As the first gusts of fall roll in, it's time to accept that we're now closer to sweater weather than the peak of summer vacation.
Although the summer is coming to an end — with Kendrick Lamar's “Not Like Us” sitting comfortably in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for a 15th straight week, Drake seems to be hinting at round two of their world-stopping feud. On Friday (August 23), Drizzy single-handedly leaked a second batch of unreleased content and music from his 100 Gigs franchise, this time featuring a collaboration with Playboi Carti. Notably, the 100 Gigs update also featured footage of Kanye “Ye” West giving Drake his flowers while on stage at OVO Fest 2013. It's a clever play on top of Ye's recent shout-out to Drake during a Goyang blockbuster Stadium Vultures II listening party in South Korea (August 23).
Aside from the Kendrick-Drake beef and its side characters, Travis Scott's much-loved 2014 mixtape Days before the Rodeo Finally arriving on streaming services in time for its 10th anniversary, Macklemore accidentally brought a fan on stage who was wanted by the police of the Slovak Republic (he's now in jail), and A$AP Rocky gave of Billboard latest cover and talked about everything from his upcoming appearance Don't be stupid LP and the differences between his and Rihanna's parenting styles.
With fresh options, Bulletin board aims to showcase some of the best and most interesting new sounds in R&B and hip-hop — from Chxrry22's new girl anthem to Luh Tyler's smashing new banger. Be sure to check out this week's fresh picks in the Spotify playlist below.
Freshest find: Hamzaa, “25!”
Heavy percussion and buttery timbre that sneaks across the border between mezzo-soprano and contralto to introduce “25,” the heartfelt track from Hamzaa's self-titled EP. “I hit 25 / Made it live on mine / Now I'm on my A-game / We ain't on the same page, no,” she wails on the chorus, finding a harsh peace. mind in light of a pivotal birthday year. Countless songs explore the myriad fears, hopes and anxieties of different stages of the twenties, and Hamzaa stakes herself in this conversation as she relates to the age of 25. Often the age that makes your thirties feel especially real and close, 25 can get a bad rap because many people feel like they should have accomplished something important in their lives by this age. These concerns are not the primary concern of '25'. Hamzaa focuses more on the stability, growth and self-sufficiency that comes with finally trusting yourself after surviving the abyss that is your early twenties.
Luh Tyler, “Mr. ski”
The Tallahassee wunderkind dropped his debut album last week (August 23), as the Bossman Dlow-assisted “2 Slippery” continues to blow up on socials — but that's not the only track from the project worth adding to charts your playback. The title track, “Mr. Skii,” finds Tyler employing a laid-back flow through which he effortlessly glides over the beat of OhYeaCris, who cleverly plays the sweet melody of Earl Klugh's “Living Inside Your Love.” The song's lone verse is typical braggadocio rap fare, but Tyler's flawless delivery and humorous punchlines keep it all fresh. As he himself says, “P—y caping, that's a cat in a hat, yeah/ Real shit, ain't no cap in my rap.”
Ye Ali & Ant Clemons, “All Summer”
To put it bluntly, “We're condemning all summer,” even if summer is essentially over. R&B maestros Ye Ali and Ant Clemons join forces on this sultry ode to steamy summer nights. Sultry sax, sparse 808s and subtle harmonies come together for a particularly haunting soundscape that conjures up exactly the allure and mystery that the duo's X-rated lyrics exude. At just under two minutes, this is more of a verdant interlude rather than a full-bodied song, but “All Summer” derives its charm from its brevity. Not only do they get right down to business, but they stand by it without coming across as pushy or overzealous. Their shared kindness is the song's superpower.
Kanii, “Same Stories (Come and Go)”
Kanye is tired of running in circles over a toxic relationship, but he's not ready to cut her off completely and close the book on things possibly changing. The DC singer leans into his pop&B bag for 'Same Stories (Come and Go)' with throbbing synths pacing the dance track as he dips in and out of lust. “I'm sick of the same stories, the same games, the same lies / The tricks you play you think I won't understand / Same result and I'm wasting my damn time again,” he laments. Watch Kanii clear his head and explore what New York has to offer in grainy track visuals.
Chxrry22, “Poppin Out (errors)”
Kendrick Lamar said something about needing to come out and show the haters what's good. The perfect girls pre-game playlist, Chxrry22 has created an insanely fun bop to mend a broken heart. And Chxrry's No. 1 rule: no crying over any boys inside her nightclub. But for guys who want to get her attention, it's going to be expensive — starting with sending her over six figures because someone has to pay for her mistakes. The best part might be XO's First Lady living up to her raps, as she enjoyed a girls' night out last week where she showed up and celebrated the arrival of “Poppin Out” with her gal pals.
Free Party, “Eyespy”
Free Party returned on Friday (August 23) to drop the expected Cut your teeth ER. It's a mouth-watering sprint that kicks in at the 10-minute mark, with “Eyespy” finding the DMV-bred duo showing off their versatility and seamless chemistry in the booth. Jay Veno comes out of the gates glowing with a fast flow as Free Party looks to make a jump. “Better never let us see a crack/ Better keep it zealous or loot the s–t,” he raps. MoCo takes over and the plug is pulled before the AUX cable melts, leaving listeners wanting more. When is this full LP coming out again?
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/rb-hip-hop-fresh-picks-of-the-week-chxrry22-luh-tyler-kanii-1235760883/
