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Now that we’re well into May, it looks like there’s finally a winner in the 2024 rap battle. If TDE founder Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith’s X post is anything to go by, the battle is indeed over — despite Drake’s “The Heart Part 6” effectively shifting public opinion to Kendrick Lamar’s side.
Beyond those debates that are still being waged outside of music, the worlds of R&B and hip-hop have had a lot to think about over the past week. On Monday (May 13), Childish Gambino released a polished version of 2020’s 3.15.20 titled Atavista , with Shaquille O’Neal and King Combs both dropping diss tracks (aimed at Shannon Sharpe and 50 Cent respectively), further solidifying the 2024 is the year of hate and beef. Thanks again Carter Williams!
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds in R&B and hip-hop—from Rosehardt’s dirty mid-tempo to Raeal Rich Izzo’s latest additions to the contemporary Midwestern rap lexicon. Be sure to check out this week’s fresh picks in the Spotify playlist below.
Ross Hart, “The Ringleader”
One of the classic elements of male R&B is dirty laundry – Rosehardt starts “Headass” with lots of dirty laundry. “What does he have? What does he do?” Between his rattling production, sultry yet understated bass and vocal performance, he balances the gentle Horny (“I’m just a guy who believes in love”) with the attempt to convince The sinister tone of a lover who has written off his flaws as flaws, “Headass,” taken from his new album The World Gets Smaller by the Day, finds Ross Hart (aka Drama League Award-nominated actor Caleb). Eberhart) fully immersed himself in the role of the imperfect bachelor without necessarily liking the character.
Snow Tha Product “So What”
Snow tha Product embraces the unknown with this vibrant, energetic ode to the comfort of ambivalence. Although she sang with the classic “so what?” she was actually experiencing a myriad of emotions in a tumultuous relationship in which she was always one step away from breaking up. “So what/If you told me it was over/I guess I’d have to send chills down your spine,” she raps, with a triumphant wink and giggle. She takes charge here, creating a complex psychological game that finds a sly, unassuming soundtrack amidst the brisk rhythms.
Chief Keef feat. Tierra Whack, “Tie Up”
Sosa finally delivered on Friday (May 10) his highly anticipated Almighty So 2 project. One of the standouts from the drill pioneer’s early records came courtesy of Tierra Whack’s explosive assist on “Banded Up,” which instantly made the Philly MC an instant guest of the year candidate. Whack posted a voicemail from Chief Keef, asking her in disbelief, “Why are you doing that on my song?” T-Whack was lost in thought over Sosa’s mini-uzi flow, which sounded like she was doing it at 5x speed Recorded. “These rappers are food, that’s why I cook/You can’t not do anything, I just keep pushing/Big, but I wasn’t born in Brooklyn,” she snarls. The 28-year-old turned Sosa’s playground into Whack World.
4Fargo & Honey Bxby, “Breakup for a Reason”
4Fargo and his gentle crooners hope to leave their mark on the current R&B landscape. The Georgia-born singer launched his major label debut project Express&B via Republic Records last week. Heartbreak has long been the engine behind the genre, and 4Fargo is no exception, channeling his pain and anguish into cathartic art. The infectious ’cause and effect’ is self-explanatory, as the father-of-two lays out why toxic love has moved into his rearview mirror. Misery enjoys company and Honey Bxby joins the party while showing off her vocal range. “Leaving you sounds like a lullaby/Blocking all your numbers, don’t ask why/All that shit knows it’s a lie/I’ll tell you why you’re mine,” she sings powerfully. Follow the charismatic 4Fargo on Instagram to get to know his lovable personality, you won’t regret it.
RealRichIzzo, “Free Key”
Beginning with an iPhone FaceTime call that immediately places “Free Key” in media res, “Free Key” is one of the most powerful storytelling moments on his new Welcome to Inkster album. In an ode to his pals, RealRichIzzo talks about his high-octane life, which can take him from one place to another with just a moment’s notice. “Yeah, put them down/There’s no room in the rental, we’ll hide them on the floor/
B——h, forward on the way, put on the mask, we’re going/Little brother just called back, blow the lights, that’s for sure,” he raps on the magnetic chorus, while reading it’s game over – him and his The children’s game of hitting the licking ball acted as an irresistible hook. With support from Inkster, Michigan, RealRichIzzo is establishing himself at the forefront of the current Midwest rap boom.
Andra Day “Bottom of the Bottle”
In this melancholic reflection on the maelstrom of memory that only succumbs to the pain of alcohol can lead to, critically acclaimed multi-hyphenate Andra Day zeroes in on her obsession with the room-shaking belt that made her famous bondage. “I only saw you when I called for the last time/I only saw you when the house lights came on/You’re not just to blame, no/Bewitched and devoured by wildfire/Even though we know it’s flammable,” she Meditation’s brave piano and steady percussion are provided by an all-star production team including Nando Raio, Shay Godwin, Dave Wood, Charles Jones, Caleb Morris and Spencer Guerra. Day draws the beat in a deliciously nasal drawl, in the style of Amy Winehouse, over an introspective mid-tempo beat that allows her to move effortlessly between different parts of her voice Switch freely.
