2024 might have had the summer of rap beef, but the summer of 2025 has what all hip-hop fans really want: good music. This past month has seen an incredible run of hip-hop releases, with Tyler, the Creator securing his first ever Billboard number one with surprise party-popping LP Don’t Tap The Glass, Virginia sibling duo Clipse rivalling Oasis for biggest return to form with Let God Sort Em Out dropping 15 years after they parted ways in 2010, and Alchemist and Freddie Gibbs dropping the long-awaited sequel to Grammy-nominated album Alfredo. Suffice to say, gunfingers globally are fast running out of ammo.

Elsewhere, after extensive social media controversy, child star Justin Bieber proves that he can still stand on business with surprise album SWAG. It might be less JB, and more Mk.gee-and-Dijon-featuring-JB, but it doesn’t stop SWAG being a heater of a project, and a big middle finger to anyone that had written him off after the past few years of unhinged Instagram posts.

What took no one by surprise, however, was Jim Legxacy’s continued presence as UK MVP with his third full-length project Black British Music. It marks a further foray into the pop space for the Lewisham artist, with Legxacy evoking David Bowie’s signature lightning bolt on the album cover, but, at its core, BBM is a powerful testament to how Black Brits have shaped popular British music.

Rounding things off, East Asian hyperpop continues its golden age with linkups between China’s Sebii and Korea’s The Deep and Effie, as well as Berlin hitmaker Mechatok and Japanese star Tohji. Finally, check out masked dub revivalist Tutu Ta’s “Paillon Riddim”, Tommy Saint’s brooding acoustic banger “kalila”, and south London legend Jianbo’s “Everything for the Family” for some heaters that might have otherwise slipped your radar.

Track of the month: “Daisies” by Justin Bieber featuring Mk.gee
Album of the month: Black British Music by Jim Legxacy

Although we post these round-ups at the end of every month, we update the playlist regularly for our subscribers – so be sure to follow us on Spotify for the hottest new tracks.