That "2025 Rap Album Of The Year" conversation just got tougher on our latest Fire Emoji playlist update. While summer's starting to wrap up, we have three killer new albums to talk about, starting off with Dreamville's very own JID.
God Does Like Ugly has been in the works for a long time, and given the massive acclaim behind 2022's The Forever Story, it had a lot to live up to. But fans seem quite satisfied with the delivery, praising the record's aggressive sonic direction, moments of levity, and chemistry-filled feature selection.
Perhaps the best track on the whole thing is "Community," which features another Clipse onslaught via a verse each from Pusha T and Malice. The lead Atlanta MC really amps up his delivery all throughout this LP, but on this track in particular, he sounds like a vengeful demon.
Elsewhere, there are more '90s R&B cuts, soulful reflections, and conceptual moments of darkness to unpack on God Does Like Ugly. We'll see how it continues to age this year and what other secrets there are to thoroughly enjoy.
HNHH Fire Emoji Playlist
Next up on Fire Emoji is another 2020s entry into Gunna's wild comeback run following the YSL RICO trial. The Last Wun is reportedly his final album with YSL, and fans got a 25-track behemoth to celebrate – or bittersweetly reminisce – regarding this development.
While much of the tracklist is your standard Wunna fare, cuts like "cfwm" show off a more dynamic vocal range and delivery than usual. He still comes through with some bangers, but those looking for new experiences will find at least a few on here.
Finally on Fire Emoji, we want to shout out one of the most consistent artists out of the Atlanta trap scene. Young Nudy fans continue to feast well, and the new album PARADISE is just another example of his artistry's achievements.
Whether it's throwback homages like "WHAT'S HAPPENIN'" featuring Latto and Coupe or more straightforwardly grimy heaters, Nudy still flows over it all with ease. It's one of the most fun projects of the year in the mainstream, which is already a tough race.
