1. Fatboi Sharif & Driveby - Let Me Out

Let Me Out by Fatboi Sharif and Driveby is an album soaked in grime, paranoia, and warped humor. Sharif’s voice is a blunt instrument—droning, surreal, and oddly hypnotic. He cuts through Driveby’s murky, noise-soaked production with imagery that’s cryptic and nightmarish: funeral snacks, poison rooms, haunted fashion accessories. There’s no attempt to smooth out the jagged edges; the record is built to feel off-kilter.

Driveby’s beats buzz, creak, and stumble forward like broken machines. Tracks like “Elvira’s Wedding Ring” and “Genocidal Jansport” bend familiar sample-based Hip Hop into something crooked and unstable. Vinyl crackle is layered with distorted vocal loops and detuned melodies, while percussion comes in unexpected bursts—sometimes sharp and upfront, other times buried behind a wall of reverb. The mix toys with space and volume in ways that twist your ears around, sometimes drowning Sharif’s voice in fog, sometimes spotlighting him with eerie clarity.

The pacing never aims for comfort. Songs bleed into each other with few breathers. The unease is deliberate, and the album thrives on that tension. Features from Lungs, Curly Castro, and MC Beans don’t offer relief; they amplify the chaos with verses that match Sharif’s disjointed energy.

There’s a dark humor running underneath the dread. Sharif knows how to play with tone, delivering lines that sound absurd, threatening, or both. Nothing here tries to clean itself up for the listener. That’s part of what makes it stick.

Let Me Out is dense, disorienting, and sharply detailed. It’s the kind of album that leaves you squinting at its layers, trying to find the thread—but it’s better when you stop looking and let the weirdness wash over you. It’s not easy listening, and it doesn’t want to be. It wants to drag you into the room and keep the lights low.

Release date: April 24, 2025.

2. Phill Most Chill - I'm (Volume One & Volume Two )

I’m (Volume One & Volume Two) by Phill Most Chill and DJ MROK is a double-headed dive into classic boom bap with a sharp ear for detail and rhythm. Volume One hits first with heavy drums, gritty loops, and tight, punchy flows that never waste a bar. Phill Most Chill stays in the pocket across every track, delivering verses with a steady mix of swagger, clarity, and pacing that brings the beats to life without ever sounding forced or overly nostalgic.

MROK’s production leans hard into chopped-up breaks, dusty basslines, and subtle scratches. It’s the kind of sound that feels built from hours digging in crates, but it never gets stuck in retro habits. There’s a snap to the drums and a warmth in the mixes that gives the album its forward momentum.

Volume Two isn’t a simple remix album. It pulls the same lyrics into new frames, reworking the beats with alternate textures, rhythms, and moods. Where Volume One might drive with boom-bap force, Volume Two bends the edges—sometimes more aggressively, sometimes slower, with different samples that reframe the tone without losing the grit. It’s more than a rehash—it reimagines.

Across both volumes, Phill Most Chill stays locked in. The rhymes are dense with internal schemes, tight phrasing, and smart wordplay, but they don’t sacrifice bounce. There’s humor, battle bars, and deep-cut references, all delivered with the kind of timing that’s hard to fake.

I’m (Volume One & Volume Two) doesn’t try to reinvent anything. It doubles down on rhythm, vinyl, and rhyme in a way that feels alive. For listeners into stripped-down 80s-centric Hip Hop with no filler, this is built to loop. This is Phill Most Chill’s second strong release of the year, Deal With It (with Djar One) also slaps.

Release date: April 29, 2025.

3. Blu & August Fanon - Forty

Forty is loose, celebratory, and deeply nostalgic. Blu floats across August Fanon’s jazz-heavy, sample-rich beats with the comfort of someone who’s spent decades rapping at a high level. The production is warm and dusty—layers of chopped soul, vinyl crackle, and murky basslines that leave room for verses to breathe.

The album plays like a cipher in motion. Every track brings in guests—R.A.P. Ferreira, Kota the Friend, Asher Roth, Homeboy Sandman, and many more. Some verses hit harder than others, but the energy stays consistent. There’s a lot of love in the room. Blu sounds reflective without sounding tired, wise without preaching. “Still Here” and “Don’t Play With Me” lean into that older rapper calm, finding joy in presence over performance.

It’s not the cleanest mix, and the constant rotation of features can blur things together. But that’s part of the appeal—it moves like an open mic for grown heads. Forty isn’t trying to be sharp or polished. It’s Blu rapping about life at 40, backed by some of the most soulful production he’s had in years. If you’ve followed him the last twenty years or so, this feels like catching up with an old friend.

Release date: April 18, 2025.

4. Vinnie Paz - God Sent Vengeance

Vinnie Paz, the Philadelphia underground veteran and frontman of Jedi Mind Tricks, returns with God Sent Vengeance, closing out the trilogy he kicked off with Tortured in the Name of God’s Unconditional Love (2022). Across 18 tracks, he sticks to what he does best: heavy boom bap beats, sharp rhymes, and a worldview shaped by grit, faith, and fire. While the sound here pulls back from the trap leanings of some of his recent work, the shift helps bring a tighter focus.

