Hip Hop Music Reviews Archives

Top 5 Trending Apple Music Hip Hop Tracks

November 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Alright before all the holiday music takes over the streaming platforms our music editors are kicking off our weekly roundup of the top 5 trending Hip Hop tracks on Apple Music right now. We won’t take too much of your time introducing the list because instant gratification is a real thing, ha! So let’s get right to it.

1. “Sticky” – Tyler, The Creator (feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Redd, Lil Wayne)

Tyler, The Creator continues to evolve his sound and sustains his wave with just being different. His latest record, “Sticky,” is a bold collab featuring nothing short of three heavyweights in the game: GloRilla, Sexyy Redd, and Lil Wayne. Aye! The song blends Tyler’s signature experimental production with the unique brands of his featured artists … GloRilla, known for her gritty and raw rap style, delivers that intensity, while Sexyy Redd brings nothing short of that playful energy to Sticky. Weezy hops on with a layer that adds the finishing touches for a diverse audience draw. The track continues to highlight Tyler’s versatility to bring merge a myriad of hip hop sub-genres, making Sticky one of his most dopest releases yet.

2. “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GoRilla & Sexyy Redd

“WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” is one of them ones. This is nothing short of a high-energy anthem by rising stars GoRilla and Sexyy Redd. Well, the cadence pulls from Wipe Me Down and pays homage. We know, unless you been living under as a rock both artists are pretty much top three in the female rap game (Hi Megan) and really just the rap game period, they’re running things. The production is heavy on bass and minimalistic sounds, with almost a love letter to classic southern rap. Yes, we’re here for it. The song’s hook is catchy, that “booty shorts” part hits then it gets well, vulgar but it is what it is. Still here for it. The overall vibe is unapologetic, as the duo flex their street cred and maintain their dominance in the game. This track is definitely en route to being a fave for fans who love this raw and unfiltered vibe. Aye.

3. “Timeless” – The Weeknd & Playboi Carti

Here’s one we didn’t have on our radar. The Weeknd and Playboi Carti come together for “Timeless,” a hypnotic track that combines The Weeknd’s undeniable, R&B/pop-inspired vocals with Carti’s signature delivery. The song is both ethereal and atmospheric, with a dark, moody beat that only elevates the chemistry between these two influential culture shifting artists. The Weeknd, known for his limitless range and emotionally charged flow, delivers a slightly haunting but inspiring hook if those two concepts can coexist. Meanwhile Carti provides a downtempo and on trend verse, saying all the things his audience wants to hear.

4. “Beautiful Day” – Akon

Can we first just give Akon his flowers for STILL being here and giving us HEAT. Akon’s return with “Beautiful Day” is a refreshing and rare uplifting record that well, thanks the higher power. Still the track is blessed, no pun intended with Akon’s signature sound that once upon a time, dominated the airwaves. The track blends Akon’s melodic vocals with a feel-good instrumental that makes it ready for holiday playlists without being all holiday-ish. Lyrically, “Beautiful Day” is all about celebrating life, overcoming struggles, and appreciating the good moments, something Akon has always been great at capturing in his music. The song shows Akon hasn’t lost his touch and yes, it’s a beautiful day depending on how you look at life.

5. “25” – Rod Wave

Rod Wave continues to impress. This one comes in a bit different. Right away the track is pop adjacent but his flow takes off riding the beat with effortless, melodic poise. And it works. Wave’s introspective style on “25,” an emotional track that speaks to his personal struggles and pain. Known for his soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics, Rod Wave dives deep into themes of perseverance, growth, and the challenges that come with fame. Not to mention themes of social anxiety which is a real thing these days. The record’s production is a blend of piano-driven melodies and trap-style percussion, giving it a somber yet uplifting tone. “25” reflects the artist’s journey, as delivers with reflective perfection. “25” is yet another example of why Rod Wave is considered one of the most promising up and coming voices in modern hip hop. LFG.

