Nicki Minaj, Benny The Butcher, Blu & Nottz, And More Can’t-Miss Hip-Hop Releases

Yesterday was 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.

Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday 2

After persevering moments of turbulence throughout her career, Nicki Minaj is no stranger to adversity or doubt. Despite being the most successful and decorated female rap star of the new millennium, rocks have been throne at or near the throne in recent years, with some questioning whether her dominance has waned or if regressed musically. Those inquiries were tempered with her 2018 album Queen, a strong effort, but one that left a few stones unturned in some listeners’ eyes.

Five long years after that release, Nicki is back with her most immersive and cohesive Pink Friday 2, the sequel to her multiplatinum debut album. In the time since her previous effort, the Queens, N.Y. native’s personal life has developed exponentially. A proud wife and mother, Nicki has gained a new perspective on life and she shares it throughout the LP.

On the lulling opener “Are You Gone Already,” Nicki expresses elation over her bond with her three-year-old son Papa Bear while admitting the stresses that have come along with fame and fortune. “Rich, yes, but are you happy?/ All this guilt you carry is heavy,” she croons atop a plush composition crafted by Finneas, setting the album off on a reflective note.

Personal insights aside, Pink Friday 2 is filled with a seemingly endless stream of explosive offerings, among them collaborations with a murderer’s row of A-listers. Reuniting with Young Money members Lil Wayne (“RNB”) and Drake (“Needle”), Minaj connects with J. Cole on “Let Me Calm Down” before pairing with Lil Uzi Vert for “Everybody” and Future on “Nicki Hendrix.” Those blockbuster collaborations are countered by solo numbers like “Beep Beep,” “Fallin 4 U,” “Big Difference.” The “Notorious Thugs” inspired “Barbie Dangerous,” which finds the hitmaker hijacking The Notorious B.I.G.’s flow.

She professes her spirituality on “Blessings” and reflects on tumultuous beginnings on the finale number “Memories.” Nicki Minaj is silencing all critics with Pink Friday 2, which arguably crowns the artistic achievement of the Queen’s ongoing reign. – Preezy Brown

Benny The Butcher Feat. Stove God Cooks – “One Foot In”

After gauging the temperature with his Lil Wayne-assisted single “Big Dog,” Benny The Butcher turns the heat up with “One Foot In,” the latest release from his forthcoming album EVERYBODY CAN’T GO. Produced by Hit-Boy, the track finds the Buffalo soldier lamenting his elevation from the bricks and scales to the upper echelon of the rap world.

“I was one foot out the game after that freestyle with Flex/ I was one foot in the door at JAY-Z house with West,” he says on the opening verse, which he brags to have penned while in the comfort of his Grammy Awards outfit. Featuring an equally lethal stanza from Stove God Cooks, “One Foot In” presents The Butcher in a motivated state and only bodes well for the firepower he’s vowed to unfold on EVERYBODY CAN’T GO arriving in January 2024. – PB

Blu And Knottz – Afrika

A decade removed from their first collaborative project Gods In The Spirit, and their 2016 follow-up Titans In The Flesh, Blu and Nottz have reconvened for their third joint effort Afrika. Dedicated to the motherland, Afrika captures Blu waxing poetic about the continent in prideful fashion, with Nottz contributing an array of head-snapping beats for the rapper to saunter over.

“The story of Afrika is so unfathomably dominant in history, yet so unknown to people of the world today, so it was a must that I tell its story myself,” Blu said about the album, which features appearances by Quelle Chris, Mickey Factz, Ill Camille, Scienze, Black Shakespeare, Shafiq Husayn, Cassius King, G-Kidd, Shad and more. Notable selections on Afrika we suggest to give a spin include “Kuwakaribisha (Welcome),” “Mungu (God),” “Marcus Garvey,” and “Rangi (Colors).” – PB

Pharrell Williams, Swae Lee, Rauw Alejandro – “Airplane Tickets”

Pharrell Williams, Swae Lee, and Rauw Alejandro rack up frequent flier miles on “Airplane Tickets,” the triumvirat’s breezy new single. Produced by Williams, the track was first unveiled at his Louis Vuitton Men’s Pre-Fall 2024 Runway Show in Hong Kong late last month and has finally been liberated to the masses. “I got a pair of tickets with your name on them/ And, girl, you’re fine by me ’cause you’re good money,” Swae Lee croons, while Rauw Alejandro provides complimentary vocals in Latin.

