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The Best R&B Albums Of 2021

December 6, 2021 by newhiphopnews

Best R&B Of 2021 — Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

This year marks the first time in more than a year where things were somewhat “normal” in the music industry. Concerts and festivals made a return which allowed artists to release projects they held off on dropping due to the quarantine. For what it’s worth, however, R&B found plenty of success in 2020 and it did again in 2021. From Jazmine Sullivan’s excellent Heaux Tales project that kicked off the year to Silk Sonic’s An Evening With Silk Sonic that brought us towards the end of 2021, this year is just another case of the phenomenal diversity that lives in the genre.

So let’s get into it. Here are the fifteen best R&B albums from 2021 in alphabetical order.

Fousheé — Time Machine

Foushee is one of the many 2021 acts that received a healthy boost thanks to landing a viral moment on TikTok. Her breakout single “Deep End” achieved success on the app and led to a flood of interest in her artistry. With the later release of her debut project, Time Machine, Foushee defined the pocket that her music lives in. The New Jersey native thrived by creating unlikely pairings through her work. A thumping bass was accompanied by funk-inspired R&B and her transgressions through heartbreak, growth, and more, are sung with the grace of a young indie singer. Foushee works best when a neverending horizon serves as her only confinement. – Wongo Okon

H.E.R. — Back Of My Mind

It’s odd to think of Back Of My Mind as H.E.R.’s debut album. After all, it’s so fully formed, sashaying easily between sweeping power ballads (“We Made It“) to mournful reflection (“Damage“) to warm weather bops (“Slide“). H.E.R.’s pen is like a surgeon’s tool, cutting to the bone of such subjects as heartbreak, self-realization, and the stirrings of new love. Her instrumentation is even more impressive. Perhaps it’s owed to the decade-plus of behind-the-scenes work she’s done as she strove toward this moment. After the year she’s had, though, she won’t be in the back of anyone’s mind ever again, because she’s earned her spot at the forefront of the pop-culture consciousness. – Aaron Williams

Jazmine Sullivan — Heaux Tales

Jazmine Sullivan returned to the music world after an almost six-year absence with her Heaux Tales EP. Through 11 songs with help from Ari Lennox, Anderson .Paak, and HER, Jazmine sings about the experiences through love and intimacy that she and other women go through. There are moments of passion and moments of regrets, but the vulnerability to tell it all and stay true to herself, along with help from other female voices, helped to make Heaux Tales a flawless project. – W.O.

Joyce Wrice — Overgrown

Joyce Wrice’s debut album Overgrown was an early bright spot for 2021 R&B. Her free spirit thrived on this project through fourteen songs that flaunted her maturity and sheer distaste for indecisiveness. Wrice falls in love quickly when it’s right (“Think About You”) and packs her bags just as fast when it’s not for her (“Must Be Nice”). At 29 years old, there is a bit of wisdom that Wrice showcases on her debut, as for her, love is something that adds to her life, rather than making it complete. Whether it be sonically, contextually, or both, Overgrown finds a way to stay fun and light-hearted without drowning listeners in the highs and lows of romance at a given moment. – W.O.

Kyle Dion — Sassy

If you want an example of an artist constantly striving to go against the grain, you don’t have to look any further than Kyle Dion. The singer’s third album Sassy broke his own rules as well as those set before him by the industry. Dion is best described as a rockstar with funk-inspired confidence and the light touch of a traditional R&B star who can neatly gift wrap it all for the unsuspecting listener. Pull at the ribbon that is Sassy and you get an excellent blend of funk, rock, and soul captures Dion on his euphoric journey to have fun and live life to the absolute best he can. – W.O.

Leon Bridges — Gold-Diggers Sound

Remember the Leon Bridges who enacted Sam Cooke-esque soul music on 2015’s breakthrough Coming Home? He has positively given way to a more traditionally-minded R&B singer, enacting a polished lovelorn sound. With the exception of album closer “Blue Mesas,” Gold-Diggers Sound feels like a bold re-invention for Bridges and he has Lizzo producers Ricky Reed and Nate Mercereau expertly leading the way. On “Born Again” featuring Robert Glasper on keys, Bridges leans into a PJ Morton-style piano ballad, but it’s Bridges’ gentle rasp that carves out space for him as a singular force on the album. This is the type of stellar studio R&B that will keep Bridges on the Grammy radar well-beyond his recent 2022 nomination. – Adrian Spinelli

Mac Ayres — Magic 8Ball

Life tends to deliver the unexpected at unexpected times and it’s this randomness that Mac Ayres used as the foundation of his Magic 8Ball project. Ayres takes life as it comes and he accounts for all the moments he stands unprepared for. For what it’s worth, Magic 8Ball was created in the quarantine year of 2020, a period filled with uncertainty for the future. However, the honesty and straightforward approach to these varying aspects are what draw you into Magic 8Ball. Add Ayres’ lush vocals and the project’s bright and groovy production, and you have a body of work guaranteed to be enjoyed at every listen. – W.O.

Nao — And The Life Was Beautiful

Nao 'And Then Life Was Beautiful' — Sony Music Entertainment UK/RCA

Hope is something the entire world needed as they exited 2020 to enter 2021. For Nao, she found that through the sunflowers that bloomed at her feet last year. This natural occurrence became the inspiration for her third album And Then Life Was Beautiful. On it, she offers a gesture of hope strong enough to inspire the hopeless. As a whole, And Then Life Was Beautiful is made in the space of emerging from turmoil to see that all will be okay one day. Through 13 records, Nao flawlessly unveils and recounts the moments in her life that brought hope to a beautiful tomorrow, even when it wasn’t promised. – W.O.

Phabo — Soulquaraius

Neo-soul is still alive in R&B and one of the places you can find it thriving is on Phabo’s debut Soulquaraius. The Soulection singer shined like gold on his first full-length project thanks to sixteen songs that are covered in nostalgic gold while also flaunting his impressive pen. “How’s My Driving?” emulates one’s ability to operate a vehicle and to that of satisfying a yearning love interest while “The Homie” arrives as a first-person account of a man slowly becoming aware of his partner’s uncommitted ways. Phabo’s Soulquarius is filled with the finesse and charisma of a man who knows exactly what he’s doing and where he’s going on his road towards neo-soul prosperity. – W.O.

Pink Sweat$ — Pink Planet

Pink Sweats is a living example of why simplicity is often key. A light acoustic sound carries the Philly singer on his official debut album Pink Planet as the gentleness behind his voice and the project’s production match that of the love he fantasizes about on Pink Planet. It also helps to create a more intimate setting that excellent allows the heart’s true and raw desires to be translated fully. Pink Sweats smiles ear-to-ear at the arrival of love in its best form on “Magic” and “So Sweet” while also praying for its longevity on “At My Worst” and “Lows.” However, don’t think the Philly singer is nothing more than a rotating love story. He also ups the ante with a double dose of his infectious spirit on “Give It To Me” and “Icy.” Altogether, Pink Planet best represents Pink Sweats complete artistry and the unique vision he has for R&B. – W.O.

