Latto, MadeinTYO, Big Scarr, And SleazyWorld Go Drop New Music Friday Releases
Today is Friday, which means there are a ton of new releases to look forward to from some of your favorite Hip-Hop artists. To help you unwind and enjoy the weekend, check out VIBE’s picks of songs and albums you should hear and add to your soundtrack of weekend festivities.
MadeinTYO – NEO TYO
More than two years after dropping his previous studio album Never Forgotten and one year after Yokohama—his collaborative EP with UnoTheActivist, MadeinTYO returns with his third LP NEO TYO. “This so smooth, pop it in and just drive slow,” the international import raps on the project’s introductory cut, a command that’s backed up throughout the course of the album’s 12 tracks, as he layers fly raps atop a succession of buttery soundscapes. Solo fare like “So Many,” “Jazzy,” and “Thinking to Myself” all slap, however, the superior moments on NEO TYO come when its host is complimented by costars, as Famous Dex, 24hrs, NINTEY6MILES, MoneySign Suede, Zeina, and the aforementioned Uno all make noteworthy contributions. – Preezy Brown
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Latto Feat. Lu Kala – “Lottery”
Latto and Lu Kala know they’re the prize in their vibrant single “Lottery.” The upbeat pop jam is prime for any teenage drama series laden with romance and summer time parties. “If I let you put yo’ hands all over me/ If I let you unwrap all this in the sheets/ If I tell you all my dirty fantasies/ You won the lottery, you won the lottery.” Much like submitting a lotto ticket, it’s not easy to secure their affection; Latto puts this on full display in her two verses. “Whoa, there, baby, before we go there baby/ It’s a couple things that you gotta know, lil’ baby/ I been that bi**h so they want what’s mine/ Like some J’s just dropped, niggas waiting in line.” It takes a little more than luck to hit the jackpot with these divine women, but the winnings far exceed anything that money can buy. – Armon Sadler
Big Scarr – The Secret Weapon
The Secret Weapon, the first posthumous album from late rap star Big Scarr, has arrived with the Memphis native delivering an impressive body of work that speaks to his deferred potential. Coming out the gate swinging on the motivational opener “Keep Going,” Scarr shines on the Bandplay-produced “First Time In Vegas,” an early highlight which finds the 22-year-old sauntering atop a menacing backdrop. Reveling in the joys of his lifestyle on “Havin Fun,” the 1017 artist beats his chest on “I’m Him,” a cocksure offering on which he boasts about his stature within the game. With guest spots from Gucci Mane, Key Glock, Pooh Shiesty, Enchanting, and Seddy Henrix, The Secret Weapon presents Big Scarr as that and more, making his untimely departure even more of a tragedy. – PB
Polo G ft. Future – “No Time Wasted”
Polo G and Future express a sense of urgency on “No Time Wasted.” Though the message is salient conceptually, there is a lack of conviction in the Chicago rapper’s voice. Perhaps that is due to the fact he has “made it” but lines like “Ayy, look, I do this sh*t for all my guys that got put under” would hit harder if it sounded like he meant it and kept to the theme throughout his verse. Still, the chorus is very relatable: “Uh, I know you waitin’/ Gettin’ fed up, you runnin’ out of patience/ Just keep your head up, I told you we would make it/ Can’t give my meds up, I see too many faces, uh.” Hendrix picks up the energy on his verse, likely due to the croons intertwined with the bars he gets off. “Made it out the jungle where they scorchin’ and blazin’/ My dog get money and I get money, it’s contagious/ Went from a trapper to livin’ like a popstar/ I done got so rich I’m feedin’ my lil’ kids caviar.” All in all, there is a powerful message in “No Time Wasted” that misses the mark due to its delivery. – AS
SleazyWorld Go – Where The Shooters Be 2
SleazyWorld Go drops off his latest project Where The Shooters Be 2, which finds the Kansas City rapper tacking on five additional tracks to his debut album. Of the new songs, “Get Used To Me” and “Peter Pan” instantly stand out from the pack, while leftovers like “Catfish,” “I’m Still,” “Water Diamonds” and “Public Housing” remain key moments of the newcomer at the height of his powers. Riding high off the success of his breakout hit single “Sleazy Flow,” which yielded a Lil Baby-assisted remix, and the follow-up “Step 1” featuring Offset, SleazyWorld Go is a name to watch for and one of rap’s fastest rising stars. – PB
