​Money Man - Fear No Man: The indie titan Money Man (who made an appearance on Obama’s Summer Music Playlist this year) dropped a new loosie this week. He talks about one of his homies that snitched. It broke his heart and he doesn't respect anybody that’s telling. He keeps the heat on him like Ja and if you cross him, he’s sending shots at your head top. He fears no man, only God.

Mark Battles, Keara Alyse & Justin Stone - Used To Be: Another week, another great find on the Apple Music New Hip-Hop playlist. I’ve had this on repeat since I heard it (purchased it too). The thing that first caught me was the Johnny Gill “There U Go” sample. That’s one of my all-time favorite songs and to flip it and interpolate it into this upbeat track made it even more catchy. What also makes it catchy is the subject, Change. Reinvention. New life, new me. As constantly evolving creatures we should be embracing change and that makes this track timeless for me. A1 verse from Mark, Keara’s vocals add a great contrast, and the production (I’m guessing from Justin Stone) makes this one that should be in heavy radio rotation. 

Trippie Redd - Romantic Fantasy: Trippie Redd dropped his new album “A Love Letter To You 5” this week and it’s one of my favorite projects of this year. He embraces his Emo Rap roots but it also has many R&B elements that give it a different sauce. My favorite track is “Romantic Fantasy” and what got me is the “Thug Lovin” interpolation. It’s a downtempo melodic track (no drums) and he pours his heart out to his main damie over keys, ballad-style. If you like R&B you gotta check out “A Love Letter to You 5” and these highlights:
Take Me Away (with Corbin)
Thy Motion
Thinking Bout You
Praying 4 Love
I’m Mad At Me (with Lil Wayne)
Closed Doors (with Roddy Ricch)
Took My Breath Away (with Skye Morales)

Brady Watt, Conway The Machine & Talib Kweli - Without You: I should have known this would be a bop. Brady Watt kicks off this track with his vocals “Lose it all, gain the world, it doesn’t matter Without You”. It’s dedicated to that special someone that these 3 guys can’t live without (individually, not the same lady, I hope…). And while I’ve heard Talib get in his lovey dovey bag before, I think this is the first time I’ve heard Conway ride this wave. I know he got a few kids so he be fucking for sure. Great track.

Jay Worthy, Wiz Khalifa & OhGeesy - From The Jump: Cali’s Jay Worthy got with Wiz & Geesy for this summer bop. They really like that and they been that From The Jump. They get anything they want, never been punks, and never switched up.

Humble Soles, Reuben Vincent, Guapdad4000 & RJAE - Outsiders: OK, so when I went on Apple Music at midnight Thursday to check out the drops, I saw Humble Soles at the top of the list next to Trippie Redd. Never heard of him, but I saw DJ Clue as a collab artist so I added it to the list of projects to check out. Best decision I made this week. This self-titled project is a Grand Slam. The production, the bars. My favorite track is “Takeover” which dropped a few weeks ago but I just heard for the first time Friday and my favorite album cut is the Guapdad collab “Outsiders”. This album has no skips really, I listened to it all the way through (and I almost never listen to anything all the way through). It's apparent why Roc Nation signed Humble Soles and he’s got a bright future ahead. Do yourself a favor and check out “Humble Soles” and these standouts:
Intro (with Reuben Vincent, RJAE & Huey V)
Takeover (with DJ Clue, RJAE, Johnny Cocoa & Reuben Vincent)
Chess Not Checkers (with Huey V & Tish Hyman)
Vic Chops Soul (with VIC MENSA)
Wild West (with Tyre Hakim, Huey V & Shawn Smith)
Selling Lies (with Zacari, Reuben Vincent & RJAE)
Love Is A Mixtape (with DJ Clue, Kalan.FrFr, HDBeenDope & Reuben Vincent)
Love Answers All (with Rapsody & KenTheMan)

Noname ft. Jay Electronica & Eryn Allen Kane - balloons: Chicago’s Noname dropped a new album this week called “Sundial” and she pulled no punches. Obama got some smoke. Beyonce got some smoke. Jay-Z got some smoke. She even shot at herself for performing at Coachella against her better judgment. The collab with Jay Electronica & Eryn Allen Kane is a meeting of the minds unlike anything we’ve seen this year. Noname uses words that are not in my vernacular (and she also big ups shrooms & tree, yee!). She talks about slavery and how we are slaves to the capitalist system (this is a common thread throughout the project and something she has been vocal about previously). She talks about how we deal with trauma and she cries black and blue balloons to cope (hence the title). Jay Elec, gives peace and blessings to the Lord then spits some Bible bars and called the opps “infidels”. He vows to never put his sword down. He said if anybody asks, Farrakhan sent him, and he says if you ain’t fighting, you either dead or a prisoner. 

