​Babyface Ray, DJ ESCO & Lil Yachty - Congratulations: Babyface Ray released a Deluxe of his album “FACE” and he released it the traditional way (months after the original dropped). He added 8 new songs and my favorite was this one featuring (and produced by I’d assume) DJ ESCO and also featuring Lil Boat. It’s a track about grinding your way to the top. BFR is congratulating the homies that made it. He makes a toast to the opps who thought he was incapable. The beat sets the mood with keys. Yachty been sippin lean and chasing freaks. He remembers the days when he couldn’t rub two nickels together. He tried to teach his homies how to fish but they wanted him to spoon feed him. Go check out “FACE” (Deluxe) if you’ve ever overcome an obstacle against all odds.

Moneybagg Yo x Kodak Black - Rocky Road: After being featured heavily on Kendrick’s album, expect a Kodak flood to follow. Anybody with a Yak Track in the tuck is dropping it. This is an exception as Moneybagg is prepping an album drop (according to rumors). And this track is super hard: soul sample, organ keys, bass bumpin. No hook just KB and MY going back and forth each handling 4-8 bars at a time and ad-libbing each other. They guys are watching out for opps & cops as they chase that paper. They keep a strong relationship with the Lord and put the city on their back.

Payroll Giovanni - Looking At My Scale: Payroll Giovanni released a new album this week called “Back 2 The Ba$ics”. He dropped one of my favorite projects last year with “Giovanni’s Way” and now he’s back with another one. My favorite track off this new joint is “Looking At My Scale” which could be “Huddle Wit Bosses” Pt. 2 since they re-rocked that beat. PG thinks back to his hustlin days, looks at his scale and talks to his work (he’s the yay whisperer). He’s having visions of a V12 Benz and mink coats. He says fuck the scene and fuck being seen he just wanna do his homework, ace the test and get that scrilla. Them broke days taught him how to stack more. Go listen to “Back 2 The Ba$ics” if you ever had to sell candy for the school fundraiser and knew you had a future in sales.

Deante Hitchcock ft. Big K.R.I.T & WESTSIDE BOOGIE - Callin’: ATLien Deante Hitchcock released a 2-pack this week with “Callin’/All My Children”. Both tracks are super dope. I love “Callin’” because it samples Jodeci’s “Come and Talk To Me” and features Krit & Boogie in a bag they don’t usually hop into (love songs). DH spits to that special someone he met back in the day. Now they consuming red wine and dark chocolate. Her heart was guarded but he picked it like a locksmith. Boogie heart was stone but shorty melted it, connected to his spirit and helped him recharge. She came from the stars. BK giving out meat like an Outback server. He likes to do it in the car and he knows how to ignite the fire (by throwing some wood on it #bars).

Stunna 4 Vegas - The One: Billion Dollar Baby signee Stunna 4 Vegas released a new project this week called “Rae Rae’s Son” (these young niggas puttin in work). It feels like he just dropped an album last year with “Welcome To 4 Vegas” (it was actually the end of 2020 but I was bumping it so long…) and he back at it like a crack addict (music fiend more apropo). My favorite track of the album is “The One” (makes sense). S4V feels like he’s the (Chosen) One. He made a big cake outta crumbs. Before his grandma left she told him he’s the one. He’s come so far from the projects, now he’s on private jets and having passionate sex with the finest of women. He warns the opps that if they act up he has his heat on him, he’s been working on his aim and he’s shooting for their necks.

Kamaiyah ft. DaBoii - F.W.I.: Kamaiyah is one of my favorites for her unique voice, her beat selection is A1, and she pulls off both the tomboy look and the dolled up look effortlessly. She’ll throw it back on you and throw shots at the opps (A “Fucking Lady” as Adele Givens would say). On “F.W.I.” (short for fuck wit it) she collabs with SOBxRBE’s DaBoii over a bouncy Cali beat. Maiyah is fucking winning and fucking wit it (bankrolls, choppas, and The Lord). She warns the opps not to get too comfortable. She’s gone from drop top Benzes to drop top Bentleys (I see you glowing). DaBoii likes threesomes and fat booties. He is not a fan of pat downs by security. He’s been trapping for a week in the same clothes and his ladies pay him for time spent (that’s P).

