Legacy Track of the Week: Toni Braxton - Long As I Live
“Long as I live…” This one is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Toni Braxton got another one 💯💯💯 salute to one of the queens of R&B! [you can keep this video, however, though I respect the effort]
Toni Braxton - Sex & Cigarettes
“Yes I do, yes I do, yes I do, I do love you” Toni Braxton just released her ninth studio album, this time distributed by Def Jam and off the strength of the last single alone this was a decent release. Honestly though, like back in the day you’d be better off just getting the single.
The Weeknd - Try Me
“I didn't know you were down for him finding out, I thought you had some kind of love for your man” The Weeknd remains the most Phantom of the Opera type figure in R&B (separate from his atrocious live performances), and that title is evident in his latest release where the imagery taps into the most vulnerable elements of both romance and humanity. Abel’s lyrics have often been one of his best qualities, and on this record the melody is complete making this another great addition to his already impressive catalogue.
The Weeknd - Wasted Time
“Wasted times I spent with someone else, she wasn't even half of you…” Aside from that opening the lyric the verses on paper leave a lot to be desired, yet thankfully for the listeners it’s the melody that makes it truly memorable, and altogether this is easily the standout track on Weeknd’s new EP My Dear Melancholy,; a project that overall took a few good listens to really grow on me. I will point out however that I care very little about Weeknd’s past celebrity relationships that might have inspired this record, as to date nothing has compromised his unique artistry and appeal more than those unnecessary TMZ headlines.
DJDS ft Khalid, Charlie Wilson, Charlotte Day Wilson - No Pain
“I'm feeling no pain (keep me up), feeling no pain (keep me high) feeling no pain (lift it up), got me feeling no pain (to the sky)” Charlie Wilson along with singer Charlotte Day Wilson of equal soul but no affiliation, and much respect to Khalid and DJ Dodger Stadium the vision is clear.
Rich The Kid - World Is Yours
“Get off your ass and hustle (huh?), now that I flex with muscle (flex)” ATL’s next superstar just released his debut album of the same name and the quality of this album surprised me. This introduction is produced by Cassius Jay aka Trap Sinatra and it’s definitely a tone-setter.
Rich The Kid ft Kendrick Lamar - New Freezer
“My bitch too foreign, need a visa (ooh), I don't need her (huh?), pull up drop top with a eater (skrrt), two seater (skrrt), new bitch wanna fuck to my AP (AP, ice), new freezer (ice), I woke up thinkin bout bands (bands), hop off a jet to a check when I land” Produced by Ben Jayne this is everything you want from a commercial mainstream industry type record… I fux with this one all the way ❄️❄️❄️💯💯💯
Rich The Kid - Plug Walk
“Ayy, ayy, plug walk (plug walk, plug, plug), I don't even understand how the fuck my plug talk” Produced by TheLabCook if they got more hits like this then they really will be Rich Forever, as in the name of the record label distributed under 300 Entertainment, which at the same time makes it seem far more likely that an act like this won’t maintain any longevity (they rarely do). Nonetheless this is a very strong debut (it usually is) and this album should definitely carry through the summer.
Rich The Kid ft Khalid - Too Gone
“Ooh, I'm sorry if I missed your call, lately I'm just trippin off this alcohol, I'm not really used to you calling me back, but I'm way too gone and I'm out of it” For some reason, these lyrics are far too relatable than I’d like to admit but I love this record, produced by Wondagurl the 20-year-old Canadian-Nigerian producer who’s already worked with Drake, Travis Scott, Big Sean, & Jay Z, this is another great album cut off The World Is Yours.
Rich The Kid ft Jay Critch & Rick Ross - Made It
“I just signed a contract like a Laker (swish), Santorini Greece where I'ma take her (woo), blue and yellow diamonds like Jacob (woo), kissin on me, can't be smearin all that makeup” Rozay 🔥🔥🔥 Produced by Harry Fraud this is the best album to come out of the ATL in a long time.
Trouble & Mike WIll Made It ft The Weeknd - Come Thru
“Mike WiLL Made-It” <<< On everything I love that’s the best lyrics on this record… but Weeknd laces the hook so this is a strong album cut off Edgewood, the debut studio album from Trouble who’s apparently been cookin in Atlanta for the last eight summers.
Trouble & Mike Will Made It ft Fetty Wap & Quavo - Rider
"Big Trouble, last time I trust a *****, shit, I almost lost my life” Now that’s a bar and overall I kind of like this record, maybe this should have been the single over the one with Drake.
Trouble & Mike Will Made It - Hurt Real Bad
“Light this spliff to keep me sane, I watch my homies change, pourin up this drank, but I’m still feelin pain, how could you turn yo back on, real ones, street don’t love nobody, no loyalty in em” I could feel this one...
Jacquees & Dej Loaf - At The Club
“Met her in the club, all the ballers showing love, can you party with a thug, I'm just trying to show you love” Produced by W$Kharri this was one of the best records off their Fuck a Friend Zone tape and is still one of the best records off the new Cash Money album entitled Birdman Presents: Before Anythang (Sdtrk).
Birdman & Kodak Black - Any Weather
“I’m fly in any weather…” not mad at this…
Jacquees & Youngboy Never Broke Again - Before The Fame
“Before the fame, I was a star, changed our ways, but we ain't changing who we are, I copped a foreign, remember the stolen cars, I thank god I ain't dead or behind bars” Cash Money’s most talented artist laces the hook, and what looks like the newest Cash Money recruit does his numbers as well (although I didn’t enjoy that last album at all).
FYB - Brought Up
“A million ways to stack a dollar, teachers teach but OG's taught us” I’m not familiar with FYB but that’s a bar right there and this is definitely one of the standouts on the project.
Belly ft YG - 4 Days
“I been up, 4 days, I ain't even sleep, 4 days, I been coming down, 4 days, I would rather dream when I'm awake” Let us not forget Belly had one of the best rap albums of 2017 without question, and this is a strong first single for his next album The Midnight Zone that just so happens to reunite DJ Mustard & YG.
Damian Marley - Living It Up
“Daddy made it out, out of the ghettooo, believe in your dreams, believe you and me, don't let goooo” This was one of the highlights off last years Stony Hill album and it finally got the video treatment it deserved.
SZA - Broken Clocks
“All I got is these broken clocks, I ain't got no time, just burning daylight, still love and it's still love, and it's still love” More visuals from the Ctrl album that continues to garner critical praise as SZA pretends that her next one might be her last… (that would be nutty)