song

For a man so often associated with toxic masculinity, Future certainly did his damndest to switch gears and showcase a different side to his layered persona. The result was none other than Hndrxx, Future’s second album of 2017 and his most melodic body of work to date. With today marking the project’s four-year anniversary, it feels appropriate to highlight one of the many extravagant gems, namely the Jake One and Southside-produced “Lookin Exotic.”  

For those who don’t believe that Future is versatile, “Lookin Exotic” showcases a different style for the Atlanta rapper, who takes to the percussive beat to let fly some confident flexes. “I came through and took all their bitches with me,” he boasts. “N**ga I get all the way faded, I can’t get tipsy / All these seven-star restaurants on a daily basis? I’m guilty.” Yet despite all of the wealth and lavish luxury, Future seems fixated on finding a soul-mate that meets his specific criteria — including but not exclusive to doglike loyalty. 

Happy four-year anniversary to HNDRXX, an album that some still swear deserves placement in Future’s top-five discussion. Should you be among them, sound off with your thoughts on the project below. 

QUOTABLE LYRICS

Gotta put a whole lot of kush into my lungs
I put a whole lot of work in, I just begun
And when that green money on the turf, it’s their call
Gotta put that steel under my shirt and duck laws
Fuck the cops, she gon’ ride just like my dog

Ever since his release from prison, Drakeo The Ruler has been absolutely relentless, to the point where he recently delivered his new album Truth Hurts yesterday. And while many are instantly gravitating toward the radio-friendly Drake-collaboration “Talk To Me,” the project is absolutely lined with signature Drakeo bangers, including the highlight cut “RIP Deebo.” 

Off the bat, the essence of Drakeo’s character is revealed — menacing, cool, collected, and hilarious. The way he utters threats is second to none, never raising his voice above a borderline whisper. “Keep your mouth closed, heater on me don’t you know my stick bipolar?” he asks, in his opening lines. “I ain’t with the side-joking, lift the suicide doors.” As the drums hit, Drakeo keeps his pace steady, unfazed by anyone who might be side-eying him. “Lying-ass n***a I don’t do songs with you pedos, n***as act like strippers we should put em’ in stilettos,” he spits. “Your friend’s gone, you need to let go / before I hit his block playing instrumentals.”

If you like what you hear, be sure to check out Drakeo’s new album Truth Hurts, and show the rapper some love in the comments below.

QUOTABLE LYRICS

Lying-ass n***a I don’t do songs with you pedos,
N***as act like strippers we should put em’ in stilettos
Your friend’s gone, you need to let go
Before I hit his block playing instrumentals.

If you haven’t yet caught on to Starrah, you probably just don’t know that you’ve been rocking with her work for years. The ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award recipient and Grammy-nominated artist is one of the most prolific songwriters and hitmakers in the music industry, with a catalogue ranging from Rihanna’s “Needed Me” in 2016 to Megan Thee Stallion’s insanely successful “Savage (Remix)” last year. Whether you’ve known it or not, you’ve been listening to Starrah’s incredible output for a while now.

Starrah also has an incredible catalogue as a solo artist, as seen in recent singles like “How It Goes” and the James Blake-produced “Keep Calm.” Now the decorated artist is returning with “Miss This,” her first single of the year. The song is a playful crossover love song that blends dancehall and R&B to create a sound that feels tailor-made for the summer. 

Its retro, Stranger Things-esque production takes listeners back in time to another era while Starrah’s autotuned delivery gives the new song a burst of futuristic vibes. That contrasting combination makes “Miss This” a stylistically refreshing single, but the vibe is unfortunately cut short due to the song’s brief runtime of one minute and 42 seconds. 

Quotable Lyrics
Come through when you hit me, I’ma
Spin the city
Roll ’round, get you dizzy
Pronto with the drippy
Come through when you hit me

The ladies are having an impressive run right now and it looks like Big Jade is preparing for her rightful turn. The Beaumont, Texas rapper has been steadily rising the ranks of Southern rap with eye-popping videos and exhilarating bangers as she prepares for the release of her forthcoming project. Though no definitive date has been stamped to confirm when it’ll be released, she slid through with another cut that’s set to appear on it titled, “Gucci Bag.” Teaming up with DJ Chose for her latest single, Jade rides the piano-laden production with ease as she asserts herself as one to watch.

Check out the latest single from Big Jade below and sound off in the comment sections. Are you feeling Jade’s latest track?

Quotable Lyrics
Honestly, I ain’t never needed no one’s company
Don’t come for me,
Got n***as I ain’t fuck that’s down to stomp for me

Even though he’s a fairly fresh face to the rap game, Big Moochie Grape has been making sure his presence is felt in the streets. The Memphis rapper unleashed Eat Or Get Ate in 2020 and swiftly followed it up with his collaborative project with Jay Fizzle, LoLifeBlacc and DJ Fly Guy, Nays & Grapes 2. 

Even in between time, Big Moochie Grape has continued to keep the streets hot with new music. Late last month, he released his first offering of 2021, “Anthony Davis.” Now, the rapper returns to the trenches with his new banger, “Traphouse.” The eerie production and heavy 808s provide a canvas for the rapper to paint a vivid portrayal of a day in the traphouse.

Check out Big Moochie Grape’s latest single, “Traphouse” below.

