song

With Lil Nas X’s Satanically-charged single “MONTERO” currently sitting aloft as the biggest song in the world right now, it was only a matter of time before the remixes began pouring in. Tackling the melodic pop-banger is none other than elite lyricist R.A. The Rugged Man, whose pen game stands as sharp as his scathing social commentary. 

Having a field-day with the mass hysteria that rose following the release of “MONTERO’s” visuals and blood-tinged shoes, The Rugged Man dives headlong into the concept as he lets fly rapid-fire bars. “It’s the Satanic panic, playing Dungeons and Dragons,” he spits, alluding to the controversy sparked by the tabletop role-playing game back in the nineteen seventies. “VHS porn form reproductive patterns / like it’s Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” backward.” 

As the track continues, the depth of his message becomes clear. “What’s worse, Lil Nas X Satanic sneaker, or leaving kids at the church with the Catholic preacher?” he spits. “Pepe Le Pew animated cartoon cock loose, cancel Mr. Potato, he gave head to Dr. Seuss.” Clearly, The Rugged Man has more than a few thoughts on the current state of affairs, reveling in pointing out hypocrisy across all sides of the aisle. Check out his lyrically sharp and deftly delivered “Montero” remix now. 

QUOTABLE LYRICS

What’s worse — Lil Nas X Satanic sneaker, or leaving kids at the church with the Catholic preacher?
Pepe Le Pew animated cartoon cock loose
Cancel Mr. Potato, he gave head to Dr. Seuss
That’s the slop I produce, triple fat, rock the goose
Shock Jock house party, guns out, shot the roof
Yes I heard the scream from the blasphemer loudly
Jay-Z rocking that Alastair Crowley

The rap game continues to mourn the death of King Von who was fatally shot in November. The budding rapper was emerging as a new face from the drill scene, even though he grew up alongside artists like Chief Keef and Lil Durk. Von was a new frontrunner leading a new generation of artists from Chicago as their sound became synonymous with Brooklyn and London.

This week, fellow O’Block native MuWop unveiled their long-awaited collaboration, “Don’t Move.” The sounds of drill remain the foundation of the song, even with bits of dancehall weaved into it. The song opens up with a sample of YellowMan’s “Nobody Move Nobody Get Shot” before sliding into the hard-hitting production with menacing bars. “I had to shoot the video without you it hurt me a lot but I still turned up for us Love You and you know I got you,” Wop wrote on Twitter. 

Check the track from MuWop and King Von below.

Quotable Lyrics
We in VIP, thirty deep, bitch, get out my way 
I got this Glock on me, the police come, my shorty take the case
He moved OT, but he not safe 
We heard them sirens, so he gotta wait 
See, he fucked up, now he gotta pay

Even after Pusha T‘s near-fatal diss record “The Story Of Adidon,” 2018 was Drake’s year. Despite the G.O.O.D. Music president’s scathing diss, Drake was able to limp away from a beef that would’ve decimated most artists’ album rollouts and release the now five-times platinum album Scorpion. Drake’s ability to unleash such a commercial juggernaut can of course be attributed to his enormous celebrity, but Scorpion‘s two lead single had a lot to do with its success as well. The now-diamond single “God’s Plan” was the Hip-Hop community’s first taste of Drake‘s fifth studio album, but “Nice For What,” while not as huge as “God’s Plan,” still commanded its own moment in Hip-Hop history.

Released on April 6, 2018, “Nice For What” celebrates its three-year anniversary this week as a five-times platinum single and Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper. The song featured an infectious New Orleans bounce as well as an unforgettable Lauryn Hill sample, and combined with its woman-empowering lyrics, Drake had himself another huge hit on his hands. In addition to the song being an undeniable bop, the music video for “Nice For What” was what truly made the single stand out in Drake’s 2018 rollout for Scorpion. The gorgeous star-studded visuals featured cameos from famous women such as Misty Copeland, Issa Rae, Rashida Jones, Tracee Ellis Ross, Syd, Tiffany Haddish, Yara Shahidi, and Letitia Wright, among several others.

Revisit Drake’s “Nice For What” by watching its music video below.

Quotable Lyrics

I’ve been peepin’ what you bringin’ to the table
Workin’ hard, girl, everything paid for
First-last, phone bill, car note, cable
With your phone out, gotta hit them angles
With your phone out, snappin’ like you Fabo

It’s been a few months since Vedo unleashed his sultry banger “You Got It.” The sensual jam got just a tad bit more gutter with the assistance of some of trap’s finest: Money Man and Young Dolph. The single’s been gaining traction over the months but he’s now revamped it with an artist that might fit the song’s vibe a bit more fluently. 

