Sneakers are big business these days. Everyone wears sneakers, from athletes to CEOs to Presidential candidates. What were once a specialized form of apparel designed specifically for sports are now a part of day-to-day life, with different sneakers not only for different games, but entirely different walks of life — no pun intended. There’s a lot of money to be made in footwear — and not just making from the shoes themselves. In honor of Black Business Month, here are some of the Black-owned brands making their mark on the sneaker game.
A Ma Maniére
A New York-based design house with retail locations all over the country, the brand expanded from its Atlanta origins courtesy of founder James Whitner’s commitment to quality, leading to collaborations with high-end luxury brands, Nike and Jordan, and even its own hotel. In 2020, he told Hypebeast, “I thought about the best way I could keep the conversation alive around racism and opportunities for the Black community, [and] the easy answer was to get active.”
Brandblack
Brandblack was founded in 2014 by veteran footwear designer David Raysse, who wanted to offer consumers an alternative basketball shoe in response to Nike’s then overwhelming chokehold over the hoops market. The initial designs were informed by a valuable asset and investor: NBA star Jamal Crawford, who endorsed the brand and wore it on-court until leaving for Adidas in 2016. The brand has since expanded to training, running, and casual offerings while maintaining the same ethos of offering something different from the rest.
Joe Freshgoods
Joe Robinson, the founder and creative director of Joe Freshgoods, hails from the north side of Chicago. After getting his start selling goods online and at pop-ups around his hometown, he’s since collaborated McDonald’s, Nike, Adidas, the Chicago Bears, and New Balance. However, as he put it on his Twitter feed recently, “It’s honestly kinda bigger than sneakers.” His goal, as he put it, “Is always how can I get a bunch of black and brown people a check.”
Katty Customs
In addition to hosting Uproxx’s Fresh Pair with hip-hop superproducer Just Blaze, the sneaker customizer has a customer base that includes superstar athletes and entertainers, and her technique involves making custom kicks look factory-made.
Laced
Owned by James “JB” Baker and former NBA player Eugene “Pooh” Jeter III, Laced is located in Los Angeles’ South Bay area, offering the latest from Nike, Adidas, and more. In addition to selling sneakers and apparel, thought, Laced also serves its community, with toy drives and turkey drives for the holidays. It also sponsors basketball and music events in the city.
LEADERS 1354
A sneaker store in Chicago, Illinois, it’s one of the longest-tenured shops of its kind. Owner Corey Gilkey is a community leader in his own right, and there’s even a docuseries in development describing the store’s history and impact on the both the local community and the sneakerhead community at large.
LØCI
With a mission to “combine fashion with sustainability,” LØCI uses recycled materials and ethically sourced cotton and rubber in its own factories to ensure production sticks close to its values. Co-founders Emmanuel Eribo, Frank Eribo, Philippe Homsy, and Mark Quaradeghini aim to make LØCI a “fashion powerhouse,” and made significant inroads in cross-marketing, partnering with hip-hop star Nicki Minaj for a full line of sneakers earlier this year.
Move Insoles
Developed and launched by sports marketing agent Nate Jones after years of working with NBA players and noticing the wear and tear of the 82-game season on their feet, Move Insoles was partially funded by some of the players themselves — including Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, and Jamal Crawford. The insoles are the first retail insoles designed specifically for basketball, and were developed after taken scans of hundreds of feet to ensure they could work for almost anybody. The brand makes insoles for both pros and everyday athletes, as well as casual insoles to use with ever-popular retros that provide little support for all-day wear.
NinetyNine Products
After working as a designer for Nike, Cole Haan, and more for nearly 15 years, Jeffrey Henderson started his brand by accident when he showed a factory owner a design while on a business trip to China and returned to find that the shoes had been produced to his specifications. “I had to come up with a brand that meant something because he basically called me out,” he told FootwearNews. “I had no plans of creating a brand.” And yet, NinetyNine appears to be thriving, with a slate of simple, casual shoes that push stylistic boundaries.
RSVP Gallery
Virgil Abloh and Don C established this store in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood back in 2009, and it remains a part of the late Abloh’s ongoing legacy. It isn’t just a sneaker store, either; it’s also a luxury boutique and art gallery.
Saysh
Founded by decorated track athlete Allyson Felix, Saysh was created after Felix left Nike over its refusal to guarantee salary protections for its pregnant athletes (a policy it has since updated). In 2021, Felix launched Saysh with the goal of “crafting sneakers truly shaped to the unique contours of a woman’s foot.” Noting that on average, women have significant differences in foot structure than men (not to mention gait, center of gravity, and so on), the company also works to address disparities in how women are treated in sports, championing pay equity and even offering free size upgrades as women’s feet change due to life changes like pregnancy.
Unrivaled
A new basketball league founded by the WNBA’s Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the 3-on-3 league will debut in January. In addition to providing the highest average salary in US women’s basketball (ranging from $130,000 to more than $500,000), the league will introduce — and potentially popularize — yet another new format for professional basketball in a burgeoning market. As such, it’ll likely also provide a huge platform for similarly rising sneaker brands, or established ones, as they make increased investments into the growth market of women’s sports. Additional investors include soccer star Alex Morgan and Carmelo Anthony.
For the past two years, Bronx native Ice Spice has been one of the hottest stars in hip-hop. She’s been nominated for four Grammy Awards, won a VMA, and in 2023, became the first rapper with four songs to peak in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to songs with major stars Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift. That she was able to accomplish all this without putting out a full-length album is impressive, but as the release of her debut album, Y2K, nears, some fans have begun to hold the success of her singles against her. They wonder, “Is Ice Spice an ‘album artist’?”
A year ago, such a question might have seemed unfair to ask. After all, just a few months removed from the peak of her PinkPantheress collaboration “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2,” Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj’s Barbie soundtrack contribution “Barbie World” was ubiquitous, permeating pop culture as readily as the film that contained it. Ice had the cross-genre co-sign of pop regent Taylor Swift with “Karma,” and her improved stage presence at festivals like Rolling Loud California, Broccoli City, Power 105.1 Powerhouse, Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, and Coachella solidified her breakout star status.
