The first day of September may have passed, but heat waves are still rolling through the country. Whether you’re on the West Coast, East Coast or somewhere in between, the last push of summer has been a hot one.
The heat has seemingly influenced the latest edition of New Music Friday, a weekly DX list which assembles the best new singles from Hip Hop and R&B. We may say it frequently, but this roundup is one of the best of the summer.
New Music Friday - New Albums From Pi'erre Bourne, Logic, Kenny Beats, Ari Lennox + More
Kicking things off is Kay Flock with the boisterous “DOA,” followed-up with Freddie Gibbs and Moneybagg Yo’s “Too Much,” the lead single from the Gary, Indiana rapper’s forthcoming album SSS, and Lil Baby’s latest offering “Detox.”
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Also included this week is Yeat with “Talk,” DJ Drama and Jeezy’s collaborative “I Ain’t Gon Hold Ya,” “Little Miss” from Memphis’ NLE Choppa and much more. Keep reading for everything that dropped on the week ending Friday (September 2) below.
Kay Flock f. Set Da Trend – “DOA”
Starting off this week, hailing from the Bronx, is drill rapper Kay Flock with “DOA.” Flock has been in the center of a heated and controversial homicide case since his arrest in December of 2021. The legal issues he has faced coincide with a smattering of arrests across Hip Hop: from Young Thug and his YSL record label to Sheff G and Casanova.
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The controversies have loomed large over Flock since the news broke, obfuscating the fact that he is one of the most promising rappers to hail from New York in the past few years. Attempting to recenter the narrative around his music, the MC just dropped “DOA.”
Freddie Gibbs f. Moneybagg Yo – “Too Much”
Freddie Gibbs has been the center of conversation on Twitter for the last few weeks as he continues his beef with Griselda member Benny The Butcher. While the two once worked together on songs such as “One Way Flight” from Benny’s Burden of Proof and “Frank Lucas” from Gibbs’ masterful 2020 project Alfredo, their relationship now seems irredeemable.
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The two veteran rappers have continued to take jabs, some more personal than others, which seems a shame given their chemistry when they share the mic. Nevertheless, Gibbs is capitalizing on the attention by releasing “Too Much” with Memphis spitter Moneybagg Yo, the first single from his upcoming SSS album.
Lil Baby — “Detox”
Jeezy & DJ Drama – “I Ain’t Gon Hold Ya”
The resurgence and revival of DJ Drama and his Gangsta Grillz tapes has been one of rap’s most fun storylines. For decades DJ Drama’s ad-libs and curation have served as the backdrop for artists ranging from Gucci Mane and Three 6 Mafia to Fabolous and Lil Wayne. But it was his work on Tyler, The Creator’s CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST which propelled him back into stardom.
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Luckily for fans of the DJ, the Gangsta Grillz craze has stayed present, as he worked with Dreamville on D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape and is now back with longtime collaborator Jeezy on “I Ain’t Gon Hold Ya.”
Cam’ron & A-Trak – “All I Really Wanted”
Almost a decade after first teasing a full-length collaboration, Cam’ron and A-Trak return with “All I Really Wanted,” the soulful lead single from their newly-announced joint album U Wasn’t There (out September 23).
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Guest appearances on the project come from the likes of Conway The Machine, Jim Jones and Styles P, with Just Blaze, DJ Khalil, !llmind and others handling the production. Fans can also expect a cameo from fellow Harlemite Dame Dash.
Yeat – “Talk”
Many saw Portland rapper Yeat as a flash-in-the-pan trend; he was expected to burn out as quickly as he came into the spotlight. But take one look at his CV and the power he still holds over Gen-Z and you’ll see why that opinion couldn’t be further from the truth.
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After the releases of Up 2 Më from 2021 and the following year’s 2 Alivë, Yeat continued to capture the attention of the rap world with the absurd but captivating “Rich Minions” from Minions: The Rise of Gru and now with “Talk.”
Fivio Foreign – “God Did Freestyle”
NLE Choppa – “Little Miss”
Babyface Ray f. Digga D – “Goofies”
In all of Hip Hop there may be no state more overshadowed and under-appreciated than Michigan. For years artists such as Icewear Vezzo, Sada Baby, Veeze and Babyface Ray have been dropping notable music, but only recently has the world woken up to the fact that Michigan has more to offer than just Eminem, Big Sean and Royce da 5’9″.
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Babyface Ray has been one of the most exciting MCs to arise from Michigan of late. His recent output, 2021’s Unfuckwitable and this year’s FACE, has been exceptional. The hot streak now continues with “Goofies,” a song which finds him trading bars with the U.K.’s Digga D over an alien beat.
Smino – “24-8”
Kali Uchis – “NO HAY LEY”
Dave East – “Gangsta”
Van Buren Records – “FOUL”
In 2021 a massive Hip Hop collective named Van Buren Records began to simmer in rap’s underground landscape. Their debut Bad for Press, which contained songs such as “Medic” and “BRAINDEAD,” took root, highlighting the strength and uniqueness of the group. A few months later they dropped a follow-up EP titled BLACK WALL STREET which established them as one of the most promising acts to hail from Massachusetts.
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Van Buren Records’ latest single “FOUL” is proof of the cohesion of the group and the staying power of their music as rappers Luke Bar$, Meech Bold, Jiles and FELIX take turns lacing dimes across the song’s smooth production.
Quando Rondo f. YoungBoy Never Broke Again – “Give Me A Sign”
This week’s Honorable Mentions include Tyga’s “Fantastic” and “Painful” by 38 Spesh featuring Che Noir and Freeway. Also be sure to check out this week’s New Music Friday Albums coverage, featuring new projects from Pi’erre Bourne, Kenny Beats, Ari Lennox and more.
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Stay up to date with the latest Hip Hop and R&B releases here.
