Kehlani has built up a lot of excitement surrounding her fourth studio LP and seventh overall project, CRASH. There are a couple of reasons for that, with one of them being the terrific lead-off tracks. You have the undeniable groove on “After Hours”, as well as the explosive yet sultry “Next 2 U”. In addition to the well-executed singles, Kehlani expressed how they were in a such a healthy place mentally during the creation of CRASH. “For once, I’m not attached to some story or some public thing or some trauma or some deep explanations. I have nothing but joyful things to say… I’m in such a happy place”, they told Zane Lowe.
You can tell that right from the opening track “GrooveTheory”, which starts out mellow and then transitions into a slower and more contemporary R&B sound. There was certainly a lot of care put into this body of work, with Kehlani showing lots of love to their producers. “Thank you to everyone who stayed up till morning, traveled to every city, everyone who took a passport stamp for me. Thank you to everyone who let me make 5 versions… to every creative, musically & visually who treated this baby like it was their own”. Speaking of the sounds on this record, you are getting a whole bunch of them. From country to amapiano, as well as singer/songwriter and synth pop, there is no point of stagnation. Kehlani was truly free throughout this entire creative process, and it has produced one of her best works to date.
Clipse are back. The Virginia duo haven’t dropped since 2009, but they have confirmed their plans to reunite with producer Pharrell Williams on their fourth studio album. Considering how good their stuff is when Pharrell is behind the boards, fans are in for a classic. The promo for the album definitely makes it seem that way. Clipse and Pharrell hosted a listening party for new album in Paris on June 20. Feedback was glowing, but it was Pusha T’s comments afterwards that got fans more excited.
The listening party revealed crucial details about the album. The album is reportedly 90% done, and rappers who have been confirmed to appear on the tracklist include Nas, John Legend, and Stove God Cooks. The revelations, didn’t stop there, though. Pusha quoted a tweet about the listening party, and wrote: “Plus a couple more features…” with an upside down smiley face emoji. The notion of a stacked feature list on a Clipse album is novel, given the tracklist for their first two releases. The guest verses were mainly handled by Re-Up Gang. Til the Casket Drops, their third album, had more star power to offer, but it’s also considered Clipse’s weakest. It also featured the least Pharrell production.
All the pieces are in play for the new album to work. Pusha T and Nas have never officially been on the same song. Nas was supposed to be on Push’s 2022 album It’s Almost Dry, but it never came together. “Nas was gonna be on my last verse of ‘Hear Me Clearly,’” he told Spotify. “I don’t know, man. It pisses me off. It was my biggest regret for the album.” Stove God Cooks has never worked with Pusha T either, though it’s easy to see, lyrically and stylistically, how they would mesh. If anything, John Legend is the head-scratcher of an inclusion. Legend’s image seems to clash with Clipse’s, but if anybody can make their incongruous sounds work, it’s Pharrell.
Pusha T and No Malice are confident the new album will be their most mature yet. The latter said as much during a recent profile with Vulture. “I think the album shows the supreme maturation of a rap duo,” he posited. “I think this is where you get the difference between taste and filler. This music is curated. This is a high taste-level piece of work. You can only have that level of taste when you have the fundamentals down to a science.” No Malice concurs. “This is what the true evolution of the Clipse looks like,” he concluded.
Ty Dolla Sign has been working with Kanye West as of late. Overall, their first collaborative album together was Vultures. They had worked together in the past, but Vultures served as their largest undertaking yet. On March 8th, they were supposed to drop off Vultures 2, however, the album never came. Then, it was said that the project would actually come out in May. In the end, that turned out to not be the case. Once again, fans were bamboozled.
Last night, Ty Dolla Sign was at “The Pop Out” in Inglewood. It was an amazing night for hip-hop, and Ty got to perform. However, there were some fans who wanted to know about Vultures 2. Well, they actually got an update of sorts. According to the NFR Podcast, Ty Dolla Sign said “The album is almost done and could be released any day now.” When it comes to Kanye West, we have heard this plenty of times before. At this point, this kind of statement is fairly hard to believe.
In addition to Vultures 2, there is supposed to also be a Vultures 3. However, based on how things have gone, that third installment could be years away. Ye is someone who works on his own timeframes, and he can be a perfectionist. This combination leads to a lot of delayed albums, and millions of disappointed fans. Perhaps this time around, Kanye will surprise us all.
Let us know what you think about this update, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that Vultures 2 is actually going to be released soon? Or do you think that it may just end up getting scrapped in the near future? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Tommy Richman is not wasting time. He struck it big with “Million Dollar Baby,” which climbed all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. He then struck again with “Devil Is a Lie,” which has getting lots of positive response from fans. Richman didn’t stop there. The R&B singer announced his plans to drop his debut solo album, COYOTE, in the next few months. He’s proven he isn’t a one-hit wonder in record time, and industry veterans recognize it. Russ is one of them, and he’s impressed.