Quotable Lyrics
Pull up on your block
Let my youngins shoot your back out
I’m a star player, pussy n***a you a mascot
Illuminati business but I’m still on a Paper Route
Young n***a higher than a mothafuckin’ astronaut

Pooh Shiesty is arguably the hottest newcomer in the game. One of Gucci Mane’s latest proteges, Shiesty unleashed his latest project, Shiesty Season a few weeks ago which includes the hit record, “Back In Blood.” The song’s steadily been climbing the charts while several remixes have already been released. 22Gz took on the production and Queen Key slayed the track a few months back. Now, cupcakKe is back with a vengeance with her own rendition of the record. Unleashing a barrage of bars, cupcakKe showcases her many pockets of flows that she has while flexing her witty wordplay. “Bitch, come dig him out the mud/ Gave ’em 6-feet like it’s COVID, yeah that casket deep as fuck,” she raps on the song.

Peep the latest from cupcakKe below.

Quotable Lyrics
I bet Pooh Shiesty in the crib right now
Like, who the fuck is this? Who the fuck is you?
The beat’s so sticky, I’m takin’ yo shit,
I done turned Pooh Shiesty into Winnie the Pooh
Yeah, that’s how Shiesty a bad bitch get 
I get on your beat and I’m taking your shit
Nah, I’m just playin’, shout out to bro
And shout out to Third, man you n***as lit

Becky G and Burna Boy have been crushing it individually but now, they’ve connected for a brand new single. Becky G slid through with her latest offering this week, titled, “Rotate” ft. Burna Boy. The upbeat danceable record brings Burna Boy deeper into the world of Latin music with refreshing elements of pop music sprinkled in between.

Serving as Becky’s first single of 2021, we’re hoping that this is a sign of new music to come. She continued to release new singles throughout 2020 following the release of 2019’s Mala Santa. She also dropped a slew of collaborations alongside artists like Pitbull and Myke Towers.

As for Burna Boy, he’s still riding high off of the release of 2020’s Twice As Tall.

Check the new single below.

Quotable Lyrics
Let it go let it go
Aquí estoy contigo
Somos un equipo

These days, it’s simply understood that Eminem and Dr. Dre have impeccable chemistry as collaborators. Yet there was once a time when the pair were still new to one another, back in 1999 when Eminem joined Dre’s Aftermath label to drop The Slim Shady LP. With the acclaimed album having officially turned twenty-two on this very day, it feels appropriate to revisit one of the project’s highlights in “Role Model,” a single that found Eminem spitting venomous bars over a hallucinogenic Dr. Dre instrumental.

To this day, the track holds up as a raw display of vintage Eminem, a simple formula that found him unleashing two extended verses lined with shocking punchlines and an emcee’s instinctual dexterity. All the while, Dre’s simple percussion blends beautifully with a slinking guitar loop, a bassline, and the ominous sound of a drowner’s final glug. While not quite as ubiquitous as some of Em’s other singles from that era, “Role Model” remains a fan favorite decades down the line. Happy anniversary to The Slim Shady LP! 

QUOTABLE LYRICS

I’m bout as normal as Norman Bates with deformative traits
A premature birth that was four minutes late
Mother, are you there? I love you
I never meant to hit you over the head with that shovel 
Will someone please explain to my brain
That I just severed the main vein with a chainsaw and I’m in pain?

J.I.D’s The Forever Story, should that indeed be the title of his forthcoming solo album, remains one of the year’s more anticipated projects. At least, to those who boast distinguished and respectable tastes. And while details surrounding the potential release date are scarce, it would appear that J.I.D is, at the very least, granting fans something to tide them over. That gift is “Skeegee,” which arrives complete with a music video filmed in Tuskgee, Alabama.

“Dear everybody who fuck wit my music,” he writes, to those whom it concerns. “Thank ya’ll n***az for your patience while I finish up the album and shit. We all know black history is every month but I wanted to drop something to highlight this month specifically and also celebrate 500k+ subscribers on YouTube.” And while “album soon” could mean damn near anything at this point, “Skeegee” is a worthy holdover, highlighting the many different reasons J.I.D. remains such a fan favorite — including but not exclusive to his storytelling prowess and slick flow, both of which shine throughout. 

Check it out for yourself now, and sound off if you’re looking forward to The Forever Story.

QUOTABLE LYRICS

Way back when I was puttin’ on my football cap
This institution came recruitin’, lit a root for the stats
They sat me in a room with my dad
And it was cool but when they left I was glad
And my pops was too, he said that’s good-ass parenting
Reminding me ’bout that school that did them ni**ga experiments

Drakeo The Ruler is, in the eyes of many, befitting of The People’s Champ title. Having been falsely accused of a crime he did not commit, unjustly incarcerated, and targeted by a vengeful district attorney, The Ruler has since bounced back from his prison stint and continues to keep the momentum rolling. Following the news that he had connected with Drake for a collaboration, the song has officially arrived in full glory today, as Drakeo took to Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio to premiere “Talk To Me.”

As he explains to the host, the song came to be after he hit Drake up on Instagram only to find that the 6ix God was already working on a possible collaboration. “I hit him up, I’m like, “Let’s do something.” And then he’s like, “What’s your number? I got this song I did for you,'” explains Drakeo. “I’m like, “Dang.” At first, I was like, “That’s kind of different, but I’m like, nah. This Drake. I’m finna do whatever.” But at first, I’m like I don’t usually really do something like that. But then when I got on it, I’m like, “Oh yeah, this hard.” I’m just like “Drake bro!'” 

Though some have probably already heard “Talk To Me” in full, those eager to hear what a Drakeo and Drake duet sounds like can check it out right here. The track is set to appear on The Ruler’s upcoming album Truth Hurts, which also includes his new single “Long Live The Greatest,” a tribute to the late Ketchy The Great.

QUOTABLE LYRICS

We just cool bro, you gettin’ too excited?
Ain’t seen your face when I was up on that indictment
Ain’t get a letter, I was strugglin’ and fightin’
With these peoples, they was demons
Tried to put me in a cage, was sayin’ “free me”