This week, two artists are taking their own approaches toward independence: Kamaiyah has released her debut studio LP on her new record label, and Royce Da 5’9″ takes the plunge by handling all of his own production. More new music this week comes from YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Elaquent, and Rick Ross.
Kamaiyah – Got It Made
After years of running with YG’s 4Hunnid Records and Interscope, Kamaiyah has gone indie for her new project, Got It Made. In the follow-up to her 2016 mixtape A Good Night In The Ghetto, she’s doing a lot on her own: she’s dropping it on her own label GRND.WRK, and its ten tracks have a sparse guest list. Kamaiyah told VIBE that she wanted to make an album that her fans “can shake their asses to and vibe out to and ride out to,” equipped with CT Beats funky Oakland sound. Look out for the Trina-assisted “Set It Up,” the bouncy “Get Ratchet” (which features scratches by San Francisco’s DJ Espinosa), and “Digits,” a song with new Oakland rapper Capolow that she describes as “magical gangsta sh*t.” Apple Music | TIDAL
Royce Da 5’9″ – The Allegory
Royce Da 5’9″ used his last two albums, Layers (2016) and Book of Ryan (2019), to give fans a long-awaited look into his childhood and his personal life. The Allegory, sees him taking on another new approach: pro-black ideology. Preceded by the singles “Black Savage” and “Field Negro,” Royce uses this new album – the first of his career that he’s produced in its entirety – to motivate black people to love and help each other. “Us as black men, we just wake up one day like, ‘this is what I am,’ and we have no idea where it came from,” he recently told VIBE. “I’m very conscious of our people…and having a platform and understanding how important that is.” As for guests, Royce calls on all three starters from the Griselda camp for individual songs, his former Slaughterhouse brethren KXNG Crooked, promising young woman MC Ashley Sorrell, Grafh, Vince Staples, G. Perico and more. Apple Music | TIDAL
YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Still Flexin, Still Steppin
NBA Youngboy is one of the biggest streaming rappers in the game these days, so his fans will certainly be happy with Still Flexin, Still Steppin, his first project of 2020 and his first since last year’s AI Youngboy 2, his first number one album. Though he’s had collabs with JuiceWRLD, Gucci Mane and Plies over the past year, this project only has one guest spot, which is Quando Rondo. Press play for what’s sure to be another strong set of hedonistic-yet-emotive street tunes. YouTube | Apple Music | TIDAL
Elaquent – Forever Is a Long Time
In his first compilation album, Ontario producer Elaquent lends jazzy, sample-driven production to a suite of guests like Oddisee, Guilty Simpson, Blu, and more. Mello Music Group has a strong track record, and it continues with this week’s release. iTunes | Bandcamp | Spotify | Amazon | Apple Music
Rick Ross ft. Dwyane Wade, Raphael Saadiq, UD – “Season Ticket Holder”
The Miami Heat have had an unexpectedly successful season in the NBA’s Eastern Conference so far, but this is an even bigger surprise: “Season Ticket Holder” has Miami rap royalty Rick Ross bringing none other than future NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade into the booth. The former player known as Flash actually drops a sixteen, along with an appearance by his Miami Heat teammate Udonis Haslem. Raphael Saadiq sings the hook. Apple Music | TIDAL