes like Tottenham's Headie One and Gipsey Hill's K-Trap are Londoners who have paved the way and are still paving the way for rap to thrive in the UK. Drillers and Trappers was one of the first UK tapes that really got my attention, and funnily enough it's a collab between the two that I previously just mentioned. Fast forward 6 years and they're still 2 of the best Brit rappers in the game - They dropped another collab tape Strength to Strength which is one of the their biggest commercial successes, but all that aside, it shows that even though the entire scene has been watered down to oblivion, the greats still never lose touch. "Triple Threat" shows that, as with Stamford Hill's Clavish, these guys are the final bosses of UK Drill. The beat even has some of the best in the game on hand too (GIVE M1ONTHEBEAT HIS FUCKING RESPECT ALREADY), as this is incredibly dramatic backdrop for a final battle against the dudes with like 7 too many lifebars. I think the best verse here is easily Headie, as he seriously has one of the best flows in rap period (White Dude Voice Worldwide Ting) - It's so unorthodox, but it fits his burly accent. This is the shit British Batman would be driving along to for real.
Again, I'm convinced that they build talented artists in Atlanta out of test tubes because there's a new one I hear about almost every day. The most compelling ATLien I've discovered this year is easily VAYDA, someone whose music is the equivalent is taking every flavor of Starburst and eating them all at once. It's so bite-sized, but so incredibly concentrated with sultry smoothness, as VAYDA's carefree nature reminds me a lot of Awful Records icon and also ATLien Abra. "Gummy" is Atlanta through and through, as that decades-long city-wide drive to innovate is continued through this young artist, as this is a velvety 72 seconds of Vayda proving her own as real shit. Easily my favorite "new" artist of 2023.
This is barely even a song; It's moreso a dream-like flash that you try to recollect in your head over and over again because it's so fucking good. If you aren't familiar, yen is the pseudonym for Broward County teenager jaydes, where there's really a negligible difference between the two other than name. He's just this moody teen who loves to have his music sound all over the place - whether he's giving his crack on weepy folk, Type O Negative-adjacent doom screamo, or even that new wave of shoegaze everybody born after 2002 has to attempt by law. It's always stellar and jaydes is always finding ways to go above and behind to make him stand out greatly. "fallen" is this ~40 second recollection that feels like somebody's 1987 Cadillac Deville is rattling through Silent Hill as it's just an earthquake of bass met by this serene dark ambient soundscape - Big ups marcusbasquiat. From there, yen sounds like he's apart of the group of goth kids from South Park where they're just staring at the ground, wallowing in misery with his angsty tone. Once you press play once, you'll be pressing it over and over again, because it's just so damn good.
41. tisakorean - RANDO (prod. tisakorean)
had this lastnight , and dont remember shit pic.twitter.com/JnlxtaiM1r
— tisakorean (@TisaKorean) November 9, 2023
had this lastnight , and dont remember shit pic.twitter.com/JnlxtaiM1r
— tisakorean (@TisaKorean) November 9, 2023Ever wanted to know what Elephant Competition Cumbia Music sounds like? Sure you did. Here we have probably my favorite person to follow on Soundcloud, Buenos Aries native jaijiu, someone who feels like a long lost cousin to me - He also just loves loud ridiculous shit from all over the world and he's also unhealthily addicted to the website too. As for the music they make, just as demented, as seen with this tune that feels more like a 2008 Youtube BASS TEST HD 240p video than anything. You have this repetitive alarm-like tone that genuinely feels like a signal they would play to alert us about the end of the world, and that shit just keeps going until this brick wall of a cumbia rhythm comes hurling towards you with bass that could seriously register on the richter scale. Wash Rinse Replace My Ears Repeat. Like for real, please proceed with caution playing this one - It's that ridiculous.
39. Devstacks - Praise God (Prod. Devstacks)
This song could make just about anyone religious. Massachusetts rapper/producer Devstacks should be the only person allowed in rap to use orchestral tones, because I am not trying to hear a fucking Metro Boomin beat with violins over it - Like are you listening to this shit? I feel like I could save the world and donate the bajillion dollars that I've gotten from this website to all the great causes in need. Ok no? Well back to the music - Devstacks has such a deadpan and bellowing delivery on this; it feels like he's some sort of lower-toned string instrument like a cello (no Yachty) that's layered over the beautiful orchestra playing amongst him. Sure, he's making me feel poor here but when he says "Praise God yeah He's watching me," you feel that shit. And then he just lets that beat ride out for a whole ass minute - He knows what he's doing. But seriously, you can make a whole ass religion off of this sound alone. One of the best Sosa scholars of this new generation easily.
