By Gary Suarez in Newsletter — Feb 2, 2026

Paying For It: Three Rap Albums You Can't Hear On Streaming

Reviews of OBIJUAN & August Fanon, INFAMUS-GOD & Soul La Flare, and MIGHTYHEALTHY & Sankofa

I skipped last night's Grammys broadcast, as per usual. If you're reading this newsletter, chances are good that you did too. Like me, maybe you've grown weary of the spectacle that reinforces the major label status quo, where truly independent artists are relegated to categories that Sony, UMG, and Warner care the least about. And while I largely respect the rap nominees this go-round, these are albums and songs that hardly anyone paid for.

That's more than a quibble. Here we see tuxedo-clad execs and designer-draped celebs enjoying a night of glamorous opulence while the industry endures layoffs, the press is on life support, and artists find themselves increasingly unable to make anything resembling a living. Not to harp on it too much, but the way we consume music today is unsustainable. Most people don't even shell out the modest sums for the stuff they stream, ceding power to Spotify and YouTube in exchange for ad-supported access to everything.

Paying for music is the only way forward, and that's become more and more evident. The algorithm will not nourish the rappers you rock with. Touring has proven a financial boondoggle for all but the biggest names. From manufacturing to promotion and distribution, middlemen abound at seemingly every juncture to take their cut. Without a path forward, a lot of folks give up, robbing themselves and the rest of us the chance to hear them grow.

CABBAGES' mission remains laser-focused on hip-hop/rap music discovery, specifically for independent/underground artists and their labels. Curation isn't some buzzword here; it's how this one-man media empire has lasted these past six years. I always include purchasing links with my album recommendations, with the implicit understanding that a plurality will opt to stream the music instead.

Still, I often find myself drawn to those who actively shun the streaming economy, who instead opt to connect with fans on platforms like Bandcamp and Patreon as well as their own websites. In the spirit of Nipsey Hussle or Mach-Hommy, some of them charge prices higher than you'd expect nowadays, though these premiums tend to speak to the quality of their efforts, however niche. Spending money on these often exclusive releases fosters something bigger than commerce, building community and trust with a listenership. As an independent operator myself, I have tremendous respect for that kind of hustle.

So with all that preamble now sorted, here are three new rap albums well worth hearing that you won't find on streaming services. All are worth your dollars and your attention, and you can own them as digital downloads right now.

OBIJUAN & August Fanon, IYKYK (buy it)

On a bit of a tear these past several months, OBIJUAN seems keen on surpassing his impressive 2025 output in this still relatively new year. Following some strong recent drops including UNTIL THE SKY BREAK with Camoflauge Monk, the Bahamian avant-rap savant and self-described Obeah Man intensifies his release campaign with the help of Brooklyn's finest, August Fanon. Though it may seem hyperbolic to suggest this, their IYKYK recalls the potency of Madvillainy with elusive sample work and elite left-of-center lyricism. With artfully nonchalant flows and richly crafted production, the pair deliver 2026's first true best-of-year contender beginning with the astonishing opener "MONEY OPULANCE BROTHERHOOD" and running through the menacing finale "1SLUG." Augmented by a few side quests such as the dancehall diversions "KILL DEM AGAIN" and "NUFF MAN A TALK," it's a masterfully executed document exuding rap excellence.

INFAMUS-GOD & Soul La Flare, SOUL KALIBER (buy it)

Home to Codenine, Estee Nack, and THEHIDDENCHARACTER, Lynn, MA remains a proverbial hotbed for a certain type of grimy lyrical hip-hop. Another of its outstanding rap denizens is INFAMUS-GOD, a considerably talented spitter with a penchant for anime and video games, who links with Jackpot Records production go-to Soul La Flare–an al.divino fave–for the seven-song SOUL KALIBER. The latter's superb and sinewy rhythms affix themselves to some beefy bars and hefty hooks on "BROKEN GLASS" and the gargantuan-sounding "INSTANT TRANSMISSION." Those who dare presume this to be some nerd shit will be sharply course-corrected by the hard edges of "WHITE CANVAS" and the Wu-esque title track. Loyal to his locale, INF declares hometown heroes divino and Nack belatedly worthy of rap Grammys on "OLDMANINAMOUNTAIN," standing his ground for the rep of his town.

MIGHTYHEALTHY & Sankofa, MHK-ULTRA (buy it)

Miami-based boom bap beatmaker MIGHTYHEALTHY knows how to keep heads ringing, evidenced by his work with Josiah The Gift, Cappadonna, and Vinnie Paz. So it tracks that he'd jibe with Fort Wayne's famously prodigious Sankofa. And sure enough, their magnetic joint effort MHK-ULTRA marks a high point in their catalogs, merging the producer's rugged sensibilities with the rapper's ebullient emceeing to great effect. The workaday concerns of "dadhusbandrapperrunner" bleed into the reasonable paranoia of "Palantir Drops" and the unredacted reveals of "Soldier Placeholders," all buoyed by a roughly retro yet sturdy street corner groove. Concise posse cut "Glorious Mess" brings underground proletarians G Fam Black, P-Ro and Money Mogly on for an unapologetically indulgent rhymefest, while longtime Kofa cohort JON?DOE chimes in for cinematic closer "The Goal."