With just a week to go until the 2024 US presidential election and the announcement of the 2025 Grammy nominations, the fourth quarter is living up to its reputation as the most tumultuous time of the year. To ease us into what's sure to be a hectic few weeks ahead, stars from hip-hop and R&B have joined in to keep us entertained and engaged.
Last week, music icon Beyoncé delivered a powerful speech in support of Vice President Kamala Harris' candidacy for president, along with Kelly Rowland, Tina Knowles, Willie Nelson and Willie Jones. The Oct. 25 rally in Houston activated both the Beyhive and the K-Hive, with about 30,000 people in attendance, according to the Harris campaign.
Megan Thee Stallion, another H-Town superstar, was tapped last weekend to kick off Act II her Megan The LP, which topped R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in June. Her new release includes the smash hit 'Bigger In Texas', whose hometown music video features HTX legends like Scarface, Paul Wall and Slim Thug. Opting for a non-traditional release on Monday (October 28), Tyler, the Creator dropped by Chromaticityhis seventh studio album, featuring Daniel Caesar, Childish Gambino, GloRilla, Lil Wayne, Teezo Touchdown, ScHoolboy Q and Sexyy Red.
In more somber news, hip-hop legend DJ Clark Kent — a Brooklyn giant who worked closely with hip-hop heavyweights like Jay-Z and the Notorious BIG — died last Friday (October 25) after a three-year battle with the colon. Cancer.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds in R&B and hip-hop — from Jordyn Simone and Joseph Solomon's new wedding anthem to Ms. Banks' fiery comeback track. Be sure to check out this week's fresh picks in the Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Melanie Fiona, “Say Yes”
For the first taste of her upcoming EP (due next year), Grammy winner Melanie Fiona preaches the gospel of “yes.” With Thundercat on bass, SiR on backing vocals and longtime collaborator Andre Harris overseeing production, “Say Yes” finds Fiona screaming, “I lay my cards, out on the table / Showing hearts as never before / Tell me you'll be ready and able / When I come knocking on your door.” As a veteran soul singer, Fiona deftly finds pockets of groove in the track's live instrumentation.Inspired by the journey of mental health over the last decade and the freedom that incorporated after the birth of her son in 2016, “Say Yes” is a beautiful ode to the tenacity of the human spirit — and the beauty that comes with keeping yourself open when you'd most like to shut the world out.
Ms Banks, “Boss B—h”
After a two year hiatus, Nigerian-British MC Ms Banks is back with a fiery new single titled “Boss B—h”. “Trying to rub me but I don't see no use/ Running on the lips, but in school you were ticked/ Lookin' for some shit on me that could make me kill me/ But like an Air Force without a tic, there ain't no one” , spits over a Class A bass heavy beat that takes some sonic cues from Detroit rap. Ms. Banks, who started as the opener for Megan Thee Stallion's Hot Girl Summer European tour, is poised for an amazing run in 2025 — and “Boss Bh” is a promising preview.
Dc the Don & Ambré, “Knock Me Off My Feet”
Milwaukee rapper DC the Don's latest album is finally here, and this Ambré duet is one of the best tracks. Renaissance continues his fusion of hip-hop, rock and trap, with “Knock Me Off My Feet” bringing an afrobeat, romantic-minded feel to his musical mosaic. “You were running around town on no sleep when you met me/ Knocked me off my feet when you met me/ That put me on the defensive/ Back to the curb, now I'm OD, OD,” he croons. the chorus, displaying an unexpected affinity for slick pop tunes. Ambré's ethereal tone provides a clever complement to DC's more earthy performance that fills with a slightly cracked edge. This link is just in time for cuffing season.
Meremba, “Counterfeit”
Buzzy R&B star Mereba has a new project due next year The Breeze Grew a Fireand “Counterfeit” is her first offering. Over shimmering, minimal synths and neo-soul percussion, Mereba's airy tone soars: “You're the original/ You're never do what they do/ You're the original/ Don't let'em fail in you,” he sings. in the chorus. For its cinematic outro, the song drops its beat and opts for acoustic guitars wrapped in a swelling string arrangement. “We're all up, flying in full power/ Look up, wild sky,” he wails repeatedly, each recitation expanding the extent to which the “prototype” can claim dominance.
Jordyn Simone & Joseph Solomon, “I Do”
There's been some talk about a lack of traditional love songs in modern R&B, but Jordyn Simone and Jospeh Solomon have something to say. A formidable contender for the best wedding anthem released in 2024, “I Do” finds the two singers redefining chemistry. “I never thought a love like this would find me/ Alone, oh, I was fine when/ You pulled me close, and then I couldn't fight it/ Deep down, I knew I couldn't let go,” they harmonize on the pre- chorus, with Jordyn's soulful timbre blending beautifully with both Joseph's soft falsetto and the production's soulful strings. Love songs about the little things — with a little shaping, to boot! — will never go out of style.
Leo Waters & Kaash Paige, “Smoke + Mirrors (Remix)”
Ever the reliable R&B collaborator, Kaash Paige breathes new life into Leo Waters' “Smoke + Mirrors” with her gorgeous new remix. Waters released the original version of the song last December, and its charismatic piano groove proved to be the perfect soundscape for Paige. “Baby, get up on me/ I'm just trying to feel you, hear you/ I loved you better/ I touched you better than he ever could, ever would/ Now I see smoke and mirrors,” he haughtily promises. blurring the dual metaphors of steamy post-sex mirrors and the flimsy “smoke and mirrors” excuses we rely on to avoid giving in to what we want and fear most.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/rb-hip-hop-fresh-picks-melanie-fiona-dc-the-don-1235810785/