But somewhere in the course of the past six months, once she’d finally actually begun the rollout for her debut, the goodwill that had carried her breakout single “Munch (Feelin’ You)” and follow-ups like “In Ha Mood” and “Deli” seemingly dried up. “Pretty Girl,” with Afropop breakout Rema, failed to chart, as did “Gimmie A Light” and “Phat Butt,” the songs following Ice Spice’s Latto diss “Think U the Shit (Fart).” None of Ice’s solo singles have charted as highly as “Boy’s A Liar,” “Karma,” or “Barbie World.” While it’s to be expected that a newer artist wouldn’t chart as strongly without the big names attached, the drop-off would seem to indicate a reduced interest in the one thing we know Ice Spice does well.
Likewise, reception to each new piece of the rollout has been lukewarm, if not outright icy. After she shared the cover art for Y2K, which featured photography from none other than the great David LaChapelle, it seemed most fans could only focus on the placement of the album’s title — which appears in hot pink graffiti on a metal, Oscar The Grouch-style garbage can. That’s not an indictment in itself — fans similarly roasted Megan Thee Stallion’s Megan cover, prompting her to update it with multiple different options — but the din of disapproval over Ice’s moves has gotten steadily “louder” online since she named her lead single after flatulence.
Obviously, there’s a difference between dropping a handful of hits and crafting a full-length project with a unifying theme or sound. But Ice Spice’s generation may not even put the same importance on that as prior music fans. Just a week ago, her collaborator and cohort PinkPantheress, who it must be noted was also born around the same time as Ice Spice (one year and a few months after the literal Y2K baby), admitted something somewhat surprising. “I don’t listen to albums!” she said. “That’s why when it came to my own album, I was like, ‘Do people care about tracklisting?’ I couldn’t believe it. Some people would were like, ‘Oh, it’s a great album, but the tracklisting doesn’t make sense.’ I’m like, just listen to the songs.”
As shocking as that revelation might have been for older fans who grew up on classics like Illmatic, The College Dropout, and Good Kid, MAAD City (or even more recently and relatedly, Invasion Of Privacy), it makes perfect sense for young adults who have almost never known a world without streaming services and playlists. iTunes was launched four months before PinkPantheress was born — Ice Spice was still in diapers. Audiences have been purchasing and consuming individual tracks longer than either of them have known how to talk. While both of their music may be informed by nostalgia for millennial pop and dance music, neither probably has much direct experience with the way we engaged with that music, of ripping the plastic from a newly purchased CD and popping out the liner notes to read the personnel and songwriting credits.
If their — and their audiences’ — engagement with music primarily came in the form of individual songs from playlists or live performances, why wouldn’t they create music from this mindset, rather than thinking in terms of complete works that require a full 40-minute-or-more playthrough? Besides, it’s not like we all went out and bought albums just because the singles were poppin’ on TRL and 106 & Park, either (I have a personal theory that or nostalgia for certain albums actually comes from the hits that made it to radio more so than the sequencing and cohesion of those full projects). So, rather than asking “is Ice Spice an album artist?” maybe the question should be “does Ice Spice need to be an album artist?”
In a world where Cardi B has maintained her relevance through singles and feature verses nearly six years removed from her vaunted debut, the biggest hit of the year is a battle rap completely unassociated with any longer compilation of music (other than the string of diss tracks that effectively sent Drake into hiding for the past month), and albums’ sales/streaming totals are mostly driven by standout tracks anyway, maybe it doesn’t matter if Ice Spice can make a full album — whatever that means in 2024, anyway. It wasn’t high-concept lyrical virtuosity that made audiences fall in love with the Bronx rapper. It was an attitude, a feeling — a vibe, if you will — that carried her to the heights of stardom and brought thousands of fans to all those stages. If she can deliver that, it shouldn’t matter if it takes 14 tracks or a 2-minute single, Ice Spice will remain a star.
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.
Heis is not the direction many expected Rema to go for his second album, frankly because it’s such a sharp turn away from his debut Rave & Roses. The 2022 album was a massive success that brought Rema worldwide recognition and helped to place him at the pinnacle of modern-day afrobeats. It’s also home to “Calm Down,” the highest-charting afrobeats song in Billboard Hot 100 history.
These are the accomplishments that make the dramatic shift in sound that is Heis even more impressive. There’s no joy in playing it safe and with Heis, Rema proves that he has no interest in being conventional. An album like Heis is a risky move, as mixed reviews have proven it to be, but truthfully, it’s just the polarizing jolt that afrobeats needs.
While Rave & Roses is feel-good and bright, promoting good times and soundtracking what feels like a summer party, Heis is sinister, rebellious, and mischievous. It soundtracks all forms of chaos – from the exciting highs of a party to the stressful lows of a fight – to perfection. Think of the most thrilling scene from your favorite action movie; there’s a song on Heis that can replace it and capture the same energy.
Heis opens in an aggressive sprint with “March Am” as he emphatically chants “I dey march am” – a Nigerian Pidgin phrase that essentially means pressing forward and putting your foot on the gas. It closes with waning violin strums before steering into “Azaman,” a lavish account of riches and the pursuit of more. “Benin Boys” recruits fellow Nigerian artist Shallipopi for a tough-talking warning to enemies and a gritty reminder to the industry. “Ozeba,” an early fan-favorite from Heis, is an erratic and fast-paced declaration from Rema that promises to wreak havoc on the game on his way to the top. As one of one afrobeats’ top artists, this approach is necessary for the sake of keeping diversity and continued life in the genre.
What makes Heis so special is how deeply-rooted it is in the African sound and culture. Though the globalization of afrobeats has brought well-deserved attention to the genre, it has also led to its dilution as well. Rema spoke about this in a recent interview on Apple Music. “Everyone is chasing something that the whole world can enjoy,” he said. “I feel like with the success that has come, I feel like we’re listening to the voices of the world too much and we gotta listen to the voices back home to just keep our roots.” He continued, “This project is helping me bring back that essence, bring back that energy, and place a reminder not just for the fans, but for the creators.”
