​Killer Mike,  Mozzy & Lena Byrd Miles - SHED TEARS: OG Killer Mike came through with an Album of the Year Candidate (and a surefire Grammy Nominee) with his new solo album “MICHAEL”. Features were God-Tier including Future, his Run The Jewels groupmate El-P, and the legend himself, André 3000. Whole project slaps and features common themes like keeping the faith and dodging the Devil’s trickery. I’ve had “SHED TEARS” on repeat as it has a super dope beat with a Gospel twist. Mike asked God to reveal a plan and a higher purpose. He suffered slowly for years and now, like Kobe, he’s gripping the trophy and Shedding Tears. Mozzy was a troubled youngin, shaped by his environment. He was poppin pills and headed for them cells. His granny kept him on the straight and narrow and now that she’s gone all he wants is to have her back for just one more day. Check out “MICHAEL” and these highlights:
DOWN BY LAW (with Cee Lo Green)
RUN (ft. Young Thug)
SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS (with André 3000 ft. Future & Eryn Allen Kane)

D Smoke & SiR - Work Hard Play Hard: Cali bros D Smoke and SiR dropped a new bop that has that smooth West Coast sound. Their praying mama is proud of them. Their passports are hella stamped and they own foreign land. Their significant others push the finest of whips because they Work Hard, so they can Play Hard. They also spit them Spanish bars again and it meshes well with the track. 

YeloHill, Jonn Hart & Steelz - Wait: Staying in Cali, YeloHill dropped a new project called “Pico Boy”. I’ve been bumping his track “Vice City” since he dropped it, so when I saw he dropped an album I had to give it a listen, and it didn’t disappoint. I’ve had “Big Blue Bus” on repeat and also want to highlight “Wait” with Jonn Hart and Steelz. It’s dedicated to his better half. It’s them against the world and they’ve been down for years. He’d do anything for her. One day he hopes to marry her and until then all he asks is for her to Wait on him. Other standouts from “Pico Boy”:
Big Blue Bus
Penguin Fish
Keep It True (with Steelz)

Earl Sweatshirt - Making The Band (Danity Kane): Early Earl dropped a new loosie and it has a NY Drill-type beat with a trippy, wavy loop in the back. He’s been geeked up and now he feels like Diddy dancing in the rain. He also feels like Diddy when he hits the bank and he keeps two hammers to make sure no one tries to take his bands.

Wiz Khalifa - No Invitation: Wizzy Wiz dropped a new project called “See Ya”. It has a mixtape feel with the Intro, interludes and song outros. He has quite a few tracks with his voice pitched up (not chipmunk but chipmunk-lite). Of course he raps about the ladies, smoking the gas, and taking shrooms. My favorite track might be “No Invitation” produced by RonRon (DoThatShit). It has a snap beat and the first three things he mentions are his Rolls Royce, the tree, and the shrooms (true to form). He’s stacking that bread (a lot of it from touring) and all the bitties want him. Niggas be fake but he’s as real as they come. If he gives a chick the meat, she might never leave. He keeps it solid with his homies and will never switch up. He lets it be known that he doesn’t fuck with alcohol but he does dabble in Adderall. Go give “See Ya” a spin and don’t miss these standouts:
PPV (ft. Lil Vada)
The Homie
Swole Life
Makin Enemies (ft. Chevy Woods)

Trippie Redd & Skye Morales - Took My Breath Away: T Redd might be dropping a project soon (according to the streets). He dropped a loosie this week with Skye Morales and it’s a special track. It samples Drake’s “From Time” (and TR has a Drake-ish flow on part of it). This one is uptempo and finds Trippe confessing his love. He loves shawty like Adam loved Eve. He’s been working long days and nights but whenever he sees her, she takes his breath away. 

Gucci Mane & Lil Baby - Bluffin: ATL’s finest dropped a new track this week. Lil Baby gets all different bags, he’s another type of hot. He has shroom sex on private jets and none of his homies swap jewelry (they all have their own). He’s with the clappers and never with weird ass rappers. He’s got 5 different phones and invites the opps to call his Bluff. Guwop leads by example and shows all his people how to get money. He doesn’t make threats, he makes promises, and he doesn't argue on the internet like (redacted). 18 years in the rap game and his stock is still rising. 

