2024 In Review: Day 6 – Rap and Hip-hop

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2024 In Review

1. Introduction + Best Album Art
2. Song of the Year
3. Album of the Year
4. R&B and Soul
5. Rock and Alternative
6. Rap and Hip-hop
7. Dance and Electronic (Jan. 20)
8. Pop and Ballad (Jan. 21)
9. Folk and Country (Jan. 22)
10. Jazz, Crossover and World (Jan. 23)
11. Best Collaborative Work (Jan. 24)
12. Rookie Artist of the Year (Jan. 25)
13. Artist of the Year (Jan. 26)
14. Other Recognition (Jan. 27)
15. Concluding Remarks (Jan. 28)

2024’s hip-hop crop did not (and nor was it expected to) replicate the historic highs of 2023, but it was still a very solid year. Producers in particular made their presence known, with the likes of Hukky Shibaseki, Fredi Casso, Hyeminsong, and others receiving prominent and deserved recognition. Long-awaited full-lengths from Garion, The Quiett, and other vets were also welcome.

The “Next 10” and honorable mention lists are sorted by artist name. Bolded honorable mentions received particularly serious consideration for the Next 10.

Best Rap and Hip-hop Album 2024

O’koye – Whether the Weather Changes or Not

There were a lot of well-written, well-rapped, well-produced hip-hop albums in 2024. But I’m not sure that anything else was even nearly as fun to listen to as Whether the Weather Changes or Not, a dazzling debut effort from producer-emcee duo O’koye. Producer The o2 leaned fully into a dynamic jazz soundset, with rich and vibrant instrumentation imbuing both sophisticated chill and raw energy into these beats; the weighty names in the session list, from Yun Seokcheol to Song Hachul to Q the Trumpet, aren’t there just for show. Gorgeous vocal and chorus harmonics complemented Ikyo’s performance, which is a technical marvel in its own way, breakneck pace and falsetto hooks alike. Its finest moments, including “Yezzir” and “Hallelujah”, were not only unmatched in their originality but also got an often-cloudy and grim 2024 hip-hop scene back into having fun.

The Runner-up

Khundi Panda – MODM 2: The Bento Knight

Khundi Panda’s videogame-themed Somozu series got a full-length sequel, and it was gloriously supercharged. There were few breaks to breathe in MODM 2’s densely plotted levels, with Khundi machine-gunning steely syllables into each verse and Yagancamp’s production keeping the beats synthy and chippy. If you could stomach the constantly coiled tension, the album’s adherence to concept and unpredictable sound made for a treat.

The Next 10

B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki – Free Hukky Shibaseki & the God Sun Symphony Group : Odyssey.1

Chillin Homie – Maze Runner

Fredi Casso, Ambid Jack – Death Therapy

Garion – 가리온3 (Garion 3)

QM, Fredi Casso – Nazca Records

The Quiett – Luxury Flow

Rad Museum, Kid Milli – Rad Milli

RM – Right Place, Wrong Person

Skinny Chase – 선리기연 (Journey to the West)

Untell – Animal

Best Rap and Hip-hop Song 2024

Sik-K – Trap (Feat. Jimmy Paige)
Lyrics by Sik-K, Jimmy Paige
Composition by Sik-K, Jimmy Paige, Vangdale
Arrangement by Vangdale

Sik-K had a lot of spotlight in 2023 over a feud, but his (prolific) output during that time didn’t have a true knockout punch. 2024 changed that with “Trap”, the rapper’s career single thus far. Vangdale’s beat stays low and wavering and out-of-the-way, making way for Sik-K’s dryly delivered overture on all the things that constitute a trap in life. With even the autotune toned back a little bit, the lyrics prove to be unexpectedly contemplative. Jimmy Paige, a fish in water, brings it home.

The Runner-up

Rad Museum, Kid Milli – S/S (Feat. Dean)
Lyrics by Kid Milli, Rad Museum, Dean
Composition by Daehee, MPT, Kid Milli, Rad Museum, Dean
Arrangement by Daehee, MPT

“S/S” lived up to the promise of Rad Museum and Kid Milli’s collaboration in a way that the rest of Rad Milli had a tough time matching. The beat snapped with fanfare, Rad Museum’s effortless chic dripped off the crooning chorus, and perhaps the country’s most in-form rapper went from boasting about relaxation to a flow-switching, chopping-speed final act. A surprise appearance from Dean completed a hypothetical dream-team collab brought to life.

