Songs of the Week: April 28th
By Spencer Lobdell
Welcome to “Songs of the Week” a weekly segment where I highlight three of the best new songs released the week prior along with one throwback song of the week. To stay up to date on all new music, follow my Spotify playlist “What I’m Feeling” which is updated weekly to always include the freshest new music. Always 30 songs, hottest always at the top. Stream it here:
New Songs of the Week:
“Boyer” by Kevin Abstract
“Boyer” is the final track off Kevin Abstract’s new album ARIZONA BABY. The song is named after one of Kevin’s closest childhood friends and gives us a vivid look inside of what’s going on inside of Brockhampton’s leaders head. The song is fast paced with a short refrain that beautifully sums up the tone of the song and the entire project for that matter (We cannot run forever now/gotta learn your lesson child). The song lasts just under two minutes and will have you pressing replay over and over again to fully appreciate the genius and beauty in Kevin’s writing which feels oddly familiar and nostalgic.
“I was high as hell, hanging with my white friends
Thinkin’ I’ma be alright if I’m just like them
Then the police pull up on me with the lights dimmed
Had me on the ground begging for my life, man”
“Relative” by Rico Nasty and Kenny Beats
A standout track on Rico Nasty’s new album Anger Management, “Relative” is a fiery freestyle about clout chasers in her life who are suddenly interested in being Rico’s friend now that she’s famous. This Kenny Beats instrumental is one of my favorite beats he made for Anger Management and features an eerie piano riff over hard-hitting trap drums. Rico flexes her lyrical abilities on “Relative” through numerous different flows and polished writing. It was hard to pick just one track off this album, but “Relative” is undeniable.
“I be gettin’ money, now everybody my relative
Talkin’ bout, “It’s all love,” like I don’t know what jealousy is”
“Attention” by ScHoolboy Q
The outro on ScHoolboy Q’s new album CrasH Talk gives us Q the story teller for one of the first times on the album. ScHoolboy is at his absolute best when he is rapping about his real life experiences and it’s something I wish we would’ve gotten more of on CrasH Talk because of how damn good songs like “Attention” are. Over one verse lasting majority of the 3 minute song, Q raps about his relationship with rap legends, joining the Nifty 50’s Crip Gang as a kid, and a shootout at a Laundromat. The beat is menacing and leaves a perfect pocket for Q’s bars.
“Just imagine some of these rappers that ain’t have Q
The godfather of this street shit that gave y’all truth
From Pac, Snoop, Kurupt, Daz, bitch, I’m déjà vu
You see my homie in the hood ‘cause I hate y’all too”
Throwback Song of the Week
“California” by Dom Kennedy
Few things feel as good as driving the streets of Southern California blasting Dom Kennedy. In his ode to his home state “California” Dom raps about day to day life in Los Angeles. Dom frequently references people and places in LA connecting him in an intimate way with listeners who know what he’s alluding to. The instrumental is as west coast as it gets with a high-pitched, Dr. Dre-esque synth looping throughout the songs. Kennedy has been an under appreciated emcee for years and “California'“ might be the most obvious piece of evidence for his lack of commercial recognition.
“Y’all out of town niggas just don’t understand
We ain’t got the same mindset or the same plans
I done ran with my mans, ‘stead of runnin’ to the man
Two shows back to back, got paid 50 grand”
Check back in next week for three new hot songs and one new throwback! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to get updated when we post:
