​Lil Uzi Vert ft. Nicki Minaj - Endless Fashion: Uzi’s long awaited new album “Pink Tape” dropped and it instantly sent the internet into a frenzy. 1st Spotify crashed (and some attributed to Olivia Rodrigo’s new single but it was likely both of them). The Chop Suey cover became an instant trending topic and also the other heavy metal tracks (I believe there are 3). The album starts off with a bang with “Flooded My Wrist” then you hear Charleston White’s voice and I was wondering where we were going. There’s a couple more tracks (including the Travis Scott collab) and then it skyrockets. Instant purchase. I’m a big Uzi fan and thought I might have to cherry pick but a lot of the tracks I didn’t like at first have grown on me. This Nicki collab that samples Eiffel’s “Blue” is a certified bop. From the MAGA bar to the Natalie Nunn reference, it got the people chattin and many of them are calling this an AOTY candidate. If you haven’t checked out “Pink Tape” go listen all the way through without skipping, there’s something for everyone.

LaRussell, DTB, Ekzakt & Sada Baby - Test Ya Nuts: LaRussell dropped a project this week called “How Much Does a Peace of Mind Cost”. Dope project with lots of introspective, thought-provoking lyrics. My favorite track that he dropped this week was not on that project but a loosie with a Detroit-type beat (and a Sada verse, makes sense don’t it?). LaRuss invites the opps to Test (they) Nuts, and press they luck like it’s St. Patty’s day. He be in the 213 (LA) and he got a crib there although he’s originally from the V (I’m guessing Vallejo). A few of his favorite things: Money, Guns, Weed, Whips, Jewelry, Clothes, and Hoes. He don’t fuck with coke and never lies to the kids. Sada tells the brokies to stop worrying about Jordans and get they cake up. He’s out at dinner laughing at them. He’s a breadwinner and because of that he gets the head quicker.

Terrace Martin - Snooze: Multi-hyphenate Terrace Martin dropped a Jazz album this week with many of his frequent collaborators. My favorite track “Snooze” has that classic Quiet Storm, Jazz/R&B sound with the Sax as the lead. The drums and keys provide the throughline and I caught a mean groove to this one. Instant add to the Serrato. All the Jazzheads will love the whole “Fine Tune” project.

The Weeknd, Lil Baby & Suzanna Son - False Idols: This track was dropped for episode 5 of the polarizing HBO show “The Idol” and features the vocals of one of the actresses Suzanna Son and a part of a song she sings on the show. Baby & Abel previously collaborated on the “Donda” track “Hurricane” and now they’re back at it again. Baby warns us to be careful who we call The God. He can’t go anywhere without his pole and his rod. He’s made baseball numbers so he must be good at his job. He went through a lot for the money and fame. Weekend warns that LA is filled with fake prophecies. He’s packing stadiums because he’s a star and the haters hate seeing him on top. He’s got followers that would kill for him and homies that stay sticked up. Reality is what he’s after and also he’d like a bad bitty to ride his face.

Nasty C - No More: This week we got some heat from the Apple Music New Hip-Hop playlist. One of the standout tracks was South African artist Nasty C’s “No More” which I’ve had on repeat since it dropped. C use to be a bum ass nigga but not no more, used to be a quitter and so damn bitter, but not no more. He gets up early to get to the guap and now his closet is filled with Dior. The repeated “ra-da-da” on the chorus is super catchy.

Kota The Friend with Woftyla - Super 8: Kota dropped “Protea”, a new album, this week and on the intro he promised to get out his Sad Boy bag and give us some love songs (and he delivered on that promise). This track with “Goin Diddy” artist Woftyla was an upbeat affair and has Kota promising his bae they can kick it in the Hollywood Hills and film it on the Super 8 Camera (the camera that revolutionized home recording). Kota wants that groovy love, that movie love, and he has to let his shawty know. Wofty lets her guy know ain’t no pretending when she’s with him. She’s down to do some new things and leave their pasts behind them. Check out “Protea” and these highlights:
Fireplace (ft. Jennifair)
Hope You Heal
Protea
Keep Me Goin
Road Rage (with Aloe Blacc)

Sampha - Spirit 2.0: Streets saying it’s been a minute since Sampha dropped a solo track. I do think I remember him being a feature artist not too long ago but my brain is deteriorating by the minute. Anywho, he’s officially back with “Spirit 2.0”. It has a funky, jazzy feel and Sampha croons to that special someone. He’s sharing a mattress with her as they drift into the open sky. He doesn’t feel so scared when he’s with her. Life, faith, friends, love are all things that can catch you. The Spirit will ensnare you as well.