That reminder is necessary because the globalization of afrobeats happened without compromising for the sake of success. The genre in its purest form is good enough, exciting enough, and entertaining enough to reach opposite ends of the world. Afrobeats is at its best when the home continent, its culture, and its natural sounds are at the forefront of the creative process. This approach is also important as the genre becomes more and more of a mainstream entity. It’s up to the artists within afrobeats to preserve the authenticity of the genre as new listeners arrive to explore the sound and learn its values. The lessons learned will stick with these listeners, who may even become the new artists of the next generation. At the very least, a standard will be kept and upheld for any artist that enters the genre. It’s the preferable approach compared to others who said afrobeats has “no substance to it” because artists have “no real-life experiences” while promoting an album that diluted the afrobeats sound in favor of one that catered to the Western appetite.
Rema’s Heis is the talk of afrobeats right now, and it’s for all the best reasons. With “Benin Boys,” “Ozeba,” “Hehehe,” and other tracks leading the way, the intentionality that Rema put forth absolutely paid off. The hope is that other artists in the genre – from top artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, Asake, Tems, and Ayra Starr to other emerging stars – take the baton from Rema to run off with his message and apply it to their own music. Asake seems to be doing this as he brought British rapper Central Cee to Nigeria for their “Wave” collaboration while Burna, Davido, and Wizkid can showcase this on their upcoming albums. The beauty of afrobeats must be preserved and it’s artists like Rema who will make sure that happens. The genre is perfect as is and so much success has been attained in its natural state. Heis, regardless of what it achieves in the world’s eyes in the short-term, should and will be remembered as one of the most important albums in afrobeats’ current era.
Heis is out now via Mavins Global Holdings Ltd/Jonzing World Entertainment/Interscope Records. Find out more information here.
Rap fans have waited for five years for a follow-up to Cardi B’s debut album, Invasion Of Privacy, but the going hasn’t been easy. We’ve seen a string of false launches, pump fakes, and outright flip-flopping from Cardi herself about the album’s status. It’s understandable; there’s a lot riding on this release, both for Cardi and the rap game at large. On the bright side, it certainly seems like the album is finally dropping after Cardi acknowledged, “Sometimes I get a little aggressive because y’all know I don’t like to be told what to do,” but promised “it’s coming THIS YEAR.”
Artists from every genre and generation have had to contend with the so-called “sophomore slump” — the perceived disappointment of an artist’s second album failing to live up to the commercial and critical heights of its predecessor. When an artist’s first album has been as successful as Cardi’s, the heights are dizzying, but the fall could potentially be fatal for that artist’s career. Invasion Of Privacy set about as a high a bar to clear as it gets, becoming the first album from a female rapper in 20 years to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spawning not just one, but two No. 1 singles: “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It.” It’s become one of the most commercially successful rap albums in the last five years.
It also wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Cardi B shifted the axis of the entirety of hip-hop when she dropped her debut in 2019. The album turned Cardi into the genre’s new center of gravity, and it upended the gender dynamic, inspiring a wave of young women to jump into the rap business as labels once again opened up their coffers to new rappers of all stripes, from glamorous to ghetto fabulous to tomboyish. Cardi proved that female rappers could actually make money — or rather, disproved the notion that they weren’t worth the investment. Prior to Invasion, you could count the number of charting female rappers for the past decade on one hand. Since, we’ve had Coi Leray, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Saweetie, and more.
So, to recap: In order for Cardi’s second album to be considered a “success,” it would not only have to pull down a truly ridiculous number of album-equivalent units — the kind of numbers that are practically impossible to achieve in today’s increasingly fractured social climate — but it would also have to justify a five-year wait. At the same time, critics like Joe Budden have not only been scrutinizing Cardi’s release process, but declaring doom for the entire “girl rap” movement — recent hits from the likes of Ice Spice, GloRilla, and Sexyy Red notwithstanding. Basically, Cardi’s next album “failing” could potentially bring down the entire industry’s confidence in the concept of a female rapper. Just look at superhero movies, where the failure of Halle Berry’s 2004 Catwoman effectively tanked the stocks of other superheroines until Wonder Woman came out 13 years later.
Cardi seems more than aware of this legacy. She’s dropped smash singles since — “WAP” was inescapable in 2020 and 2021, while her features on songs like “Tomorrow 2” and “Put It on da Floor Again” solidified breakouts for GloRilla and Latto, respectively — but songs like “Up,” “Bongos,” and “Enough (Miami)” never gained the traction to become the sort of culture-dominating juggernauts that lead to long-tail chart-toppers and Grammy Award shoo-ins. The pressure would be enough to get to anyone, especially someone like Cardi, who has shown exactly how sensitive she is over the years and frequently talks about how important it is for her to support her family with her success.
The thing about a sophomore slump, though, is that they aren’t always as dire as we make them out to be. Sure, it seems like a flop could be the end of Cardi’s career — but she’s already had a longer career than many supposed “one-hit wonders.” Her reticence to try and fail is understandable, though. She has a lot riding on this one; not only is her reputation precarious in a time when a near-constant flow of new music could wash her existing accomplishments away for fans with attention spans shortened by Spotify and other streaming options, but social media gives her biggest haters a direct line to tell her how much they think she sucks. As tough as she has proven to be, nobody really wants stans yelling at them all day about how much of a failure they are — which many of them already do.
But no matter what happens when she finally decides to drop, you just can’t count her all the way out. Even if she “falls off,” so to speak, she has the ultimate secret weapon — her household name. She’s reached the point where seemingly the whole world knows her name, and will always be intrigued to see what she’s going to do next. So, even if this second album misses the mark, her next “WAP” or “Tomorrow 2” could still be right around the corner.
Though it doesn’t appear on his latest album One Of Wun, Gunna’s “Bittersweet” couldn’t be more representative of his current era. With somber guitar strums as the backdrop, Gunna reflects on life’s past dealings, his reluctant acceptance of it, and how it all changed his outlook on fame, optimism towards better days, ability to trust, and much more. If the Atlanta rapper’s 2023 album A Gift & A Curse was a comeback album of sorts, re-establishing Gunna as a beloved artist and granting him a song of the summer title thanks to “F*kumean,” then One Of Wun solidifies and cements the artist that emerged from the YSL RICO trial fire which changed the way many fans and collaborators viewed the rap star.
