June is a time of year to rejoice. It marks the start of summer and everything that comes with it: warmer weather, the end of the school year and opportunity to travel with loved ones. This month is also a great chance to reflect on the music that’s helped us get through what is typically the roughest half of the year, especially music from the Baltimore area and the greater DMV region. Hip-hop culture — rap, R&B, club music, etc. — is one of the area’s greatest exports and cultural staples, and over the past seven years or so a real shift has taken place where the local scene is sonically progressing with consistency. This is a look at The Baltimore Banner’s favorite rap and R&B of 2022 so far.

Shordie Shordie, ‘Leave’

In the 3 1/2 years since the platinum single “Bitchuary” launched Northeast Baltimore’s Shordie Shordie into new homes and phones across the country, he’s been slowly carving out a lane for himself as hip-hop’s must-know lover boy. While the pandemic slowed down output for countless artists across the board, Shordie has managed to remain consistent with releases and the video content to match.

In February, he released the second installment of his “Me & Mine” EP series and the standout track “Leave.” Over a deep kick drum and gentle guitar strokes, he expresses disappointment at a woman’s decision to go back to her current relationship, despite receiving severely less in comparison to the lifestyle he offers and the chemistry they share. His voice remains the star of the show; unique harmonies blend perfectly with a foggy vocal sample that cries from the void. “Leave” is another example of how Shordie Shordie’s formula is still effective and far from growing stale. — Larry Little

YG Teck, ‘90 Day Run’

The No Signal-produced title track of YG Teck’s latest album is motivation music for entrepreneurs of all types. Lyrics like “You can’t get what you want if you living with doubt” should reassure all the hustlers that if they have their mind set on something that they should follow through with the idea. That perspective helps relay the relatability aspect of Teck, which is one of the main reasons the city of Baltimore champions him. — Taji Burris

Kenzo Cole, ‘The Protagonist’

This song by Prince George’s County native Kenzo Cole begins with a chopped and screwed declaration, “I’m the protagonist. Young, fab, sexy and fabulous.” It’s a needed reminder that we are the main character in our stories. The bass, heavier than any other element here, makes the beat feel atmospheric. The song, featured on his February-released project “Red Lights, Take Time,” merges Cole’s skills as a hype man and singer. On it, he stresses that he “has what these bitches lacking, it’s called authenticity.” Cole is his own best friend and needs little else from anyone. — Imani Spence

Rican Da Menace, ‘Ain’t Going Back’

Club music is having a bit of a moment right now. The exhilarating, Baltimore-created branch of house music found its way onto Drake’s recent “Honestly, Nevermind” album and before that, young artists in cities like Newark, New Jersey and Philly had been developing a new way of rapping over the frenetic production. Viral TikTok trends incorporating these songs have been a constant this year, and now Baltimore artists are giving it a try. One of the best local examples comes from Rican Da Menace, whose new track “Ain’t Going Back” is making its rounds on YouTube. Released in early June and already at over 30,000 views, the song gives Rican the opportunity to quickly run through the ways in which she’s improved her standard of living of late, and how she has no plans of regressing. That description might suggest a more somber, melodic approach, but it’s quite the opposite. It’s produced by Yamaica, who typically makes beats for New York and U.K. drill artists. “Ain’t Going Back” is sonically somewhere at the intersection of drill and club. — Lawrence Burney

Simi Liadi, ‘Better Days’

Whether you’re having relationship problems, are unhappy at your job or trying to deal with the fact that gas prices have exploded to over five dollars a gallon, many people are having a difficult time right now. Simi Liadi wants to remind her listeners that better days are not too far away. In this song, the Columbia, Maryland-raised artist sings, “Life will move on. And clouds will go away. Relax, stay strong and pray for better days.” This message can steer someone in need through a tough day with some much-needed optimism. — Adonijah Bourne

A$AP Ant & Curren$y, ‘3 AM in New Orleans’

In May, A$AP Ant, who has steadily improved every year of his decade-long career, dropped off his strongest project to date in “Lil Black Jean Jacket 3.” The project stars some of the internet’s favorite artists like KEY! and Lil B, as well as some Baltimore mainstays like Soduh. The best track features an appearance from one of the most consistent rappers ever, New Orleans veteran Curren$y. Ant begins the song with a 30-second verse filled with references to sports stars of the past like the late Muhammad Ali and former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Then Curren$y closes it out with his trademark multi-syllable rhyme pattern over the smooth production. — TB

Baby 9eno, ‘I Choose Violence’

What makes Prince George’s County native Baby 9eno’s music a pleasure to listen to is that he’s quick-witted in a way that feels like an old-timer is telling you a story with just the right amount of embellishment to keep you invested. An added plus — if not the true anchor — is that he’s keen to the fact that stimulating production will only push him further. That’s especially true on “I Choose Violence,” a track from his January-released project “Hood Legend.” On it, 9eno goes on about his Gallery Dept. threads, keeping enforcers around him and being raised on an honorable code of ethics. All of that is entertaining on its own, but Lord Fubu’s production here — a combination of delicate keys, spaced out bass hits and synths that feel like they’re straight out of a fantasy adventure game — takes it to the next level. — LB

