Source: @PhotosByBeanz / @PhotosByBeanz
21 Savage — i am > i was
21 Savage is out to show his progress. More than a year after his debut album, Issa Album, the Georgia rapper releases his highly-anticipated sophomore LP, i am > i was.
Part of that growth comes in the form of guest appearances. The Saint Laurent Don taps some major guest stars for this project, including J. Cole, Childish Gambino, and Post Malone. ScHoolboy Q, Offset, Lil Baby, Gunna, and Project Pat are also on the album.
Savage goes to familiar face like Metro Boomin and Southside on the production side. However, he also enlists DJ Dahi, Doughboy Beatz, FKi 1st, Kid Hazel, Wheezy, TM88, Cardo, and Axlfolie, among others.
Earlier this year, 21 said his sophomore album would feature plenty of street based narratives. “I’m going back gangsta,” he told XXL. “I’m going back to what brought me in the door…I wanna get back on some gangsta shit ’cause I feel like everybody rap about money and cars. Like they say I rap about too much guns and shit, but that’s what the hell be going on. That’s what really be going on, like, in real life.”
Listen to Savage’s latest below.
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie — Hoodie SZN
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie lives up to his name with the release of his newest project, Hoodie SZN. The New York rapper with a melodic flow delivers a star-packed 20-song effort just months after dropping his International Artist set.
Hoodie SZN includes a bevy of guests, including 6ix9ine, Tyga, Offset, Juice WRLD, Queen Naija, and Young Thug. Don Q, Lil Durk, PnB Rock, Quango Rondo, and NAV also come along for the party.
“Just listen to all my tracks,” he explains on the intro, “Voices In My Head.” “I don’t want to do no interviews, I’m not into that.” Later, he reflects on his come up. “I dropped my first mixtape and that shit ran laps / By the time I dropped The Bigger Artist? Like 7 million in plaques.”
Get cozy with Hoodie SZN below.
The-Dream — Ménage à Trois: Sextape Vol. 1, 2, 3
Five years removed from IV Play, The-Dream tries to make up for lost time with Ménage à Trois: Sextape Vol. 1, 2, 3. It’s a 38-song triple project featuring tracks like “Hardcore Pleasure,” “Bedroom,” “Pull Out,” and “Super Soaker.”
Despite his lengthy hiatus on the solo album front, The-Dream says these songs are all new. “Everyone that knows me knows I don’t save records,” he told Billboard. “I try and build in that moment and be inspired by the moment. This is all new shit. I didn’t cut any corners of edginess. I just stuck to what my root was.”
The R&B crooner says he understands fans who gripe about his extended absence and says there’s plenty more where this came from. “I know,” he added. “But I was just kinda planning my decade out and now it’s like, ‘Oh, cool. You need R&B shit that says a certain thing? I’m gonna try and drop 100 tracks within a calendar year.’ Just to get it back to a certain space.”
Dive into the trilogy below.
Ear Drummers — “Christmas at Swae’s” & “Nothing for Christmas”
Christmas came early for the team over at Ear Drummers. Mike WiLL Made-It’s label unwrapped a pair of holiday-themed Rae Sremmurd tracks just before the big day.
The first of those tracks is the melodic “Christmas at Swae’s.” “I didn’t have you under my tree this Christmas,” Swae sings on his solo cut. “But I had you all over my wish list / …Oh, you’re not under my mistletoe.”
Slim Jxmmi turns up for his solo holiday joint, “Nothing for Christmas.” “Your badass ain’t gettin’ nothin’ for Christmas,” Jxm yells in the chorus over a Miami-inspired track. “Freaky girl!” Later, he brags: “Your badass make a nigga wanna spend it fast / Santa ain’t the only one with a bag.”
Get into the holiday spirit with Swae and Jxm below.
6lack — “Unfair” & “Been A While”
6lack just released his acclaimed new album East Atlanta Love Letter, but he’s already back with new material. Today, the ATL crooner delivers a double dose of tracks with “Unfair” and “Been A While.”
First up, the rapper-turned-singer unveils the Stwo-produced “Unfair.” “I’m praying I don’t wake up all alone,” he sings over the brooding instrumental. “It’s hard to say it so I write a song / But that ain’t equal to me righting wrongs.”
Next up, 6lack drops “Been A While,” which features Fwdslxsh and Neenyo production. “It’s been a while since I’ve last seen you,” he sings on the track. “Might want ya but I find peace knowing I don’t need ya.”
Recently, 6lack said he felt like he dropped the best R&B project of 2018. “Honestly, when East Atlanta Love Letter was all said and done was when I realized I had the best R&B project of 2018,” he told Billboard.
Listen to his new music below.
Wale — “Winter Wars”
Wale is ready for war. After releasing a slew of new tracks this year, Folarin drops a confrontational new joint with “Winter Wars.” The track features production from Paimon Jahanbin and Nima Jahanbin.
Olubawale takes inspiration from Nas’ “Thief’s Theme” for the chorus. “I take summers off ‘cause I love winter beef,” Esco raps on the scratched up hook. Meanwhile, Wale raps about his angst with rappers and the media before explaining what sets him apart in the verses.
“I want the smoke with most of these niggas,” he raps. “I’m way doper than niggas / I’ll make a ghost of these niggas.” By the second verse, he proclaims: “I’ve been going hard in 2018 / They thought I’d stop fighting, it’s Conor and Khabib…2019 approaching, I’m ‘bout to get back flexing.”