Shelley — Shelley FKA DRAM

Shelley, fka Big Baby DRAM, returned this year with a new name for his permanent role as a certified love doctor. Throughout his career, Shelley crafted records in the name of pure love like “Caretaker,” “Best Hugs,” and more, but they weren’t the foundation of his artistry. All of that changed with his second album Shelley FKA DRAM. This time around, the Virginia singer arrives with anecdotes of love that treat every attempt at companionship like it’s the first one — fearless and unknowing of the possible dangers of giving your heart away to a trusted partner. Through songs like “All Pride Aside” and “Remedies,” Shelley presents a love with your guard down on Shelley FKA DRAM and it’s a magical thing to see unfold. – W.O.

Silk Sonic — An Evening With Silk Sonic

From the very moment that Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak made their newly-formed Silk Sonic duo official with the release of “Leave The Door Open” earlier this year, their promised debut album was one of the most sought-for releases in 2021. Would the duo live up to the hype? Would the album perhaps be unbalanced? A multitude of questions arrived at Bruno and .Paak’s doorstep, all of which were answered with the brilliant An Evening With Silk Sonic. The duo met all expectations and did it through an excellent display of showmanship. There’s no telling how long Silk Sonic will last, but their current presence is something to be thankful for. – W.O.

Snoh Aalegra — Temporary Highs In The Skies

Snoh Aalegra 'Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies' — Atrium/Roc Nation

While many excel in relaying their experiences with love, Snoh Aalegra does a beautiful job of showing her wavering feelings in romance through her music. Her third album Temporary Highs In The Violet Skies is another example of that. Its 14 tracks present a woman who chooses to focus and highlight the best moments in love, even if they last shorter than expected. This task is accomplished beautifully thanks to help from Tyler The Creator, James Fauntleroy, Pharrell Williams, The Neptunes, and more. – W.O.

Summer Walker — Still Over It

Summer Walker achieved some groundbreaking feats with her 2021 sophomore album Still Over It. First of all, she got “Ciara’s Prayer” from thee Ciara Harris-Wilson. Lord knows how long the ladies have been asking Cici herself for the prayer and Ms. Walker was able to get that and was generous enough to share it with her listeners. Second of all, Still Over It is the highest-charting album from a female R&B artist since Beyoncé’s 2016 Lemonade and is likely to continue towards an upward trend. Regardless, Summer Walker uses Still Over It to air out her grievances a la Usher’s Confessions, except she’s naming names and calling out her baby daddy-ex London On Da Track, his mother, and the other women in his life. She does this over perfectly curated production by the same man she’s going in on. London and Summer made magic on Over It, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. On the other hand, Pharrell and Summer on “Dat Right There” sounds like a win for the future of music. Most of all, Summer’s adept songwriting skills, inimitable vocals, and ability to dig into the souls of her listeners through song puts her on another level, to the point that whatever shenanigans she’s on The Shade Room for makes the music worth it. – Cherise Johnson

Tinashe — 333

If you needed proof that independence is what’s best for Tinashe, her fifth album 333 is undeniable proof of that. The album is arguably one of, if not the strongest showcase of her versatility as she bends the R&B genre in a number of ways, something she’s proven capable of doing time and time again. 333 is also a testament towards trusting the process, and if you know what it took Tinashe to get here, you’ll have an added dose of appreciation towards her current position. – W.O.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

All The New Albums Coming Out In December 2021

December 1, 2021 by newhiphopnews

Keeping track of all the new albums coming out in a given month is a big job, but we’re up for it: Below is a comprehensive list of the major releases you can look forward to in December. If you’re not trying to potentially miss out on anything, it might be a good idea to keep reading.

Friday, December 3

1K Phew & Lecrae — No Church In A While (Reach Records)
Aisha Badru — The Way Back Home EP (Nettwerk Records)
Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge — Remixes JID010 (Jazz is Dead)
Andrew Gabbard — Homemade (Colemine Records)
Arca — Kick iii (XL Recordings)
Arca — Kick iiii (XL Recordings)
Berner — Gotti (Bern One Entertainment)
Carleigh Aikins — Junk Jewelry (SilverDoor)
Cold Collective — Weathervane (Rise Records)
Deep Throat Choir — In Order To Know You (Bella Union)
Emilia Anastazja — Flower House EP (Young and Aspiring)
Failure — Wild Type Droid (Failure Music)
Fruit Juice — Mirke vs. The Dreamy LLC (Easy Street Records)
Full Bush — Movie Night EP (Brutal Panda Records)
G’emma — Types of Water EP (Sonar Kollektiv)
Jason Boland — The Light Saw Me (Proud Souls Ent.)
Jesse Cook — Libre (Outside Music/Redeye)
Kathryn Williams & Carol Ann Duffy — Midnight Chorus (One Little Independent)
Kenny G — New Standards (Concord Records)
Khalid — Scenic Drive (Right Hand Music)
LP — Churches (PIAS Recordings)
Luttrell — Music For My Memories (Anjunadeep)
MadeinTYO and UnoTheActivist — Yokohama (Private Club Records)
Marissa Paternoster — Peace Meter (Don Giovanni Records)
Mike Block — Planispheres (Bright Shiny Things)
The Mother Hips — Glowing Lantern (Blue Rose)
Nardo Wick — Who Is Nardo Wick? (RCA)
New Found Glory — December’s Here (Hopeless Records)
Nils Frahm — Old Friends New Friends (LEITER)
NLE Choppa — Me Vs. Me EP (No Love Entertainment/Warner)
No Rome — It’s All Smiles (Dirty Hit)
Pepper Lewis — She Told Me To Sing My Heart Out EP (AWAL)
Pick A Piper — Sea Steps EP (Tin Angel)
Polo G — Hall of Fame 2.0 (Columbia Records)
Quinn Christopherson — I Am Bubblegum EP (4AD)
Rival Consoles — Overflow (Erased Tapes)
Sky H1 — Azure (AD 93)
So Hideous — None But a Pure Heart Can Sing (Silent Pendulum)
Tom Morello — The Atlas Underground Flood (Mom + Pop Music)
Treetop Flyers — Old Habits (Loose Music)
Trini Lopez — The Rare Reprise Singles (Omnivore Recordings)
Volbeat — Servant Of The Mind (Republic Records)
Wajatta — Do You Even Care Anymore? (Brainfeeder)

