Slowthai: Ugly review – the unravelling psyche of a true British great
Fusing rap, alt-rock and abrasive electronics, the Northampton rapper mints a sound all his own on his third album
Clavish: Rap Game Awful review – rising rapper conjures a haunting, despondent mood
Using a limited, hook-free palette of mid-tempo beats, mournful piano figures and samples, Cian Wright illustrates the paranoia and interminable grind of his world
The 50 best albums of 2022
In an unprecedented year of change in music, albums of all genres confounded expectations – from vulnerable rap to pop with gravitas. Listen your way to our No 1 album of the year
K-Trap and Blade Brown: Joints review – inspired pairing moves the message on
Two rappers born 10 years apart mesh well, swapping brooding verses on navigating a bruising industry
Steve Lacy review – the real deal
The Compton singer-songwriter delivers on his youthful promise with an album so great he plays some of it twice
Little Simz: No Thank You review – righteous anger and restless experiments
The Mercury winner’s surprise-release album finds her going in on mental health and the music industry, in a deep collaboration with Sault’s Inflo
Mount Westmore: Snoop, Cube, 40, $hort review – harmless nostalgia and charmless bluster
The west coast rap supergroup’s album works reasonably well at times, but there are more misses than hits
Stormzy: This Is What I Mean review – haunted by heartbreak on his most personal album yet
The rapper is still capable of lyrical swagger, political insight and hugely entertaining flexes but his third LP is a musically subtle trawl through his romantic regrets
K-Trap review – lyrical artistry and deft crowd control from drill pioneer
The big energy on show from both the rapper and his audience suggests they all know they may never share such a small venue again, as the star sits poised for breakthrough success
Central Cee review – drill star’s homecoming straddles viral hits and attention dips
Despite a limited back catalogue, the west London drill frontrunner’s convincing live show hints at a global rap superstar in waiting
Lil Nas X review – defiantly queer showcase for rap pioneer’s triumphant career
Divided into three acts, this giddily theatrical show combines Y2K excess with a glorious affirmation of a none-more contemporary pop superstar
Ezra Collective: Where I’m Meant to Be review – brilliant follow-up from the inventive party band
This sophisticated second album from the five instrumentalists could just see them cross over to the big league
Jack Harlow review – dextrous rapper lets his charisma do the heavy lifting
The Kentucky native’s introduction to Brum may have left him a little bemused, but the city showed its appreciation for his ruthlessly effective hits
Flohio: Out of Heart review – plays by her own rules
The south London MC’s refreshingly distinctive sound and vivid storytelling only lack a cohesive narrative on this stylish debut
Kendrick Lamar review – unique star puts on show worthy of his talents
The rapper gets his Big Steppers world tour underway with an odd but dazzling and thoughtfully produced performance which leans into the melodrama of the music