I'm seriously convinced that this is an actual recording of the Big Bang, because this is just so superfluously overwhelming, as if the entire universe is unfolding upon you. That otherworldly sound can only be attributed to underground great/Ohioian Izaya Tiji, someone who has a particularly grandiose sound that is often imitated, but never ever replicated because he is just him. "I Eat Humans" feels like Izaya is this angel guiding you through the heavens at an inhuman speed, cooing to the world. Charlotte producer OK has just as much to do with this being so incredible, as this might seriously be the best beat I've heard all year - Like he's making this shit on FL Studio Version 48.2 - Euphoria in auditory form.
There's not a single Chevy Silverado safe from this song, as this is one of the biggest corridos of year showcasing Mexican greatness. Jalisco's Peso Pluma has emerged as the fastest rising star coming out of Mexico in quite some time, and teaming him up with possibly the GOAT of corridos tumbados, Junior H, and.....Mr. 3rd Wheel Himself (lol), Gabito Ballesteros is going to result in some greatness. The song is wonderful though as the trio are like these rockstars performing on those huge ass pillar stages up in the sky looking over the bajillion people in the crowd. It's so moody, especially with Peso's raspy shrill voice - He needs to be the next voice of Aflac frfr. While it takes me about 5 listens to figure out everything that they're saying because my Spanish is a disgrace to both my family and my girl's family, this is still some of the best music being made in the world right now.
Oxford producer Hamdi is someone who really brings back that feeling of scrolling through the UKF Dubstep Youtube channel for the first time, being a teenager and learning about the bombastic nature of a whole new genre across the pond. Sure, you can call him almost a one trick pony because he uses saw synths probably more than he uses the loo, but damn, when that trick is an exploding 720 front flip double handstand off of Big Ben, you want that pony trotting in every way possible - If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Here, he gets aid from the iconic Princess Superstar, whose familiar vocals are given new life and a Moncler jacket just so she can flex over dubstep wobbles that can be probably heard on Jupiter - It's fucking disgusting and will give you lemon face, so have some water on hand.
anarchy is the hardest 13/14 year old I have ever heard in my entire life. He's like those kids that are born into Spanish football academies with the sole goal of becoming Messi-like prodigies, but instead, he was given a FL Studio crack, wizard robe, and a shitload of Mountain Dew. "surgeon" sounds like there's this evil middle schooler unleashing wrath upon the planet, where he can shoot lasers out of his eyes, plus he can do the Griddy on us poor souls. Houston producer 444jet must've gotten ahold of Satan's vacuum cleaner or something, because it's just this monolith of synth that is just terrorizing you. And anarchy is just sliding on this shit too.
Seeing kids this young make "evil" music like this is always great, as it harkens to the days of the early 90s with Memphis Rap and even Black Metal where you had kids of this age delve into these darker sounds and create visionary things - Case in point: Three 6 Mafia. They were all teenagers (14-17) when Mystic Stylez was created, which is still so baffling to think about. Now I'm not saying anarchy is the next Juicy J or DJ Paul or anything (Fuck, maybe I am), but it shows the limitless and boundless creativity younger teens have when experimenting with music. This shit is geniunely incredible and a lot of anarchy's music holds up to that same standard. One of a kind and outright absurd. This kid is seriously shaping up to be an early candidate of the next chosen one.
A name that should be very familiar to regular readers of the blog, Jersey's SteezTheProducer is someone who I have preached endlessly as one of the greatest club producers in history. This dude has constantly pushed the envelope off of a fucking cliff - Over the past 5 years, Steezo has made some of modern Jersey Club's most important tunes, whilst also taking the sound into uncharted territory, where now, club music is practically unrecognizable to the naked eye as it's turned into this avant garde rap of plunderphonics where these dudes are creating flows and styles that wouldn't have even been thinkable years ago. Flow is like a state of mind to Steez and he shows this on this ever-changing chameleon of song "Flowin'." I've said this before, but this style of Jersey Club requires really attentive listening as it's like trying to enjoy a field recording inside of tornado - Every 16 bars, Steez is intricately throwing new and unique samples to keep you on your toes, as this is just a constantly mutating monster that is about to elbow drop the whole city of Newark. There's these subtle builds and swells too, damn, just everything about this song is what makes Steez one of the best producers in the world right now.
Also shameless plug that the Jersey Club list will also be coming soon.
