Subscribe
66th GRAMMY Awards - Backstage

Source: Neilson Barnard / Getty

SZA — “Saturn”

SZA rings in a new era of sorts with “Saturn.” The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter delivers a planet-inspired single that she debuted on Music’s Biggest Night. She also provides live, sped-up, acapella, and instrumental versions as part of a larger bundle.

“Stuck in this paradigm / Don’t believe in paradise / This must be what hell is like / There’s got to be more, got to be more,” she sings with her signature style. “Sick of this head of mine / Intrusive thoughts, they paralyze / Nirvana’s not as advertised / There’s got to be more, been here before.”

She named the song “Saturn” due to the track’s lyrical theme too. “Life’s better on Saturn / Got to break this pattern / of floating away,” she sings with a whimsical flare. “Find something worth saving / It’s all for the taking / I always say.”

Some believe “Saturn” will appear on SZA’s highly-anticipated SOS follow-up, reportedly titled LANA. “It’s outtakes and new stuff, too. I added a couple of songs. It’s like a whole new project,” she told Variety. “It’s called Lana — my name but, it’s the first tattoo that I ever got, when I was 13. It was 10 bucks a letter and I only had 40, so that that became my nickname for no reason. Lana is really just the B-side of SOS.”

Kid Cudi — INSANO Nitro Mega Edition

Kid Cudi is back. Just weeks after dropping INSANO, the Cleveland superstar unveils the album’s Nitro Mega edition. This works as a new body of work and a deluxe edition for INSANO all in one.

Cudder announced this on social media last year. “There are 40+ songs on INSANO between the main album and deluxe(s). Ur welcome.” He also went on to say: “The deluxe is basically another album. There wont be 20 plus songs, but u get a nice amount.”

Fans will get new tracks, but they shouldn’t expect sad ones. “I don’t do sad songs anymore,” Cudi announced on social media this past week. “Sorry. ‘Tortured’ was the last sad song I wrote 2 years ago. We on some new sh-t now. We in the light. If ur not ready, I have about 9 older albums w that vibe u can still listen to.”

Wiz Khalifa, Chip The Ripper, Pusha T, Lil Yachty, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Steve Aoki all appear on the new 18-song offering. Up next, Cudi is planning a world tour co-starring Pusha T and Jaden Smith.

Saweetie — “Richtivities”

Saweetie is living her best life with the release of her newest single, “Richtivities.” Famed producer J White Did It handles the soulful yet banging production while the Icy Girl flexes a wealthy lifestyle full of expensive taste for the finer things.

“I know you never seen this before / Make the money, spend some money, and get some mo’,” she raps on the track. “I’m doing rich sh-t / Pretty b-tch sh-t / Richtivities.”

This month, Saweetie spoke with ELLE about who an Icy Girl is and the definition resembles the description from the song. “She’s making money, spending money, getting it right back. That’s the icy girl,” she said.

Now, during that same interview, the Sacramento rapper also revealed what fans should expect from upcoming music. “I’m really excited to see what the girls are gonna do with it because it really unlocks another level,” she explained. “Like if you thought I was an Icy Girl now, just wait. It’s Icy Girl 2.0 as far as aesthetics.”

Next, Saweetie is also set to join “BMF” on Starz. The song’s music video isn’t out at press time, but a visualizer can be viewed below.

French Montana — Mac & Cheese 5

French Montana chefs up a new iteration of his Mac & Cheese mixtape series. The seasoned MC serves up the fifth installment, peppered with famous faces over 21 songs.

Montana tackles criticism on “Dirty Bronx Intro,” which pulls some inspiration from O.C’s “Time’s Up.” He calls himself out for being “Hollywood” before responding: “I was trying to buy the block, that Nipsey sh-t scared me / I lost Chinx, lost Max, but you don’t hear me.”

Elsewhere on the song, he tackles more criticism, such as the knock that he always has big features on his songs. “You sold 100M [records] but they’re all features,” he says mockingly, before replying: “Never that, most of my plaques, I’m the feature / N——s barely go gold, I had to dominate / I’m the most streamed artist out my whole continent.”

Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Lil Baby, Westside Gunn, 41, JID, Meek Mill, and Lil Durk are among the album’s guests. Montana launched the mixtape series with 2009’s Mac Wit Da Cheese and 2010’s Mac & Cheese 2. He then continued to release editions in 2012 and 2016. Listen to the latest installment below.

You May Also Like

Girl receives flu shot at outdoor free clinic

This week in politics, the vibes are messy, alarming, and straight-up confusing. From late night TV being snatched off the air to vaccine policies getting hijacked, it’s giving “WTF is going on?” Let’s break down the headlines everyone’s talking about inside. First Amendment on the Chopping Block Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show has been pulled from ABC, and Stephen Colbert’s show? Cancelled completely. The official line is murky, but the bigger picture is loud. Free speech is being tested under the Trump administration. While Trump once said he’d “honor” the First Amendment, recent moves suggest he’s working off a remix version that only benefits him. Case in point? The Guardian reports his $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times. A judge already tossed it out, saying Trump’s claims about “false content” violated federal rules. Still, the fact that these lawsuits and cancellations keep happening has people questioning the future of free expression in America. CDC Shake-Up Sparks Health Concerns Meanwhile, over at the CDC, things are getting political fast. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has basically turned the agency upside down, firing all 17 members of the vaccine advisory committee and replacing them with appointees that include vaccine skeptics. On top of that, the CDC director is out, high-level staffers are resigning, and decisions about vaccine safety are suddenly more about politics than science. Public health leaders are calling this move dangerous, saying it dismantles independent oversight just when Americans need clarity most. According to California’s government website, they are one of the few states pushing back on the federal government’s stance. California, Washington, and Hawaii aren’t taking it lying down. The states have formed an alliance pushing back on the feds, promising to keep vaccine guidance rooted in science, safety, and transparency. Their health officers are reviewing guidelines from trusted medical groups like the AAP and ACOG to ensure communities still have access to clinically recommended vaccines. Trump & Xi Meet About US TikTok’s Next Chapter And then there’s TikTok. After years of “will they, won’t they?” drama, Trump announced that he and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping approved a deal for TikTok’s U.S. operations. According to BBC, the plan reportedly hands control to a group of U.S. investors, sidestepping a shutdown. Trump called the call with Xi “productive” on Truth Social, and even, teased a face-to-face meetup at the APEC summit in South Korea this fall. From free speech battles to vaccine wars and TikTok drama, this week in politics has us all asking the same thing: WTFGO?

Global Grind