The Next 10

Bryn – Plug It, Charge It, Work It

Dabin – Shower Song

G-Dragon – Power

GongGongGoo009 – 9+9

Haon – 꼴통 (Bastard) (Feat. Changmo)

Justhis – Diss-a-Point

NSW Yoon – Tekken (Feat. Ambid Jack)

O’koye – Hallelujah

Roh Yun-ha, Cherry Boy 17 – Ima Bad Guy

Superbee – Rap & Life

Albums

Balming Tiger – Greatest Hits
Big Naughty, Kid Milli – +
Bryn – Supercharged
Changmo – Wonderful Days
Dabin – Giggles
Dbo – Be Back Soon
Don Mills – 인생을 바꿀 앨범 (The Life-Changing Album)
EK – Escape
Epik High – Pump
Flowsik – Worlds Apart
Gwangil Jo – 광순응 (Light Adaptation)
Haon – Haonoah
Homies – Yains
Hyeminsong – Reborn
Ja Mezz, Bangroz – Only God Can Stop Me
Kambo – Dreamatic
Keith Ape – On! The Run
Loopy – MARNI
Los – Skandalouz 2
Minit – Memories
O’koye – rheteW eTh thWaer ehanCg Or oNt
Okashii – Orton
Paloalto – Lovers Turn to Haters
QM – 개미 (Ant)
Roh Yun-ha – Too Young
Sokodomo – Sweet He♡rt
Superbee – Love, Rap & Life
Toil – Toto
Yonge Jaundice – Crossbreed
Yuleum – Cicada
Yuryeong – Architect