KASHER QUON HIVE STAND UP. Ever since last year, Kasher has been putting out some of his best work to date, especially his collabs with producer Just Call Me Chris, as he's still one of the best in Michigan's dynastic scene. Their link-ups always have these beats that have these super melodious lines topped with crisp Michigan percussion that move and dictate, while Kasher does his trademark "say outlandish shit but still make it go hard" shtick that he's one of the greatest of all time at. Finesse is a great word to describe his music, as it's just so incredibly effortless how he throws quotables upon quotables upon quotables (The choke adlib lmao; "A bad ass bitch at Wendys gave me my 4 for 4"). Also the way he randomly lets the beat ride at times is so funny. I feel like it's not said enough, but the growth that the Detroit native has attained over the past 4 years too, as he's really one of the many pillars who's made Michigan the powerhouse rap scene that it has become over the past half decade.
DJ Arana is Sao Paulo's young magician who has turned its funk scene upside its head over the past year, as there are not too many people in on this planet creating realms of absurdity greater than him. Team him up with one of funk's most important modern MCs, MC Lan, let them sample this Ultra Nate classic, and you got yourself a hit. The thing with this tune is that it just keeps growing and mutating through the 5 minute runtime, it's barely recognizable by the end. It starts off with that instantly recognizable sample (also think of the Headie One song) and gives Lan an upbeat energy to start off with, however, whenever Arana comes in, it instantly gets infected by an explosion of automotivo tones that sound like they're coming from an ancient ritual unseen by the modern eye. Once that transition into the more dancey, yet ridiculous bits commence, you are just thrown into fucking hyperdrive, as every 8-16 bars will introduce a concept that has you holding onto your head in disbelief. It gets more demonic, uncomfortable, and abstract as each new idea is being presented. It's chill-inducing, not of this planet, and a real ass statement as to why Brazil should be considered as one of the biggest music hubs in the world, just with their regional music alone (more on this soon). But for real, Arana is one of one.
This shit makes me want turn on MTV2 from 2005 and boot up my PS2 again, as teenager Atlanta producer feardorian (fuck I just realized this kid was born in 2006 bruh what the fuck LMAO) is bringing that feeling back on the Polo Perks collab "Boyband." 'dorian is seriously one of 2023's biggest rising producers in hip-hop, as he blends this conglomerate of regional sounds ruling the SoundCloud airwaves with teen emo angst that is just so damn fresh. Polo knows his way around a good sample (feardorian don't want anybody to snitch the sample, so I'll make an exception and not reveal this one but it's fucking RIDICULOUS) so his deep gravily voice fits so well over the pop-punky guitars and whiny little man in the background. As for the sounds of emo, screamo, pop-punk, and all those numerous other scenes from the late 90s and 2000s, I really hope we see more mutations like this in the future.
At the point where we'll have to do a drinking/smoking game to every time an Atlanta artist shows up, because I feel like I've been yapping my head off about it this entire list lol. Anycia and Karrahbooo are two of the hardest rappers on the planet right now like my lord. Here on "SPLASH BROTHERS," as appropriate for the Flint type beat, they trade lines like tiki taka passes - Think Rio and Mike but on some downers lol. Anycia has such a deeply alluring voice, while Karrahbooo sounds like every single girl who wore them Cookie Monster pants to school, shaking you by your legs to take your lunch money. Incredible chemistry between the two - They need to go get some Tag Team Championship belts or something lmao.
28. 9th Ward Judy - Monsta (Prod. CEEONNABEATS)
"I CREATED A MONSTA"
This shit is why New Orleans is still one of the greatest music cities in the world - Get two songs that have absolutely no correlation between each other (won't reveal them- just surprise yourself), throw a nasty bounce beat over it and let 9th Ward Judy reverberate like she's coming from one of them ghost tours. Just absurd and a travesty that incredible music like this doesn't get covered enough.
Sure club rap, yadda yadda, but more specifically, what about juke rap? For as stupid as this song is, I can't even count the amount of times I've played "Eat That But" this year - Literally all this is is just the most basic footwork beat and you have lil homie talking about how eating ass is nasty; That's it and it's the hardest shit ever. Music is stupid man...
I'm sure you expected some American Primitivism to be on here, so the gambling addict blog readers are going crazy right now. Overs and unders aside, Texan Hayden Pedigo is one of the greatest guitar players alive in my opinion. The way the Amarillo native emits so much depth from a single instrument is awe-inspiring - It's like those huge knitted blankets from grandma washing over you with cozy warmness. Ever since their partnership with label Mexican Summer began, Pedigo has evolved greatly as an artist, pushing Americana to its absolute brink. Like most of his music, "The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored" just envokes memories of driving through the piney backwoods of nowhere bumfuck East Texas where blurs of deep greens and browns are continuously passing by. It's just such a particular feeling for me and his music does such a great job of materializing it as well. Hypnotic. Ambient. Homey. Comfy - I can go on and on. Also a really funny music video to go with it. Super underrated artist.