Yung Bleu slides through for the remix of Vedo’s “You Got It.” The trap-gospel delivery on the record brings out an even more luscious touch as the two artists reflect on love and lust over bedroom-friendly production.

Bleu’s latest effort comes after the success of “You’re Mines Still” with Drake. Clearly, he’s rapidly becoming the industry go-to guy for features.

Check the “You Got It” remix below.

Quotable Lyrics
She just want a little love, respect
I don’t even wanna talk, no, get naked
She just want to hit the club and get sex’d
You gotta respect, she been flexin’ on me

Sauce Walka has delivered his brand new album Birdz Hunt Snakes, a twenty-track release featuring guest appearances from Sada Baby, Trippie Redd, DaBoii, Sosamann, and more. This one arrives directly on the heels of another new album in Sauce Train, making this particular week a fruitful one for Sauce Walka fans. 

On Birdz Hunt Snakes closer “Slime In Chalk,” Sauce Walka unites with Detroit rapper Sada Baby, a rapper with whom he shares an appreciation for authenticity — not to mention a habit of voicing opinions that occasionally land them in hot water. In any case, the pair have solid chemistry and the track makes that clear, with both parties turning in menacing verses over piano-fueled production. With Sada and Sauce Walka having equal time to shine, there are plenty of menacing bars to unpack from the stylistically diverse duo, whose varied cadences combine make for quite an interesting pair. Sada, calculated, unpredictable, and prone to sudden maneuvers; Sauce, explosive, in-your-face, and direct. 

Check out “Slime In Chalk” now, and if you like what you hear, remember that Sauce Walka has considerably more where that came from. 

QUOTABLE LYRICS

N***a piss me off at 5, he gon’ die at 8
I love every animal on Earth except for rats and snakes
I’m a country-ass pimp I love shrimp and steak
My daddy went on TV and broke Ricki Lake 
Your daddy was a bitch, he went to church every day

– Sauce Walka

Last September, Spillage Village dropped off its debut studio album Spilligion, and roughly seven months later, the Hip-Hop and R&B collective — which consists of 6lack, JID, EARTHGANG, Mereba, and Hollywood JB — is back with an official remix to the album’s second single “Baptize.” Although Johnny Venus’ throaty hook is kept in tact on the remix, the new version of “Baptize” features a posse cut of artists outside of Spillage Village, including Deante’ Hitchcock, IDK, and Flatbush Zombies.

Spillage Village’s “Baptize Remix” arrives almost exactly a week after Deante’ Hitchcock’s last #NewAtlantaTuesdays freestyle, in which he delivered a scorching take on the collective’s popular single, so it makes sense that Hitchcock’s impeccable double entendre-filled verse is recycled for the official “Baptize” remix. The rising Atlanta artist’s verse kicks things off, and Spillage Village member Hollywood JB follows Hitchcock’s lead by delivering a more slowed-down and introspective verse. After Johnny Venus comes through with the song’s unforgettable hook, IDK snatches the reigns and fires off some impressive and energetic bars, and Flatbush Zombies members Erick The Architect and Zombie Juice close out the posse cut with a bang.

If Spillage Village releases a deluxe version of Spilligion, would you want “Baptize Remix” to make the cut?

Quotable Lyrics

Submerged, physical, came out the water spiritual, uh
Seen the light, blink twice, just seen a miracle, nah
They been waitin’ for this (Uh-huh), like Pop comin’ back
The seven day theory, they immortalize the wrong n*ggas
Man, it’s just scary

Belly has officially announced his upcoming studio album See You Next Wednesday, his first since the release of Immigrant in 2018. The project, which currently has no known release date beyond later this year, is set to be released through XO Records and Roc Nation. 

Ahead of the album, Benny has come through to deliver a pair of singles — the Benny The Butcher-assisted “Money On The Table” (available to stream here) and “IYKYK.” The latter finds Belly holding things down on a solitary front, taking to a sparse and vaguely dark boom-bap beat by DannyBoyStyles & The ANMLS. 

The Palestinian-Canadian emcee deserves due credit as a lyricist, his keen intellect revealing itself through his prose. “Ironic, blessings came from somethin’ so demonic,” he spits, a thematic link with a few bars from “Money On The Table.”  “I got a million in diamonds insidе the ultrasonic / Polished the flow, iconic, still I’m so nеurotic / I treat my product like narcotics — it’s economics.” Those who can appreciate penmanship will find much to appreciate in unpacking Belly’s stream-of-consciousness verse, a detached reflection on the trappings and tribulations of the fast life. 

