The top spot is undisputed. This week, Kanye West stopped the rap Internet's ceaseless machinations with "All Day," his Allan Kingdom-, Theophilus London- and Paul McCartney-featuring single that had been teased for months, then revealed in full at the Brit Awards in a flamethrower-backed performance that gave the song's grime influences context and gave television censors ulcers. But there were other notable records from major stars and niche acts alike, from the prolific Action Bronson to the elusive Jay Electronica. This is the best rap music the past seven days had to offer, as picked by the XXL staff.

Related: XXL’s Songs of the Week (Feb. 21 – Feb. 27)

 

Kanye West Feat. Allan Kingdom, Theophilus London and Paul McCartney, "All Day"

Initially leaked as a rough sketch, with vocal flow references where the lyrics would eventually be, "All Day" has been buzzed about for months. (You might remember the song topping Billboard's Trending 140 chart before it was ever officially released.) The final cut is bigger, angrier, more militant. As things often are with Kanye, everything is a few degrees off; for the grime tinges, he eschewed London and went to Minnesota, tapping St. Paul up-and-comer Allan Kingdom to deliver a style-driven bridge. The politics are inescapable--nearly 50 iterations of the word "nigga" before the Beatle comes in to round things out.

Related: Kim Says Kanye West’s 13th Century Virgin Mary Artwork is for His Single ‘All Day’ not ‘So Help Me God’ Album

Nosaj Thing Feat. Chance The Rapper, "Cold Stares"

Los Angeles beat music stalwart Nosaj Thing enlisted Chicago transplant Chance The Rapper for the first single from his upcoming Fated. Though Chance tries to inject Tolkien references and young adult melodrama, "Cold Stares" (leaked previously under the title "Ish Illa") is a moody vignette, the cold bus rides home after long nights at Low End Theory.

Related: Chance the Rapper and Nosaj Thing Link Up For “Paranoia”

OG Maco, "5 a.m. in L.A."

OG Maco is hellbent on staying around. "U Guessed It" is still rattling around RSS feeds, but the Atlantan has moved on to meaner things. "5 a.m. in L.A." is a breathless cut, Maco gruff and unapologetic for trashing the self-snitches on Instagram and the faceless haters. If the quality of Maco's new material--and pace thereof--keeps up, there's no reason to believe his name won't be around long after the Vines stop trending. Coach K is undefeated.

Related: Stream OG Maco’s ’15′ EP

Curren$y Feat. Styles P, "Alert"

Curren$y is a perpetual motion machine. The New Orleans rapper has been on what seems like one long, winding tour of festival dates and dispensary stops for years now, pumping out mixtapes that are at worst easy listening and at best some of the most engaging, blunted-out rap to hit the Net. On "Alert," Ski Beatz continues his unerring method of flipping familiar samples into moderate updates, and Spitta and Styles P team up to rap like they're about to rob yachts.

Related: Curren$y Hits the Block in ‘Audio Dope 5′ Video

Action Bronson Feat. Chance The Rapper, "Baby Blue"

Action Bronson may have just found out that his major label debut, Mr. Wonderful, will now be competing with Kendrick Lamar's still-untitled sophomore effort on March 23, but something tells us he's not worried. He's probably on a little-known Caribbean island with models whose tans don't make sense for the season in clothes that do. His latest album cut, the Chance The Rapper-featuring "Baby Blue," is laugh-out-loud funny; how mad can Bronson really be at any of the women in his songs? Chance drops a list of mind-bendingly petty revenge plots.

Related: Action Bronson Plays Basketball Against Godzilla in ‘Actin Crazy’ Video

Tink, "Ratchet Commandments"

The legend goes that Chuck D sued Biggie (and subsequently his estate) for the use of his voice on Life After Death's "10 Crack Commandments." But time is a flat circle, and you can't control how your ideas will be appropriated and updated. Timbaland protege Tink's "Ratchet Commandments" turns the drug dealing instruction guide on its ear, providing a step-by-step manual on how to get the entire fuck up out the club when you know your rent is due.

Related: Timbaland Previews Unreleased Tink and Andre 3000 Song “U.F.O.”

Jay Electronica, "Road to Perdition"

Somewhere between the castles and tabloid pages is an album's worth of Jay Electronica material that we're likely never going to hear. Check the Just Blaze interviews--the superproducer speaks reverently of the New Orleans MC's writing, but certainly never suggests anything resembling a timetable for the release of Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn). That long-awaited debut album has been through an endless series of missed release dates and false starts; the closest thing to a concrete piece of news was a tracklist Electronica dropped a few years back. "Road to Perdition" was on there. In its final form, "Road" is more akin to a New York mixtape track circa 2004 than the golden age revivalism of "Exhibit C" or the Martian leanings of "Eternal Sunshine." This may be the closest look we get at the throne.

Related: Common Featuring Jay Electronica And Vince Staples “Kingdom (Remix)”

Bonus: Skepta, "Shutdown"

When he showed up in the UK to debut "All Day," Kanye knew he wanted to pay homage to the grime scene during his landmark performance. He made one phone call--to Skepta, who orchestrated the cast of hoodied- and masked-up men who rushed the stage while Ye rapped beside Allan Kingdom. Skepta's new loosie, "Shutdown," makes mention of this. If you've never worn a black tracksuit in the front row of Fashion Week, now you at least know what it feels like.

Related: Ace Hood Featuring Skepta “Supposed To Do”

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