Hailing from Parts Unknown, KRXXK is undoubtedly one of the underground's best and most futuristic producers, as that's been the case for years since his emergence from SGP's BMB Deathrow collective. He has such a singular unitary sound, as it invokes this image of a deep cyberpunk underbelly full of grime, grit, and other hazardous nasty shit you can't avoid. KRXXK's 2023 can be best described by this 10 minute, 3 track opus "BLACK RAVE," as this is just like stepping through a wormhole full of toxic ooze where you come out looking like an android with skinny jeans on. Everything's so industrial-sounding, but also weirdly celestial at the same time - only he could do this shit. The highlight of the 3 tracks though is easily the last one, as it's just this murky, Creature from the Black Lagoon-ass beat that feels like Blade and all them are bumping this heavy in the vampire club. KRXXK's work just feels almost too good to be true at times - Like he's seriously travelled back 10 years to stunt on everybody, but if you haven't delved into his stuff, I highly recommend you do so.
Another year, another Black Kray x 4EVR masterpiece (just checked and saw that they were in the exact same spot on last year's list lmao) - For over a decade, the Richmond underground legend has put out some of the best rap music to be cultivated through the internet; Kray's a lock for any Mount Rushmore of SoundCloud artists in terms of quality and consistency, because who else can you say from the early 2010s underground is still making good music today? (700,000 Russian dudes listening to Bones don't count). "JUGGALO" is just Kray preaching over this warm synth symphony, as he's slowly floating down to earth like the goth angel he is. It's that song you want to play when the sun's setting when you driving home from work, as it induces those nostalgically cozy feelings of real shit. One of the greatest ever to do it, which seriously needs to be said more by others.
Kuduro/batida is a genre where quality tunes are always popping up like they're coming out of a minigun - Like I'm not even talking about Principe Records here; the dives that you can do on just SoundCloud alone can result in some of the most incredible electronic music you'll ever experience - The depth is insane. A lot of the artists in this scene are mostly seasoned and respected, however Setúbal's D'Cantwo Junior is someone who I had no idea about until I discovered this tune and GOD DAMN. They're someone who loves to mesh that traditionally kinetic kuduro sound with drillishly bassy tendencies to create a groove that I hadn't ever experienced before. "Curto Circuito" is the best summary of that concept as those alarmingly unorthodox horn tones coupled with that irresistible Lisbon drive are t-boning moving subbass lines and angelic vocal hits all the way in London (that's a big ass street). The UK Drill portions would make even M1OnTheBeat's head explode - it's just so damn good. The thing with batida, is that we don't need to have just a few reserved spots for like 5 or 6 producers that we can only care about - The talent there is flourishing exponentially and I can't wait to see how the style evolves next.
Here we have one of the craziest music duos that you have probably never heard of - Irmãs de Pau, two 20-something year old bad bitches from São Paulo who only know how to blow minds. My first glimpse of these two were their appearance on the LEGENDARY Brasil Grime Show - Like these girls can rap, super sexual nature that's gonna make your mama cover your ears or not, it had me intrigued, and once I found out that their actual music leans more towards the insanity that is SP funk, I was 150% in. "Melody do Submundo" honestly feels a really steep roller coaster that blasts you up and then freefalls - It starts off with that synth-heavy bruxaria sound grittily pounding down on until there's this slight purgatory-like void where everything's calm and then your coaster falls off the rails, freefalling into this ridiculously ballroom number where you have to avoid deathdrops and wigs flying at you at a bajillion miles an hour. Much credit to São Luís producer Brunoso for unleashing that chaos, however the duo deserve just as much credit due to the hold they have on you. I have a baby's understanding of Portuguese and even I was entranced by what they were saying. Just listen to it already. Jump off your chair or do some other crazy shit because it gets wild.
The absurdity of SoundCloud is boundless, so you will never know what you'll find on there. For example, here's a dude rapping over an old Lone song using a Turtle Beach headset. Ray R-15 (hard name) is outsider rap for folks who ran out of outsider rap to listen to, as that low quality, microphone-in-his-mouth roughness is hilariously refreshing and he loves to rap over the most absurd shit. Get local SoundCloud angry man, Atlanta's Wildkarduno to give a much more serious approach to the former Azaelia Banks tune, while Ray just sounds like what RXK Nephew sounds like to the normal, non-poisoned human brain. Just chaotic and groovy throughout.
