Paper Route EMPIRE — Long Live Young Dolph

It’s a fool’s errand to put into words the gravity of the loss of Young Dolph. The Memphis hometown hero changed music through his independent mentality, his constant mentoring of upcoming artists, and his humility. To honor his legacy, Dolph’s label Paper Route EMPIRE releases a tribute project containing 10 tracks featuring artists he has developed over his too-short time with us. Both heartwarming and gut-wrenching, the project circles around the Key Glock tribute, “Proud”: “I got Dolph looking down on me / I know that n***a proud.”

FAVE — Riddim 5

Afropop breakout artist FAVE debuts with her EP Riddim 5. Her 2021 single “Baby Riddim” amassed over 15 million streams on Audiomack and launched FAVE’s career. Riddim 5 is a modern take on brevity and dreaminess. The sultry “Kilotufe” drips with a downtempo ache that somehow becomes a salve. “The sounds in my head that want to come out are finally getting the chance,” FAVE says of the EP. “For me it’s not the number of songs out but the number of songs I get to create.”

Damedot — The Umbrella Again

Detroit hometown hero Damedot returns with a buffet of quotables in The Umbrella Again. The Mafia Lord and one of 10 Rappers You Should Know may be blowing up online with “Stand Over Him,” but his grim punchlines are deeper than social trends—Damedot is one of the architects of the breakneck Detroit sound that took over in 2021. Over stringy productions, Damedot recalls funerals, shootouts, and drug deals.

Che Noir — Food For Thought

“I connect spiritually to people,” Che Noir says to open her new album, Food For Thought. The Buffalo native began making music at 15, and in the decade-plus since the rapper has developed an introspective and slick sound. The gnarly bars Che brings to the table feel like the onset of dusk on the darkest night of the year. Her street wisdom and punchlines (“The rap game left blood on my hands / So I’m finger painting”) exude an endless grittiness.

Teddy Swims — Tough Love

Atlanta-based Teddy Swims has been an Audiomack favorite since his debut album, Unlearning. His twang and catchy melodies made single “911” an apt teaser for his new project, Tough Love. Tackling all sides of romance, Teddy Swims’ sound is at once grand (“Please Turn Green”) and melancholic (“Amazing”), with a loving twist. Calling himself “America’s stepdad,” this pop act has a bulletproof vocal and the savvy to put his deepest life experiences on wax.

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