​Drake ft. Travis Scott - Fair Trade: “I’ve been losing friends and finding peace, honestly that sounds like a fair trade to me” Drake’s long-delayed album “Certified Lover Boy” dropped this week and it was chunky, 21 tracks of Drake at his his most Drakest, from threatening bars to melodic heartbreak. There’s something for everyone on CLB. “Fair Trade” is my favorite track (and seems to be the people’s fave too although the socials are having fun with Way 2 Sexy and it’s accompanying music video). Drake really has mastered the use of those 90’s R&B sampled background vocals, sped up and used to bolster the beat. And then on this track, the concept of shedding dead weight? Addition by subtraction? It’s a notion those of blessed to grow old come to discover, a sad but true fact of life, that as you progress on the life’s journey, everybody who started with you won’t be there at the finish line. The beat flips and Travis digs into his brooding melody bag. I’ve had this one on repeat since Friday. Some other highlights from “Certified Lover Boy”:
Champagne Poetry
Papi’s Home
Girls Want Girls (ft. Lil Baby)
In The Bible (ft. Lil Durk)
Love All (ft. JAY-Z)
TSU
N 2 Deep (ft. Future)
Pipe Down
Knife Talk (ft. 21 Savage & Project Pat)
7 AM on Bridle Path
Get Along Better (ft. Ty Dolla Sign)
You Only Live Twice (ft. Lil Wayne & Rick Ross)
IYM2 (ft. Kid Cudi)
The Remorse

Meek Mill & Lil Uzi Vert - Blue Notes 2: Philly’s Phinest come through with a video filled with appearances by Monster Energy Drinks, 4 Wheelers, Dirtbikes, Fabolous, Blue Hair Uzi, Choppers and Choppas. Bars on Bars, Meek speaking on loyalty and the trappings of fame. Meek carries the team on this one with Uzi hopping in for a few bars to glue it together then adding the icing on top at the end. Tough Tune.

JPEGMAFIA - Trust!: The avant-garde artiste hops on an upbeat schizophrenic track and takes us through a range of emotions. He laments about the ladies, and how he prefers not to feel. He’s got some new threads, he’s headed to work, and on the way he praises God. He wants to celebrate but also he’s been fucked over but he feels good and he’s still going hard. This is less of a song and more of an experience. All the PEG-heads will love this. If you’re not familiar, give Peggy a shot. 

BIG30 - Backseat Of The Rolls Truck: Memphis native and Pooh Sheisty protege BIG30 did a very bold thing and dropped the same day as the biggest artist in the world. His project is called “King of Killbranch” and it didn’t disappoint. He also did another very smart thing (and something we saw Kanye do on TLOP with “Ultralight Beam” and on Donda with “Jail”), he took one of the album's best songs and made it the opening track. Over a hard trap beat carried by keys, he lets us into his world, implores the authorities to free his homie, and warns the opps what will happen if they cross the proverbial line. Definitely some Sheisty influence in his music but he carves out his own lane. Check out some other dope tracks from “King of Killbranch”:
Miss My Glock 26 (ft. Lil Durk)
No Hospital Gang
Whatever Come With It (ft. Future)
Shots Out Da Vette
King of My Projects
Fuck The Opps 4L (ft. Offset)

Slimelife Shawty - Still At It: I wasn’t very familiar with bro, but this song is tough. Signed to OTF, SS talks about the grind, his come up, people not fucking with him, haters, and how he’s running up more racks despite the obstacles. 

Jadakiss ft. Mr. Green - Street Champion: Top 5 Dead or Alive, Kiss is having a hell of a run recently. What many called a victory in his Verzuz with Fab and another clear cut win with The Lox against Dipset, to being added to Donda (and having the best of the bonus “Pt. 2” tracks) J to the muah (pause, unpause) is back at it with beatsmith Mr. Green and they cook up some magic. With a gospel/soul sample, and some boom bap drums, Mr. Raspy Flow spits that talk that put him on the Mt Rushmore of Yonkers. Discharging firearms (legally and in self-defense of course), ingesting marijuana, and having sexual relations with an enemy’s significant other. He spits that verse and then Mr. Green does some funky stuff with the beat to finish.

Bobby Shmurda - No Time For Sleep Freestyle: This that Bobby we grew to love after “Hot Nigga”, hard beat and hard bars. He hasn’t dropped much music since getting out of prison but he’s gotta be gearing up for a project. On this one he spitting some shit that got his PO ears perked up. 6 minutes of letting the opps know that he’s been at the firing range since he’s been out and his aim is the best it’s ever been. He also lets all his bitties know he’s been away from booty for quite awhile and he’s looking to make up for lost time. 

Shy Glizzy ft. 3 Glizzy - Ay Ay Ay: Another brave soul dropped on Drake Drop Day. DC’s own Shy Glizzy came thru with a new album (see what I did there?) called “Don’t Feed The Sharks” . This project is a monster, also bolstered by the fact that I wasn’t expecting a Glizzy album, I fuck with him heavy, and the project is hella polished with excellent productuon. SG enlists other members of the Glizzy Gang for assistance and the synergy is evident. On Ay Ay Ay, the Glizzy boys describe the sound a woman makes as they’re in the midst of lovemaking. The Glizzy Guys are known for putting it down properly and every lucky woman that gets to spend an evening with one of them walks away satisfied (or limps away knock-kneed ‘cause her walls got smashed to smithereens…) Other standouts from “Don’t Feed the Sharks: 
No Feelings
Ridiculous (ft. No Savage)
Mafioso (ft. 3 Glizzy & Goo Glizzy)
Trackhawk (ft. Taliban Glizzy)
Mad Bitches (ft. Pressa)
Doberman (ft. Goo Glizzy)
Champagne Dreamin’ (ft. 3 Glizzy)
Barry White (ft. Goo Glizzy)

Lil Duval ft. Lil Boosie - Sexy: Floridan Man, Comedian and Chart-Topping Singer Lil Duval released a new track this week and it’s a good one. Ever since his hit “Smile Bitch” he’s really invested time and energy into making more music (he made some great tracks before that like “Drop It Off” and that shit about the shoulders but “Smile Bitch” blew all the way up.) He got the recipe right on this one, sampling Surface’s hit record “Happy” the beat is instantly recognizable and the lyrics address the ladies directly. It's a nice vibe the whole family can jam too (as long as nobody ain’t got no beef with Boosie…)

Bic Fizzle ft. Gucci Mane & Cootie - On God: Gucci Mane is stocking up the New 1017 roster. Shit is like an NFL expansion team, it seems like every week there’s a new act and they make fire tracks. Apparently Bic Fizzle is in high school or just graduated (he look like a grown ass man to me…) but he rap like a seasoned vet. With Coach Mane in his corner he’s set up for success. BF kicks it off then Cootie hops on and kills his verse, both gentlemen have many guns and many diamonds. Guwop finishes up and talks about how he’s making new millionaires everyday and how he ain’t the one to play with. No chorus needed all bars back to back to back. Tough Tune!

Other Tracks/Projects That Dropped This Week

Westside Boogie - Glory of God

Horseshoe Gang - Liquor Store Church Freestyle

Smoke Bulga ft. Rick Ross - Water Whip’n

DaBaby - Essence Freestyle & Wockesha Freestyle

Soulja Boy - Swag 4 (Album)

JMSN - Heals Me (Album)