Gunna approaches the record like a winter breeze – dry, straightforward, and undeterred by the circumstances. “Got me a taste of this fame, it was sweet, now it’s bitter,” he quips on “Bittersweet” before expounding on this point with lines like “Careful with your choices ’cause you can’t make it twice” and “N****s show they hate before they do something positive.” It’s only fitting that Gunna’s now-concluded The Bittersweet Tour shares a name with the somber pre-One Of Wun single. The month-long run of shows proved that Gunna’s status as a top-level hip-hop figure was still intact despite the snitching allegations he weathered and has continued to since his winter 2022 prison release.
Gunna was supposed to celebrate these moments with the same cast of peers-turned-brothers that he was often beside from the underground days of Drip Season 2 to his breakout with Drip Season 3 to his chart-topping moments with DS4EVER. Nowadays, these names, which include Lil Baby, Young Thug, Lil Durk, Future, and others are not only nowhere to be found beside Gunna, but they’ve also seemingly taken a stance next to Young Thug and the snitching allegations lodged against Gunna. These, among other things, are where the bittersweet feelings Gunna speaks from are rooted in. Just recently, after Gunna confirmed that he is still signed to YSL Records, Young Thug, the label’s founder, seemingly responded in a tweet, writing, “whateva wham say goes.” “Wham” is a nickname for Lil Baby which led to fans resurfacing a video of Baby at a music video shoot where it appears that he dissed Gunna. “N****s taking pleas, I know that Slime ain’t happy,” Baby raps in the video. Everything changed for the Atlanta star, just as things were getting good for him. If that isn’t bittersweet, I don’t know what is.
Back against the wall and with resources thinner than usual, Gunna came back swinging with A Gift & A Curse and One Of Wun, projects that impressed and showcased his ability to stand above adversity and triumph above critics. First-time collaborations with the likes of Normani, Tyla, IDK, Leon Bridges, Victor Thompson, and Sarz replaced his work with once-frequent collaborators mentioned earlier. DS4EVER teased this, but Gunna’s work with these artists added a new layer of diversity to his artistry. His style is unique and present in enough ways to be paired with artists in different lanes. Additionally, it proved that Gunna is a sought-after artist who will not fade into the background anytime soon.
The Bittersweet Tour is proof of this, too. Though the tour is highly similar to his A Gift and A Curse 2023 one-off shows in New York and Los Angeles, respectively, bringing these performances nationwide allowed fans who stuck by Gunna to see that a new era for the rapper is in progress. Furthermore, Gunna gave attendees a slew of memorable moments to walk out with by the end of the night. There was the silky smooth pairing of “South To West” and “On One Tonight” tied together by a satisfying transition, the performances of beloved YSL collaborations like “Hot,” “Ski,” “Pushin P,” “Oh Okay,” and more, and the explosive transition between “F*kumean” and “Rodeo Dr” brought to life for everyone who loved the experience it offered on A Gift & A Curse. There was something for every Gunna fan on The Bittersweet Tour.
After a string of electric performances, Gunna ends The Bittersweet Tour performances with a period of reflection through performances of his more introspective songs. Accounts of drug addictions which led to health scares and his current healthy lifestyle are given through “Livin Wild.” Next is “Time Reveals, Be Careful What You Wish For,” a two-part track that begins as a rags-to-riches tale for Gunna, tied with the newfound realization of life’s true meaning, before winding into a cautionary tale about the perils of fame. “Who You Foolin,” a fan-favorite, follows as it disposes of Gunna’s naivety and highlights his longtime experience in the game. Finally, the night closes with Victor Thompson & Ehis ‘D’ Greatest’s “Blessings” which Gunna remixed last year. The record is anchored by a line the trio sings together: “Everything I’ve been wanting, manifesting for my life.” Gunna has everything he’s worked towards attaining for the better part of a decade, and though it was nearly taken from him, it’s overcoming these hardships that allow you carry a title like “One Of Wun.” Gunna is that, and though it’s bittersweet, it’s still good enough to relish in. A smile and a wave goodbye to fans in attendance at the The Bittersweet Tour proves that he’s doing just that.
“I consider this EP to be a very beautiful introduction to me – both sonically and creatively, and how I process things like love, heartbreak, and joy.”
The future is looking very bright for Lekan. The Columbus, Ohio-born singer is just a few days removed from the release of his debut EP So You Know, and in less than three months, he will begin a nine-show run as an opener for Tems on her Born In The Wild World Tour. It’s been a long time coming for the singer who brought his talents to Los Angeles, where he is currently based, with the goal of achieving all his music dreams. So You Know and the Born In The Wild World Tour are the beginning moments on that journey.
Fresh off the release of So You Know, Uproxx caught up with Lekan to discuss his gig as an opener on the Born In The Wild World Tour, his So You Know EP, and more.
What was your first reaction to hearing that you’ll be an opening act for Tems’ Born In The Wild World Tour?
I for sure screamed [laughs]. Outside of that, I was just super grateful because when you getting somewhere, you never really know what that actually looks like. So when you get somewhere to that extent and to that platform, you’re just thankful for never really giving up. I’m just grateful for the opportunity.
What helped you stay patient in the time before your breakout “Need Somebody?” How did you remain confident that your moment was coming?
The work. I knew that the work that I was doing was just eventually going to have to be seen because I wasn’t going to stop. I knew the work that I was putting out was quality, it was just only a matter of time until the world would figure it out. I just kept doubling down on just quality work and it would speak for itself.
What was the moment that you realized things were changing for the better?
It’s really interesting because a lot of stuff that the world is starting to figure out, is something that like I feel like I was showing a long time ago. I’ve always say where it started to really changed for me was when I moved to LA. That was really when it started changing for me. From there, I was just like nothing’s ever gonna be the same. So I just kept making sure [that] I put myself in position to be aligned with like-minded individuals who could see my vision, could see my life, and could prioritize me to help me make this into a thing. It only made it easier because I would just want to run with them.
For the tour with Tems, what are you most excited for and what are you most nervous about?
I’m not nervous. I truly feel like I’m just gonna keep doing what I’ve been doing, if anything, just do at times 10. I have no fear about that because it’s just something that I’ve just been doing. What I’m most excited about is to be able to really see the people, to see the real time interactions with new fans or even just supporters that came out to see me. Seeing what that actually looks like, seeing the actual impact of these records in real time, watching people actually singing along, the experiences that I’m going to have along the way in different environments, and then also sharing that with my childhood best friend who produced the title track who’s gonna be on the right side of the stage with me for every show. That’s what I’m most excited about.
