Eric Bellinger and Hitmaka have released the single “Decide” ahead of their collaborative project “1-800-Hit Eazy: Line 2”, which is due out on February 10. “Decide” follows the singles “BNB”, “Obsession” and “Obsession Remix” with fellow singer/songwriter and 2023 Grammy nominee Muni Long. Eric will also embark on “The Obsession Tour”, which includes stops in Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, New York and other cities, on Feb. 2. Listen to “Decide” below.
This song is the property of All Wins Ent./Empire.
Muni Long released the Spanish version of her single “Hrs & Hrs” on Monday (Jan. 30) as part of her new Spotify Singles.
With The Avila Brothers taking the reins on production, the Spanish-language track finds the rising R&B star asking, “¿Pero te puedo cantar…en español?” (i.e. “But can I sing to you…in Spanish?”) before launching into the sultry groove.
“Lo tuyo, es mío, ahora/ Puedo hacer esto por horas/ Sentar y hablarte aquí por horas/ Regalarte unas rosas/ Nos bañamos en las olas/ De champaña y una cena/ Pero eres tu que me devoras,” she croons, roughly translating the sentiments of the 2022 slow jam, which was named one of Billboard‘s best R&B songs of the last year.
As part of the Spotify Singles, Long also gave The Carpenters’ 1971 classic “Superstar” a rhythmic spin, not unlike Luther Vandross’ famous cover, singing, “Long ago and oh, so far away/ I fell in love with you before the second show/ And your guitar, it sounds so sweet and clear/ But you’re not really here, it’s just the radio/ Don’t you remember, you told me you loved baby/ You said you’d be comin’ back this way again, baby/ Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby/ I love you, I really do.”
Long is currently nominated for best new artist at the upcoming 2023 Grammy Awards, while “Hrs & Hrs” picked up nods for both best R&B performance and best R&B song. Ahead of the telecast this Sunday, she was celebrated with a special event at the Grammy Museum.
Multi-Platinum rapper/producer Vic Mensa has shared his first new song of the year, a soulful-rap love jam entitled “Strawberry Louis Vuitton” via Roc Nation. The single, which features vocalist and bass virtuoso Thundercat along with R&B songstress Maeta on additional vocals and instrumentation, arrives alongside an awe-inspiring music video in which Mensa skydives in a custom recreation of a Virgil Abloh suit while playing guitar, serenading a female companion who awaits his arrival on the ground. “I made Strawberry Louis Vuitton while watching one of Virgil’s last LV films; the one with Saul Williams,” states Vic. “When I heard the sample it just spoke to me, so I chopped it, made the beat, and wrote the song on the spot. It was really a freestyle. I always imagined Thundercat doing the bridge… we recorded it when he was on tour and I was doing my art show in Chicago. When Virgil passed away I kind of felt like he had given this song to me; the gift that keeps on giving, in a way.” Vic Mensa has stated that he’s been working toward a new project, and “Strawberry Louis Vuitton” sets the bar high for what his fans should expect from the Grammy Nominated artist as Mensa not only produced the track, but co-directed the video as well. Vic will be performing the song accompanied by Maeta and Phony Ppl this Wednesday on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Watch the “Strawberry Louis Vuitton” video below.
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, known professionally as Kendrick Lamar, is an American rapper/songwriter from Compton, CA. He has released the albums “Section.80” (2011), “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” (2012), “To Pimp A Butterfly” (2015), “Damn” (2017) and “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” (2022).
Adio Oasis is an American R&B singer who recently took centerstage with her new single “Multiply.” The song is about what happens to women when they want to have children. Enjoy.
Singer Bradd Marquis is a modern performer with a keen sense of soul music history. And that sense of the past has led him to create his tour that pays tribute to the late Sam Cooke. The Music Of Sam Cooke: A Change Is Gonna Come Tour has been a hit all over the US and continues on its 2023 leg. To give fans a sense of the show, Bradd recently released a single that he performs during the tour. Interestingly, it’s not a Sam Cooke composition, but a popular Bob Dylan cover that Cooke performed and recorded. Listen to “Blowing In The Wind” below.
This song is the property of Soulman Music Group/NIA Music Distribution.
This year marks the first that Apple Music will take over Pepsi’s role as sponsor for the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and it’s going all out for the occasion. In addition to securing the one and only Rihanna to perform as headliner, the music streaming service will count down the next two weeks before game day with a multimedia “Rihanna’s Road to Halftime” launch, as announced Monday (Jan. 30).
“Rihanna’s Road to Halftime” includes Apple Music features tailored specifically to the star’s music and fans. For example, subscribers can now listen to the Fenty Beauty founder’s catalog with Spatial Audio in Dolby Atmos, or they can take center stage by singing along with the new Apple Music Sing feature, compatible with iPhone and iPad models as well as the new Apple TV 4K.
Leading up to Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 12, Apple Music Radio will also celebrate the Barbados superstar’s career with “Rihanna Revisited Radio,” an eight-episode roundtable exploring the cultural impact of her music. Plus, a collection of 32 playlists featuring the top songs listened to by each NFL team in the locker room, the weight room and on game day will be made available to subscribers.
“Rihanna is one of the most prolific artists of our time, and we, along with her many fans across the globe, cannot wait to see her take the stage at the first Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show,” said Oliver Schusser, vice president of Apple Music and Beats, in a statement. “We are excited to celebrate Rihanna, and give her fans a new way to experience her music with Spatial Audio, as well as exclusive content from Apple Music.”