The song is produced by the Good Company and accompanied with a Maxime Quoilin-directed music video, which finds the trio invading Hong Kong, hitting up the city’s iconic Avenue of Stars and other locales. “Airplane Tickets” is simply infectious and a potential anthem for serial jetsetters. – PB

Southside And Lil Yachty – “Gimmie Da Lite”

Lil Yachty continues his hot streak with “Gimme Da Lite.” The Atlanta rapper skates over the boisterous Southside production, opting for a continuous jab-like delivery. The record is loaded with references to his drug use, which is a bit confusing as he’s recently spoken about giving them up, but the content makes for a good track regardless. Yachty spits about how his baby is a “real geeker” and how his opps don’t keep that same energy when they see him in person. This is a less than two-minute sprint similar to his viral 2022 hit “Poland” but a bit more high energy. At the rate you’ve been delivering, it’s time for the album, Yachty. – Armon Sadler

French Montana And Lil Baby – “Okay”

Can we really get tired of trap beats with flutes? French Montana and Lil Baby remind us that this type of production is “okay” in their new collaboration. Montana handles the hook and chooses his own, refreshing voice instead of the autotune he’s used heavily over the years. Lil Baby’s verse is solid; he sticks to his signature flow and gets off several flexes. French comes back later for his verse where the production drops out and gives the record a nice sonic shift. It’s not groundbreaking by any means, but it’s a fun track overall. – AS

Kalan.FrFr – Not Hard 2 Understand

Roc Nation artist Kalan.FrFr delivers his latest project NOT HARD 2 Understand, a six-track EP that finds the Los Angeles native leaning on his melodic sensibilities. Offerings of first-class flights and shopping sprees are presented on “Ain’t Nothin.” The Tay B-assisted highlight “Don’t Move” channels Kalan’s aggressive nature, as the two floss and flex atop a booming soundscape.

The rapper’s Tyga-assisted hit “Butterfly Coupe” gets a retouch, with Quavo appearing in place of T-Raw on the EP’s revamped version of the track. Comprised of enough material to satisfy mainstays and get newcomers acquainted, NOT HARD 2 UNDERSTAND should stream well in the upcoming holiday festivities and potentially well into the new year. – PB

Lyrical Lemonade & Dave ft. Jack Harlow – “Stop Giving Me Advice”

Lyrical Lemonade tapped Jack Harlow & Dave for a collaboration many may have never predicted but works seamlessly. The production of “Stop Giving Me Advice” includes a soulful vocal sample, gentle drums, and soothing guitar strums. Harlow gets two verses, rapping about raising the value of everyone around him and how he has accomplished so much despite the criticisms he receives. Dave slides through at the end with his brooding UK accent, reflecting on his journey, how he can’t wife just anyone, and introducing women to private flights. The production and their tones make this sound like a lecture by way of rap; a firm declaration that they don’t need anyone to tell them how to live because they have gotten far on their own. – AS

NLE Choppa – “Shotta Flow 7”

NLE Choppa has added the seventh chapter to his “Shotta Flow” series. The Memphis artist spits about being a deity in his hometown over piano keys, large drums, and steady hi-hats. He makes a Diddy reference (which may not have the best timing), but the track could have been recorded before all of the headlines came out. Regardless, Choppa flows like his name conveys—consistently, sometimes violently, and punctually. It’s a good reminder that he can do this in addition to his sample-heavy, melodic records of the last few years. – AS

Mike Will Made-It Feat. Moneybagg Yo & YTB Fatt – “Now Or Neva”

“Now Or Neva” is stadium music at its finest. Moneybagg Yo handles the hook, with his fun “ugh” ad-lib, and other affirmations of things he’ll do in the present moment. There’s a good fusion of his flow and the production, a true display of riding a beat fluidly. YTB Fatt takes a different approach, attacking the production in certain instances and sneaking into unconventional pockets in others. Together, they make an inspirational offering that falls just shy of two minutes. Despite the song’s duration, the Mike Will Made-It produced number is satisfying. – AS

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