What do you hope fans takeaway from hearing So You Know and seeing you perform from it?
I just want them to be sonically introduced to me. I want them to know that I care about the music, the craft, and the advancement of this of the sound to see how much it can really impact people. I was blessed with a gift to be utilized when it comes down to music, but I just want people to understand that it really also just stems from taking initiative, having faith in something bigger than you, but also yourself. None of this stuff is happening without confidence. So, just take that, run with it, and apply that within their own system.
Bongo ByTheWay is your right-hand man in your career so far, I feel like he’s to you what D’Mile is to Lucky Daye. How did this relationship start and what makes him the perfect collaborator for this point of your career?
It’s really helped, honestly. You can come to the table and then you just see what someone else can also just bring to the table, as well. He’s someone that had accolades and just experience walking into this. For me personally, it was dope to see someone who looked like me, as far as like Nigerian American just out here really making a name for himself. When him and I started to work together, he just affirmed me. He was just one of the first people to really put his arm around me and really be like, “Nah, he’s the one,” and just affirm me, really believe in me, and push me ultimately. He definitely pushed me and got a lot out of me. I’m really grateful, forever indebted to how he just did that off of discernment, honestly. He could have handled it in so many different ways, but he did the right things in handling it. I’m grateful for the relationship that him and I have built.
You once tweeted that you have to listen to Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 2” and The Kurt Carr Singers’ “For Every Mountain” or your days feel weird. What are some other things that are key to your routine? Especially before a show.
Before a performance, I always got to listen to jazz or Anita Baker — just certain things that keep me in such a very mellow mode. It’s a lot of noise, you just got to be able to find your way to stand firm and find your own little process of things that you need to do to keep you firm within whatever’s going on. Also family, I always gotta talk to a loved one of mine every day. If it’s not all of them, it’s one of them for sure. I have to do that.
What song on this project do you think speaks best to your artistry and the experience can best define you by?
If I had to choose, I would say “Change.” That’s one thing that is solely just me which is something that I wanted to highlight. I felt like it was a very important part of my process for people to understand. I do stuff like that all the time, I have albums-worth of like stuff like that. It was just really important for me to make sure that the world understand the identity, the texture, the intentionality, [and] the care, that stuff takes a lot of time. It might be probably 8/9-hour sessions for just to do that one song. It’s definitely nothing light, it’s definitely not nothing easy. Yeah, I think that something that I would like for the world to really understand like, “Okay wow, this dude’s sound is… he definitely cares about trying to push the sound.”
If there’s one word that could describe the last year for you, what would it be? And what do you hope the next year brings you?
This year, I would say is affirming. It’s been affirming to everything that I’ve always believed, everything that God has always shown me, everything that I’ve always known to be true, which is that I could do anything that I put my mind to through Christ that strengthens me. Every time I gotta circle back bro because I could say that I’ve done everything on my own strength and put myself in position, but there’s a lot of stuff that is just simply based off of His favor and based off of me being faithful to focus on what He was showing me when it didn’t look like it. So, I guess affirming will be this season [and] this year and then next year will be faithful. Just continue to stay faithful to the craft, faithful to the grind, [and] faithful to the goal which is to inspire the masses. What comes with that is just gonna come with that, and it’s gonna be a lot, but I’m only just gonna get stronger to be able to withstand it.
So You Know is out now via At The Studio/ByTheWay/Human Re Sources. Find out more information here.
First things first: R&B is not dead. It’s a necessary reminder that’s just as annoying to repeat as it is to hear from the occasional critic of the genre. I mean, when you look at what the genre has delivered in 2024, it’s hard to deny its life. In the first six months of the year, fans saw the return of veteran artists who went years without releasing a full body of work. Bryson Tiller re-emerged with his self-titled fourth album, his best body of work since his 2015 debut. PARTYNEXTDOOR brought back the classic feeling of his mid-2010s music with his own fourth album PARTYNEXTDOOR 4. Finally, after nearly a decade without a project, Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge’s NxWorries finally delivered a new album with Why Lawd? and lawd did they deliver.
On the flip side, there were plenty of newcomers who expanded their fan base with well-crafted debuts and sophomore albums. Normani’s long-awaited debut album Dopamine met all expectations as did Tems’ debut Born In The Wild. Sinéad Harnett, Fana Hues, and Loony were nothing short of captivating and with their outputs and then there’s DJ and producer ESTA. who constructed one of the best compilation of R&B artists we’ve seen over the last few years.
There’s so much to love from R&B so far in 2024, so let’s get into it. Here are the 15 best R&B albums of 2024 so far:
Bryson Tiller — Bryson Tiller
Bryson Tiller
Bryson Tiller told Complex that his self-titled album would “probably be my last one for a minute.” Enduring another Tiller hiatus? Bummer. But Bryson Tiller‘s entrancing 19 songs eased the melancholy — reinforcing Tiller as a reliable rap/R&B reservoir. “Whatever She Wants” led the charge — peaking at No. 5 and No. 19 on Billboard‘s Hot Rap Songs and Hot 100, respectively. Save for excellent Clara La San (“Random Access Memory [RAM]”) and Victoria Monét (“Persuasion”) features, Tiller allows fans precious alone time with his perspective. “Hope you don’t get bored with me over time,” he sings on the ballad “Undertow.” We won’t. — Megan Armstrong
Charlotte Day Wilson — Cyan Blue
Stone Woman Music/XL Recordings LTD
Charlotte Day Wilson’s ‘Cyan Blue’ album cover
The realm of alternative R&B is a playground that Charlotte Day Wilson makes an alluring experience. The soft-voiced Toronto singer woos the ear with seranades sweet enough to bring peace to the mind and body. Her second album Cyan Blue is no different, but it does mark a new chapter for Wilson. The pressures to create a perfect body of work withered away before Cyan Blue and out came a 13-track captivating experience. She waxes poetic about leveling up in love “My Way” and triumphs over her detractors on “Canopy” which is as slick as we’ve heard Wilson. With Cyan Blue, Charlotte Day Wilson breaks free from her own limitations and that of others for an album that is truly free in all the best ways.