WiFiGawd, ‘F**k What Ya Heard’

For the last couple of summers, Washington D.C.’s underground stalwart WiFiGawd has helped combat sweltering temperatures by supplying listeners with some of the smoothest and breeziest songs imaginable. That track record continues with “F**k What Ya Heard” from his late-February release, “Chain of Command.” Despite dropping during the peak of winter, some of the project’s best cuts don’t reach their full potential until tanks and shorts become daily attire and snowball stands are fully operational.

While just falling short of a two-minute run time, “F**k What Ya Heard” incorporates some of the familiar elements that WiFi’s music is known for: piercing synth progressions that don’t grate, seamless drum loops and infectious ad libs. There are references to Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hot Girl Summer” and Prince George’s County basketball hero Kevin Durant. You won’t find too many more songs as fitting for days spent inside by the AC or outside running the streets under the summer sun. — LL

Young Don featuring No Savage, ‘Playing the Fifty’

Young Don is just 19 years old, but as far as skills go, there aren’t many rappers locally (or nationally, for that matter) who possess his lyrical nimbleness. If a song calls for spirited autotune wails, introspective moments about his late father or pointed, high-energy warnings against his enemies, he never feels out of place. In March of this year, he released 15-track mixtape “Chosen 1″ and one of the highlights is a supercharged back-and-forth with standout D.C. rapper No Savage titled “Playing the Fifty” (which, in Baltimore lingo, means being neutral to the point of manipulation). There isn’t one central theme here — just a two-minute, heart-pounding trade-off that sees both Don and Savage giving little tidbits about what makes them great, promising to make it big this year and how they crush opponents — LB

Nasg Chaz, ‘Go!’

Rapping over a sample of “Wildflower” by Hank Crawford (the same one Kanye West uses in his 2005 hit, “Drive Slow”), Nasg Chaz delivers a hard-hitting track that exhibits his lyrical ability while letting his competitors know that the difference between him and them is very large. The East Baltimore native boasts about his reputation in the street life, the number of women he’s been with and calls out his rivals who put on a facade for social media. “They was on the gram with them bands tryna get a like/I was in the van with my mans tryna get a life,” he raps. With a total runtime of only one minute and 40 seconds, the song has no chorus, which allows Chaz to spew out bar after bar of a lyrical attack against his opposition. Listening in your car at full blast while cruising down the city streets is the only way to do this song’s production justice. — AB

Mack Scott featuring FinagoBaby, ‘Choose a P’

“Choose a P” is a standout track from Mack Scott’s June-released “95 Percent” project. The Thriii-produced cut sees two of Baltimore’s strongest lyricists trade verses listing their daily methods of keeping it P (or player) in different ways. The polished, laid-back flows from both artists emphasize the theme of the song, but their delivery is diverse enough for you to appreciate both of their verses without the song feeling repetitive. “Choose a P” serves as an ode of sorts to the golden era of blaxploitation films, with the introductory skit including words from late actor Max Julien. — TB

John Wells, ‘Running Man’

Promoting your music underneath semi-viral Twitter posts is a tactic underground rappers have been employing for over a decade. Usually it results in instant dismissal. However, in the case of rapper and producer John Wells, there’s genuine surprise when the song they hear is actually good. This has helped him build a wide fan base drawn to his diligent rhymes about modest aspirations while hustling past life’s many hurdles.

His 2022 release, “Running Man’' — a direct reference to Baltimore running man Keith Boissiere — is more of his usual. Over a chopped loop of Eddie Kendricks’ classic “Intimate Friends,” Wells employs an energetic yet effortless flow with thoughts about work ethics, betrayal and the desire to provide for his family. With relatable topics, a warm voice and the inspiring motto “Less Funerals, More Birthdays,” John Wells is due to become one of Baltimore’s premiere everyman rappers. — LL

Tre’ Amani featuring Rodney Hollywood, ‘Lo$t Kid.”

“Lo$T Kid.,” the lead single off Tre’ Amani’s “$Hook” EP, features a catchy hook from Rodney Hollywood and unique instrumentation for the production. One would have a hard time labeling “Lo$T Kid.” as a single genre, and for good reason. The Top Secret and WahWah James-produced single merges characteristics from all types of music. However, the true highlight of the single are Amani’s verses, where his free-fall lyrical content excels. Tre’ manages to maneuver into several different pockets throughout each verse, blending melodic patterns with others like spoken word. — TB

Larry Little is a Baltimore-based freelance writer.

Adonijah Bourne is an arts and culture intern for The Baltimore Banner.

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