Latest Posts

Darkadejo – “100pre Salvaje”

August 7, 2026

Tell your friends you started listening to a really dope Nicaraguan surfer-turned-rapper. Rising artist Darkadejo took a break from his surfing career to drop one of the hardest tracks these ears have heard this year. “100pre Salvaje” or “Always Wild” for my gringos out there, boasts a brooding bassline and abandoned factory percussion, combining for a notable unchill aesthetic. Darkadejo’s delivery is packed with nonchalant menace, and the random drones, bangs, whizzes, and sirens that pepper the beat give you a steady unease. You don’t need to understand Spanish to feel like you should be looking over your shoulder. If you dig “100pre Salvaje” give it a listen on Spotify. While you’re there, check out our Best Hip Hop of 2026 playlist, where we feature underground sounds like Darkadejo and introduce you to dope under-the-radar artists.

Marvillous Beats – “Home at Last”

August 7, 2026

Accomplished violinist Marvillous Beats is carving out his own lane, merging his classical training with contemporary sounds. His output boasts both covers in this style and original work, such as his latest track. “Home at Last” is a textural adventure, led by his saccharine lead violin melody and anchored by percussive hip hop beats. Each listen offers a new layer to unveil, as you gain appreciation for whistles, choral samples and guitar strums that build a full and fulfilling listening experience. I’d personally pair it with some wine and a view of the city. “Home at Last” is featured on Marvillous’ latest project, CHILLED VIOLIN 2, where the artist continues to coalesce tradition with contemporary. Listen to past and future from the violinist wherever you listen to music.

Brice Blanco – “Cheap Thrills”

August 4, 2026

Authenticism and introspection drip from the latest work from Houston-born, LA-based rapper Brice Blanco. His new track “Cheap Thrills” explores the complicated disconnect between gratification and fulfillment, backed by warm, tactile instrumentation. My personal favorite part in this track is the lively percussion – they sound both live and hand-played, and serve as a human fabric for Brice’s tales of vices. He finds the cross-section between the “whys,” be them “indulgence [or] emptiness” If you’re digging Brice’s sound on “Cheap Thrills,” be sure to check out more of his work on Spotify. While you’re there, give our Best Underground Hip Hop of 2026 playlist a spin. You might find your next go-to track in there.

Big Brody Ode – “Lost & Found”

August 3, 2026

There’s something about a posse cut that locks me in every time. Who has the best line? Sickest flow? Most memorable verse? Each listen offers a new take, someone new at the top spot. We’ve got a new one to explore here from Toronto rapper Big Brody Ode. ” “Lost & Found,” originally released as a bonus track on Ode’s debut mixtape, moves quickly from emcee to emcee, as each of them quickly settles into the laid-back jams of producer Drum Fu. If you’re into the “Kool Aid and Frozen Pizza” instrumental, you’re definitely going to rock with this one. Anyway, there are two handfuls of artists to sort through here, each offering a different take on this summery tune. Give it a listen and choose your favorite. “Lost & Found” features a slew of talented underground and rising artists; make sure you click around the credits on Spotify. While[...]

ISHMAEL – “NEW PICASSO”

July 30, 2026

He’s got a style all his own, but this new track from Rochester-rooted artist ISHMAEL is reminding us of someone. “NEW PICASSO” is properly named, as both ISHMAEL’s vocal delivery and production choices draw parallels to a certain Pablo-influenced emcee during his less offensive, more acclaimed era. The Kanye influence comes through in the varied vocal stylings, varying from aggressively in-your-face to delicate autotune falsetto. Its production through-lines are exciting as well, with powerful bass lines countered with a chorus of heavenly harmonies. An extended outro brings it home, gradually punctuating one of the elaborate and impressive hip hop structures we’ve heard so far this year. If you’re feeling ISHMAEL give him a listen on Spotify. While you’re there, peep our Best Underground Hip Hop of 2026 playlist updated with vibrant new artists every single week.

