Source: Joseph Okpako / Getty
Don Toliver — “Bandit”
Don Toliver was having a big year before he even revealed any new music. After all, he and his partner Kali Uchis recently announced that they were expecting their first child together. And now, the Cactus Jack star delivers new music of his own in the form of “Bandit.”
Producer ReidMD samples Tame Impala’s “One More Hour” while Toliver sings and raps on this one. “Psycho bandit like it’s Marilyn Manson,” he raps with his signature cadence. “Get the cash, advance it / Get the Sprite and enhance it.”
Toliver announced the song by previewing more to come. “LET THE RIDE BEGIN,” he said. “RIP BIG CARL. IMA DO THIS ONE FOR YOU.” The song’s music video and artwork feature a motorcycle lifestyle theme with Don riding through the sunset.
The singer-songwriter recently spoke about his music with GQ. “I want people to listen to my music and think it’s timeless,” he explained. “To think about Marvin Gaye, Sade, Jay-Z, and just listen again. All I strive for is to be in the conversation with some of the greatest of all time.”
JT — “Sideways”
JT is back on her solo game. After surprising fans with her breakout “No Bars” single last year, the City Girls star returns with another banger as an individual, “Sideways.”
The City Cinderella clarifies her status while Ben10K and Danes Blood handle the production. “Grind solo and I’m still in the group / Biggest in my city and I’m still in a coupe,” she explains.
But JT also aims at her haters on the track. “I ain’t friendly, I don’t f—k with y’all b—es,” she raps. Later, she explains the song’s title further: “H—s so phony, got me looking at them sideways.”
The City Girl also dropped a new music video to go along with the track. It features DVD mixtape motifs and VHS aesthetics to match the song’s throwback-inspired artwork.
JT recently spoke with Kali Uchis about her overall sound and her plans for new music during an Interview article. “I really want my first EP to have that raw, grungy sound,” she said. “I want everything to be perfect and this time I’m going to be presented by myself, so I really want it to look like everything.”
Hit-Boy & The Alchemist — Theodore & Andre EP
What happens when two of the world’s most renowned producers decide to join forces on a collaborative EP? Hit-Boy and The Alchemist give their answer to this question with a new body of work that showcases their storied skills behind the boards and behind the mics on Theodore & Andre.
The 3-pack EP comes with a visual component. In it, Alchemist kicks things off and brags about the truth. “These are actual events / Life’s a movie and it’s packed full of suspense,” he raps. “I pick a wall and place my back for the defense / Fake throw the rock then shake it back with the finesse.”
Elsewhere, Hit-Boy boasts about his jewelry and his own mission. “Try not to go blind from these multicolored stones,” he raps. “Brand new offers in my phone / Get no text back if it ain’t lining up with my goals.” Beyond that, Johnathan Hulett appears as a guest on “The Main Event” while Alchemist and Hit-Boy trade bars on “Morrissey” and “Don’t Be Gone.”
The visual features a fashionable component. After grinding it out in the same clothes for days, they stumble upon a clothing store full of models just waiting for a perfromance. Hit-Boy’s father Big Hit also makes a cameo at the end of the clip, which can be viewed below.
Ayra Starr — “Commas”
Ayra Starr has become a global music sensation. She’s been shining for years with songs like “Bloody Samaritan” and last year’s smash single “Rush.” Now, she returns with her latest release, “Commas.”
“Check and balance everything inside my mind daily / Trust me, you can’t fool me / Energy wrong? I log off / Now friendly and conscious,” she sings on the dance-ready single.
Starr also delivered a lyric video for the song. It balances the lyrics with a music video-style performance. “Living life / See my fire burning bright,” she sings with an optimistic light.
“I know y’all been waiting for this one,” she also wrote on social media. The track arrives shortly after “Rush” surpassed the 300 million view mark on YouTube. Now, the Nigerian megastar looks to keep that momentum going with “Commas” below.
