While you lot were hyping up that WWE-like beef between Drake and Kendrick, Skaiwater was busy doing what mattered—pushing the boundaries of hip-hop with real music. His sound in 2024 was the most innovative since the Barter 6-era Young Thug days. While others were stuck chasing clout, Skai was blending rap, hyperpop, and rave influences into something completely new. Tracks like "Light" and "Princess" were proof of his creative genius, showing how far ahead he was compared to everyone else in the game.

It’s still crazy how no one over here seems to talk about a track like "Rain," which, since the moment it dropped, was undisputedly the song of the year. That song had everything—a surreal, otherworldly vibe, infectious energy, and lyrics that hit on an emotional level. It wasn’t just a good track; it was a moment. You couldn’t scroll TikTok or Twitter without seeing someone vibing to it, yet somehow, Skaiwater still doesn’t get the credit he deserves for delivering one of the most memorable songs in recent history.

While most artists played it safe in 2024, Skai was taking risks—and they paid off. He wasn’t chasing trends or trying to fit into the current wave; he was creating the next one. His influence is undeniable, from his innovative sound to the way his style seeped into underground and mainstream circles alike. Skaiwater wasn’t just the best rapper of 2024—he was the only artist truly pushing the culture forward.

CS rapper

pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-albums-2024

n1 rap album in this list

pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-songs-2024

n1 rap song in this list

this is @Krishard_Nixon mans

liked the album but them pitchfirk writing geeks always tryna be on some different s***

they're on the right side this year i fear

fairs, i surely ain’t too mad at this take cause gigi was rly incredible and probably is among my top 5 aoty and i love to see skaiwater shine

yessir, he was my number 1 artist this year on spotify, soundcloud and youtube

gotta give credit where its due

Skai is a GOAT

#gigi was fantastic, skai has always made incredible music but they got waaay better

gigi has real feel, bleach, rain, light!, princess, box and heavy metal, idk about that

They got way better at making music on gigi even though they were always good is what im saying

Its their best work, fantastic album

–Alphonse Pierre

4am..

s*** goin ham...

f*** that bozo

oh yea facts

played gigi all summer

princess

Real feel

might be the song on #gigi

feels like summer 2015 playing barter 6 and ss

in

its the job of these nerds to be nerds