Yeat - bigger thën everything: Yeat had a deluxe of his previous project “AftërLyfe” in the works but scrapped it to drop a whole new album. A track you might hear on the new one is this loosie he dropped this week “bigger thën everything” which was accompanied with a Cole Bennett directed video (shoutout to Lyrical Lemonade). Perfect Yeat beat with the drum loop and the keys. He’s gotten rich and now he blocks the shade by sitting under umbrellas. He remembers when he was broke and now he’s in the South of France on a boat.

Zack Fox - dummy: Multi-hyphenate Zack Fox dropped a new bop this week. It has a 90’s vogue vibe to it with a snap beat so it sounds modern too. Zack been getting to the money and he’s got his middle finger up to the opps. He’s got big guns on him to keep the fuck niggas off him. If you wonder what he’s been doing, he’s been going dummy.

REASON ft. Ray Vaughn - Bussin! (WB Pt. 2): After a viral moment with one of the label bosses, TDE’s Reason dropped his new project “Porches”. He got a lot off his chest on the project. My favorite track might be “Family First” with TDE bros SiR & Zacari and also featuring Kalan Frfr. Also want to highlight “Bussin! (WB pt. 2)” with TDE signee Ray Vaughn as it’s a certified slapper. Reez talks his shit. He got an Audemars Piguet watch and a very freaky girl. He’s breathing in success and making more money than a lil bit. Ray Vaughn is a walking W. His dream was to smash his favorite actress and it’s coming true. He used to be a bum, but he woke up and caught a bag. Check out “Porches” and these standouts:
Caucasian Estates!
At It Again
You Betta (Jesus Take The Wheel)
FTN! (ft. Baby Tate & Junii)
Gina! (August Alsina)
Rich Mirages! (ft. Flozigg)
I Don’t Trust You! (ft. Doechii & Junii)
Family First! (ft. Kalan.Frfr, SiR & Zacari)

EST Gee ft. Yo Gotti - A Moment with Gotti: EST Gee dropped a new track with label Boss Yo Gotti. Geeski uses it to tell part of his story. They tried to box him in but they failed. He had to swiss cheese a couple opps. He’s the king of the jungle but he didn’t get voted in, he had to snatch the throne. Gotti recommends that we value our past and depend on our future. He gets money with Bloods and Crips because the money is neutral. They go back and forth, no hook required.

Sleepy Hallow ft. Marshmello - GBG: One of NY’s finest, Sleepy Hallow, dropped a new track produced by EDM mega-producer Marshmello and his longtime collaborator Great John. Chipmunk vocals in the back, and the NY Drill hi-hat loop kick it off. Sleep stays with a stick and he won’t hesitate to get his getback. He doesn’t drop diss tracks he drops opps. He warns the scaredy cats in his crew that if they scared to spin, get out the whip. He’s a winner, he’ll never quit.

Rucci - Popular Loner: One of my favorite songs of the week came from Rucci’s new project “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop!”. “Popular Loner” interpolates a R&B track and sounds a bit like “Still Not A Player”. Rucci’s got hella followers but still feels like nobody’s fucking with him. He been solo dolo because he don’t trust nobody. He’s at war with himself, trying to figure out, trying to figure which of his peoples really thugging with him. He promises when he hits the Jackpot, all those who are truly with him will touch the money too. Check out “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop!” and these highlights: 
I Got It
Off Tha Dribble (ft. Swiftchapo, 40e & Bueno Da Champ)
That’s That Shit
Point Me 2 Tha Bitches
The Way I Live
Feelin’ Like A Million

Miguel ft. Lil Yachty - Number 9: Miguel dropped a new track with Big Boat and I’m guessing he’s dropping an album any day because he’s been super active this year. “Number 9” isn’t an ode to jailed Chicago rapper Rondo Number 9. It's a wavy track that finds Miguel talking bout the sky, waves, and the sun. From dusk to dawn he’s doing the nasty with his main ting (probably). Yachty is the grim reaper, the street sweeper. Not too much gets past him. He be on his girl’s skin like lotion.