Songs

27ring – 2 Spicy (Feat. JS Morgan)
99′ Nasty Kidz, Paxxword – SCP-N99
99′ Nasty Kidz – Oh Shxt
AP Alchemy/Swings, Yoon Da-hye, Injae – My Zone
B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki – Moon Man
B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki – 힙합의 학생 (Student of Hiphop)
Bassagong – Fuck My Life
Be’O – Lavender (Feat. Paul Blanco)
Big Naughty, Kid Milli – Freestylin’
Big Naughty, Kid Milli – High Fashion
Big Naughty, Kid Milli – Link in Bio
Blase – Turtle (Feat. Chungha)
Bryn – Discharged (Feat. Seori)
Bryn – 어 왜 (So What)
Changmo – Pure Rage (Feat. Street Baby, Kor Kash)
Chillin Homie – Fengshui (Feat. Octavian)
Chillin Homie – GTS (Feat. Roh Yun-ha)
ChoiLB – 물 (Moool) (Feat. Jerd)
D.won – Realize (Feat. Neil0nthemoon)
Dabin – WMP Freestyle
Dbo – Be Back Soon
Dbo, Okasian – Young CEO
Don Malik – Ladidadi!
Don Mills – Keep It (Feat. Injae)
Don Mills – 이게 내 방식 (This Is How We Do It) (Feat. Kimiswild, Maddoeaji)
Donutman – Own Way (Feat. O’Domar)
EK – What’s Up
EK – Yellow Print
Epik High – Antihero
Epik High – K-Drama
Epik High – 미슐랭 (Michelin) Cypher
Fleeky Bang – My Name Is (Feat. Tray B)
Fleeky Bang – 불 (Feat. Changmo)
Fredi Casso, Ambid Jack (Feat. QM, Rohann) – Death Therapy
Garion – Chess Knight
Garion – Ill (Feat. Tiger JK)
Garion – Monochrome
Geegooin – 힘 (Feat. Skyminhyuk)
GongGongGoo009 – 넌 대체 무얼 그렇게 (Liar)
Gwangil Jo – 변종 (Oddball)
Gwangil Jo – 파열음 (Plosive)
Han Yo-han – Break Up! (Feat. Changmo)
Haon – Chill (Feat. The Quiett)
Haon, Vangdale, Sik-K – A24
Homies – D.I.E
Homies – 구땡 (9ttang) (Feat. Kkanbyeongz)
Homies – 돈놀이 (Chedda Game)
Huckleberry P – Kids (Feat. Toco & Ryu Han)
Hyeminsong – Gold (Feat. Dut2, Don Malik)
Hyeminsong – Lost (Feat. Rad Museum, The Quiett)
Hyeminsong – Wedding Dress (Feat. Justhis)
Hyeminsong – 편도티켓 (Feat. Nochang, Shinjihang)
Indegoaid – 다시보기 (Replay)
Ineffa Lucas – Used To
J-Hope – Neuron (Feat. Gaeko, Yoon Mi-rae)
Ja Mezz, Bangroz – Flyawy
Ja Mezz, Bangroz – Go! (Feat. Trippy Dog)
Keith Ape – Kickin & Geekin
Khundi Panda – Ninth Soul (Feat. Deepflow)
Khundi Panda – Quagmire (Feat. The Quiett, Nochang)
Khundi Panda – Somozu Fury
Khundi Panda – The Bento Knight (Feat. Jinbo)
Khundi Panda – s l I p s t r e a m (Feat. Luci Gang, Gganmo, Don Mills)
Kim Ximya, Simo Cell – Way 2A Head
Layone – 세상 따위 (F****** World) (Feat. BewhY)
Leellamarz, Sik-K, Haon – Haidilao
Leellamarz, Sik-K, Haon – Trap Talk
Lil Boi – High (Feat. pH-1)
Loco, Coogie – On Fire (Feat. Changmo)
Loopy – Cold Ave.
Loopy – Paint Colors
NCT 127 – Intro: Wall to Wall
No:el – 서울 (Feat. Huh!)
Northfacegawd – All New Year (Feat. Lil Gimchi)
Northfacegawd – 자연보호 (The Green Planet) (Feat. J-Tong)
O’koye – I Just Wanna Dance (Feat. The o2)
O’koye – Wings
O’koye, Song Hachul – 서울 (Seoul)
O’koye, Yun Seokcheol – Yezzir
Owen – Insecurity
Paloalto, Jupiter Kim, Channy D – Lovers Turn to Haters
Panda Gomm – Sofa Glue (Feat. Kid Milli)
Paxxword – Bad Habit (Feat. Vroomink)
Pullik – Fanboy (Intro)
QM – 입에총 (Got Yourself a Gun) (Feat. Zico)
QM, Fredi Casso – Crime! (Feat. Wutan, Modo)
QM, Fredi Casso – Hereditary (Feat. Deepflow)
QM, Fredi Casso – 큰 그림 (Big Picture)
Qim Isle – Adrenaline (Feat. Marldn, Jclef)
Qim Isle – Heels (Feat. Kim Ximya, Simo)
Qim Isle – These Rappers (Feat. Justhis)
RM – Around the World in a Day (Feat. Moses Sumney)
RM – Domodachi (Feat. Little Simz)
RM – Lost!
RM – Nuts
Roh Yun-ha – Money Bag
Roh Yun-ha – Woo Waa (Feat. Coogie)
Sik-K, Haon – KC (Bust It Down) (Feat. Leellamarz)
Sion – O.o
Skinny Chase – 지하 (Jiha)
Skyminhyuk – 너도 해방 (Liberation to You)
Sokodomo – Hennessy (Feat. Zion.T)
Superbee – Till I Die (Feat. Deepflow)
The Quiett – Ocean View (Feat. Marv, Meloh)
The Quiett – UGRS (Feat. Paul Blanco, Changmo)
Tomsson – 감투 (Gamtoo) (Feat. Jung Sang-soo)
Tray B – Super Star
Untell – 김자각몽 (Mr. Lucid Dream) (Feat. Khundi Panda)
Untell – 열등동물 (Ugly Animal)
Woo – 스물아홉 (29)
Yanghongwon – Citi+
Yonge Jaundice – 82 to 6
Yonge Jaundice – Salmo
Yonge Jaundice, Niceshotnick – Elephant in Da Room (Feat. EK)
Yuryeong – Davy Jones (Feat. YNC)
Yuryeong – 아홀로틀 (Axolotl)
Zico – Spot! (Feat. Jennie)