Other special programming will include “Halftime Hype Radio,” a 10-part series reflecting on some of the most notable past Super Bowl Halftime performances and “Live from Super Bowl LVII,” a series of daily live broadcasts co-hosted by Zane Lowe that will capture the excitement in Arizona leading up to kickoff in Glendale’s State Farm Stadium. The day after the Super Bowl, Apple Music Radio will celebrate the debut of Apple Music’s Halftime Show sponsorship with a program called “Halftime Recap Radio.”
Dancehall legend Burna Boy just released the music video for his single “Common Person.” The video begins with the excitement Burna Boy brings by visiting a village in Africa where he assists with the everyday duties of the people, showing that he is still connected despite his superstar status. Burna Boy has been nominated for Best Global Music Performance for his single “Last, Last” and Best Global Music Album for his latest effort, “Love, Damini” at the Grammy Awards. Watch the video “Common Person” below.
Happy Tuesday! I’ve decided to highlight some of the best new music from emerging R&B/Hip Hop artists from the past few weeks. Female rappers like Gloss Up, Kari Faux and Flo Milli caught the ears of rap fans this week along with smooth cuts from JGrrey and Maesu. See the list of new R&B/Hip Hop tracks below.
Freshest Find: Cordae feat. Anderson .Paak, “Two Tens”
Overtop a nostalgic hip-hop beat produced by none other than J. Cole and Grammy-winning producer Dem Jointz, Anderson .Paak opens “Two Tens” vivaciously, declaring, “Two friends and they both tens, lookin’ nice/ Too bent, I should call it quits but I’m not.” Both .Paak and Cordae toss the mic back and forth perfectly, displaying enviable synergy that leaves fans craving more collabs from the lively pair.
Gloss Up, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes”
Gloss Up is on your head, shoulders, knees and toes. The nursery rhyme-inspired standout track appears on the rising Memphis rapper’s debut mixtape Before the Gloss Up — which also houses her single “Bestfrenn,” featuring real-life best friend GloRilla. The Quality Control signee is carving a lane for herself in the rap game, and is already proving to be a mainstay with her bars and wordplay, highlighted here.
JGrrey, “Theirs13”
With “Theirs13”, rising U.K. singer JGrrey touches on her various complexities through vocals similar to that of Macy Gray. The intoxicating single is a hazy meditation on love, identity, adoption and the transitional periods she’s faced as an artist and person, as she ponders the same question throughout: “Who am I?”
Taylor Hill, “i want you to know.”
After earning credits with big names like Justin Bieber, Summer Walker and more, producer/songwriter Taylor Hill is honing in on his own artistry. His funk-inspired new single “i want you to know.” explores the dichotomy of his personal point-of-view and God’s, sprouting from an argument he had with his now-wife at church.
Jordan Ward feat. Ryan Trey, “White Crocs”
“White Crocs” is the second single off of Jordan Ward’s upcoming debut album FORWARD. The rising singer tapped fellow St. Louis native Ryan Trey for the Lido-produced track, which sees the two trade thoughts on balancing a relationship while satisfying a partner’s expensive tastes. FORWARD, which will be released March 3, holds layers of significance for the artist both artistically and personally. “FORWARD, not only pushing our sound and creativity, but pushing to evolve and break cycles,” Ward says of the album title. “FOR WARD, a dedication to my family and our future. FOUR-WARD, my fourth project, but also a FOREWORD in my story being the debut album!”
Kari Faux, “Me First”
Kari Faux is putting herself first … as she should. “Me First” sees the Arkansas native expressing über-confidence as she delivers a self-love bop to set the tone for all the girls this year. Faux is one of many rap girls running laps around their male counterparts right now, with “Me First” being the latest addition to her arsenal.
TRAETWOTHREE, “Outside Like This”
On the precipice of Grammy Weekend, Cali upstart TRAETWOTHREE scripts a gripping tale set at a Grammy party, which could double as a Tyler Perry flick. “Outside Like This” is a cautionary tale about TRAE running into his ex-girlfriend at the awards-week festivities. The biggest blow? Seeing her chat it up with another dude right in front of his eyes.
Flo Milli feat. Lola Brooke & Maiya the Don, “Conceited”
As if the original wasn’t epic enough, Flo Milli’s “Conceited” is back, with a few new it-girls. Enlisting buzzing Brooklyn newcomers Lola Brooke and Maiya the Don, Milli breathes new life into her viral summer 2022 anthem. All three distinct voices shine through, from Milli’s theatrical tone to Brooke’s husk and Maiya the Don’s laid back approach.
Maesu, “Sex on GPS”
“Sex with me on location please/ I’ve been away for weeks,” croons L.A.-based singer, songwriter, and producer Maesu, providing a simple enough plea to catch the attention of listeners. The afro-fusion number is smooth and sensual with tons of replay value thanks to Maesu’s addictive flows and Tejiri Akpoghene’s silky production.
midwxst & Denzel Curry, “Tally”
Indiana rapper midwxst channels his inner Old Hollywood crime boss in the visual for his latest single, “Tally.” Produced by Charlie Heat and Kennedy Sabin and centering latin guitar and horn melodies, the track’s emphatic production adds to the visual’s theatrics, perfectly underscoring midwxst and Denzel Curry’s loaded verses.
