From Grandma’s Lessons to Elite Bars

Released October 23 2026

Anytime Che Noir drops, I’m tuning in. She had an incredible 2025, and It Takes A Village is her first release since. As always, Che delivers food for thought through top-shelf lyricism. She’s one of the best MCs out right now, and It Takes A Village is an album that shouldn’t be missed this year.

At its core, the project is about learning lessons both firsthand and secondhand, then passing that knowledge down through the generations. Che Noir absorbed wisdom from her mother and grandmother; now a mother herself, she is teaching her daughter. That through-line gives the album real emotional weight and keeps the writing purposeful from start to finish.

Che Noir is dropping heat throughout. “This Morning” opens the album and is an immediate favorite. The beat is peaceful and reflective, and the way she rides the sample feels effortless and natural. “A Caged Mockingbird” contains some of my favorite bars on the project, including lines like “walking through the valley of death, so I had to jog to church”—sharp, vivid, and full of the kind of layered meaning Che does so well.

“Fame & Fiction,” featuring Black Thought, is an excellent pairing. Both artists deliver exactly as expected, trading sharp verses over a strong beat. “Conductor’s Interlude” and “Wasted Time” are produced by Conductor Williams, with the latter featuring Ransom. If I’m not mistaken, this is Che’s first solo work with Conductor, and it sounds just as strong as their earlier collaboration on Desired Crowns, the project she did with 7xvethegenius. There are solid features throughout, including Bruiser Wolf on “Magic,” but “Olive Branches” with longtime collaborator Jynx716 stands out as one of my favorites. Every time the two link up it’s fire, and this track continues that streak without missing a beat.

Not that there should ever be any doubt, but Che Noir continues to prove she’s one of the premier MCs in hip-hop. Her ear for beats is excellent, and building albums with different producers has resulted in some of her strongest work to date. I stay looking forward to every Che Noir album, and she didn’t let me down with It Takes A Village.

Standout Tracks: This Morning, Fame & Fiction, Blood Bath & Conductor’s Interlude

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑(9/10)