Tried to put a mix of genres and older and more contemporary stuff here. Also some of it is more East Coast hardcore or gangsta, some southern or trappy, some more abstract-progressive, some older conscious stuff.

I know old-heads and backpackers like to lament the loss of some mythical artistic integrity, like when book chuds act as if everyone use to be reading Faulkner and Virginia Wolff or whoever, but I genuinely think we’re currently seeing a second Golden Age of Hip Hop atm. And dont read reviews especially for contemporary abstract shit. Like it reminds you that music journalists in general have no fucking idea wot theyre listenin to.

• Descendents of Cain - Ka
• Brass - Moor Mother and billy woods
• Beware the Monkey - MIKE
• GUMBO - Pink Siifu
• Jazz Codes - Moor Mother
• Aethiopes - billy woods
• Church - billy woods
• Mach Hommy - Pray for Haiti, Driz Series, Dollar Menu Series, Balens Cho, Kill em all
• Tha God Fahim - Dreams of Medina 2
• Hitler wears Hermès 8 - Westside Gunn
• Illmatic - Nas
• I Told Bessie - Elucid
• Liquid Swords - GZA
• The Infamous - Mobb Deep
• Aquemini and ATliens - Outkast
• Bo Jackson - Boldy James
• The Elephant Man’s Bones - Roc Marciano
• LP - Jpegmafia
• Low End Theory - A Tribe Called Quest
• Ready to Die - Notorious BIG
• All Eyez on Me - Tupac
• Morning Due - Nappy Nina
• Operation Doomsday - MF DOOM
• Alfredo - Freddie Gibbs
• Mos Def (Yasin Bey) - Black on Both Sides, The Ecstatic
• The Fugees - The Score
• The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill
• Common - Resurrection, Like Water for Chocolate, Be
• Kendrick Lamar - all is albums are classics

Some other artists really worth checking:

• Akai Solo (progressive, abstract)
• Fly Anakin (especially his projects with Pink Siifu; progressive, abstract)
• Nappy Nina (progressive, abstract)
• Maassai (progressive, abstract)
• NoName (alternative, progressive, conscious)
• YungMorpheus (progressive-abstract)
• Anklejohn (hardcore and alternative/progressive/abstract)
• Rome Streetz (east coast hardcore)
• Koncept Jackson (beware this is weird)
• Earl Sweatshirt (Doris, Some Rap Songs, I don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside, Feet of Clay, Sick!)
• Vince Staples (cali west coast, mix of alternative-progressive and cali style influences)
• ThreeSixMafia (south)
• Marco Plus (Atlanta, funky trap)

Also atm the Texas scene is very good (check BigxThaPlug or Big Moochie Grape)

UK scene is also poppin so can gives some recs if wanted.

French rap is also pumping, as always, but especially right now.

Bonus: Liz 2 by Armani Caesar if ya wanna feel like a bad bitch