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HYFIN Connecting The Culture
Rhythm Lab Radio Redefining the Urban Sound
88Nine
Discovering her past: Element uncovers her roots through African Ancestry DNA testing Tarik Moody
As we close out 2024, music publications have unleashed their avalanche of top album of 2024 lists, while streaming platforms turned listeners into walking billboards with annual data dumps. But at HYFIN, we like to take our time and let the music breathe. While everyone rushed to be first, we chose to be thorough.
Looking back at 2024, we’ve seen incredible contributions across genres – from Beyoncé redefining country music’s boundaries, to emerging voices like Laila! carrying forward hip-hop’s legacy, to genre-bending masterpieces from established artists like Tyler, The Creator. The beauty of Black music has always been its resistance to simple categorization, and this year’s standouts continue that tradition, weaving together elements of R&B, hip-hop, country, punk, jazz, and experimental sounds.
Some of these albums may have already found their way into your heavy rotation. Others might have flown under your radar. Either way, we’re here to celebrate the artists who pushed boundaries, honored traditions, and created the soundtrack to our year. These aren’t just albums – they’re cultural moments that deserve to be revisited and discovered.
Let’s dive into some of the most compelling releases that shaped the sound of 2024 from the HYFIN fam.
Doechii’s debut is fearless. Tracks like “Nissan Altima” bring high-energy bangers, while “Wait” taps into Y2K R&B nostalgia with a sultry twist. She’s blending trap, house, and hip-hop like it’s second nature. “Catfish” is a perfect example of Doechii showing us she’s here to disrupt and redefine. Given her recent artistic performances on Tiny Desk and Late Night with Steven Colbert, Doechii has surpassed 90% of her peers, easily. “Denial is a River,” but what is undeniable is Doechii’s impact.
Kendrick is in his bag with GNX, blending introspection with cultural commentary. Tracks like “Squabble Up” and “TV Off “give listeners exactly what we’ve been waiting all Summer for, but what elevates this project is his collaboration with Sza on “Luther”. Their chemistry is magnetic, giving the album the next level energy in preparation for this upcoming tour. GNX has the world guessing with double entendres and hidden messages woven in his music videos; Kendrick has reinforced the message that in 2024 lyrics still matter. Once again Kendrick proves he’s not just an artist; he’s a cultural archivist.
Mutt is Leon Thomas flexing his growth. Tracks like “Lucid Dreams” (featuring Masego) and “I Used To” (featuring Baby Rose) feels like a meditative experience. Thomas bless listeners with a feature from Ty Dolla $ign on “Far Fetched” That’s the cherry on top, adding an edge to an already genre-bending masterpiece. Leon is shaping the future of R&B with this one album, and I’m here for it.
Joyner always keeps it raw and real. Songs like “Sticks and Stones” dive deep into his personal journey, and the feature from Jelly Roll on “Best for Me” balances the introspection with undeniable charisma. It’s a project that feels like a therapy session and a cipher rolled into one. His visuals never miss.
“Broski”, has to be in the top three music videos of 2024 and it’s not number two or three.
5 years after her album “Eve” Rapsody drops Please Don’t Cry. This album is a masterclass in soul and storytelling. “Stand Tall” is poetic and powerful, but when she teams up with artist like Erykah Badu on “3AM” and Hit Boy “Asteroids”, it becomes a whole different level of excellence. This album isn’t just music; it’s a movement celebrating Black resilience and womanhood that her grandmother would be proud of.
Each of these albums doesn’t just push the urban alternative sound; they push the culture forward. That’s why they are “HYFIN Verified” and Culture Plug approved.
Beyond the general expectancy of greatness that already exists with anything that Bey creates, Cowboy Carter was truly a brilliant offering of work this year that covered so much ground. This album highlighted the depth of Bey’s familial connection to her southern roots, the breadth of every style of country & the historic presence of Black creation within the genre as a whole while allowing space for a full range of choice sounds, mixed genres & other Black country artists to shine through. The traditional styling nods with songs like “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” pivotal covers like “BLACKBIRD” & JOLENE,” & heavy hitting contemporary blends like “SPAGHETTI,” “RIIVERDANCE” & “SWEET HONEY BUCKIN’” give the perfect amount of sonic diversity. What largely served as a direct response to mistreatment & exclusion at a previous CMA awards ceremony ironically became one of the most defining projects of the entire music sector. Which, in essence, is the most “Beyoncé” thing she could’ve ever done.
