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Today is Friday, which means there are a ton of new releases to look forward to from some of your favorite Hip-Hop artists. To help you unwind and enjoy the weekend, check out VIBE’s picks of songs and albums you should hear and add to your soundtrack of weekend festivities.
Cardi B – “Enough (Miami)”
Cardi B had several thoughts to get off on “Enough (Miami).” While the record doesn’t sonically veer from her usual output, the conviction in each delivered bar makes it land perfectly. For anyone who hates her or doubts her abilities to replicate the success of her debut on her forthcoming sophomore album, this ought to make them second-guess. Rap-wise, Cardi’s in shape, and the world should be afraid. This trap, bass-heavy, drum-laden record is a warning shot. And if you aren’t scared, there’s still time to fix that. – Armon Sadler
Tierra Whack – World Wide Whack
Every now and then, an artist emerges and stimulates listeners’ imaginations not only through their words but also through the imagery surrounding it. Tierra Whack accomplished this feat with her 2021 album Whack World, which was accompanied by a visual component that earned the Philadelphian a Grammy Award nomination.
Nearly six years after that release, Whack—who unleashed her 2021 triumvirate of EPs Rap?, Pop?, and R&B?—liberates World Wide Whack, her long-awaited debut album. “I’ve been trying new things/ Mama said she tired of my mood swings,” Whack sings on the album’s intro cut, powered by a keyboard-laden backdrop courtesy of J Melodic and Kenete Simms.
From there, things briefly get uproarious on “MS BEHAVE” before the tempo is brought to a lull on “NUMB” and “BURNING BRAINS.” Averse to the cliche, Whack’s topical focus on World Wide Whack is varied and unique. Everything from “IMAGINARY FRIENDS” to “SHOWERS” is broached throughout the album’s 15 tracks.
Key highlights like “MOOVIES,” “INVITATION,” and “27 Club” showcase the various shades of Whack, while the album and its title affirm her global potential. – Preezy Brown
Flo Milli – Fine Ho, Stay
Flo Milli couldn’t have dropped Fine Ho, Stay at a better time. Her single “Never Lose Me” and the subsequent remixes have been going crazy, including the latest featuring SZA and Cardi B. Between the visibility those two names bring and their musical mettle, she did everything right.
The album also features Gunna, Monaleo, and Anycia, meaning there’s more to enjoy and the ladies will be well-fed musically this weekend. It is Flo’s world and we are just living in it. There’s always time to go and write her off, but as she says in her album title, why wouldn’t you stay around? – AS
Sexxy Red Feat. Tay Keith – “Get It Sexyy”
Sexyy Red did it again. “Get It Sexyy” is an anthem for women with large callipygians and a knack for getting men to pay for everything. She delivers catchy verses, a strong hook, and a call-and-response structure that works. There are people who go on strong runs that are called stars, and then there’s Sexyy Red. She is shaking off all of the hate and critique to the point where “Get It Sexyy” feels like a victory lap. Production-wise, Tay Keith laces her with the proper beat to fully ascend. Sexyy Red cannot be stopped. – AS
Big Sean – “Precision”
Big Sean has been busy settling into fatherhood following the birth of his and Jhene Aiko’s first child. Now, it seems he’s slowly gearing up for a full-fledged return with the release of his new single “Precision.”
Initially released as a snippet in promotion of the NBA 2K24 video game last summer, the full version has finally arrived and is accompanied by a music video. “I studied the target. I’m never gonna miss it. I call that precision,” the Detroit native raps atop a jazzy beat driven by a sample of Three 6 Mafia’s hit 2005 single “Poppin’ My Collar.”