These five trending songs on Apple Music represent the vast diversity and evolution of hip hop, from the experimental sounds of Tyler, The Creator to the introspective soul of Rod Wave and all the fun energy in between. Whether you’re a fan of high-energy bangers, dark R&B vibes, or maybe deep, emotional tracks, there’s something for everyone in this list of hip hop’s trending artists on one of the biggest platforms in Apple Music.

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Gordo Speaks on Mustard: ‘He’s Just a Strange Guy’

August 28, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Mustard and Drake will probably never have a relationship due to his work on “Not Like Us.” In fact, Mustard claims he doesn’t want one. He just dropped a full project, and it sold 18,000 units in a week.

After the numbers hit, Mustard went scorched earth on white supremacy and Drake. Yes, the “Family Matters” emcee got dragged into the chat after the ugly numbers came out on “Faith Of A Mustard Seed.” Mustard attributed his sales, or lack thereof, to Drake, DJ Akademiks, and Gordo. The latter dropped a pretty cool dance album featuring Drake on two records.

“Drake is the Malcolm X of white people [laughing emoji] and @Akademiks make sure you post @GordoSZN first week since drake thought he did a thing with making him drop on the same day as me [laughing emoji],” Mustard posted.

Again, he further claimed, “Album sales are a form of white supremacy.”

But Gordo had some words for Mustard, although they were cloaked in a backhanded nature. “I will not tolerate any dj mustard slander…. That guy is a f*cking legend… made multiple classics.. and had one the most iconic runs ever as a producer… he’s just a strange guy,” he wrote.

I will not tolerate any dj mustard slander…. That guy is a fucking legend… made multiple classics.. and had one the most iconic runs ever as a producer… he’s just a strange guy

— GORDO (@GordoSZN) August 25, 2024

”Faith Of A Mustard Seed” marks Mustard’s fourth studio album, featuring collaborations with artists like Kirk Franklin, Lil Yachty, 42 Dugg, and Vince Staples.

The post Gordo Speaks on Mustard: ‘He’s Just a Strange Guy’ first appeared on The Source.

The post Gordo Speaks on Mustard: ‘He’s Just a Strange Guy’ appeared first on The Source.

DJ Mustard’s New Album Only Sells 18,000 Units Then He Randomly Decides to Blame Drake Calling Him “the Malcolm x of white people”

August 4, 2024 by newhiphopnews

You know the saying, when you point a finger you have three more pointing back at you. Well let’s unpack that shall we … DJ Mustard just dropped a full project. Ya’ll know he produced “Not Like Us,” the most impactful diss record in years. He should be riding high, right? Maybe not …

Basically the release was a dud. Sorry, it was. 18,000 units in a week. For context, Drake and 21 Savage did 400,000 units on the “For All the Dogs” release, in the first week.

But we get it. We got it. Bad sales in the streaming era happen. But Mustard, instead of embracing the “L” or thinking of reasons why it happened that make sense, went scorched earth on um, white supremacy and get this, Drake. Yes, the “Family Matters” emcee got dragged into the chat after the ugly numbers came out on “Faith Of A Mustard Seed.” Good title btw.

Anyway, Mustard attributed his sales or lack their of to Drake, DJ Akademiks, and Gordo SZN. The latter dropped a pretty cool dance album that featured Drake on two records. So of course gotta blame him too.

Get this, Mustard’s album, dropped on July 26 and after the meteoric success of “Not Like Us,” the numbers were significantly lower than anticipated.

Okay, maybe his frustration got the better of him, but Mustard took to X (yes we gotta remind ya’ll that’s twitter every time lol) on August 2 to weirdly attribute his poor sales to aforementioned factors. Not his marketing. Rollout. Lack of support from influential friends, like the Compton artist who he gave the biggest record of his career. Nah none of that came out in his attacks. Just Drake and company. Oh, and white folks. White supremacy to be exact. Can’t make this stuff up but here’s what he posted:

Again, he further claimed, “Album sales are a form of white supremacy.”

