December Playlist Updates: TodaysHipHop Spotify Playlist

With 3,000+ listeners, and new heat being added regularly, TodaysHipHop is a must follow, showcasing tracks from some of today’s top hip hop artists in the Chill Lyricist category, including J Cole, Saba, Bas, Joey Bada$$, Kota the Friend, Smino, Isaiah Rashad and more.  As always, The Today’s HipHop staff will be regularly updating and expanding the playlist to showcase the freshest out, and will be considering submissions from labels, managers, and artists.

You can sample the playlist below or check out the official playlist on Spotify.  We hope you enjoy our newest additions to the playlist which have been added with your listening experience in mind.

Wale – Caramel

Sampling Faith Evans is an obvious luxury, and would be a great backdrop for any artist, but Wale’s distinguishing tone, vocal patterns, and wordplay contrast beautifully to the intimate repetition of the Bad Boy vocalist’s crooning.

Plain and simple, Wale is back, and in a big way.  For a seven-or-so year period he seemed to grapple with his identity, and how to fit his authenticity into the ever-changing landscape of mainstream rap.  Could Wale remain true to his go-go and boom-bap roots, while appealing to the trap-thirsty masses?

Folarin II provided the resounding yes that all fans of the DC lyricist craved.  Wale’s punchlines carry familiar potency, and the instrumentals throughout the project are so genuinely DMV.  Caramel’s smoothness, rhythm, and intimate feel make this a standout joint from the project.

Favorite Bar: “My Superwoman super but me, I’m too superficial/Money ain’t everything but it’s everything we envision.”   

Mick Jenkins – Carefree

The title of this 2020 Mick Jenkins single is an intentional misnomer, as the song outlines a landscape of a world that is anything but carefree.  With trademark detailed writing, the Chicago rapper encapsulates the dismal particulars of police brutality, prejudice and hatred that still exist within America due to race.

This song is aesthetically gorgeous but is all about the writing.  As any good poet does, Jenkins provides specific scenarios which demonstrate the targeted discrimination law enforcement regularly doles out to people of color.  Discussing the song, Jenkins is on the record stating that the concept was based on a real-life occurrence, where he was with friends on the beach, doing nothing harmful, and a full squad of police snuck up on them.

Black Milk’s cool and sparse instrumental provides room for Jenkins bouncy, rapid vocals to paint a clear picture.  This track is smooth, conceptual, and meaningful, all based on superb storytelling.

Favorite Bar: “It just don’t look like this/If you living carefree then you probably don’t look like us.” 

Isaiah Rashad (feat. Deante’ Hitchcock) – Geordan Favors

Isaiah Rashad’s deluxe version of The House is Burning titled [homies begged] added four new tracks to an already flavorful gumbo of southern cooking.  Our favorite from the new tracks is Geordan Favors featuring big time up and comer, Atlanta’s Deante’ Hitchcock.

Rashad’s smooth, spacey drawl, playing against Hitchcock’s double-time, fragrant verse is an electric combination.  The wavy, eclectic instrumental adds another clear head-nodding vibe to a project that was already overflowing with hits.  Hitchcock’s potential is unlimited, and you are likely to see his name quite a bit more on Today’s Hip Hop.

Favorite Bar: “Dark times my nigga we was s’possed to be the light bearers/when my partner died, I ain’t even had time to cry itt was in morning havin’ night terrors.”

Check out the Spotify playlist updates for December today, and tune in each month for regular playlist updates.

by Jack Carenza