By Alfonso Abreu
March brought the long-awaited return of boundary-pushing artist Playboi Carti, sparking yet another debate between the younger and older generation of hip-hop fans, something that always seems to follow him. In the midst of it all, though, is great music that highlights the creativity of young artists that managed to slip past the fans. Below are listed some of the “Must Listens” of March.
The enigmatic producer Tdf’s latest endeavor, “Culture,” is the audio equivalent of the content an iPad kid would digest. The Minneapolis producer once again combines his well-known skills: clips ripped from popular Gen-Z media like “Angry Birds” and “Regular Show” with fried, blaring 808s that can make any speaker sound like a possessed soul trying to free itself. His familiar tricks never become dull with a feature list resembling a guest list to an unofficial Soundcloud Met Gala, with collaborators ranging from underground veterans (Atl Smook & Pasto Flacco) to emerging melodic rappers (Okaymar & 1oneam). Seamless transitions between every song bring these close-knit artists closer and recurring words of affirmation from the producer’s father push them to keep going. “Fried”, a standout on the album, sees Okaymar smoothly dragging out every line over Tdf’s ethereal instrumental for a catchy trance inducing anthem resembling the euphoric allure of the “Kingdom Hearts” title screen. “Culture” is a well-deserved victory lap for Tdf.
The ever-so expressive rapper Baby Osama’s SoundCloud page plays like you’re scrolling through her personal notes app with some songs showcasing her in her most vulnerable state of mind. Whether she is expressing her gloomy yet relatable frustrations over finding an apartment in New York, or delivering a profound autotune-fueled venting about body-dysmorphia and self-isolation. The Bronx rapper is unapologetically herself; her latest unfiltered idea dump onto SoundCloud, “Some Songs I Owe My People,” proves this. The 12-track EP sees Osama explore a wide range of ideas that may not be fully realized but highlight her ambitions. Some songs contain dreamy, autotune-filled lyrics about her lifestyle and partner with a fondness that makes you believe she was shot by Cupid moments before recording. For now, this care package would keep me content as I wait patiently for her next audio diary entries.