Rahseed Defoe – “Magic Water”

July 25, 2026

Swedish rapper Rahseed Defoe is a boom bap artist using the art form to connect people to places, ideas and communities. His latest track explores the ripples below the surface of certain places that make their people act differently. We may not know why, but we know where. In Defoe’s words, “Some cities have something in the water. Something that affects both body and mind … This song is about such a city.” Hooligans and shenanigans in pursuit of making it upriver. The cut features a snappy piano loop and outros with an awesome scratching session that looks like it’s the work of featured artist Tompa T. If you’re feeling “Magic Water,” give Defoe a follow on Spotify so you can track his upcoming releases. This track also appears on our Best Underground Hip Hop of 2026 Playlist and we update that jawn every week so you should check it[...]

Rayhan – “2014”

July 23, 2026

Toronto rapper Rayhan has been carving out a lane in experimental hip hop and beyond with his constant toying with rhyme meters, delivery, and top-class lyricism. The multihyphenate rapper/actor/comedian has stayed busy in the last year with a stream of new releases. His latest single, “2014” kicks off with a stretch of punchlines that almost sounds like a voicemail until you realize Rayhan’s rhyming. It’s a bit crass but “blowing me like smithereens won’t kiss her til she drinks some Listerine mouthwash” is undeniably funny and surprisingly nimble. His rapper persona or his comedic wit could be responsible for “penetentary chances since elementary dances,” too. Rayhan’s writing is razor sharp across the board, and the over-the-top braggadocio pairs well with the maximalist late-2000s Young Money style production. The b-side here is a little alt r+b diddy worth checking out here too – there’s not a sound Rayhan won’t test out.[...]

Jay Hallic ft. E and Dicey Montana – “Dun Came Dine”

July 16, 2026

Jay Hallic’s latest cut is what happens when you put all the most iconic sounds of southern rap into one track. Hallic and his featured artists Dicey Montana and E boast the syrup-soaked southern drawl with a Texas twang. Its hook could have came from the mic of Bun B, and a whampy guitar paces the rumbling track. Each emcee focuses on their southern roots and their work on their block while spacing some triplets into their inert flows. This pairs perfectly with a windows down cruise with the humidity a bit higher than it needs to be. “Dun Came Dine” appears on the Now or Never project from Jay — freshly released this July. You can check it out on Spotify and you’ll find “Dun” on our Best Underground Hip Hop of 2026 playlist, updated every single week.

SMOKEBLEEDEM – “BLOODLET”

July 10, 2026

Tonight when you go to bed, all tucked in nice and it’s just you and your thoughts, alternative hip hop artist SMOKEBLEEDEM’s voice will be the last thing you hear. Anticipate night terrors. His latest single, “BLOODLET” might have been mixed by Satan himself. Press play on this track and give it a listen before you read any more. It’s an evil sound. His underworldy growls mask a sharply written and rhymed track, which becomes more recognizable as a hip hop cut with every second listened. Scoring the scour are Backrooms-ian piano loops. Like running up a never-ending staircase with no escape. It feels a bit like we’re pregaming a sacrificial ritual by tossing it on, which isn’t pleasant but it’s captivating. Give SMOKEBLEEDEM a listen on Spotify. He’s got other vocal deliveries worth experiencing too — attacking from all sorts of sounds.  

Vinnie Hoover & Hommy DeVito – “Missed Call”

July 7, 2026

Take a little bit of New York gritty hip hop and mix in brash Australian lines and you’ll land on Aus rhymesayer/beatmaker combo Vinnie Hoover and Hommy DeVito, Record fuzz and increasingly menacing piano set a particularly ominously scene in the opening seconds of “Missed Call.” Once Vinnie steps to the mic though, his dialect, phrasing and vocab make this a distinctly Aussie, distinctly distinct cut that’s gonna have you googling the hip hop scene down under. He’s hustling, trying to find his way to more fistfuls of cash through high-stakes journeys that come with the reward. Vinnie’s bold and striking, Hommy is cold and looming. Together they’ve got a track woeth your ears. The rapper, producer and schemer duo are just a couple days out from another of their monthly drops – stay up to speed on their website SCHEMINGGOODS.COM. If you’re digging “Missed Call,” check these artists out[...]