ESTA. — Francis
PARADIS
ESTA. ‘Francis’ album cover
For years, producer ESTA. stood behind the boards to help craft some of the better offerings in contemporary R&B. Still, his true vision with the genre had to be put on display until the release of his debut album Francis. Through just ten songs, ESTA. explores the field and widens the boundaries with help from artists who established their chemistry with ESTA. years prior. A funky tunes get kicked into high gear on the DUCKWRTH and Joyce Wrice-assisted “Too Fast.” Kenyon Dixon and Mack Keane excellently capture the emotions and thoughts behind a relationship that’s falling apart on “Outta Space” while Arin Ray captures the initial moments of a magnetizing love on “Controllin.” On each song, ESTA. proves that he’s a master of the soundscape, and by selecting the most talented artist for the moment at hand, Francis strikes as one of the best crafted R&B albums of the year.
Fana Hues — MOTH
Sweet Virtue/Westminster Recordings/Bright Antenna Records
Fana Hues ‘Moth’ album cover
Fana Hues arrived to sir the soul and blow the mind away with her third album Moth. Through 13 songs, Hues emerges as both electric and gracious, ferocious and pristine, in what amounts to a truly otherworldly experience from the Pasadena singer. Look no further than the sassy “Rental” which explodes into a summertime bop wrapped in the confident struts of a singer ready to take on the world. “Sweetlike” opts for a sultry and playful breakdown of two lovers’ dynamic while “What Speaks” unwinds and oozes into a plea for Hues to enter the mind of her partner. Moth is unlike any other R&B project released this year, making for yet another standout moment by the incomparable by Hues.
Jordan Mackampa — Welcome Home, Kid!
AWAL Recordings LTD
Jordan Mackampa ‘Welcome Home, Kid!’ album cover
Four years after his debut album, British-Congolese singer Jordan Mackampa determined that it was time to reintroduce himself to new and old fans. Welcome Home, Kid! brought an unapologetically soulful artist to centerstage with the ability to uplift the mind and boost the heart with just one verse. “Proud Of You” keeps you light on your feet with a giddy dance and “Step By Step” takes you to church with glorious trumpets, lively drums, and the energy that only a family cookout can provide. Welcome Home, Kid! celebrates the moment that things start to make a little more sense. Jordan Mackampa’s second coming as an artist is also the rediscovery of his purpose, something incredibly evident on his sophomore album.
Loony — Loony
LOONY
Loony ‘Loony’ album cover
The first thing that will probably catch your attention about Toronto singer Loony is her silky smooth vocals that always make it a joy to indulge in her music. Her self-titled debut album employs these vocals for a riveting tale of rising out of the perils of failed love and persevering onto the next thing. Loony thrives with deeply honest and self-aware moments like “Too Attached” where Loony admits her inability to exit an inadequate relationship in a timely manner. On the flip side, “A Good Night” wastes no time throwing it all away and disregard the wishes of her partner. Among that, there are still bright moments. “First Thing Smokin’” sweetly sings of an unconditional love while “Tiger Eye” prioritizes the fun of today and disregards the worries of tomorrow. Loony is as fun as it is honest, making for an enjoyable experience we can all relate to.
Normani — Dopamine
RCA Records
Normani ‘Dopamine’ album cover
There were times where it seemed like it would never come, but Normani made 2024 the year to finally release her long-awaited debut album Dopamine. Through 13 songs, Normani makes her debut worth the wait by inducing the same euphoria in her listeners as her album title is known to produce. “Big Boy” with Starrah commands the room with impenetrable confidence as Normani brags about her accolades and Houston roots. “Insomnia,” one of Normani’s best songs, finds her suffocated and restless over heartache. “Take My Time” flashes her versatility with a high-energy dance record while “Tantrums” opts for a dark and gloomy set up. With Dopamine, Normani is free; free to showcase her artistry in its truest and best form, true to live up to and past the artistic standards before, and free to say “I told you so” with a debut that stamped the promising career that awaits her.
NxWorries — Why Lawd?
NxWorries
It took them nearly eight years to get it done, but Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge’s NxWorries finally released their sophomore album Why Lawd?. Where their 2016 debut Yes Lawd! was a celebratory affair dressed in the funky beats and the high spirits of .Paak, Why Lawd? is born out of turmoil and heartbreak. .Paak weathers the storm of lost love with his emotions on his sleeve, remaining brave and confident despite a tear streak down the eye. “FromHere” contemplates the next move follow love’s sudden absence and “Where I Go” acknowledges the ups and downs present in a relationship. “MoveOn” struggles to adjust to change while the brief “DistantSpace” hopes for a final chance despite romance’s departure. Why Lawd? presents that very question in the aftermath of heartbreak, and though it never receives a proper answer, the exploration of it makes for another impressive album from NxWorries.
PARTYNEXTDOOR — PARTYNEXTDOOR 4
Santa Anna/OVO
The PartyNextDoor of old — that is, the one from the mid-2010s — re-emerged thanks to his fourth album, PartyNextDoor 4. The signs for a return to classic days were there thanks to singles like the scornful “Her Old Friends” and the praising “Real Woman.” With PartyNextDoor 4, though the feel is reminiscent of the past, we’re presented with a story of the singer who wants to grow from the man behind the mic on past projects. Genuine strides for authentic love are made on PND’s fourth album, more so than we heard on past bodies of work. Though he slips into a shell of his past on a couple of occasions, the desire and effort to be better makes PartyNextDoor 4 an excellent listen, especially when it houses one of PND’s best-composed songs to date with “No Chill.” — W.O.
Serpentwithfeet — Grip
Serpentwithfeet ‘GRIP’ album cover
With his third album Grip, Serpentwithfeet enters a new era in his career. The ten songs on the album find the Baltimore singer in touch with the more personal sides of his life as the album explores intimacy in romance, whether that be the touch of the hand around in the waist of your partner during a night out at the club as depicted on “Damn Gloves” or the accidental discovery of deep love following the “sixth night of a one-night stand” as Serpent sings on “Deep End.” Grip, just like Serpent did, finds its home in the flashing lights of Black queer nightlife and celebrates the communities within it that made Serpent comfortable enough to express himself. The sensitivity and the attention to detail are among the ingredients that make Grip a captivating listen.
