Lil Uzi Vert, “Bad & Boujee”ĭespite the frigid temperatures last winter, “Bad and Boujee” warmed up the party scene. 1 with “Bodak Yellow” - placing her in great company, as she became the first woman since Lauryn Hill in 1998 to have a solo rap single top the Hot 100. Dripping in confidence, Cardi dropkicks her competitors with hard-hitting lines like “Drop two mixtapes in six months, what bitch is working hard as me?” and “I just run and check the mail, another check from Mona Scott.” To solidify Cardi’s smoldering run, she netted her first ever Billboard Hot 100 No. “Bodak Yellow” shattered everyone’s expectations, as her brash delivery made the record undeniable. D.R.Īll it took was one record for Cardi B to become Rap’s Selena. The result is an astounding feat on both sides, a song that’s impossible to digest in any reasonable amount of time. And that’s before the mid-song switch up, when Kendrick’s delivery somehow becomes even more frantic and urgent and the production abandons all convention, delivering sonic destruction at will to devastating effect. R.S.įrom the very beginning, “DNA.” hits like a sledgehammer, Kendrick amping up the energy of Mike WiLL Made-It’s droning bass-heavy beat with a non-stop onslaught of introspective bars that wrap around each frame, at times with a breathless abandon.

There’s always another layer to his songs, you just have to know the meaning. But if you’re a stan, you know that the key lyric is: “My guillotine, drink promethazine.” Future is one of rap’s most underappreciated lyricists and what he accomplishes so economically in that line (as well as the surprising rhyme he locates between those two contrasting “-ine”s) is what separates him from other rappers. Case in point: “Mask Off,” which has been cast as patient zero for the flute-sample craze of 2017 and also dismissed as an empty ode to drug collaboration. If you’re #Futurehive, you know that nobody really understands Future like you do. It may not be a lyrical masterpiece, but when he lands “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 M’s in my bank account,” right as the bass kicks back in, he’s proving that strength again. Savage is often praised for his ability to set the mood and atmosphere of a track, or to bend it to his will with “Bank Account” (and really, almost the entirety of his output in 2017), he’s proven that his real mastery comes in his ability to ride a beat and deliver a payoff at the exact right moment. A deep, booming low end is offset entirely by a clean, uncomplicated four-note piano line that repeats throughout the track, which provides a kind of lightness to the menace of Savage’s lyricism and delivery - though even there he’s less morbid and dour than his reputation would assume. – – R.S.įor a song that served as his first stab at production (with an assist from Metro Boomin), 21 Savage came up with a multi-faceted gem that sticks out not just for its memorable hook and verses, but for its simplicity - and the unexpected complexities within it. A platinum plaque and a Grammy nomination later, being down and out feels way longer than a week ago. Shy Glizzy may have the show-stealing verse, but there’s no denying that this raised GoldLink’s clout in a major way.

Brent Faiyaz’s smooth delivery combined with Teddy Walton’s beat, which incorporates sampled vocals from his friend Zacari, makes you feel like cash falling in slow motion. There wasn’t a catchier sung rap hook in 2017. Proceed with caution, because Carti isn’t leaving the block anytime soon. Yeah, the Pi’erre Bourne-produced track was an earworm all by itself, but once Carti peppered the beat with his swagger, he milly-rocked his way into the hearts of the hip-hop world. Playboi Carti’s unconventional rap style and penchant for funky ad-libs are what made “Magnolia” such a game-changer.

Fortunately, he battled back in 2017 with his highest-charting single ever, “Unforgettable.” Anchored by Swae Lee’s delicate hook, “Unforgettable” nailed the Afrobeats sound that artists like Wizkid and Burna Boy have been importing for a few years now. French Montana didn’t end 2016 at his best: MC4 leaked months early, thanks to a Target release mishap, throwing a major kink into his plans.

Hip hop news 2017