New Music Friday is our favorite day of the week, by far. And this week, our favorite hip-hop and R&B artists did not let us down.
Following last week's release of Nicki Minaj's return single with Lil Baby, 2 Chainz's new album, Yo Gotti's double-project, and more, some of the biggest names in the music industry came through again this week for some outstanding singles and album drops. We also heard from a number of up-and-coming superstars, including Yeat and Kali, who dropped attention-garnering records on Friday.
As we head into the weekend, we gathered up some of the hottest releases of this week, placing a focus on the songs and projects that dropped on Friday. In the curated list below, you'll read about Nicki Minaj's second single of the year, Fivio Foreign's stunning new collaboration with Alicia Keys and Kanye West, Snoop Dogg's return to Death Row Records, Saweetie's new single, and much more.
Have a look at what dropped this week below and let us know what you'll be listening to over the weekend in the comments.
Releasing her second new single of the year with Atlanta rapper Lil Baby, living legend Nicki Minaj returns to the spotlight with "Bussin." Many of the Barbz have already spoken, declaring this record their favorite of the two songs Nicki dropped this year, celebrating her back-and-forth moments with Baby while gearing up for her upcoming album release, which Nicki says is coming sooner than we think.
Despite some technical difficulties on the Apple Music side, "Bussin" looks to be a huge success for Nicki. Some fans are pointing out similarities to her collaboration with 6ix9ine, "FEFE," but once again, fans are claiming that they enjoy "Bussin" more than her previous hit. Stay tuned for more as Nicki is promising to deliver new content every Friday until her album drops.
Announcing that his upcoming new album, B.I.B.L.E., is dropping in late March, New York rapper Fivio Foreign kicks off the rollout with the release of "City of Gods" with Kanye West and Alicia Keys. The song features a breath-taking chorus from Keys, who interpolates the hook from The Chainsmokers' "New York City." Flanked by Playboi Carti's famous "What!?" ad-libs, Ye steps in for one of his best verses in recent years, throwing shots at Pete Davidson and mentioning his estranged wife Kim Kardashian, as well as his intent to buy the Chicago Bulls basketball franchise. As he says in the track, Ye thinks that this is a "Verse of the Year" contender.
One of the most hyped songs of the year so far, "City of Gods" is an indication that Fivio's upcoming Ye-produced album will be a masterpiece. Stay tuned for B.I.B.L.E. dropping on March 25.
Well-known to music fans as the Toxic King of hip-hop, Atlanta rap icon Future has officially returned with his new single, "Worst Day." Not a fan of Valentine's Day, the auto-tuned rapper speaks about needing to please so many different women on February 14, and for some reason, they never leave satisfied.
Kevin Samuels makes a funny cameo in the music video, providing Future with some therapy as he admits to spending over $3 million on women in the last few months. If you're not looking forward to Valentine's Day next week, this one will probably be your go-to song for the weekend.
After acquiring Death Row Records this week, West Coast rap legend Snoop Dogg is back with his new studio album, BODR (Bacc On Death Row). The eighteen-song album includes features from Nas, T.I., Nate Dogg, DaBaby, The Game, Wiz Khalifa, and others.
The release comes at a pivotal time in Snoop's career as he will be making one of his most anticipated performances ever at this weekend's Super Bowl with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige.
Snoop Dogg isn't the only Super Bowl performer with a new album out. Mary J. Blige, one of the greatest vocalists to ever live, is back with her new studio album, Good Morning Gorgeous. Hot on the press trails ahead of her performance this weekend, MJB previously released "Rent Money" with Dave East, "Amazing" with DJ Khaled, and the title track to her new album.
The thirteen-song album includes features from Usher, Fivio Foreign, and Anderson .Paak and it follows her standout role as Monet in Power Book II: Ghost. This is looking to be one of the best years of Mary's career, kicking off her partnership with 300 Entertainment in style.
So far, we're witnessing another epic album rollout from Virginia rapper Pusha-T. Known for his numerous cocaine references in his music, Pusha-T kicked off this era by telling fans he's growing up and won't be making as many references to the hard drug anymore. However, we can still expect some punchlines about coke on his new album, which will include the new single, "Diet Coke."
Released earlier this week, "Diet Coke" is produced by Kanye West and 88-Keys. Ye stars in the music video for the song, which 88-Keys claims he produced eighteen years ago. It's insane that, despite that fact, the song sounds incredibly current.
Stay tuned for more fire from Pusha-T as we anticipate another classic album on the way.
Yo Gotti made a very unexpected announcement at CMG's press conference on Thursday (February 10), telling the world that Sacramento rapper Mozzy had officially joined a partnership with the label. The formerly-independent rapper kicked off his deal with the release of his new single, "Real Ones" featuring Roddy Ricch.
One of the West Coast's most trusted emcees is looking set to have a monster year with Yo Gotti on his side. Keep your eyes peeled on Mozzy as he looks to open the eyes of a brand new fanbase in 2022.
With his hooded sweatshirt tied tightly over his face, West Palm Beach-based rapper $NOT has become quite the artist to watch in recent years. He kicked off his annual campaign with the release of his new single, "Doja" with A$AP Rocky. The track stirred up a viral moment on social media with $NOT rapping in his lyrics that he'll "f*ck that b*tch named Doja Cat," earning a response from the pop star.
With fourteen new songs on the tracklist and features from Trippie Redd, Joey Bada$$, Juicy J, and more, $NOT's third studio album Ethereal is a must-listen for fans of the new generation of rappers. The album shows off his unique versatility, with every song feeling like it belongs in a different world.
