With Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us” enjoying a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 debut — alongside an ever-extending stint at the top of the zeitgeist thanks to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott — the Compton rapper’s musical scuffle with Drake continues to cast an unmistakable shadow over R&B/hip-hop and pop culture discourse.
Nonetheless, the past week has seen the industry collectively begin to pick its jaws up from the ground and return to regularly scheduled non-Kendrick/Drake-centric programming. Both Vince Staples and Lupe Fiasco announced new albums — Dark Times and Samurai, respectively — while Lil Wayne headlined Travis Kelce‘s Kelce Jam 2024, which also featured performances from 2 Chainz and Diplo. Of course, a harrowing 2016 surveillance video appearing to show Sean “Diddy” Combs assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel surfaced via CNN, effectively corroborating Ventura’s account of the 2016 assault in her now-settled lawsuit against the Bad Boy mogul.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Lila Iké & H.E.R.’s sultry “Boy Is Mine”-esque duet to Elijah Blake’s nostalgic reflection on two lovers who just can’t seem to make things work. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Lila Iké & H.E.R., “He Loves Us Both”
The legacy of Brandy & Monica‘s seminal “The Boy Is Mine” is well-documented, and this seductive new duet from reggae star Lila Iké and R&B dynamo H.E.R. showcases just how far that ’90s Grammy-winning tune has traveled. “I know you probably judgin’ what I did/ I know you probably hopin’ I forgive/ He don’t make it easy to walk away/ I know because he make me feel the same,” they croon back and forth, effortlessly emulating the tug-of-war that anchors Brandy & Monica’s original. Iké’s soulful, intentional phrasing plays well against H.E.R.’s riff-laden performance. Both of their voices wrap around the plaintive guitars and steady percussion, prioritizing selective restraint over bombastic belts which drives home the tension between the position of each vocalist. This is how crossover collaborations should sound.
2Rare feat. Skilla Baby & Rob49, “C4”
Nearly four decades later, Eazy-E’s classic single “Boyz N the Hood” is once again being revitalized in rap’s mainstream — but here, 2Rare flips the hardcore West Coast anthem into a raunchy club banger, with help from Skilla Baby and Rob49 looking to heat up just in time for the summer. Instead of Eazy’s ‘64 Impala, Rare plays off of the explosive C4: “She the type to blow just like C4/ Fiending for the D like I was giving her dope,” he raps on the chorus while mimicking Eazy-E’s flow. This year is slated to be another busy campaign for the Warner Records signee, and the Philly native has plenty of more energetic tunes on the way with a project also on the horizon.
Elijah Blake, “Sugarwater & Lime”
Elijah Blake has spent the better part of the last decade writing on hits for R&B heavyweights — including Usher (“Climax”) and Rihanna (“No Love Allowed”) — but, recently, he’s shifted his focus to his own output. With “Sugarwater & Lime,” the latest single from his forthcoming eponymous LP, Blake explores the frustration of trying to make something work without having all of the right ingredients. “Baby, we can’t make lemonade/ From sugarwater and lime/ But we tried/ We couldn’t make lemonade/ But maybe we can heal from heartbreak/ In due time,” he sings over a brassy arrangement accented by warbling bass, symphonic strings and ’70s-esque drum licks. Blake’s voice ranges from tender falsetto to nimble rap-sung cadences and dizzying riffs, tracing the inevitably convoluted route of an almost-there love.
Your Old Droog, “Mercury Thermometers”
Classic boom-bap rap might have taken a backseat compared to the force it was decades ago in the culture, but Your Old Droog is still doing the sub-genre justice. The New York rapper connected with Conductor Williams for “Mercury Thermometers” and Droog’s shrewd wordplay over the dusty production and cymbal drums doesn’t disappoint. “This is Bob Dylan without the harmonica/ This some iconic bars and a hard moniker,” he raps. Y.O.D. boasts about taking the hard route to fame with no handouts or stimulus packages, but still being able to persevere. Look for Droog to work with plenty of acclaimed hip-hop producers on his upcoming album, Movie, which arrives on June 21.
Deb Fan, “Lady”
With “Lady,” the first single from R&B artist-producer Deb Fan’s forthcoming sophomore EP, the Hong Kong-raised, L.A.-based singer challenges restrictive stereotypes and outdated portrayals of womanhood in Asian culture. “There’s some beauty in made-up rules/ King of my world with none to lose,” she coos in an ethereal tone over sparse, atmospheric production reminiscent of contemporary R&B stars like Kali Uchis, while still finding room for the slinky bass of ’90s R&B. With a vocal performance that simultaneously mourns the constricting nature of expectations placed on women and rings with the hope of a concerted rebirth, Deb Fan makes some real magic on “Lady.”
BIG30, “Come Save Me”
BIG30 paints his hood love story with the first verse of “Come Save Me.” This isn’t exactly Romeo and Juliet, but the Memphis native admits he’s been “looking for love in all the wrong places” recently. He realizes how toxic this love is, but he’s not trying to hide it anymore and even wants her to have his baby. “Ain’t talkin’ ’bout with no picture, baby, pop out with my child,” he raps. Adding another layer to the chaos, the wind instrument loop hilariously sounds like it recalls the Austin Powers theme song. Learn more about BIG30 as his Still King album is filled with gripping street tales from the NLess rapper.
