It may be Friday the 13th, but we lucked out in terms of music releases. Kendrick Lamar is back with his new album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. While there is a lot to digest and take in on this album, one of the obvious standouts is “N95.” Post Malone also teamed up with Roddy Ricch for their melodic collaboration, “Cooped Up.” And Burna Boy has dropped his single “Last Last.” There’s also new music from Leikeli47, Lil Eazzyy, and more.
Check out the best new music this week below. Also follow our Spotify playlist for music updates here.
Kendrick Lamar, “N95”
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Kendrick Lamar has returned. “N95” is a standout from Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, and it’s one of the more hype records on the album, as Kendrick gets playful, rapping over a triumphant and head-throbbing beat. He offers his critique of different societal issues, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and society’s obsession with material possessions. Executing a compelling range of vocal styles, he spits, “Take off the fake deep, take off the fake woke, take off the I’m broke, I care/ Take off the gossip, take off the new logic that if I’m rich, I’m rare/ Take off the Chanel, take off the Dolce, take off the Birkin bag/ Take all that designer bullshit off and what do you have?”
Post Malone f/ Roddy Ricch, “Cooped Up”
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“Cooped Up” is an enchanting, melodic track that unites Post Malone with Roddy Ricch. Post stretches his vocals as he sings about breaking free after being “cooped up” for so long, before reflecting on an interaction he had with the police, saying, “Police showed up at my door with a warrant/ I remember flushin’ somethin’ down the toilet.” The texture of Roddy Ricch’s vocals works nicely over the smooth, Louis Bell-produced beat, as he raps, “I ’member I was just posted up with the demons/ And Posty took me on my first damn tour date/ He had me rockin’ every night, sold out arenas.” “Cooped Up” is the second single from Post Malone’s forthcoming album, Twelve Carat Toothache, which is expected to drop in early June.
Burna Boy, “Last Last”
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“Last Last” is an uptempo track the utilizes a sample of Toni Braxton’s 2000 hit, “He Wasn’t Man Enough For Me.” But Burna Boy brings a new energy to the original R&B track as he adds in choral background singers. He also mixes Yoruba into the song on the chorus and throughout the verses. “Last Last” arrives nearly a year after Burna Boy dropped “Kilometre” in April 2021. The newest track, along with the 2021 single, are expected to appear on his upcoming project, Love, Damini.
Leikeli47, “Get the Riches”
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New York’s Leikeli47 is back with “Get the Riches,” a hard-hitting track in which she delivers a wicked flow over a villainous beat, courtesy of Michael Barney. Leikeli47 is truly spitting, showcasing her talent for coasting over hypnotic beats, as she raps, “I’m in my bag, if I want it, I just add it/ That’s how I’m trappin’ (Uh)/ With every letter, I’m getting better/ Oh, you don’t like it? Clock in, ho, go write a letter/ I am HR, and that’s FR.” “Get the Riches” is a standout from Leikeli47’s latest project, Shape Up.
Lil Eazzyy, “No Hook”
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The title of Lil Eazzyy’s track “No Hook” is a dead giveaway to the energy he brings to the mic. It’s a bar-heavy record that finds the Chicago native whipping through an aggressive DJ Copsquad-produced beat. Here, we get the real Lil Eazzyy for two minutes, as he paints a vivid picture of his fast-paced and oftentimes dangerous lifestyle, making sure to inform us that he’s not lying for likes. “I’ma be me ’til the end of the day, but shit, they never listen/ I gotta spit all the shit that I’m livin’ ‘cause some of y’all think it’s a gimmick, it’s not,” he spits. “No Hook” appears on Lil Eazzy’s new album, Too Eazzyy.