Rap-loving weed smokers will love the new collaborative album from Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J, two of hip-hop's most dedicated stoners. Following the release of the lead single, "Pop That Trunk," and the recent "Backseat" collaboration with Project Pat, Wiz and Juicy J team up for a thirteen-song album including features from BIG30, Elle Varner, and more.
Juicy J has production credits on every single song, and Lex Luger and Crazy Mike also make strong contributions to the sound of the project. Roll one up and enjoy.
Florida rapper Kodak Black has been on a serious roll as of late. He's got one of the most popular hip-hop songs in the country with "Super Gremlin" and he continues to promote recent bangers, including "Love & War," "Killing The Rats," and others. Announcing his upcoming new album, Back For Everything, Kodak released his new single, "Grinding All Season," which shows the rapper exploring new melodies and flows. While many have shared positive reviews of the song, the other half of his fanbase isn't feeling this one, claiming it's a rare miss for Yak. However, excitement is still at a high for the new album, which drops on February 25.
Saweetie has developed a hitmaking formula. The always-trending Grammy-nominated rapper came through this week with the release of her new single, "Closer" featuring H.E.R. The track follows in the same footsteps as her previous hits, sounding nostalgic as ever while still managing to have a very current vibe. Saweetie is a pro at meshing past and present, using memorable samples to anchor her sound and provide a shiny soundscape for her to bar out over.
With playful lyrics and seductive melodies, Saweetie is powering ahead toward the release of her upcoming debut studio album, Pretty B*tch Music, which will drop sometime this year.
The song that has dominated airwaves globally for the last few months has just received another remix, courtesy of 21 Savage and Blxst. After Nigerian artist Fireboy DML made his presence known in the international music scene last year with "Peru," he made a huge splash by adding Ed Sheeran to the remix. Now, a second remix has been released for US-oriented audiences with a revered trap rapper and a rising star from the West Coast.
As if the song didn't have enough steam behind it, Fireboy DML is pushing "Peru" harder than ever before and we can probably expect a high chart placement in the coming weeks.
By now, there's a very good chance you've heard of 2022 breakout artist Yeat. Based out of Portland, Oregon, the auto-tuned melodies of the young rising star have impacted social media for months, with many predicting big things in his future. Following the success of TikTok smashes "Sorry Bout That" and "Gët Busy," Yeat is back with "Still Countin."
The song was introduced to the world with a new music video, shot on an iPhone by Cole Bennett. At the end of the video, Yeat switches the beat up and previews another one of his upcoming records, "Poppin." If you like this one, there's a lot more where it came from. Stay tuned for more from Yeat as the artist experiences one of the fastest rises in all of hip-hop.
If you're looking for music for your weekend smoke sessions, Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J are obviously the go-to. But another one of rap's legendary stoners also dropped on Friday, with Curren$y coming through with "The Tonight Show," a new record produced by The Alchemist. The track has an extraordinarily laidback vibe that will help you chill and relax this weekend. Stay tuned for Curren$y's upcoming collaborative album with Alc, Continuance, dropping this month.
Hit-making production collective Internet Money is back with their new single, "Options" featuring pop-rap superstar 24kGoldn. The new single follows the collective's collaboration with YoungBoy Never Broke Again, "Flossin." This infectious smash is the latest release from Internet Money's upcoming new album, which drops later this year.
The record shows 24kGoldn's knack for crafting some of the catchiest melodies in music, and it's sure to be a big record on the radio and socials.
The new King of Crunk, Memphis native Duke Deuce doesn't work exclusively in the rap sub-genre. He's one of hip-hop's biggest rising rockstars and the Quality Control-signed artist has recruited another one of rap's favorite rockers, Rico Nasty, for the new single, "Falling Off."
Asserting that they will rise to the pressure, Duke Deuce and Rico Nasty deliver a solid collaboration filled with energy. This one sounds perfect for the gym or for when you're feeling frustrated and just want to rage.
One of last year's strongest full-length releases has officially earned a new deluxe edition as Jazmine Sullivan drops Heaux Tales, Mo' Tales: The Deluxe. The R&B star adds a bunch of new songs to the extended tracklist, including appearances from Issa Rae and more. Get rid of the toxicity in your life and turn on Jazmine Sullivan's latest for some healing vibes.
After ridding yourself of the toxic vibes on Jazmine Sullivan's deluxe album, you might as well welcome them right back in with a spin of Georgia-based rapper Kali's new single, "UonU" featuring Yung Bleu. A much more toned-down record than her previous hits, the R&B-leaning song commences the rollout to Kali's upcoming EP, which drops next month.
In the music video, she casually commits a robbery, putting her acting chops to work with Bleu as her partner in crime. There's a surprise for viewers at the end of the video, as Kali does the unthinkable and sets Bleu up, handcuffing him to a bed and leaving him to fend for himself as the cops arrive.
Stay tuned for a big year from Kali as she looks set to be a breakout star in 2022.
Trae Tha Truth - Truth Season: The United Streets of America
It's officially Truth Season. Houston's celebrated hometown hero, Trae Tha Truth has returned with a new seventeen-song album, Truth Season: The United Streets of America. Working with many of Detroit's most popular voices in hip-hop, Truth includes new collaborations with Icewear Vezzo, Babyface Ray, G.T., Baby Money, and others on the project. Get tuned into the sounds of the streets with Trae's latest.
Pouya - dirt/hurt/pain/
Florida's underground rap icon, Pouya returns with a new five-song EP called dirt/hurt/pain/. It follows Pouya's recent album, Blood Was Never Thick As Water, introducing a bunch of new collaborations with go-to producer Mikey The Magician. Get into Pouya's headspace and check out the jazz-inspired sounds on his latest.
Let us know what music you've got on rotation today in the comment section. Check out our songs section for more new releases today.
