The 20 Most Slept-On Underground Rap Projects Of 2013

December 26, 2013 - 7:58 pm by Max Weinstein

This wasn’t easy. Anytime you find a tape that you think is underrated, you listen to it, and you love it, and suddenly it’s not underrated to you anymore. You have to go find the next buried mixtape. That was what putting this list together was like. Lord knows it was worth it.

Let’s get straight to it. These are the 20 Best Underground Rap Projects of 2013. Some albums, some EPs, some mixtapes. And, yea we hate the "underground" label too, but these projects were released under the radar of most of the average rap fans. Whatever you want to call them, just don’t call them wack. Any link that isn’t provided means that project is on iTunes, Spotify, or Willie The Kid’s website. Now get to clickin’.

Denmark Vessey – Cult Classic

Denmark Vessey is one of many Detroit rappers continuing to put on for their city in 2013, along with Guilty Simpson, Quelle, Black Milk and Danny Brown. Cult Classic is funkier than Motown in the 60’s, produced entirely by Chicago’s Scud One and jumping from church music to dusty soul to the D’s hard-hitting brand of raw rap. Denmark is some sort of hidden national treasure, though he released his first project with Crown Nation pal Quelle back in 2008. Sometimes he sounds like he’s rapping at the dinner table; lessons, jewels. He puts a slight amount of distance between himself and his rhymes, making him even more obtuse. “This is Motherland music”, he spits on “That One Thai Joint”, “one man’s Jesus is another man’s Judas.”

Denmark also joins Kendrick in a small group of rappers who love pronouncing their consonants crisply, and there’s even a beautiful hymn in the middle, “Thank You Based God”. It’s going to take a lot more listening to really let Cult Classic sink in, so this may come off a little blasphemous, but the album is reminiscent of Madvillainy in a meandering, free jazz kind of way. We need more albums like this one.

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Yung Dolph – South Memphis Kingpin Young Dolph is not your average trap rapper. If you rap over certain types of beats and keep it street, you tend to get grouped together with a lot of other boring rappers. Dolph differentiates himself by talking about real life issues like his mother’s health on tracks like “Stressin,” produced by KE On The Track, and waking up to take a shit on “Scared of Me.” Okay, that second topic isn’t so serious, but he brings you into his everyday activity like it’s a documentary. Izze The Producer handles seven beats on South Memphis Kingpin and provides the right sound for Dolph, who sounds just as at home next to Gucci on a track as he does with Starlito. Don’t let him slip under your radar. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Yung Gleesh – Ain’t Shit Changed Yung Gleetchie is as weird as they get. Coming out of the DMV, he’s been called the Lil’ B of the North, but Lil’ B doesn’t make music anywhere close to as catchy as Gleesh does. “Lazyness” is one of the biggest sleeper hits of the year, and songs like “Which 1 U Worken” and “2 Thangs” prove that it’s far from a fluke. He even got on a track with Yung Lean recently, but what initially seems like chemistry ends up being Gleesh outshining the Swedish rapper. Comparisons are always convenient when introducing people to new artists, and Gucci Mane is definitely the closest epicenter to Yung Gleesh’s style, but he’s so extraterrestrial that he really doesn’t have any human counterparts. He strains his voice in and out of Autotune like he’s dying for some drugs. Most importantly, he’s experimenting, something too many young rappers are scared to do. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Droop-E – Hungry and Humble Droop-E’s debut retail project slaps so hard it sounds like every beat has hydraulics. You can tell when a rap record is mixed so nicely that you have to hop in the whip and test it out. Droop-E is one of a handful of artists who understand that they don’t need to drop 20 track mixtapes every 4 months. He’s taken his time with every detail of this EP: The knock on “Ridin’ Solo” will make your bookshelf bounce, Nite Jewel helps make “N the Traffic” one of the smoothest songs of the year, and “Hunger” is on some old Mantronix shit – utterly bugged out. Departing from the languid sound of Dom Kennedy and DJ Mustard’s ratchet music, Hungry and Humble shows off a more dynamic sound residing on the West Coast.