Arsonal Da Rebel - Closest To You: Jersey’s Own Arsonal Da Rebel, battle rap Titan, and little brother of Ice (of the Joe Budden Podcast) dropped a new album this week called “Big Jersey 3”. Sometimes it’s weird hearing battle rappers on studio tracks (as their battle bars are acapella and usually at a slower cadence to emphasize the punch) but this shit is a masterpiece. The samples and overall production are A1 and Ars’ bars are top tier (as usual). It hits a pocket in the middle all the way to the end and it’s just back to back to back bops. Do yourself a favor and listen to “Big Jersey 3” all the way through and don’t miss these standouts: 
Street Life
Oppaversary (ft. FL3A)
Nobody Knows (ft. Shotgun Suge)
I Gave My All
Slow Down (with Symba)
How Does It Feel
Might As Well Had
Make You Feel
Suppose To Be
Tour Life

Wiz Khalifa ft. Ty Dolla $ign - You: Wiz just dropped a project like a week or 2 ago and now he’s back with a new bop and he got Ty Dolla on the hook. No this isn’t a flip of Jesse Powell's hit but it is a flip of Pac & Nate Dogg’s “All About U”. Produced by Hitmaka, Wiz uses this track to send someone packing. Everything ain’t all about (her). They went through a bunch of ups and downs and he hopes she grows up one day but for now, she gotta go. Ty sings the bridge and asks his bae not to take it personal (he knows she will). They’ve been here before, with the back and forth, but now it’s played out.

Curren$y & Harry Fraud ft. Benny The Butcher - Stingray: Curren$y and producer Harry Fraud dropped a new collab project this week called “VICES”. Having Harry on the beat is a cheat code and The Hot Spitta knocked every track out the park. This Benny collab is really special. It has an epic, cinematic sound. Curren$y spits about his whips and the movie theater in his home. He’s got stash spots all over and now he’s trying to cop a jet. Benny promises the opps might catch one if he has to load his pistol. He took his first brick on the road and been rising to the top ever since. Other standouts from “VICES”:
Marcus Camby (ft. Jim Jones)
Neon Skyline (ft. G.T.)

Robb Bank$ - Redefine (6 Missed Calls): Florida’s finest is back with a new track. I get my Robb’s mixed up and at first though this was the Chill Bill nigga but it’s actually Shaggy’s son. I still play his track “Let Me See It” (it’s timeless). This new track has heavy bass and a soul vocal loop in the back. Robb raps about his whips and his blicks. He’s down with OPP and he believes he is too good looking to mess with certain women. He likes to do the nasty on the bed, the floor, and other places as well. He also is a freak bull and will mix his girl’s squirt with his lean.

Q Da Fool ft. Alexcis - Often: DMV’s Q Da Fool dropped a new project this week called “Home Detention”. Dope project, with a bunch of great tracks. I really vibed out to the melodic, lovey dovey tracks. One of them, “Often”, is my favorite track on the album. He starts off with a melodic delivery and talks about being off the molly and liking the big booty bitties. He ain’t got nothing in common with his new thang’s old work. She likes to party and she wants Q Often. He don’t wanna get in her drama, but she can come to Q when she needs. They took it slow, but before they knew it, they were flying around the world together. He be diggin in them guts Often. Check out “Home Detention” and these highlights:
Pray For Me
Memory Lane
Freaky Huh?
Ghost
All In

Yatta Bandz - Hard Headed: This was another Gem I found on the Apple Music New Hip-Hop playlist. The track by Bronx native Yatta Bandz starts off with angelic keys and strings then the hi-hat loop starts and so does Yatta with the bars. He’s trying to change his way of thinking but doesn’t know where to start, and he’s trying to keep his head up but his mind’s falling apart. He let people in his life but he knows some of them would switch up for the bag. He knows love is overrated and he’s been patient. He hopes time will heal him before it kills him. He appreciates the struggle though, it made him. He learned how to love himself and now he’s on the road to being the greatest. 

Veeze - You know i: Detroit’s Veeze caught a viral hit with GOMD and it blew up even more when Uzi hopped on the remix. He dropped an album this week called “Ganger”. The track “You know i” made my ears perk up immediately. It samples one of my favorite songs of all time “Thuggish Ruggish Bone” and Veeze’s distinct flow on the beat is a breath of fresh air. He talks shit about his roster of ladies, gun toting, his fat bank account, and the gas and pints he got on deck. The beat speeds up and he talks even more shit and even uses a “Big Pimpin” line. Other highlights from “Ganger”:
Kinda $
GAIG
GOMD (Remix) [ft. Lil Uzi Vert]

Stormzy - Longevity Flow: I smell an album coming. This is the 2nd drop in as many weeks, and on both, Stormzy is popping off. He’s letting all the one hit wonders and flash in the pans know that to stay relevant and at the top for this long is a feat accomplished by few. The beat is crazy and Stormz describes his HD vision that catapulted him from the sewers to getting all the cheese. He was smart enough to be an engineer but he followed his passion instead. He used to pray for the dough, now he prays for a god-sent marriage (Amen). All bars, no hook needed.

