It's a good day to update your playlist. The slew of releases this week has been unreal. From new projects by Summer Walker, Meagan Thee Stallion, Aminé, Ladipoe, and Mick Jenkins to singles from our faves Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, Flo Milli, Lil Uzi Vert, and Silk Sonic, it's a lot to catch up on. Feeling overwhelmed? Don't fret, just in time for the weekend we've updated our Highsnobiety Soundsystem 50 playlist with the best releases you need to have on rotation. And you can find out just what went into our curation process below:
The Best New Music You Need to Hear (& Why)
1 Summer Walker - Unloyal (ft . Ari Lennox) - In 2019 Summer Walker changed the game when she dropped the hottest modern R&B record and today, Ms. Walker proved to us she's still got it and she's Still Over It. This track with Ari Lennox is just a sweet taste of this absolutely sublime body of work.
2 Travis Scott - MAFIA - Travis Scott really never drops the ball. And his latest offering proves he's one of the greatest musical auteurs of our time. With a signature heavy-hitting beat, his iconic adlibs, and braggy rhymes, Travis easily delivered another hit song, but listen closely and you'll hear a surprise: an uncredited J.Cole verse.
3 A$AP Rocky - Sandman - A$AP Rocky already gave us a treat when he re-released his debut mixtape Live.Love.A$AP, but when I went to stream the classic project I realized Pretty Flacko had been more than generous with a new bonus track. Sonically "Sandman" is reminiscent of Rocky's early cloud-rap days and the nostalgia is sweet.
4 Bobby Shmurda - Splash - Ever since he got out, Bobby Shmurda keeps the tunes coming. His latest, "Splash," is maximalist trap. Bobby shows us his prolificacy hitting all the notes required of a trap king.
5 Aminé - meant2b - There goes Aminé with another head-bumping banger. Fresh off his new album, "meant2b" is an experimental high-tempo bop that is essential listening – and while you're at it listen to the entire tape, it's up there.
Collaborations: Summer Got It Right
Summer Walker had to meet some high expectations with her new album and I'm happy to tell you she did not disappoint. Go listen to it if you haven't already. But I want to talk a bit about one aspect of this stellar body of work. The Collaborations. With women.
Starting off with a Cardi B voice note in the intro, where she gives the R&B singer some sisterly advice, Summer lays the groundwork for a beautiful project, earnestly and femininely talking about love and heartbreak. On "No Love" Summer and SZA reminisce on a failed relationship, on "Unloyal" with Ari Lennox, the singers are "so done," and on the closing track, Ciara prays for guidance and strength in love moving forward.
The women on this project – some of music's most influential artists – hold this project down, literally book-ending it. You can tell these aren't just collaborators, these are friends, sisters even. And as we go on the rollercoaster trip with Summer from desire to spite, it's these women's rage, passion, and grace that keeps us sane and feeling like we can get over this hurdle too.
Album Alert
Mick Jenkins, Chicago's rap extraordinaire, is back with his third LP, Elephant In The Room. Over 38 minutes, Mick's sublime pen-game and sprawling ability to shapeshift over silky beats are elegantly put on display.
Sonically the project is less expansive than his previous albums, but that doesn't make it less compelling. The real gem of the project is what is being said; the rapper doesn't skimp on his storytelling ability. He weaves between wanting the carefree lifestyle and riches and facing the emotional trauma in his journey – a tale of how one never really leaves Chicago's gun-toting streets. In the process, he's helped by a concise curation of guest features from serpentwithfeet, Ayinde Cartman, Ben Hixon, and greenSLLIME.
Mick didn't make this album to serve us rap hits, this kind of honesty doesn't run in the clubs. Instead, the album shows us a man who's seen too much, but who still desires so much more out of life. Essential listening.
On Your Radar
Let Buju bless your ears.
One of the vanguards of Afrobeats' huge global moment, the 23-year-old singer is rapidly rising through the ranks to make his presence known not just in his home country of Nigeria, but the wider world as well. After lending his signature falsetto to tracks by the continent's biggest names – Wizkid, Burna Boy, Show Dem Camp, Ladipoe, to name just a few – Buju finally offered his tender debut album Sorry I'm Late last week.
Here is one of the leading voices of Afro-fusion's next generation, it's time to pay attention.
