The cadence and flow on ‘ Gorilla’ is Simz at her very best. This allows Simz the space to speak her own, unadulterated truth. Besides Cleo Sol’s harmonies (which feels so natural at this point, given the amount of collaboration between the two) seeped into intro tracks like ‘ Angels’ and ‘Silhouette‘, there aren’t any features. The timing alone of this drop tells us that Simz has something to get off her chest. Less than eight weeks after her astronomical Mercury Prize win for Sometimes I Might be Introvert, Little Simz dropped No Thank You. “Your mind is not to be played with” – Broken Start With: ‘KILLA MODE’ and ‘NONCHALANT’ No Thank You by Little Simz An alternative Hip Hop album for ending 2022 on a high Smoking with the homies, the therapy, escapism, hiding it from cops, relaxing – “every time we smoke, you turn into some activist.” “Bitch I’m a product of war” Boogie exclaims on opening track ‘KILLA MODE.’ The track is a reflection on some of the pain he’s gone through and how that’s showing up in his life and relationships – “come from the mud, it put stains on my heart.” The smoother, mellow ‘I CAN’T GET OVER YOU’ featuring Smino and Teezo Touchdown is an ode to a romantic relationship whilst ‘WINDOWS DOWN’, featuring Snoop Dogg, takes a leaf out of the book of other West Coast rappers and is all about weed. Boogie also released a limited version of the album, with additional tracks and live cuts. The project is raw, emotional and vulnerable, tinged with hints of soul and blues layered over Boogie’s melodic rap flow. Reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid Mad City, MORE BLACK SUPERHEROES from California native Westside Boogie, is a coming-of-age story of a Black kid raised on gospel and gang culture – a dichotomy also explored by Kendrick. “If you see me growing don’t interfere” – HALFWAY RIGHT Start With: ‘Reason to Smile’ and ‘Silk’ MORE BLACK SUPERHEROES by Westside Boogie An alternative hip hop album for when you’re looking for a narrative-led project We have the likes of Wretch 32, Shae Universe and Masego. He brings a big dose of it on tracks like ‘Payback’ (featuring Knucks), which hits as heavy as James Brown’s ‘The Payback.’ The track delivers memorable and uplifting bars like “Man, it feel good to be black.” As well as Kojey’s genre-bending prowess, the diverse features are also what make this an alternative rap album goldmine. Kojey uses this space to reflect on the things that bring him joy – “My life better cause my son got his mum’s smile”, for example.īlack pride is a staple element of any Kojey project. It encapsulates the overall message, using echoes of a gospel track. Opening track ‘Reason to Smile’, featuring Tiana Major9 sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the project. Intelligent and uplifting, Reason to Smile, was released to much critical acclaim, with nominations for a Mercury Prize. Kojey Radical has made a name for himself as a trailblazer and trendsetter within the UK music scene. “I thank Angelou too/Cause still I rise” – Reason to Smile Reason to Smile by Kojey Radical An alternative rap album for when you want to feel uplifted Get into our picks of the best Alternative Rap / Soulful Rap albums of 2022 below. ![]() The fusions have led to some mind-blowingly great music. Leading the pack are artists like Little Simz, Smino, Kojey Radical and Knucks, who are rappers at their core, but aren’t afraid to experiment with their sounds, adding elements of Soul, Jazz, Funk, Blues and R&B. The rule book has been thrown out! Rap is evolving to encompass a whole plethora of sounds, creating the umbrella sound of alternative rap, often heavily rooted in Soul. 2022 in particular has seen a real groundswell of exceptional albums in Soulful Rap / Alternative Hip Hop. In recent years, Hip Hop and Rap music has rediscovered its roots in Soul music. Soul music is at the core of everything we do and we champion the sound in the diversity of ways it shows up. Introducing our countdown of 2022’s best and most innovative alternative Hip Hop and soulful rap albums. Featuring the likes of Little Simz, Smino and Knucks The best new soulful, alternative rap albums pushing the boundaries of Hip Hop to greater heights.
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