I have a random rec I just discovered today and need to share: Divine Styler - Spiral Walls Containing Autumns Of Light
One of the first ever experimental hip hop albums (1992) doing stuff completely unheard of at the time, reminiscent of what the likes of Clouddead, Dälek or Death Grips would do later. Absolutely insane for the time it was released, worth checking out for historical significance alone.

Written by Roman Doez on 22.09.2025 at 02:08

I have a random rec I just discovered today and need to share: Divine Styler - Spiral Walls Containing Autumns Of Light
One of the first ever experimental hip hop albums (1992) doing stuff completely unheard of at the time, reminiscent of what the likes of Clouddead, Dälek or Death Grips would do later. Absolutely insane for the time it was released, worth checking out for historical significance alone.

I do remember coming across that name. Think he was associated with Ice-T for a bit. Honestly I think his first album might be more my style but seems like most of his stuff is worth checking out anyway. Been listening to a lot of avant rap recently since clipping rerelease Dead Channel Sky, which I’ve been obsessed with.

Consider it done!

Written by A Real Mönkey on 22.09.2025 at 17:43

Been listening to a lot of avant rap recently since clipping rerelease Dead Channel Sky, which I’ve been obsessed with.

I was a little disappointed by Dead Channel Sky, I think I was expecting something closer in sound to their previous two records which are pretty much the albums that got me into hip hop in the first place, but they tried something different and I guess I don't vibe with it quite as much. I need to give it an other shot though, you never know.

Merry Christmas to my fellow metalheads and hiphopheads. Small Holiday update before the end of the year before I add some of my favs of 2025. Added the first two Pilot Talk albums by NOLA rapper Curren$y, one of the bigger names of post-Katrina rap scene. First two are awesome, the third one is good but not near to the quality of the first two.

Also, not sure if this counts so I'm not adding it, but I wanna throw a shout-out two one of my mandatory holiday listenings: Cookin' Souls' Christmas remixes! Featuring West Coast legends and MF Doom remixed over Christmas music. Hype!

Hello, I would like to commend the existence of this list. As a curious about other genres metalhead I know not enough about hip hop and rap (mostly the stuff I heard when growing up, read: Eminem) but am trying to learn more. I do have recommendations though, I found the 2011 CunninLynguists record Oneirology very good, and I've been enjoying the discography of Tricky Mac & Benny T greatly ever since they were mentioned on a podcast I enjoy. Legends Of The Sesh is a banger album. Hope anybody who checks them out actually finds it fun

Happy new year! Best of 2025! Here’s to a better 2026! (Unlikely but its nice to pretend)

billy woods | Golliwog (2025)
billy woods & August Fanon | Gowillog (2025)
The latest album by Armand Hammer member billy woods needs no introduction (you probably already saw it in that one issue of Wait A Minute: This Isn’t Metal!) but you might not have realized that a remixing of sorts by producer August Fanon (who earlier this year produced Forty by Blu) came out not long after. A little less horrifying.

Yugen Blakrok | The Illusion Of Being (2025)

Knowledge The Pirate & Roc Marciano | The Round Table (2025)
Cold and dark and gritty. I love Roc Marciano and his production style, and it works great with Knowledge here.

Big L | Harlem’s Finest: Return Of The King (2025) | East Coast (Manhattan)
Mobb Deep | Infinite (2025) | East Coast (Queens)
DJ Premier & Nas | Light-Years (2025) | East Coast (New York)
Three parts of Mass Appeal records’ Legend Has It… series. These three are definitely the best in the series (admittedly still gotta check out De La Soul tho.) Great eulogies to the departed Big L and Prodigy. Big L’s album in particular is really cool as it features remastered freestyles and radio appearances.

Oh No | Nodega (2025)
This is the kinda shit I love: Established producers creating vibrant backdrops featuring a whole slew of different guests. Embarrassingly, I’ve never paid much attention to Oh No. That changes now.

Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist | Alfredo 2 (2025)
Armand Hammer & The Alchemist | Mercy (2025)
This has been a banner year for The Alchemist: Sequel to the great Alfredo and another collab with Armand Hammer.

The High And Mighty | Sound Of Market (2025) | East Coast (Philadelphia)/Boom Bap
Philly rap, big Willy-style. Dirty and filthy but weirdly nostalgic.

Mickey Diamond & BigGhostLtd. | Gucci Gambinos (2025)
BigGhostLtd. Is quickly becoming a fav. Expect more from them soon.

Clipse (Pusha T & Malice) | Let God Sort Em Out (2025) | Southern
I love Pusha T so it’s weird I’ve never really given much thought to his duo with Malice.

