This is a big week in music. J. Cole has finally returned with his highly-anticipated new project The Off-Season, featuring the standout track, “Amari.” 21 Savage linked up with frequent collaborators Young Thug and Gunna for “Emergency.” And after re-releasing her iconic 2009 mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty on all streaming platforms, Nicki Minaj reunited with her Young Money crew Drake and Lil Wayne for a brand new collaboration. The best new music this week also includes songs from Migos, T-Pain and Kehlani, A Boogie and Rowdy Rebel, and more.
Check out the best new music of the week below. And click the link to our Spotify playlist for more of your favorite music releases.
J. Cole, “Amari”
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“Amari” consists of one long verse in which J. Cole reflects on his rise in the rap game. On the track, he takes a deeper look back on the days when he had to juggle school and his rap career, up until the point in his life where he was playing shows at Madison Square Garden. Cole draws parallels between his music career and basketball, rapping “Dreamville the Army, not a Navy/ How could you ever try to play me? Kill em on a song, walk up out the booth, do the Westbrook rock-a-baby.” “Amari” is one of many standouts on Cole’s new project, The Off-Season.
21 Savage f/ Young Thug & Gunna, “Emergency”
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“Emergency” is a dizzying record from 21 Savage where he unites with fellow Atlanta artists Young Thug and Gunna. On the track, Gunna sounds the alarm as he whips through rapid-fire lines about burglaries and money. Savage also commands attention with controlled bars, rapping over Taurus and Turbo production, “Say you want smoke, we gon’ come where you stay/ Take my gun everywhere, I’m from the A.” Then Thug wraps it up with an X-rated verse about a night with a girl. “Emergency,” which appears on the soundtrack to the horror movie Spiral, represents the current sound of Atlanta.
Nicki Minaj f/ Drake & Lil Wayne, “Seeing Green”
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Nicki Minaj is back, and she’s assembled with her YMBCB clique. “Seeing Green” takes us back to those Young Money days when Nicki, Drake, and Lil Wayne had the game on lock. On the track, the trio rap over a triumphant classic beat, relying on straight bars—no chorus or gimmicks. Wayne kicks off, then Nicki steps in, rapping, “The K-I-N-G, the G.O.A.T., plus me, the Queen,” before Drake takes the baton through the finish line. “Seeing Green” is a fiery record that has fans both nostalgic and excited for each artist’s upcoming era. The track appears on the re-release of Nicki Minaj’s 2009 mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty.
Migos, “Straightenin”
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On “Straightenin,” Migos’ first release this year, the trio seem to address critics who have suspect they’ve fallen off. “In this game, sit back, be patient/ Niggas act like the gang went vacant/ Niggas act like something been taken/ Ain’t nothing but a little bit of straightenin’,” Quavo spits. Elsewhere on the track, Takeoff and Offset trade bars about luxury cars and wealth. “Straightenin” is expected to appear on Migos’ highly-anticipated album Culture III.
Internet Money f/ Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, & Don Toliver, “His & Hers”
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Internet Money enlisted Don Toliver, Gunna, and Lil Uzi Vert for their latest single. “His & Hers” is an uptempo, summer record perfect for the beach, as the featured guests rap about women, Birkins, and their luxury lifestyles. While Gunna escapes to Croatia and Greece, Lil Uzi Vert faces his demons, singing, “I can’t share none of my drugs, know that I’m gon’ face it/ Any problem that I have, you know I’m gon’ face it /Pop a Perky, Perc’ in lean, and I barely taste it.”
Kehlani & T-Pain, “Like Dat”
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“Like Dat” samples T-Pain’s 2007 hit “Buy U A Drank.” And on the new track, T-Pain discusses how the game has changed. He realizes that paying for drinks is no longer enough. “She don’t want the drink, she want the rent paid,” he sings with Auto-Tune. Kehlani lays down syrupy vocals, boasting about throwing up money in the club and her endless wealth. “Like Dat” marks the first collaboration between Kehlani and T-Pain.
A Boogie & Rowdy Rebel, “9 Bridge”
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“9 Bridge” is a fast-paced track that sees New York rappers A Boogie and Rowdy Rebel link up for the first time. On the uptempo song, the duo discuss their lifestyles, trading bars about fame, loyalty, and money. “Don’t need to panic, I know you’re my man/ Let’s just hold that shit down like we Bobby and Rowdy,” A Boogie raps. The track arrives a month after a snippet of the song surfaced online in April 2021. “9 Bridge” could appear on Rowdy Rebel’s next album, but those reports have not been confirmed.
YoungBoy Never Broke Again, “White Teeth”
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“White Teeth” is a smooth and hard-hitting record that finds YoungBoy Never Broke Again rapping over TayTayMadeIt production. On the track, YoungBoy attempts to keep his anger at bay, as he suspects people are out to see him fall. “Keep my gun, they plan on killin’ me but I’m out on sightsee/ Knee deep in these streets and I put shit up, these niggas don’t fright me,” he raps. “White Teeth”’ is expected to appear on YoungBoy’s next album Sincerely, Kentrell.
Jelani Aryeh, “From These Heights”
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“From These Heights” is an upbeat record where one of our favorite new artists Jelani Aryeh fights a battle within himself. On the track, he sings of escaping his current life in search of peace. “It’s a battle inside/ I’ve never felt so far from something in my life To fall from these heights/ I need somewhere, to settle down, and find my feet/ You go from being so entitled to broken in a blink,” he sings. Keep your eyes out for his new full-length project, coming later this year.
Olivia Rodrigo, “Good 4 U”
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“Good 4 U” is the latest song from Olivia Rodrigo, which finds the singer congratulating her ex-lover on moving on to a new relationship. On the track, Rodrigo is emotional and sarcastic as she takes subtle jabs. “And good for you, I guess that you’ve been workin’ on yourself/ I guess that therapist I found for you, she really helped/ Now you can be a better man for your brand new girl,” she sings over an uptempo beat. “Good 4 U” is a great break-up song that will appear on Rodrido’s upcoming debut album, SOUR.
Lil Gnar f/ Ski Mask The Slump God, Chief Keef, and DJ Scheme, “NEW BUGATTI”
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“NEW BUGATTI” is a new collaboration between Lil Gnar, Chief Keef, and Ski Mask the Slump God. On the track, which was produced by DJ Scheme and Nuri, the trio rap about their rockstar lifestyles and drugs. “Should’ve told you I’m a rockstar, babygirl/ I’m a real trap nigga, gotta keep the burn/ I be prayin’ for the bands, sippin’ purple syrup,” Lil Gnar spits, while Ski Mask and Chief Keef rap about jewels and street activities. “NEW BUGATTI” is the latest track from Lil Gnar’s upcoming album Gnar Lif3 2.
Jorja Smith, “Time”
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After a fairly quiet 2020, Jorja Smith is back with new music. “Time” has a backyard feel, stripping down to a guitar and drums. On the track, Jorja sings about a fleeting romance. “So I’m allowed to love you if I wanted to/ I can’t be asked to trust, so why should I ever need to?/ It’s mutual, if you want it, then I’m here for you/ If you need it, I probably need it too,” she sings. “Time” is a mature, yet playful record that appears on Jorja’s new eight-track EP, Be Right Back.