TyFontaine ft. Jourdin Pauline - Hold Me Down: TyFontaine dropped a new project this week called “Beautiful Michi Girls” and it’s my favorite album of the week. Melodic hip hop, wavy, whole project fire top to bottom. I’ve had this track “Hold Me Down” on repeat since I heard it. It has a 90’s R&B type beat with a new age bass loop. TF loves it when his bitty holds him down. He feels the love in his kidneys. He needs loyalty and he reciprocates. Jourdin Pauline’s husky vocals offer a counterpoint. She got him feeling butterflies in his stomach. He should feel lucky to be with her. She encourages him to behave and she’ll hold him down per his request. Do yourself a favor and go listen to “Beautiful Michi Girls” and thank me later (or now, whenever).

Snoop Dogg ft. October London - Touch Away: Uncle Snoop dropped a new track with frequent collaborator October London and on Death Row Records at that (legendary!) Funky beat, Snoop is smoking some gas, promoting peace and not beef. He knows he’s the most recognized rapper on the planet and is basking in super success. October London sings the hook and lets the fam know that him & Snoop are still running plays in LA, they never changed, and they're just a Touch Away.

Dreezy - 21 Questions: Dreezy dropped a new collab project with Hit-Boy aptly titled “HITGIRL”. I loved the whole project. I really loved the “Phases” record and wanted to feature it here but “21 Questions” is one of my favorite songs of the year so far. It’s a flip of 50’s “21 Questions” but with a whole different beat and from a woman’s perspective (obvi). The questions Dreezy asks… I felt them in my soul. If she gain weight, would you leave her for a chick with surgery? If shawty miss her period, are you planning a baby shower or going to the clinic? #Bars If she had to work a 9-5, you gon cop her the Louboutins or the Air Max 95s? Check out “HITGIRL” if you ever had someone ask you “What are we?” and you had to think quick on your feet.

Quavo & Takeoff - Hotel Lobby: So this rollout of this track caused a bit of an uproar as Offset and Cardi B unfollowed Quavo & Takeoff on IG and people was like “Oh shit the Migos breaking up! Oh shit Takeoff smacked the shit outta Offset!” (allegedly) and so on and so forth. Forget the overactions, the song is tough. Unc & Phew (I believe Quavo is Takeoff’s uncle or vice versa) used a Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas theme for the video and a trippy beat (makes sense) to talk about all their life experiences including flying the freaks out (coach) so they can chug full bottles of alcohol, wild out and do it all again the next day. Other things they touched on: Matching Rollies, colored diamonds, drop top whips, commas (they’re big fans of punctuation) smoking marijuana trees and serving the community. They do all this while rolling on Shrooms flooded out in the Hotel Lobby.

Harry Styles - Cinema: Harry Styles dropped a new album this week called “Harry’s House”. Pop/R&B vibes throughout. My favorite track is “Cinema”. It has a funky, Daft Punk-y sound. Harry thinks shawty is cool. He’s digging her Cinema. He asks if she thinks he’s cool too or is he just sprung. The situation feels so right to him, he likes the way she moves, the way she dances with him. (I can answer, he sprung… I been there bro). Go check out “Harry’s House” if you ever wore big ass clothes and they wouldn’t let you into a local establishment.

Tory Lanez - It Doesn’t Matter: Fargo Fridays continues as Tory gets in his R&B bag (my favorite of his bags). On this joint with island vibes, he lays claim to his thot and he likes her a lot. He also says you can call him a thot and shawty likes him a lot. So it doesn’t matter what the haters think or say. He states that if you smashed his bae pre-surgery, it doesn’t count, especially since she on IG saying Tory the one. He enjoys road head with the top down and his shawty enjoys to give it while she tipsy off that Patrony Tron.

Boldy James & Real Bad Man ft. Rome Streetz & Stove God Cooks - Open Door: Hip-Hop! Hip-Hop! Detroit's own Boldy James (not Boldly James like autocorrect be doing) dropped a new collab project this week with Real Bad Man called “Killing Nothing”. Top-tier Boom Bap. My favorite track was this one featuring Rome Streetz & Stovito. Minimalist beat carried by hi-hat and snares. Boldly had to scram, shake, rattle & roll. He stays strapped with a pole, riding in the Rolls and stay attracting the hoes. He rode out to Cali, picked up the work and went back to the Mitten. Rome went half on a package with his mans, he smashes square chicks and gutter chicks. He can eyeball the work (he’s a vet). He’s still moving straight drop even though folks think he’s a celebrity. Stove God sitting on hella bricks and a Ferrari Portofino. He sometimes shows up fashionably late. He sends his shooter back to spin the block again if you happen to dodge the initial bullets. Go check out “Killing Nothing” if you've ever been in a street fight, won, then the next day at school the girl with the biggest booty in the whole school gave you a kiss on the lips.

