Chester Watson – fish don’t climb trees

Experimental rapper Chester Watson is back with a followup to 2020’s great A Japanese Horror Film, and this time the inspiration comes from the popular quote that’s apparently misattributed to Albert Einstein: “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” “As a Black person, we’re always judged on criteria that are literally meaningless,” Chester says. He uses the “fish don’t climb trees” quote as a launching point, and then dives into poetic, metaphorical verse over a backdrop that favors psychedelia and slowed-down jazz. By the end of the record, you’re fully immersed in an intimate, abstract world that’s uniquely Chester Watson’s own.

Dave & Central Cee – Split Decision EP

Dave has become one of the most respected names in UK rap, and Central Cee is currently one of UK rap’s fastest-rising stars–last summer’s “Doja” became his biggest hit yet, reaching out #2 in the UK, going viral on TikTok, and cracking a few US charts as well. On their new collaborative EP Split Decision, these two rappers put their heads together for four songs, and they sound incredibly natural as they trade bars across their instant hit “Sprinter,” pensive slow jams “Trojan Horse” and “Our 25th Birthday,” and the shit-talking closing track “UK Rap.” It’s a very brief project, but the chemistry between these two and the impact of the songwriting feels monumental. Here’s to hoping there’s more where this came from.

DJ Rude One & RXK Nephew – The ONEderful Nephew

Rochester rapper RXK Nephew makes way too much music to keep up with, but if you’re still looking for an easy way in, The ONEderful Nephew might be a good place to start; it’s one of his most concise, digestible projects yet. It’s a collaboration with DJ Rude One, the Brooklyn-via-Chicago producer and Single Minded Pros member whose last solo album featured boom bap torch-carriers like Roc Marciano, Conway the Machine, Westside Gunn, and Your Old Droog. RXK Nephew is a much less traditional spitter than those guys, and his choices in beats are usually much more unpredictable, but he proves to be a very commanding MC in this context. The ONEderful Nephew is only a small snapshot of what RXK Nephew is capable of, but it’s exciting to hear him bottle up his usual chaos in this more controlled environment.

Lil Uzi Vert – Pink Tape

Lil Uzi Vert is back with their first proper album in over three years, and first since his Jersey club-inspired single “Just Wanna Rock” (co-produced by rising Jersey club producer MCVertt) took over the world. “Just Wanna Rock” isn’t a rock song, but Uzi does want to rock. The album has songs with metal bands Bring Me the Horizon and Babymetal, which kinda just sound like Bring Me the Horizon and Babymetal songs, and a cover of System Of A Down’s “Chop Suey!” called “CS.” The 26-song, 87-minute album also includes “Just Wanna Rock,” and plenty of other songs that stick to Uzi’s usual ragey, ravey vibes. Other appearances come from Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver, and it features some prominent samples/interpolations, including Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” on the Nicki Minaj-featuring “Endless Fashion” and Chief Keef’s “Hate Being Sober” on “Mama, I’m Sorry.”