Roc Marciano "Trick Bag"

No matter how thick, thou shall not trick.

We’re twenty-three days into 2026, and this is the first new song post on IP’S PICKS. Par for the course? Eh, sometimes January is a slow burn. Let’s keep it real—I’m picky with my picks, too. I don’t force shit just because it’s new. I gotta love it to feature it.

When I saw Roc Marciano had a new self-produced album coming out today though, I knew something on there was gonna be pick-worthy. He never lets me down. And sure enough, the first song on 656 got me.

The sinister organ accompanying the pimp-handed percussion, the jazzy horn drops, the perfectly-selected and placed vocal sample on the hook—it’s all a set-up to let Roc wax his upper echelon poetic slickness. “Skate outta Gucci like Kristi Yamaguchi,” “Could’ve been a QB how she threw the coochie”—I mean, come on. Is there anyone better?

IP’S PICK OF THE DAY 1/23/26: Roc Marciano “Trick Bag”

I’m gonna let the rest of the album marinate for a bit. I’ll just say this—as to be expected, Roc’s on some next shit with the production. And the bars deserve a proper breakdown (e.g. on “Childish Things” he says, “Big diamond rock look like a garlic knot”).

Actually wait, he just dropped a video for “Yves St. Moron.” I would imagine that means it’s one of his personal favorites, so check it out. The rapid-fire raps are next level.

And while we’re on the topic of self-produced Roc Marciano music, I wanna drop one gem from last year that I’ve been waiting for an excuse to post. It’s a previously unreleased bonus cut off the 15th anniversary re-release of his debut album Marcberg, uncomfortably titled “Period Blood.” This was my favorite rap song of 2025.

Thank God for Roc Marci.