Hip-hop is moving as quickly as ever. Luckily, we’re doing the work to compile the best singles of the past week and highlight them in one space for you. This week we had videos for bangers from Lil Pump, Rico Nasty, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, as well as a trail of singles from the likes of Kevin Gates, Soulja Boy, Lil Durk, and Q Da Fool. We also got disparate posthumous releases from Sean Price and Lil Peep, and Tory Lanez looking to challenge the whole rap game. Check out all this and more below.
Lil Peep Feat. iLoveMakonnen & Fallout Boy, “I’ve Been Waiting”
Lil Peep’s musical friends released his posthumous album to considerable acclaim, and the late artist has even more in the stash. Peep’s latest posthumous release features his ex iLoveMakonnen and Fallout Boy on “I’ve Been Waiting,” a sunny record that shows Peep’s potential to make pop records with mass-appeal.
Big Boi Feat. Killer Mike & Backbone, “Return Of The Dopeboy” ; “Doin’ It” Feat. Sleepy Brown
Big Boi is preparing to hit the Super Bowl stage on Sunday, and smartly chose to drop a couple songs to capitalize on the buzz. “Doin’ It” is a sultry link up with frequent collaborator and underrated vocalist Sleepy Brown, while “Return Of The Dopeboy” is another return to his roots along with Killer Mike.
Soulja Boy, “Intro”
Soulja Boy had a big January, and he’s set to have a big summer. Not only is he promising a Soulja Boy movie, but his upcoming How Could You Blame Me album is tentatively set to drop on his birthday of July 28th. The influential figure took the unusual step of releasing the album’s intro as a single, where he boasts about his accomplishments and doubles down on everything he’s been saying over the past several weeks. If you see other artists dropping their intros months before their album, you know to credit Young Draco.
Kevin Gates, “Right Game/Wrong N—a”
Kevin Gates is back with his latest harmonious, gripping confessional with “Right Game/Wrong N—-a,” where he laments how many people changed up on him and being “in the cell talking to myself, I used to look out the window / growing hair all over my head a lot of things I envisioned.” Though his partner Yung Mazi is no longer with us, Gates still has time to manifest all the things he imagined.
Lil Durk, “No Label”
If you haven’t heard, Lil Durk is a newly independent artist. But his recent “No Label” single isn’t about his newfound creative freedom, but a sort of romantic freedom. “No Label” is about a friend’s situationship that has seemed to run its course because a woman wanted to be official, but Durk croons that “I ain’t tryna be your friend, or your man, or your husband. I don’t want a label.”
Supa BWE Feat. Sir Michael Rocks, “Bag Bwe”
A pair of Illinois’ finest link up over an apocalyptic production on “Bag Bwe,” a loosie that Supa Bwe released with Sir Michael Rocks. The ode to the bag was paired with an inventive, jarring video full of flaming, grim reaper-driven cars and giant spider-monsters.
Q Da Fool, “Work”
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Earlier this week, DMV Rapper Q Da Fool dropped off some “Work” he crafted with Kenny Beats. Both Kenny and Q Da Fool, a Roc Nation signee are in high demand and they show why on “Work.” The single is from their upcoming Bad Influence joint EP, which will surely be a good influence on some speakers near you.
Sean Price & Small Professor Feat. Your Old Droog, AG Da Coroner & Guilty Simpson, “John Gotti”
A verse from the late Sean Price is a highlight of “John Gotti,” a massive posse cut featuring a who’s who of underground hip-hop. The five MCs trade bars on a single from Philly producer’s Small Professor’s 86 Witness album, which will be out on February 8 on Duck Down Records.
Tory Lanez, Don Q, Dream Doll disses
In case you haven’t noticed, Tory Lanez loves getting into it with rappers. He put out an open challenge last week which was answered by Bronx Rapper Don Q, who released “I’m Not Joyner.” The lyrically dense record had several impressive jabs, including the hilarious observation that, “you’re 20 some years old with a 50-year-old nigga hairline.”
Tory countered with “Don Queen,” a record where he berated what he perceives as Don Q’s lesser status in the game. He also dropped an errant admission that he’s been involved with Dream Doll, which compelled her to follow up Don Q’s “This is Ya King?” reply with “On Ya Head.” Tory declared himself the victor over Don Q, but who knows what he has in the stash for Dream Doll.