Rob49 - ILY: Rob49 dropped the deluxe to his most recent project “4GOD II” this week adding 8 new tracks. The Durk collab is fire. My favorite track is the opening track ILY. It obviously stands for I Love You. Rob gets introspective and expresses regret about a friendship that fell apart. He loves his dog and wants to repair the situation. He wishes he made some different choices. His opps don’t wanna see him win and he asks the Lord for internal peace and to give him one more chance.

RAAHiiM - Energy: So I heard “Outside Freestyle” on the Joe Budden Podcast and Joe said the whole album (“BUT IF iiM HONEST”) was gas so I had to check it out (he wasn’t lying). Smooth R&B tracks, great for that Late Night playlist. I really love “Energy”. It’s a funky track. Ra is trying to take his time with his new love interest. He feels the energy between them and wants to give love a shot. It feels just right. Other standouts from “BUT IF iiM HONEST”:
Famous (Lost to LA)
Lonely
Fable
Outside Freestyle

French Montana - Good Summer: If there’s one thing the Coke Boys boss can do well is make a summer anthem. This one samples Wayne Wonder’s “No Letting Go” and has a New Orleans Bounce foundation. He talks about the ladies and about success. Real niggas relate. This one will be played on the radio a whole lot.

Sada Baby & Skilla Baby - Fresh: 2 of Detroit’s Babys dropped a new loosie this week. Fresh is about putting that drip on. The guys get fresh for no reason. They got Gucci on, Louis on, Amiri on, gold on. They be Fresh & clean every time they leave the house and that’s how they get all the bitties. (NOTE: I think they should get Babyface Ray and Baby Money for the Remix and then all Detroit’s Babys can form like Voltron.)

Lil B & The Basedgod - 35th Street: Thank You Based God! Lil B the Based God dropped a new album this week called “B-Unit”. Dope, full-length project with skits and interludes. My favorite track is “35th Street”. On it, Based God reminisces about his come up. Cruising in his whip, hyphy, showing out up and down 35th Street. He would hear Latin music come through the speakers and vibe out. Check out “B-Unit” and these standouts and if you don’t, you will receive the wrath of the Based God:
Authentic Denim
The BasedGods Layer (Remix)
When I Was There (Remix) [with  iLoveMakonnen]
I Ain’t Gon Li (with The Basedgod)
Smokin Weed
9 to 9 (Based Freestyle)
B Unit Again (Based Freestyle)
Mr Bean (Based Freestyle)

DJ Khaled ft. Lil Baby, Future & Lil Uzi Vert - Supposed To Be Loved: Khaled's gearing up to drop a new album soon. He’s even got 2 Drizzy features in the tuck. On this one he got Pluto, Baby Pluto & The Hero to let the ladies know how they’re Supposed To Be Loved. And, he sampled Michael Jackson’s classic “PYT”.

2RARE & Blueface - 2HUMPY: So 2Rare is becoming the king of the sample. Besides carving out his own sound with the Philly Bounce, and his own looks with the white shit on his shape-up, he’s been taking classic tracks and making modern slappers. I was surprised to see he sampled Public Enemy’s “Rebel Without a Pause” on this one, but it works. And he’s got the walking viral moment, Blueface, for a feature too. There’s gonna be lots of ass shaking to this one for the rest of the year. Get Money. 2Humpy.

Lakeyah - In Da Club: I’m a sucker for a sample and QC’s Lakeyah flipped J’Kwon’s smash hit “Tipsy” and it slaps. Everybody will be in the club gettin tipsy to this one for sure.

Big Yavo - Facts: Texas’ Big Yavo dropped a new track this week. He grabs two cups then pours up a deuce. He dares his opps to think he won’t shoot. Everyday he wakes up and gets loot. When he’s on the mic the only thing he spittin is truth.

Other Tracks Project That Dropped This Week

Gucci Mane - Now It’s Real

Ghostface Killah ft. Remy Ma - Yupp!

DJ Muggs, Ice Cube, B-Real & MC Ren - Dump On Em

Emotional Oranges - STILL EMO (Album)

G Perico - 7 Figures Later (Album)