Shaé Universe — Love’s Letter
Shaé Universe
Shaé Universe ‘Love’s Letter’ album cover
Nigerian-British singer Shaé Universe’s second project Love’s Letter is a nostalgic trip to the past meshed with modern influences from today’s R&B world. Inspiration from the likes of India.Arie, Brandy, and Lauryn Hill are hard to ignore through the project’s ten songs, but Shaé makes them her own for a body of work that could indeed stand the test of time. Love’s Letter ponders what it would be like for love to deliver a letter for each phase of your life, and what amounts from it are moments of true love, self-love, and the absence of love. “More Than Enough” is a moving reminder that no love is better than self-love while “LOML” finds Shaé whisked off her feet thanks to the presence of a love like no other. Love’s Letter is one for old-school and new-school R&B fans from an artist certain to be here for a while.
Sinéad Harnett — Boundaries
Sinéad Harnett ‘Boundaries’ album cover
Through a bit of therapy, healing, and reflection came the creation of Sinéad Harnett’s third album Boundaries. The 16-track affair present Harnett at her strongest and most aware as her newfound peace require the utmost protection, which brings to the Boundaries present for Harnett in her life and on this album. “Thinking Less” is both a reflection of heartbreak and a declaration to never accept the bare minimum or less when it comes to love. While “The Most” disposes of an inconsistent love, “Unfamiliar” makes use of Harnett’s newfound wisdom in romance to steer away from a potential relationship riddled with red flags. Boundaries is what the other side of heartbreak is supposed to look like and Sinéad Harnett emerges from it a new woman ready for a new story where she stands stronger than ever.
SiR — Heavy
Tope Dawg Entertainment
SiR ‘Heavy’ album cover
Birthed from a time he calls the “worst year of my life,” SiR’s fourth album Heavy unpacks all the highs and lows of a journey that saw him nearly reach a point of no return in his life. The album’s title track recounts the days where addiction ruled his life. The persistent “I’m Not Perfect” admits to internal flaws while also putting forth the fight to not those flaws control their every move. While Heavy depicts the dark days of SiR’s life, it also captures the brighter days and improvement that found its way to the singer after his period of struggle. The optimistic “Life Is Good,” the self-sufficient “Poetry In Motion,” and the determined “Tryin’ My Hardest” are all evidence of this. In the end, SiR’s Heavy is an emotional, raw, and honest account of picking yourself up at your lowest and getting your life together before it’s too late.
Tems — Born In The Wild
RCA Records
Tems ‘Born In The Wild’ album cover
Three years after her breakout into the mainstream world, Tems’ debut album Born In The Wild arrived as a refreshing tale of how the singer emerged from her shell to become a star. It’s more than a rags-to-riches story. At its conclusion, Born In The Wild is a delightful testimony for the fruits one could bare through faith. Born In The Wild is a balanced affair that captures Tems in as many reflective moments (“Born In The Wild” & “Burning”) as there are joyous and carefree ones (“Wickedest” & “Get It Right”). Furthermore, tales of love like “Unfortunate,” “Forever,” and “Free Fall” are thrown into the pot to make Born In The Wild a complete, excellently crafted debut.
Usher — Coming Home
Gamma/Mega
Usher ‘Coming Home’ album cover
For the last 18 months, Usher thrusted himself into the spotlight to remind music lovers of his legacy. From his eventful and sometimes controversy-producing Las Vegas residency to his 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show, Usher was nothing but a showman looking to entertain and impress the audience. Much of that is the same on Usher’s ninth album Coming Home, which, true to its title, is a return to form for the Atlanta native. Coming Home combines the best of Usher’s sonic landscapes with elements of traditional and contemporary R&B, upbeat pop, and flashy dance records. Coming Home is arguably Usher’s best output in a decade, but at the very least, it proves why he’s been able to thrive in the music industry.
The first six months of 2024 have given us so much music that it’s felt overwhelming. It’s a double-edged sword we’ve been tasked to master, especially in today’s streaming era – so much music at our disposal, and so much listening to do. Still, whether you’ve effortlessly breezed through the large pile of releases in 2024 or continue to push a good pile of it aside like that annoying pile of laundry on your bed, there’s no doubt that you have a favorite from the year.
Maybe it comes from Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s exciting and rapid-fire rap beef that pit two of the genre’s best in a dual unlike any other. It could also come from the many other hip-hop offerings from the year. You could also pick from the stellar pop selections from the likes of Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, and others. Country music offered plenty to love thanks to outputs by Beyoncé, Shaboozey, Zach Bryan, and others. Like I said, there’s plenty to pick from.
Thankfully for you all, it’s not your job to sift through that pile of releases. However, it is our job! So here are the best songs of 2024 so far, picked by the Uproxx staff.