Slayter - Murder She Wrote: NY’s Slayter dropped a new project this week called “Block Baby 2”. My favorite track is “Murder She Wrote” which samples the Reggae smash hit of the same name. This version has an NY Drill beat and finds Slayter warning the opps that he ain’t a joke, he keeps the glocky on him, and he’ll send them to the funeral home, no problemo. Other standouts from “Block Baby 2”:
Charge it to the Game
Up It

Haiti Babii - Yo Baby Mama Ugly: Another slap from the Apple Music New Hip-Hop playlist. The song title caught my eye but I didn’t expect to have this track on repeat before I first heard (but I have indeed had it on repeat). Cali’s Haiti Babii had some shit to get off his chest. He warns the opps if they say something dumb, he’s gonna slap the shit out of them then bring the pole out. It seems like he’s addressing someone in particular because he said he doesn't wanna hear his song, with that weak ass beat, punk ass producer, and wack ass sample. And as the title suggests, he calls the man’s Baby Mama Ugly and says the man is broke. He says love hurts but being broke is worse (Amen). 

Rylo Rodriguez - Right: 4PF’s Rylo Rodriguez dropped a new album this week called “Been One” and it’s a damn good album. His flow isn’t for everyone but he got some super dope beats and tailored his flow to ride the wave of each beat. One of my favorite tracks “Right” has an acoustic beat and finds Rylo getting into his introspective bag. He talks about lost homies and homies that caught cases (and didn’t talk). He employs a melodic flow on the hook to tell a special someone that if loving her is wrong he doesn’t wanna be Right. And even though he lost some homies, he still hasn’t cried about it yet (hopefully he’s not bottling it up inside). Go check out “Been One” and these highlights: 
Real Type (ft. Lil Baby)
Free Game
Unfuckwittable
Room Comfort (ft. Fridayy & Lil Durk)
Taylor Port Junkie (ft. Lil Yachty)
End of the Road
You Should
X-Hausted (ft. Lil Poppa)

Logic ft. C Dot Castro - Check Please: The unretired DMV spitter might be dropping another project this year (basing this off his output). He dropped a new loosie with longtime collaborator C-Dot Castro and T Man The Wizard. This is an anthem to getting to the bag. They use the money to buy the finest jewelry, designer clothes, and exotic whips. They running shit like a marathon.

Melii - Lonely: Multi-hyphenate Melii dropped an EP this week called “WNTRS OUTCAST”. The track “Lonely” stood out for her soulful delivery and hypnotic beat with a Jersey Club bass loop. She implores someone to call her up when he’s lonely. When it’s time for him to leave the homies give Melii a ring. They can do whatever, fuck the pain away when they’re stressed out or take a trip to somewhere Tropical. Drop the pin and she’ll spin for her twin.

Kay Bandz - In My Bag: Montreal’s Kay Bandz dropped a fire loosie this week with “In My Bag”. The beat is a major vibe (it reminds me of something Money Man would spit on). KB getting money and now everything is affordable. He’s fucking fans, popping Xans, and flying to Dubai. He promises the opps that he’s not like these other rappers and he will in fact slide when necessary.  

Nino Man - Shorty Bad: D-Block affiliate Nino Man dropped a new project this week called “Incognino”. His track “I Hate You” with Jada is one of my all-time favorites and a staple on my gym playlist. My favorite tracks on this new project are the ones where the fairer sex is the subject matter and especially “Shorty Bad” which samples the Sisqo mega-hit “Thong Song”. He dedicates it to the Boss bitties with the bubble buns and soft skin. He promises to eat the cat til her soul’s gone and he don’t care about her past, because he’s her future. Other highlights from “Incognino”:
Take A Picture (ft. Millyz)
Mama Said (ft. Sheek Louch)

Marlon Craft - LESSONS: NY Spitter Marlon Craft dropped a new loosie this week with a soul sampled boom bap beat. He’s enjoying the fruits of his labor. He’s also been in the dark grinding, taking singing lessons, swimming lessons, giving lessons. His hard work has brought him many blessings. 


Other Tracks/Projects That Dropped This Week

42 Dugg - One Time

Dave East ft. G-Eazy - WDGAF

Jay Rock ft. Kal Banx - Eastside

Sauce Walka & Conway - Dangerous Daringer

The Alchemist - Flying High (EP)

LaRussell & Lucas Quinn - How Does a Peace of Mind Cost? (Album)