Lola Brooke, Jim Jones, Rae Sremmurd, Blxst, And More Deliver New Hip-Hop Releases
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
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.
Lola Brooke – “So Disrespectful”
Lola Brooke has no intentions of slowing down. “So Disrespectful” carries similar gritty energy as “Don’t Play With It” and could strike fear even into the most macho men. “I tried to tell these bi**hes cheap ni**as don’t look good/ Come on now, you know a b**ch always look good,” she boasts. “I need a G5, trapping with next six/ The frank stand 24, go catch d**k.” It’s hard to determine whether her rap voice, flow, or diction stand out the most. Either way, the Brooklyn rapper turned in another impressive performance. As she continues to rise, the sh*t talk will likely increase in frequency and feel justified in talking down on everyone beneath her. “Oh my God, I’m so disrespectful/ I ain’t never get f**ked, but I get f**ked/ My ni**a havin’ a good time holdin’ my wrist up.” It’s Lola’s world and we are fortunate to live in it. – Armon Sadler
More from VIBE.com
Jim Jones Crowns Drake As Greatest Rapper Of All Time Over Jay-Z
Metro Boomin And Hitmaka Respond To Hit-Boy's Producer Diss Track
Hit-Boy Has Bars For Metro Boomin, Southside, Mustard, And Hitmaka On Unreleased Song
Jim Jones And Hitmaka – Back In My Prime
More than a year after announcing their project, Jim Jones and Hitmaka unleash their collaborative album Back In My Prime, which includes songs previously teased, as well as joints fresh off the presser. For the BEAM-assisted “Gunshot,” Hitmaka flips samples of “The Champ” by The Mohawks & “I’ve Been Watching You” by The South Side Movement. At the same time, Jones spills cruel intentions of retribution and recollections of illicit transactions. Benny The Butcher and Trav team up with Capo for a game of lyrical three-card molly on “Bet It All,” while Ty Dolla $ign lends svelte vocals to the plush number “YKTV.” Additional offerings like “Let It Go” featuring Tink and Ball Greezy, and the Stefflon Don-guested single “I Am” only bolster Back In My Prime’s replay value with Hitmaka and Jones’ contributions living up to that statement. – Preezy Brown
Rae Sremmurd – “Tanisha (Pump That)”
Rae Sremmurd is full steam ahead to Sremm 4 and “Tanisha (Pump That)” may be the duo’s best offering yet. They pick up the tempo from their previous singles, providing a frantic track fit for dance clubs. “Like Tanisha, doin’ it for the people/ Nobody do it like she do, everythin’ tight and see-through/ Now pump that, now pump that.” The chorus is repetitive but the message is clear: Tanisha’s got it going on and Swae Lee is mesmerized, hence the sense of urgency. “Let’s not go back and forth, she’s what I need/ Throwing it back with force, lightning speed.” Slim Jxmmi is equally enamored and admits he is even addicted to her like a drug. “Pump that, boomerang, you got that comeback/ My ned addiction, I need that.” He even offers to let her max out his Amex card. It’s unclear whether Swae and Jxmmi are stuck on the same woman, but given how they describe her, she’s worth a brotherly quarrel. – AS
Blxst – Just For Clarity
Blxst is the epitome of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” In the last three years, he’s been an artist who has yet to miss. He knows his formula and executes it well. Just For Clarity 2 is the follow-up to his 2021 EP of the same name. For this project, he provides two more songs and enlists the help of Mustard, Terrace Martin, Roddy Ricch, and Larry June. It’s West Coast bops galore mixed with talks of love, loss, and flexing. “Keep Calling,” the project’s lead single featuring Larry June, remains the standout and may already be part of Blxst’s canon. There’s just something about “Keep calling/ I keep ballin’/ Baby I’m standin’ on business I’m flawless/ Baby, my diamonds still hittin’, they flawless” and the repetitive phone sounds that provide a comforting sense of unbothered-ness. This is a breezy 11-minute listen worthy of playing over and over again. – AS
Conway The Machine And Jae Skeese – Pain Provided Profit
