Every year, dozens of artists release new music for their fans to enjoy.  The first quarter of the year has already been a gauntlet for hip hop, with many highly anticipated and long-awaited albums from beloved artists in the genre — including releases by Baby Keem, A$AP Rocky, and J.Cole, to name a few. Yet, how have these albums lived up to the hype?

Don Toliver

Don Toliver’s fifth studio album, OCTANE, was released back on January 30th.  The album has become an extremely defining moment in the artist’s career, serving as his first-ever #1 debut on the Billboard 200. The album leans heavily into racing and rally culture, with the production being designed to feel like a “high-speed drive,” and it is extremely successful in doing so.  Some of the album’s most popular songs, such as ‘E85’ and ‘Body’, cleverly sample songs from other genres, turning them into high-energy R&B tracks. The album has been a hit across social media and has helped to cement Don Toliver as a true solo artist rather than a “feature-king.”

A$AP Rocky

A$AP Rocky’s Don’t Be Dumb has been one of the most highly anticipated albums to release over the past few years.  Following an over 10-year hiatus from making music, A$AP has teased the release of the album itself since 2018.  Don’t Be Dumb turned out to be Rocky’s most experimental work.  Some tracks follow a gritty New York rap theme with songs such as ‘Whiskey’ and ‘Stole Ya Flow’, while the title track ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ strays back to A$AP’s “Cloud Rap” genre that he has built his name around.  The album also debuted at the #1 spot on Billboard 200’s chart, showing that A$AP still has a place in the genre even after 10 years being out of the game. 

Baby Keem

Baby Keem has often been overshadowed by his world-renowned cousin Kendrick Lamar, who, despite rumours saying otherwise, has had only a small role in Keem’s rise to fame.  CA$INO is Keem’s second studio album, and ended an over 5-year wait following the release of his highly successful breakout album The Melodic Blue.  The album strays in a different direction from Keem’s previous works, following a more storied progression focusing on lyricism.  Centring around a “Vegas Noir” sound, CA$INO highlights Baby Keem’s rough upbringing in the city of Las Vegas, touching on his relationship with his mother and the dark sides of his hometown.  Tracks such as ‘No Blame’ and (ironically) ‘I am not a lyricist’ host some of the artists’ most impactful and storied lyrics to date, and many could argue that the album has shown that Baby Keem has stopped trying to prove his place in the rap genre. 

J.Cole

As a local Raleigh resident, J.Cole is a name nearly everyone at Leesville recognises.  The artist has released 7 studio albums across his career, earning 2 Grammys and a further 18 nominations.  The Fall-Off, released back in February, was announced by Cole to be his last and final studio album. The album has a whopping 24 tracks across 2 separate discs and encompasses the story of Cole’s growth as an artist. ‘Disc 29’ follows Cole’s return to his hometown of Fayetteville, NC, following his initial rise to fame in New York. It’s gritty and features scrappy lyrics much like his earlier mixtape days. ‘Disc 39’ rounds the album off, with the rapper offering a more mature perspective on his life and rise to the top of the charts. The album rounded off one of the most famed careers in the rap industry, serving as a strong farewell to J.Cole’s legacy.

The 2026 rap calendar has already proven to be a historic one, especially considering how early on it is into the year.  Other beloved rappers, such as Future and Travis Scott, have been rumoured to possibly be releasing new albums in the following months following their own respective leaks and teasers. This year is truly shaping up to be a goldmine for the rapping industry.