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The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Central Cee, Sexyy Red, and Travis Scott.

Well, the industry has finally woken from its winter torpor, leading to a packed week of releases in hip-hop. Joey Badass led the charge with “Sorry Not Sorry,” with which he seems to want to continue the pugnacious vibe of the past year.

However, Chance The Rapper had other ideas, seeking to address the political turmoil in the US today with “Quiet Storm.”

Larry June tried to keep things classy with “Bad Choices” featuring 2 Chainz and The Alchemist.

Sexyy Red and Bruno Mars delivered their strip-club anthem, “Fat, Juicy & Wet” to both rave reviews and hand-wringing from rap’s parents.

And Travis Scott got back on his boastful BS with “4X4.”

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending January 24, 2025.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

BigXthaPlug — Take Care (Deluxe)

BigXthaPlug

Beefing up the original tracklist of his October release, the Texas rapper reissues his latest with three new songs. If you didn’t get a chance to check it out and see what the hype is about the first time around, now’s your opportunity to catch up.

Boldy James — Permanent Ink

Boldy James

I felt a twinge of disbelief earlier this month when I stumbled upon some discourse deriding Boldy’s consistency and rapid release pace. If you’ve got a product that works, and customers who want it, it simply makes no sense to hold it back (coughcoughNikecoughcough).

Central Cee — Can’t Rush Greatness

Central Cee

You can’t rush greatness, but it’s about time Cee capitalized on all the buzz he’s built up both at home and overseas. He’s managed to bridge the gap between UK rap and US audiences with a slightly more accessible approach than some of his countrymen, but a staunch loyalty to his own yard. The results speak for themselves.

Hunxho — For Us

Hunxho

The Atlanta trapper is building a solid body of work on the periphery of fan favorites like Future and Lil Baby. His reluctance to wholeheartedly embrace that circle is probably the only thing holding him back, but don’t let his lack of co-signs hold you back from enjoying his heartfelt tunes.

Singles/Videos

Chow Lee — “Kinda Up Off Talent!”

While Chow’s partner-in-rhyme Cash Cobain might have all the motion, Chow’s drive isn’t to be ignored. Following up his late 2024 offering Sex Drive, Chow continues to prove that he’s capable of bridging the gap between New York City’s contemporary sound and its longstanding commitment to lyrical excellence.

Hurricane Wisdom — “Demand”

Who’d have thought the Florida upstart was such a romantic? “Demand” isn’t at all what you might have expected from someone best known for grimy recollections of Havana street life, but the flash of versatility is just the sort of thing that alerts me to an impending breakout.

Kenny Muney — “Do What You Wanna Do When You Got Racks”

A funky Memphis trap cut from the PRE young gun, “Do What You Wanna Do When You Got Racks” comes with a video finding the Southerner vacationing in Finland. Despite being way out of his element, he seems right at home, flashing the sort of poise that helped put his mentor Dolph at the top of the city’s rap radar.

Reason — “Not What You Think” Feat. Bas

Reason’s first single since parting ways with TDE is a soulful affair supported by Dreamville rapper Bas. He sounds unfazed by the transition to indie status, keeping his earnest, intellectual approach to lyrics-forward rap. Yes, he addresses the worst of it, but he’s clearly refreshed by his newfound freedom and it doesn’t sound like there are any hard feelings — or at least, none he wants to offload in his first song.