This is all wild. Social media is heck of a world and not everyone should be tweeting especailly when they are emotional. In our respectful opinion.

We’re shaking our collective heads, and despite these stretch of assertions, there’s been no concrete evidence the poor sales are linked to Drake, Akademiks, or Gordo SZN, creating any deliberate sabotage of Mustard’s album release. Wait, did Mustard think Drake and Gordo’s rollout should coordinate with his drop? Huh? We’re confused.

Check this out, ”Faith Of A Mustard Seed” marks Mustard’s fourth studio album, featuring collaborations with artists like Kirk Franklin, Lil Yachty, 42 Dugg, and Vince Staples.

The album follows his 2019 project, “Perfect Ten”. In an earlier interview with Billboard, Mustard had expressed confidence in his album’s rollout, citing Kendrick Lamar’s involvement as a pivotal element. Common sense would suggest K Dot being in the mix energy wise, would be a no brainer to invigorate sales. Guess not.

Hold up, full stop, Mustard praised his album sales back in 2019 but this time around his poor sales are “white supremacy” and Drake is “Malcolm X of white people.” Hilarious.

Here are Mustard’s thoughts on how he was going to roll out his new project:

“I keep saying it and I can’t say it enough — it’s gotta be God,” Mustard told Billboard. “What am I gonna do to get myself back hot? … How are we gonna spark to where people are like, ‘I wanna hear Mustard again.’ … Then the song came out. There’s my rollout.”

But here we are. 18,000 units and it gotta be Drake and racist institutions. Look we believe those institutions certainly exist but maybe a post from Kendrick would have helped or an aggressive marketing plan. Maybe we’re trippin. Anyway, what do ya’ll think?

The post DJ Mustard’s New Album Only Sells 18,000 Units Then He Randomly Decides to Blame Drake Calling Him “the Malcolm x of white people” first appeared on The Source.

The post DJ Mustard’s New Album Only Sells 18,000 Units Then He Randomly Decides to Blame Drake Calling Him “the Malcolm x of white people” appeared first on The Source.

Tems drops highly-anticipated debut album, Born in the Wild

June 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Following a long string of success with chart-topping singles, Tems’ debut album has finally dropped and does not disappoint.

Born in the Wild, which dropped June 7, showcases the artist’s lyrical genius as well as her versatility and range from the hypnotic opening track “Born in the Wild” to the dance-track beat-heavy sound of “Forever” to her own spin on hip-hop on “T-Unit.”

The artist’s eclectic musical influences are evident throughout the 18-song album, which includes previously released track “Love Me Jeje” and include R&B, African beats and rhythms, soul, hip-hop, and poetry “Burning” is reminiscent of old-school R&B sounds, but with a distinct switch up of pace that keeps the listener engaged while simultaneously being hypnotized by Tems’ voice, which is overlaid to sound almost like a duet on the track.

The Nigerian singer’s African influence is evidence with the subtle Afrobeats sound that’s infused with a classic R&B sound in the musical tracks as well as the spoken interludes. Tems’ musical ability never overshadows her talent for lyricism with her poetic capabilities shining through exceptionally well on “Ready.”

Guest artists include Asake (in the Reggae-esque “Get it Right”) and J. Cole (on “Free Fall”), demonstrating her ability to weave seamlessly between genres all on the same album.

As for the name and symbolism behind the debut album, Tems stated: “Born In The Wild is a story of transformation, from a cocoon to a butterfly,” continuing to explain that the album “speaks on surviving mental wilderness and coming to a place where one can thrive. It’s about finally accepting oneself and embodying the woman I was born to be. It shows the different dimensions of who I am, from a cub to a lioness.”