club-god

Beatking - Club God 3 Lil’ Ugly Mane is retiring from the game and SpaceGhostPurrp is in his own world, so rap needs another artist to keep Three 6 Mafia’s sonics around (besides the resurrected, Juicy J-less group itself), and Beatking is the next torchbearer. If you were at all let down by Juicy J’s album, Club God 3 is here to offset your ratchet desires with some exceptional rapping. The Mozart of Classical Thot Muzik shares Slim Thug’s baritone with a dash of Trae’s grit, and his bars are anything but lackadaisical across the 16-track project. It might sound like a lot of dick being slung to a lot of bitches, but if you pay attention to his method, he’s never on autopilot. “Smile” dismembers the sample from Young Gudda’s classic “Gudda Be In Something Wide” and makes it a radio-friendly song that’s been getting burn in Houston; “I Know” reworks Three 6’s “So High” to narcotic effect, and “Where You Get That From” is one of the catchiest sleeper records of the year. Club God 3 is way too much fun for you to keep ignoring. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Zilla – Book of Trill EP Out of all the Southern acts that get shine (and apparently run New York), Zilla has gotten lost in the mix, despite releasing one of the best EPs of the year with Book of Trill. Taking another page from the smart rapper book and whittling down his project to five exquisite songs, Zilla’s new EP packs a stronger punch than any long-winded mixtape could. UGK is the most obvious progenitor of Book of Trill (in name and sound), but R&B contributions from Big Pope and Joi Tiffany give it a more sensual feel and the catchy “Erry Witcha Way” might have some potential to gain a larger crowd. With six tight songs, Zilla trims the fat off of this flawless EP and leaves zero room for error. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Alpoko Don – The Ol’ Soul EP At the end of his stunning Luca Brasi EP, Kevin Gates spits a first person story over a lunchroom table beat. It’s kind of like a “porch freestyle”, the semi-acapella technique that was actually made popular by Alpoko Don, who posted a series of videos after an eight year prison stint where he’s literally sitting on his porch, banging out beats on wood with a pen and a fist. I thought it might be a novelty concept at first; you know, the kind of thing that you put at the end of a project as a cool outro. But The Ol’ Soul EP proved me wrong – 10 tracks and one soulfully sung intro by Alpoko himself, and every last moment is enticing. “Married To The Game” is his explanation for why he can’t let his girl take him away from the streets; “All I Know” finds him struggling with the decisions he’s made; “Sitting Sideways” might be his most popular track, utilizing that age-old adage to flip one punchline after another. Easily one of the most slept on rappers out right now, Alpoko Don will grab you with every single word on The Ol’ Soul EP. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Antwon – Dark Denim Here are three albums that people claimed Yeezus was influenced by: DEEP WEB MAD LOVE by Death Grips, Gen by B L A C K I E, and Dark Denim by Antwon. Notice the drastic swing from the punk/noise of “3RD WORLD GRRL” to the soulful chops of “RARE 2000S” that sound like they’d be right at home on a Little Brother record. Sounds like Yeezy might have been listening to Antwon back on Valentines Day when this dropped. That swing from one sound to another is a big part of Antwon’s appeal – he encompasses many human emotions instead of just drilling away at one facet of his personality. He misses girls but he also calls them bitches. He’s depressed but he’s also partying hard. IN DARK DENIM is supremely punk, painfully personal and explicitly not giving a fuck about what you think. Antwon’s got a serious catalog of work, so be sure to check out all his previous work, too. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Gorgeous Children – ICE Last year, Face Vega and Gila Monsta knocked me off my ass with their eponymous debut project. A year later, they’ve finally given fans what they wanted – eight brand new songs in the form of ICE. Comparing these two to Raider Klan doesn’t even begin to do them justice – Gila has an acute ear for minimalist, detail-rich production, like the DJ Mustard of dark, chilly beats, while Vega raps with an all-knowing smirk on records like “Costly Bottle” and “Liberace Gems”. When people talk about artists making incredible music in their bedroom, ICE is a prime example of what they mean, packed with aquatic beats and gloomy rhymes.

