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Kanye West— Jesus Is King
After plenty of hiccups and delays, Kanye West has finally released his latest studio album Jesus Is King. The gospel-influenced project includes assistance from artists like Ty Dolla $ign, — a frequent collaborator– and the Clipse.
Logic — “OCD”
Logic is getting things in order before releasing his forthcoming album, No Pressure. The Def Jam chart-topper is off to the races with his newest single, “OCD,” which features Dwn2evrth.
Bobby Tarantino raps about his current frame of mind throughout this new cut. “Time is undefeated, in the end, it beats us all,” he reflects. “My daddy, my momma, myself, we all destined to fall / Currently, the most important thing within my life is balance.”
Beyond this, Logic rhymes about his understanding of self while describing misconceptions in the limelight. “So focused on the brand sometimes forget about the man,” he adds. “Reflectin’ in the mirror with this pen in his hand / Ninety-nine percent of these people will never understand, supply and demand / ‘Cause I’m in the public eye, they think they know who I am.”
The Ratt Pack rapper enlisted Dwn2evrth, who handles the song’s chorus and adds a verse to this joint. He also explains the song title in his contribution. “In the field, ballin’ with the team,” Dwn sings. “OCD ‘cause I’m riding so clean.”
It seems as though No Pressure is a continuation of sorts for Logic’s debut album, Under Pressure. However, it might not be too much like the original, according to the man himself. “On this Under Pressure sequel, we not takin’ it back,” he rapped on the “No Pressure Freestyle” he released earlier this year. “We keepin’ it pushin’.”
Listen to “OCD” below.
Roddy Ricch feat. Gunna — “Start Wit Me”
Roddy Ricch is starting to heat up with new music. The rising West Coast artist aims to build on his quickly-growing buzz with his new Gunna-assisted single, “Start Wit Me.”
Over Jetsonmade’s production, Roddy sing-raps about everything from high fashion to informants. “I’ma hang with the gangbangers, he only hang with the feds, and the rats, and the mice,” he raps. “If my young nigga pull up with the bullets, I’ma pull up with the strap, we gon’ get him on sight.”
Gunna, who also implements a melodic flow, adds to this track with his own signature spice. Throughout the course of his verse, the Atlanta rapper flows about sexual partners and shouts out Roddy’s “Out Tha Mud” single. “I fucked and left, I hope it ain’t no heart feelings,” he raps. Later, he adds: “Me and Roddy got a made-it-out-the-mud business.”
Things may continue heating up for the West Coast star. Fresh off his “Big Stepper” single, Roddy is prepping for the release of his upcoming album, Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial. Before all of that, stream “Start Wit Me” below.
Dave East feat. Nas — “Godfather 4”
Dave East is in Survival mode as he gears up for the release of his major-label debut album. In honor of that, the Mass Appeal/Def Jam artist has teamed up with his mentor, MA’s label head Nas, for another collaboration. This time, it arrives in the form of “Godfather 4.”
Backed by Green Lantern’s production, Nas raps about orchestral tracks and smooth velvet. He also seems to discuss his growing friendship with Dave East. “A friendship is built over time and trust too,” Esco rhymes. “But trust is a contract, it constantly needs to be renewed / For peace and solitude.”
Following his mentor’s verse, East raps about models, gelato, and dope dealing. “Yo big bro,” he raps directly at Esco. “I’m from the ice pick era / Light skin terror / Thought I could sell this dope until my life get better.” Later, he describes what his very own airline might look like.
As Dave East fans know, this is nothing new for the New York duo. In fact, Esco and East have collaborated on a few songs in the past, including “Wrote My Way Out,” “NYCHA,” “Forbes List,” and “The Hated.”
“Godfather IV” is yet another teaser for Dave’s forthcoming album. Titled Survival, the new LP is due to arrive next month. Additionally, East has announced a 5-part documentary series covering the making of the album. Stream Nas and Dave East’s latest collaboration below.
Gallant — Sweet Insomnia
Gallant gets nocturnal with his newest album, Sweet Insomnia. It’s his first full-length release since 2016’s critically acclaimed Ology, which featured the hit single “Weight In Gold.”
Sweet Insomnia doesn’t emphasize too many other acts. However, 6LACK and Sabrina Claudio make appearances on the title track and “Compromise,” respectively. Elsewhere, Gallant’s smooth vocals take center stage over music that was primarily produced by Stint. Andrew Watt, BURNS, and Jeff Gitelman add production as well.
The album’s title comes from the LP’s creative process, according to Gallant. “I couldn’t sleep the whole time I was making [this album],” he told Afropunk during a recent interview. “On top of that, everything is very bittersweet. Nothing is 100 percent cool or positive or negative. It’s all [about] seeing both sides of the coin so Sweet Insomnia felt like the best way to describe the whole process.”
Stream Sweet Insomnia below.
Tyga feat. YG & Carlos Santana — “Mamacita”
After inking a new deal with Columbia Records, Tyga keeps the new music coming. The California rhymer taps fellow West Coast hitmaker YG and iconic guitarist Carlos Santana for his latest single, “Mamacita.”
Produced by Rvssian, the banger finds T-Raww attempting to rhyme in Spanish. “Señorita,” he pleads, “…tell your boyfriend hasta la vista.” Later, he claims YG is “the only feature” over Santana’s legendary guitar sounds.
YG, who recently made waves with “Go Loko,” tries out his Spanish curse words before describing the apple of his eye and her family ties. “Me and my bitch and her brother Carlos,” he raps, “I swear he a narco.”
Tyga co-directed the song’s music video with Arrad. The clip is set to feature Danny Trejo and Cindy Kimberly. Stream “Mamacita” below.
