Drake’s For All the Dogs album — and his subsequent back-and-forth with Joe Budden — took up a lot of airtime this weekend, but the rest of the music world was just as active. As usual, New Music Friday (Oct. 6) unleashed a fresh batch of new R&B and hip-hop tracks to sort through as we count down to the BET Hip-Hop Awards on Tuesday (Oct. 10).
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Fivio Foreign’s fiery new drill anthem to Megan Thee Stallion’s swing at hip-hop musical theatre. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Fivio Foreign, “Why Would I?”
For his first unaccompanied release in several months, Fivio delivers a biting piece of authentic New York drill. With pop-drill — a subgenre that Fivio helped pioneer — topping Top 40 radio and soundtracking the Barbie movie, the skittering snares and staccato flows of New York drill have reached the apex of pop culture. With “Why Would I,” Fivio goes back to basics, as he flexes his real-life successes and achievements in the face of Internet haters, over a menacing drill beat crafted by LS Da Producer and FritzThaProducer.
Megan Thee Stallion, “Out Alpha the Alpha”
After making a return to the rap scene alongside Cardi B with “Bongos,” Megan Thee Stallion commemorates her foray into film acting with a new song for D—ks: The Musical, a musical comedy based on Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson’s off-Broadway musical of the same name. More Hamilton than Traumazine, “Out Alpha the Alpha” finds the Hot Girl Coach delivering familiar rhymes serenading women’s independence and power — but this time she adds an extra dose of comedy in her delivery to play on the arrangement’s jaunty piano and horns.
Connie Diiamond & Jenn Carter, “Ghetto & Ratchet (Remix)”
As two of the buzziest names coming out of the New York rap scene, it’s no surprise that Connie and Jenn have found their way on a track together. On the remix to Connie’s fast-rising “Ghetto & Ratchet,” Jenn delivers a characteristically rambunctious verse full of bars flexing both his street cred and his status as one of his city’s hottest rappers. His high-octane delivery offers a smart complement to the smoothness of Connie’s tone.
Digga D, “TLC”
On this tender G-funk-inflected track — which incorporates a well-known guitar lick from Soul Mann & The Brothers’ “Bumpy’s Lament,” by way of Dr. Dre’s “Xxplosive” — British rapper Digga D offers an introspective number in which he waxes poetic about needing something a bit more real and human in the face of his fast-moving career. “I know it’s insane / I’m grateful, but I’m kinda tired of fame / I need some TLC, I’m drained,” he spits.
Majid Jordan, “Hands Tied”
For the latest taste of their forthcoming Good People album, Majid Jordan delivers a vibe in the spirit of Sade. Steady percussion and twinkling keys soundtrack a love story concerned with two loves, for whom risk is the reward itself. “Suspicious, suspicious, dismissive, dismissive, dismiss us, dismiss us/ Love is the answer, love is the message, you know it,” they croon. On this smooth, quiet storm-evoking track, the duo makes the smart choice to prioritize singing straight, instead of over-embellishing the song with runaway riffs.
Mannywellz, “Serious”
On “Serious,” ManNywellz continues his soulful blend of Afrobeats and R&B. Here, Manny extends the spirit of “no weapon formed against me shall prosper” for a war-ready anthem of resilience steeped in faith. He waltzes across the peppy, percussive beat with swagger and confidence, sourced from his knowledge of God’s protection over his life. “I identify as God’s n—a / No weapon can dance with us / Can’t compete, I got stamina,” he proclaims.