Written by Jaro on 02.01.2026 at 06:57

Hello, I would like to commend the existence of this list. As a curious about other genres metalhead I know not enough about hip hop and rap (mostly the stuff I heard when growing up, read: Eminem) but am trying to learn more. I do have recommendations though, I found the 2011 CunninLynguists record Oneirology very good, and I've been enjoying the discography of Tricky Mac & Benny T greatly ever since they were mentioned on a podcast I enjoy. Legends Of The Sesh is a banger album. Hope anybody who checks them out actually finds it fun

That's exactly why I made this list, so metalheads have a place to start with hip-hop, so pick an album and go to town. I can't promise they'll be good but I can promise they'll be worth listening to.

I'm definitely familiar with Cunninglynguist, but I've always preferred the solo works of members Kno and Natti to their main body of work. If you haven't, check Death Is Silent and Still Motion, respectively. Two of my absolute favorites in not just southern but rap as a whole. Definitely checking the second tho. Props.

With all that tomfoolery going on a Minneapolis now, I thought now would be a good time to update the list with some rap from the Twin Cities. If you like introspective, thinking man's rap, check these out.

The Dynospectrum (Slug, I Self Devine, Sab the Artist, and Swift) | The Dynospectrum (1998) | Midwest (Minnesota)
Oliver Hart (Eyedea) | The Many Faces Of Oliver Hart (2002) | Midwest (Minnesota)
Mosab | Respect The Life (2002) | Midwest (Minnesota)
Semi.Official | The Anti-Album (2003) | Midwest (Minnesota)
MInk (Musab & Ink Well) | Intellectual Property (2017) | Midwest (Minnesota)

Found the keys! Got a lot of albums stocked up, just gotta stop being lazy and put them on the list. First I'm gonna focus on a producer I've become a fan of in the gritty noir underground: Big Ghost Ltd.



Hus Kingpin & Big Ghost Ltd. [Prod.] | Cocaine Beach (2017) | Hardcore
Sunny beats, Latin vibes and dangerous deals in broad daylight. Hus has a solid discog but this is probably his crown jewel. More on him soon.

Crimeapple & Big Ghost Ltd. [Prod.] | Aguardiente (2018) | Hardcore
This is as Noir as Noir gets. Crimeapple combines English and Spanish lyrics. Lowkey and tense. Less gangster and more detective vibes.

Anhklejohn & Big Ghost Ltd. [Prod.] | Van Ghost (2018) | Hardcore
Like walking through a museum, every track a picture by the artist Vincent Van Gogh. Colorful and vivid and quirky.

Knowledge The Pirate & Big Ghost Ltd. [Prod.] | Wolves Don’t Eat With Shepherds (2022) | Hardcore
Very similar to the previous Knowledge album with Roc Marciano that I posted: HARD.


Also, OH NO. More 🙉 escaped the zoo! Can you find them?

Celebrating the list format update with a list update focused on the top two Midwest rap capitals (rapitals): Chicago and Detroit. Shoutout to the gnomes in the back keeping this site in tip-top shape.

Rhymefest | Blue Collar | Midwest (Chicago)
Vintage Chicago-core. All-star producer line-up including No I.D., Kanye West, Just Blaze and Cool & Dre. Never understood why this dude never got as big as fellow Chicagoans like Common or West.

Add-2 | Jim Crow: The Musical | Midwest (Chicago)
At times hilarious, at time sobering. Add-2 tackles the black identity in America in the form of a stage-play. Features Kadeem Hardison narrating.
"Remember, to be African American is to be African without the memory, and American without the privilege. I have to bid you adieu"

All Natural | No Additives, No Preservatives (1998) | Midwest (Chicago)
All Natural | Second Nature (2002) | Midwest (Chicago)
Jazzy, thoughtful. Came before Chicago established its own sound so may come off as very New Yorky.

Slum Village | Fantastic Vol. 2 | Midwest (Detroit)
J Dilla/Jay Dee's old group, so you know the production is A+, but T3 and Baatin (RIP) are skilled in their own right. Absolutely dreamy, feels alive at points.

Finale | A Pipe Dream And A Promise | Midwest (Detroit)
Stupidly underrated. Classic Detroit deep dish style front to back.

Royce Da 5’9’’ | Book Of Ryan | Midwest (Detroit)
Royce was already superbly talented, but his latest albums are finally catching to him.

Elzhi | Elmatic | Midwest (Detroit)
Elzhi teams up with Will Sessions to made his own Detroit version of Illmatic.

Bad Meets Evil (Eminem & Royce Da 5’9’’) Hell: The Sequel | Midwest (Detroit)
Finally got Eminem on the list! Even if on a short collab with fellow Detroit wordsmith Royce. Not perfect but still a fun listen.

Don't know if Chinese rap is your thing, but I just discovered this and it's definitely worth a listen

Written by Roman Doez on 09.05.2026 at 15:18

Don't know if Chinese rap is your thing, but I just discovered this and it's definitely worth a listen

Try as I may I can't seem to get into foreign rap (or at least nonEnglish). I'll happily check it out for 'the modern sound of Asia' tho.