Welcome to Crack’s new monthly rap column.

Rap music has never been more readily available. Working out who’s on top isn’t difficult – that much is unavoidable – but sometimes the most exciting developments generate within the margins.

It’s partly down to the sheer volume of releases, either sold through conventional channels or increasingly pumped into free-to-download mixtape sites, where they wait to be washed away by the tide of tomorrow’s mixtapes. The windows of opportunity are small. Record shops, magazines, MTV, music forums and blogs are all in varying stages of decline and so, more often than not, it’s left up to the artists to push their own product.

But the good news is that rap continues to thrive. As an art form, it stays sounding vital by evolving constantly, and so each month we’ll be here to chart its growth through the albums, songs and mixtapes that have stirred us the most.

Junglepussy

Pregnant with Success (Self-released)

If New York rap has been left behind by the regions in recent years, it’s because it still worships its past. Refreshingly, Junglepussy worships only herself.

The Brooklyn-raised rapper is sharp, funny and subversive, celebrating her sexuality while offering dating tips for any man who takes it for granted. There’s the guy on Pop for You, for starters, who tries to woo JP with leopard print lingerie (“I got niggas taking me to see live animals, and you pulling up with animal print?”) Or the guy on album opener Spicy 103 FM, who hopes she’ll be satisfied with a little Nobu and chill (“Relationships are more than just food and lusty interactions dude”).

Picking up where her last mixtape left off, Pregnant with Success is full of these pointed putdowns over producer Shy Guy’s jazzy and dreamlike beats. Really though, it’s a joyful exercise in empowerment and self-love.

Starlito

I’m Moving to Houston (Grind Hard)

Starlito often releases albums on his birthday, 15 December. His new project I’m Moving to Houston dropped on 4 December, but rest assured – Lito never chooses dates or words at random. Starlito’s cleverness hides in the detail. 4 December is Jay Z’s birthday – immortalised in the song of the same name – and it’s also the date of Pimp C’s death, who this album was made in honour of.

The themes are all there if you know where to look – life and death, cult fandom, southern states and street struggles – all handled as poignantly as ever. Despite typically heavy themes this is Lito’s lightest project in years, benefitting from beats entirely by Houston’s TrakkSounds which recalls previous country-fried collabs with Coop and DJ Burn One. Starlito releases a lot of records – he may yet still release another on his birthday – but this one is top tier.

Kamaiyah

How Does it Feel (YouTube)

I hadn’t heard of Kamaiyah until a few weeks ago, but out of nowhere this might be one of the year’s best songs. The Oakland rapper reps for a group calling themselves Big Money Gang, but How Does it Feel tells a more aspirational story.

Sure, it’s dressed up as a song about getting rich, but really it’s about living poor, as Kamaiyah imagines a life for herself. “Been broke all my life / now wonder, how does it feel to be rich?” she sings on the chorus, before switching to “how does it feel to just live?” If the song’s video reflects her life goals then they’re good dreams to have, as Kamaiyah kicks back at home with Banjo-Kazooie and a bottle of Moët.

Honestly, the high life has rarely looked or sounded so fun.

ILoveMakonnen

ILoveMakonnen 2 (OVO)

When Makonnen first heard Drake’s remix of his hit song, Tuesday, he was filmed rolling around the floor crying tears of happiness. It’s an incredibly heartwarming video. But things have stalled for the Atlanta crooner since signing to OVO, the label which was supposed to leverage him to stardom.

There are several theories as to why the OVO machine hasn’t properly supported Makonnen, but the important thing to note is that he continues to make twisted and weirdly beautiful rap music. This overdue EP sequel includes the DJ Mustard-produced Second Chance, which finds the pair taking an unexpected dive into Eurodance with truly awesome results. Not every experiment works as well, but when Makonnen finds his sweet spot – as on Trust me Danny and I Loved You – he’s captivating.

Wara from the NBHD

If Guns Could Speak PSA (Playing Four Keeps)

At a time when America is increasingly questioning its relationship with guns, Wara from the NBHD is giving them a voice. The Atlanta via New York transplant is no stranger to overarching concepts – last year’s Kidnapped LP had comic book drawings to accompany each song – and the rapper-producer has a definite knack for widescreen composition.

Musically, this latest project can veer too far into rap-rock for my tastes but it gets an A for ambition, while fans of Vince Staples and Killer Mike should appreciate its political forthrightness.

Lil Twon ft. Playa Gator

Bruh remix (YouTube)

Having caught some low key buzz last year, Lil Twon’s Bruh gets a remix that’s gift-wrapped for Vine. The social network has played a key role in hitmaking for the likes of OG Maco, Bobby Shmurda and YG in recent years, and we’re now beginning to see rap songs which pander wholeheartedly to the platform.

The art of building a song around the potential virality of six-second segments has its limitations, but sometimes creativity needs restrictions to blossom. The remix of Bruh is a case in point, filled out with two surprisingly wordy verses which elevate the song from novelty to necessary.

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