Only thoughts I have on this one:
San Diego's Ethan Uno might be the most under-appreciated pop heartthrob in the world today - The 20-something singer/producer has emerged as one of the main trailblazers in combining that bubblegum-y club pop music from a tin can that is so prevalent today with the unique latin flair of specific styles like bachata and regional Mexican music, and god damn, this is just a match made in heaven. Each Uno song is this short volt of electricity that has you dancing like it's Modelo Time. "no te entiendo" is his best yet, and most of that attributes to the absolutely fucking insane Julieta Venegas sample that the song is based around - Real ones know that one. The way he takes that homey, familiar song and turns it into this Jersey club-inspired banger is just pure genius. In a just world, this dude would be getting a lot more buzz, and I really do think 2024 is going to be a huge year for Ethan Uno.
18. Ken Carson - Lose It (Prod. GAB3 & LEGION)
https://t.co/pj5ppVEdnm pic.twitter.com/qX86MbRynx
— Brian (@B2R1N) October 24, 2023
https://t.co/pj5ppVEdnm pic.twitter.com/qX86MbRynx
— Brian (@B2R1N) October 24, 2023
More Atlanta craziness, and I think that this 17 year old from South Atlanta might be the craziest motherfucker in the city, and no it's not because of his name. While 2sdxrtBall could get a home-schooled 14 year old fainting on the Spelling Bee stage (it's Too Solid Dirtball, stop trying to pretend you too old for this shit), this kid is becoming one of the most unique and chaotic MCs in a city just known for taking rap and bringing it to its limit. Dirtball's delivery is like he's recording from his padded room, inside voices and all, as he has some of the most unhinged adlibs in rap right now. Shit, even Druski did a whole skit where even did those same mannerisms - It's so unorthodox, but so damn infectious. Having him yell "LEBRON JAMESSS" and "I'M GOIN INSANE" in that reverberated manner is like he's in this abandoned asylum losing his entire mind. And that beat from WhyCeg is just so uneasy as well - Adds to the madness, and is why their collab tape FUCK SCHOOL is a must-listen from this year. People who think Atlanta's rap scene is going to decline anytime soon are fucking crazy lmao.
Alright so take mid 2000s skating fashion icons Dustin Dollin and Ali Boulala, mix that with the first few seasons of Skins, throw a Sidekick phone in there too, and get it really all fucked up - You get London's phreshboyswag, a #1c member who is one of the most interesting artists in the UK at the moment. He has a lot of those same #1c tendencies in his sound, ala xaviersobased, but phreshboyswag's music has so much more nihilism and dread embedded in it - It's this noxious cloud of impending doom, as his thick British drawl meshes with these incredibly textured and overbearing beats so well. "obsessed" sounds like he's recording this inside of a spaceship that is slowly crashing towards Earth but phreshboy is in a K-hole so he can't be really bothered about that other than being with his bros. The mixing is so muddy and cataclysmic, like everything is falling apart, however at the same time, it's just this super blissful wall of sound that is brilliant. Another artist you need to keep your eye on in 2024.
Now that we're coming down from a K-hole, it's only right to go on an acid trip immediately after. Here we have another appearance by some ATLiens, Anycia where she teams up with First Team All-"Shouldve hooped instead of ____ cause he tall as hell!" producer Popstar Benny, where they make this psychedelic kaleidoscope of a track, as if you're slowly falling down the vibrant ocean. You have Ciara's voice being drowned out by the whipping and whirling of Benny's synths - The fluid beat has you looking all dazed with the little squigglies and stars on top of your head; it's seriously hypnotizing. In compliment to that, you have Anycia's husky voice feel like soft velvet as she soothes you through the trip - She seriously has one of my favorite voices in rap at the moment.
Before y'all purists start freaking the fuck out that I have brostep tearout music this high on here, I don't think there has been any piece of music, out of any genre or any part of the world this year, that has made me go into hysterical laughing fits that I can barely hear through my headphones like this. Like I finally found music that just completely breaks my brain where all I can do is just sit there comatose and clap like a fucking seal because JESUS MARY MOTHER OF CHRIST. Sydney's MARAUDA seriously has something wrong with him, as he is one of EDM's most demonic producers taking that bro-y dubstep sound and brings it into the fiery depths of hell (Sydney, Australia) - Like seriously, I can throw in every single synonym of evil or demonic and it still wouldn't be able to do this man's music justice, but this quick 12 minute mix sure as hell can, as this is the equivalent of a UFC guy brutally getting knocked where your unconscious head is repeatedly bouncing off of the canvas - Every drop subsequently eviscerates your ears more and more, as I can only describe these sounds as Transformers dying horrifically over and over again. The one part that really destroyed me is the FUCKING MESHUGGAH REMIX (Around 8:45)- Honestly worth the spot alone, as I have never been blindsided by something like that in a good while. It's shit like this that gets me to start putting on earplugs on top of my headphones because I want to be able to experience whatever the fuck type of evil sounds that will be possible in 30/40 years - Lord save us all.
