It’s a big week for new music. Megan Thee Stallion is back with her 18-track album, Traumazine, featuring the standouttrack “Flip Flop.” Nicki Minaj has also returned with her raunchy single “Super Freaky Girl.” And Rod Wave is here to tug at your heartstrings with his somber record “Alone.” This week’s list also includes new music from Beyoncé and Ronald Isley, Ari Lennox, Morray, The Game, and many more.
Check out the best new music below. And follow our playlist on Spotify to keep up with the latest music releases here.
Megan Thee Stallion,”Flip Flop”
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Megan Thee Stallion is back. The Houston hottie surprised fans with her new album, Traumazine, featuring the standout hit “Flip Flop.” It’s one of her most vulnerable and smooth records to date, where she raps about having trust issues following the death of her mother in 2019. “Behind this smile, I’m fightin’ these tears/ ‘Cause a bitch be sad as fuck/ Ever since my mama died, 2019/ I don’t really know who I can trust,” she spits over a slow-burning beat, before rhyming about haters preying on her downfall. On “Flip Flop,” Megan Thee Stallion is vulnerable, honest , and commanding.
Nicki Minaj, “Super Freaky Girl”
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Nicki Minaj taps into her lusty side on “Super Freaky Girl,” which samples Rick James’ “Super Freak” and MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.” Nicki’s flow is irresistible on the song, as she takes pride in her freaky nature and vividly describes her sexual encounters. “One thing about me, I’m the baddest alive/ He know the prettiest bitch didn’t come until I arrive/ I don’t let bitches get to me, I fuck they man if they try,” she spits. On “Freaky Girl,” Nicki Minaj is confident, sexy, and alluring, leaving us wanting more.
Beyoncé & Ronald Isley, “Make Me Say It Again, Girl”
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Ronald Isley and The Isley Brothers put a brand new spin on their 1975 classic “Make Me Say It Again, Girl” with some help from Beyoncé. The new version has all of the smooth, R&B feels of the original single, and Beyoncé adds a fresh take as she sings from the female perspective with sensual and velvety vocals. “Boy, you’re the promise everlasting/ Ah, and where you are I hope to be,” they sing in a call-and-response pattern. The collaboration comes weeks after Beyoncé dropped her album, Renaissance, which pays homage to classic dance and house music icons.
Rod Wave, “Alone”
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“Alone” is a beautiful, yet somber track from Rod Wave, where he bares his insecurities and dark thoughts over Will-A-Fool and B Squared production. Rod sings about his pain, feelings of self-doubt, and failed love on the song: “Ease my pain, get you off of my mind/ Three cell phones, I been on my grind/ No more love means no more lies/ And I tried, yeah/ Lord knows I tried.” He also offers supports to others going through it, singing, “And I’m here to let ‘em know/ Uh, if you love ‘em, don’t let ‘em go.” “Alone” appears on Rod Wave latest project, Beautiful Mind, out now.
Ari Lennox, “Hoodie”
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Ari Lennox is back with “Hoodie,” a funky and sensual track that finds the DMV singer layering powerful vocals over a jazzy beat. She calls up a love interest as she plots to slide in his hoodie after an intimate night together, crooning, “I need someone fearless/ Tell me, are you that guy?/ If you want to get there/ Will you stay for the night?” “Hoodie” is the first single to be released from Ari Lennox’s upcoming album, age/sex/locations, which is slated to drop on September 9.
Morray, “Ticket”
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“Ticket” is a new track from Morray where the North Carolina artist sings about going from the streets to the high life (like Fashion Week) and his issues with trusting others now that his life has switched up. He leans into a hypnotic flow as he raps and sings, “I’ve been trappin’ in the streets, hard for me to change up/ Stay quiet off speed, ‘cause there’s niggas I don’t trust.” “Ticket” follows the early releases of “Momma’s Love” and “Still Here” with Cordae.
JID & Kenny Mason, “Dance Now”
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On “Dance Now,” Atlanta’s JID and Kenny Mason link up on dizzying and electric song. JID lays down hard-hitting bars over Aviad and Christo production, spitting, “Saw the patrol, it was time to ride/ Motor runnin’ on Memorial Drive/ Got a country cousin cruisin’ with the blammer/ In Savannah at the Florida-Georgia line/ Got a couple family members in Atlanta/ Not Atlanta, we let Omeretta decide.” Kenny Mason is the heart of the chorus as she sings in a low tone, “Oh, what a handsome gift/ To live in the land of sin/ Ridin’ with bags and bricks/ And my lil’ nasty chick.” “Dance Now” will appear on JID’s upcoming album The Forever Story, dropping on August 26.
YG, “Toxic”
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On “Toxic,” YG uses an intro sampled from Mary J. Blige’s 1994 single “Happy,” before laying down scratchy vocals as he describes his toxic nature in relationships. On the track, he acknowledges that he isn’t the healthiest when it comes to romantic relationships, but despite his actions, he genuinely cares for those around him. “Do you love her? Yeah, I really love her/ She met my mother, cool with my brother/ We be doin’ our thing, no Danny Glover/ Like, fuck it, ‘bout to have two baby mothers,” he raps. “Toxic” will appear on YG’s album, Pray for Me.
Tyga f/ Pop Smoke & Jhene Aiko, “Sunshine”
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Tyga and Jhene Aiko teamed up for their romantic collaboration, “Sunshine,” which samples and interpolates Lil Flip’s 2004 single of the same name. On the track, Jhene Aiko delivers the chorus, which includes the same lyrics as the original, but her vocals are slightly higher. Elsewhere, Tyga describes the type of woman he’s looking for, rapping, “I need a lady in the streets, sneaky link/ Gotta watch how you movе, what you get is what you see.” The song also includes a posthumous verse from Pop Smoke, where he raps, “Look, I need that real love, talkin’ Bobby, Whitney/ And I keep it with me.”
The Game f/ Kanye West, Dreezy, and CHILLLER, “Fortunate”
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“Fortunate” is a hypnotic, hard-hitting track produced by Timbaland and Tobias Wincorn where The Game delivers an intoxicating flow and declares himself the best in the game. “’Cause I’m a G.O.A.T. in the roadster, sandlot/ Big dawg, baseball, sniff’ it ‘til your face off/ Only makin’ short stops, the Apple call me A-Rod,” he spits. Kanye also drops in on the record, rapping in a laid-back tone, “Two joints hangin’ off the balcony/ If a another bitch give me The Alchemy/ Tell me this her favorite book what I’m ‘bout to see.” Chicago’s Dreezy is a show-stopper on the track, rapping about her status, while CHILLER finishes the track with a high-energy verse. “Fortunate” is a standout from The Game’s new album, DRILLMATIC – Heart vs. Mind, out now.
Cordae, “Unacceptable”
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“Unacceptable” is a thoughtful track with a hard-hitting beat that finds Cordae discussing different topics from childhood trauma, fallen friends and family, and fame. The second verse is Cordae’s more vulnerable as he reveals his inner demons. “Lately, I been feelin’ depressed and I been poppin’ pills/ I can’t lie, nigga, this shit for real,” he spits over ATL Jacob co-production. “Unacceptable” is a one of two singles Cordae dropped on August 11.