B.I.C. – Influence The Bitches Is Crazy crew doesn’t sound like anything coming out of New York right now. Yes, rap crews seem to be the face of the East Coast – Pro Era, World’s Fair, The Underachievers, Flatbuzh Zombies – but none of them have the energy, skills and all-out raucousness that these Bronx rappers radiate. Including rappers Yisrael, Pete, Ill Spills and Yesus (the first) with production from VESA, Chuk Le Garcon and MP The God, Influence is hands down better than any other group project from the East Coast this year. Try to keep yourself from repeating the hook on “Yo Soy Widdit” or nodding your head on “Groupie Love”. Put one in the air to “Food For Thought” or “DOPM”. Combat Jack thinks they’re one of the best things coming out NY right now, but the lack of hype and the refreshing talent that shines through on every song from Influence is what makes B.I.C. a fun listening experience time and again. They’re a throwback to Timbs, 40’s and Hilfiger, but they don’t emulate styles as much as they revive the spirit of freestyling in the basement and talking immaculate shit. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]m

Thrvxxx – Thraxxx “The Movie” The illustrious Bauce Sauce put me on to this tape, and there’s little information available online about it besides the self-evident fact that it’s insane. Maybe it’s better that way, though, because all that really matters is the music, and if more people pay attention to this overly catchy project, we might learn a little more about Mac Dre, Freakshow, Lizzle, Abu, FP, Big Flock and Bankroll Marky. It’d be more useful to tell you which songs don’t bang – the three skits. The second song is even some sort of audio ripped from video…and it’s still crack. It’s on the next track, “Big Boy Bandz,” where things really get crucial. “Don’t Worry” is mind-blowing, “Number$” could do just that on the radio, and “Too” is the pièce de résistance of the project, rumored to be a Young Thug song later down the line. The production incorporates Mustard’s minimalist keys and Young Chop’s monstrous drums (he produces “Big Boy Bandz”), making for a pop-friendly sound. The final product is one of the most hidden yet potential-pregnant mixtapes of the year. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Warm Brew – The Ride Remember when the Cool Kids were set to blow? Rewind the tape and the hype was believable at the time, but label limbo caught them offguard and they never recovered. Warm Brew has that kind of aura. The West Coast easygoing crew has everything you could want – dreamy beats, razor sharp rappers, a smiling attitude and hooks that you remember without being annoying. The searing hot DJ Dahi provides two heaters but the production from Al B Smoove, Teqnitionz and Lord Quest is some of 2013’s best. Ray Wright, Manu Li and Serk Spliff have quietly dropped music to wake up to, walk around with, or soundtrack a sunset. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Willie The Kid & Alchemist – Masterpiece Theatre EP Willie the Kid dropped not one, but two sleepers, first with producer of the year contender Alchemist for Masterpiece Theatre, and later on his own with Aquamarine. Snapshots of luxury litter the superior Masterpiece Theatre – “Gettysburg fur Civil War leather / civilian women writing letters” – as Alchemist provides gulley drums and only the waviest samples for Willie to wax poetic over. His style fits right in with that of Action Bronson and Roc Marciano – flashes of vision, like light hitting crystal at the right angle. Clocking in at just over 20 minutes, Masterpiece Theatre is a diamond in the rough.

