Hip Hop: Summer 2020

Monarch Hip Hop Recommendations

Hip Hop
Kayne West and Chance the Rapper
Good Ass Job

“Good Ass Job” was supposed to be the aptly titled final entry into Kanye West’s “The College Dropout” series, but instead it’s apparently morphed into a theoretical union of master and pupil— a.k.a, West and Chance the Rapper. Kanye himself announced the joint project during Chano’s Chicago open mic session in September of 2018. During an appearance on “The Joe Budden Podcast” a month later, Chano confirmed that work the project had yet to begin. It’s hard not to be tantalized at the thought of Chance and West linking for an entire project, especially with the way both infuse their music with gospel.

Kid Cudi
Entergalatic

Battling back to a healthy spot from struggles with mental health, Cudi is set to drop his eighth studio LP, “Entergalactic.” On top of that, Cudi and Netflix will be releasing an adult-focused animated music series also titled “Entergalactic” to pair with the album. This will be a boundless outlet for Cudi to bring his creative vision to life on more than one platform.

Noname
Factory Baby

Although she’s only just getting started, Chicago rapper Noname recently implied her second album “Factory Baby” could be her last. The musician told her Twitter followers that her heart “wasn’t fully in it anymore” and called the dynamic between artist and fan “really f–ing unhealthy.” So better make the most of this unique talent while she’s still in the spotlight.

Princess Nokia
TBD

Uptown New York rapper connects with her ancestors on her upcoming project. Traveling to Puerto Rico to write her first full-length album since 2018, Nokia got focused and developed “Sugar Honey Iced Tea (S.H.I.T)” and “Balenciaga” (“Is that retail or is that resale?/I look so fly you can’t even tell”). Just two of the singles that will appear on Nokia’s upcoming musical project.

Run the Jewels
RTJ4

Undeniable chemistry has made them one of hip- hop’s most beloved dyads. Since the two haven’t dropped a project since 2016, their forthcoming “Run The Jewels 4” album is highly anticipated for the thrilling beats and poignant bars. Plans for “RTJ4” were first announced in 2017. A year later, El-P updated fans saying the group was working on the “grimiest, rawest record we possibly can” and stamped 2019 as the year it would drop. Now 2020 seems to be go time. The LP, which reportedly features an assist from Rick Rubin, already has the group calling this new installment the best album in the series.

R&B / Soul
Lianne La Havas
TBD

It has been about five years since singer- songwriter Lianne released a project. Her indie-folk, soul sound has evolved considerably between her first and second albums. So expect some surprises on her third record. Her lead single provides some insight to this slightly new direction. “Bittersweet” is a glorious soul-folk belter that showcases her vocal incredible range.

Normani
TBD

Normani started off last year brilliantly with a Sam Smith collaboration and her first single all by herself, “Motivation,” was one of those songs from 2019 that felt like it should’ve been a Top 10. While it topped out at Number 27, it did hang around for a fair few weeks and helped get Normani plenty of attention. All eyes now turn to Normani’s debut solo album to see if she can match the success of her former Fifth Harmony- bandmate Camila Cabello.

Janet Jackson
Black Diamond

Music Icon Janet Jackson will release her 12th studio album “Black Diamond” along with a supporting world tour this year. The tour is scheduled to stop off in the United States and Canada in June, July and August, with Europe and world dates “soon to be announced.” “Black Diamonds are the toughest of all the diamonds, the hardest to cut,” said Jackson on her Instagram. “I see that as the hardest to hurt or destroy. There is a lot that I have endured. I see myself as a Black Diamond in its purest form.”

Jessie Ware
Whats Your Pleasure

Ware is 1970s Roxy Music disco on her fourth album titled “What’s Your Pleasure?” Lead single “Spotlight” is funky disco of the sleekest variety; and judging the record’s collaborators— including Shungudzo, Model Child, Kindness, Metronomy, Clarence Coffee Jr., Benji B, Midland and Matthew Tavares— this record will see Ware firmly on the dance floor.

Hil St. Soul
One Life

In a market overcrowded with vanishing one-hit wonders, Hil St. Soul delivers the kind of music that promises to stand the test of time.

Gospel
Passion
Roar

The latest from the world-renowned Passion worship team showcases 12 new offerings in a moving, live worship experience. “Roar” features the ministry’s core staff alongside veteran David Crowder with special guests Kari Jobe and Hillsong United, including new songs “All Praise,” “King Of Glory,” “Way Maker” and others.

Bri Babineaux
The Encouter

Babineaux got her start in the church but broke out to the masses in 2014 with her self- published YouTube videos that gave her viral success and led to a record deal and her first album “Keys to My Heart.” She then took a three-year hiatus for the release of her sophomore album “The Encounter.” The core-theme is centered around a 1:1 relationship with God. Recorded live at Living the Word International Church in New Orleans, Louisiana, the album captures the beauty and power of unrestrained and organic worship.

Anna Ly
How Great a King

Latin artist Anna Ly’s new single “How Great A King” prepares all of our hearts for worship. The song summarizes the purpose for which we were born: We were created to worship Jesus, the author and consumer of faith. In the midst of this pandemic, I have decided to fight this battle worshiping, and this song is very appropriate for this season of sadness and hopelessness. Worship is the only way to remember that God is in control.

Matt Marvane
No Compromise

French singer, songwriter, worship leader and mainstream crossover artist, Matt Marvane has been bringing all believers in Jesus Christ together to worship and pray, with a focus on their cities and countries. Fusing the sounds of Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and James Morrison, Matt delivers “No Compromise,” which sends the message that in this season “the Church needs to stand firm and make no compromise. The world is shaking in many different ways but Church needs to believe and live dependent on the solid grace of God to shine more and more.”

Canton Jones
Power

Hip hop artist Canton Jones’ new album “Power” is a 14 track that is real hip hop and real praise. Jones was born on January 9, 1977 in Deerfield Beach, Florida and began singing at the age of five in a vocal group founded by his father. By the age of 16, he was writing and producing songs for friends in his hometown.