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16th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball - Inside

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Common — Let Love

Fresh off the release of his Let Love Have the Last Word book, Common unleashes his newest album, Let Love. The 11-track LP comes with a series of collaborations with a mixture of seasoned vets and soaring newcomers.

Swizz Beatz, A-Trak, Jill Scott, and Leon Bridges are among the album’s collaborators. BJ The Chicago Kid, Leikeli47, Daniel Caesar, and Samora Pinderhughes are also among the LP’s guests. Production comes from J Dilla, Karriem Riggins, Burniss Travis, and Pinderhughes.

“This album is inspired by the book Let Love Have the Last Word, which gave me a path to write about things I had never written about before,” Common explained in a statement to press. “It forced me to go deeper and because I opened up about so many things in the book, I was charged to go to raw, personal and spiritual places in the music. Production-wise, I knew that the music had to have depth, soul and dimension to it. I wanted the musicianship and the spirit of what live music brings, but it also had to have something raw and basement about it.”

Let Love play below.

SiR — Chasing Summer

SiR is the latest Top Dawg Entertainment star to take flight. Much like SZA before him, the rising crooner unleashes his debut project through TDE under exclusive license to RCA. The 14-song effort arrives in the form of Chasing Summer.

Several big-named co-pilots show up throughout the new offering, including Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, Sabrina Claudio, Zacari, and Jill Scott. Sounwave, Kal Banx, DK The Punisher, J.LBS, Pete “Scum” Nebula, and Carter Lang are among the producers.

The LP’s title signifies liberty, according to SiR. “Summer is about freedom,” he recently told DJ Booth. “When you’re a kid, and you’re talking about summer, you’re talking about no school and relaxing, and being able to do whatever you want all day. As an adult, when you’re talking about summer, it’s vacation. Same thing, having the freedom to live how you want. That’s the overall theme of the album, being free and being able to live how you live.”

Chase summer with SiR below.

Birdman & Juvenile feat. Lil Wayne — “Ride Dat”

Birdman and Juvenile teamed up for a joint album Just Another Gangsta earlier this year. Now, it appears the duo is readying a sequel as they release their newest single, “Ride Dat,” with a surprise assist from an old comrade.

Lil Wayne, who’s been embroiled in a legal battle with Birdman and Cash Money, raises eyebrows by appearing on the new track. It looks like the trio also recently shot a video for “Ride Dat,” in which the longtime collaborators show up on screen together. Weezy cut ties with his former label upon settling a lawsuit back in June of last year so the song marks an unexpected reunion.

Juvenile, who’s had his own trials and tribulations with the label and his collaborators on this track, brings it up in his opening verse. “It’s official,” he raps. “The whistle blowing, the liquor pouring / We had our issues and differences, we were sick of warring.”

Stream “Ride Dat” below.

Godfather of Harlem — “Just In Case” & “Hallelujah”

Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker is set to star in Epix’s forthcoming “Godfather of Harlem” crime drama series, which aims to take an in-depth look at the life and times of Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson. Before the series — which also stars Vincent D’Onofrio and Ilfenesh Hadera — hits television sets next month, two songs from its soundtrack come out.

The first of these is “Just In Case,” which features Rick Ross, Swizz Beatz, and DMX. “Still at odds with the Irish mob,” raps Rozay. “Rolls Royce down Malcolm X Blvd.” Meanwhile, DMX takes aim at imposters: “How many times you been behind the wall? None / You’re either snitching or lying about the shit you done.” Beatz, who handles ad-libs and the hook, also produced the cut alongside Avenue Beatz.

“Hallelujah” features A$AP Ferg, Wale, and Buddy. Harlem’s Trap Lord takes the first and third verse, rapping about his life while taking cues from the series. “I want the throne, I am the king,” he raps. “Walking like Frank, I’m in a mink / I’m with a ting, sit by the ring.” Folarin takes the second verse, as Buddy mans the chorus over Swizz Beatz and Musicman Ty’s production.

Joell Ortiz — Monday

Joell Ortiz hasn’t released a solo album since 2016’s That’s Hip Hop, but the former Slaughterhouse MC has been active through a series of joint projects with the likes of Apollo Brown, Heatmakerz, Fred the Godson, Salaam Remi, Bodega Bamz, and Nitty Scott. Now, he returns with his newest solo endeavor, Monday.

The Mello Music Group release only features two artists: Big K.R.I.T. on “Learn You” and Blakk Soul on “Momma.” It also includes production by Nottz, The Lasso, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, and K.R.I.T. as well. Of course, frequent collaborators Heatmakerz and Apollo Brown add their contributions to the batch.

Ortiz named the album Monday because it’s symbolic of his new mindset. “I’m back to work,” he said in a statement to media. “Monday is the start of the week. The grind! Working people normally dread Mondays. Not me though; I embrace them! Feels like another opportunity. Another chance. The beginning of what’s ahead. On Monday I talk about life. Old me, new me, and the guy that next Monday may introduce to you all.”

End the week (or start it) with Monday below.

The Alchemist — Yacht Rock 2

The Alchemist sets sail with another round of his luxurious yet gritty collaborations. Today, the celebrated beatsmith unveils the second installment of his Yacht Rock series, which originally launched in 2012.

This time around, the renowned producer hits the seas with a slew of his well-known friends, including Action Bronson, Mayhem Lauren, Big Body Bes, Roc Marciano, Benny The Butcher, Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Big Twins, among others.

ALC has become quite a prolific musician over the course of his career. Within the past two years alone, he’s rolled out Rapper’s Best Friend 5, Bread, Fetti, and Lunch Meat while working with a variety of artists, including ScHoolboy Q, Nas, and Evidence.

Sail away with Yacht Rock 2 below.