Friday, December 10

Aeon Station — Observatory (Sub Pop Records)
Big Boi and Sleepy Brown — The Big Sleepover (HITCO)
Buck Owens and Susan Raye — Together Again (Omnivore)
Clear Mortifee — Fairies: Act II EP (AntiFragile)
Fela Kuti — Vinyl Box Set #5 (Knitting Factory Records)
Green Day — The BBC Sessions (Warner Records)
Herman Dune — Santa Cruz Gold (Yaya Tova)
Honey Guide — A Tidy Room Is A Tidy Mind EP (Bam Bam Records)
Horse Show — Falsterbo EP (PNKSLM Recordings)
Jeff Parker — Forfolks (International Anthem/Nonesuch)
Jlin — Embryo EP (Planet Mu)
Joan Avant — Dies Irae (Red Masque Records)
Juice WRLD — Fighting Demons (Grade A Productions/Interscope Records)
Kid Dad — Bloom EP (Long Branch Records)
Majid Soula — Chant Amazigh (Habibi Funk Records)
Mercury X — Imprisoned (Frontiers Music)
Michot’s Melody Makers — Tiny Island EP (Nouveau Electric Records)
Monsta X — The Dreaming (Starship Entertainment Co. Ltd./Intertwine Music)
Moses Sumney — Live From Blackalachia (Tuntum)
Mouth Congress — Waiting For Henry (Captured Tracks)
Nalan — I’m Good. The Crying Tape (Mansions and Millions)
Nicole Atkins — Memphis Ice (Single Lock Records)
The O’My’s — No Swimming EP (ADA/Warner Music Group)
Rick Ross — Richer Than I Ever Been (Maybach Music Group)
San Fermin — In This House (Better Company)
Spell Songs — Spell Songs II: Let The Light In (Thirty Tigers)
Teen Daze — Interior (Cascine)
Ziemba — Unsubtle Magic (Sister Polygon)

Friday, December 17

Beverly Glenn-Copeland — Keyboard Fantasies Reimagined (Transgressive)
Chuck Berry — Live From Blueberry Hill (Dualtone Records)
John Dwyer, Ryan Sawyer, Greg Coates, Wilder Zoby, and Andres Renteri — Gong Splat (Forced Exposure)
Johnny Marr — Fever Dreams Pt 2 EP (BMG)
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis — Les Panthère Des Neiges — Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Invada Records/Lakeshore Records)
Small Jackets — Just Like This! (Go Down Records)
Various Artists — Sing 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Republic)

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

‘An Evening With Silk Sonic’ Displays High-Class Showmanship Through An Infectious Spectacle

November 16, 2021 by newhiphopnews

Silk Sonic Grammys 2021 — Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

Silk Sonic’s origin story dates back to the European leg of Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic Tour. Anderson .Paak served as the opening act for the string of shows and it’s here that Silk Sonic’s funky, free-spirited roots were planted. More than four years later, the tourmates-turned-good-friends delivered what will undoubtedly be one of 2021’s most memorable albums with An Evening With Silk Sonic. This brief, but rich musical experience, is birthed out of a few things: Bruno and .Paak’s trajectory in their careers, the combination of their respective inspirations, and a schedule that was unexpectedly freed up due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An Evening With Silk Sonic is a unique spectacle that Bruno and .Paak were kind enough to release in a format that allows us to infinitely experience this magic. From the very moment that the curtains open and Bootsy Collins’ ethereal voice seeps out, Silk Sonic coasts with no regard for distractions and an incredible display of showmanship. Collins’ multiple appearances on An Evening With Silk Sonic are key as it’s an endorsement that requires both acknowledgment and respect. Bootsy Collins, who rose to fame beside James Brown, stands as one of the front names in funk’s history. That’s on top of inductions to the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as well as being recognized as one of the top bassists of all time.

That’s exactly what makes An Evening With Silk Sonic so special. The idea that a mere collection of jam sessions beautifully produced a body of work created in the glory of greats from the 1970s. “After Last Night,” which supplies help from Thundercat and Bootsy Collins, balances sensual and soulful with funky and yearnful. Bruno and .Paak lay stomach-flat with feet to the sky on cloud nine after an unforgettable experience with the woman of their dreams. “If I still had my phone, I’d call every girl I know / And tell them goodbye,” the duo sings blinded by love. “Cars, clothes, diamonds, and gold / Anything you want, any place you want.” This dramatic account of surefire love after one encounter is soon greeted with an equally-dramatic display of despair and sadness on “Smokin’ Out The Window” after both singers find out their newfound romance is nothing but a sham. That’s exactly how Silk Sonic’s show is supposed to be: exaggerated, hyperbolic, and melodramatic. It’s a quality that .Paak solidifies on that song. “Look here, baby I hope you find whatever it is that you need,” he says. “But I also hope your triflin’ ass is walking ‘round barefoot in these streets!”

The theatrics behind Silk Sonic’s new album, when taken from the viewpoint of Bruno and .Paak’s respective discographies, is a clash of 24K Magic and Yes Lawd!. The intentional blast to the past intertwines itself with dressed to the nines cockiness on An Evening With Silk Sonic. .Paak leads a ridiculously confident and infectiously good declaration of self-excellence on “Fly As Me,” one that also crowns a lucky woman with a top-notch title of her own. “I’m tryna love, is you gon’ love me back?” .Paak quips on the track. Towards the backend of the album, Silk Sonic gets lost in gambling and the other addicting aspects of Las Vegas on “777.” If you needed any proof that Bruno and .Paak could be the life of the party, “777” is both evidence of that and an enticing invitation to join them in some high-risk/high-reward fun.

A large part of Silk Sonic’s success lives behind the scenes. Critically-acclaimed producers and songwriters James Fauntleroy and D’Mile live within the notes of the album. Fauntleroy co-wrote three of the album’s nine songs while D’Mile co-wrote and co-produced each one in addition to delivering background vocals and contributions to the project’s instrumentation. Furthermore, Babyface’s contribution to “Put On A Smile,” a song dedicated to putting on a front through heartbreak, as well as that from others throughout the album, are notable in their own right. Together, they emphasize Bruno and .Paak’s strive to make An Evening With Silk Sonic as perfect and flawless as possible. The freedom of the album’s jam session contributes to the rawness and true spirit of the project while help from the industry’s best ensure that its rough edges aren’t too sharp.

Long story short, Silk Sonic did it. An Evening With Silk Sonic is fun, charismatic, and ambitious in all the best ways. Sure, the sonics of this project aren’t particularly new, but it’s a change in the wind direction in today’s R&B/soul landscape. And yes, maybe the album could’ve been a bit longer, but according to D’Mile every song Silk Sonic and company created appears on the album, except one. Bruno and .Paak gave us everything that had for their first collaborative effort. Soon enough, fans from all over will be able to spend an evening with Silk Sonic when the duo (hopefully) goes on tour. Once that comes to an end, An Evening With Silk Sonic will be capsuled as a moment in time for years to come. So let’s enjoy the great music and make room for the memories that will arrive with it because An Evening With Silk Sonic won’t be forever.

An Evening With Silk Sonic is out now via Atlantic/Aftermath. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Summer Walker’s ‘Still Over It’ Captures The Regret Of A Love That Crashed And Burned

November 11, 2021 by newhiphopnews

Summer Walker 'Still Over It' review — Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

The key to fully understanding the position Summer Walker finds herself in on her new album Still Over It is to remember where she left off. Every story has a prologue, and for Summer, that would be “Nobody Else,” the vulnerable confession towards love that closed her debut album Over It. “I want this, I want this to work out so bad / God, I feel it in my chest at night,” she begs on the track. “I want this, I want this, yeah, yeah / Will never fall out of love with you.” As we all know now, Summer’s wishes went unfulfilled, and while this step into love eventually tore her heart apart, it also gave the world what shaped up to be her magnum opus with Still Over It.

