Towards all odds — and a short disappearance from digital streaming platforms — Vultures I is lastly right here. The brand new joint LP from Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign launched atop the Billboard 200 on Sunday (Feb. 18), whereas its breakout single, “Carnival,” begins at No. 3 on the Billboard Sizzling 100 (chart dated Feb. 24).
Though that new set, which options appearances from North West and Playboi Carti, dominated a lot of the dialog within the hip-hop and R&B worlds, it was removed from the one factor of observe to happen over the previous week. On Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) — or “Worst Day” in the event you’re part of the Future Hive — Maze frontman Frankie Beverly introduced his farewell tour. Beverly, in fact, lent his voice to the seminal “Earlier than I Let Go,” coated by Beyoncé for her 2019 Homecoming stay album. Her model peaked at No. 65 on the Sizzling 100.
In different R&B efficiency information, Usher added yet one more new slate of dates to his ever-growing Previous Current Future tour (Feb. 20) and the Roots Picnic introduced their 2024 headliners, which embrace Jill Scott, Nas, Lil Wayne & The Roots and André 3000. On the hip-hop facet of issues, there’s no getting across the eye-popping new music video for Drake, SZA and Sexyy Purple‘s “Wealthy Child Daddy.” The clip — which has already amassed over 7.5 million YouTube views — finds Drizzy and Solána partying in a hospital whereas the “Pound City” rap princess (who not too long ago gave start to her second baby in actual life) goes into labor.
With Contemporary Picks, Billboard goals to spotlight a few of the finest and most attention-grabbing new sounds throughout R&B and hip-hop — from Bryson Tiller‘s new heater to Rae Khalil’s tender meditation on existentialism. You’ll want to try this week’s Contemporary Picks in our Spotify playlist beneath.
Freshest Discover: Pratt & Moody & Chilly Diamond & Mink, “Creeping Round“
Finnish soul duo Pratt & Moody are dishing up heavy old style vibes on their new Chilly Diamond & Mink-produced single “Creeping Round.” Their tackle modern soul is infused with an particularly haunting method to melody. The grandiosity of the music’s manufacturing — constructed nearly solely round Moody’s sultry guitar — evokes essentially the most stirring of James Bond themes, whereas the duo’s expansive mix vocal ranges commerce off fluttery falsettos with sturdy full-voice crooning. “We gotta cease creeping round” is a straightforward, however extremely efficient hook; the music’s lyrical sparseness permits the meticulous association ample room to breathe, making it a flawless backdrop for the slight twang that contours every repetition of “creeping round.”
Bryson Tiller, “No matter She Needs”
After initially showing on his Slum Tiller, Quantity 2 mixtape final November, Bryson Tiller has lastly unleashed fan-favorite observe “No matter She Needs” on all digital streaming platforms. Crafted with the intent to seem on a stripper’s pre-show playlist, “No matter She Needs” finds Bryson far-removed from his heart-bearing hip-hop-inflected R&B. As an alternative, the Grammy nominee skates throughout TylianMTB-produced Detroit-inspired beat with all the easy swagger and braggadocio of a man who might fairly actually purchase the entire membership. “CC, Gucci, hit Bottega, no matter she need/ She piss me off, one way or the other she nonetheless get no matter she need,” he spits, one way or the other hanging a wonderful stability of gruffness and seduction in his supply.
Tierra Whack, “27 Membership”
Psychological well being has lengthy been a lyrical touchstone in hip-hop, simply because the “27 Membership” — an notorious assortment of celebrities who handed at age 27 — has been a figment of popular culture’s obsession for many years. Thus, the convergence of those two ideas is pretty pure, and Tierra Whack expertly tackles them each on her new observe, “27 Membership.” Produced by J Melodic and ProdbyBRIANNA, “27 Membership” finds Tierra considering suicide. “When your life will get laborious but it surely’s easy/ When everyone ’spherical you suspenseful/ It ain’t actually laborious to persuade you/ Lookin’ for somethin’ to decide to?” she spits. The darkish fantastic thing about this music is that Tierra wholly rejects the notion of a cheerful ending or a story of triumph; she merely sits within the aching self-loathing, guilt and melancholy that comes with suicidal ideation.
Lola Brooke & 41, “Becky”
Final 12 months, each Lola Brooke and 41 dropped off full-length initiatives — Dennis Daughter and 41 World: Not the Album, respectively — and now the 2 fast-rising New York rap breakout stars are kicking off 2024 with a brand new collaboration. Predicated on a definition of “Becky” that refers to fellatio, the fiery drill joint marks the union of a few of the most fun voices within the modern hip-hop scene. Lola’s characteristically menacing supply is a brilliant complement to TaTa’s boisterous ad-libs and Kyle Ricch’s high-octane circulate. After all, the “Don’t Play With It” rapper additionally pairs properly with 41’s Jenn Carter, whose slick wordplay makes her closing verse the strongest.
Chantae Cann & Kenyon Dixon, “B-Facet”
Kenyon Dixon has been on one thing of a sizzling streak recently between his 2024 Grammy nomination and a latest string of attractive duets. On “B-Facet,” his new joint alongside Billboard-charting jazz and soul signer Chantae Cann, he retains that streak alive. Produced and co-written by Masego, there’s a throughline of sultry, “come-hither” vitality that encapsulates the innate, tasteful attract of the slinkiest jazz-inflected R&B melodies. Cann delivers the hook in a breathy tone that pairs properly with Dixon’s whimsical descending riffs. Who mentioned grown and attractive R&B was lifeless?!
Rae Khalil, “Is It Value It”
In celebration of the announcement of her signing with Billboard chart-topping rapper-singer Anderson .Paak‘s APESHIT label, Rae Khalil has unleashed a brand new .Paak-produced single titled “Is It Value It.” Constructed round an understated drum-laden and bass-anchored soundscape, Khalil asks “Is it value it?/ If I present up once I need/ Within the sea of the identical face/ Is it value my time, time?” The lyrical battle between her personal satisfaction and her want for connection and craving to be needed and desired come to a head within the lush instrumental break that concurrently serves because the music’s bridge and outro — speak about a stunner.
ScHoolboy Q, “Yeern 101”
Q’s new LP, Blue Lips, arrives in slightly below two weeks, and the Grammy-winning rapper is amping up his rollout. Constructed round a skittering, bass-blaring beat crafted by Cardo, J.LBS, Johnny Juliano & Yung Unique, “Yeern 101” finds the TDE star effortlessly skating over the observe with a borderline breathless flows. There are not any straightforward hooks or choruses right here, these are two heady voices chock-full of good wordplay, high-speed circulate switches and sly adjustments in inflection and intonation — each of that are elevated by the ever-intensifying instrumental. “I’m a n—a out right here, all the things come free/ I ain’t by no means met God, however I wager he know me/ Put the cash in a set, a n—a die in them streets/ Threw the boy alley oop, now he ridin’ on fleek,” he spits.
