2025 was an insane year for Hip-Hop! From the underground to the mainstream, it felt like quality was at the forefront. I heard arguably too many albums this year, and I tried my best to listen with open ears and an open mind.
Disclaimer: This is just my opinion. Almost every album on this list shifted positions throughout the year. This is less of a definitive list and more of a guide to help you discover something new!
I heard arguably too many albums this year. To kick off my 2025 recap, we’re starting with the projects that struggled to find their footing. From AI suspicions to mainstream duds and experimental misses, here is the bottom of the list.
🛑 The Bottom of the Barrel (460–450)
The projects that missed the mark entirely.
- 460. Edward Skeletrix – Museum Music: This was so bad it barely qualifies as music. Listen for yourself and see how far you can get.
- 459. Marcel P. Black – Maroon Pack: Pro-Trump trash. Steer far clear.
- 458. Duwap Kaine – Nobody Is Coming To Save You
- 457. OsamaSon – psykotic: Worse than Jump Out, which is saying something.
- 456. Yung Pinch – I WOULD HATE ME TOO
- 455. OsamaSon – Jump Out
- 454. LAZER DIM 700 – Sins Aloud: A dud from an XXL Freshman. The style just doesn’t work for me.
- 453. YTB Fatt – Da Foxtrot
- 452. Soulja Boy – The Influence
- 451. G-Eazy – Helium: I never liked G-Eazy, and I still don’t.
- 450. BabyChiefDoIt – ZOO LIFE: Too much suspected AI for me to trust it.
📉 Mainstream Missteps (449–400)
Big names, disappointing results.
- 448. Ken Carson – More Chaos
- 440. Lil Baby – WHAM
- 439. Playboi Carti – I AM MUSIC
- 432. Kid Cudi – Free: I miss when Cudi made music closer to Hip-Hop.
- 429. BigXThaPlug – I Hope You’re Happy: I like BigX, but this country-rap trend has to go.
- 428. Drake & PartyNextDoor – $ome $exy $ongs 4 U: Not the comeback I was hoping for post-beef.
- 426. Young Thug – UY SCUTI: One of the worst post-prison rollouts in history.
- 421. Desiigner – ii: Still a Future clone in 2025.
- 413. Metro Boomin – A Futuristic Summa: This era of sound still isn’t for me.
- 406. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter VI: A rough listen, even for a Wayne fan.
The Rest of the 400s:
- Loe Shimmy – Nardy World | 447. SWAMP THUG & bromethazine – THUG ZINE 003 | 446. Niontay – Fada<3of$ | 445. 1900Rugrat – Porch 2 The Pent | 444. Soulja Boy – Draco Season | 443. Jorjiana – Project 219 | 442. Nino Paid – Love Me As I Am | 441. Bktherula – LUCY | 438. Valee & Harry Fraud – ERGONOMICS | 437. Heems – A Hundred Alibis | 436. Cardo Got Wings – SIGAN VIENDO | 435. OMB Peezy – Drifting Away | 434. DDG – moo | 433. mokeHerbo – *New Chapter* | 431. FlyG & SPCL_CHRCTRS – *HRLM HEAT* | 430. Ezza of Choom Gang – *Eluxo Roma* | 427. Westside Gunn – *MY SAUCONYS GLOWIN* | 425. Pink Sifu – *BLACK’!ANTIQUE* | 424. MAVI – *The Pilot* | 423. Rx Papi – *Sorry I Been Ballin* | 422. Montana of 300 & No Fatigue – *Top Flow* | 420. Chuckyy – *I Live, I Die, I Live Again* | 419. *Death Row Revue* | 418. Rio Da Yung Og – *RIO FREE* | 417. BabyTron – *Song Wars* | 416. Lyrikill – *Eat 3: The Purple Store* | 415. NatStar – *MAMBA* | 414. SONNY BLANCO – *Press For Champagne 2* | 412. Teller Bank – DRUG$$$ | 411. Baby Kia – ALRIGHT OK | 410. Just Brittany – Round Trip | 409. EST Gee – I Ain’t Feeling You | 408. Yeat – DANGEROUS SUMMER | 407. Mellow Rackz – Nothing To Something | 405. Cannibal Ox – AIREPLANE | 404. Nef the Pharaoh – ChangSzn 3 | 403. Catch – Young Trappers Dream | 402. Philthy Rich – REAL, RICH & RESPECTED | 401. Stalley – Gamla Kyrkogatan | 400. DUSTY LOCANE – CAUTION
🚦 Caught in the Middle (399–300)
Projects that had moments but didn’t quite click.
- 396. A$AP Twelvy – I Did More With Less (V1): Twelvy was once a top A$AP member for me, but this was boring.
- 391. CRIMEAPPLE & DJ Skizz – Rose Gold: People loved this, but CRIMEAPPLE just doesn’t click for me.
- 379. Saba – C0FFEE!: Some good jams, but a letdown compared to his other 2025 work.
- 375. Kamaiyah – FIRED UP: Didn’t get me fired up.
- 357. Will Smith – Based On A True Story: Interesting, but lacked lasting impact.
- 353. G Perico & DJ Drama – LA Gangster: Felt weaker than his usual output.