What one may blindly dismiss as simply a “TikTok” or “nepo baby” project is, arguably, one of the greatest debut solo offerings from a young new artist that we’ve been given in a good while. As the daughter of Hip Hop legend Mos Def, Laila! easily fills the expectations of large shoes as a multifaceted singer, songwriter, producer AND audio engineer, all at 18. Her early viral success with “Like That!” paved the way for this self-produced album to showcase the full range of her vocal & musical talents as well as her sonic versatility, with easy-going subject matter for younger (& older) listeners to gravitate towards (cue for stand out tracks like “Could Be” & “Flyer Than U.”) Both the project & artist offer a great deal of potential, with evidence of even more continued growth & musical reach in the future.
Alas, the next offering of a longstanding output of amazing sonic art, came to us in this album. In the span of his career as an artist, lyricist & producer, Tyler, The Creator has never shied away from intention, innovation or intrigue, which he strongly exemplifies throughout the direction of this project. His successful blends of genres, moods & themes are highlighted at every turn (with a pinnacle moment for me as a listener being the deliberate placement of the shared chord compositions between songs like “Judge Judy” & the latter portion of audience fave, “Sticky.”) The theme of growth is not only apparent in what he showcases musically but also in what he shares through the introspective lyrics & layers of vulnerability in tracks like “Take Your Mask Off” & “Like Him.” Chromakopia is the bold artistic statement that fans have grown to expect from Tyler, while setting a new benchmark for creativity & leaving all of us eager for whatever he dreams up next.
For anyone who’s been following her career over the last decade, the ember of Doechii’s unbridled flame has been growing for a long while – & this project is the culmination of all the fuel she brings to her own fire. The full-length project delivers a heavy offering of everything that hip-hop music should embody, from the versatility in style, genre & delivery to strong displays of technical range & abilities. Responses to criticism on her artistry are addressed & cleverly mocked on lead tracks like “Boom Bap.” At the same time, every other song serves as a strong reminder that Doechii has been more than an anomaly & will always be a force to be reckoned with. This, coupled with the recent arrival of what can be noted as one of the most creative, artistic & intentional Tiny Desk performance curations, easily locks her place in one of the year’s best offerings. The people have been asking for the real, & now the world has been given a full dose of Doechii.
One of my personal favorites & the most promising & impactful works of the year came from WILLOW, who for some time now has long proven to be a strong talent in her artistry. A healthy, urban alternative mixture between Esperanza Spalding, Paramore & Hiatus Kaiyote that’s heavily doused in experimental punk/jazz/funk, the dynamic release of “empathogen” earlier this year solidified this even more with a transcendent delivery that almost feels too boundless to describe, as it needs to be experienced. The thematic & lyrical content are all supported by the melodic timbre of WILLOW’s voice & distinctive access to the yodel-like shifting between natural & falsetto ranges. Meanwhile, the time & meter shifts on songs like Grammy-nominated “b i g f e e l i n g s” would make some of the strongest musicians’ heads spin. While only 23, WILLOW managed to traverse the concept of time & sonic depth simultaneously with this body of work, which holds a substantial amount of weight & could easily be top-listed as album of the year.
Honorable Mentions:
Shae Universe – Love Letter
Jade Novah – Where Have You Been?
Audrey Nuna – Trench
Philadelphia MC, singer, entrepreneur, and all-caps ARTIST Tierra Whack’s first full-length project in years is super dope and a full culmination after the many loosie tracks and EPs she has released in the last few years, like 2021 releases “R&B?”, “Pop?”, and “Rap?”…with a wide collection of producers adding to the stew; Miss Whack holds it all together with honest and witty bars. ACCESSIBLE, CHANEL PIT and SHOWER SONG speak to the true artistry of a woman who straddles rhymes and sings seamlessly. SIDE NOTE: Tierra Whack is an incredible basketball player, by the way.
The GOAT MC who has had number one LPs in 5 decades and is a Rock Hall of Famer, could easily have rested on his laurels and his fantastic, genre-elevating Rock The Bells radio on Sirius XM radio or toured forever as a true nostalgic Hip-Hop pioneer but instead, he connected with fellow Rock Hall of Famer, and fellow Queens, NY representative (QGTM) Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest to flesh out a stark and densely worded Adult Contemporary LP for ages. Incredible pen game from Ladies Love Cool James is on par with “Walking With A Panther” era work,, yet fully cognizant of the legend’s stature with the ladies. “Proclivities,” featuring Saweetie, refers to “Doin’ It” and other anthemic records in the Cool J canon. Other guests include Busta Rhymes and Snoop Dogg, who spoke about the caliber of this project.
