Best New Music This Week: Baby Keem, Chloe Bailey, Fivio Foreign, and More

Complex's best new music list includes songs from Baby Keem, Chloe Bailey, Fivio Foreign, DaBaby, Lil Wayne, Ari Lennox, SZA, and many more.

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Summer is just about over, but new music Fridays are still heating up. This week, Baby Keem dropped his highly anticipated album The Melodic Blue, featuring the standout “South Africa.” Chloe Bailey released her debut solo single, “Have Mercy,” and DaBaby teamed up with Lil Wayne to discuss some heavy topics on “Lonely.” We also got new music from Fivio Foreign, Ari Lennox, Duke Deuce, Lana Del Rey, and more.  

Check out the best new music this week below. And follow our playlist on Spotify to stay up to date on all of the latest drops here

Baby Keem, “South Africa” 

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Baby Keem is back. On “South Africa,” he’s hypnotizing as he takes an expedition away from the limelight. On the track, which is co-produced by Keem and Bēkon, Keem raps about the price of fame and wealth. He also takes aim at the women who have bruised his heart and ego. “Huh, dodgin’ turbulence, I’m a pop star like Prince/ I buy house, no den, I’mma hold down my kinfolk/ My mama tried to warn these hoes not to break my heart again,” he spits. “South Africa” is one of the standouts from Baby Keem’s sophomore project, The Melodic Blue

Chloe Bailey, “Have Mercy” 

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In her debut as a solo act, Chloe Bailey has released “Have Mercy,” a saucy, uptempo track that boasts major sex appeal. On the beat, co-produced by Chloe herself, the singer-songwriter seduces listeners as she brags about her endless curves. “All this ass up in my jeans/ You can’t get up in between/ You tryna get a piece of me/ I can teach you a couple things,” she sings on the chorus. Bailey is hypnotizing on “Have Mercy.” Though the singer has yet to announce an official debut album, her performance on her first single suggests a promising future. 

Fivio Foreign, “Story Time”

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“Story Time,” true to its title, showcases Fivio Foreign’s lyrical and storytelling abilities. On the track, the Brooklyn native paints a picture of a kid who grew up in the streets too fast and was in and out of the prison system. During his stint, he experienced a series of struggles, from an abusive officer to losing people on the outside, and other harsh conditions. “They couldn’t count him out ’cause anybody who know lil homie know lil homie got heart/ He gon’ adapt to his habitat, even if his habitat get dark,” he spits over a haunting beat. “Story Time” is a bar-heavy record that follows the success of Fivio’s verse on Kanye’s “Off the Grid.” 

DaBaby & Lil Wayne, “Lonely”  

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On “Lonely,” DaBaby doesn’t hold anything back. The North Carolina rapper tackles the many headlines that have been written about him in the last year. He discusses the death of his brother and the backlash he received at and after Rolling Loud. “As if I got a reason to act like I’m lonely/ I saw my big brother laid out with his brains blown out/ It’s been catchin’ up on me,” he spits. Lil Wayne is equally compelling as he raps about how lonely it is when you’re at the top of your game. “Lonely” is expected to appear on DaBaby’s next album. 

Ari Lennox, “Pressure”

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“Pressure” is a soulful and jazzy record from Ari Lennox that finds the songstress calling for men to apply pressure if they really want a chance with her. “Takes a lot to excite me, baby (Hey, yeah), give it all you got (Pressure)/ I’m a tough cookie (Come on), baby, hit the right spot,” Ari sings seductively. “Pressure” is Ari Lennox’s first single of 2021 and arrives nearly two years after her debut album, Shea Butter Baby

Duke Deuce, “WTF” 

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“WTF” is a rowdy record from Duke Deuce that finds the Memphis rapper yelling over a dizzying beat courtesy of producer oldhauntie. The bulk of the track is dedicated to Duke Deuce chanting “What the fuck?” but he also lays down two hypnotizing verses where he discusses his lethal tendencies. “Fuck the laws, lil bitch, I’m hot/ Cock the Glock, get popped, get dropped/ This not a hard top, this the drop/ Put me on any beat, I bet I pop,” he spits. 

SZA, “The Anonymous Ones” 

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“The Anonymous Ones” is a sweet-sounding track that finds SZA laying down airy vocals over guitar instrumentals. On the track, SZA seems to address the people who are concealing their own pain and heartache. She also might be singing about online trolls who hide behind keyboards while leaving negative comments. “The anonymous ones/ Never let you see the hate they carry/ All those anonymous ones/ Never name the quiet pain they bury,” she sings over production from Carter Land and Rob Bisel. “The Anonymous Ones” appears on the soundtrack for Dear Evan Hansen

Lana Del Rey, “Arcadia” 

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“Arcadia” is exactly what you’d expect from a Lana Del Rey track. It’s dreamy and detached from reality, with the singer belting out some of her sweetest vocals about America and Los Angeles. “My body is a map of LA/ And my heart is like paper, I hate ya/ I’m not from the land of the palms, so I know I can’t stay here,” she sings softly. “Arcadia” is the fourth single from Del Rey’s upcoming album Blue Banisters, which is slated for release on Oct. 22.

Ed Sheeran, “Shivers” 

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“Shivers” is an upbeat and poppy track from Ed Sheeran. On the track, Sheeran is mesmerized by a particular woman who has him under her spell. He’s so wrapped up in her love that he can’t stop shaking. “Ooh, I love it when you do it like that/ And when you’re closer, give me the shivers/ Oh, baby, you wanna dance till the sunlight cracks/ And when they say the party’s over, then we’ll bring it right back,” he sings. “Shivers” is the third single from Ed Sheran’s  album = (Equals), scheduled to drop Oct. 29. 

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