Logic

Aside from his recent track “Two Kings,” we haven’t heard much from MoCo native Logic since he released the third installment of his Black Sinatra mixtape series last spring. He’s currently prepping his major label debut with Def Jam executive No I.D., but the self-produced “Like Me” should hold fans over until the album gets a bar code. Former Odd Future affiliate Casey Veggies and the no-longer-local up-and-comer deliver a barrage of hurried bars over a celestial instrumental. —-Harold Stallworth

Tabi Bonney

Well, this is a welcome surprise. It’s been a year since we’ve heard new music from D.C. rapper Tabi Bonney. Now living in Los Angeles, he keeps a relatively low profile aside from the occasional tweet or Instagram pic. On the recently released “Pink Skies,” which Bonney says he recorded a while ago, he opts for a loose sound. Produced by Kokayi and featuring Maimouna Youssef, Bonney speaks to his inner contradictions, admitting to being “shallow and deep at the same time.” At least he’s honest about it. —-Marcus J. Moore

Muggsy on Sway

DMV hip-hop made some nice strides this past year. In May, a contingent of DMV rappers—including Lyriciss, RAtheMC, and Uptown XO—spit verses for MTV’s Sway on his radio show. This past week, D.C. rapper Muggsy Malone appeared on Sway’s show to spit his own freestyle. After an extensive interview, Malone takes the mic (at the 5:13 mark) and offers his rapid-fire flow. It’s another great look for Muggsy, who keeps climbing the ranks as one of the city’s best emcees. Watch the clip below. —-MJM

GoldLink

Earlier this week, rising Virginia rapper GoldLink released “Playah,” a collaborative effort with Russian producer BMB. Only an intrepid rapper would attempt to tame BMB’s trance-like beat, and GoldLink accepts the challenge, doing so as if his life depends on the vigor of his verses. In the same verse, his stream-of-thought lyrics range from suspicious (“Niggas? Never trust ’em/Even niggas pose like brothers/Kiss your bitch, then kiss your mother/Ain’t that shit just so damn grimy?”) to arrogant (“Kanye said he wanna sign me/I said ‘Nigga get a copy'”). —-Julian Kimble