Cardi B says it best at the end of “Bitter.” “Put that drama in your music,” the rapper advises Summer while telling her to not “let b*tches… feel like they have a one-up by destroying your moment by telling your business to the world.” For better or for worse, the best way to regain control of a narrative for a successful musician like Summer is to make that best music of your life, and that’s what is present on Still Over It. Through the project’s 20 songs, Summer issues responses to women that interfered with her relationship, onlookers who questioned her decisions without knowing the entire story, and the very man who caused her heartbreak and destroyed the love she hoped would last a lifetime.

On Still Over It, Summer excellently reinforces that despite the whirlpool of controversy, turmoil, and toxicity that her relationship drowned in, her true desire was a love that was offertory rather than transactional. “All I wanted was for you to stay / It’s the bare minimum for me,” she bellows on “Reciprocate.” “I don’t wanna throw it all away / It’s a good thing, it’s a good thing.” It’s this standard reciprocation, which she asks of her partner and fails to receive, that drives her into a pit of sadness and regret. “You should know my mind by now / And it don’t seem to matter how many times I try,” Summer sings on “You Don’t Know Me” in disenchanted spirits. “But I cry, I say it nice / Yell it out loud, write it down, I’m tired.” It’s tracks like these where Summer uses tender production and her best songwriting to cast her pain through a projector to the world, one so big that it allows all the necessary details of her story to exist and roam free for listeners to digest.

As we progress further and further into Summer’s sophomore album, she’s forced to loosen her resistance towards letting go of a love that once made her melt. Through records like “Insane,” “Constant Bullsh*t,” and “Unloyal” with Ari Lennox, Summer almost jumps out of the moving car that is her relationship, but the unknown dangers that await her once she takes that dive delay this long-overdue exit. The man in question is London On Da Track, the father of her first child, and on “Switch A N***a Out” she uses sheer honesty to explain why she stayed beside him much longer than she should have. “’Cause I don’t want nobody, nobody else but you,” she sings, referencing her Over It closer. “And I used to be on my replacin’ sh*t / I would switch a n**** out so damn quick / If he ain’t gettin’ with my sh*t / But it just ain’t like that with you.”

Just like it would for anyone else, Summer reaches her breaking point through the last third of the album. After failed moments to fully shut the door on “Closure,” “Toxic,” and “Screwin,” Summer finally issues the grand closing for a love that she realizes was truly never meant to be. It brings forth some of the most painful and heartbreaking lyrics on the album. “Cause my heart is breakin,’” she bellows on “Broken Promises.” “I’ve been mistaken / You’re not the man I thought you were / And they tried to warn me.” Another example arrives on “Session 33.” “’Cause a house is not a home when no one’s there,” she notes. “So alone, no one’s there / Should I move on since no one’s here? / You know what you got is good, that’s why you refuse to let me walk out your life.”

Calling Still Over It Summer’s true villain story might be taking things a bit too far. Even her most ruthless moments, like dragging London and his mother on “4th Baby Mama,” seem well-deserved for a woman who was left to spend her “whole f*cking pregnancy alone.” In a perfect world, the happiness Summer exhibited to close Over It was still supposed to be alive and well on her sophomore project. A true love story and a child to raise with this forever partner should’ve been the narrative for her second album. Things were supposed to be different, but to her disappointment, that was not the case. Summer has grown as a singer, songwriter, and overall artist set on bringing her vision to life. However, until she receives the love she truly deserves, Summer Walker will still be over it.

Still Over It is out now via LVRN/Interscope. Get it here.

Maxo Kream Will Never Buckle Under The ‘Weight Of The World’

November 2, 2021 by newhiphopnews

There are only so many people in the world that deal with pressure as Maxo Kream does. Through projects like 2018’s Punken, 2019’s Brandon Banks, and now Weight Of The World, the rapper reveals the causes o these pressures as well as what often pushes him through them. In an interview with Complex’s Andre Gee, he explained how the three albums relate to each other and further his goal of helping fans understand what goes on in his world. “I feel like Brandon Banks coming after Punken allowed my fans to understand Punken more,” he said. “So now, with this one, you’ll understand what’s going on from Brandon Banks, like where I left off.”

Throughout Weight Of The World, Maxo delivers clarity for his previous work, as well as clarity towards his current position and his hopeful future. The album presents a man who must balance the multiple worlds he’s immersed in as a family man, supportive friend, experienced gang member, and rapper, as well as the responsibility that arrives when these worlds collide — intentionally or not. He details the collision of the streets and family through the tragic death of his brother Mmadu, which he details on “Trips,” and his success as a rapper providing a better lifestyle for his family and friends, allowing them to live a life away from danger. His hopeful future is captured on “Mama’s Purse” when he raps, “I was tryna buy her love, but I really made it worse / Put a price tag on her love but can’t afford how much it’s worth.” Behind the tough persona lives a man who yearns to provide greener pastures filled with “greener knots” to his inner circle, even if the cost is more than he ever imagined.

While Brandon Banks covered Maxo’s childhood, growth, and his clashes with both loved ones (his father specifically) and the streets, on Weight Of The World, he’s a well-established man with a family of his own in the making. However, now his conflicts are with those who doubt his legitimacy and commitment to the lifestyle he often raps about. On “They Say,” just three songs into the album, he rhymes, “And they say Maxo a b*tch, they say Maxo a h*e / He got rich and he dipped, don’t come around no more / They say he switched on his clique, yeah, he turned on his bros / And he ain’t pimpin’ a b*tch, he out here trickin’ on h*es.” In response, Maxo sets the record straight with a menacing display of his receipts. “Like we ain’t slang that rock for paper, totin’ scissors,” he quips. “Told you worked n****s ass off so how I owe you n****? / ‘Cross the globe, took you to my shows, done bought poles for n****s.” In Maxo’s eyes, there’s more than enough proof that he’s carried the weight of the world for people, making his doubters’ attempts to rewrite history a sure failure.

To a certain extent, Maxo insists on facing the world’s pressures rather than finding a way to diminish them. It could be because this path, as dangerous and as ruthless as it’s been, has given him everything he wanted in life and more. It’s what allows him to rap this on “Big Persona” with Tyler The Creator: “Eight figure n****, no more section 8 / Moved momma out the hood / We ain’t doin good, b*tch, we doin great.” Even when people in his inner circle beg for him to detach himself from the risks, as his mom and preacher do on “Streets Alone,” Maxo’s only response is to double down.

Maxo Kream is more than deserving of a moment to breathe freely in a world without danger. Unfortunately, it appears that Maxo was born into a world where peril lurks around the corner. For Maxo, acquiescing to these dangers is a lot like running away from your own shadow, and that’s something he will never do. “Never ran from a n****, don’t ask if my legs work,” he says on “11:59.” For more than a half-decade, Maxo Kream has explained the many responsibilities, pains, and traumas that rest on his shoulders; on Weight Of The World, the rapper insists on carrying this weight. The ups and downs of the past years gave him the strength to do so, and hasn’t buckled under this weight before, he certainly won’t now.

