Most Anticipated Hip-Hop Albums of 2022

Which album are you waiting for? Continue reading…

Ski Mask The Slump God Goes Horseback Riding With ‘Chillin Island’

It’s early days, but the new HBO wilderness show Chilin Island is already poised to be an under-the-radar, online favorite. The premise of dragging popular rappers way out of their element to get in touch with nature — and ask goofy, stony questions under the stars — has massive viral potential and the show’s laid-back vibe makes it the perfect distraction from the extremely anxiety-inducing current events unfolding around us.

It also helps that the guests are so game, even when it’s clear they aren’t totally sure what’s going on. In a preview for the next episode of the oddball HBO show, Florida rapper Ski Mask The Slump God takes a mighty tumble in the desert after slipping down a steep hill while the show’s deadpan narrator Steven Wright ponders, “Which will die first — him or his Nintendo Switch?” Hopefully, it’s the switch; Ski Mask has an album to drop at some point this year after delaying the follow-up to his immensely fun 2018 debut Stokeley.

Still, it’s a blast watching the Chillin Island crew — fellow rappers Dap, Despot, and Lakutis of the New York underground scene — putting poor Ski Mask through a crash course in horseback riding, especially when it prompts him to wonder whether sex on a horse is possible. The jury’s out on that one, but you can check out the preview below and catch the episode tonight at 10:30 ET on HBO or stream it anytime thereafter on HBO Max.

Young Thug, Lil Yachty, And More Will Trek Through Nature In The Upcoming HBO Show ‘Chillin Island’

There’s a lot of fun to be had when you get people out of their comfort zones for in-depth interviews — just check out Hot Ones, where Sean Evans’ invincible tongue allows him to get meme-worthy responses out of guests as they attempt to down the spiciest wings while answering even spicier questions (sorry, it’s such a good tagline). A new show coming out next week will attempt to do something similar. Chillin Island, which will air on HBO on December 17, will see rappers and other musicians leaving behind the hustle and bustle of their urban origins for the peace and quiet of nature.

Of course, the other key to getting good responses is making folks feel comfortable while they’re way out of their comfort zones, so to that end, Chillin Island is pairing these rappers with members of their own fraternity: New York rappers Despot, Lakutis, and former Das Racist member Dap (aka Dapwell). They’ll trek to deserts, swamps, and other havens to commune with nature and get in touch with human nature.

Their guests will include a truly fascinating array of artists including Coi Leray, Gunna, Killer Mike, Lil Tecca, Lil Yachty, Rosalía, Ski Mask the Slump God, Young Thug, and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koening.

You can watch Chillin Island on HBO on 12/17 at 10:30 pm and stream on HBO Max. Check out the trailer above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2021

A year full of rising rap newcomers and seasoned vets that delivered a solid soundtrack over the last 12 months. Continue reading…

Rolling Loud New York 2021 – Playboi Carti & Uzi Reunite and More

It went down at Rolling Loud New York 2021. Continue reading…

Lil Nas X Reveals Which ‘Black Male Rapper’ Was Going To Be On ‘Montero’ And Why He Was Left Off

Although Lil Nas X’s debut album Montero is a star-studded affair with features from icons like Elton John and contemporary favorites like Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion, fans noticed a conspicuous absence of other male rap features — specifically, from other Black men (Jack Harlow appears on “Industry Baby”). Nas previously expressed his disappointment and received support from Kid Cudi after telling a fan, “Maybe a lot of them don’t wanna work with me.”

Shortly after the album was released, though, he did share the name of one who did: Drake, who Nas sent “Dolla Sign Slime.” However, Drake was finishing up Certified Lover Boy and unable to dedicate time to recording a verse, so Megan Thee Stallion was tapped to replace him. However, it turns out there was another rapper willing to align himself with Nas’ progressive vision; again, he was thwarted by bad timing.

Yesterday, during a Twitter Q&A with fans about Montero, the question came up once again, with another fan wondering why no other Black male rappers appeared on the album. This time, Nas was a little more forthcoming, revealing that he did almost have one but that deadlines forced him to forego the collaboration. “Ski Mask was almost on ‘Scoop,’” he shared, referring to rebellious Florida rapper Ski Mask The Slump God. “But we had to turn it in before he could finish.” However, Nas reiterated that “other than that a lot of them just don’t fwm tbh.”

While it’s disappointing to learn that the few allies Nas has were unable to participate, the end results still wound up being excellent, as Doja Cat’s verse on “Scoop” was appreciated by fans as a standout on the project. Hopefully, Nas’ success will convince more of his peers that working with him is worth whatever risk they think it’ll bring and, like Cudi later said, break down the “homophobic cloud” that hovers over hip-hop.

Ski Mask The Slump God’s Bloody ‘Dr. Suess’ Video Concludes His ‘Sin City’ Revenge Tale

Florida rapper Ski Mask The Slump God continues the bloody revenge tale from his Sin City-themed “Admit It” video in his new video for “Dr. Suess,” delivering martial-arts hijinks, shootouts galore, and a final, satisfactory conclusion. As in the previous video, he uses the CGI coloring techniques from the Sin City films, resulting in some truly stunning imagery, including a shot inspired by Marv’s contrast bandages using Ski Mask’s tattoos and grill.

Ski Mask’s latest project — the aptly titled Sin City The Mixtape — dropped at the end of June, nearly three years after his debut album Stokeley. Intriguingly enough, it became his second-highest charting project after Stokeley, peaking at No. 39 on the Billboard 200 albums chart despite minimal promotion. That indicates a growing interest in the amped-up rapper, who only released one single, “Burn The Hoods,” in 2020. He also featured on DJ Scheme’s “Soda” with Cordae, likely contributing to his increasing popularity.

After announcing the release date for Sin City The Mixtape, Ski Mask promised his fans that the next album wouldn’t take nearly as long. We’ll see if he can stick to that promise and maintain the momentum he’s built.

Watch Ski Mask The Slump God’s ultraviolent “Dr. Suess” video above.

Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2021 So Far

Certified bangers from Drake, Tyler, The Creator, J. Cole and more. Continue reading…