New Music Friday: New Albums From Future, The Alchemist, Lil Tecca & More

Not letting Diddy’s legal drama overshadow Hip Hop’s new offerings, this week’s New Music Friday albums spotlight burns bright thanks to Future‘s eagerly anticipated new project Mixtape Pluto.

The mixtape extends the Freebandz boss’ 2024 hot streak following his two chart-topping joint albums with Metro Boomin, but does his current run compare to his 2014-15 spree of Monster, Beast Mode, 56 Nights and DS2?

Elsewhere, The Alchemist continues his own prolific purple patch that began, well, two decades ago with his latest (and aptly-titled) solo album The Genuine Articulate, while Lil Tecca gets more personal without sacrificing his earworm melodies or ear for catchy beats on his fourth LP Plan A.

New offerings from MC Lyte, Blu and Exile, Kay Flock, OMB Peezy and Jake One, plus a posthumous compilation from the late Lil Peep, round out this week’s new albums.

See the full list below and be sure to check out this new’s best new singles featuring tracks from GloRilla, 4Batz and Lil Baby, Meek Mill and more.

Future — Mixtape Pluto

Featuring: N/A

Production: Southside, Wheezy, ATL Jacob, London On Da Track, Da Honorable C.N.O.T.E.

Label: Freebandz / Epic Records

After dropping two blockbuster albums with Metro Boomin, Future extends his 2024 hot streak with his third project of the year. While We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust were star-studded affairs, Mixtape Pluto finds Hendrix riding solo dolo for 18 tracks, despite a rumored appearance from Travis Scott.

The mixtape also pauses Pluto and Metro’s prolific partnership as the Freebandz boss relies on beats from other close collaborators like Southside, Wheezy and ATL Jacob. Despite not appearing in the credits, late Organized Noize legend and Future’s cousin Rico Wade looms large over the tape, with the cover art being a tribute to the Dungeon, the modest basement studio in Atlanta where they both started out.

“My cousin never died in my eyes.. Rico Wade u already know what u mean to me!” Hendrix wrote on X as Mixtape Pluto landed on streaming services. “I Thank the most high for blessin me with the greatest human being that it could Ever b! Billionaire status buz [watch] over us.”

The Alchemist — The Genuine Articulate

Featuring: ScHoolboy Q, Conway The Machine, Havoc, Action Bronson, Larry June, Big Body Bes

Production: The Alchemist

Label: ALC

Another rap veteran who never stops going in (word to the late Rich Homie Quan), The Alchemist continues to age like fine wine with his ninth project in two years. The Genuin Articulate features usual suspects like ScHoolboy Q, Conway The Machine and Action Bronson, but it also finds the legendary producer occupying the other side of the booth as he spits verse on several tracks, including some that are entirely solo affairs.

Lil Tecca — Plan A

Featuring: Don Toliver

Production: Taz Taylor, Rio Leyva, Census, Vendr, Noah Mejia

Label: Galactic Records / Republic Records

Lil Tecca continues to prove he’s one of the game’s most quietly consistent rappers with his fourth album Plan A. With Internet Money hitmaker Taz Taylor heavily involved with the production once again, the Queens, New York native invites fans further into his Virgo world.

“Plan A summarizes my plan for life. It’s never a plan B,” Tecca told the Associated Press in a recent interview. “This one is definitely way more personal. I’m speaking about things I’ve never spoken [about] like my mom and stuff like that. So I kind of just wanted to let people take another step closer to me, on the personal side.”

MC Lyte — 1 of 1

Featuring: Stevie Wonder, Big Daddy Kane, Queen Latifah, Ghostface Killah, Common, Muni Long, Raheem DeVaughn, Lil Mama

Production: Warryn Campbell, Nottz, Easy Mo Bee, DJ Scratch, Koncept

Label: My Block Inc.

From LL Cool J and Rakim, 2024 has seen the surprise return of several rap veterans — and the next to make an unexpected (but no less welcome) comeback is MC Lyte. Her first album in almost a decade, 1 of 1 looks to make a statement as the female rap pioneer is joined by a host of big names including Big Daddy Kane, Queen Latifah, Ghostface Killah and Common, as well as the legendary Stevie Wonder.

Blu & Exile — Love (the) Ominous World

Featuring: Kurupt, Fashawn, KXNG Crooked, Aloe Blacc, RBX, Georgia Ann Muldrow, Cashus King, Ahmad Anwar

Production: Exile

Label: Dirty Science

17 years after first joining forces for the cult classic Below the Heavens — which Vince Staples recently credited with changing his life — Blu and Exile reunite for their fourth full-length collaboration. Love (the) Ominous World features a few faces that longtime fans of the soulful SoCal duo will be familiar with (Fashawn, Aloe Blacc, Cashus King), as well as a trio of West Coast rap legends in Kurupt, KXNG Crooked and RBX.

Lil Peep — Lil Peep; Part One

Featuring: N/A

Production: Greaf, Kryptik, Haardtek, Fleance, Dylan Ross, mysticphonk

Label: Death Note / AWAL

Kay Flock — Make America Flock Again (EP)

Featuring: Lil Tjay, B-Lovee, Stunna, Kenzo Balla, TG Crippy, AC Zoe

Production: Project Kidz, Kenoe, Glo Banks, Marcuss Muzik

Label: Capitol

OMB Peezy & Will A Fool — Still Too Deep

Featuring: Killer Mike, YFN Lucci, 21 Lil Harold, Bellygang Kushington

Production: Will A Fool, Westside Boogie, Bsquared, Frankstaxx, Bankroll Got It

Label: An Overkill Ent. / 300 Entertainment

Killah Priest — Abraxas Rebis Simha Pleroma

Featuring: Purpose, SoloGem

Production: Purpose

Label: Proverbs Records

SadhuGold — The Ballad of D.B. Looper

Featuring: Brain Orchestra, Wiles Martyr

Production: SadhuGold, Brain Orchestra, eets

Label: SadhuGold

Jake One — 12/96 (Instrumentals)

Featuring: N/A

Production: Jake One

Label: Snare Jordan