The album release coincides with Tems’ upcoming BORN IN THE WILD WORLD TOUR, which starts on June 12 in London and will continue throughout Europe and North America before heading to Africa and finally concluding in Australia on November 15. Tour information can be found at https://www.leadingvibe.com/.

The post Tems drops highly-anticipated debut album, Born in the Wild first appeared on The Source.

The post Tems drops highly-anticipated debut album, Born in the Wild appeared first on The Source.

What Type of Dogs Are We Talking About in Drake’s Latest Album?

October 19, 2023 by newhiphopnews

When you’re the biggest artist in the world, aka Drake, it’s a huge deal anytime you drop music. Not only are you one of the biggest streaming artists in the world, but your fanbase is accustomed to timeless hits — which means the bar is set high. But For All The Dogs is less about the homies and either about dog men or Drake’s new favorite word for women he comes across.

For All The Dogs serves as Drake’s eighth studio album. The hype escalated when Drizzy pushed the release date back a few weeks, from September 22nd to October 6th. Not to mention the 6 God promised fans he’d be returning to the “old Drake,” which we’re having difficulty pinpointing exactly where. This album feels like Drake has hit a level of either stagnation due to immediate success by whatever he drops, or there is no more challengers in the arena to force him to find an internal fire.

With the standout features on the project — 21 Savage, J. Cole, Yeat, SZA, PartyNextDoor, Chief Keef, Bad Bunny, Sexyy Red, and Lil Yachty — FATD should be a sure contender for success. But after the first few spins… you’re wondering where the substance is. When you’re Drake, you can have whatever you want at your fingertips. But Drake’s ascent to the top of the rap game used to inspire, motivate, and empower others to go out there and get after their wildest dreams.

For All The Dogs is certainly not that. The opening song, “Virginia Beach,” seems to be yet another emo Drake serenading his woes about a past relationship. Let’s be real: Drake can get any woman he wants, and his bars about drugs are getting played out.

Of course, we all love the camaraderie between Drake and 21 Savage. Case in point: “Rich Flex,” “Jimmy Cooks,” “Mr. Right Now” by Metro Boomin. But the skit at the end of “Calling For You” was particularly off-putting. A girl complaining about sitting in the economy instead of first class. NEXT!

By now, you have seen the calls against misogyny across the album, and it’s within reason. The toxic masculinity throughout For All The Dogs laps Future on his most sick days. Ironically, “What Would Pluto Do” is a prime example where Drake evokes the spirit of his What A Time To Be Alive friend, but it’s cringe as he attempts to tell the story of popping some Cialis in the drink of his lady for the night. In case you got lost in the single, the bars are pulled below:

Wigglin’ back into my old ways, ayy
Bunch of sedatives, hypnotics in my system, okay
Life is goin’ just how I predicted, okay
Droppin’ two Cialis in her liquid, okay

– Drake “What Would Pluto Do”

If that isn’t cringing enough, the countless runs of calling women a “bitch” throughout the album echo an inner issue that may need to be addressed.

That was song #3, which means there are 20 more tracks to go. One look at the tracklist, and you might be excited for that Sexyy Red and SZA feature on “Rich Baby Daddy.” Even this record was tough to get through. There’s only so many times you can hear the words “ass” and “coochie,” and Drake rapping about being rich isn’t impressive.

Not to mention the lead single to the project, “Slime You Out” with SZA, could have been a beautiful record — had it only been SZA’s vocals. There’s also an interlude called “BBL Love.” We’d appreciate something a little more meaningful for an artist with Drake’s platform. Even if it was “for all the dogs,” can we bring back a certain level of classiness and respect?

And when all is fails, we lean on one of Hip-Hop’s greats: J. Cole. “First Person Shooter” might be the best song of the project. J. Cole rapped his ass off… only for Drake to come in after him to weep about girls.

The post What Type of Dogs Are We Talking About in Drake’s Latest Album? first appeared on The Source.

The post What Type of Dogs Are We Talking About in Drake’s Latest Album? appeared first on The Source.