Producer: Phoelix, Cam O'bi
Album: Telefone
“I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready,” Noname assures, as one of the warmest beats of the year opens. She kept fans waiting after bursting onto the scene with a scene-stealing verse on Chance The Rapper’s “Lost” back in 2013, but her return surpassed all expectations. “Diddy Bop” is the best distillation of her appeal; a nostalgic missive about summertime Chicago and stealing 20s from your mom’s purse with a novelistic eye for character and detail. It’s overflowing with soul, and marks the true debut for an up-and-coming star. —Brendan Klinkenberg