Buffalo, N.Y. has become a factory for lyrically-inclined upstarts, with hometown heroes Griselda Records opening the floodgates and showcasing the finest from their city. Conway The Machine gives the ultimate cosign to newcomer Jae Skeese by partnering with him for Pain Provided Profit, an EP that captures the pair trading verses over a slate of moody soundscapes. “Cocaine Paste,” “Metallic 5’s,” “Immaculate Reception,” and “Food” are the cream of the crop on this 7-track offering, which further reminds us that the Empire State has plenty of talent brimming on the outskirts of the five boroughs. – PB
G Perico And DJ Drama – Hot Shot: Gangsta Grillz
DJ Drama continues his onslaught of Gangsta Grillz mixtapes with G Perico’s Hot Shot. The collaborative effort finds the L.A. native doling out 13 tracks centered around the tenets of the hustle, keeping it player, and staying sucker free. On “Still Independent,” Perico speaks on elevating the industry ladder while praising himself for his ingenuity and perseverance. “Half a ticket and I’m still independent/ They like ‘G, boy, you brilliant/ I’m still standing, I’m resilient,” he drawls atop a bluesy backdrop, while Drama adds to the ambiance with his signature, timely adlibs. Ramping up the tempo on the Steelz-produced “Action,” the veteran gets photoshoot fresh, rhyming, “Take a pic, get a good angle, it might make you rich/nI know the cameraman love me/ Make me look good, make these h**s wanna f**k me.” Equally entertaining and efficient, Hot Shot contains standouts throughout, with “Religion,” “Everything” featuring RJMrLA, “Rap Life,” and “Clicc Credits” amongst the cream of this melodic crop. – PB
Lil Keed – “Self Employed”
Hearing new music from Lil Keed is heartwarming. His verses over the somber trap beat in “Self Employed” sound eerie. “I can’t f**k with y’all lil’ ni**as, it’s just my pride or some/ If you ever see me in the streets just know I’m packin’ a gun and I ain’t lackin’ for nothin’,” he raps in the second verse. “Me and all these strippers lockin’ eyes, they lookin’ for money/ I’m a soldier in the streets and I swear that I’m gunnin’.” The message here is clear: the late rapper is self-sufficient and focused on increasing his bankroll at all costs. That means he literally and figuratively cannot afford distractions from unfocused individuals or strippers. “Yeah you know that I’m on my grind/ Yeah I’m self-paid, self-employed/ I gotta get paid, homie, I gotta get paid.” We missed you, Keed! – AS
JELEEL! Feat. Armani White – “Gnarly”
After debuting the track at Rolling Loud California last weekend, JELEEL! drops off the official version of his new single “Gnarly” featuring Armani White. Powered by trunk-rattling bass, the bombastic track finds the Rhode Island native in a cocksure mood and getting his flex on. “Oh my God, they on my body/ Hit ’em up, pick ’em up, ni**as can’t guard me/ Whole lotta red, no Playboi Carti,” he raps on the opening verse, bouncing along to the beat while creating a carefree vibe. Playing the role of closer, Armani White caps the collaboration off with self-appraising bars of his own. “I knew jawns be going coocoo, caught me in a sweatsuit/ Oh my God, I need a picture or they won’t believe I met you,” he quips while alluding to his rising stardom. With his forthcoming album Real Raw! due to drop this spring, JELEEL!’s punchy appetizer is hearty enough to tide fans over until the full entrée arrives. – PB
Baby Drill – “How Ya Doin?”
Baby Drill shines bright on “How Ya Doin?” and fully owns his status. “We don’t need no diamonds, walk in the room and shine/ I’m a walking star, I mix Off-White with the Gucci, this a different trend,” he raps. “Huh, I’m in LA with Young Nudy, smoking different strands.” He’s got a unique voice, almost crooning but in a calm fashion. ATL Jacob laces the mid-tempo beat, allowing for Drill’s relentless flex. “How ya doin’? Living great/ What you eatin’? Eating steak/ How you do it? Takin’ plates/ What you shootin’? Baby Dracs.” Who doesn’t love a good hook where a rapper asks themselves questions? – AS
Connie Diiamond – “Move”
The well of talent in the Bronx, N.Y. continues to spring onto rap’s radar, as Connie Diiamond makes her presence known with her new single “Move,” which finds the uptown rep dismantling a reworking of Ludacris’ 2002 single “Move Bi**h.” “I need the money, the power, respect/ Heard it’s a party, you know I’ma flex” she barks gruffly, deploying a rapid flow rife with aggression and dexterity while flipping metaphors with ease. Released via Def Jam, “Move” marks Diiamond as one of the label’s rising prospects to watch out for who carries the momentum built on her December 2022 EP Gift Raps. – PB