- 326. Xzibit – Kingmaker: Really wanted to like this, but missed the mark on too many songs.
- 306. Max B – Public Domain 7: First release after being freed!
- 301. ScarLip – Scarred B4 Fame: Starting to worry about her career projection.
The Rest of the 300s:
- Fendi P – Pimpin my Pen | 398. Busta Rhymes – Dragon Season… The Awakening | 397. Le$ – Supply & Demand | 395. Cool Calm Pete – demolition | 394. MIKE – Showbiz! | 393. Jeshi – Airbag Woke Me Up | 392. Rob Bank$ – The Leak 3 | 390. OHGEESY – Paid N Full | 389. Antagonist Spitfire – The Tale of the Dragon… | 388. Sci-Fi The Mastermind – Superhuman Intelligence | 387. Big Hit – Free Big Hit | 386. Cookin Soul – MACKARONI BEATS | 385. The Heatmakerz – The Anti-Social Experiment | 384. 03 Greedo – Another Night Out | 383. Fredro Starr – Soul | 382. Doseone & Steel Tipped Dove – All Portrait, No Chorus | 381. Busta Rhymes – Dragon Season… Equinox | 380. Sada Baby – Bridge Kard Blessings | 378. wolfacejoeyy – Summer Songs | 377. The A.R.T. – Above The Seas | 376. Homeboy Sandman & Sonnyjim – Soli Deo Gloria | 374. DJ Blkuos – NO REST FOR THE WICKED | 373. Crimson REd – R4L | 372. Sonnyjim – Less Labour More Fruit | 371. Leugim y Woll – EL JUEGO | 370. Sho Baraka – Midnight Of A Good Culture | 369. Astrokeyy – Southern Hospitality | 368. Young H3roes – H3roes Die Young | 367. A-F-R-O – FROMAGE | 366. ANKHLEJOHN & Cookin Soul – The Michelin Man | 365. Dave East – Karma 4 | 364. Mac Miller – Baloonerism | 363. Earl Sweatshirt – Live Laugh Love | 362. ANKHLEJOHN – GIVE GRACE | 361. TBA – the lost years | 360. Dialect Sosa – 3035 | 359. Rosco P. Coldchain – For The Mature | 358. Casablanca the Gawd – Sip Tea in the Trap | 356. 21 Savage – WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STREETS? | 355. dj blackpower – Dr. Grabba II | 354. Uncle Murda – MURDA HE WROTE | 352. Nemzzz – RENT’S DUE | 351. Jeezy & DJ Drama – Still Snowin’ | 350. Tyga – NSFW | 349. Mozzy – INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS | 348. Riff Raff – Welcome to Shaolin | 347. LaRussell & Hit-Boy – RENT PAID | 346. GELO – League Of My Own | 345. Yung Fontana – That’s How It’s Supposed To Be | 344. P-Lo – For The Soil | 343. FiveEight Fever – Noize At The Door | 342. THE BOY FLOYD – Me As Me Vol. 1 | 341. Saweetie – HELLA PRESSURE | 340. Travis Scott – JACKBOYS 2 | 339. Benny From The Sandlot – Therapy Session | 338. Young Buck – Renovation | 337. Memphis Bleek – Apt 3D | 336. PaperRoute Woo – Slime Dunkin’ | 335. Swab & Supreme Cerebral – Son Of Hannibal | 334. Bofaatbeatz – 6 Shotz To Da Domepiece | 333. Crotona P – Artisan Works Of Art | 332. Joyner Lucas – ADHD 2 | 331. Jay Skeese – 40 Hours | 330. Mozzy – Intrusive Thoughts 2 | 329. V Don & BF – *Sent For* | 328. REASON – *I Love You Again* | 327. Young Dro & Zaytoven – *10 Piece Hot* | 325. Jay Worthy – *Once Upon A Time Disc 1* | 324. Westside Gunn – *HEELS HAVE EYES 3* | 323. JID – *GDLU (Preluxe)* | 322. Chip Tha Rapper – *GIFT RAPS 2* | 321. Lefty Gunplay – *Ghetto Heisman* | 320. Dave East & Ransom – *The Final Call* | 319. Jim Jones – *At the Church Steps* | 318. Diamond D – *THE DIAM PIECE 3* | 317. Icewear Vezzo – *UNDEFEATED* | 316. Jay Electronica – *Mars, The Inhabited Planet* | 315. Illanoie – Luxurious Fabric | 314. Bump J – Dinner Time 2 | 313. Kai Ca$h – CASH RULES | 312. Ghais Guevara – Goyard Ibn Said | 311. Napoleon Da Legend – Great Minds | 310. mynameisntjmack – BOOKMARK 2 | 309. CRIMEAPPLE – ESCAMA | 308. Heres Johnny – Words Of War | 307. D’so Nyce – The Diamond Tape | 305. Kameron Bahani – Reason For Being | 304. La Reezy – LAREEZYANA SHAKEDOWN | 303. Big Green – Shape Shifter | 302. Swifty Blue – Rich Paisas Grimey | 300. Lefty Gunplay – I Told You So
Next Up: Part 2 (299–200) where we start getting into the projects that showed real promise and the “next up” talent from the underground.
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