Amid the highly publicized feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, along with album releases from renowned hip-hop artists such as Future, Eminem and 21 Savage, 2024 has emerged as an eventful year for rap music. The rap industry continues to change drastically this year with the announcement of new albums and the release of new singles from A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti, two rappers who have taken a step back from the spotlight in recent years.
A$AP Rocky is claimed to be one of the most well-known figures in contemporary hip-hop and pop culture. Though he has been making music for well over a decade, Rocky’s rise to fame was rather abrupt. His 2011 debut mixtape, “Live.Love.A$AP.,” gained him near-instant success and landed him a $3 million record deal. This mixtape popularized a new influential subgenre of rap known as cloud rap, featuring dreamy beats, laid-back tempos and surrealistic lyrics. Following his debut, he released three more albums; his last album, “Testing,” was released in 2018.
“A$AP Rocky’s versatility to be able to rap but also sing is something not highly seen in the music industry, and I believe he’s set himself apart from others that are competing in the industry,” senior Aaron Koshy said.
Following his 2018 album, Rocky ended his semi-regular release of consecutive full-length albums. However, his silence ended this year with the announcement of his newest album: “Don’t Be Dumb.” Though originally slated for release in August, the album’s date was pushed back to this fall due to leaks and copyright issues. The tracks for the album so far continue to display the genre-spanning nature of Rocky’s music. His first single this year for the album was “Highjack,” an alternative rap track that Rocky described as “ghetto futurism.” His second single, “Tailor Swif,” was released shortly afterward and featured a simple trap beat. “Ruby Rosary” was released as Rocky’s third single in collaboration with J. Cole, and it is noted for its more psychedelic rap influences.
Playboi Carti has had a remarkably similar career trajectory to that of A$AP Rocky. Though his mainstream success was found far later than that of Rocky, Playboi Carti also gained widespread attention through a debut mixtape, which he released in 2017. Carti’s following two albums, “Die Lit and Whole Lotta Red,” dropped shortly afterward to similar acclaim. Like A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti is credited for popularizing a unique subgenre of rap through his meteoric rise to fame: rage music.
“Playboi Carti has a very distinctive voice and style in rap,” junior Jad Abukoush said. “It is extremely frustrating that he isn’t dropping very often. However, the anticipation for his albums contributes a lot to his hype as an artist. FWÆH.”
Carti’s 2020 album was the rapper’s last full-length release before his hiatus. However, he was notably featured on many other tracks at this time, including Travis Scott’s “FE!N,” The Weeknd’s “Popular” and Kanye West’s “Carnival.” However, his first official release since “Whole Lotta Red” did not drop until this September. The track, titled “All Red,” is the first official single confirmed to be featured on Playboi Carti’s upcoming album: “I AM MUSIC.”
“‘All Red’ is one of the greatest songs that has ever hit my eardrums,” senior Rickey Singh said. “‘I AM MUSIC’ will be the greatest album of all time.”
After stepping back from the spotlight, their comeback not only showcases their creative energies but also highlights the evolving landscape of hip-hop. NHP fans are eager to see how their unique styles will influence the genre moving forward, and the anticipation surrounding their new projects suggests that their impact will continue to resonate.