Russ noticed that Tommy Richman’s album is on the way, and gave the singer his flowers. He praised Richman for not taking the standard one-hit wonder route of milking a hit and dragging out the release until interest in the artist fades. It’s something fans have seen countless times over the years. And it’s something Russ has worked tirelessly to avoid in his career. “He’s moving with a sense of urgency,” the rapper tweeted. “Capitalizing on momentum. Unlike a lot of artists who catch 1 song and parade around for a year and then miss their moment. Kudos to him and his team.”
He’s moving with a sense of urgency and capitalizing on momentum unlike a lot of artists who catch 1 song and parade around for a year and then miss their moment. Kudos to him and his team https://t.co/z71P69ZSkI
Russ has valued work ethic above all else throughout his career. It’s what allowed him to find success as an independent artist. It’s also why he felt compelled to compliment Richman. Russ talked about the big part that momentum plays in an artist’s career during a 2018 interview with Forbes. “You can’t sit around waiting for someone to come along and help you out,” he asserted. “I was always focused on doing the work, and in turn, that attracted the right people. I’m a true believer that when you’re doing the work… the right people are going to be placed in your path at the right time.”
Funkmaster Flex was someone who failed to see Tommy Richman’s vision. He dismissed the singer upon hearing his breakout single on the radio. “Remember,” he told listeners. “If you’re someone that likes this song, you are a clown.” He dismissed “Million Dollar Baby” as a throwaway. He walked back his criticisms when he heard Richman’s second single, though. Funkmaster Flex tweeted about the premiere of “Devil Is a Lie” on Hot 97, and assured fans that he actually “liked” this song. If Richman can win over skeptics like Flex, and polarizing personalities like Russ, he’s going to have a long career.
Post Malone has become a pop culture force. He got his start as a rapper in the late 2010s, but he’s managed to crossover in virtually every facet of entertainment. He has a controller emblazoned with his logo. The “Rockstar” singer made a cameo in the action remake Road House. He’s even unavoidable in commercials. And now he’s back with a brand new album for the summer. Post Malone thrilled fans by announcing the title and release date of the album on Instagram.
The rapper used a photo of a Nashville billboard to unveil the title of the album, which is F-1 Trillion. This is a play on the F-1 truck, and it follows the Post Malone convention of tweaking items or phrases to give them a new meaning. Beerbongs and Bentleys (2018) exemplifies this, as does Twelve Karat Toothache (2022). F-1 Trillion will drop on August 16th, which means fans can expect to hear a lead single sooner rather than later. The truck imagery, and the Nashville setting of the billboard, of course, suggests that Malone is going to continue to pursue a country music direction. This is a direction that he’s been going towards for the past couple months.
In November 2023, Malone told Twitch viewers he’d been recording music for a new country album. “Country album is coming,” he announced. “I keep singing a song that we made while I was in Nashville, and it’s so f*ckin’ sick, but it’s not out. We made such sick music down in Nashville. It was so much, so much fun.” The rapper also teased a country collab with Blake Shelton back in May. If any fans were in doubt that Post Malone was leaning more country, one need only look at his 2024 guest appearances. He showed up on the latest albums from Taylor Swift and Beyonce, with the latter being titled Cowboy Carter. He’s making it very clear where he’s going.
To Post Malone’s credit, he’s wanted to make country since the start of the decade. In 2021, he told iHeart Radio that his dream was to make a crossover country album. “I wanted to create something everybody can get down to,” he wrote in a statement. “People who like country will like it… People who like folk will dig it. Even people who like pop will be into it.” It may have taken the rapper longer than he expected to do it, but F-1 Trillion is now around the corner.
Cory Gunz has always possessed great flow patterns and clever one liners throughout his long and steady career. The East Coast spitter might not be your go-to for hits and bangers. But overall, the veteran is the perfect artist for the headphones. You can just close your eyes and lock into his lyrics and digest what he is putting down. Across his new mixtape, Loosie Pack 3, Cory Gunz is doing just that and doing it effectively as well.
As you could probably guess, this is a part of an ongoing series that The Bronx songwriter has. This now trilogy got its start just last year. The first of which dropped back in September and brought on the talents of Black Saun, Pax, Styles P, Whispers, and more. Then, just two months later, Cory Gunz would bring out Loosie Pack 2. The second seven-track offering had the likes of Nino Man, Snyp Life, Fuego Base, Whispers again, and RMK. As for Loosie Pack 3, Gunz includes probably the highest number of diverse guests. Here, you get Jim Jones, Jaewon, Mulaarie, Dashii, Large Amount, Chris Rivers, Whispers (yet again), and RMK. Since this is a mixtape and a set of Loosies, like the tape says, Cory is giving you a simple formula of solid rapping.