Weight Of The World is out now via RCA. Get it here.

RINI’s ‘Constellations’ Is A Love Story To Die For And One That’s Almost Too Good To Be True

October 14, 2021 by newhiphopnews

RINI deserves to be championed for the way he writes about love. The 23-year-old Australian-born singer released his official debut album, Constellations, this past Friday, three years removed from his beautiful 2018 EP, After The Sun. Both projects focus on the dealings that occur after sundown, but Constellations takes an out-of-this-world touch to RINI’s music, offering a beautiful love story that any hopeless romantic would die for 00 even though it seems far too good to be true. The young singer also receives help from Wale, a wordsmith certified to speak about the ups and downs of love, and Maeta, a newcomer who also has a fresh takes on romance to share.

Constellations leans heavily on brute honesty. RINI shows no fear, with the confidence that the woman he desires so much is the one. It’s no surprise that he lays all his cards face-up before her. “Red Lights,” the first song of the album, evokes the hair-pulling wait that occurs en route to a new flame. It’s clear that the relationship is new and fresh as his eagerness makes a routine stop at a red light far more grueling than usual. Backed by production that amplifies RINI’s lusty cries, you can feel his urge to cut corners and break rules to reach his desired destination.

Behind this song’s literal meaning comes a metaphor as well. The “red lights” RINI bemoans also signify the necessary breaks one should take as a relationship grows. RINI obeys these procedures, going from the realization of falling in love on “Over Some Wine” and “Butterflies” — so much so that it even surprises himself — to surefire commitment on “For Days” and “Craving.” RINI trusted the process and it got him all he wanted and more.

An impressive aspect of the album is RINI’s ability to spend so much time on the “cloud nine” period of love without sounding redundant. From “Butterflies” to the outro track of Constellations, RINI falls down a neverending tunnel of love. It helps that he also slightly pivots his focus through each track. “Mimosa” and “Need It” present a warm yearning for his partner’s return during their time apart while “Bedtime Story” begs to make their moments of intimacy last forever. “Talk To Me,” as on “Out Of The Blue,” seeks the reassurance to confirm he’s that he’s not the only one head-over-heels four times over in this relationship. Listeners are given just enough to understand nearly all of RINI’s feelings in romance without becoming suffocating.

It makes perfect sense that RINI named his debut Constellations. The way he presents it through the album’s 12 songs, love is as beautiful as the stars in the sky. In both cases, when you truly fall for it, you’ll crave its return throughout the day, immerse yourself in its beauty at nightfall, and dread its departure as the sun returns to begin the next day. He also believes love’s best moments occur once the sun goes down. Whether it’s the vulnerability that the darkest hours present or the inactive state of the world that allows for uninterrupted intimacy, it’s ironically the time where his romance blooms.

Constellations is out now via Warner Records. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Kyle Dion Continues To Break The Rules With The Excellent ‘Sassy’ And He Wants You To Do The Same

September 17, 2021 by newhiphopnews

“Let’s break the rules.”

These are the words singer Kyle Dion blares out on the opening track to his third album Sassy. This idea of negating the world’s expectations isn’t a newly-discovered concept for the Los Angeles-based singer, he’s been doing that from the very start. From his 2016 debut Painting Sounds through his 2019 sophomore effort Suga, Kyle Dion has made his uniqueness very clear. He possesses the energy of a rockstar, has one of the more impressive voices in the R&B world, carries an impenetrable confidence like most rappers do, and he does all of this while traversing the world like an indie act. It’s these qualities that helped the singer craft his last album, Suga, one of the most impressive R&B albums in 2019. The album’s 13 tracks detailed the rise and fall of love filled with equally climatic and crushing moments. Each was accentuated by the singer’s ability to excellently portray the raw passion needed for whatever emotion was at hand.

With that being said, his invitation to break the rules is more so for we as listeners, and maybe even his contemporaries, to join him in moving against the expected flow of the world. It comes with the hope that we’ll find an exhilarating freedom in doing so. But how does a rule-breaker continue to break the rules in a way that’s still attention-grabbing rather than recycled, repetitive, and even exhausting? Well, for Kyle Dion, he does it by simply having fun. His third album Sassy taps into a different side of his personality, one he describes as “an exaggerated version of myself.” However, even Dion has set boundaries for his anti ways. “I’ll never make the same song or album twice,” he says over a Zoom call. “That just doesn’t stimulate me at all and I don’t want to hear that, so I wouldn’t make it.”

It’s a line of thought that Dion said multiple times to me during our conversation. Even without him saying it, one might have guessed it as his mantra after listening to Sassy. The 17-track album is lively in ways that even the most energetic moments of his previous two projects hadn’t reached. “Parmesan” welcomes your best dance moves while Dion sings of his saucy ways and “Drip” with Duckwrth picks up the pace for an infectious number that commends a woman’s spotlight moment during a night out. “Money” is a cut-throat record that happily accepts the idea that cash ruling everything around him while “Fix Vision” with Channel Tres praises a woman’s beauty on the beautifully constructed track.

Kyle Dion’s change of emphasis on Sassy came after he discovered a falling point with his 2019 album. “I remember going to my friend’s house and they couldn’t play a song of mine on Suga at a kickback or something because it was not the wave,” he says. “I want to be played at a kickback, I want girls to be twerking and sh*t. I want to be played at different things.” So after touring the United States and Europe, all while having a blast with friends as he created moments like partying and “peeing in a lake and sh*t” in Amsterdam as well as the “lit as hell” experiences of Chicago, Dion set his mind on making a more outdoor-friendly album. While some may have not caught on to his versatility yet, the singer is very aware of his Rolodex of talents. “I can do many things and I’m not scared to show people that I can do many things, I don’t want people to expect things.”

And there it began. Sassy and all its beauty slowly came together, and as Dion worked to put the pieces together, there was one thing he was sure of. “One thing that I’m always gonna be able to do is sing my ass off,” he proclaims. “I’m always going to incorporate that into everything that I do, but there are no rules in what I’m able to do. I can do whatever I want as an artist.” It’s this refusal to conform that also welcomes a surprising, unexpected, but pleasant guest appearance from Ja Rule on “Placebo.” The New York rapper’s appearance came after Dion jokingly mentioned him after Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Real” came to mind while recording “Placebo.” “We just felt like it was funny and kind of a stretch, but we put it out there to my team,” he says. “A member of my team knew Ja Rule’s camp, and we sent it out to them.” Well, it turned out to be a great move as they received more than was asked for. “We were so excited when he sent a verse back instead of adlibs and I was like, ‘Yeah, man, this shi*t’s crazy.”

