Chance the Rapper’s long-awaited debut album might have headlined the week in rap releases, but it wasn’t the only new music that made waves. In fact, the unexpected delay of The Big Day—which arrived this afternoon, twelve hours after its scheduled midnight release—was a blessing in disguise, as we all had time to focus on new albums from YBN Cordae (The Lost Boy), Yung Bans (Misunderstood), Young Dolph and Key Glock (Dum and Dummer), and more. Aside from full-length projects, this week saw new singles from hip-hop heavyweights like Future (“Understood”), Rick Ross and Drake (“Gold Roses”), and Big Sean (“Overtime”), as well as offerings from rap’s rising class (e.g. Lil Baby, Denzel Curry, Trippie Redd). These are the best new songs this week.
Rick Ross f/ Drake, “Gold Roses”
From “Aston Martin Music” to “Diced Pineapples” to “Lord Knows” to “Stay Schemin,” the pairing of Rick Ross and Drake has given us plenty of hits over the years. And that’s not even including the countless posse cuts they’ve tag-teamed (“I’m On One,” “Pop That,” “No New Friends”). Rozay and Drizzy’s latest offering, “Gold Roses,” demonstrates their undeniable chemistry, as the dynamic duo trades luxurious lyrics over a laid-back beat. On his opening verse, Drake mentions Kevin Durant’s Achilles injury ("All smiles, Kevin Durant trials/Had to blow it on the court, I must have blew a milli'/I'm walkin' on all charges, that's my new Achilles”) and raps about sponsoring Raptors jerseys (“Tanenbaum know the logo on the jersey, it’s gettin’ purchased). “Gold Roses” would’ve served as the perfect B-side to “Omerta” on Drizzy’s The Best In The World Pack. At the very least, the song makes up for last month’s slightly underwhelming “Money In The Grave,” and it’s a welcome addition to their canon of classic collaborations. —Brad Callas
Chance the Rapper f/ Gucci Mane, “Big Fish”
Chance the Rapper dropped his new album, The Big Day, right as we were putting this list together, so this selection comes as an extremely early first-listen favorite. Ask me tomorrow, and I might have another pick, but right now, the first song that jumped out is the Gucci Mane-assisted "Big Fish," produced by Timbaland and Trap Money Benny. This is the closest that the normally happy-go-lucky Chance comes to sounding mean on the whole album. And honestly? it works for him. I want more of Chance growling over bass-heavy beats. And, of course, it goes without saying: Gucci crushes it like usual. Even if you're not fucking with the rest of the album, give this a spin. —Eric Skelton
YBN Cordae f/ Pusha-T, “Nightmares Are Real”
YBN Cordae’s debut album, The Lost Boy, includes stellar features from Chance the Rapper (“Bad Idea”), Anderson .Paak (“RNP”), and Ty Dolla $ign (“Way Back Home”), among others, but there’s no denying that its best guest verse comes from Pusha-T, who delivers a scene-stealing performance on album standout "Nightmares Are Real." The nostalgic track sees King Push taking a walk down memory lane, rapping, "I can tell you how I first started in this rap shit/8th grade, backflippin' on the mattress/9th grade, pack doin’ gymnastics/10th grade, somersaultin' all them crack flips"). He really is the best rapper alive. —Brad Callas
Denzel Curry f/ Tate Kobang, “Shawshank”
Fresh off releasing one of the better rap albums this year, ZUU, Denzel Curry links with Baltimore’s Tate Kobang for “Shawshank,” a new single from the Madden NFL 20 Soundtrack. The track is a full-on lyrical attack, as Curry channels the same cadence as his single “SPEEDBOAT.” He handles hook duties and delivers the opening verse, before Tate Kobang wraps things up with a stellar feature that finds the budding star reflecting on his recent rise up the rap ranks. —Brad Callas
Young Dolph & Key Glock, “Water on Water on Water”
The number of ways rappers can talk about money and jewelry is infinite. Young Dolph and Key Glock’s “Water on Water on Water” is an anthem from their collaborative project, Dum & Dummer, a collection of songs that will likely take over the streets of the South this summer. With electrifying production from Bandplay, who had his hands in the entire project, “Water on Water on Water” details a restriction-free lifestyle that’s often referred to as the American Dream. Ever since footage surfaced of Key Glock busting the windows out of Dolph’s whips surfaced, we all knew they both had a little bit of money to waste. Although their friendly Paper Route Empire rivalry has come with some questionable moments, they now have a full length project to show that they know how to create in the studio together. Check this one out first, then dive into the rest of the project. —Kemet High