“To The Room” is the translation of the Texas trio, Mark Speer, Laura Leezy and DJ Johnson’s latest LP and they have taken us into many different places but this room pushes the envelope of what we have come to expect from the Grammy-nominated (Best New Artist? Five albums since 2018? Anyway) trio. They have been critically acclaimed and toured the world, but this album touches on a mellow, clean sound that one of the mellowest bands out has shown us, and there is always more. Smooth Latin and sultry, yet punchy and sonically pleasant shakers “Todavia Viva” and “Pon Pon” sound fresh any night or day, pushing forward the sound of the most complete sounding band out here.
California’s Rae Khalil carries on the tradition of creative, unique, and honest West Coast breeziness and the affinity for ALL CAPS or lowercase track listings, but thats not here or there. After linking up with Anderson Paak’s Apeshit Records and many stellar collabs and one-offs, her first full-length under-the-label encompasses all of those elements into this cohesive and deep LP. Her raspy delivery and part MC’s brilliant vocalist style pops out and shows us on every track. The writing on this project is exemplary and the presence of Anderson Paak is there, yet Rae Khalil carries and informs the entire vibe—honest and fun music.
Being an octogenarian, widely influential, oft-sampled, global music legend is never enough. Marcos Valle has laced more of your favorite Hip Hop tracks and influenced countless musicians in his 81 years but couldn’t be restrained on this breezy yet driven LP. A tribute to the icon Burt Bacharach and a special guest spot from fellow legend Leon Ware are the only guests of significance on the project. Yet, all the tracks feature his band’s tight and well-established electricity and the many collaborators that bring this project to life. Mr. Valle is relishing in the glow of his influence and the clean sonics on this project. Standouts “Tem Que Ser Fliz” and “Nao Sei” put me on an island no matter where I am and feel aged and timeless simultaneously. His show at Turner Hall in September was a true spectacle and imprint of this project’s timelessness.
Rauw Alejandro pushes his creative boundaries with Cosa Nuestra, blending his reggaeton roots, trap influences, and a tantalizing hint of salsa flair. The standout track, “Dejame Entrar,” showcases Rauw’s smooth vocals layered over the infectious, dance-ready beats his fans have come to love. The entire project is a sleek, immersive masterpiece that takes listeners on a sonic journey. It’s Rauw at his most emotionally vulnerable yet rhythmically adventurous—a testament to his artistic evolution.
Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal is as experimental as it is raw, further cementing her status as one of rap’s most fearless and innovative voices. “BOOM BAP” shines as a bold homage to classic hip-hop, elevated by Doechii’s futuristic flair. The project is unapologetic, magnetic, and refreshingly original—pure magic from an artist unafraid to push boundaries.
On GNX, Kendrick Lamar continues to push lyrical and thematic boundaries, proving once again why he’s in a league of his own. My favorite track, “heart pt. 6” featuring SWV, showcases Kendrick’s masterful storytelling, balancing introspection and vulnerability. It’s a deeply personal, poetic, and piercing piece—a quintessential Kendrick creation. This project is exactly what the world needs before his much-anticipated performance on the Super Bowl stage in New Orleans, LA. Truly, GNX is another work of art from one of hip-hop’s greatest minds.
Kaytranada’s Timeless lives up to its name, showcasing his signature blend of soul, funk, and electronic elements, elevated by some standout collaborations. “Drip Sweat,” featuring Channel Tres, is a particular highlight, radiating Kaytranada’s undeniable groove and innovative touch. Every time I hear new work from Kaytranada, I’m reminded of his unmatched and forward-thinking sound.
Tems’ Born In The Wild is a lush, emotional journey, with “Me & U” standing out as a personal favorite. Her ethereal vocals and introspective songwriting are soothing yet powerful meditation on love and connection. Tems continues to solidify herself as a rising star.
HYFIN is a media movement from Radio Milwaukee.
Milwaukee’s only Urban Alternative radio station features the full spectrum of Black music beyond R&B and Hip-Hop plus Milwaukee music. HYFIN connects the culture with the latest Black culture news, podcasts and more. Listen to best hip hop & R&B, dance, Afrobeats and more!
Get your tickets now for just $10 in advance or $15 at the door and join us at 220 East Pittsburgh on May 10th.