Starlito – Fried Turkey Starlito has had a busy year. After dropping the quick Attention, Tithes and Taxes in June, he released his first official retail album (that you can find on Best Buy and Amazon) with Cold Turkey, then dropped the highly anticipated Step Brothers 2 with Don Trip and finished off the year with one of his best solo albums yet, Fried Turkey. Lito makes any beat on Fried Turkey his own – he crushes Red Dot on the Lil’ Kess-produced trap anthem “Don’t Forget The Bag”, he drops knowledge on the droopy album opener “Again” (produced by the godly Ryan Hemsworth), and the magnificent DJ Burn One cooks up rainy day Parisian production for “Keep the Change”. More DJ Burn One beats, please. Lito’s known for not holding anything back in his rhymes, wheeling from depression to abortion to deceit and drug abuse without batting an eyelash. His delivery never wears on you; it’s the wit contained in his punchlines that make them so engaging, and even while he deals with some heavy topics, he always wins out, and he’s gone on record to say how grateful he is just to be alive. That Zen-like appreciation for still being on earth is what imbues Fried Turkey with a glow-in-the-dark allure and makes it one of his finest tailored projects to date. If you aren’t up on the one-time Cash Money prodigy, now’s your chance. Can we get a Starlito x Kevin Gates album next though? [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Spenzo – In Spenzo We Trust If you’re good, you don’t need a mixtape with 20 tracks to prove it. Spenzo figured this out with his latest project In Spenzo We Trust by choosing 12 strong songs and keeping his product filler-free. The production is a list of stars (DJ Dahi, Young Chop, Sonny Digital, Metro Boomin’) and the project spans from potential singles like “At The Moment” and “Anytime” to more introspective tracks like “Shake Me Down” and “Heaven Can Wait.” He lets parts of his personal life shine through at just the right times without revealing too much. Part of whole appeal, actually, is this tension between too much and too little. Every song is maximized, but at just under forty minutes, this tape merits rewind after rewind. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Joe Blow – Check A Real Nigga Out The Bay Area has a lot more to offer than ratchet Mustard beats (as much as we all love them), and Joe Blow is exhibit 1A. He’s well known on the West Coast, but the way he raps is almost devoid of any regional influence. It’s flat out dope. All the written words in the world can’t do Joe Blow justice. Do yourself a favor and play this album front to back. This is some of the best rap of the year. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Maxo Kream – Quiccstrikes For a guy who’s got sizzurp dripping off his beard and eyes glowing the same color on the cover, Maxo Kream is a lot more on point than you’d expect him to be. Fresh off the streets of Houston, Texas, Maxo wears his doubletime flow like a Roley, lowkey like he was born with it. Through 14 tracks, there’s nary a slow flow to be found, as if he’s living too fast to stop and dumb it down for you. Instead, we get taken for a ride through the shadows. “Lewinsky” and “Whitney Houston” were two early Youtube favorites that popped before this tape dropped (including the intro, notice the overt Lil’ B influence?); “Hella Yellas” is what happens when Art of Noise sniffs speed; guests like A$AP Ant and Le$ provide contrasts in tempo, but even on a song called “Purple City Stars”, Maxo’s rapidfire wins out. He’s frenetic, high-energy, and fun to listen to. That’s more than you can say for most of today’s hypebeast blog rappers. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Shy Glizzy – Law 2 Shy Glizzy is the best rapper coming out of D.C., bar none. His first Law mixtape turned heads and allowed him to hire some muscle for the second edition – Kevin Gates, Starlito and Yo Gotti do guest features while Izze The Producer, Lil’ Lody and Metro Boomin’ slide him beats. Glizzy is the indisputable star, though, whether it’s via his nasally intonation, his infectious hooks, or his ability to sound like he’s slinking on a track with unmovable confidence. Make you a deal – listen to “Money Problems” below and if you don’t love it, I’ll PayPal you $5. I promise. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

Rome Fortune – Beautiful Pimp You fucked up big time if you haven’t heard this project. Atlanta is pumping out the most consistency in the country right now, and Rome Fortune is a testament to how diverse the music scene is down there. Childish Major (who did “U.O.E.N.O.”) has production credits on about half the songs on Beautiful Pimp, and his sheen contributes to the clean aesthetic of Rome’s sound. You’d think that other appearances behind the boards by DJ Spinz and DunDeal would make this just another trap mixtape, but it’s anything but. If you’ve been at the right parties in New York this year, you’ve heard DJs drop “Get The Guap” plenty of times. Rome keeps it lean on every track – not a single song exceeds 4:00 and he’s not cramming syllables where they don’t fit. He lets tracks breathe and focuses on hooks to glue his songs together. The industry is watching this young man with a close eye. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

ZMoney – Rich B4 Rap ZMoney is going to be a problem. Chief Keef’s half rap, half singing style has disseminated across the world, but right at home in Chicago, ZMoney is crafting his own version of a hybrid delivery, and he makes a lot more sense than Chief Keef usually does. The standout hit is “Everything,” where ZMoney sings, “Don’t you wish that you could wake up and buy everything?” Elsewhere, Yung Fresh boosts “Lets Get This Ho” and Brickfare comes correct on both “Cocky” and “We,” but it’s ZMoney’s prospective star power that makes every part of the tape stick. Shouts to David Drake for putting me on. [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]

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