"Every year, we're told that hip-hop is in crisis. But if you ask us, it feels like there's too much heat to keep up with. What's lost on the chart-watchers lamenting rap's mainstream lull is that the coolest part about being a hip-hop fan has always been crate-digging. Now more than ever, with how splintered the genre has become, you gotta take the time and scavenge for what aligns with your taste."
"Every internet in-group and regional hub has its own X-factor: you have DMV acts like Dragnutz (yes, Dragnutz) meshing deadpan stoicism with chest-caving EDM; Philly oddballs like tovi turning drill nightmares inside-out; mavericks across the Atlantic like Klein and Rooster tugging heartstrings with coarse textures; and of course the new-gen hitmakers like YoungBoy and Monaleo kicking in the doors. Here are Pitchfork's 40 best rap songs of 2025."
Hip-hop currently feels oversaturated, prompting fans to return to crate-digging to find music that matches their tastes. Regional and internet micro-scenes each produce distinctive sounds and X-factors: DMV acts like Dragnutz mesh deadpan stoicism with chest-caving EDM; Philly oddballs like tovi invert and subvert drill; Atlantic mavericks like Klein and Rooster tug heartstrings with coarse textures; and new-generation hitmakers such as YoungBoy and Monaleo force mainstream doors open. Lil Baby and Young Thug's "Superman" blends goofy punchlines with scarred melodies, anchored by a batshit, deeply hurt Thug verse mixing pain and absurdity.
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