Producers like Hobgoblin, Evidence, Stu Bangas, and August Fanon bring dark, textured backdrops—grimy drums, chopped soul loops, eerie melodies. Paz moves through them with precision, from the aggressive bark of “Shepherd’s Rod” and the no-nonsense wordplay on “2 Knights Forced,” to the eerie street threats on “Chico’s Bail Bonds.” His guests bring weight too—Cappadonna, Ill Bill, and Sick Jacken blend naturally with the tone, while posse cuts like “Battle Scars (Pharaoh Overlords)” keep the AOTP energy alive.

We still prefer his earliest solo records like Season of the Assassin (2010), where the hunger and clarity hit harder, but for us, God Sent Vengeance is stronger than his last couple of releases. That said, Vinnie Paz is nothing if not consistent, and this record reminds listeners why that matters. It’s cold, calculated, and delivered with conviction.

Release date: April 25, 2025.

5. Fly Anakin - (The) Forever Dream

Fly Anakin’s The Forever Dream is loose and richly textured, drifting between soul-sampling smoothness and jagged abstraction without losing its footing. Executive produced by Quelle Chris, the album moves like a late-night drive through Richmond—steady, intimate, unpredictable. There’s clarity in how it’s built, but the edges stay blurred, by design.

Tracks like “Good Clothes” and “Teen Summit” pull from warm, off-kilter loops, often stripping drums back or removing them entirely. Anakin’s voice fills the space, nimble and conversational, shifting flows without warning. On “CheckOnMe,” he links with lojii over a dusty chipmunk soul loop from August Fanon. It’s sparse, but it lingers. “Not Too Shabby” brings $ilkMoney, Quelle, and Nickelus F together in a swirl of horns and haze, each verse digging into personal wins and long-haul fatigue.

The tone flips often—“Lord Forgives, I Hold Grudges” sounds like a warning muttered through clenched teeth, while “Forever Dream” pulls all rhythm out and leaves Anakin alone with a drifting melody. Even the interludes feel deliberate. Quelle’s fingerprints are all over the sequencing: layered, fluid, sometimes slightly off-balance in a way that draws you closer.

Guests like Pink Siifu, Big Kahuna OG, BbyMutha, and The Alchemist shape the energy without hijacking it. The record ends on “Say Thank You,” a heavy-lidded gospel moment, reflective without dragging.

This isn’t Anakin’s cleanest or catchiest release, but it might be his most sonically daring. He’s rapping like he’s in the middle of a conversation you weren’t supposed to overhear—quietly intense, sometimes funny, always focused. The sound tilts toward the soulful and strange, but it’s grounded by Anakin’s presence. He never tries to sell you anything. He’s just letting you listen in.

Release date: April 25, 2025.

6. Wu-Tang & Mathematics - Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman

Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman is a dense, often exhilarating return from Wu-Tang and longtime collaborator Mathematics, with all nine living members trading verses over a rugged set of beats rooted in vintage Kung Fu grit and blaxploitation flair. From the boom-bap snap of “Mandingo” to the dramatic soul textures of “Claudine,” the album moves with precision, balancing chaotic cipher energy and polished structure.

Mathematics drives the project with a sharp ear and full control. His production is textured and tightly constructed—grimy drums, dust-coated loops, and well-placed vocal samples give each track a cinematic charge. “Roar of the Lion” lurches forward with a heavy, stomping rhythm, letting Kool G Rap’s gravel delivery cut through U-God and RZA’s snarls. “Executioners from Shaolin” is lean and aggressive, with a stripped-down beat that leaves space for the verses to swing like blades in a dark hallway.

There are moments where the structure wobbles. “Dolemite” and “Shaolin vs. Lama” suffer from low vocal mixes that bury strong verses in muddy layers. And while the features—RJ Payne, 38 Spesh, Willie the Kid, KXNG Crooked—bring skill and energy, not every collaboration lands with the same weight. Still, the sense of collective presence makes the record feel like a full-circle moment. The Clan doesn’t chase trends here—they double down on what they built, making space for the next generation without letting go of their own identity.

“Charleston Blue, Legend of a Fighter” is a fitting closer: reflective and personal, with Cappadonna’s letter to his mother and Crooked’s verse on fatherhood carrying the kind of emotional clarity that cuts through the album’s heavy stylization. At its best, the record moves like a late-night martial arts flick scored by cracked vinyl loops and street sermons.

Black Samson, the Bastard Swordsman digs deeper into a sound and mythos the Clan helped shape, with Mathematics refining it into something focused, theatrical, and fiercely alive. Not flawless, but absolutely worth hearing loud.

Release date: April 25, 2025.

7. Boldy James & V Don - Alphabet Highway

Alphabet Highway is Boldy James’ second-best release of the year so far—clearer and more locked-in than his mid-at-best January drops, even if it doesn’t reach the heights of earlier Boldy classics like Bo Jackson or Manger on McNichols. V Don’s production lays a solid foundation, full of grimy textures, dusty loops, and a few surprising switches, like the jazz-tinged “Smacking Foreigns” or the off-kilter knock of “Entrapment.” It’s dark, minimal, and focused—built for Boldy’s low-slung voice and coded bars.

