CR’s latest project, Remember Me As This , shows why he’s one of DMV’s most thoughtful voices in rap. There’s a strong sense of self-reflection throughout the entire project. CR is one of those artists who knows how to talk to himself in his music. Some of these songs feel like reminders he made for himself first, conversations he needed to have internally, and we’re just listening in. That level of honesty is what makes the album land the way it does. Released on December 11

Baltimore continues to redefine what pain-talk sounds like, and Taee Slickk’s new album Money Bags & Broken Hearts  is another strong entry into the city’s growing wave of raw, emotional rap. Produced entirely by Davonta Ayers, with one feature from WLC ROD on “30 Days,”  this project blends charged-up street energy with melodic introspection, creating a full-circle listening experience that captures Slickk from multiple angles. One of the most refreshing aspects of the album

Out of Louisville’s rising underground scene, Lul Skii returns with “Girls Like You,” a September 2025 drop that pushes the boundaries of pain-talk with a punk-influenced twist. Instead of leaning on the usual trap or melodic formulas, Skii delivers a record that blends raw emotion with big, distorted energy, a sound that feels equal parts diary entry and mosh-pit anthem. The track centers around a feeling almost everyone has experienced: knowing you and someone could be grea

Out now from kenton and 4Daez’s October 25 drop, “C’EST LA VIE”  is the kind of record that sneaks up on you being smooth, spiritual, and cool without ever feeling preachy. Where a lot of artists turn Christian references into surface-level slogans, this flips faith into swagger. This is theology with fun, not a HomeGoods quote about being kind. Opening lyric  “I wouldn’t shake your hand if God made new hands for me” hits with cold honesty, a boundary drawn in divine ink. In

Southeast DC has been producing talent for years, but few artists capture the city’s energy like Paco Panama . A DMV vet, he’s been making noise locally for some time, and if you know Paco, you know exactly what kind of music you’re about to get — hustler music, motion music, trap-influenced bars that reflect real life in the streets. His latest project, SouthSide Sopranos, Vol. 2 , dropped November 4th , featuring 23 tracks  with appearances from Smoke Chapo, Dee Muney, and