Furthermore, Dion loved that I labeled Ja Rule’s guest appearance as unexpected because it plays into the random and freeform artist he strives to be. “Like you said, You didn’t expect the pairing and that’s what I love,” he boasts. “I don’t want anyone to expect anything from me because I’m ever-changing, I’m ever-growing, and evolving. That’s what it is.” For some, change is dangerous as it promises an equal chance of rejection as it does praise. It’s something Stormzy alluded to during an interview with Billie Eilish. “Your spirit sometimes wants to stick to what you know,” the British rapper said while speaking about the pains of a sophomore album. “But then you want to venture out and like you’re just trying to figure out… the world really loved me for everything I did the first time around, so how do I approach the second one?”

So in a world where many, understandably, cringe or shudder at the idea of sharing something completely different than what they’ve found great success in and have been typecasted to, Dion practically begs his peers to throw caution into the wind and show their full palette of colors. “People are scared bro, people are so scared to show the range [and] do different sh*t,” he says with a bit of frustration in his tone and later adds, “Do what you want in the moment [and] be unapologetically yourself.” It’s sound advice from the singer who’s spent half a decade doing this. Being a musician is founded on constant leaps of faith as you repeatedly subject yourself to criticism or acclaim with every release. However, there’s a reason the saying “you miss every shot you don’t take” exists.

One of my favorite aspects of Sassy comes right after Dion’s collaboration with Ja Rule. Following “Placebo,” the flashing lights and pyrotechnics that come with the show that Dion puts on throughout the album are replaced with a single dim light as the singer’s tender touch returns to the forefront. “Comfortable” provides a warm blanket to a lover in hopes that the gesture will provoke them into opening up and showing him their true self. “Kiss Me Back” uses an endearing collection of guitar chords to beg for reciprocation and his “Good Bye, Good Luck” interlude lets go of a love he so desperately hoped would last forever. This versatility, and mastery in controlling it all, is truly impressive. It’s sequenced perfectly into the album making it a smooth transition into this relaxed moment as well as one out of it as the singer laughs off his sad-boy moment to return to the fun and bring the album to a close.

Sassy is filled with color from top to bottom and Kyle Dion is aware of it. The album isn’t painted within some imaginary lines that were set for it. That would quite literally go against the boundary-breaking agenda that the singer set for it. Instead, it contains splatters of vibrant coloring all over the canvas, and even if it doesn’t amount to a beautiful work of art in society’s eyes, it’s elegant enough for Dion and he’s happy that he did it that way. “I just threw up on this album and [it’s] like, “What do I do now? What’s next?” he ponders as our conversation nears an end. “Just as a young man growing into myself, I’m so curious as to where I’m gonna be next and where I’m gonna go next, but I’m happy that I let that out.”

Being a rule-breaker requires you to put up blinders to how people may respond to you. Going against the grain is rarely applauded, and it’s something the singer understands with his third album. “I did this one unapologetically, this is how I’m feeling, take it, love it, or don’t,” he says to me. However, even this rebel can’t help but hope for one thing from the world that consumes Sassy. “Do what you want and f*cking respect people that just put their sh*t out there and be f*cking free, unapologetic, and exactly who they are,” he declares. “If you don’t like it, that’s fine, but you got to respect it. That’s what I want, people should do whatever they want. That’s it.”

I think we can all agree with that.

Sassy is out now via Kyle Dion/AWAL Recordings. Get it here.

The Best Vinyl Releases Of August 2021

August 31, 2021 by newhiphopnews

Anybody who thought the vinyl resurgence was just a fad was mistaken: The industry has experienced a legitimate revival. As a result, music fans are interested in physical media in ways they may not have if the decades-old medium hasn’t made a comeback. That doesn’t mean everybody is listening to just their parents’ old music, though. That’s part of it, sure, thanks to rereleases that present classic albums in new ways. A vital part of the renewed vinyl wave, though, is new projects being released as records, of which there are plenty.

Whatever you might be into, each August brings a new slew of vinyl releases that has something for everybody. Some stand out above the rest, naturally, so check out some of our favorite vinyl releases of August below.

Billie Eilish — Happier Than Ever

Billie Eilish had a lot riding on her second album, and so far, she has delivered. It has spent multiple weeks at No. 1, spawned hit singles like “Therefore I Am” and “My Future,” and has otherwise kept Eilish in the conversation as one of music’s finest. The vinyl edition of the album is one you can feel environmentally good about owning, too, as it’s pressed on 100-percent recycled vinyl.

Get it here.

The Beach Boys — Feel Flows: The Sunflower And Surf’s Up Sessions 1969-1971

The Beach Boys’ defining output came in the mid-’60s, but now they’re honoring a pair of their also-excellent early-’70s albums, Sunflower and Surf’s Up, with a giant new box set. There are 135 tracks in total, with 108 of them being previously unreleased tracks, live recordings, demos, alternate versions/mixes, instrumentals, and a capella tracks.

Get it here.

Foxing — Draw Down The Moon

Draw Down The Moon marked a change in direction for Foxing, who embrace genres like pop and rock like they never really have before in their mostly emo-leaning discography. Now, one of the year’s finer rock albums is available pressed on lovely yellow, blue, and green vinyl, which also comes with a 24-inch by 36-inch poster.

Get it here.

The Knife — Deep Cuts (20th Anniversary Reissue)

The Knife enjoyed a tremendous run as a beloved electronic act in the 200)s, and while they broke up in 2014, they’re celebrating their 2001 sophomore album Deep Cuts. As the record turns 20 years old, it has gotten a limited edition reissue pressed on magenta vinyl, which pairs gorgeously with the colorful album art.

Get it here.

Olivia Rodrigo — Sour

Earlier this month, Rodrigo shared a video of herself in awe as she examined the vinyl edition of Sour for the first time. It turns out that’s an experience a lot of her fans replicated, as Sour had not just the biggest vinyl sales week of 2021 so far, but the second-largest of the past 30 years. So, if you don’t already have this one, the market has shown that it’s worth picking up.

Get it here.

Various Artists — Another Side Of John Coltrane

John Coltrane is a headlining act without question, but throughout his career, he also played a supporting role on works by fellow jazz greats like Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and Sonny Rollins. Now some of those collaborations have been compiled on Another Side Of John Coltrane, which is available digitally. The 2-LP set, though, has the whole package, as it includes two vinyl-exclusive songs: “Nutty” (from Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane) and “Birks’ Works” (from Soul Junction by the Red Garland Quintet featuring Coltrane and Donald Byrd).

Get it here.

LCD Soundsystem — The Long Goodbye: LCD Soundsystem Live At Madison Square Garden (10th Anniversary Reissue)

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since LCD Soundsystem’s “farewell” show (which of course preceded the band’s reunion). Now the soundtrack album is back in print as an expansive vinyl edition, made up of five LPs, a print of the original concert poster, and a 10.5-inch by 7-inch full-bleed risograph photo print by longtime band photographer Ruvan Wijesooriya.

Get it here.

Wu-Tang Clan — Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (Reissue)

Enter The Wu-Tang has gone down as one of hip-hop’s most important and influential albums, and now it has gotten a shiny new reissue via the fine record purveyors at Vinyl Me, Please. Pressed on “gold galaxy”-colored vinyl, this edition comes accompanied by an art print as well as a listening notes booklet.