For most hip-hop fanatics, neo-soul singer/songwriter Fana Hues might not ring a bell. However, those who checked out Tyler, The Creator’s CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, you might know her from the two-parter, “SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE”. If this is the amount of knowledge you have on the Pasadena, California artist, then we encourage you to check out her solo discography. Fana Hues possesses an incredibly soothing voice, as well as a great ear for instrumentals. Just like her vocal abilities, the sounds Fana Hues goes for on Moth are hypnotic and serene. They play perfectly alongside her topical focus and the delivery of said themes, making for a satisfying listening experience.
If you are wondering if the title of Moth is a possible acronym for anything, it actually is. According to an interview with Essence, Fana Hues explains that it translates to “Matters Of The Heart”. Also during her chat with the publication, the 28-year-old talks about what this project is all trying to convey. “This album is definitely me putting the mirror up to myself and seeing where I’m at, where I want to be and how to get there”, she says. In another sit-down, this time with Rated R&B, Fana also speaks on how it pertains to the actual insect while expanding on aforementioned journey. “Moths fly through darkness constantly searching for light even at the risk of harm. I’m always en route on a journey to find the reason for a feeling in its purest form, even if it hurts”. From its layered meaning to the songs overall, Fana has a great record on her hands.
Travis Scott and Mustard have worked together in the past. Overall, their most famous collaboration was on the song “Whole Lotta Lovin’” which saw both artists getting into their EDM bag. However, Mustard is now looking to drop something new. He is having a huge resurgence thanks to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” and fans are excited for a new album. In fact, he will be dropping said album on June 28th, and it is going to be called Faith Of A Mustard Seed.
Mustard is looking to preview the new album, and the best way to do that is with some singles. For now, it remains to be seen if “Not Like Us” will be on the project. If it is, he will certainly get a nice streaming boost from the song. Even if it’s not, Mustard is about to bring out the who’s who of hip-hop. For instance, he just teased a new collab with Travis Scott called “Parking Lot.” This new collaboration is dropping this Friday, June 21st and it promises to be absolutely massive.
In the clip, you can see both Travis and Mustard in the studio, recording the track. Based on Mustard’s reactions, you can tell he believes this has hit potential. Mustard has produced some of contemporary hip-hop’s most iconic songs, so this should not come as a surprise. If there is one thing for certain, this is going to be an album that gets heavy rotation during the summer.
Let us know what you think of this new song snippet, in the comments section down below. Are you excited for this new Travis Scott and Mustard song? What are some features that you want to hear on Faith Of A Mustard Seed? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
An artist who gets to play a show the day that their album comes out might feel like a superstar athlete entering their first game of the season. There’s been a lot of build-up beforehand, there’s a lot of pressure to deliver, and you get to give fans a taste of what’s to come in the following weeks and months. When Don Toliver joined the rest of Cactus Jack for their Summer Smash set this past weekend, it became immediately clear that his new album, HARDSTONE PSYCHO, is a picture-perfect crowd-pleaser in the live setting. Bolstered by fiery singles like “BANDIT” and more vibe-inclined teasers, the project made impact as his most comprehensive, versatile, and well-rounded artistic picture up to this point. The live guitar for the Chicago festival represents just one of the various elements that make this record a pretty gratifying experience.
Whether you’re a longtime Don Toliver fan or a skeptical newcomer, HARDSTONE PSYCHO is well aware of the expectation to engage, captivate, and entrance on a sonic level. The production is almost always layered and balanced, the Houston native’s performances are as sticky as ever, and it’s all brought together by an aesthetic consistency that’s never appeared on a Don album to this level. It feels like a true sequel to the regal grittiness 2021’s LIFE OF A DON following the more sweet, soothing, and sluggish Love Sick in 2023. However, some empty spaces in the songwriting, plus slightly hollow lyrical and melodic retreads, threaten to take away from H.P.‘s cohesion. Luckily, no bump in the road fully stops this roaring Harley from throttling forward.
From the very first track “KRYPTONITE,” motors rev and a whistling synth lingers wistfully before the trap beat comes in with airy but distorted electric guitar chords. This, plus a longing plea for love and weakness in the face of chaotic and high-speed vices, set the stage for what Don Toliver does most successfully and consistently on HARDSTONE PSYCHO. The production is consistently layered, and main producers like 206Derek plus big names like BNYX make sure to give these instrumentals a lot of detail and make them atmospheric yet vivid enough to feel like a motorcycle ride. “TORE UP” is a hard-rocking adrenaline rush of boisterous riffs and chants, the lush strings breathe unexpected life into the drill chiller “GLOCK,” and “HARDSTONE NATIONAL ANTHEM,” with its stadium-inspired drums and rising synthesizers make for a dramatic closing response to the album’s opener. Overall, it’s always some potent ear candy.
