Another week, another set of fresh picks to get you through. For the final weeks of June, we’re bringing you a rap-centered set, featuring familiar names like Flo Milli and Westside Boogie, alongside emerging acts you should know, including Toronto producer Eva Shaw and Mexican singer-songwriter Kevin Kaarl.
Don’t forget to share the wealth, by sharing our Spotify playlist linked below.
Flo Milli, “Conceited”
Flo Milli is back with the latest anthem for the girls. On “Conceited,” the rapper drips with charisma, serving looks and quotable bars (“I want a pitcher wit’ a baseball bat/ Hoes don’t like when I talk like that/ Please don’t bark ’cause Milli bite back”). Featuring production from Fyre, Trinidad James, and Kosine, Milli’s playful boasts are complimented by a menacing beat that fully captures the Alabama rapper’s distinct style.
Leon Bridges & Kevin Kaarl, “Summer Moon”
Leon Bridges comes together with Mexican singer Kevin Kaarl for the bilingual soul number “Summer Moon.” The track is raw and warm, the singers’ raspy voices melding together beautifully throughout their two-part harmonies.
bLAck pARty, “On My Way”
Ahead of his album Hummingbird due July 14, singer bLAck pARty releases “On My Way,” a silky R&B offering featuring rap-like cadences. Through smooth verses and raw instrumentation, the RCA signee reassures loved ones that late is better than never. “The song is very close to my heart, it’s more autobiographical than you would think,” he adds.
SleazyWorld Go feat. Offset, “Step 1”
Joining forces with a newly solo Offset, SleazyWorld Go offers a gun-toting manual, starting with step one: “You catch an opp, make sure you wet one.” The laid-back tempo matches SleazyWorld’s effortless delivery, gliding over hard-hitting 808s and setting the pace for Offset’s guest verse.
Eva Shaw, “WOKE B”
Last Friday (June 17), Toronto producer Eva Shaw released her 27-track debut album, SOLO, featuring a whopping 30 rappers. Throughout the sonically diverse roster of features, Shaw’s dark sound serves as the common thread, weaving together the expansive project. On “WOKE B,” Kris the $pirit, Kid Riz and Young Rose throw verses back and forth, Shaw’s equally delicate and abrasive production perfectly accenting each bar.
Al-Doms & Pusha T, “HAHA”
Virginia rapper Al-Doms taps fellow VA wordsmith Pusha T for his new single “HAHA.” Both hailing from Norfolk, the boastful track overall signifies brotherhood and the momentum that is unleashed when one takes pride in where they come from. On “HAHA,” Al flexes his rapid cadence as Push delivers his usual coke-rap bars.
Chris Patrick feat. Ausar, “Back on Road”
If there’s one thing Chris Patrick has, it’s range. Last Wednesday (June 15), the New Jersey artist released The Lost Files EP, a three-pack of songs that finds the singer-rapper delivering verses over the drill-sampled “Moonwalkin,” R&B-infused slow jam “Zendaya,” and hi-hat-heavy “Back On Road.” On the latter, Patrick recruits Chicago artist Ausar to trade bars about making plays without looking back. “I’m in rare form, airborn, in and out the airport/ I’m not coming home til they treat me like I’m Air Jordan,” Ausar boastfully raps.
Kent Jamz feat. A$AP Ferg, “Or Not”
On “Or Not,” Kent Jamz and A$AP Ferg are straight to the point: Simply put, the song finds the two asking potential lovers if they’re DTF. “Or Not” can be found on Jamz’s new album Fanclub.
Shaboozey, “Gas!”
Fusing country, drill, and trap, Shaboozey’s new single “Gas!” is a melting pot of sounds. The Virginia rapper ventures to the wild wild west to race cars and channel his inner cowboy for the eclectic track. “Going too fast, tell me what a ‘slow’ is/ Got my foot on gas, can’t look back, road is calling/ Back when I ain’t have cash, she ain’t even look, now she notice,” he sings.
Westside Boogie, “Stuck”
Westside Boogie is right on time. Ahead of Father’s Day and Juneteenth last Friday, the Compton rapper released his sophomore album More Black Superheroes. “This album is about embracing our powers,” Boogie wrote in an Instagram post sharing the LP’s cover. “This album is for the Black fathers that go out in the world and feel like they have to hide all our true feelings because it seems weak to express how you’re hurt but [know] that’s one of your biggest strengths.” On standout track “Stuck,” the LVRN rapper sorts through the weight of community ties and battles with his own inner turmoil, rapping “You know I done been through hell, huh?/ I’m goin’ through it, I can’t hide it, you could tell, huh?”