Ever since Argentina won the World Cup last year, the country has been doing incredible things (other than electing that scary looking dude): Messi moved to Miami to become a Republican senator, Bizarrap is just a cooler Kenny Beats (who has me blocked on Twitter), and there's kids doing Chief Keef impressions better than cemeterial dudes in America who look like they never showered in their life. STIFFY looks like a young Maradona with those luscious locks, but he also has the soul of a Chicago rapper from 2013 as "SWAG DE SOSA" is a wall of boppy, maximalist mayhem where you have someone who sounds like they just got their gig at Kidz Bop about a week ago. The Chicago love is apparent and it just works so well in this modern Argentinian lens, as STIFFY sounds like he was waiting his whole life to sound like Chief Keef. And people actually say that that man isn't influential....
What I've gathered from Connecticut's RealYungPhil and Swedish producer Gud's partnership is that for each great song they make, afterwards they go "Fuck man, we can make an even better song." After they put out the absolutely stellar collab tape Victory Music, the two decided to one-up themselves by releasing the single "Make Moves Not Excuses" a few months later, and god damn. It's like Gud is playing this beat through this holy Swedish organ that only he knows how to play, as you have these incredibly beautiful melodies and chords being intertwined within each other, while Phil gives that signature nonchalant delivery as if he's talking at an altar during Sunday Service. This is just so glorious and gets you all warm and fuzzy inside - There's no better type of music out there.
Especially with the atrocities happening now in the beautiful cultural landscape that is Palestine, I really find it hard to find the proper words to talk about Palestinian artists without bringing it back to this current struggle, so I will just leave it very brief. I do want to say that Shabjdeed and Al Nather are 2 very underappreciated artists that deserve so much more reverence and love - Al Nather's beats are on another planet; he takes the cultural sounds close to his heart and always mixes them in an unorthodox way; Here, he takes these busy chords and mixes it with this ruthless breakbeat, that seriously caught me off guard at first, but it's so incredible majestic. If you're unfamiliar, I really do recommend you to go through the BLTNM collective and their members, as they have been putting out some of the coolest rap music over the past few years. From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free motherfuckers.
Yes, the original song itself is an absolute icon - One of the best songs of the year. You can put that shit on in the club, at the Walmart, at the Chuck E Cheese - does not matter - everybody and everything in that vicinity is going to lose their shit. Sexyy Red might be the artist of the year as well with her trajectory through the rap game over the year, however my name is NOT billsimilar, it's billdifferen, so I had to give a special shoutout to the just-as-good sped-up remix from DJ ess, as this is what Sexyy Red would sound like if she was from the evil part of Missouri (think like Branson or any of those old white people tourist traps). Instead of the slick Tay Keith beat in the original, we instead get this dark plugg beat with these maniacal pianos met with someone recording the subwoofer in their car - Can you believe that this actually has an official release due to the traction that it picked up on TikTok? Lmao is all I can say to that. DJ ess ain't no one hit wonder though - His Soundcloud is chock-full of these dark and evil reimaginings of different rap songs - from mainstream to underground - and his output is honestly insane. Oh, forgot to yell SKEEYEE, as mandated by Sexyy Red Law, so we'll just end that there.
Manhattan's Baby Osama is just different (she even says it in the song). Here, she throws it back to Katy Perry to when her and Chief Keef had that crazy ass exchange on Twitter back in the day, as this is a "Last Friday Night" Glo beat from hell. The majesty and prestige doesn't bother Osama either, as she confidently strides over the beat with that loose-fitting autotune ping-pong-ing across the track. "Even when I'm rich I'm gonna still shop at Ross" - Wow frugal queen. All the glistening bells, horns that sound like they belong on Barney The Dinosaur, and bubbly doohickeys just give you that wide-eyed look, and then next thing you know, Baby Osama is dunking on you from the free throw line. Another one to watch for 2024.
