Hip-hop is moving as fast as ever. Luckily, we’re doing the work to put the best new rap music in one place for you. This week, there were new videos from Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj, Brandy and Chance The Rapper, Lil Baby and 42 Dugg, as well as D Smoke and SiR. There were also new tracks from Migos (with LeBron), Future, Young Thug, Moneybag Yo, TM88, and Southside, RMR, Future and Lil Baby, Jpegmafia and Denzel Curry, Lil Durk, Lil Baby, and Polo G, and an UPROXX session with Yella Beezy. Here’s the rest of the best new rap music this week:
Lil Tjay — State Of Emergency
After a controversial week of beef with A Boogie and High Bridge The Label, Lil Tjay took to social media to say he wanted his news cycle to be just about the music from now on. Today he might get his wish after releasing his State Of Emergency EP, one of the best new rap music collections of the week. The seven-track project showcases Tjay tapping into melodic genre-bending and Brooklyn drill, even collaborating with the late Pop Smoke and Fivio Foreign on the moody “Zoo York.”
Real Recognized Rio — “Pressure” Feat. 21 Savage
Real Recognized Rio is an artist on 21 Savage’s Slaughter Gang crew. This week he linked up with the boss on “Pressure,” a melodic ode to the grind, where 21 wonders, “How you let your problems build up, turn around and call on me? / Taking advantage cause I’m goodhearted and you can call on me?”
A.CHAL — “Hollywood Love” Feat. Gunna
A.CHAL and Gunna get seductive on “Hollywood Love,” taking turns harmonizing over murky, melancholy guitar play.
Onefour — “Say It Again” Feat. ASAP Ferg
Drill music is worldwide at this point, with seemingly every country exploring their rendition of the in-demand subgenre. Leave it up to the ever-ambitious ASAP Ferg to bridge the gap between the Big Apple and the land down under on “Say It Again,” a moody collaboration with Australian artist Onefour.
Chief Keef — “2nd Day Out”
In 2014, Chief Keef released his version of “First Day Out,” a slurry tracing of Gucci Mane’s iconic chronicle of his post-jail itinerary. Chief Keef went back to the winning well on “2nd Day Out,” which was produced by frequent Guwop-collaborator Zaytoven.
Nav — Good Intentions
Toronto genre-bender Nav is back with his latest offering, the 18-track Good Intentions. He stays true to his artistic ethos on his third studio album, delving into sing-songy melodies over 808-driven production alongside artists like Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, and the late Pop Smoke.
Lil Durk — Just Cause Y’all Waited 2
Lil Durk paid homage to his fans with the title of his latest album. The long-awaited project features Durk delivering his leading rendition of trap blues and autotuned crooning alongside LIl Baby and Polo G, G-Herbo, and Gunna.
Moneybagg Yo — “Spin On Em” Feat. Fredo Bang
Moneybagg Yo and Fredo Bang abide by the cold, unforgiving street law on “Spin On Em,“ rhyming ”‘Cause f*ck me, then it’s f*ck you — you know it’s up” on the menacing track. Moneybagg’s Time Services Deluxe will be out next Friday.
Lil Gotit — “Drip Day N Night” Feat. Gunna & Lil Keed
Lil Gotit released a trippy visual companion to his “Drip Day N Night” single with Gunna and Lil Keed. On the single from Gotit’s Hood Baby 2 track, he trades crooning verses with fellow Atliens Gunna and Lil Keed.
Styles P — “Mind Power”
Styles P captures a glimpse of our perilous time on “Mind Power,” the first single from his upcoming Ghost Your Enthusiasm track. He dishes his controversial takes on coronavirus and impending vaccinations while rhyming “I don’t give a f*ck about the CDC / Taking black seed oil playing BDP” on the golden-era channeling track.
Lloyd Banks — “Cold Summer” (Freestyle)
The same week his onetime G-Unit boss 50 Cent’s latest book criticized his work ethic, Banks decided to air his own grievances on a confessional “Cold Summer” freestyle. He addresses the armchair analyses of his career and utters nearly every artist’s existential quandary: “Wonder when this sh*t really over, will I be celebrated?” and laments, “Just when it couldn’t get worst rest in peace, Fred The Godson / life is hard son.”
Tsu Surf — “5’7”
Newark, New Jersey’s Tsu Surf may be known by many as one of the URL battle rap league’s brightest stars, but he’s a talented recording artist as well. He showed off his considerable storytelling ability on the affirming “5’7,” where he weaves various tales of feminine resilience during a video celebrating women of all shapes, sizes, and journeys.
Joell Ortiz & KXNG CROOKED — “H.A.R.D.” Feat. MRK SX
One half of Slaughterhouse, Joell Ortiz and Kxng Crooked, are reuniting for an EP entitled H.A.R.D., no doubt a statement on the type of rhymes they’ll be delivering on the project. They offered a taste of what to expect on the title track, which was crafted by a dream team of production: illMind, Erick Sermon, Apollo Brown, Heatmakerz, and J.U.S.T.I.C.E League.
Scienze — “125th.”
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: music marks time. Brooklyn rhymer Scienze paid homage to an unforgettable period of his life through the lens of a classic record on “125th.” He reminisces “stylin’ on the street, freestyling droppin’ gold” on Harlem’s 125th street while intermittently reciting elements of Harlem MC Black Rob’s “Whoa” classic.
Berwyn — “Glory”
London-based MC Berwyn started his musical journey when, two weeks before he was set to return to his native Trinidad, the then-experiencing-homelessness artist got a computer. That path paved the way for “Glory,” the reflective debut single from his upcoming, yet-to-be-named first project.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
