Featuring tracks by Rot Ken, Sybyr, Capra, 1600j, Bashfortheworld, and more essential artists
Follow our Unleashed playlist on Spotify to stay up to date with each and every week’s must-hear tracks:
Rot Ken – “Baby Choppa”
Augusta, Georgia rapper Rot Ken has been dropping music since 2019, but his streams have skyrocketed in recent weeks thanks to a pair of viral singles with big-name beatmakers. While “007” paired the 17-year-old Ken with Internet Money founder Taz Taylor, “Baby Choppa” deploys the signature bounce of South Carolina heavyweights Jetsonmade and Neeko Baby. During the chorus of “Baby Choppa,” Ken stretches his voice into a frenzied upper register, imbuing familiar themes with fresh vigor. – Jack Ellis
Bashfortheworld – “Fireworks”
The elusive Dallas, Texas rapper Bashfortheworld recently surprise-released a three-track EP that adds yet another layer to the growing lore that surrounds his name. Though Bash already has an impressively dedicated fanbase — as well as cosigns ranging from prominent streetwear brand Stüssy to hip-hop connoisseur A$AP Illz — a decent photo of the young rapper does not appear to exist. While the lack of a public image would cripple the progress of many rising artists, Bash uses this mystique to his advantage.
On “Fireworks,” Bash’s vocals sound like they’re slowly melting into each other thanks to his endemically lazy Texas drawl, which turns his slurred words into silk. He finds a pocket in the modest production and lays down a pair of 16s that reside in a silver lining between new-school melodic and 90s Houston hip-hop. – Millan Verma
Shawny Binladen – “Yellow Tears”
Over the past few years, Shawny Binladen has maintained a prolific presence on YouTube and turned himself into a fixture of NYC’s flourishing hip-hop scene. As the de facto leader of the rising Queens rap collective YTB, Shawny’s whispered punch-in flow and anything-goes approach to sampling have set him apart from his contemporaries in other boroughs. On “Yellow Tears,” a recent standout from his Merry Wickmas (Deluxe) album, Shawny delivers characteristically oblique punchlines over a radiant flip of Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor.” – Jack Ellis
1600j – “Dealin’ With Demons”
1600j drifts over a thudding KxngRada beat on the highlight from his 10k EP, lyrically weaving through a laundry list of problems. From keeping his bank account padded to Instagram beef, he approaches all of them with equal urgency. – Mike Giegerich
мононоке – “Zvon!”
While “Zvon!”‘s driving force is its unapologetic kick/snare beat, the woman behind the wheel is undoubtedly мононоке, hailing from Russia’s Ural Mountains. With little North American air time, мононоке’s music takes on the mystic quality of a Trans-Siberian road trip in a beat-up two-seater. Her vocals fill the cab as if pumping through an aging AM radio that’s been paired with a brand new subwoofer. All gas; no brakes. – Katie Manners
Capra – “The Locust Preacher”
Capra is a new addition to the increasingly rare breed of hardcore bands whose storage-room-conceived music translates seamlessly into the studio. On “The Locust Preacher,” the lead single off the Lafayette, Louisiana band’s debut album, the strident four-piece present grit tinctured with melancholy, making for a pervasively touching introduction. – Millan Verma
Sybyr – “Squabble With The Struggle”
Purple-stained lips are for pop stars like Sybyr, as he deconstructs preconceived labels of pop music in his latest release “Squabble With The Struggle.” The heavy track could easily fall into one of hip-hop’s darker subgenres, if not for Sybyr himself denouncing the “rap” label that so often befalls young, Black artists. Instead, he dons his lipstick and defines his sound before music industry execs even have a chance. “This ain’t rap, this is pop at its best (worst) / Do your dirty deeds elsewhere, fuckin’ jerk.” – Katie Manners
21 Lil Harold – “Savage”
21 Lil Harold is a longtime friend and stylistic disciple of Atlanta rapper 21 Savage. After spending several years in his mentor’s shadow, Harold released his first full-length solo project, LARRY, under 21 Savage’s Slaughter Gang imprint in March. Harold kicks off his debut in dramatic fashion with “Savage,” which combines his no-frills writing style with a vocal sample that functions like a Greek chorus. – Jack Ellis
mental, blxty – “after you”
mental and blxty continue to position themselves as digicore’s dynamic duo on “after you,” a bittersweet offering underscored by deceptively playful production. The track shifts and jukes away from even a moment of complacency. – Mike Giegerich
cat mother – “boss fight!”
With a concept rooted in retro gaming, cat mother‘s latest EP, broken nostalgia ~, ends on an ambiguous note with “boss fight!” This climactic track builds on an EP’s-worth of ambient jungle, leading the listener conceptually through video game staples such as the home screen, character selection, and three levels of varying intensity before dropping them at Death’s door. After battling through beat switches and record scratches, the final boss fight culminates in a power-down sound effect, but who’s to say which character emerges the victor. – Katie Manners