November’s best local rap and R&B

We’re in the home stretch of 2022 with just a month left. So the next roundup of music you’ll be getting from The Banner will be our picks for the best local rap and R&B of the year. But before then, here’s our final monthly roundup of the year, picking some of the best November had to offer from the Baltimore and DMV area.

Butch Dawson’s ode to a Baltimore classic

If the average person is asked to list some Baltimore-bred R&B titans, iconic quartet Dru Hill would likely be the first no-brainer. Solo artist Mario wouldn’t be far behind. Every now and then, both acts are revived through pop culture nostalgia, and for good reason. Both have had a level of international success that transcended their hometowns — so much so that it’s safe to assume that most people don’t even know where they’re from. But one act that’s regularly forgotten is the early 2000s duo Ruff Endz.

Made up of David “Davinch” Chance and Dante “Chi” Jordan, Ruff Endz had a short but impactful run from 2000 to 2002, and their biggest hit during that span was “No More” in June of 2000. It’s a very 2000s bop in that it finds the two crooning their hearts out about being cheated on and, in return, putting an end to the glamorous lifestyle they provided their unfaithful lovers. At its peak, the song took the top spot on the U.S. R&B chart and No. 5 on the U.S. pop chart.

Earlier this month, West Baltimore rapper Butch Dawson breathed new life into the local classic when he freestyled over the song’s production as a part of his recent “Freestyle Tuesdays” series. In many ways, it’s completely different from the original. Dawson jumps from topic to topic, referencing Ginuwine’s ’90s hit “Pony”, scoffing at people who grew up in cul-de-sacs and expressing annoyance at having to pay for his girl’s new eyelashes. The beauty is in his fluid delivery and it’s a fun reminder to his peers to just try stuff out from time to time. Just because. —Lawrence Burney

Yg Teck, “4th Quarter”

Yg Teck’s latest release serves as an end-of-the-year reminder that he raps well. His music has often been used as motivation for his listeners and “4th Quarter” is more of the same. While it is what we’re accustomed to hearing from Teck, the method of delivery is notable. Teck switches his flow up several times, but his fast-paced approach is a mainstay over this up-tempo beat. With lyrics like, “I ain’t tryna be around nobody/ but a money counter and some rubber bands” and, “If I fall off, they goin’ stop calling, so why the fuck would I stop charging?” Teck suggests to his fans that their main and only priority should be getting money. —Taji Burris

Deetranada, “Dark Tango”

“DARK TANGO” is a more intimate track than you may expect from Deetranada. Her storytelling ability is highlighted here and while she’s always been known as a clever wordsmith, the song focuses more on her vulnerable side. Narrating the story of her relationship, Deetranada gives an honest list of all her faults and those of her boyfriend, detailing the actions that led to a near break-up. What also makes “DARK TANGO” so great is that Deetranada produced the track herself, continuing to show her growth as an artist. —TB

Cruddy Murda, “Drizzy Close”

You could very well make an argument that Northeast D.C. rapper Cruddy Murda’s music is borderline horrorcore, a hip-hop subgenre largely based around, and inspired by, themes related to death and gore. The only difference is that Murda’s music doesn’t feel like a playful take on horror more than it just feels like a documentation of the violence happening around the District. He’s been making waves in the DMV for a few years, but his highlights have been sparse — mostly because his voice is such a particular kind of whiny squawk that, when paired with janky, poorly-engineered tracks, it’s hard to bear more than a couple songs at once.

But his November-release, “Paint The World,” is a clear upgrade because it’s fully handled by Prince George’s County producer Sparkheem, who is responsible for much of the musical progression in the area of late. A standout on the mixtape is “Drizzy Close,” in which Murda professes to keeping a Romanian semiautomatic Draco pistol within reach for his own protection. The production thumps so hard that it feels like you should be marching to it, and Murda’s screechy voice is more measured here, which frames him as a more convincing menace. —LB

serpentwithfeet, “The Hands”

A new film worth checking out is “The Inspection,” an autobiographical depiction of its director Elegance Bratton’s life as a young, Black gay man who entered the Marines to find himself after being ostracized by a negligent and emotionally abusive mother (played by Gabrielle Union). One of the standouts from the film’s soundtrack is from Baltimore native and singer serpentwithfeet, whose music’s cinematic texture is a natural fit for the story. “The Hands” is a delicate tune about nurturance and it features additional production from another iconic Baltimore act in Animal Collective, who scored the film. “The Hands” is a devotional song. By the film’s end, Ellis French has a strong sense of self but doesn’t lose his sensitivity or optimism. Serpentwithfeet wanted to reflect that lyrically and musically, according to a press release. -LB

lawrence.burney@thebaltimorebanner.com

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