Hit-Boy, Big Hit & DOM KENNEDY - Monte Carlo: Hit-Boy dropped a collab project with his pops Big Hit (who just got home from serving some time). “SURF OR DROWN, Vol. 2” is full of top tier production (I mean do you expect anything less from Hit-Boy) and Big Hit got bars, his vocals are crisp, and his flow sounds like he put 10,000 hours into his craft. The Dom Kennedy collab “Monte Carlo” is special. It samples “All Night Long” by The Mary Jane Girls (yes, you’ve heard it before) and the guys rap about staying fresh and cruising in the Monte Carlo up the highway. Candy-coated, gold spokes, tipping slow on the backstreets or mashing on the gas, they stay fresh to death and pull all the thotties. Check out “SURF OR DROWN, Vol. 2” and these standouts:
Ratchet & Reckless
Police
Wake Your Game Up

Dave East - Rich Problems: Dave East is on a tear. After dropping the Deluxe to his Gangsta Grillz tape “Book of David” he’s back with another loosie for ya head top. He warns against thinking money will solve all your problems. It is more likely to make you crazy and have you end up in an asylum. People think he’s always in a good mood just because he’s smiling but there’s a lil devil on his shoulder (and he’s wilding). Rich. Nigga. Problems.

Skilla Baby ft. BabyTron - Dogshit Militia: Detroit’s Skilla Baby dropped a Deluxe to his 2022 project “We Eat The Most” this one called “We Eat The Most (Reloaded)”. Dope project, my favorite track is the collab with fellow Detroiter Babytoron, “Dogshit Militia”. Beat is crazy with keys that sauce it up. Tron talks his shit while sipping Wock, blazing the Za, and sporting Hutch jewelry. Skilla is so good at getting rich but it doesn't stop him from sliding on the opps in a Raptor. He’s real humble until the haters make him mad.

Lupe Fiasco - Checkin’: The Chicago legend and expert gamer has been on a run teaching Hip-Hop at some of the world’s top universities. He’s still cooking up music and he’s back with a radio-ready track just in time for the summer. It has a Rock n Roll vibe and Lupe expresses his desire to have a baddie Checkin on him (on the regular). He also keeps some stacks on deck just in case he catches a case. He loves exotic whips and lets it be known that he’s out here.

Doja Cat - Attention: Doja’s full steam ahead. She’s back with another mega-bop and she gives us both the melodic flow and the bars. She promises that her kitty doesn’t bite and she’s willing to show her boo how to touch it. It doesn’t need lovin’, it just needs Attention. She watches the comments and has come to the conclusion that the commenters are depressed. She knows she lost weight (but didn’t lose that ass tho…) The haters call her ugly but she ain’t losing any sleep about what others think.

Mike Dimes - COUNTDOWN CITY: The Lone Star State’s Mike Dimes dropped a new album this week aptly titled “TEXAS BOY”. Super dope album. I’ve had “KISS N’ TELL” in the Serrato since it dropped in the lead up. My favorite album cut is “COUNTDOWN CITY” which has one of the best beats on the album. Mike Dimes raps the phrase made famous in Talladega Nights “If you ain’t first, you’re last”. He’s skyrocketing and the ceiling can't contain him and his crew. He grinded a lot to get to the money and now his mama is hella proud of him. Check out “TEXAS BOY” and these highlights:
WHISKEY AND WEED
KISS N’ TELL (ft. Dro Kenji)
HATCHBACK (ft. Joey Bada$$)
OFF THE PORCH ft. (BigXThaPlug & Maxo Kream)

Kap G ft. Ralfy The Plug - Flight To Dubai: Kap G dropped a new album this week called “HorHey” which I’d guess is a phonetic spelling of his first name. This one was filled with some super saucy tracks. I really loved the melodic joints. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be “Flight To Dubai” with Pastor Ralfy. Beat has some Latin vibes with the strings. Kap G is about celebrating wins, booking one way Flights to Dubai, and taking his boo on yachts. He’ll fly all her friends out too (Big Dawg Energy). Ralfy don’t repeat himself, he ain’t into saying shit twice. All his ladies bring him bread and that’s why he likes them (and for their head game too). Go give “HorHey” a spin and don’t miss these standouts:
Scrape the Plate
Shoebox (ft. Lil Baby)
Price is Up
Me Myself & I
Shots
Goals (ft. KY WOODS)
Pray For Me

Kash Doll - Ridin’: KD recently went viral for her undeniable beauty. Also undeniable, her bars, and she showed up and showed out on her new loosie “Ridin”. She spits about her man (who is MIA). She suspects he's been running around with some dog ass hoes and now she’s Ridin’ around looking for him. Mans keeps sending her to voicemail so now when she does find his whip, she’s gonna do some remodeling.

