Baby Keem, AZ, Ralo and More – New Projects This Week

The weather is cooling off, but that hasn’t fazed the rap scene very much as hip-hop continues to deliver fire new music for fans to vibe out to.

First up, Baby Keem‘s highly anticipated new album, The Melodic Blue, has arrived following the release of the singles “Durag Activity” featuring Travis Scott and “Family Ties” with Keem’s older cousin, Kendrick Lamar. One day prior to the LP’s official arrival, a snippet of the former 2020 XXL Freshman and K-Dot’s other joint record, “Range Brothers,” began circulating online, giving fans a sneak peak of what to expect from the full-length project. Altogether, the LP has 16 tracks, which contain Keem’s esoteric bars and oftentimes quick-tongued flow.

Brooklyn rap veteran AZ is back on the scene with Doe or Die 2, the follow-up to his 1995 album, Doe or Die. The second coming to the New York City native’s 26-year-old effort includes the track “The Wheel” with R&B singer Jahiem. DOD2 also serves as AZ’s first album to be released since 2009, when he dropped Legendary. Hardcore rap heads received a dose of the rapper’s mellow, but introspective flow when he appeared on “Full Circle” last year—his feature with The Firm on Nas’ Grammy Award-winning album, King’s Disease.

New music also comes this week from incarcerated rapper Ralo, who isn’t allowing his circumstances to inhibit him from delivering new tunes. Political Prisoner is the Atlanta rapper’s latest album to arrive since he dropped the deluxe version of his Conspiracy LP back in February. The Georgia-bred rhymer has been behind bars since 2018, on drug trafficking charges and is currently housed at the Clay County Detention Center in Ashland, Ala. Despite Ralo pushing for clemency, it’s unclear when he’ll be released from prison.

Find additional releases arriving from Jazz Cartier, ShooterGang Kony, Common, Aurora Anthony, Eric Bellinger and more below.