DANG, THESE SONGS IS DOPE!
I'm bored so I'm starting a weekly roundup of songs I've found and enjoyed, not necessarily new songs, but hopefully things you haven't heard before. We'll keep the list short and sweet.
"Winner's Circle" — Joey Purp (ft Vic Mensa)
In 2016, Joey dropped the iiiDrops project and my world was forever changed. Immediately, I was drawn in by his voice, which was full of texture and earnest in a way I hadn't heard before. Joey Purp is able to pull the emotion out of every word. A lot of rappers paint pictures, but Joey's verses feel like live-streaming his life. This song puts his talent on full display, as Joey reminisces on how far he's come—and how far there is to go—with lines like "Ridin' through my old hood / but I'm in that new whip / Same old burner / it got a new clip / Everyday, new young n**** dead on the news clip / Every hood, same old n**** don't ever do shit."
"Only You" — Father
In my opinion, Father is one of the most imaginative rappers out. On "Only You" he is at his finest, singing a love song to big butts, drugs and reckless debauchery over an unbelievable Meltycannon beat. Sparse keys, '80s synth, and trap drums make it easy to groove to and rhymes like "Under the influence / These checks I'm runnin' through 'em/ Someone get me out my bitch / Because I'm drowning in her fluids" will keep you on your toes and listening for more.
"FÛËGØ" — Tobe Nwigwe
Tobe Nwigwe is from Houston, TX and he is on a mission. He and his producer, Nell, are destined to explode, it's only a matter of time. This song shows why their partnership is a match made in heaven. Nell's inventive melodies, driving drums and textures keep the song moving forward and your head bopping without ever distracting from Tobe's soft-spoken, perfectly-crafted flows. And with lines like these — "I think every hood need an annuity / Or at least a solid year of jubilee / That's why I spit tips like gratuity / In hopes to slow the rates of eulogies" — even Andre3000, Erykah Badu and Dave Chappelle have taken notice.
"GOD" — SOB X RBE
SOB X RBE is one of my favorite groups right now. Featuring four distinctly charismatic voices over bouncy west-coast production, they're unlike anything else out. That said, "God" belongs wholly to Slimmy B. He spits #bars on top of bars for well over 2 minutes, moving between hopeful, mournful and forgiving with lyrics that are sure to make you cry in the club. Like this standout line from the back half of the track, "Bite the hand that feed you / that just somethin' that you don't do. / XD-45, I'll show you what this gun do. / Tryna be a thug? / Think it's fun if you want to. / N**** dyin' everyday / who the fuck this shit fun to?"
"Power" — Rapsody (ft. Kendrick Lamar & Lance SkiiiWalker)
Kendrick Lamar has a way of completely stealing every song he pops up on. That doesn't happen here. Rapsody, an MC from North Carolina, seems like she can rhyme for days on end over this 9th Wonder beat and owns it from the start. On Power, Rapsody speaks on police abusing power, the power in unity, the power to give life, and the power of God. "Badge make police feel powerful in the hood / Guns make us feel powerful but they don’t do no good / I know my blackness powerful and they don't like that / I know some n**** sold theirs, sit back and watch 'em tap dance."
