Hip-Hop Wired Presents: CRT FRSH [Certified Fresh] Playlist 1.5.24

What
up,
Hip-Hop
Wired
Nation?
We’re
back
with
the
first
CRT
FRSH
AKA
Certified
Fresh
playlist
of
2024!
Part
of
our
duty
as
a
publication
and
crew
is
to
school
the
masses
on
who
is
doing
what
musically
and
there’s
no
better
way
to
do
that
beyond
our
CRT
FRSH
(Certified
Fresh)
bi-weekly
playlist.

Disclaimer:

The
CRT
FRSH
playlist
is
a
labor
of
love.
We
don’t
take
payments
nor
do
we
do
favors.
We
only
add
joints
to
our
playlist
that
fit
the
theme
and
vision
we’re
going
for
and
don’t
seek
to
waste
the
listener’s
time.
Further,
we
don’t
stick
to
one
lane
of
Hip-Hop.
We
believe
that
all
aspects
of
the
music
should
get
some
light,
whether
it’s
young
lions
in
the
trenches
or
those
hoping
for
that
one
shot
to
blow
up
to
grizzled
veterans
puffing
out
their
chests
with
lots
more
to
say.

For
a
change
of
pace,
I
want
to
speak
in
my
voice
and
explain
how
I
approach
curating
the
CRT
FRSH
playlist.
Most
importantly,
I
don’t
segregate
my
Hip-Hop.
Every
form
of
music
from
the
main
cultural
tree
deserves
a
listen
and
a
look.
When
I’m
putting
the
list
together,
I
want
to
include
all
regions
across
the
States
and,
when
applicable,
across
the
globe.
I
also
want
to
entertain
every
fan
of
Hip-Hop,
not
just
those
who
enjoy
one
segment
of
it.
Now
that
we’ve
got
that
out
of
the
way,
let’s
get
to
it.
–
D.L.
Chandler

Welcome
back
to
longtime
supporters
of
the
CRT
FRSH
playlist,
and
welcome
to
the
new
folks
on
board.

As
explained
above,
our
bi-weekly
(which
is
the
hope)
playlist
features
50
songs
in
total.
The
first
half
is
typically
bigger
acts
that
most
should
already
know
about,
while
the
second
half
is
reserved
for
the
vast,
always
improving
underground
scene.
Since
we
didn’t
do
a
top
list
of
Hip-Hop
projects
list
for
2023,
this
CRT
FRSH
update
is
dedicated
to
our
favorite
songs
of
last
year.

Let’s
get
to
it.

The
playlist
opens
with
Killer
Mike’s
“SCIENTISTS
&
ENGINEERS”
and
while
the
highlight
of
the
song
for
most
is
the
André
3000
verse,
the
artist
born
Michael
Render
also
delivered
on
the
track
from
his
latest
studio
album,

MICHAEL.
2
Chainz
and
Lil
Wayne
reconnected
for
the

Welcome
2
Hollygrove
project
and
while
it
was
packed
with
standout
moments,
“Bars”
stood
out
for
us
in
2023.

Drake
is
as
polarizing
an
artist
as
any
these
days
and
there
were
mixed
reviews
for
his
latest
album,
For
All
The
Dogs.
With
the
six-pack
Scary
Hours
3
tacked
on
the
deluxe
version
of
the
album,
Drizzy
got
back
into
his
elite
rapping
bag
and
traded
verses
with
J.
Cole
on
“Evil
Ways”
to
pleasing
results.

Speaking
of
polarizing,
Doja
Cat
has
her
fair
share
of
fans
and
detractors
but
she
certainly
had
some
tracks
from
her

Scarlet
project
that
stood
out,
notably
“Paint
The
Town
Red”
among
them.
And
Gunna,
who
dropped
a
strong
AOTY
contender
in

a
Gift
&
a
Curse,
his
“fukumean”
single
didn’t
leave
our
rotation.
We’re
not
in
street
business,
we’re
just
checking
out
the
music,
thanks.

