03 Greedo and Mike Free, BabyTron and More – New Hip-Hop Projects

Like clockwork, another new music Friday has arrived. This time around, the rap game delivers a new mixtape from a California rhymer waiting to come home from prison, a Detroit spitter with a cult-like following drops the next sequel in a series of albums, a consistent rapper repping Brooklyn, N.Y. comes through with a new concept album and more.

Just as rumors began to circulate about his pending release from prison earlier this week, the currently incarcerated 03 Greedo drops a new mixtape in collaboration with revered producer Mike Free titled Free 03. Featuring a combination of songs recorded both from within prison walls and prior to his sentencing in 2018, the 14-track tape is 03 Greedo’s first full-length project since 2020’s Load It Up Vol. 01.

Led by two previously released singles, “Pourin” featuring BlueBucksClan and “Drop Down” featuring 2022 XXL Freshman KenTheMan, Greedo’s latest offering sees beats exclusively produced by fellow Los Angeles native Mike Free. Other guest appearances on Free 03 include notable features from the likes of OhGeesy and the late Drakeo The Ruler.

BabyTron is back with the next installment of his Bin Reaper series, Bin Reaper 3: New Testament. Serving as a lengthy B-side to his 2022 album, Bin Reaper 3: Old Testament, BabyTron’s latest LP lands directly on the heels of They Won’t Clear This, an EP the Michigan-bred spitter just dropped last month.

Bin Reaper 3: New Testament includes guest appearances from artists like Lil Yachty, Cordae and Babyface Ray, among others, and comes just about one week before BabyTron embarks on his 18-date Bin Reaper Tour. The 2022 XXL Freshman’s 26-track New Testament was previewed by the lead single, “Mr. Hanky,” which came out on Jan. 6 accompanied by a visual collab with 4 Shooters Only on their From the Block Performance Series.

Finally, Skyzoo returns with a new album inspired by the FX Network’s American crime drama Snowfall. The Brooklyn, N.Y. lyricist teamed up with the production team The Other Guys to deliver a concept album titled The Mind Of A Saint: A Soliloquy by Skyzoo. The 10-track project features Skyzoo rapping from the perspective of Franklin Saint from Snowfall.

Back in December, Skyzoo described the album as having different layers and nuances similar to the themes and story arcs on Snowfall, which airs its final sixth season on Feb. 22.

“No better time than the present,” Sky wrote on his Instagram account. “Proud and honored to kick off the new year with something I’ve been harvesting since the spring with @otherguysmusic. The idea of one of television’s most cunning and brightest but heinous minds pulling his mask off and opening up his curtains to vent in a vocal booth for an hour or so. A ‘coke’ rap album done like none before it.”

He also added: “The layers on this one are almost criminal. No pun intended.”

Check out other new projects this week from Declaime and Madlib, Iayze and more below.