Wow, Oxford graduate and billdifferen top 10 song of the year - I don't think life could get any better for London's YT, as he has been one of the best artists to emerge out of this Soundcloud "Swag Renaissance," bringing the nostalgia for the late 2000s back with jerk beats up the wazoo, but it's that distinct London intonation and infinite personality from YT that makes it so fresh. "Pocket Full of Money Got My Trousers Falling Down" must be what swag heaven sounds like - The beat is so simple, but highly intoxicating, as YT is like swag missionary, teaching converts how to Dougie and Jerk while gifting them Truey jeans and Gap hoodies once they graduate. Stupid ideas aside, for a style that has been struck by the "Type Beat" plague, this shows that there's more than enough life left in this rebirth of swag. OI!
Football legends in the top ten? Only on billdifferen dot blogspot dot com baby! For the unaware, Brazilian footy god Ronaldinho is a bit of a party-guy, as he practically lives with a Kangol on his head, and he loves his music, so he has this collective of the best funk artists in the country, Baile Do Bruxo. Like this is the who's who of funk at the moment, and as a result, you get a late contender of song of the year over there with the title track "Baile do Bruxo." A lot of that can be attributed to Belo Horizonte producer WS da Igrejinha, as this interpolation of an interpolation of an interpolation of the classic Enya tune is one of the best things I've heard in funk all year - The hums mixed with that signature WS weepy theremin float as a ghastly figure over the MCs, as the real standout here is Triz, sounding like she's performing a ritual with that coarsely silk voice - This track needs a Lil Baby remix so bad (it doesn't), but it could be a sneak peak of funk broadening their airwaves to us gringos - Only time can tell.
If you had paid any attention to funk or just Brazilian music in general this year, you know you literally could not escape this man and his music. Rio's Kevin O Chris is one of the biggest stars in funk music today, boasting some of its most memorable tracks in recent memory. 2023 was easily his biggest year yet, as I seriously had to choose between 6 or 7 tracks because he was pumping out hits like he was working at a factory. Especially in funk music, when there's a hit, it will be remixed to fucking death, so whenever I scroll on my mammoth SoundCloud feed, there's usually about a 1 in 6 chance that I'm going to run into a Kevin O Chris MTG - It's actually insane. My favorite out of his hits was his collab with prominent Belo Horizonte producer DJ NK Da Serra "Faz um Vuk Vuk," as this is a blend of the classic Rio funk carioca sound with Belo Horizonte's emerging uniquely barebones style, all met by the soulful crooning of Kevin. If there was a hook olympics, Kevin O Chris might be bringing the gold for Brazil, vulgar bullshit or not, as I can't even count the times I've caught myself singing "Vem no chupe chupe, babado e molhado" while doing menial things throughout the day (Yes, Brazilians, I know he's saying some bad shit lmao). All in all, I talk about how funk is slowly getting into the gringo limelight a lot, and I feel like it really wouldn't be done properly if Kevin O Chris was one of those artists to break through onto the regular ear - Sure, he had a Drake remix a few years ago, but that doesn't even count because I feel like funk is much more prevalent to the naked ear, so for 2024, if funk really does take that next step, get acquainted with one of the best beforehand.
Club Casualties dropping an album for the first time in 5 years was one of my favorite surprises of the year. Western Mass outsider pop legends Cooper B. Handy (LUCY) and Nick Atkinson (Ghost) were two guys I had discovered all the way back in 2015, when they were apart of late collective Dark World; for a collective of dudes that were just out there, these two felt like the strangest of the bunch, releasing shit absolutely ahead of its time. Nothing shows their forward-thinking genius better than 2015's "WALK THIS WAY," something I still try to bring up randomly in conversations, as it's bonkers that something this chaotic is from 8 years ago. Almost a decade later, Cooper and Nick are at the absolute top of their game, as their 2nd album Bridge Underwater is one of the best of the year, consisting of some of the greatest dance pop ever created by man. "DIRT" is this bright and lustrous happy hardcore number that is just so freeing to listen to - Just like the accompanying music video, this shit makes you want get into any dingy-ass car, roll all the windows down, and do donuts in the nearest field. Nick has the voice of an angel as those synths and majestic strings herald over him. It's just this serotonin bank in the form of a 2 minute song - Genuinely perfect.
