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Logic — Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Logic continues to open up about his life and perspective on Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. The Maryland rapper unloads his latest album just months after his Supermarket novel’s soundtrack and his YSIV effort.
As usual, Bobby Tarantino enlists his longtime collaborator 6ix to produce a bulk of the LP. Logic chimes in with additional production, while !llmind, AG, and Frank Dukes are among the others who lend a hand.
Eminem appears on the album’s high-powered single “Homicide.” Beyond Slim Shady, the album also features Will Smith, YBN Cordae, G-Eazy, Gucci Mane, and Wiz Khalifa. Smith appears on “Don’t Be Afraid to Be Different,” which borrows a few lines from the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song.
Last month, Logic spoke with Hard Knock TV about the album’s conceptual base. “It’s real. It’s honest. It’s extremely honest,” he said. “I talk about a lot of stuff, but things I’m excited to talk about that I’ve always been scared to talk about…At the end of the day, it’s all gonna come back to the premise of the album and what it’s about, which is self-acceptance, loving yourself, and doing our best to be in the present, not on social media all the time.”
Hear Confessions of a Dangerous Mind below.
Ciara — Beauty Marks
Ciara is back. Four years after releasing her Jackie LP, the veteran songstress finally delivers her long-anticipated Beauty Marks album.
Out through her own Beauty Marks Entertainment imprint, Ciara’s new LP features Macklemore, R. Kelly, and Tekno. Aside from those features, CiCi takes center stage on this project, showcasing her personal growth in the process.
“No more drama, no more pain / I’m done making the same mistakes,” she sings on the intro, “I Love Myself.” “I found the problem, it starts with me / I figured out now what I want, got what I need…Damn right, I love myself / I’m never gonna fall ‘cause I love myself.”
Find Beauty Marks below.
Mustard — Quavo, YG, Meek Mill, 21 Savage — “100 Bands”
After unleashing “Pure Water” with Migos earlier this year, Mustard reloads with a star-studded new single. This time around, the artist formerly known as DJ Mustard unveils “100 Bands” with Meek Mill, 21 Savage, Quavo, and longtime friend-collaborator YG.
Mustard handles the production while the MCs deliver braggadocio-based bars. Quavo raps about the bands in his hands, 21 boasts about racks, and Meek revels in “more millies.” YG takes this a step further by celebrating his professional evolution. “You see the red Lamborghini as I hit the corner,” he rhymes. “YG got his shit together, he a business owner.”
Quavo appears on both of Mustard’s big singles thus far, “Pure Water” and “100 Bands.” He says the two worked on even more material. “I just went on a spree and made like seven songs in two days,” he recently told Billboard. “He really wanted to do a Migos and Mustard project with all the music I had did that day…There’s a lot more in the stash.”
Mustard is currently prepping his forthcoming album, which follows 2017’s The Ghetto, 2016’s Cold Summer, and 2014’s 10 Summers. Get “100 Bands” in your hands below.
Mary J. Blige & Nas — “Thriving”
Nas and Mary J. Blige are “Thriving.” Before heading out on their “Royalty Tour,” King Esco and the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul join forces on the latter’s newest single.
“Look what I did, I made history,” Mary sings on the new cut. “They don’t know what to do with me / Ain’t lookin’ back, keepin’ it movin’ / I know exactly how to do this / Keep smilin’, make ’em wild out / Stay loud, don’t dumb it down / Hold my crown up to the sky.”
Esco shows his tour mate some love on the track, even shouting out her initials. “It’s set-in-stone, M-J-B the letters,” he raps. “I’m reachin’ my prime the second time, that’s great / In record time, stop the hate / And love your life, fix your crown up straight.”
Mary and Nas are set to embark on their trek later this year. Their “Royalty Tour” kicks off July 11 in West Palm Beach and is set to run through September 10 in Toronto.
Listen to “Thriving” below.
A$AP Ferg & A$AP Rocky — “Pups”
A$AP Ferg and A$AP Rocky connect once again. The A$AP Mob duo reignite their chemistry on “Pups,” a new banger inspired by DMX’s classic “Get At Me Dog” single off It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot.
“It’s about to get uglier than Balenciagas,” Ferg promises on the track. “Felt bad I never finished college / Now we fuckin’ cuties with booties in Dapper Dan silk pajamas / Livin’ the dream, open up your eyelids.”
Flacko makes his presence known as well. “Gone for a minute, now I’m back, did you miss me?” he asks. “Had the whole Harlem world wearin’ Under Armours / Under the armors, I’m a pretty mothafucka, comma / Gorgeous comma, pretty much about to fuck your mama / Kinda runnin’ late for this meeting with Obama.”
The song, which also references Sheck Wes’ “Mo Bamba,” is set to appear on Trap Lord’s forthcoming Concrete Chandeliers EP. “That’s the juxtaposition that I’ve always ran with,” Ferg told Beats 1. “That’s the aesthetic, that’s who I am, the hood boy that got the Tiffany’s deal, doing Valentino campaigns, and all of these things like that.”
Ari Lennox — Shea Butter Baby
Ari Lennox broke from the current standard with the early release of her highly-anticipated Shea Butter Baby LP. Instead of dropping the project on Friday, the rising songstress unveiled it earlier in the week to critical praise.
The Dreamville/Interscope release is a family affair. Dreamville’s boss J. Cole pops up on the Elite and Shroom-produced title track. Labelmate J.I.D. lends his voice to “Broke,” which was produced by Elite, Deputy, Christo, and Ron Gilmore. Omen, Masego, and Jaylen Rojas are among the LP’s other producers.
Ari recently spoke about how her soulful sound plays in the current state of music. “If soul is the curator of all of these genres, how could this not be what people naturally want to listen to?” she told Beats 1. “It’s soul. There’s no gimmicks. It’s feelings.”
Stream Shea Butter Baby below.