There’s no filler here, but not every track sticks. Some cuts blur together, especially in the middle stretch. Still, when it hits—like “Split the Bill,” “Quaker Oats,” and the eerie closer “Bobert Horry”—it reminds you how sharp Boldy can be when he’s matched with the right producer. His delivery stays steady throughout, and while he rarely breaks form, the writing has more bite here than on Hommage or Permanent Ink.

V Don keeps the beats tight and shadowy without going flat, and that helps carry Boldy through a few stretches where the energy dips. There’s nothing flashy here, but there’s control—and that matters. The no-feature structure works in his favor, too, keeping the focus locked in.

This isn’t a career peak, but it’s a strong addition to Boldy’s catalog and a reminder of how consistent he can be when the production meets him halfway. Alphabet Highway won’t rewrite his story, but it doesn’t need to—it keeps him firmly in motion.

Release date: April 4, 2025.

8. sleepingdogs - DOGSTOEVSKY

Sleepingdogs’ DOGSTOEVSKY, from the Three Dollar Pistol label, is a sharp leap for andrew and Jesse The Tree, refining their indie Hip Hop craft. The duo’s production blends gritty drum breaks with off-kilter synths and jazzy loops, creating a vivid, unpredictable sound.

Tracks like “ballin’ at least,” featuring Homeboy Sandman, lean into playful weed-soaked vibes, Sandman’s nimble bars adding a crisp edge. Brian Ennals’ guest spot injects raw grit, grounding the album’s more abstract moments. Jesse The Tree’s rhymes wrestle with heavy themes—poverty, mental strain—while andrew’s verses flash humor and defiance, their interplay tight and dynamic. The beats shift from lo-fi haze to sharp snares, keeping the energy high.

Not as surprising as their earlier I’m Fakin’ My Own Death Just to Get Some Rest, DOGSTOEVSKY still thrives on bold ideas, carving a niche for left-field listeners. It’s engaging, with enough wit and weight to linger, a strong addition to their catalog that demands repeated spins for its layered depth.

Release date: April 4, 2025.

9. Kool Keith & Grant Shapiro - Karpenters

Karpenters is short, weird, and fully Kool Keith. The production from Grant Shapiro leans on crisp boom bap drums, eerie loops, and strange flourishes that match Keith’s off-kilter delivery. As always, his bars swing between sharp jabs, cryptic references, and surreal detours, delivered with that familiar deadpan tone. Even at its most abstract, the flow stays locked in—unpredictable, but never sloppy.

Tracks like “Super Hits” hit hard, with dense percussion and a grungy bassline, while guest appearances from Marc Live and Tash bring in extra muscle without overcrowding Keith’s space. The mixing by J-Styles and mastering by Steve Baughman keep everything clean but gritty enough to match the mood.

Karpenters, Keith’s third release of the year, isn’t a full-scale comeback or a heavy concept record—it’s Keith having fun in his own lane, backed by a producer who clearly gets the vision. At around 30 minutes, Karpenters moves (too) fast, but it leaves a mark.

Release date: April 18, 2025.

Honorable Mentions

• Lloyd Banks – A.O.N. (All or Nothing) Vol. 3: Despite My Mistakes
• Too Short – Sir Too Short Vol. 1 (Freaky Tales)
• Figerson & Machacha – The Fifth Horseman
• OC from NC – Project 25: The Mandela Effect
• Raz Fresco & Futurewave – Stadium Lo Champions
• Sol Messiah – War Of The Gods
• Kool Kat – Usual Suspectz
• Heem B$F – Bars & Noble 2
• RJ Payne – Leatherface 4
• ONYX – Lower East Side
• Raw Poetic – The Flow Of Time
• Bernadette Price – A Widows Cry
• BFB Da Packman – Thats Brilliant!
• Merkules – Survivor’s Guilt
• Living Legends – Legendary Music Vol. 3
• Precyce Politix – The Great And Terrible
• Cappadonna – Godly Wealthy & Beautiful

Read: The Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2025 – Honorable Mentions

Best EPs

• Lupe Fiasco – GHOTIING
• Jay Royale – Jacked for the City
• Mickey Diamond – Diamond Cutter
• Ankhlejohn – Grace Given
• Eddie Kaine – Play for Keeps
• Aupheus – High Artifice
•  Al’Tarba & Senbeï – Horror 404
• Lync Lone – The Timeshifter’s Lexicon
• Willie Mays Blaze & Nexus Z – Divine Intervention
• Westside Gunn – Heels Have Eyes
• Lords of the Underground & Snowgoons – So Legendary
• Ill Clinton – Grimeball Crimelord
• Hobgoblin & Doza the Drum Dealer – Five O’Clock Tea with Bricktop
• Lex Boogie from the Bronx & Senz Beats – Dharma
• Rick Hyde – In Plain Sight
• XP the Marxman, BroGawd & So=Cal – Black and Brown Business
• Flu – Woolies