Before you get away for Memorial Day weekend, there are a few new music releases you should know about. DMX and Griselda’s Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher, and Conway the Machine connected on “Hood Blues,” the gritty single from X’s posthumous album Exodus. Bun B recruited an all-star team for “This World,” which was released in tribute to George Floyd, who was killed by police one year ago on May 25. Dreamville’s EarthGang also dropped a new track, sampling a vintage Aretha Franklin track.
Check out the best new music this week from DMX, Rich Brian, and more. And be sure to follow our playlist on Spotify here.
DMX f/ Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher, & Conway the Machine, “Hood Blues”
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When you hear that menacing low growl in the first second of the track, you already know what time it is. “Hood Blues” is a new collaboration between DMX and the Griselda’s Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher, and Conway the Machine. On the track, co-produced by Swizz Beatz and Avenue Beatz, Westside Gunn sets the tone with grimey coke bars, while Benny the Butcher comes in with sports metaphors. X appears to take his cues from Griselda, stepping into their world with gritty lines. “I got that cannon that’ll remove your head and shoulders/ Cats that play in the street, get ran over/ I’ma make you hand over everything you got/ I’m not the average (Motherfucker),” he spits. “Hood Blues” is the first single from DMX’s eighth studio album Exodus, which will be released posthumously on May 28.
EarthGang, “Aretha”
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As a nod to the song’s title, “Aretha” samples Aretha Franklin’s 1971 single “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Over the chopped up soul sample, EarthGang’s Johnny Venus discusses past failures, his faith, and injustices. “Right before our eyes, they makin’ billions off of green/ Black folks blowin’ smoke and we still ain’t feel seen/ There’s people still locked up for life since seventeen,” he raps. Doctur Dot matches Johnny’s energy with a sharp verse reflecting on his legacy, racism, and NFTs. “ I just be lookin’ ahead of me, only concern is the legacy/ Just a fan of simplicity, that what I bring to the recipe,” he raps. “Aretha” is expected to appear on EarthGang’s upcoming album Ghetto Gods.
Bun B f/ Trae tha Truth, Raheem DeVaughn, & Big K.R.I.T., “This World”
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On “This World,” Bun B links up with an all-star group to discuss the injustices Black people face in America. Raheem DeVaughn provides the soul for the record as he sings, “I’ve seen some troubled times in this world/ Cause my Black life matters in this world/ Til we’re equal in this world/ Power to the people in this world.” Bun B adds, “Man, it’s 2020, who would have thought/ That the fight for basic civil rights was still left to be fought.” In tandem with the song’s release, Bun B announced on Instagram that “This World” was a tribute to George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis police in May 2020. “It’s been a year, but what has changed? So, the fight continues and we turn our pain into purpose,” he wrote.
Rich Brian & NIKI f/ Warren Hue, “California”
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“California” is a dreamy record that captures the essence of the Golden State. On the track, 88rising’s new signee Warren Hue sings about the two sides of Cali living. He then switches up to a fast-pace rap verse, rapping, “Fake faces, gotta cut ‘em off, yeah/ Fake faces, they don’t problem solve, yeah/ My faith is from the cameras, yeah.” Rich Brian also sings on the chorus, before transitioning to a rap verse. “Man, all I could wish is the mask that I wear/ And the face that’s below it is lookin’ the same, like,” he raps. “California” is the second single from 88rising’s third compilation album Head in the Clouds 3.
YN Jay & Louie Ray, “The Fawk Up”
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“The Fawk Up” is a dizzying, hype track that finds YN Ray and Louie Ray rapping on the offbeat about their money, women, and hustling. “Fuck it, if this rapping don’t work/ Imma hustle in the driveway the same way I learned,” Louie Ray raps. The track is sort of chaotic, but the greatest moments are when YN Ray is cracking jokes or when he bursts out into different ad-libs and sound effects.
