Nine hip-hop and R&B elites gave us their best this week.
First, singer-songwriter Victoria Monét follows up her magical 2020 EP Jaguar with an even stronger debut album, Jaguar II. Afro-fusion virtuoso Burna Boy turns up the heat on seventh studio album, I Told Them…, enlisting 21 Savage (“Sittin’ On Top of the World”), GZA (“I Told Them”), RZA (“12 Jewels”), and J. Cole (“Thanks”). Earl Sweatshirt and The Alchemist bring their alternative rap flavor to the NFT space with Gaia-exclusive album, Voir Dire.
Read on for more new and noteworthy releases.
Victoria Monét - Jaguar II
Sacramento-raised artist Victoria Monét shines on her long-awaited debut album Jaguar II. With Lucky Daye (“Smoke”), Buju Banton (“Party Girls”) and Earth, Wind & Fire (“Hollywood”), Monét’s two-year-old daughter, Hazel, sweetly coos towards the end of the latter track.
Burna Boy - I Told Them…
Nigerian artist Burna Boy proves himself on seventh studio album, I Told Them… Across 15 songs, the “Sittin’ on Top of the World” artist celebrates his milestones with collaborators GZA, 21 Savage, RZA and J. Cole. For more I Told You… fun, cop Burna’s limited edition magazine.
Earl Sweatshirt and The Alchemist - Voir Dire
Alt-rap figureheads enter the NFT space with their Gaia Music-exclusive album, Voir Dire. As MIKE serves as the LP’s lone feature, top tracks from the 11-track project include “27 Braids” and “Mac Deuce.”
DJ Muggs - Soul Assassins 3: Death Valley
DJ Muggs spins into oblivion on the third project from his Soul Assassins series, tapping Boldy James, Ghostface Killah, Roc Marciano, Scarface, Freddie Gibbs, and more for lyrical venom.
Sauce Walka - Dat Boy Den
Houston hitmaker keeps speakers banging with 18-track project Dat Boy Den, which ends with a dedication to late emcee Big Pokey, who died in June.
Mello Music Group - Omakase
Mello Music Group look towards the past and future of hip-hop and R&B, collaborating with L’Orange, Chris Keys, Yungmorphus, Raheem DeVaughn, and more.
Jordan Ward - moreward(FORWARD)
Jordan Ward continues to elevate alt-R&B with a deluxe version of his album Forward, released in March.
Open Mike Eagle - another triumph of ghetto engineering
Following his 2022 mixtape Component System with the Auto Reverse, Chicago emcee Open Mike Eagle amps up the wordplay alongside Blu, Eshu Tune, R.A.P. Ferreira, and others.
Toro y Moi - Sandhills
Toro y Moi continues his audio-visual streak with Sandhills, which, like last year’s Mahal, has a companion short film.