2023 has been an admirable year for rap music, especially in the more abstract and experimental realm of the genre. “Maps” by Billy Woods and Kenny Segal is probably my favorite release thus far, followed closely by JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown’s first full-length collaboration, Rome Streetz’ “Noise Kandy 5” and Mick Jenkins’ “The Patience.” With that being said, this top four has the potential to be disrupted by several projects set to come out before the year’s end. In no particular order, here are some upcoming releases that I expect to close out the year strong.
Danny Brown — “Quaranta” (confirmed 11/17)
Following the great acclaim for his joint album with JPEGMAFIA, Brown is prepared to put out another LP in November. “Quaranta” has been complete for over two years, has yet to be released due to hangups with his label. Supported by lead single “Tantor,” the project features Bruiser Wolf, Kassa Overall and MIKE.
Brown’s struggles with alcoholism over the past several years have been well-documented on his podcast, culminating in a seemingly successful trip to rehab. I hope to hear him discuss these personal struggles in his bars. While he’s spoken introspectively before, most notably on “Atrocity Exhibition” and “XXX,” I’d like for “Quaranta” to be a comprehensive treatise on Brown’s mental and physiological well-being at this stage of his life.
Benny the Butcher — “Everybody Can’t Go” (projected 2023)
“Imma have the best Hip Hop @defjam album since DMX” proclaimed the often boastful and always self-assured MC. I’m not surprised by this confidence — Benny’s “Tana Talk 4” was one of the best releases of 2022, so I’m eager to hear if he’ll follow up with more quality on “Everybody Can’t Go.”
With production from Hit-Boy and The Alchemist, Benny should have an excellent spread of instrumentals to flex his pen on. One teased song features legendary rapper Lil Wayne discussing a movement from “New Orleans to Buffalo.” I can’t wait to hear what Benny has to say alongside him, and it’s my hope that this is one of many big-time collaborations on the album. Given his recent signing to Def Jam, this could very well be Benny’s most significant commercial release, so I’m looking forward to seeing how this project contributes to the evolution of his career.
JPEGMAFIA (projected 2023)
JPEGMAFIA plans on supplementing his recent success with a solo album of his own. He’s coming out with a likely self-produced project soon, and while I don’t quite know what to expect, I’m hopeful for yet another outstanding release.
Having just dropped a remaster of 2013’s “THE GHOST~POP TAPE,” he’s noted his plans to “leave what’s considered traditional in the past.” As someone with JPEGMAFIA in their GOAT conversation, this is an incredibly intriguing outlook. If this new release is anything like his previous work, I can predict it’ll be something masterful.
Future and Metro Boomin (projected 2023)
Rapper Future and producer Metro Boomin have teamed up almost countless times in the past, with their work serving as, at least to me, the quintessence of trap for the last decade. “Too Obsessed” is an older snippet many fans believe will find its way onto their upcoming album. It’s an exceedingly dark and menacing track that makes me ache for the studio version.
I’m expecting Future to get deep into his moody, melodic bag on top of pure, cold beats provided by Metro. From 2014’s “Monster” to 2022’s “HEROES & VILLAINS,” their partnership has always yielded fantastic results. Much like JPEGMAFIA, Future is one of my favorite artists ever — this might be my most anticipated release of the year.
A lot can happen in two months. If these prospects pan out as I’d like, then the rest of 2023 will be an exciting time for these musicians and their fans.