It’s been three full years since his last studio album, Detroit 2, and 2024 would be an opportune time for him to re-stake his claim as one of the premier wordsmiths in rap today. “Precision” is the perfect jam to get the ball rolling on that front, if you ask us. – PB
Gunna ft. Offset – “Prada Dem”
“Prada Dem” is what the streets wanted to hear from Gunna. He’s talking heavy and flexing on the world. This might as well be the precursor to the Drip Season 5 project that will never drop. He sits within each pocket of the beat comfortably, delivering a catchy and impressive chorus. Offset’s feature verse is just the icing on a drippy cake. The world thought they might never hear of a collaboration between them when the relationship was dicey, but these two outcasts-turned-stars brought the energy. Is it too early to ask for a collaboration project? Oh well, I’m doing it. – AS
Don Toliver – “Deep In The Water”
Don Toliver did it again in “Deep In The Water.” There are many autotuned crooners, but he is among the cream of the crop. He shouts out his child’s mother Kali Uchis and delivers a moving record. Production-wise, the synths and drums seep into your bloodstream and raise the hair on your arms. It’s an ethereal record, one that makes you bop your head and also delve into deep thought. Good music often doesn’t need deep analysis; he sings to his heart’s content and forces you to press repeat. With his new album coming this summer, “Deep In The Water” is a great precursor. – AS
J.PERIOD Presents…Story To Tell (Chapter 2)
J.PERIOD infuses some R&B flavor into his mix on his new album Story To Tell (Chapter Two), featuring Andra Day, Aloe Blacc, Estelle, Joss Stone, and more. Narrated by comedian Dave Chappelle, Story To Tell includes gems like “Hot Sauce,” “Cut The Line,” and the sultry “Better Half.”
“’Story To Tell’ is a collaborative project that merges my experience as a DJ, mixing different genres and styles, with my experience as a producer and storyteller, weaving different artists and ideas into the music,” explained J.PERIOD in a statement coinciding with the project’s release.
“My early mixtapes told the stories of my heroes: A Tribe Called Quest, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Biggie, Pac. For my album, I wanted to tell the story of my musical influences and inspirations, but also the story of how this all came together—the story of bringing different kinds of artists together around an idea, pouring your heart into a thing, and pursuing what inspires you.” – PB
EZ Mil Feat. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie – “Up Down (Remix)”
If you’re being mentioned in the same sentence as greats like Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent, there’s a great chance you have the potential to reach similar heights. According to Dr. Dre and Eminem, rising lyricist Ez Mil is of that cloth, which is why the iconic pair took the newcomer under their wing and released his Eminem collab “Realest” in 2023.
Now, Ez Mil is looking to build on that momentum with the remix to his breakout hit “Up & Down,” the record that prompted Slim Shady to sign him as his latest protege. The single, which features an appearance by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, captures Ez Mil shunning industry ethos and cookie-cutter attempts at relevance.
“F**k that mainstream sh*t/ Still won’t be a puppet to it, all these lame ni**as clique,” the Las Vegas repper barks atop a pulsating instrumental from producer Ezekiel “Slashmouth” Miller. In the song’s second verse, A Boogie lets loose, purring, “She know I’m from Uptown, but her ass a bust-down/ My ni**as don’t run, they run down when they hear gun sounds” while boasting and toasting to his affluent lifestyle.
“Up & Down (Remix)” is a sturdy bop that should bring the new jack additional buzz, as it works to bring Shady Records back to prominence, aside from its “Rap God” of a CEO. – PB
Elcamino & Real Bad Man – The Game is the Game
After dropping one of the more criminally slept-on releases of 2023 in his debut studio album They Spit On Jesus and its 2024 follow-up, Here You Go, Elcamino is back again with his latest effort The Game is the Game.
Entirely scored by producer Real Bad Man, the project has Elcamino lyrically prancing alongside a strong slate of costars and taking center stage on its well-placed solo standouts. The Game is the Game kicks off with “Give Them Hope (Curtis),” which finds Elcamino settling into his groove, rhyming, “I was more of an understudy for ghosts that constantly took notes/ Box you out, they don’t want me from behind them good ropes” at the backend of a sample from The Wire.
“New Levels” conjures a peak performance from the Black Soprano Family member, but many of The Game is the Game‘s finer moments come when Elcamino is in tandem with his collaborators. In addition to the Benny The Butcher-assisted single “Champagne Pisses” and “No Fighting” featuring Boldy James, the album includes contributions from BSF rhymer Rick Hyde (“Melrose”), and Player K, who appears on the closing salvo “Sllick Talk.” – PB
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