Benny
The
Butcher
is
now
in
the
major
leagues
with
Def
Jam
and
was
everywhere
in
2023
with
his
dealings
with
the
Black
Soprano
Family,
features,
and
more.
The
track
“Big
Dog”
with
Lil
Wayne
finds
the
pair
rocking
over
an
amazing
beat
from
The
Alchemist.

The
ladies
got
it
in,
and
big
up
Nicki
Minaj
for
coming
back
to
reclaim
her
throne
as
the
Queen
from
Queens.
She
dropped
off

Pink
Friday
2,
and
“Everybody”
with
Lil
Uzi
Vert
seemed
to
be
a
favorite
of
many
who
rocked
the
project.

Lay
Banks
and
her
viral
“Ick”
hit
was
everywhere,
and
“Put
It
On
The
Floor
Again”
saw
an
epic
pairing
of
Latto
and
Cardi
B
in
another
song
that
fans
on
social
media
couldn’t
get
enough
of.
Megan
Thee
Stallion
also
came
back
with
the
triumphant
“Cobra”
track,
signaling
that
she’s
not
going
anywhere
anytime
soon.

Veeze
dropped
one
of
the
most
entertaining
albums
of
2023
in

Ganger
and
the
opening
track
“Not
A
Drill”
set
the
tone
for
the
Detroit
spitter.
In
the
deep
trenches
of
the
underground,
the
talented
klwn
cat
showed
off
his
impressive
production
chops
on

PRELUDE,
linking
with
past
collaborators
Matt
Draugos
and
unruly.
Apollo
Brown
and
Planet
Asia
once
again
locked
in
for
the
sequel
to
their
stellar

Anchovies
album
with

Sardines
and
the
track
“Broad
Dayin’”
was
the
one
of
us.

Westside
Gunn
dropped
what
he
says
will
be
his
final
full-length
studio
in


And
Then
You
Pray
For
Me,
an
album
we
personally
loved
while
longtime
Griselda
fans
didn’t
appreciate
the
trap-leaning
tracks.
That
said,
“Kostas,”
produced
by
Tay
Keith,
features
the
aforementioned
Benny
The
Butcher
and
a
scene-stealing
verse
from
Conway
The
Machine.

Speaking
of
Conway,
La
Maquina
has
his
own
situation
with
Drumwork
Music
Group,
and
his
artist,
7xvethegenius
(Love
The
Genius)
is
a
star
in
the
making.
On
the
track
“Flame”
produced
by
Conductor
Williams,
7xvethegenius
and
Conway
trade
bars
in
expert
fashion.
Washington,
D.C.
artist
Sideshow
is
one
of
our
favorite
rappers
to
emerge
in
years,
and
his
track
“S.H.O.W.
Ent”
from
his
excellent

2MM
DON’T
JUST
STAND
THERE!
album
stayed
on
repeat.

MIKE,
one
of
the
young
leaders
of
the
underground
Hip-Hop
youth
movement,
delivered
a
masterpiece
in
his
latest
album,
Burning
Desire.
With
an
emphasis
on
his
production
as
dj
blackpower,
Big
MIKE
had
several
standout
moments
but
our
favorite
was
“Mussel
Beach”
featuring
D.C.’s
El
Cousteau
and
Florida’s
Niontay.

Larry
June
and
The
Alchemist
teamed
up
for

The
Great
Escape
album
and
while
the
whole
thing
rides,
“Orange
Village”
featuring
Slum
Village
was
our
standout.

Salute
to
all
the
folks
who
helped
provide
the
soundtrack
for
our
daily
grind
such
as
Blaq
Chidori,
Rome
Streetz,
Stik
Figa,
Oddisee,
Kipp
Stone,
Noname,
Aesop
Rock,
Blockhead,
Earl
Sweatshirt,
blank
thought,
Dave,
Central
Cee,
Rick
Ross,
Meek
Mill,
Nas,
Lil
Tecca,
Baby
Keem,
Kendrick
Lamar
among
others.
Thank
you
for
your
art.

We’ll
be
updating
the
CRT
FRSH
playlist
in
two
weeks
with
50
new
tracks!

—

Photo:
blackCAT
/
Getty