Ever at a loss to find new music? Fret no more sweet readers, because this week I’m going to cover some of my favorite rap and hip-hop Spotify playlists. When I first started at WKNC, I actually did an Underground show every Saturday night. It was super fun and I’m absolutely stoked that we’re extending Underground to play all day on Mondays too! These playlists are where I dug around to find new music, back then and now:
QUARANTINA – Flatbush Zombies
“QUARANTINA” was gifted to us in the Spring of 2020, right as COVID was starting to get really bad. The members of Flatbush Zombies, Zombie Juice, Meechy Darko and Erick the Architect, made this playlist filled with uplifting rap and r&b tunes to help out our anxious spirits. It’s a sample platter of different eras and genres of hip-hop from artists like Outkast, D’Angelo, and Mac Miller.
Spilled Ink – Spotify
This playlist is one of the best Spotify has to offer. It’s filled with the perfect mixture of underground and notable artists, including Freddie Gibbs, Deem Spencer, and LUCKI. Extremely lo-fi and very lyrical, it’s a great playlist to turn to for some nice ambiance music.
boom bap/chill rap – Dadswell
A bit more on the mainstream side of things, this playlist features artists like J. Cole, Joey Bada$$, and Kendrick Lamar. Nevertheless, the songs it does include from those big names are some of my favorites.
I Love My West Coast Classics – Spotify
WARNING: This playlist is only for people who can handle time traveling back to the 90s.The name says it all, but this Spotify curated playlist is a fantastic collection of some of the biggest hits in West Coast rap. If you’re into songs like “It Was A Good Day” by Ice Cube and “I Got 5 On It” by Luniz, you’re gonna love this one.
black creativity – Nej
You might recognize Raleigh-based rapper Lesthegenius on this playlist. With more of a softer tone, “black creativity” is something really worth sitting down and enjoying. It’s a beautiful collection of thoughtful r&b, soul, and rap.
– DJ Butter