DJ Drama, Lil Baby & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie – “HO4ME”
DJ Drama, Lil Baby, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie get in the hood love bag on “HO4ME.” The Bronx crooner opens the record rejecting labels for his relationship, but detaling all he and his lover do. “And we be sinnin’, yeah, f**kin’ all in the kitchen, yeah/ You my wife, but I’ma treat you like a friend, yeah-yeah, uh my girlfriend.” Lil Baby handles the hook and tries his best to evade unnecessary arguments: “Here come all of your friends again makin’ they comments/ You get mad, spazz, we arguin’ ‘bout some dumb sh*t/ Okay, you right, this your show, you run sh*t.” The record then outlines all of the work they put in and how they simply want to come back to a peaceful home. It’s surprising that Lil Baby didn’t get his own verse, but he conveys the biggest message of the song in his bridge, repeating “Baby, take it slow for me, never mention ‘no to me, turn into a hoe for me.” Drama ends the record, quipping “See, that’s what I love about you/ You can be so wholesome/ Yet, still so hoe some.” Surely women don’t like being called hoes, but there is an endearing tone to what they’re trying to say. – AS
Neek Bucks – Blessed To The Max
Harlem spitter Neek Bucks releases his latest album Blessed To The Max, on which he connects with Hitmaka for a longplayer that certainly deserves to be on your radar. Bucks makes this clear from the outset, beginning with the album’s intro, a solemn number that finds the rapper accounting for the good in life despite its struggles. The hot streak is extended with the twangy “Vandross,” while 2 Chainz makes an appearance on the piano-laden “Mask Up,” a bouncy number that captures the pair rhyming with sinister intent. Sampling Lil Troy’s classic single “Wanna Be a Baller,” Bucks is joined by Wiz Khalifa and Chris Han, whereas Tink pops up for the velvety duet “Next To You,” a rap ballad that touches on lust and matters of the heart. Among the finer moments on Blessed To The Max are the steely “Gambinos” featuring Benny The Butcher and Raekwon, and the CeeLo Green-guested “Son Light,” both of which give even more reason to offer this longplayer a spin. – PB
Don Toliver ft. Lil Durk & Glorilla – “Leave The Club”
Don Toliver, Lil Durk and GloRilla are in the mood on “Leave The Club.” The Houston crooner gets right to the point, requesting a woman bust it open for him. Coincidentally, the record is an upbeat bop that you’d want to stick around for but he’s on a mission. As for Durk, his lady isn’t in the building with him but telling him to come home. He’s got his eyes on a few women in the club, but he heads to his Uber anyways and make moves. The beat changes to a more downtempo, menacing canvas and GloRilla jumps in with her brash delivery. She plays the role of the woman telling her man to leave the club, and makes a very convincing argument. “If I text you ‘Where you at?’, you got two minutes ‘fore you miss out/ Come home drunk as hell, I’m like ‘You better have that d**k out/ We finna sign this pu**y, that’s a warnin’, you might slip out/ Get backshots from my whoopty-woop, my ni**a think I’m still out.” They all have their own individual adventures, some a bit scandalous, but the message is clear: good things happen when you leave the club. – AS
BKtherula – LVL5 P 1
Bktherula continues to build her legend with her latest album LVL5 P1, as the 20-year-old takes listeners on a uniquely quirky musical experience. Deploying her off-kilter delivery on cuts like “TAN” and “BACK,” the Georgia native excels in pockets where she leans on her melodicism, such as “BELIEVE,” which finds her examining the state of her love life. Other inclusions that are worthy of a spin include “No Adlib,” “PSSYOFT,” and the Rico Nasty-assisted “WE MADE IT,” making LVL5 P1 a solid showing from Bk. – PB
Flo Milli – “Nasty Dancer”
Flo Milli creates her own version of “Perculator” with “Nasty Dancer.” She asserts her dominance in the relationship, rapping “I make him do what I want/ But he like it when I take over/ If he younger than me, he a sugar baby/ I can’t f**k with that boy ‘til he older.” The hook is an earworm and anthemic for women. “My sh*t just like coco, make all the ni**as go loco,” she repeats. “Nasty Dancer” is a fun deviation from her usual trap-influenced tracks. – AS
