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Cardi B f. Megan Thee Stallion — “Bongos”
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have formed quite a bond. They previously joined forces on the chart-topping “WAP” back in 2020. Since then, their relationship has blossomed through the years and now, they’re ready to run that back with their newest collaboration, “Bongos.”
We Good, Breyen Isaac, and DJ SwanQo produced the cut. Meanwhile, Cardi and Meg go back-and-forth. “Eat whoever in my way, Ms. Pac-Man,” Thee Stallion raps. “Hermes / Made a real big purchase / Purse so big, had to treat it like a person.”
Cardi delivers her bars with her signature sassy, boastful flare. “My BD is a Migo / Your BD is a zero,” she raps. Later, she brags: “Bought a couple cribs on my own, I’m an owner.”
Bardi says Meg was the missing piece to the puzzle. “It always felt incomplete…Some records just need a feature,” she said in a YouTube live convo with Meg. “My team was like, ‘It needs a Latin artist.’ I’m like, ‘I hear Megan on it.’ As soon as I got the verses back, I was like, ‘See? I told y’all!’”
Meanwhile, Megan was maneuvering through new territories on this sogn. “I was so happy when I got the song because it doesn’t sound like anything that’s out right now,” she added. “It challenged me to rap in a different way because I’ve never rapped over a beat like this before. I was like, ‘Okay, she wants me to put my foot in this b—h! Okay. I can do that for her.’”
The song’s music video is a colorful sunshine-filled seaside exploration. Bardi and Meg also showcase their fashion, rap skills and choreography in front of elaborate vibrant sets. Watch the sleek and dynamic visual below.
Killer Mike f. JID, T.I. & Jacquees — “Maynard Vignette”
Killer Mike released one of the year’s most critically acclaimed projects back in June. Now, the Run the Jewels emcee is unloading even more content with his newest drop, “Maynard Vignette.”
JID, Jacquees and T.I. are among the new song’s guests. Julian Cruz and SKUFL are behind the instrumentation. That production allows each artist to dive into personal waters with their subject matter. “Mama, look at me now / Your baby boy is more than just a problem child,” Jacquees sings.
T.I. explains: “My life full of highlights / If it was a book, it’d be a page turner.” Elsewhere, JID adds: “We ain’t ever had it all / My daddy ain’t ever had a steady job…Mama feeding seven kids.”
For his part, Killer Mike offers some motivational words of encouragement. “Campaign presidential,” he raps. “My goal is to be a winner / I’m grinding through the winter / ‘Cause ain’t no Rolex ever gettin’ bought with the words ‘I might’ or ‘finna.’”
Mike also released a statement about the song and the title’s significance. “Maynard Jackson was an incredible leader for Atlanta and my grandfather, Willie Burke, and our community loved him,” he said via Instagram. “He inspires me still.”
Busta Rhymes f. Coi Leray — “Luxury Life”
Busta Rhymes and Coi Leray are at it again. The dynamic duo linked up to create music earlier this year on “Players (DJ Saige Remix).” Now, they’re reuniting for “Luxury Life.”
Fans might recognize this beat. After all, it pulls inspiration from JAY-Z’s “Ain’t No N——a.” Busta and Coi also deliver a hook inspired by the Foxy Brown-assisted classic from 1996’s iconic album, Reasonable Doubt.
Busta recently took to social media to celebrate the new single. “We outside heavy! The banger for the year is here,” he said via Instagram. “Brand new global banger alert. The [dragon] is out.”
The song’s Benny Boom-directed music video also pulls inspiration from a mid-‘90s classic, Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 movie, Pulp Fiction. “They runnin’ Mickey Mouse operations while we making big movies,” Coi said on Instagram.
Conway The Machine & 38 Spesh — Speshal Machinery
What do you get when a Machine teams up with Spesh? 38 Spesh and Conway The Machine find out with the release of their newest project, Speshal Machinery.
The 10-track project features some heavy-hitters, including Lloyd Banks and Pharoahe Monch. Of course, Benny The Butcher and Che Noir lend their voices to the project and so do Elcamino and Emanny.
This partnership isn’t new, according to 38. “While a lot of fans associate me and Benny,” he says in a statement to press, “Con and I have been doing songs together for over a decade too. Speshal Machinery was a long time coming, and I think people are going to be astounded by our chemistry.”
