This week in hip hop, we got the new albums from Fly Anakin, Benny the Butcher, Shenseea, Ho99o9, and Elzhi & Georgia Anne Muldrow, all of which you can read about in Notable Releases, and also of note is Lil Durk’s new album 7220 and the deluxe edition of Pink Siifu’s GUMBO’!. We also got new singles from Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa, Latto, Girl Talk/Wiz Khalifa/Big K.R.I.T./Smoke DZA, Plato III, Kae Tempest, Morray/Cordae, and more. Read on for all the rap and R&B we posted this week…
MEGAN THEE STALLION & DUA LIPA – “SWEETEST PIE”
Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion have some shows coming up together this month, but first they’ve released a song together, which is also the first teaser of Megan’s next album. Read more about it here.
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LATTO – “WHEELIE” (ft. 21 SAVAGE)
Atlanta rapper Latto’s anticipated new album 777 comes out March 25 via RCA, and new single “Wheelie” is catch, upbeat, and in your face. It already feels like a hit.
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GIRL TALK, WIZ KHALIFA, BIG K.R.I.T., AND SMOKE DZA – “PUT YOU ON”
Girl Talk, Wiz Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T., and Smoke DZA have announced a collaborative album, Full Court Press, due April 8 via Asylum/Taylor Gang, with ten songs including one featuring Curren$y. This supergroup may scream “2010!”, but lead single “Put You On” is a soul-sampling rap song that sounds straight out of the early 2000s.
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PLATO III – “GIVE ‘EM HELL” & “IT’S ALRIGHT, IT’S OKAY” (ft. MIKE KINSELLA)
Abilene, TX artist Plato III (aka Ryan Silva) cites both Black Star and Modest Mouse as core influences, and you can hear that coming through in his unique hip hop/indie rock crossover. He just signed to Polyvinyl, and his release for the label is the two-song single “Give ‘Em Hell” / “It’s Alright, It’s Okay,” which also includes a partial cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Spirit World Rising” that features his Polyvinyl labelmate Mike Kinsella (American Football, Owen). Read more about it here.
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KAE TEMPEST FT. LIANNE LA HAVAS – “NO PRIZES”
“Made a song with my good friend and mind-blowing artist Lianne La Havas,” Kae Tempest says of this latest track from the upcoming album The Line is a Curve. “So grateful for her voice in the world and on this record. A portrait of three people getting on with getting on. I just got to keep climbing.” Kae’s new album is out April 8.
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MORRAY – “STILL HERE” (ft. CORDAE)
Soul-trap singer/rapper Morray released one of 2021’s best rap albums with Street Sermons, and now he teams with rapper Cordae (who’s fresh off releasing his own new album) for his first single of 2022. It sounds like the best of both artists’ worlds.
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DALEK – “BOYCOTT”
As mentioned, industrial rap vets Dälek will release their new album Precipice on 4/29 via Ipecac. Here’s second single “Boycott,” which finds their classic, influential sound in fine form.
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REX ORANGE COUNTY – “OPEN A WINDOW” (ft. TYLER, THE CREATOR)
Rex Orange County and Tyler, the Creator have collaborated multiple times over the years, and now they’ve done so again on this song off Rex’s new album Who Cares?. It’s a breezy indie-soul song, and Tyler delivers a killer verse on it.
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METHOD MAN – “BUTTERFLY EFFECT” (ft. RJ PAYNE)
The one and only Method Man is back with a new song, and it finds him embracing the boom bap of his glory days.
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JAY WORTHY & LARRY JUNE – “LEAVE IT UP TO ME”
Rappers Jay Worthy and Larry June have announced a collaborative album, 2 P’s in a Pod, due March 25 via GDF/EMPIRE, and lead single “Leave It Up to Me” is an appealing, laid-back rap song with some gorgeous, soul-sampling production.
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JAE SKEESE – “AGAINST THA GRAIN” (ft. CONWAY THE MACHINE & FLEE LORD)
Jae Skeese, who’s signed to Conway the Machine’s Drumwork Music Group, has released a new single featuring his label boss and likeminded rapper Flee Lord. As you’d probably expect, it’s an instantly-satisfying song that sounds straight out of mid ’90s New York rap.
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LUKAH – “BALACLAVA”
Memphis underground rapper Lukah pairs tongue-twisting rhymes with a dizzying beat from WALZ on new single “Balaclava.”
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MARIAH THE SCIENTIST – THE INTERMISSION EP
Mariah the Scientist released one of 2021’s best R&B albums with RY RY WORLD, and while you wait for her next album, she’s given us an “intermission,” aka a new four-song EP. If you liked the rich, airy sound of RY RY WORLD, you’ll like this too.
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KALI – “EAT IT UP” (ft. BIA)
Kali and BIA are both rappers on the rise (both thanks in part to TikTok), and they’ve put their heads together for this musically dark, lyrically sex-fueled jam off Kali’s new EP Toxic Chocolate.
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JHAY CORTEZ – “SENSUAL BEBÉ”
Reggaeton/Latin trap great Jhay Cortez is still riding high off the strength of last year’s excellent Timelezz, and he’s keeping the momentum going with this new single.
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REMA – “FYN” (ft. AJ TRACEY)
Nigerian Afro-pop singer Rema’s debut album Rave & Roses comes out later this month, and here’s a breezy new single featuring UK rapper AJ Tracey.
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For even more new songs, browse our daily ‘New Songs’ lists. For more hip hop news, browse our ‘Hip Hop News’ category.
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