April 2025 New Music Releases

The theme of March was wait no more after several long-awaited rap albums finally saw the light of day, including Playboi Carti's Music and Lil Durk's Deep Thoughts. April does a bit of the same with a famous stoner dropping a much-anticipated rap sequel. There's also a West Coast rapper who's been a bit quieter these last few months making a return, a Louisiana native delivering more of his southern swag with a new release and plenty more albums over the next 30 days.

Wiz Khalifa Returns With Long-Awaited Sequel Kush + Orange Juice 2

Celebrating a monumental anniversary in rap usually means there's new music to soundtrack the occasion, and Wiz Khalifa does just that with the release of his longed-for sequel, Kush + Orange Juice 2. In 2010, the Pittsburgh, Pa. native delivered the first edition of the lauded mixtape during rap's Blog Era, when some of hip-hop's greats like J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar thrived. The last few months have found Wiz recalling the feel-good sounds of that era by serving up consistent freestyles. To honor the 15th anniversary of Kush & Orange Juice, Wiz brings his usual smoked-out energy and kicks it up a notch for part two. The 23-track project includes the reggae-tinged vibes of "Hit It Once," reminiscent of his K&O track "Still Blazin'" featuring Alborosie, the Gunna-assisted "5 Star" and the mellow grooves of "Hide It" featuring Don Toliver. Get lifted when Kush + Orange Juice 2 the album arrives on April 18.

Ken Carson Rages on With More Chaos LP

Fans have been begging for the return of Ken Carson. The Playboi Carti protégé last put out the album A Great Chaos in 2023. Now, Ken makes his comeback on the highly anticipated new album More Chaos. Dropping on April 11, the latest album from the Atlanta artist includes 22 tracks. Carti and Destroy Lonely make guest appearances on the track "Off the Meter." It also includes the single "Money Spread." More Chaos features production from Ken's trusted circle of producers, including Starboy, Lil 88, F1LTHY, Outtatown, Lucian and Legion, among others. Under the tutelage of Carti, Ken is forging his own path. "Do whatever you want to do, because not everyone will understand what you're trying to do until it’s done," he says.

Kool Brown Brings the BRNZ (Bronze) Home With New EP

Louisiana is home to some of hip-hop's most intriguing rappers, specifically those coming out of Baton Rouge: Boosie BadAzz, Kevin Gates and YoungBoy Never Broke Again, to name a few. Calling home to the same storied city, Kool Brown has been building his own respected legacy just like those artists. The 26-year-old rapper's catalog includes more than 10 projects, which he'll add to this month when he unveils his latest EP, BRNZ (pronounced Bronze). Kool Brown, formerly known as Caleb Brown, dropped the effort's first single, "Vice City Stories," in March. He slows things down on the guitar-licked track to send a few key messages to the women he's dealing with. "Keep your people out our business," he raps. "A cold world don't f**k with how we livin'." The people won't have to wait long for him to put out more music. BRNZ debuts April 4.