Best Songs of the Week

"South Central" is a two-minute introduction into the new life of Darnell Williams. Darnell originally lived in North Hollywood, but a crazy twist left him with nothing, and Darnell ended up in South LA.

This song is a journey through the struggles of South Central, and all of the obstacles he faces on a daily basis. Darnell raps about prostitution, gang violence, drug addiction, and the common theme of someone dying only to be honored in the form of a hashtag. "South Central" is the total package, with powerful lyrics and a delivery that's hard to ignore. He also directed an insane video to complement the song—you can check that out here.—Eric Isom

Sometimes it’s difficult to not get your hopes when certain names are listed together on the same song. Personally, as soon as I saw Kali Uchis, Steve Lacy, Vince Staples, and Kaytranada on the same track, I was sold. Pressing play on "Only Girl" not only confirmed my beliefs, it ultimately exceeded my expectations.

All four of the artists on this track have very different and distinct sounds, but together they manage to blend so seamlessly. Kali Uchis and Kaytranada have worked together before, and though they take a completely different direction than “Rush,” they create something magical yet again.

Vince Staples further proves his versatility by slipping a verse between the smooth production, but the real standout performance comes from Steve Lacy. Fans of The Internet are familiar with hearing his harmonies and vocals in the background of various tracks, but his voice takes center stage to create a chorus that makes it hard not to sing along.—Adrienne Black

After seeing him perform the song live multiple times, I couldn't have been more excited for Tunji Ige to finally release "Bring Yo Friends." It had the crowds hype well before its official drop, so I'm positive that this song will get even crazier reactions now that it's here for listeners to stream at will.

"Bring Yo Friends" came out the day before his sophomore project Missed Calls, and this is easily my favorite of the seven tracks. This is the laid back, catchy tune that you cruise to with the windows down. Tunji's a proven hitmaker, and this record is just the latest addition.—Eric Isom

Gallant has been working and preparing to release his debut album Ology for quite some time. Now that it's is finally out, he—and we—can breathe easy. It was well worth the wait.

Gallant already won audiences over with “Weight In Gold,” “Bourbon,” and “Skipping Stones,” but a further look at the deep album cuts reveals some true gems—like the eleventh track, “Percogesic.”

Out of the 16 songs on Ology, “Percogesic” is undoubtedly one of smoothest. There’s no buildup necessary. As soon as the song begins it dives head-first into an incredibly deep groove.

Gallant has won renown for his ability to hit the high notes, but he takes it easier for this song. His breathy vocals feel effortlessly sensual, and “Percogesic” works to momentarily numb any of life’s pain, like its namesake.—Adrienne Black

When Joe Price sent this album to our daily thread earlier in the week, I was flummoxed. A Japanese producer "imagining" an album he had never heard, based solely off the samples? It sounded too weird to be good. And after a few listens, I'm still not sure what to make of Japanese producer Toyomu's reinvention/reinterpretation/deconstruction of Kanye West's The Life of Pablo.

But between the computer-speak, warped samples, and general insanity, there emerges a work of art as singular and unique as the original—even if TOYOMU, as he claims, still hasn't listened to the album. There are moments of genuine beauty/hilarity, like "I Still Love Kanye." A mix of robotic Japanese and broken English are backed by some smooth keys that build like an incoming tide, only to fade away before any sort of resolution can take hold.—Graham

Attempting to bridge the worlds of hip-hop and R&B is pretty commonplace in today's musical landscape. You hear rappers borrowing melodic hooks from singers all the time, and singers writing songs over beats so massive they sound like they belong on a mixtape. So when an artist can blend the two organically and create a sound that feels fresh and unique, that's truly something impressive.

Since we first came across A.CHAL, he has consistently been able to do just that. The L.A.-based singer hits the mark again on his latest single, "Psycho."

The production on this feels more relaxed and bare-bones than his previous tracks, giving A.CHAL ample room to deliver his sultry, relatable message. If his other tracks haven't made you take notice yet, this one will.—Katie K.

There's not much out there about this Atlanta enigma, but "Stylist" has been on repeat for the last few days. Read more about 24hrs here, and look out for The Open EP, coming soon.—Jacob Moore

ScHoolboy Q has been pretty quiet since the release of 2014's Oxymoron, but he's back with "Groovy Tony," and he sounds hungry. His delivery is loose and malicious, and Groovy Tony No-Face Killah sounds spectacularly reckless. Yep, he's back.—Confusion

At SXSW 2016 I ran into 300-signee Tate Kobang at a Young Thug show. I recognized his name but just couldn't place him in memory. He was cool though, we made small talk, and then went on with our nights. But something about his demeanor made me think: "I'm going to regret having not known him."

Later that night I realized Kobang is the MC behind the infectious "Bank Rolls," and three weeks later I'm kicking myself because Kobang's new mixtape Since We're Here is one of the best projects I've heard so far in 2016.

Since We're Here has Kobang's full range on display. From the jump, he proclaims himself the "King of Baltimore" on the tape's opener "Poppin'" and it's hard not to believe. "Lie To Me" shows just how versatile Kobang is and "Same Shit" is my personal favorite. It's an aggressive banger with some clever wordplay that requires two or three plays just to sink in. "2016 is my year," Kobang spits furiously over the Jay Oliver produced track. I agree.—John Walaszek