Yallah Beibe

High-energy rap from Kampala, Uganda. Yallah Gaudencia Mbidde, born in Kenya, has been rapping since 1999, but she has the relentless intensity and flow of someone making their debut. She raps in four languages (Luganda, Luo, Kiswahili, and English), often alternating within songs and even verses, and she raps FAST. The album is wall-to-wall bangers, with dancehall and grindcore artists guesting. The production (from Debmaster, Chrisman, and Scotch Rolex) is formidable and she owns it the whole time. In her words, "just expect fire." (Fact check: true.) RIYL Nyege Nyege Tapes, Cardi B, Dälek, clipping., the lugaflow genre. Favorites: 2, 5, 6, 8, 9. No FCCs detected (in English at least).

1. (2:29)—Mid-tempo. Cruising trap beat, very fast flow. Distant synth melody.
2. *(2:59)—Medium-slow, boom-bap feel, a very heavy backing track that MC Yallah rides with ease.
3. (2:48)—Mid-tempo trap, eerie backing track, bouncy flow.
4. (2:40)—Medium-fast trap, industrial and frenetic, layered call-and-response vocals.
5. *(2:54)—Mid-tempo, hard-driving dancehall. Melodic and pretty.
6. *(3:19)—Fast. Heavy beat with lots of empty space. Choral-like middle.
7. (2:49)—Mid-tempo, rolling, wobbly. Multitracked rapping.
8. *(2:50)—Medium-fast, droning wind-tunnel feel like Dälek.
9. *(3:09)—Slow, brutal, with lyrics about "dread, corruption, human sacrifice." Vocals from Lord Spike Heart of grindcore band Duma.
10. (2:38)—Slow, low-swinging club bass, goth vocals, laser synths.
11. (2:38)—Mid-tempo industrial trap. Some of these textures would be at home on a Nine Inch Nails song.
12. (2:46)—Medium-slow. Goth choral trap with rhythms that approach footwork.