Get it here.

Public Enemy — Fear Of A Black Planet (Reissue)

Vinyl Me, Please was on fire this month, especially in the hip-hop department. They’ve also dropped a new edition of the Public Enemy classic Fear Of A Black Planet, and this version of the group’s biggest release comes pressed on sharp-looking blue and brown vinyl — or “Us and the Damned”-colored, as VMP puts it.

Get it here.

Big Red Machine — How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?

Big Red Machine is built on collaboration, as the core of the project is the coming together of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and The National’s Aaron Dessner. On top of that, the duo’s latest album also brings into the fold Taylor Swift, Fleet Foxes, Sharon Van Etten, and a host of others, and now they’re all available together on vinyl.

Get it here.

Spice Girls — Wannabe25

Spice Girls know what you want (what you really, really want): They’re celebrating the 25th anniversary of their hit single “Wannabe” with a new limited-edition EP, Wannabe25. Aside from the original 1996 single, this vinyl release also includes a remix of the song by Junior Vasquez (which was originally a bonus track on the 1996 “2 Become 1” CD single), the original demo of the song, and a demo of a previously unreleased track called “Feed Your Love.”

Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Tinashe’s ‘333’ Highlights Her Impressive Versatility While Advocating For Trust In The Process

August 12, 2021 by newhiphopnews

The angel number “333” is a reassuring sign that confirms the path one currently charters is the correct one. All fears, worries, anxieties, or anything else that undercuts confidence at the knees, are acknowledged, but the beam of light that this triple-digit figure shines towards is optimism rather than pessimism. In short, “333” not only begs for faith but also induces it. After all the chaos that the world endured in 2020, it’s no surprise that Tinashe’s fifth album carries the title of 333, but a pandemic year barely scratches the surface of inspiration for the singer, that is, if it’s even for the table she sits at.

To understand why Tinashe might need faith instilled in her future, you have to understand her past. After gaining popularity for a trio for 2010s mixtapes, In Case We Die (2012), Reverie (2012), and Black Water (2013), and breaking through mainstream walls with her debut album Aquarius and top-30 Billboard single “2 On,” things would veer off-road for Tinashe. Struggles with her former label would result in an unpromoted sophomore album Nightride and a well-overdue third album in Joyride. Tinashe would reclaim control of her career as an independent act for her fourth and fifth albums, Songs For You and 333, but for many of her fans, and quite possibly the singer herself, questions of what-ifs and maybes swarmed the mind.

333 encapsulates Tinashe’s eye-popping versatility like no other album in her discography has done. Through 16 songs and collaborations with Jeremih, Kaytranada, Kaash Paige, Buddy, and more, the singer dives headfirst into the idea that trusting what’s in front of you will lead to what’s also destined for you. It’s the hidden message that lays underneath the drawn-out and steady snaps on the album’s opening track, “Let Go.” “It’ll be alright,” she sings softly. “When I let go.” The gadgets and gizmos that we believe we can control to steer our lives in the desired direction are mere placebos that appear as such we end up at a different destination than expected — whether it be an enchanting heaven or a bottomless ditch.

So with that, Tinashe keeps faith in what she can do well, and in all honesty, it’s a lot. Between R&B that arrives as gritty on “I Can See The Future” or bouncy and sensual on “X” as well as pop-leaning records that come alive through “Undo (Back To My Heart)” and “The Chase,” Tinashe’s palette bears many different colors for brushes of all sizes. For some, this never-ending availability of options may be too much to handle, but for Tinashe? She’s cut front the cloth that doesn’t simply beg for freedom — she requires and demands it. A lack of boundaries for some leads to aimless roaming and wasted times, while for others, it provides the perfect space for discovery and inspiration. Tinashe is the latter.

Roaming free helped the singer produce several examples of attention-seizing records on 333. “Unconditional” begins with uptempo dance-ready production before dialing the tempo back in its second half into a relaxed state that sees Tinashe expanding on her request for love without restriction as she plans on giving the same. “Last Call” arrives as a somber goodbye to a relationship that once was and the hope that a friendship can be salvaged. The song’s climatic production from verse-to-chorus accentuates Tinashe’s true pain towards a departed love while a similar structure on “The Chase” presents a woman who’s moved on and won’t beg for a former lover’s presence.

For the career Tinashe has endured, two quotes from her come to mind. “I realized that it was my turn to get back into the driver’s seat as far as curating every move I made from there on out,” which she said following the underwhelming success of “Flame,” a lead single turned promo release for Joyride. The second comes from a 2017 interview with Lena Dunham. “I learned that if I couldn’t trust in myself, and my own opinions, I lost all of my value as an artist,” she said. Both statements from Tinashe are worth keeping in mind while traversing through her latest body of work.

Tinashe deserves the spot she stands in right now. She was due for this position years ago, but maybe the bumpy road she walked on was intentionally laid for her. The trials and tribulations the singer went through are certainly examples of the faults within an often unsupportive music industry, this and the accompanying high moments she experienced all contributed to the success she has now. Control what you can and let go of what you cannot as hindsight is 20/20 and foresight is as blind as a bat, but faith in continuing forward should bring Tinashe all she wants and more. The angels have spoken, now it’s time to listen, trust, and believe.

333 is out now via Tinashe Music Inc. Get it here.

Phabo Is A Burgeoning ‘Soulquarius’ Whose Success Comes From Letting Go And Letting God

August 4, 2021 by newhiphopnews

Phabo can’t fail at anything. That’s what the San Diego-born singer will tell you when you ask about his career, and it’s far from an egotistic or overly confident statement when you think about it. Failure is derived from expectations and in a world where anything can happen at any given moment, these hopes and beliefs can alter your progress, or the lack thereof at a given moment, to appear as if success lies further away than the horizons that stand in front of you. Luckily for the neo-soul-inspired singer, he learned to let go and let God when it came to his future.

“I’ve worked hard, God has allowed me to get to this point, so I know God wouldn’t allow me to get up there and fail for real, it’s not really a thing,” he says to me during a Zoom call. “I’m embracing the moment. Like I said, palms up. I’m embracing it for whatever it is, it’s fail-proof, I can’t fail.”

Our conversation comes shortly after Phabo released his debut album, Soulquarius. The new project is dipped in neo-soul gold — a genre that the singer holds near and dear to his heart — through 16 songs and features from Alex Vaughn, Destin Conrad, Mntra, and Rexx Life Raj. During a conversation with Uproxx, Phabo spoke about Soulquarius, his relationship with music and driving, and what he seeks the most for his career.

In your own words, because Soulquarius isn’t a new word (shoutout the Soulquarians), what does a Soulquarius mean to you?

Obviously, the end part is derived from Aquarius, with me being an Aquarius. I tie that in with my love for neo-soul music, the Soulquarians. I knew people would get that part, but deeper than that, it ties into everything that I stand for as well. It ties into astrology in terms of Polaris meaning my brand and stuff. It ties into following your North Star at all times. It’s a deeper meaning than “what’s your sign?” or whatnot, it’s not even like that or like me trying to do a carbon copy because I wasn’t trying to sound like it. I wasn’t trying to sound like that, I wanted to create my own sound but I still wanted that essence and that raw feeling to still be as if I recorded it at Electric Lady Studios in New York.