Beyoncé — “II Hands II Heaven”
Ahead of the release of her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé declared “This ain’t a Country album. This is a Beyoncé album.” The foundation of Bey’s music has always been love, and on Cowboy Carter’s turning point, “II Hands II Heaven,” the biggest musician in the world finds herself at ease, next to the one she loves most. Lyrically, “II Hands II Heaven” is instantly one of Bey’s more vulnerable deep cuts, but sonically, the song encapsulates the feeling of driving down a Texas road, hands in the air, with the love of your life by your side. – Alex Gonzalez
Future & Metro Boomin — “Like That”/Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
With just 16 bars on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That”, Kendrick Lamar kicked off what became one of the biggest rap beefs in history. Six weeks later, Lamar accepted and celebrated his win on “Not Like Us.” The two records bookend Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s rapid-fire war of words that ended with Lamar embracing his “boogeyman” persona, notching two additional No. 1 singles to his catalog, and proving that hip-hop’s crown was always positioned on the head of King Kunta himself. “Like That” and “Not Like Us” are also important timestamps for an exciting period in hip-hop – one that the genre was in search of for the better part of a year – and a testament on how to finish what you start. – Wongo Okon
GloRilla — “Yeah Glo!” & Rapsody “3:AM”
Oh what, you thought I was going to just pick ONE? To represent the BEST song of the year so far in hip-hop? Oh naw, baby. You see, hip-hop is many things to many people, and that’s why I have to present both — to represent the dichotomy, to highlight how that dichotomy is a sham, and to allow for all the space between these two tracks to symbolize just how much room there is in this genre for everything. (Also, the one thing for sure in 2024 is: Women run hip-hop. Tell Joe Budden to stuff it.) GloRilla‘s “Yeah Glo!” is an inescapable anthem, a club banger of the most perfect proportions to get hips shaking, hands flying, and voices raised. “3:AM” is a tender reflection on interpersonal relationships, an introvert’s weekend playlist staple. And yet, the two women who made these songs share more in common than conflict (Rapsody turned up to Glo’s track at a private dinner in LA attended by Uproxx, while Glo has her share of emotive, romantically-invested tracks on Ehhthang Ehhthang), and these songs are complements and foils to each other, presenting two sides of the same coin. – Aaron Williams
Lay Bankz — “Tell Ur Girlfriend”
Since music’s inception, every generation has crowned one track the greatest tale of forbidden love. For Generation Z, Lay Bankz’s hip-rocking smash single, “Tell Ur Girlfriend,” could very well be the anthem to snatch the top spot. If you are going to sing about something morally deemed off limits, then why not backdrop it against the infectious sound of a good Philly and Jersey Club mashup. Something so bad shouldn’t sound so good, but it just does, and the melodic rap delivery is the cherry on top. – Flisadam Pointer
RM — “Come Back To Me”
BTS’ brand is built on tightly constructed and radio-appeasing pop music (that’s ultimately catchy and a hell of a time, by the way). When the group’s members veer off to tackle a solo endeavor, though, the mission statement is markedly different. RM’s new solo album Right Place, Wrong Person cohesively and impactfully touches on a number of different styles and moods. A clear highlight is the album-closing “Come Back To Me,” which is downright John Mayer-y over the course of a warm 6 minutes. It’s not BTS, but it’s still smooth like butter. – Derrick Rossignol
The Tortured Poets Department is long. 31-songs-over-122-minutes long. But to dismiss Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album as “too long” means you’re going to miss some gems. “The Black Dog” doesn’t arrive until track 17, but it’s a heartbreaking summation of everything that made Swift the preeminent songwriter of her generation. It’s specific (listening to The Starting Line) yet universal (anger and sorrow over the end of a relationship) with a cathartic bridge. Or in Swiftie terms: it should have been The Tortured Poets Department’s track 5. – Josh Kurp
Waxahatchee — “Right Back To It”
Tigers Blood is another product of Katie Crutchfield’s union with Saint Cloud producer Brad Cook, who helped the singer-songwriter assemble a supporting cast that includes MJ Lenderman, Spencer Tweedy, and Phil Cook. Lenderman is prominently featured on the instant-classic single “Right Back To It,” lending his laconic drawl to Crutchfield’s impossibly wistful cry of a voice. It’s the kind of song you know you’ll want to play again immediately within the first 60 seconds, and again and again after that. – Steven Hyden
Zach Bryan – “Pink Skies”
“I write and record music reckless and fast,” Zach Bryan tweeted a few weeks back, alluding to yet another new collection of work set to drop any day now. This prefaced “Pink Skies,” his latest top 10 hit and another example of Bryan’s seemingly endless well for timeless songwriting. Bryan writes the kind of songs that feel like they have been in your blood for a lifetime, instantly nostalgic for the kind of music you’d hear your parents dancing to after you went to bed. They’re the kind of songs that sound best in a truck or a garage or a campground or, as is the case these days, in a basketball arena or on a football field. They hug the middle ground between specificity and generality, where you never question their meaning to Zach even as you impart your own experiences on them. In short, “Pink Skies” is another high point for what’s been several years of high points. As reckless and fast as he keeps wanting to bring these songs, we’ll be there as long as they stay this good. – Philip Cosores
Summer’s here, which means a whole slew of summer tours from your favorite artists. From Childish Gambino to That Mexican OT, there’s a tour for practically any hip-hop fan’s taste. There’s even a little old-school flavor, courtesy of Missy Elliott (sorry, guys, but it’s true — Missy’s old school now).
Here are the most anticipated hip-hop tours of summer 2024.
Childish Gambino — The New World Tour
Donald Glover’s most recent work as Childish Gambino hasn’t fallen under the umbrella of hip-hop in the strictest sense, but considering the bulk of his early work consisted of beats and rhymes, there’s a pretty strong chance that he’ll dip into those catalog hits. Not to mention, he has a string of featured artists he can call on such as Chance The Rapper and Young Nudy.
Fresh off the release of his new mixtape, Mac & Cheese 5, the Bronx rapper has tapped fellow New Yorkers Fabolous and Fivio Foreign for his Gotta See It To Believe It Tour. Kicking off in August and running through the month, it’s a short tour that will stick mainly to the regions closest to his home base.
Their albums We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You may have turned the hip-hop world on its ears, but it seems they aren’t finished just yet. Although the tour is promoting their new albums, they have enough collaborations to make it worth the price of admission even without them.
Playboi Carti fans took a blow earlier this year with the cancelation of his Antagonist Tour. But fans of his label, Opium, still get the chance to catch at least one of the artists billed to open on that tour in Ken Carson’s Chaos World Tour. And hey, maybe Carti himself will put in an appearance.
Yes, I know. Megan’s tour has been in full swing for the past two weeks. But the bulk of the tour is set for the month of June… and hey, hey, look around. Dates coming up include her hometown show in Houston, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. Turn up with Meg and her opener GloRilla before she heads to the UK and Europe in July.
My personal most-anticipated tour of the summer is Missy Elliott’s Out Of This World Tour with Busta Rhymes. The Rock And Roll Hall of Famer hasn’t played shows for a few years (which is an understatement), but she’s proven that she’s a consummate performer who doesn’t have a speck of rust on her.
Nicki Minaj just announced the second North American leg of the ongoing tour for her new album, which picks up in September — still technically summer — and runs well into the fall after she returns from Europe.
Rob49 was on last year’s XXL Freshman cover, and Skilla Baby is more or less a shoo-in for this year’s list (if XXL doesn’t drop the ball in a truly epic way). That makes their joint tour this summer (which technically kicked off over the weekend) the best chance to see them early.
June and July give breakout star That Mexican OT — and his openers Maxo Kream and Drodi — his second headlining tour since his breakout in 2023. With a new album, Texas Technician, he’ll have plenty of new material despite the relatively tight turnaround since his last spin around the block
: Ken Carson’s Chaos Tour has been upgraded & new dates have been added 