July is almost over and some youngins are even already back in school – but it’s still the summer, fam! And it’s another week of the hottest new music, and we’ve got a wide array of great stuff to hit you over the head with this Friday.
Obviously, Tyler, The Creator just dropped some serious heat with Don’t Tap The Glass; but you’ve also got to hear the new Alfredo 2 from Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist. Jorja Smith drops her newest track “With You,” and Offset has to let you know he’s “Professional.”
Drake and Central Cee ask “Which One” on Drizzy’s latest single ahead of Iceman; and Mariah Carey gets “Sugar Sweet” with Kehlani and Shenseea. Meanwhile, the legendary Jennifer Lopez celebrates her birthday with a new song called “Birthday,” and Hit-Boy drops his new track “What’s The Deal.”
And besides all that, you should definitely check the collaborative album from Paul Wall and DJ Fresh. Plus, the newly-pardoned NBA Youngboy finally drops his latest, MASA. Snoop Dogg drops a new joint with Zac Brown Band – and it’s not even the most unexpected pairing this week.
Each week, Okayplayer will deliver a roundup of all the latest new heat from some of our favorite artists. Check out the latest offerings below.
NEW SONGS
DRAKE FEAT. CENTRAL CEE – “WHICH ONE”
The kid outta Toronto is getting to work.. Drizzy let the fans hear his latest track during the second episode of his “Iceman” livestream series.
MARIAH CAREY FEAT. SHENSEEA AND KEHLANI – “SUGAR SWEET”
The pop icon dips a toe into dancehall, while pairing up with two of the most eclectic artists out right now, for the second single from her upcoming album.
ZAC BROWN BAND FEAT. SNOOP DOGG – “LET IT RUN”
Country music is hot in these streets right now. The Doggfather teams up with one of the most popular bands in the genre for this foray into a different kind of western representin’.
CHRIS BROWN FEAT. BRYSON TILLER – “IT DEPENDS”
The pair of R&B stars sample a classic in Usher’s 1997 single “Nice & Slow” — it’s produced by RIOTUSA and Nico Baran.
KURUPT FEAT. JANE HANDCOCK – “SPECIAL”
After his Dogg Pound partner-in-rhyme Daz Dillinger’s G funk revival last month, Kurupt adds his own new music to the resurrected Death Row’s ever-growing legacy and showcasing rising star Jane Handcock.
KEE NOLA – “AT THE TOP”
It’s an unreleased track by a New Orleans artist that was first leaked on social media, but now it’s getting the official drop.
KIRBY FEAT. AKEEM ALI – “THICK ‘N COUNTRY”
The best kind of jook joint soul is making a quiet comeback and her latest is an ode to country girl curves with an assist from Akeem Ali.
HIT-BOY – “WHAT’S THE DEAL”
The hitmaker drops off this new single, and now that he’s out of the 18-year publishing deal that hamstrung him, he can do his thing as an independent.
MARCO PLUS FEAT. SMINO – “OUT MY WAY”
The ATL rapper says his new single with Smino says the track is the beginning of his next chapter. At the very least, it’s the first single from his new album – which is set to drop August 14.
SAY SHE SHE – “UNDER THE SUN”
The NYC-born, female-fronted discodelic group drops it’s the dreamiest, danciest pro-labor song you’ve ever heard. The trio describes their approach as straight up “consciousness dressed up as a good time.”
MAVI FEAT. NIONTAY – “JAMMERS ANONYMOUS”
After dropping “Landgrab” with Earl Sweatshirt this year; the Carolina rap star is now teaming up with the Florida-raised, Brooklyn-based rapper Niontay for a banger.
RICH AMIRI – “PARANOID”
After previewing the sample-free track back in May, Amiri drops what looks to be the first track from his upcoming mixtape.
ELIJAH BLAKE – “WHITE RUM”
Whew. An explosive shot of emotion and vulnerability, Blake dives into just how easily our own egos can disrupt–and ultimately destroy–the love that we find in our lives.
JENNIFER LOPEZ – “BIRTHDAY”
J. Lo celebrated her birthday with a soiree in Turkey, of all places, and now she returns with an appropriately-titled single in recognition of turning the big 5-6.
JORJA SMITH – “WITH YOU”
On her latest, she goes full summer sensual, a track with the kind of sentimentality and soul that speaks to intimacy and connections.
OFFSET – “PROFESSIONAL”
An album is coming and the former Migo is setting things up perfectly for the drop. The single gives a glimpse into what he’s got cookin’.
SIA W/CYPRESS HILL – “STREET X STREET”
The pairing you didn’t know you needed. The offbeat singer-songwriter and the Chicano rap legends got you covered.
SAMIRA – “CARDIO”
A pulsing groove and infectious hook is all she needs. The club music ingenue is giving a first taste of her soon-to-come second EP with her latest single.
DANIEL CAESAR – “HAVE A BABY (WITH ME)
It’s been seven years since he dropped a strong debut in Freudian. And he’s ready to express how much he’s grown. His new track is a thoughtful musing on detachment.
NEW ALBUMS
FREDDIE GIBBS AND THE ALCHEMIST, ‘ALFREDO 2’
You know you’re ready to hear it. One of the summer’s most anticipated, Fred and Alc drop off this follow-up to one of the most acclaimed albums of the 2010s.
TYLER, THE CREATOR, ‘DON’T TAP THE GLASS’
Tyler embraces the last three decades of Black club/dance music, just because he really wanted to make you move. Mission accomplished, sir.
TASHA COBBS LEONARD, ‘TASHA’
The gospel vocalist finally drops her long-awaited, first-ever studio album via Motown Gospel. And it includes a chilling collaboration with none other than John Legend.
LELO, ‘NEW DETROIT’
The follow-up to his team-up with Babyface Ray, and his collaboration with Tony Seltzer and with a cosign from Earl Sweatshirt, the Detroit rapper finally releases his debut album.
TOMMY GENESIS, ‘GENESIS’
Executive produced by Take a Daytrip, the 16-track project has been described by the artist as her “rawest record” and it delivers on the heartfelt introspection.
PAUL WALL & DJ.FRESH, ‘THE TONITE SHOW’
The new collab album from the Bay Area superproducer and the Texas rap vet is finally here. With production entirely by Fresh, Wall gets to flex his muscle as a rhymer – while also commemorating his 20 years in the game.
LADY WRAY, ‘MY BEST STEP’ EP
The artist formerly known as Nicole Wray has a new album coming in October. In the meantime, take this Extended Play as a primer on how dope she’s always been.
MABEL, ‘MABEL’ (mixtape)
A nine-track project described as a “bold reintroduction” to the artist, it’s her first project since 2022’s studio album About Last Night.
YOUNGBOY NEVER BROKE AGAIN, ‘MASA’
He’s been teasing it for months ever since his prison release, and with Donald Trump’s pardon emboldening the Atlanta rapper, he finally drops this set for the fans.
HANUMANKIND, ‘MONSOON SEASON’
The Texas-raised, India-born rapper could have some serious heat on his hands. And he’s primed to become a rap superstar of South Asian descent on the heels of releases like this.
HOMEBOY SANDMAN AND SONNYJIM, ‘SOLI DEO GLORIA’
The title is Latin for “give God alone the glory,” and these two get divine across this 10-track collection. Sandman delivers another set of uncompromising hip-hop, with one of the U.K.’s best going for his, as well.
TYLA AND WIZKID, ‘WWP’
The South African singer-songwriter drops an EP that includes the stellar team-up with WizKid – a kinetic track that she revealed was originally recorded back in 2022.
