Week #49 ('20) Singles
Welcome to my Singles post, where I go over all of the loose songs released over the past week so. These are songs that are not currently attached to projects, and may either be promotional singles for an upcoming project or songs dropped at the random whim of the artist. I’ll show you the single, where to find it out in the wild, and a little blurb about it for my thoughts/further context. Click here to see previous Singles posts.
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J.I. the Prince of N.Y – Excuse My Pain
I think a lot of what I find appealing about this kid is that he postures himself as a Lil Tjay/A Boogie type singer, but he’s so much more understated and… real? I don’t know, I feel like those two I mentioned can include a lot of manufactured melodrama in their songs, something I don’t have a problem with persay, but I prefer J.I.’s approach of a more down-to-earth delivery if I had to choose between them. This song has more than just solid melodies and some great lyrics to it: the beat is crisp as hell, with these little guitar licks and sufficiently bare drums; I don’t know why but it gives me some old-school 50 Cent vibes. I think this kid has excellent management behind him, his profile continuing to grow as time goes on, and I can see nothing but a bright future for him if this track is any indication.
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Kash Doll (Feat. Tee Grizzley) – Bossa Nova
I love how this track is a real collaboration between Kash and Grizzley, sporting some heavy chemistry in their back and forths that they engage in across the track (especially the adlibs that they lay over each other’s verses). I love how nonchalant and hilarious Tee Grizzley is on this track, every bar having this big player energy to it that is matched 100% by Kash Doll, who honestly surprised me with her skills on this track if I’m being real. I knew there was talent there, but I think this track more than anything I’ve heard from here showcases her wit, humor, flow, and doggedness on the microphone. I was already ready for a new Kash Doll album from the last single with Benny and Mulatto, but this one got the hype up even more.
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LNDN DRGS (Feat. Boldy James) – Legend of Zelda (Outro)
The Canadian duo is back, looking to follow up their AMAZING Affiliated album from last year with a new mixtape here soon. The bass-line on this track is amazing, mixing these mystical synths together in a hypnotic loop. It has this sunset-drive nostalgia to it, but there is a sort of meditative sadness as well, something that I expect from Boldy but is a bit rarer with Jay. Both Jay Worthy and Boldy James glide over this motherfucker, crazy lyrics (Boldy is more poetic of a lyricist, but Jay can match in the accent game) and smooth flows being the name of the game here. I was left wanting so much more by the end of the track, with LNDN DRGS’ upcoming Burnout 4 album becoming one of my most anticipated releases based off this one track.
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Vic Mensa – BREATHE (FREESTYLE)
I already loved the track for it’s amazing display of rapping from Vic, but I was totally unaware that this beat is actually a famous Fabolous song until days after I had heard it. Fab was a great rapper back on that track, but I think Mensa blew him out of the water when looking at it bar-for-bar on this one, with crazy connected wordplay being spit in nearly every sentence. I think as he ages, Vic is getting less corny, his rhymes and verbal acrobatics getting sharper, and this freestyle is nothing if not a stunning showcase of his pen. And that’s it really: listen to this if you want to hear some “oh shit!” bars.
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Boldy James & Real Bad Man – On Ten
We got a new Boldy James album coming up very soon, closing out the year with his fourth collaborative effort of 2020, this time with record producer Real Bad Man. They are following up their last single with Stove God Cooks with this new one here, which is much more energetic and sunny than their last single. It even includes a sick single that anyone who fucks with NY hip-hop should be able to spot immediately. I love how strong the hook here is, sounding like some classic 90’s shit. I think this new one is gonna be one of Boldy’s best, and I’m excited to hear the breadth of Real Bad Man’s skill, cause they have me impressed as hell so far.
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Reed Stepp – Smashing
It is my immense pleasure to introduce to you one of my very talented friends: Reed Stepp. Operating out of my hometown of Tulsa, OK, Reed brings a hilarious and charismatic persona to his song-making, a tongue-in-cheek way of describing both the serious and mundane in his life. His rhymes are simple and straight-forward, but have a ton of heart, speaking on his life through both himself and a sort of anti-Reed character he called Nigel Erbein (the “Smashing” title of the song being a play on Nigel, and if you don’t get that one we clearly didn’t watch the same cartoons growing up). I think there is a strong similarity to something that you would find off of a Tribe Called Quest album on here; think like Midnight Marauders, where the lyrics can be silly and frivolous, the beats jazzy, but there are little nuggets of truth and personality. Check this shit out y’all, and go out and listen to Reed’s new album, Nigel’s Day Out, coming out on Christmas day.
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Sheff G – No Negotiations
Sheff has a mixtape coming out next week, Proud of Me Now, and he’s been teasing the project some with some very short teaser tracks, effective material that I only wish was longer. This track here has great melody, flow, and cold lyrics, but it doesn’t even crack the two minute mark. Still, I’ve never been disappointed in either Sheff G or Sleepy Hallow, so I think I’ll enjoy the project as much as I have the other Drill mixtapes that have dropped this year. Check this out of you fuck with Don Q or Fivio.
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Lil Tjay – None of Your Love
Alright so maybe this is cheating, but this “new” Tjay track is actually several years old now, one of his first that caused him to really blow up. Some of y’all may notice that’s his track has the skeleton of Justin Bieber’s “Baby”, with the track serving as a sort of spiritual guide for Tjay’s track. I think it’s cool to open this time capsule back to a time when he was younger, more aggressive, leaning less on his melodies and more on his flows. I love modern Tjay for sure, but there’s just a certain magic that a track like this one has that I won’t get over. I’m just glad Justin (or his team/management) finally gave him permission to release this gem.
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Jammer (Feat. JME) – Ain’t the Same
Grime has been having a hell of a year, and I think those who have been served best this year are those on the BBK label. JME and Frisco have already dropped some hot fire, easily some of the best music to come out of the scene in a long, long time, and it’s looking like Jammer isn’t going to let the year go by without him being apart of the love. Jammer is solid on the track; I’ve always loved his accent and his over-the-top lyrics, but JME coming a bit more melodic was not something I was expecting. It’s a warm refresher from the legend, a softer side amongst the digital chaos of the beat. Loving everything about this, from the flows on down to the catchiness, and I hope Jammer can come through with something on the level of his fellow Brits before 2020 comes to an end.
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Lil Baby – On Me / Errbody
Baby dropped two tracks this week, Errbody and On Me, and while I would have liked to have seen some features on these cuts I think he came through with some bangers. The flow on both of these are fire, something that Lil Baby pretty much can never go wrong with, but I think I appreciate the more sentimental atmosphere on On Me more than the straightforward trap vibes of Errybody. Honestly, there’s really not much to say about the tracks; anyone who fucks with Baby will fuck with this, but I doubt they will get him more fans. This has me wondering: is there a Deluxe-Deluxe album on the way??
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