It’s clear that you’re very much affected and inspired by the neo-soul genre as a whole. From D’Angelo to Erykah Badu and everyone else that contributed to it, what pulled you into it the most?

So I was brought up around like a bunch of eclectic music. My dad wasn’t somebody who limited himself in terms of musicality because he was a songwriter too. My dad had a tape of affirmations and he had a tape of affirmative songs and it’d be the same five songs that would play every morning. Those five songs would be like Eric Benet’s “True To Myself,” Bobby McFerrin’s “Friends” was on there, and so on and so forth. Being able to read the lyrics, and I’m learning them at like six and seven, and just the different parts that go into that, it’s always been a feeling. I was able to understand spiritually what that meant and what that was and why I was tickling my gut right here when I listened to it, the chords when they do something. I can’t really explain it, I can’t put it in no other words other than you just know what it feels like when you hear it.

In a previous interview, you mentioned that you were ready to release Soulquarius years ago, but after an engineer took the masters with them on tour, you couldn’t drop it so we got your 2016 EP Free instead. Since then, how has Soulquarius and the story you aimed to tell grown, changed, or even stayed the same?

To be transparent, the only songs that remained from that project that was supposed to drop were “Beam,” “How’s My Driving?” [and] “Slippery.” Everything else was recorded after I thought that that project was done. It’s kind of crazy cause even in those moments where I was close to giving up, something would happen where God’s like, “Alright, he’s not getting it? We’re just here n****, chill.” The project changed a lot, but the integrity remained the same. Me and bro, that’s my brother, mind you, like I said, he did those three songs that I just named. We produced those, except for “Slippery,” but “How’s My Driving?” and “Beam” were with bro. He’s responsible for that noise that comes out right on “Beam,” he did all that. Nothing happens by chance and I’m grateful that we’re able to get to this point and I was grateful for all the changes that took place and the sound of it from then to now. If I listened to the original, what it was to be, as opposed to where we’re at now, it just sounds a little bit dated, so I’m grateful for it all.

I can assume this moment and all the frustrations that came with it were probably the hardest example of following your North Star right?

Yes, a million percent. Yeah, relinquishing all control to just the powers that be, like hands up, palms up. You’ll really take yourself through it, beating yourself up trying to force things to go a certain way at a certain time. I rushed that project to drop and then it’s like it’s just, yeah, no. I look back at how things could have been and I followed my North Star for sure, or the North Star led me. Like I said, I couldn’t even f*ck up if I wanted to, it wasn’t even happening. So I start getting to the point where I’m just talking to God every morning — moving with a different type of divine power. Even when I was f*cking it up, it wouldn’t [work]. Went to upload the joint, the joint bounced back, you know what I’m saying? Yeah, it’s divine bro.

There are a lot of songs and scenes that take place in a car on Soulquarius. There’s “LNF,” “S550,” and “How’s My Driving.” The sounds of an engine starting appear at the beginning of “Slippery.” What’s the relationship between music, cars, and driving for you?

Before it was Soulquarius, it was How’s My Driving?, that was the title of the project with “How’s My Driving” being the lead single on that project. I was born in San Diego, California, I moved to St. Petersburg, Florida when I was eight years old, then relocated to Long Beach when I was 16. I spent half of my junior year and senior year in Orange County completing high school, [then I] moved back to the heart of LA. I’m learning the culture out there, the backstreets to take, what not to say, all that stuff. All that is just like me maneuvering, working a full-time job, and I’m putting miles on my car just trying to make things happen. The way I made a name for myself on the writing side of things is me being available and dependable, and that comes with a lot of driving. All my ideas are coming to me on the road, I remember I used to write in between lights. I’d write at each stoplight on the way to the studio. I was on the road that much, I wasn’t at the crib, I would write like at a stoplight. LA, you could sit for a minute, so by the time I get to the studio, I got a song and it’s fresh because I just did it on the way here. The different routes that I took in life painted that picture for me.

You’ve done a lot of songwriting for artists like Kehlani, Kyle Doin & Jahkoy. What are some of the things you learned in this process that helped you grow as an artist as you were working on your own music?

Mars Today, he’s the homie, he’s a dope everything, I don’t even want to limit bro to anything he’s a creative, artist, producer, he got all that sh*t going. I remember early on, the first two artists I was writing for were Jahkoy and Kyle Dion. Before this, I kind of knew the structure of songs just based on what I was hearing on the radio and whatnot. When I went to write, that’s when I learned what each section was called. This the post, this the pre, we need this and we need that. Double that so it comes through [like this]. Everything has just happened to work hand-in-hand, there’s been nothing that’s been further along than anything. I feel like I was building on my artistry and my writing at the same time, always. I definitely learned more about the business from the writing side as well. How things work in terms of placing and whatnot. So in the future, when I do decide to work with other writers, I know how it works and how the business goes. I learned more of the business from the writer’s side than I did from the artist’s side for sure. On the artist side, there are still things that I’m learning.

Going off the point of you being a fairly new artist yourself, I wanted to ask: What are some artists that you’ve worked with, or that you’ve seen or interacted with, that you feel deserve more attention?

Destin Conrad, Ambré, let’s see, Jean Deaux [too]. It’s really like people that I rock with tough. I feel like Rexx Life Raj is another n**** that gets it. He understands life on a molecular level. It’s coming to him already, he’s already manifested it, but he’s one for sure. Really, AJ Saudin from Degrassi. He’s like — that’s scary because he can act and he’s in his R&B bag. We’re building that camaraderie to be able to get sh*t going. That’s a n**** I believe in 100% for sure. Lyfe Harris and Alex Vaughn [too].

We spoke earlier about just following your North Star. Wherever it leads you, you’re confident that it’s bringing you to a good place and somewhere that you can handle. However, if I could give you control for one moment, if there’s one thing that comes as a result of Soulquarius, what do you hope it is?

Longevity. I live by this principle that everybody gets like one earthquake in this game and everything after that is just maintaining the aftershocks. For me, I was kind of on the fence cause everybody wants to hold off this whole “album” word because it’s a game to [guess]. “Was it an album? Was that the one?” Nobody wants to bet on themselves and the labels don’t feel like these artists are ready to even say that yet. Following my North Star, I just went with whatever was coming naturally and what it felt like. It did not feel like an EP, it did not feel like a project. It felt like something that would set me up for the next 10-20 years. It felt like my Nostalgia, Ultra, it felt like my So Far Gone. I’ve seen some sh*t out here trying to finish this project, just trying to get this sh*t out. I know that shows and I know n****s feel that. I know the work that I put into this shows and I truly feel like this is the one, even with the next project’s success and the project after that’s success. This is gonna be the one that sets me up for the next 20 [years] to really run the game.

Soulquarius is out now via Soulection. Get it here.