Cartel Bo

For Cartel Bo, life after five years in prison feels overwhelming, fast, and full of possibility. He was prepared for it, though. While the Houston rapper was locked up in a federal penitentiary on a firearms charge, he had “visions and premonitions of what I’m doing today.” Since his release in early 2024, he’s been making good on his early creative promise, ascending to a place as one of Texas’ greatest rap talents and working in an uncompromising style. His recent songs showcase him ascending to a new artistic plane, particularly the millions-streaming “Fresh Out tha Fedz,” a cinema-scale freestyle that stands as the most dazzling “first day out” track in recent memory, as well as victory-lap anthems like “No Pass” and “Go (The Pope).”