Stream IYKYK, an acronym for If You Know You Know, if you don’t know. Look for See You Next Wednesday to land at some point in 2021. 

QUOTABLE LYRICS

Ironic, blessings came from somethin’ so demonic
I got a million in diamonds insidе the ultrasonic
Polished the flow, iconic, still I’m so nеurotic
I treat my product like narcotics — it’s economics

Belly has announced his upcoming studio album See You Next Wednesday, a follow-up to his acclaimed 2018 project Immigrant. The project will be released via XO Records and Roc Nation, with an official date yet to be confirmed. Ahead of the project, the Palestinian-Canadian lyricist has delivered a pair of lead-off singles, one of them being “Money On The Table” featuring Benny The Butcher.

In keeping with modern tradition, the song’s runtime is diminutive — but not at the cost of the bars. Both Belly and Benny rise to the occasion as expected. The former returns without breaking stride, beginning his verse with some clever penmanship: “I play to win, my old foes tryna make amends / Just ’cause we got the same enemies, that don’t make us friends / Nothing’s makin’ sense, I’m watchin’ angels sin / I’m seein’ demons repent, for now, I play the fence.”

In the midst of his own momentous streak, Benny The Butcher plays the wingman with stalwart reliability. “I got two bitches, one a ratchet, and one my wife / One, I cock before bed, the other, I kiss good night,” he spits, over The ANMLS & Skinny’s production. “I know money made y’all soft, not us, I’m still hungry / Y’all make enough just to pay bills monthly and feel comfy.” 

“This felt like something nostalgic when I first made it,” explains Belly, speaking on the song’s creation in an official press release. “Being a fan of Benny, it only made sense to have him on it. I just feel blessed to be back and doing what I love.”

Check out “Money On The Table” now, and keep an eye out for further updates on See You Next Wednesday, Belly’s third studio album.

QUOTABLE LYRICS

I play to win, my old foes tryna make amends
Just ’cause we got the same enemies, that don’t make us friends
Nothing’s makin’ sense, I’m watchin’ angels sin
I’m seein’ demons repent, for now, I play the fence

The rise of Lil Tecca seemingly indicated that his career would be short-lived. “Ransom” became one of the biggest songs of 2019, though subsequent efforts didn’t see the same level of success. Throughout 2020, the rapper released several singles and collaborations leading up to the release of his debut album. Virgo World offered a better glimpse into his artistic growth, along with collabs alongside Lil Uzi Vert, Nav, and more, proving that he’s not a one-trick pony. 

Today, the rapper returned with his latest offering, and first of the year, “Show Me Up.” Produced by Niko East who cooks up a dreamy and opulent beat, Lil Tecca details a particular woman who’s caught his interest and his loyalty to his friends who’ve been riding with him since the jump.

Check the song out below.

Quotable Lyrics
She from the hood, know it that she wildin’ 
You got no money but you got some diamonds
I get this bag and I got a lot of it
Niggas, they talkin’, I ain’t with the politics

Brooklyn, New York has always been a prime source for discovering some of the best rappers and lyricists to come into the game — The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Lil Kim and Fabolous are just some of the usual suspects that were born in the borough and went on to become rap legends.

A new face looking rise in the realms of rap is Lawd P, and by the looks of his determination, lyrical content and knack for impressive visuals, we may have just discovered another one of BK’s brightest stars. 

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With “BLOOD WATER,” Lawd P’s latest single to arise from his 2020 EP Paradigm Shift 2020, his musical influences are almost immediately recognizable — the aforementioned Hov, Philly rap vet Black Thought and fellow BK lyricist Skyzoo all come to mind. The visuals make you respect his hustle even further, where he puts the setting in a church as he spills his soul to The Man Above™ about all the things we’ve all pretty much been stressing about this past year. Overall, this song proves that Brooklyn is still one of the most influential places in the world when it comes to hip-hop, and Lawd P could potentially be one of the latest to prove that as a fact. Thanks for speaking your truth for the masses to enjoy and relate to, P!

Stream “BLOOD WATER” by Lawd P below, in addition to checking out the official music video that premiered recently. Also, be sure to stream his full Paradigm Shift 2020 EP via Soullennial and let us know what you think of this rising emcee hailing from a borough of many rap kings before him:

Quotable Lyrics:

Stash house and more drugs
More deaths and less hugs
Never knew how to show love
Hoping I change for the Man above
Cops killing on our side
Imagine if we could’ve multiplied?
More debt, buying more credit
But all is left is to fight through this pandemic