12 top Milwaukee music releases for July 2023, from Certified Trapper, DC The Don and more

There's a whole lot of hip-hop in this month's roundup of the best Milwaukee music, from up-and-comers recently celebrating career milestones and veterans making killer comebacks. But multiple Americana artists who call Milwaukee home also have made their mark with great new songs and albums.

These dozen are my favorite new releases to check out in July, listed in alphabetical order.

'Can't Stop Won't Stop,' Wave Chapelle and Menebeats

Breaking through on Yo Gotti's record label nearly 10 years ago, the Milwaukee rapper born Radontae Ashford II has the backing of another accomplished hip-hop player in Atlanta-based producer Menebeats, who's worked with such heavy hitters as Young Thug, Future, Cardi B and Gunna. The result is Chapelle's most electric release front to back, his delivery infused by a surge of urgency reinforced by Menebeats' slick, propulsive beats.

'Corduroy Road,' Long Mama

Making her mark as a superb songwriter last year with the long-in-the-works debut Long Mama album "Poor Pretender," the band's Kat Wodtke returns with this folksy ode to easy living. But don't let the simple subject matter fool you: It takes serious skill to make a song this warm.

'Freedom Plastic Realistic?,' Delicious Monsters

Fresh off his debut album as Resurrectionists, with slow-burning indie-rock anthems fueled by dry vocals and poetic musings, Joe Cannon lets loose on Delicious Monsters' debut album. His spiky, post-punk guitar licks offer a zesty contrast to Zelda RayGun's quirky, often spoken-word vocals, reminiscent at times of the B-52s.

'Funeral,' DC The Don

The emo rapper born Daijon Cotty Davis just became the second Milwaukee native, after Lakeyah, to be named to XXL's coveted Freshman Class list; the list's alumni include game-changing superstars like Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott and Megan Thee Stallion. That DC accomplished this despite going down his own risky path — his latest album "Funeral" is fueled by smooth pop production, with no trace of current trends — is a testament to his talent and charisma.

'Oh My God Here It Comes Now,' Rustbelt

The latest from Rustbelt, aka Mequon native John Chiaverina, aka former DIY rap-rocker (and book subject) Juiceboxxx, may be the ultimate marriage of scuzzy, synth-slathered lo-fi with heart-bursting, Springsteen-style grandeur — a juxtaposition Chiaverina has been playing with for much of his career.

'Rested,' IshDARR

At 17, the Milwaukee rapper born Ishmael Ali reached levels of fame rare on the local hip-hop scene. But it's been a few years since IshDARR has released a project; the dry spell ends with the aptly titled "Rested," with the now-seasoned vet trading the youthful exuberance of his breakout tracks for more reflective songs like "Incentives" and "Realms," which show his wordplay and flow are as sharp as they've ever been.

'The Vibe Continues,' Kia Rap Princess

On July 1, Milwaukee hip-hop veteran Kia Rap Princess (Nekia Fisher) gave her the biggest show of her career opening for City Girls, Trippie Redd and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater at Summerfest. Nine days before that night, she released this summer-ready four-track EP. The EP reinforces how Kia got that big gig at the Big Gig — not through flashy vocal delivery, but through cool, casual confidence.

'Trapper of the Year,' Certified Trapper

With his second mixtape on Columbia Records' Signal Records in just three months (released on the same day as his first headlining show in his hometown), Trapper (Daishun Graham) remains a delightful weirdo, but he also does some new things. Over always-bizarre, never-predictable lowend production that he does himself, Trapper trades fresh and funny punchlines with more established oddballs like Babytron (on "Orthodox"), BLP Kosher ("Kosher Certified") and Babyfxce E ("Palm Angels"), and even offers some vulnerability over the '80s-tinged "Lonely."

And he's growing his fanbase among trendspotting music writers, with fresh praise from the New York Times' Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli following glowing write-ups from Pitchfork and Rolling Stone.

'Undeniably Ground-Breakingly Excellent,' Emmitt James

Interesting interludes on hip-hop albums are hard to come by. But I got a kick out of the ones on James', a rolling meta-narrative in which he's pulled out of retirement to create an album good enough to save the world (maybe). Like the hyperbole in the album's title, it's all tongue-in-cheek. While not groundbreaking, James' gripping delivery and engaging introspection — pondering whether his music will have a lasting legacy on "After I'm Gone," or playfully making the case for paying artists' their worth on "WR-4R (Will Rap 4 Rent)" — are excellent.

'Wade Low,' Hosts

Similar to Emmitt James, who left Los Angeles to come back to his hometown, Americana band Wade Low has traded life in a leading music city (Nashville) for Milwaukee. As if the city has any more room for yet another excellent Americana act, the heart-probing songwriting and guttural, cathartic vocal releases from Hosts singer-songwriter Miles Patzer has made it all the richer.

'Wrong Man,' Nora Collins

The hard-working country songwriter (from Brookfield, based in Nashville) has a lot of smart lyrics to her name. But there are a few devastating lines on her latest single "Wrong Man" that cut deeper than anything else she's ever recorded: "We got memories, we got history/But I don't want to sit around and wonder if I am your forever/Am I part of your plan/Is it the right place, right time, wrong man."

'You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond,' Buffalo Nichols

Carl Nichols, who launched his career as Fat Possum-signed blues artist Buffalo Nichols in Austin, Texas, is back in Milwaukee, but gearing up to take his career to a new level. On this track, he soulfully and skillfully reimagines this 93-year-old Blind Willie Johnson tune with some modern hip-hop production, record player-like scratches, dusty Charley Patton vocal samples and his own soulful vocals and guitar work. It's the first taste of a promising sophomore album on Fat Possum, "The Fatalist," due out in September.

"Must-Hear Milwaukee Music" runs on or around the first of every month in the Journal Sentinel and at jsonline.com. If you have a new album, EP or song coming out, contact Piet Levy at plevy@journalsentinel.com for review consideration. Follow him on Twitter at @pietlevy or Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 12 top Milwaukee music releases for July 2023 from DC The Don and more