R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Elijah Blake, Dave East, Cordae, Big Moochie Grape & More
We’re in the full swing of autumn, which means it’s “sliding down the wall” season — and that calls for a new Summer Walker album. On Friday (Oct. 11), the Billboard chart-topping crooner announced her third studio LP, Finally Over It, alongside the pre-save for its lead single, “Heart of a Woman.” The new set will follow 2019’s Over It and 2021’s Still Over It, which debuted at No. 2 and No. 1 on the Billboard 200, respectively.
GloRilla, another beloved Southern female artist, dominated music news this week with the release of Glorious, her highly anticipated debut studio album featuring collaborations with Megan Thee Stallion, Kirk Franklin, Latto, Sexyy Red, Muni Long, and more. Fellow MC J. Cole also grabbed some of the spotlight; last Wednesday (Oct. 9), he released a new track titled “Port Antonio,” in which he detailed his thought process behind stepping out of the year-defining Kendrick Lamar–Drake feud.
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In other news, Ye (formerly Kanye West) is being sued by former assistant Lauren Pisciotta, who alleges the rapper drugged and sexually assaulted her during a studio session he co-hosted with embattled mogul Diddy.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Cordae’s blazing new track to Elijah Blake and Sevyn Streeter’s smoldering duet. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Freshest Find: Elijah Blake & Sevyn Streeter, “Stuck in My Ways”
Earlier this year (Aug. 2), R&B singer-songwriter Elijah Blake dropped one of the year’s most stellar albums. Now, he’s back for a victory lap with the deluxe edition of his self-titled set. Assisted by a passionate co-lead vocal courtesy of fellow R&B heavyweight Sevyn Streeter, Blake delivers “Stuck in My Ways,” a heartwrenching duet that equally explores the throes of love and pain like only R&B can. “I miss my friend/ Stay the night/ And love me out/ Of these chains/ Got me stuck in my ways,” they croon in the final chorus, Blake’s forlorn falsetto and Streeter’s skittering rap-inflected cadence beautifully coalescing across a sweeping, string-laden soundscape cultivated by Eric Hudson.
S!MONE, “Short Notice”
Led by Grammy winner Coco Jones, the cast of Peacock’s Bel-Air has ample music crossover — and S!MONE (aka Simone Joy Jones, the actress who portrays Lisa Wilkes) is looking to continue that streak. Over neo-soul-evoking bass and swinging percussion, S!MONE sweetly sings of the cat-and-mouse game of the early stages of infatuation. “I left my T-shirt in your car/ Something in the shower/ Thought I left my heart, be there in an hour,” she croons, camping out in her sensual falsetto and occasionally decorating the lead vocal line with tasteful riffs and melisma.
Dave East feat. Jozzy, “Ain’t Get Caught”
New York rapper Dave East has been dropping heat for nearly a decade and a half, and his new Jozzy-assisted “Ain’t Get Caught” is the latest addition to his collection. Nearly four minutes of nuanced self-reflection on his younger, rowdier days, “Ain’t Get Caught” finds East effortlessly flying through a combination of flows that highlight the different pockets of the breezy, bass guitar-inflected Scott Storch production. “I was hiding evidence while they was looking for proof/ Marble floors, elegant, such a heavenly view/ I wake up and hear the birds singing/ Such a beautiful song/ Was guilty to proven innocent but knew I was wrong,” he spits, before Jozzy croons, “Feels so good that we didn’t give up/ Feels so good that we didn’t get caught,” offering a bird’s eye view to complement East’s cerebral verses.
Big Boogie feat. 42 Dugg & YTB Fatt, “Pool Party”
Everyone should want an invite to Big Boogie’s “Pool Party.” The CMG rhymer lifts the spirits of any room he steps in with his jovial personality and cheeky bars. After emerging from underwater, Boog’s raspy flow paints a picture of his ratchet pool party filled with booze, women and money raining from the sky. He then tags in his teammates 42 Dugg and YTB Fatt to complete the 100-meter rap freestyle relay race. Building on the momentum of his Gangsta Grillz Redrum Wizard mixtape from earlier this year, Boogie will deliver a second 2024 serving with his ETHER project on Oct. 18.
Cordae, “Mad as F*ck”
The Crossroads era is here and Cordae unleashed another single with “Mad as F*ck” finding the DMV spitter taking his frustrations out over starry Smoko Ono production. He raps “Took your dream girl on a f–king date/ I still show up late like Lauryn Hill/ Then I hit her good in my penthouse/ Told her, Get out, like Jordan Peele” like the rent is due. It’s a three-minute lyrical masterclass, with Cordae making his bar exam look easier than a Steph Curry jumper. The 27-year-old hopes to leave his mark on the year’s fourth quarter, with his third studio album arriving on Nov. 15.
Wynne & Conductor Williams, “Bad Girl”
Wynne is letting her guard down and getting even more personal heading into her next body of work. The Portland native delivers a raunchy ride-or-die anthem with “Bad Girl.” Wynne really has an affinity for nailing relationship issues and relatable romance situations that millennials and Gen-Z are struggling to navigate. There are times it feels like looking in a mirror with just how accurate she is. The potent MC doesn’t flinch when coloring in the lines of Conductor’s dusty boom-bap drums as his hard-hitting beats continue to stand out among the pack.
Big Moochie Grape, “Trollin”
It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there. Big Moochie Grape goes after his opposition, who turn to trolling and other online antics, which he’s not part of at all compared to some other 20-something artists roaming the music industry. “I don’t give a f–k how I say it, just know everything facts,” the PRE rapper declares in his husky voice. With his legal issues behind him, Big Moochie’s larger-than-life personality will shine through on his Eat or Get Ate 2 sequel project, which arrives on Halloween.
Wolfacejoeyy feat. BEAM, “Nympho”
A viral snippet fans have been bumping for a couple of months finally received a proper release on DSPs. After Missy Elliott didn’t give Wolfacejoeyy sample clearance, he went back to the drawing board on the woozy production for the BEAM-assisted “Nympho.” The sultry yet intoxicating track feels like something out of the PartyNextDoor or Bryson Tiller playbook with Joeyy’s melodic sauce bringing the steamy composition to another level. “You my main, you never the side-piece/ I’ll make it real for you like Spike Lee,” Joeyy coos. Even after Valentino’s impressive arrival earlier this year, the Staten Island rapper isn’t letting up to close out 2024.
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