Emotional Oranges, “Don’t Be Lazy”
Enigmatic R&B group Emotional Oranges have tapped into a sound that keeps things fresh, as evidenced by their debut project, The Juice Vol. I. "Don’t Be Lazy," the first tease from Vol. 2, continues the trend as the lead vocalists play off each other in the bedroom with one thing in mind ("Way she take it, way she go down/Way she throw that back, baby, slow down"). It's a sensual, upbeat performance that fits nicely into their growing catalog. —Edwin Ortiz
Trippie Redd f/ Lil Baby and Lil Duke, “Mac 10”
If you weren’t already convinced that this song would slap based on the lineup, you’ll know as soon as you hear the recognizable producer tag ("Wheezy out here") in the opening seconds. On the heels of his prolific run last year, which saw him craft hits for Lil Baby ("Yes Indeed"), Meek Mill ("Going Bad"), and Young Thug ("Chanel (Go Get It"), among others, Wheezy delivers arguably his best beat of the year. And, more importantly, this is quite possibly Trippie Redd’s most undeniable single since "Dark Knight Gummo." At the very least, "Mac 10" serves as the latest showcase for rap’s 2018 Rookie of the Year, Lil Baby, who continues his hot streak with a show-stealing verse that’s one of his best guest spots of 2019.—Brad Callas
Future f/ Lil Keed, “Undefeated”
Future has never believed in breaks, so it’s hardly surprising that he’s followed up January’s The WIZRD with an EP (Save Me) in June, and most recently, two new singles. Fresh off the release of "100 Shooters" featuring Meek Mill, the ATL rapper returns with a Lil Keed-assisted track, "Undefeated. You’ll be hard pressed to find another moment in a rap song this year that’s as delightfully amusing and unconventional as the 15-second stretch near the end (2:03 to 2:18) when Future coos, "When she a pool, slip out the shoes/It be so cool, sit by the pool/Who got the tool? Gimme the tool/If you gon' snooze, then we gon' lose/Shoot at the fool, then Whinnie the Pooh/Put it on cruise, makin' her drool/Makin' the news, makin' the news/Scratchin' her mouth, makin' the news." —Brad Callas
Big Sean, “Overtime”
On “Overtime,” Big Sean reminds us that he is aware of the disrespect he's received from the rest of the rap game, rhyming with a chip on his shoulder that’s reminiscent of the one he carried on his 2016 loosie "No More Interviews." When he is in this mode, going in hard for three straight minutes without a hook and keeping things entertaining, you have to give him a little more respect. —Brad Callas
Jubilee f/ Maluca, “Mami”
It feels like it’s been forever since Jubilee dropped her debut album, After Hours. It’s only been three years, but it feels long, especially since she’s been on the move, touching down regularly on BBC Radio 1 and in a plethora of venues across the globe. Truth be told, that’s the kind of time off I like to see, because you get to hear the influences of an artist’s time away in their new material. That said, with the world living in the midst of a Hot Girl Summer, Jubilee’s Maluca-featured “Mami” is the perfect blend of club-ready, Latin/dancehall vibes filtered through a New York state of mind. If this isn’t on your pre-game playlist, you’re playing yourself. —Khal
Yung Bans f/ Lil Tjay, “Touch the Stars”
On his debut studio album, Misunderstood, Yung Bans sticks to his tried-and-true formula of delivering catchy hooks over shiny production, recruiting melodic rappers like Future, Young Thug, NAV, and XXXTentacion for stellar features. It’s very much fitting, then, that 18-year-old Lil Tjay, who’s made a name for himself on the back of a bouncy, rhythmic sound similar to Bans’, comes through with an exceptional guest spot of his own on “Touch the Stars.” The self-proclaimed Prince of New York doesn’t necessarily outshine his host, but his verse does warrant multiple listens which, sometimes, is all that matters. —Brad Callas
