T.I Blaze — The Fresh Prince of Lagos

T.I Blaze broke out late last year with his hit song “Sometimes,” which spawned an Olamide-featuring remix, too. It’s been a very fast rise for the Nigerian artist, who started dropping singles in 2020. His tenacity culminates in his first body of work, The Fresh Prince of Lagos. Across six lively songs, including lead single, “Try,” Blaze teams up with Barry Jhay, Blxckie, and others, to establish himself as an artist to respect in Nigeria.

Aṣa — V

With a Wizkid-featuring lead single, Aṣa’s V arrives with a wave of excitement. The 10-song album swells with emotion. Aṣa’s deliveries are rife with conviction—the singer really means every word. Single “Ocean”’s guttural croons that give way to a scathing read on a situationship, while “All I Ever Wanted” takes a more electronic tone in the rhythms and features Amaarae. For all the heart in the project, there’s a subtle cheekiness, too (“Love Me Or Get Me Red Wine”), reminding us that the Nigerian artist’s fifth album has an OG’s lens.

Central Cee — 23

At the forefront of UK drill stands Central Cee. The West London rapper’s gruff tone and breathless delivery makes every track as satisfying as completing a marathon. Central Cee first dropped in 2017, but his music really took off when he started leaning into his current drill sound. Now he sits comfortably on the UK charts with singles “Cold Shoulder” and “Retail Therapy.” 23 is a complete picture of the artist, with slower tunes (“Mrs”) standing tall beside posse cuts taking the best voices of drill across all of Europe (“Eurovision”).

Deetranada — NADAWORLD

Stepping into NADAWORLD might give you whiplash. Deetranada’s breakneck style and biting bars make the Baltimore rapper stand out. A “10 Rappers You Should Know Right Now” alum, Dee’s latest album follows 2019’s DEEvsEVERYBODY, and showcases her as a looser and more caustic artist. “STICC + MOVE” with Yung Mal is so menacing and so intense, it feels like Dee is trying to rip through the speakers and come for throats.

Wifigawd — Chain of Command

DC’s Wifigawd is as prolific as he is enigmatic. Cracking his code involves paying special attention to the nameless details that make his beats slap. On Chain of Command, he combines classic East Coast stylings with Memphis phonk, with underground flourishes, with that indescribable Wifigawd sauce to make something damn near intangible. “God of War” in particular is the kind of fire that makes Wifigawd so underrated.

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