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

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

OTR Chaz and Roddy Rackzz have been fan favorites in Baltimore for years — and for good reason. Most people in the city will tell you these two are the top dogs, especially when they link up. From early classics like “Get In Dere”  and “Wit Da Mob”  to more recent drops like “Going”  and the “Sorry Not Sorry Remix,”  their chemistry has always hit different. The energy between them is like Jordan and Pippen  or Shaq and Kobe  — the best one-two punch the city has to offer. An

Photo by @is0Shots Every once in a while, an artist pops up that makes you double back like— hold up, who is this?  That’s exactly what happened when our VA SHIFT production head, Chucky , kept telling me about a kid out of Baltimore named IzzyMoney1008 . For weeks, he was saying, “Bro, you gotta tap in. He’s bringing a new sound to the city.” One night after a Live Mic shoot, Chucky threw on Izzy’s project Young Rich Junkie —and from the first few tracks, I knew it was diffe