It looks like hip-hop still has plenty of heat for the slow season, as our latest Fire Emoji playlist update is hinting to a pretty significant fourth quarter of the year. That's mostly due to the new Cardi B album, the long-awaited Am I The Drama?, which has caused a lot of conversation.
The LP as a whole has a pretty solid variety of trademark Bardi bangers like "Safe" with Kehlani, relatively new artistic excursions like the merengue-flipping "Bodega Baddie," and more heartfelt or measured moments like "Man Of Your Word." No matter what approach she employs on the LP, she maintains the same emphasis on catchy song structures, glossy production, and an emphasis on simple quotability over dense lyricism.
Also, there are plenty of fiery and confrontational moments, such as the "Pretty & Petty" diss track against BIA or some bars against JT and, by extension, Lil Uzi Vert on "Magnet." Of course, there's a lot of fanbase debates and commercial talks on the timeline. But Am I The Drama? as an album is what will win out, not its petty narratives or criticisms.
HNHH Fire Emoji Playlist
Elsewhere on Fire Emoji, Lil Yachty chose to get lyrical once more over a dusty sample loop beat, but he brought along Sauce Walka for the ride this time around. "Silver Lining" is pretty languid in its pace thanks to the sample's melancholy mood and its near-six-minute length.
However, that's not to say that both MCs don't come through with some sharp lines and charismatic deliveries, especially in the case of Sauce and his Houston-bred confidence. Although it's not the most exciting cut in the world, it's always impressive and telling to see Yachty balance his many artistic drives.
Finally on Fire Emoji, we wanted to shout out the new Hunxho album For Her 2, specifically the "If Only" collaboration with 21 Savage. It's as melancholy and romantically forlorn as the rest of the LP, but it's a little more hard-hitting to make space for 21's faster flow. Production-wise, some buzzing bass and crisp drums create a pretty unique swing for this type of song and collab.