Mugensoul and Modal – “Sandy”

July 5, 2026

You know the feelings are heavy when you name a song after her. Lo-fi jazzy hip hop beatmaker Mugensoul is paired up with UK emcee Modal and a conversation with Sandy is on the to-do list. Muted, forlorn trumpets eventually introduce us to a sampled track crying out “whispering your name” — and Modal begins to expel. “Sandy” explores the weeks and months after the breakup with the song’s namesake. Conversations that should have happened, conversations that need to happen, explorations within oneself before those conversations. Mugensoul’s trumpets continue to eavesdrop, and the sample haunts the subtext. Check out more from this jazzy hip hop duo on their latest collaborative project, A Dog with a Crown is Hard to Control available where you stream. You’ll also find “Sandy” on our Best Hip Hop of 2026 playlist that we update every week.  

Amari Bandz – “Currency”

July 3, 2026

Rising hip hop artist Amari Bandz is doing cloud witchcraft with his autotune use. His latest track, “Currency,” turns the humanizer way down and leans into the extravagance that is an autotuned banger. Boasting a Zaytoven-style piano intro, the beat transitions into a spacier soundscape that allows Amari to really turn it to 11 with his performance. Ripping up and down the scale with perfect computer pitch, Amari talks of excess, whether it’s the luxury Balenciaga or same-day trips to Japan. Few contemporary rap artists can find the right intersection of autotune, creative lyricism, and pop accessibilty and fortunately for us Amari is one. Give him some shine on Spotify and Apple Music if you dig this track.

Steve Nguyen – “oyakake bukaeru”

June 28, 2026

Maybe the most important, genre-defining characteristic of lo-fi, study beats is that they take you elsewhere. It could be through hypnotic rhythms, lush layers and loops, a sample that entrances your mind, or any number of reasons. But it needs to take you somewhere that you currently aren’t. Steve Nguyen has this figured out. His latest effort, “oyakake bukaeru” is just another entrant in a long line of ambient, lo-fi, study beat tracks by him that accompany his contemporary visual animation. Fluttering flutes, heavenly harps and train track rhythms draw you into the journey – give it a listen and see where this one takes you. Check out Steve’s Instagram account to get a full taste of his multimedia artistry – rife with animation, music and more. You can check out “oyakake bukaeru” on our new Jammy Study Beats instrumental, too.

Tedsson – “The Double Text”

June 25, 2026

Does it get more helpless than the moments before sending that second text? Pathetic maybe, irrational probably, desperate certainly. Rising hip hop artist Tedsson explores the signs of “long paragraphs honed and rewritten,” and “seeing you post every minute,” before you end up stacking blue bubbles on his latest track “The Double Text.” Tedsson’s matter of fact delivery appropriately masks the fool-hearted emotions that come with the situation at hand, and he speaks to it in a breakup setting. “The Double Text” boasts a truly beautiful, longing soul sample to anchor its beat. Its music video is fitting as well, and I’d recommend pressing play on that below. I’m gonna steal an observation from a perceptive YouTube commenter (oxymoron) and say that Tedsson is cut from a similar cloth as NYC alternative hip hop mainstay Homeboy Sandman. If you’re digging “The Double Text,” then give is a listen on Spotify[...]

Heykryp – “Pregame/Function”

June 24, 2026

Pittsburgh PA’s Heykryp is a rising rapper who combines the experimental nature of cloud rap with more traditional trap sounds. His latest track, “Pregame/Function” smashes together murky and glitchy production that can only be held together by the honey smooth vocals of ‘kryp. It’s a fusion of sound that further bends your listening experience by introducing a hyperpoppy percussion section and counter melody. Heykryp’s backing vocals are often folded into the lead mix, simulating your swirling brain after too many substances. All in all the track rounds out to sound like you’re trapped in a Gameboy Color loading screen for a game about getting too turnt for your own good. If you’re feeling “Pregame/Function,” check out Heykryp on Spotify, and while you’re there give our Best Underground Hip Hop of 2026 playlist a listen. We’re adding rising, undercovered, and undiscovered artists to it every week.