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Brent Faiyaz — Wasteland
Brent Faiyaz released his last album, F—k the World, two years ago. Now, the singer-songwriter unveils his newest body of work, Wasteland.
This 19-song project boasts some big names. Drake, Alicia Keys, Tyler, the Creator, and The Neptunes all make appearances here. Tre’ Amani and DJ Dahi also lend their talents.
Firstly, Brent introduces the album with “Villain’s Theme.” He contemplates “temporary euphoria.” “That’s like temporary happiness real quick…I make music about that because I feel it gets to a point where you live so much of your life in that state because you work so damn much,” he says. “It’s been years and I’ve been doin’ the same shit.”
Faiyaz recently spoke with Vogue about this LP. “It was less of an album process and more of a life process,” he said. “I just made a collection of songs and tied a storyline together once I saw that they all kind of shared a similar theme. I didn’t really realize I was working on an album until I was maybe a little over halfway through. Then I realized, ‘Wait a minute, this is a body of work.’”
Listen to Wasteland below.
Burna Boy — Love, Damini
Burna Boy is back! Two years after dropping Twice as Tall, the global superstar returns with a whopping 19-song album in Love, Damini.
The star-studded offering features a bevy of talent from across the world. Thus, you get names like Blxst, Kehlani, Ed Sheeran, J Balvin, Khalid and Popcaan on the tracklisting. The Elements, P2J, and Chopstix are among the LP’s producers.
Previously, Burna Boy spoke about the album title’s significance during an interview with Billboard.
“That’s how I like to sign all my letters, because I didn’t know the proper [signoff],” he explained.
Moreover, the album celebrate’s Burna’s birthday. “It’s a bit personal [because] it’s bringing you into my head on my birthday — when you turn 31 and ain’t got no kids, everything is going good and bad at the same time,” he continued. “You reflect and then you get as lit as possible. Then you sleep and wake up and reflect again. I’m reflecting on everything.”
Listen to Love, Damini below.
Fivio Foreign & The Kid LAROI — “Paris to Tokyo”
What do you get when you combine two youthful powerhouses? Fivio Foreign and The Kid LAROI try to answer that question through their new collaboration, “Paris to Tokyo.”
SB produced this jet-setting anthem. First, the producer nods to the past with a sample of The Far East Movement and Ryan Tedder’s “Rocketeer.” Next, The Kid LAROI drops the hook over booming production. Finally, Fivio pops up with a lone verse.
“I met her in ’09,” Fivi explains in the verse. “I was lit, she was curvin’ the whole time / They was thinking she was paying me no mind / But I knew I would have her in no time.” Meanwhile, LAROI references the title in his hook: “Paris, Tokyo, London, I took her on all of my trips.”
Foreign and LAROI also teamed up for the song’s music video. Initially, director Chris Villa shows us a beautiful image from Paris. The Eiffel Tower twinkles in the background. But then, we’re transported to Tokyo through stylized performance shots.
Where is “Paris to Tokyo” landing? Some fans believe this could wind up on Fivio’s B.I.B.L.E. (Deluxe), but that remains to be seen. Kanye West, Alicia Keys, and Coi Leray appeared on the original B.I.B.L.E., which dropped earlier this year.
Listen to “Paris to Tokyo” and watch the song’s video below.
Joey Bada$$ — “Survivor’s Guilt”
Joey Bada$$ celebrates the life of his late friend Capital STEEZ on the New York rhymer’s newest release, “Survivor’s Guilt.”
“This one is for you,” he sings on the Rahki-produced tributary track. “We was just two kids tryna make it out the bottom,” he adds in one of the verses. “Now I’m rich and rotten, everyday I think about him / it’s survivor’s guilt.”
Later, Joey gives STEEZ his credit. “Lyrically, couldn’t top him,” he admits. “That’s real rap / I couldn’t do this without him, and that’s just fact.”
Joey uses the song’s three verses to talk about his love for STEEZ, but he also delivers a message to the late emcee’s family. Moreover, he honors his late cousin Junior B. Finally, Ab-Soul delivers a touching final word, describing his initial meeting with STEEZ and his love for the Pro Era camp.
Listen to “Survivor’s Guilt” below.
Kid Cudi — The Boy Who Flew to the Moon Vol. 1
Kid Cudi is gearing up to release his newest album Entergalactic. Before he blasts off on this journey, he unleashes a greatest hits offering, The Boy Who Flew to the Moon Vol. 1.
Cudder kicks things off with Man on the Moon: The End of Day classics, “Day ’N’ Nite (Nightmare)” and “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare).” Soon, the listener hears songs like “Mr. Rager,””Just What I Am” (with King Chip), and “Surfin’” (with Pharrell Williams), among other lauded hits.
In many ways, Cudi is celebrating all of his releases here, including Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, WZRD, Indicud, Man on the Moon III: The Chosen, and more. It also includes the bonus song “love.”
“The Boy Who Flew To The Moon is a much needed reminder of everything I’ve accomplished the last 14 years,” he explained in a statement. “The ups, the downs, the return, my rise again. One hell of ride. Who knows what the next 14 years has in store for me. I promise it wont be boring.”
Next, Cudi will release his newest album, Entergalactic on Sept. 30. The album accompanies Cudi’s upcoming Netflix series of the same name.
