Because the R&B and hip-hop worlds put together to descend on Philadelphia, PA, for Roots Picnic 2024 (June 1-2), a bevy of the scenes’ hottest stars stored the headlines leaping.
Between Sean Kingston‘s arrest for fraud and theft final Thursday (Could 23) and Nicki Minaj‘s live-streamed Amsterdam arrest for allegedly “carrying medicine,” authorized woes continued to plague hip-hop in a 12 months that’s included watershed circumstances — together with a number of levied in opposition to Sean “Diddy” Combs, whose transgressions had been painstakingly detailed in a harrowing Rolling Stone exposé on Tuesday (Could 28).
In lighter information, Drake took a stab on the viral “BBL Drizzy” beat, Sexyy Crimson made her WWE debut and Kehlani gave an impassioned plea for her friends to talk up in opposition to the atrocities in Gaza. “[I don’t care] concerning the roll out the system the technique the algorithm at this level i’m begging U TO BE PEOPLE. BE A F–KIN HUMAN BEING,” she wrote on Instagram (Could 28).
With Contemporary Picks, Billboard goals to spotlight a few of the finest and most fascinating new sounds throughout R&B and hip-hop — from Sugarhill Ddot’s Ginuwine-sampling banger to ASTN’s introspective tackle navigating troubled waters in relationships. Make sure you take a look at this week’s Contemporary Picks in our Spotify playlist under.
Freshest Discover: Sugarhill Ddot, “Like This”
The attractive drill motion has taken over the NYC rap scene, and its momentum is simply going to develop with the block events and out of doors antics in retailer for the summer time. The 15-year-old Sugarhill Ddot is a burgeoning star serving to push the sub-genre to the mainstream, and he’s not even sufficiently old to drive simply but. Fortunately, since he hails from Harlem’s Sugar Hill neighborhood, he doesn’t want a automobile to maneuver across the Large Apple. Ddot returned on Friday (Could 23) with a love story placing his drill spin on Ginuwine’s traditional “Variations,” which arrived practically a decade earlier than the Dominican rhymer was even born. An accompanying music video was additionally launched depicting an all-too-familiar date night time scene for teenagers on the native bowling alley. With co-signs from Drake and Lil Durk, the long run is vibrant for the Precedence Information signee.
FLO, “Caught Up”
For his or her second launch of 2024, U.Ok. pop&B trio FLO pivot away from the lovestruck tone of March’s “Stroll Like This” and return to the head-over-heart sensibilities of fan favorites like “3 of Us” and “Cardboard Field.” “I discovered some receipts final night time/ That didn’t fairly match up together with your time/ You say that you just’re together with your boys on trip/ And also you simply publish an image with the lady you say you ain’t hit,” Renée Downer [sings] over a mélange of attractive, skittering guitar licks and bouncy drums. The trio’s harmonies are as tight as ever, lifting right into a slight modulation in a bridge that elevates your complete affair whereas serving to the group zero in on a sound that evokes ’00s pop&B with out falling into the pitfalls of pastiche. With names like Sevyn Streeter, Pop Wansel and Jay Versace within the credit, “Caught Up” earns its rightful spot within the lexicon of well-crafted warnings to doggish males.
Vince Staples, “Justin”
Vince Staples put a bow on his decade-long odyssey with Def Jam final week. A few of the Lengthy Seaside rapper’s most vivid storytelling comes on Darkish Instances standout “Justin,” the place Staples recounts practically falling for a love curiosity from Qatar. The ecstasy of a euphoric date night time in Venice rapidly turns into a nightmare when he’s stonewalled with an introduction to her precise boyfriend. She saves face by referring to Vince as her “little cousin Justin,” and Staples is left with DJ Khaled shouting in his head, “Congratulations, you performed your self.” Whereas a narrative like this could certainly spark intense debate with arrows shot throughout “relationship Twitter,” Staples says his piece on the outro, “Ladies lie so much, put that on the useless homies/ Ladies lie so much, on God.”
ASTN, “The Make-up Music”
Maybe finest identified for his viral R&B-tinged reimagining of Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” rising R&B/pop singer-songwriter ASTN has unleashed the newest single from his forthcoming What a Evening to Be in Love EP. The brand new self-penned, Jake Melvin-helmed monitor finds him perusing the tough patches of a relationship over sparse, forlorn guitars, ethereal synths, plucky 808s and a catchy staccato movement. “When you look my method, I’m in entrance of you/ Make that indignant face, it made me fall for you/ I acquired time right this moment, and you bought nothin’ to lose/ So don’t stress all of the little issues,” he croons. Aspect-stepping flowery metaphors and choosing a extra direct and upfront method to lyricism, “The Make-up Music” is one more winner from ASTN.
Tina (Hoodcelebrityy), “Strain”
Jamaican-born, Bronx-bred rapper-singer Tina (beforehand identified professionally as Hoodcelebrityy) has been sizzling in New York for years, however her genre-spanning new file, Tina vs Hoodcelebrityy, is setting her up for an explosive 2024. On “Strain,” a standout monitor from the brand new mission, Tina eschews dancehall synths for the brooding drill snares and cadences which have dominated the 5 Boroughs for the final half-decade. “I can’t fold below strain/ A few of these b–tches want lectures/ Talkin’ that s–t like I’m not finnna press her/ Flexing that ho like a wrestler,” she spits, effortlessly embodying the singular bravado and perspective of West Indian New Yorkers whereas drawing on the interconnected histories of rap and dancehall.
Groovy feat. Kanii, “Mariah”
Meshing the worlds of Jersey membership and intoxicating R&B (which he’s coined as luv membership), Groovy makes good on his identify, all whereas hailing from the Backyard State himself. His newest luv membership providing comes within the type of his Crying within the Membership EP crammed with atmospheric tunes together with an infectious collaboration with DMV singer Kanii titled “Mariah.” Over heat pulsating synths, Groovy involves grips that the lady he adores is definitely a liar (fittingly named Mariah), and the lust hypnotizes him into attempting to look previous the dishonesty. “You drive me loopy,” he comes clear. With Groovy’s father making waves as a Jersey membership DJ, the apple didn’t fall removed from the tree.
Kehlani, “After Hours (Cater 2 U Combine)”
Kehlani resides her finest 2004 life. After sampling the coolie riddim utilized in Nina Sky’s iconic “Transfer Your Physique” for the hip-rocking dance tune “After Hours,” the Grammy-nominated R&B star turned to a different 2004 hit to reimagine her newest single. Borrowing the sparkly synths of Future’s Youngster’s beloved “Cater 2 U,” Kehlani ups the breathless sexual pressure of “After Hours” with an instrumental that focuses on dancing the night time away within the bed room as an alternative of on the dancefloor. There aren’t any new lyrics on this model of “After Hours,” and that’s in all probability for the higher; the change in manufacturing does sufficient heavy lifting to spotlight the duality of the music’s tone and idea.