4. Chuquimamani-Condori - Until I Find You Again
Chuquimamani-Condori, DJ E, Elysia Crampton, DJ Ocelote - All synonyms for greatness. Over the years, the Northern Californian electronic artist has continuously made some of the greatest and most forward-thinking pieces of music out of anyone on the planet. On most days, I really do think they're the greatest artist in the world and that was even before they decided to drop a bombshell surprise album DJ E in November which just about ruined every other artist's pursuit at achieving Album of the Year, as once again, Elly proves that they run this shit. The closer of that mesmerizing album "Until I Find You Again" is one of the most heart-wrenching songs I have ever heard. That country-music fiddle that plays in the background just vividly takes me back to when I was a child being around my more country-music-aligned family who aren't around anymore - There's just a chord that this song strikes inside of me that no matter what, I'll just start to shed tears when this comes on. When you mix in those DJ E-signature mechanical warps, traditional Bolivian rhythms, and that tinge of uneasiness, you get this one of a kind tune that'll get your goosebumps to get goosebumps. Even through the collage of chaos, this is just pure indescribable bliss. If you haven't even listened to this album yet, you are a sleeping jabroni and just close this damn list and go listen to DJ E like right now..... I mean it.
3. AyooLii - Shmackin Town
AyooLii is probably the only person on Earth who could manage to achieve world peace at this point and it can be honestly attributed to this song alone. In a time where interpolations of older tunes are a soulless cash grab, the Prince of Slap City saves us all by taking us all to Shmackin Town, as this might be Milwaukee's magnum opus. The sample use is genius, it's bumping more than a party full of elephants on speed, and AyooLii puts on that conductor hat to take us all for a bumpy ride. These dudes can make these same shmackin beats for the rest of eternity and it will never ever get old. Like this is the music we should be sending to outer space because maybe the aliens would actually fuck with us for once - They don't want to hear no fucking Beatles - AyooLii is bigger than the 4 of them combined.
Enough time has passed y'all, it's time to STOP SLEEPING ON THIS KID. New York's xaviersobased is the face of the underground right now - If you don't think that, you are either old or just living under a rock. The positive, beat-by-my-own-drum attitude that the 19 year old has is what makes him one of, if not, the most compelling artist on SoundCloud at the moment. We've gotten a constant stream of quality releases from him throughout the year , however, the tune that has defined his dominance throughout the year is "fix my mind," a self-produced journey where it seems that Xavier gave his Mac laptop some DMT so that you get this coldly dreamy beat that makes you feel like you're falling through layers and layers of clouds in slow motion - Everything is so opulent and shiny in the background while Xavier has a bit more grit and edge to him, as if he's this mysterious figure hiding in a dark alleyway. You can say this about a lot of xaviersobased's music but he truly does bring the feeling back, and there's really no one else doing that better than him. He's approached this Dwuap/Kray tier of greatness where he's this pillar of the underground, seriously getting away with how experimental and left-field his music can get at times. It's so cool to see artists of this caliber experiment with so many different sounds and styles, and it really goes to show the boundless potential artists can have when you just let them be themselves. He legit makes music fun again, and I feel safe to say that 2024 will be his year, so get yourselves ready!
Y'all seriously thought I was going to do something clever? Y'all want me to put that stupid Planet of the Bass song as a joke so y'all can get a few chuckles out of it? No dumbasses, 2023 was the YEAR OF VEEZE. I genuinely did not believe his long-awaited album Ganger would ever come out - It was one of those shovelware games that get announced and never come out, however Veeze stayed true to his word and dropped the best rap album of the year back in late June - It's one of those "I remember exactly where I was" type of albums when you heard it for the first time, and for me, I first heard this driving through the mountains of Oklahoma and it's still one of my favorite experiences with music this year. Whenever one of the last tracks "Safe 2" came on, I'm not sure if it's because of the lucid instrumental that feels straight out of an obscure PS2 JRPG game, but I just started crying, as this is just a truly beautiful song where you get the hardest rapper in the world showing his vulnerable side. Veeze croons like he's in this intimate Jazz club - It's no Pavarotti, but the genuine feeling in this his delivery that makes this the inspiring tune that it is. He's barely coherent towards the end where he's like "Pain from the words that I say, know it sound strange, but I make the best out it every day," but it's that infinite aura that he emits that no matter if he's sounding like Shakespeare or Donnie from the Wild Thornberrys, you still feel that shit inside of you. Truly one of the best artists in the world and I couldn't think of any other song that was deserving of the #1 spot, so Veeze, you win an all-expense-paid trip to Lufkin, Texas where you get a $30 gift certificate to Texas Roadhouse and a handshake from yours truly, so Mr Veeze, if you're reading this sir, just hit me up with your details and we can get that all sorted out. But seriously, an artist and song that truly defined 2023.
Well I'll be damned, we finally made it
