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Over the past four months, hip-hop listeners have received highly-anticipated or long-awaited projects such as Travis Scott’s “UTOPIA,” Lil Uzi Vert’s experimental “Pink Tape” and Young Thug’s “Business is Business” — which he released from prison. At the same time, some smaller artist’s works have flown under the radar.

From hip-hop veterans to freshmen, five rappers’ albums fell short in collecting the same recognition compared to the summer’s hits, yet still bring a lot to the table.

“NAUJOUR” – Toosii

Toosii, a local to Syracuse, has dropped some of the biggest hits when it comes to melodic rap over the last few years. “NAUJOUR” is yet another prime example of how his talent continues to evolve since 2020.

“NAJOUR” is Toosii’s debut album under Capitol Records and comes just under a year after his November EP, “Boys Don’t Cry: Men Do.” Melodically similar to others in the trap-soul sub-genre, Toosii’s consistent relatable tracks surrounding heartbreak, rebounding and lovesickness have propelled him to new heights in the past year.

Prior to its release, the album’s first single, “Favorite Song,” dominated radio and streaming services. Before “NAUJOUR” was released, the song reached the top 10 of the Billboard’s Hot 100. Clashing his slow-paced classics and up-tempo, bass-boosted tracks, Toosii displays versatility in multiple styles of rap while diving into growing up and recovering from breakups.

“TEXAS BOY” – Mike Dimes

First blowing up in 2022 with his hit single “HOME,” San Antonio rapper Mike Dimes’ gritty, hard-hitting flow has attracted an abundance of attention, especially with the June drop of “TEXAS BOY.” Dimes’ newest project displays a smooth, southern flow that resembles much of what has made Maxo Kream, another Texas rapper, so popular.

His debut project “IN DIMES WE TRUST” also gained co-signs from other stars, featuring the likes of Wiz Khalifa and Denzel Curry. Intense wordplay and aggressive lyrical delivery has driven Dimes into a lane of his own, combining the Texas rap sound with influence from A$AP Rocky and Joey Bada$$ along with a unique, extroverted personality.

When it comes to standout tracks, “WHISKEY AND WEED,” “ARSENAL” and “HEAVY METAL” encompass the adrenaline-pumping experience Dimes targets. Dimes also shells out his lack of regret in breaking off relationships in “KISS N’ TELL.”

“Been One” – Rylo Rodriguez

Rylo Rodriguez grew up under Lil Baby and much of Southern trap music, and Rylo’s “Been One” shows some flashes of potential from the Alabama product.

Weighing in at 19 tracks and including features from some of the trap stars in EST Gee, Lil Durk and, of course, fellow 4PF member Lil Baby, “Been One” watches Rylo go down to the same style levels as some of his features. On “Taylor Port Junkie” with Lil Yachty, we see Rodriguez follow Yachty in terms of flow and the catchy Nico Baran instrumental, which went viral on TikTok before the song was released.

Tracks like “Room Comfort” even see him hit his melodic side, unfamiliar territory for the rapper, thanks to a feature from Fridayy. Even though his lyricism may not stand out in this hip-hop sub-genre, his new more melodic flow paired with better production from past projects makes the album shine.

“The Patience” – Mick Jenkins

Continuously flying in the criminally underrated category throughout his career, Mick Jenkins is a rap veteran, beginning his career a decade ago while growing up in Chicago. Only after dropping his debut mixtape, “The Water(s),” did Jenkins start to generate the same level of attention as Saba, Benny the Butcher and Vic Mensa.

Jenkins packs in slow lyrically deep tracks throughout “The Patience’s” short 28 minute runtime. The album includes flawless appearances from Gibbs, Benny the Butcher, JID and a fellow Chicagoan feature from Vic Mensa.

The album is quite the journey as the production matched with the lyrical expertise on tracks like “Sitting Ducks” and “007” really show how Jenkins has developed over his long stint in rap. It’s a short piece of work but well worth the listen for not only because of Jenkins but the solid features as well.

“TW2052” – KayCyy

Despite only being an EP, KayCyy’s work on “TW2052,” a collaboration with producer Gesaffelstein, showcases why he might be one of the biggest hidden gems in rap. Working for major artists like The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky and Kanye West, Gesaffelstein’s veteran presence in the production side of hip-hop really boosts his work.

KayCyy also has experience in songwriting and production, working with major rappers like Kanye, where he produced a majority of “Donda,” and Travis Scott, most recently on “UTOPIA.” On “TW2052,” fans are able to experience his established vocals.

Alongside the EP, KayCyy released his newest single “My Jeans” on Aug. 4, another upbeat song that extends the artist’s discography.

Published on August 28, 2023 at 9:40 pm