What better way to start the week than with ten R&B and hip-hop releases from emerging acts, handpicked for your every musical need?
Tap into this week’s freshest tracks, featuring artists like SAFE, Reyanna Maria, Keshi and more — and don’t forget to share the wealth with the Spotify playlist of all 10 picks below.
Donnie Durag, “Short & Sweet”
For his first release of 2022, Donnie Durag delivers a sensual new single just in time for Valentine’s Day. On “Short & Sweet,” the Brooklyn artist likens his lover to honey as he sings about being at her beck and call.
Ravyn Lenae feat. Steve Lacy, “Skin Tight”
Chicago singer Ravyn Lenae taps Steve Lacy for her new single “Skin Tight.” As she explains in a statement: “I wanted to snap people into my world through the sonics, so they can feel how I’ve felt over the past couple of years. It has those hypnotic elements, but it’s very simple, familiar, and fresh. Thematically, it’s about not being in a relationship with somebody, but still having those physical and mental ties. It speaks to sharing kinetic energy with another person, even if time has passed and you aren’t together anymore.”
Hamond, “Angels”
On “Angels,” Houston artist Hamond pairs a classic hip-hop beat with layers of looped strings with piano as his vocals float over the track. The first single off his upcoming, full-length debut project, “Angels” is tied to the feeling of returning home. “It’s about being watched over and protected by people around you, even when things are not perfect,” Hamond says in a statement. “They are the angels.”
SAFE feat. Kaash Paige, “By My Side”
Toronto singer SAFE links with Kaash Paige for a sultry deep cut called “By My Side.” Appearing on his recently released EP Get Home Safe (Part 1), the song features both artists’ light and buttery vocals over a steady R&B bassline before abruptly ending. “I have a bad habit of bottling up these emotions,” SAFE said of the EP in a statement. “I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I felt it was only right that the first installment was true to my reality.”
Kyle Dion feat. Tkay Maidza, “Hazy”
Kyle Dion and Tkay Maidza teamed up for their flirty new single, “Hazy.” Exploring the complex story of the two people toeing the line between lovers and friends, the track embodies the hazy nature of this unique relationship with slinky production, husky vocals, and an air of playfulness.
Keshi, “Touch”
On his latest single, “Touch,” Keshi is lovestruck. The Houston singer is transparent with his lover, declaring, “Show me your legs up high, I don’t want to kiss all night.” The track’s gentle, muddy piano is layered with active, echoing drums, pitched vocals and pockets of thick harmonies.
$NOT & A$AP Rocky, “Doja”
Dollar signs and New York City are no longer the only things that tie together Harlem mainstay A$AP Rocky and rising rapper $not. The two artists join forces on “Doja,” on which the duo expertly toss rhymes back and forth overtop a reverberating, 808-filled beat. It’s the latest single ahead of $not’s upcoming album Ethereal.
Baby Money ft. 42 Dugg & Tay B, “WHO NOT TURNT?”
Quality Control’s latest addition, Baby Money, released his debut project with the label, Easy Money, on Friday (Feb. 4). “Who Not Turnt?” takes the cake as a standout track on the project as the Detroit rapper joins forces with fellow hometown emcees 42 Dugg and Tay B.
Saba ft. Pivot Gang, “Soldier”
Saba’s latest album Few Good Things is a rose in concrete, reflected in its delicate cover art that could be found in a modern art gallery. On “Soldier,” the Chicago-bred rapper comes together with Pivot Gang, mulling over the “never ending cycle of life.” The four artists offer perspective and reflections, ending with Saba declaring: “If all of this can go bad/ Then what’s the point of tryin’?”
Reyanna Maria, “Loser”
On “Loser,” Reyanna Maria plucks inspiration from the 2004 cult-classic Mean Girls to critique a man with a wandering eye — in other words, a loser. The trap-R&B track is equal parts witty and playful, as the 20-year-old singer expresses shock at her own infatuation with someone who isn’t worth her time.
