Hip-hop is moving as fast as ever. Luckily, we’re doing the work to put the best music in one place. This week, there was new music from Eminem and a trio of pairs: 2 Chainz and Future, Rich The Kid and Quavo, as well as Wale and Bryson Tiller. Here’s the best of the rest:
Smokepurpp — “What I Please” Feat. Denzel Curry
Smokepurrp recently released a glitchy video for “What I Please,” the second single from his Deadstar 2 project. He and Denzel took turns dropping defiant double-time bars over a thumping production.
Rick Ross — “Future Bright” Feat. Bryson Tiller
Rick Ross connected with Bryson Tiller on the sultry “Future Bright,” a single from the soundtrack for Bad Boys For Life. The track breathes new life into Case, Mary J. Blige and Foxy Brown’s “Touch Me Tease Me” classic, which came out a year after the original Bad Boys movie.
Royce Da 5’9″ — “Overcomer” Feat. Westside Gunn
Royce Da 5’9’s self-produced The Allegory is coming on February 24th. But just because the revered lyricist is focusing on the beats don’t mean the bars aren’t as sharp as it gets — as “Overcomer’s” “you think it’s about being loud or trying to be hostile / till you get found face down on the ground outside of Kid Rock house” threat to Yelawolf makes clear.
Mozzy — “Overcame”
Ever-underrated MC Mozzy is resilient on “Overcame,” a characteristically reflective track where he thoughtfully ponders, “how I’m ‘posed to tell my auntie not to use / when she ain’t got no other means or methods to numb abuse?”
Bas — “Amnesia” Feat. Ari Lennox & Kiddominant
Dreamville is having quite a week. The deluxe edition of their Revenge Of The Dreamers III project released today. But before that, Bas released a sleek video for his breezy “Amnesia” track featuring Ari Lennox and Nigerian artist Kiddominant.
Uncle Murda — “Freedom” Feat. Jadakiss, Benny The Butcher & Que Banz
“Freedom” is a standout cut from Uncle Murda’s recently released Don’t Come Outside Vol. 2 project. A quartet of New York favorites trade bars over a gloomy sample, with menacing quotables like Kiss’ “all transactions come with a tool visit.”
Pop Smoke — “Christopher Walking”
Rising Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke is pushing forward into 2020 with “Christopher Walking,” a cleverly-titled track which continues his winning formula of braggadocio and menace over smoky drill beats.
Drakeo The Ruler — “Ion Know Nothin” Remix Feat. ALLBLACK, G Perico & Ohgeesy
Drakeo The Ruler got help from a trio of peers on the remix to his buzzing “Ion Know Nothin Remix,” where he affirms, “Once they say, ‘Not guilty,’ I’ll be back by Christmas.”
Rod Wave — “Thug Motivation”
On “Thug Motivation,” Florida’s Rod Wave affirms that he’s geared up for 2020 and “put the game in a figure four,” and gushes that he lives “the life of a movie star” over melancholy pianos that drive home the sentiment of his first 2020 release.
Mulatto — “No Panties”
Mulatto’s “No Panties” is a fun ode to living life on your terms. She rhymes, “he like ’em freaky, he like ’em nasty / he don’t want no bougie b***h, he like ’em ratchet” on the synth-driven production. But she’s not interested in playing to a man’s whims as she later rhymes, “I left my ex ’cause he was getting on my nerves.”
Calboy — “Voices In My Head”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxrhxP7ki3Y
On “Voices In My Head,” recent Dreamchasers signee Calboy goes off on a stream of consciousness about the plight of the streets over a majestic sample.
Cassidy — “A 100 Clip”
Cassidy may be facing criticism for his bars against Arsonal in their 2019 rap battle and some polarizing beats, but those bars have never been in question over a beat. The Philly MC got busy on “A 100 Clip,” where he talks tough and drops more bars for Arsonal.
AKAI SOLO & BSTFRND — Like Hajime
It’s a Tase Grip – Mutant Academy connection on Like Hajime, a 12-track album featuring Brooklyn rapper Akai Solo spitting his dense, esoteric lyricism over a suite of beats from Richmond producer BSTFRND.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