Nevertheless, the comparison game between some of Don Toliver’s similar ideas does drag down the tracklist flow on repeat listens. Despite the creative drill flip of Pharrell’s hook on Snoop Dogg’s “Beautiful” and earworms on “ATTITUDE,” short appearances from Cash Cobain and Charlie Wilson aren’t enough to flesh out the minimal soundscape into something more wholly present rather than a mood-setter. Meanwhile, “LAST LAUGH” loses its soul-sampling luster by the midway point.
As far as the presentation from a beat-making standpoint, there are very few lowlights here that will disengage you from the push-and-pull of the 30-year-old’s contrasting talents, regardless of a few missteps. Still, there are more compromised and melancholy moments here than scorching ones, and the tracklist could’ve benefitted from a more energetic cut toward the end.
What keeps the energy up all the way through is Don Toliver himself, whose mastery of his idiosyncratic vocal tone, infectious flow switches, and catchy hooks pushes his ceiling further up. “4X4” is a standout performance here thanks to his dynamic delivery and being the last true-blue banger moment on HARDSTONE PSYCHO. He and Kodak Black flow like volatile but relentless gas leaks on “BROTHER STONE,” and his control of both clubby choruses and chopped-and-screwed-adjacent Southern rap on “NEW DROP” offers inescapable refrains. There’s also some great vocal chemistry with Future on the Metro-produced and psych-driven “PURPLE RAIN,” and even “DEEP IN THE WATER” has some addictive tones despite it being the most measured and tranquil performance on the album. Toliver’s most important growth here, as far as what this represents in his career, is his vocal experimentation and evolution of different “voices.”
Yet the lyrical content can be summed up with just two lines: “Lifestyle full of sin, but you heaven-sent,” and “Turn those tears into wine.” Don Toliver keeps the emphasis on the dreaminess and enjoyability of the listening experience, but there’s not much expansive food for thought when it comes to light themes of lust, hedonism, trust, and adventure. There’s a similar repetitiveness to some of the melodies here, such as a “Cardigan”-resembling “5 TO 10” hook, that empty spaces in verses, bridges, and songwriting certainly don’t help. Some more unexpected sounds and invitees could’ve mitigated this, such as an expansion of the charismatic and personality-filled Teezo Touchdown feature on “BACKSTREETS” and leaving Travis Scott’s “INSIDE” croons alone in place of doubling down with a more meager “ICE AGE” guest slot.
Despite moments when HARDSTONE PSYCHO spins its wheels in the mud, it definitely triumphs in taking you on this sonic ride alongside Don Toliver and boasts plenty of highlights for the rest of your 2024 journey. While he built this new era with few new elements, his rock focus and vocal innovations pave a path forward for his artistry and hint at what’s to come. For the kind of album that the “Flocky Flocky” creative tends to make, this is likely his most skillful LP to date and the best display of his toolbox, even with its shortcomings. Fans found that the tendency to box artists into a specific niche became an easy challenge when it came to Don. Fortunately, this album left wiggle room to sustain himself and capitalize on the changes in his life and career.
Furthermore, the new father perhaps chose to split HARDSTONE PSYCHO into four evenly distributed discs for that very reason. It doesn’t work out to its fullest potential, since the album falls ever-so-slightly short of providing a seamless flow to distract from these sections’ overlap. But the strategy does lend itself to an explicit and, for the most part, fully realized vision to mark a distinct change from his earlier sounds and leanings. After all, one of the cuts on here features a vocal outro reportedly from Don Toliver’s late uncle Carl, who supported him heavily and inspired the motorcycle homages on this project. Don’s influences fall more clearly into place here, developing a unique identity despite years of opportunities for complacency. While there’s still a long road ahead in this regard, he’s keeping his foot on the gas to get there.
The great thing about underground hip-hop is that there are so many unique personalities. There are a plethora of rappers who operate in this space and nearly every one of them brings an idiosyncratic style. One of those guys has to be Homeboy Sandman. The longtime Queens, New York lyricist has been steadily developing his mindset to the subgenre for nearly 20 years. Getting his start in the late 2000s, the 43-year-old has always been one to bring engaging material through his dry sense of humor. His goofy bars and ear for diverse instrumentals are what define him in our opinion, and it has allowed him to create an instant recognizable sound. Those qualities are all over the latest Homeboy Sandman record, Rich II.
If you have been following his career closely, you know that he likes to ride slightly off-kilter jazzy/boom-bap beats. They usually contain a faster rhythm along with chaotic drum patterns. Those are on Rich II as well and they help bring out some hilarious moments lyrically speaking. The flows that Homeboy delivers are also goofy at times, really accentuating the tongue in cheek bars. Earlier this year, we talked about a couple of singles, “Real Good” and “Do It Right”. They both do not land on this project. Instead, there is a good chance that we still get Year of the Dragon. A release date for it is still up in the air, so take a listen to Rich II in the meantime below.