Logic ft. DJ Premier - Vinyl Days: Logic got the clip loaded up and it’s about to go BANG! This week he released the title track from his upcoming album “Vinyl Days”. The production on this track was handled by the legendary DJ Premier (and there are fewer matches made in heaven like Logic and a Preme beat). On “Vinyl Days” Bobby gets introspective (per usual) and over a beat laced with strings he talks about money & greed being the root of evil and keeping his circle tight (to keep out the snakes & fakes). He’s not worried about what the critics say as he’s chilling off the coast sipping Pinot Grigio. He rocks Fred Segal and likes to watch Cobra Kai. He rose out depression and like a rose he was destined. No hook, he just goes for like 100 bars straight. Then some Preme scratches at the end. Super duper ill! Tough Tune.

Flume - Go: Australian EDM artist Flume released “Palaces” this week, a new album full of E-lectronic goodness. The album has a good mix of tracks, some with vocals some without. Uptempo, downtempo. My favorite is “Go” which starts off with rainfall then some electric keys, add in a cymbal (or triangle) then the funky uptempo drum loop that you can shake your bum to. It’s a whole ass vibe. Go check out “Palaces” if you ever walked into the club expecting Hip-Hop and they playing EDM and at first you’re reluctant but then you have the time of your life.

THEY. - Blü Moon: R&B Duo THEY. released a loosie this week (probably in preparation for a project drop soon). I don’t think I’ve ever seen them (I think they were staying incognegro for a while) but that all changed when they dropped the visuals for this new track “Blü Moon”. I’ve been a fan for a hot lil minute with “Back It Up” never getting skipped on the Shuffle. “Blü Moon” is right in their wheelhouse. Soulful, for the ladies, it has a 90’s R&B feel. The nigga with the Caesar kicks it off. He’s tired of pretending, he’s trying not to move the way he used to, he’s a whole new nigga and he’s hoping shawty can love him for who he is now. I thought braids nigga was bout to spit but he must be the producer like in dvsn and Majid Jordan. In the 2nd verse Caesar nigga encourages shawty to keep it straight with him. No bullshit por favor.

Marlon Craft - Pay Me In Time: Barsmith Marlon Craft released a new album this week called “While We’re Here”. It’s a dope project full of sweet beats and hard bars. My favorite track is “Pay Me In Time”. It has a trippy beat that could be a video game or movie soundtrack. Marlon just wants to take his time but is it his time to take? (#Bars) He then uses a stutter flow to bridge his verses and lets us know he’s got some doo doo in his soul that he knows he has to remove. 

Rucci ft. RJmrLA - What If: Cali rapper Rucci released a new song this week with RJ (Mr. LA). On it he ponders various hypotheticals. 2 that perked my ears up “What if 03 was free? What if Nipsey was still alive”. I think about Nipsey every week, it's crazy and I ponder the same thing. And 03 was on the come up for real before he had to go do his bid (had the Drake stimmy and his name was ringing bells). Rucci wonders this and other things as he asks What If? RJ poses hypotheticals too. What if he never had the Mustard connec? What if his pops wasn’t a true hustler? What if them bullets didn’t miss him. What if he didn’t have rap as an outlet? What if he wasn’t black and didn’t grow up poor? He prolly wouldn’t be where he is today. Amen.

Xavier Omär - Feelings 4 You: Xavier Omär dropped a loosie this week called “Feelings 4 You”. Slow R&B Jam where XO bears his soul to shawty. Back in the day she wasn’t trying to give him no play. She put him in the friend zone and he knows it. But he wants her to hear him out because he got feelings for her and thinks about her all the time and he uses this track to shoot his shot and just like the LAPD motto, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. (That’s a joke Officer Woodruff… I’m just joshing… Don’t beat my ass again…)


Other Tracks/Projects That Dropped This Week

Kevin Gates - Bad For Me

Maxo Kream - Jigga Dame

John Legend ft. J.I.D - Dope

French Montana - Alcatraz

Lupe Fiasco - AUTOBOTO

Jacquees - Say Yea

Nick Cannon ft. Chris Brown - I Do

August 08 - Towards the Sun (Album)

Malachiii - The Ascension (Album)