PRICE ft. Dcmbr - TNN:  One half of Audio Push (PRICE) dropped a new project this week called “GOSPEL IN THE GHETTO”. Lots of Cali Vibes on this one. The track “TNN” is special. PRICE uses a smooth flow to spit bars to that special someone. He’s trying to link, but she’s been done wrong in the past so she Trusts No Nigga. Dcmbr’s buttery vocals handle the hook and this is one you can cruise to. Other highlights from “GOSPEL IN THE GHETTO”:
GHETTO (ft. Sebastian Kole & Larren Wong)
PLAYERS CLUB (with Symba)
The SPOT
TRAFFIC

Ncognita ft. Kalan.FrFr - LA: LA’s Ncognita dropped a track with fellow Cali artists Kalan.Fr.Fr. Kalan promises to take his shawty anywhere she wants. They fell in love in LA, and no matter where she is, they’ll always have that love in The City of Angels. Ncognita tells her dude to tap in when he touches down in the city. She’s been around town having meetings everywhere from the hills to the beach. She handles biz and if mans is down for the ride, he can hop in her Benz.

Phabo - Geneva: We got a new project from Phabo this week called “Don’t Get Too Cozy”. Amazing project with immaculate R&B tunes top to bottom. I love the Ambré collab “NYL” and also want to highlight “Geneva”. It has a snap beat with island vibes and finds Phabo pouring his heart out to his baby. Geneva is his boo thang and he needs her love in his life. She’s tasty like Nutella and one day he hopes to say Happy Mother’s Day to her. Check out “Don’t Get Too Cozy” and these standouts:
Line
Luv Songs (Unruly)
Before I Let Her Go
NYL (ft. Ambré)

Berna ft. Suspect OTB - No SRT’s: Every week I find a gem on Apple Music’s New Hip-Hop playlist. This week it came from across the pond with Berna & Suspect OTB’s “No SRT’s”. It has a down south Trap Beat and the guys rap about poppin bottles, blowing gas, and getting rich. They put their families on their backs so as they rise, the team will too. They dodging the jakes and the snakes. They looking for the drop on the opps and they’re patient, so there’s no rush. They keep the broomstick and won’t hesitate to put you in timeout.

Ambré ft. Mack Keane - Elevate: We got some quality R&B projects this week and one of them was Ambré’s EP “who’s loving you?”. My favorite track “Elevate” starts off with harp strings then transitions into a kick-drum beat. Mack Keane starts the party by planting his flag as “Him” and lets someone special know that he’s the only one for her. He keeps his biz private and stays on the low all-year round. He asks her to come through to the W so they can spend some quality time together and Elevate outta there. Am is up next, and she perceptively peeps how her dude gets down. She likes the way he touches her and he likes the way he keeps it low (she also lets him sneak out the back). He can see the real her and she’s not hiding any more. 

Portion - Downfall: Portion came up on my shuffle the other day (after I discovered this track) which was cool because I thought this was the first song I’d heard of his but evidently, I been fucking with him for a minute. This new track is about all those praying for his Downfall. He’s been running from his demons and taking on other people’s problems. He got used to the fake shit but he realized he had to cut some people off. He was in the dark, but now he's shining hella bright. 

Asake - I Believe: Asake dropped an Afrobeats masterpiece with “Work of Art” this week. I’ve said it before, I don’t fully understand the lyrics (he does have some English bars mixed in) but the music is A1. I listened to this front to back no skips, in the headphones and in the whip. “I Believe” is one of the special ones because of its uplifting, motivational hook, and where it’s sequenced in the album feels like the perfect. If you haven’t checked “Work of Art” out yet, go do that and especially these highlights:
Olorun
2:30
Basquiat
Amapiano

Foggie Raw - Psalm 62: So I came across this song on Twitter with Foggie Raw posting the music video for this track and asking for the fans help getting Alicia Keys to clear it and the tweet I saw was a QT showing him actually with Ms. Keys (indicating the sample was cleared and the track was dropping). It samples her timeless ballad “You Don’t Know My Name” and has a number of biblical references but also cuss words and booty grabbing. It’s about trying to rekindle the flame. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. Give it a listen if you haven’t heard it yet.

Kiana Ledé & Bryson Tiller - Gone: One more top tier R&B project for your head top. Kiana Ledé dropped an album called “Grudges” and all the R&B-heads will love this one. The Bryson Tiller collab “Gone” is a certified bop. It’s uptempo and it’s about saying goodbye to your boo thang. Sometimes the relationship cuts too deep and you gotta let go. It’s so good until it’s Gone. There’s no choice, you gotta just move on. Other standouts from “Grudges”:
LMK
Jealous (with Ella Mai)
Deeper

Other Tracks/Projects That Dropped This Week

IDK - Win

Tyga & YG - Platinum

Royce Da 5’9” ft. 100 Kufis - No Love

Coi Leray - Run It Up

Baby Money & Babyface Ray - Had To Ask

HDBeenDope (Album)

BabyDrill (Album)