This new music Friday, trap soul and the women are taking over the 99 and the 2000s. Budding Compton-bred crooner Gemaine channeled the energy of New Jack City but made it R&B with his new album, Lizzo chose herself on her latest single, and Muni Long chose to make things work with a difficult partner instead of seeking greener grass on the other side. These drops and more made VIBE’s R&B roundup this week.
Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
From her new album, Special (slated for release on July 15), Lizzo is back with her highly-anticipated bop, “About Damn Time.” Already being dubbed the “song of the summer,” this feel-good tune is about shaking off the woes of stress and feeling sexy when doing so. It’s about damn time we all started accepting that we’re alright, so turn up the music, turn down the lights, and celebrate.
Muni Long – “Another”
Though the now certified platinum record “Hrs & Hrs” is still a chart-topper and in constant rotation, Muni Long took a step back to present an opposing perspective from the aforementioned love song. “Another” discusses how ready and willing someone else may be to step up and do all the things your current partner can’t or won’t. But the kicker is Long doesn’t want to entertain someone else. So, listen up and take notes.
Various – Femme It Forward Deluxe
Following the empowering collaborative LP with multiple women artists in 2021 comes the deluxe edition with three new tracks from Asiahn, Ambré, and B.K. Habermehl. Asiahn is joined by ELHAE on the sultry “What She Wants.” Jordan Hawkins compliments B.K.’s unique tone on “Your Window” while 6lack joins Ambré in the remix to “What You Deserve.” Out of the new trio, Asiahn has quickly risen to the top of our repeat list.
Gemaine and Charlie Heat – New Jack City
Compton-bred singer Gemaine and producer Charlie Heat join forces for their 11-track LP, New Jack City. “You can expect some fearless risk-taking, needle-moving type of music,” Gemaine explained in a statement. “We have all kinds of styles and flavors of R&B that really resonated with us. The album is like a playlist, both colorful and consistent and always having that real R&B signature to it.”
“No Questions” was the track we gravitated toward the most as it radiates a Mario Winans vibe from the early 2000s, while “Giddy Up” is Gemaine’s own take on the classic Juvenile banger, “Back That Azz Up.”
Dylan Sinclair – “Lifetime”
Ahead of the May release of his forthcoming EP, No Longer in the Suburbs, comes Dylan Sinclair’s latest single, “Lifetime.” The coming-of-age confessional details the grounded roots he honors as he transitions from youth to adulthood. The Toronto native expressed in a statement, “’No Longer in the Suburbs’ really represents the search for that stimulation, that faster life or those experiences that when you’re old, you get to look back on them and be like, yeah, I did that and with people that I love.”