R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Stove God Cooks, Russ, Xowié & More

Syracuse-bred MC Stove God Cooks is back with a new DJ Drama-produced single. “Goat Stamp,” released via Babygrande Records, finds the red-hot rapper pairing luxurious, quotable verses with Drama’s triumphant horns. “Had the phones tapped, still never stopped trappin’/ Bump into my old plug, I might stop rapping/ I stay places I ain’t need to be way too long/ Done playing with you broke n—as, my money way too long,” he spits in the first verse, layering nuggets of wisdom and first-hand experience between braggadocious bars. Serving as the title track from his forthcoming album, Stove God is certainly making a strong argument for a career “Goat Stamp.” — KYLE DENIS

Most times, Russ doesn’t have any issue letting the outside world know what’s on his mind, but there are certain things he struggles with peeling back the layers on. Let “Clue” be a prime example, as Russ vulnerably opens up about the internal damage, emotional turbulence and sacrifices he’s made to get his decorated career to this point. It’s a conversation with those who have judged him while not understanding his pursuit of greatness and the paranoia of the 24/7 news cycle as a celebrity in 2025. The raw inward examination filled with elevated bars feels like a page out of the Nipsey Hussle playbook. — MICHAEL SAPONARA 

“Keep Goin’” is a track for anyone fighting setbacks and self-doubt. Co-produced by Mosaic Sol and QWESi, the new single finds the trio crooning across a soundscape built on the quiet of late-night worries and bottled-up emotions. Spaceluvrrr, QWESi and GIOVANNA urge listeners to breathe through the chaos and trust they’ll “make it there,” ensuring “Keep Goin’” as one of the standout tracks from their expansive Still In Motion project. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON

On “Brown Sugar,” Xowié and Kane Keid trade verses like confessions, circling the tension between devotion and disappointment. Written by Lonwabo Nkhoesa, Shannon Makura, and Velile Mnguni and brought to life through Maxonproduction’s touch, “Brown Sugar” is all about the pressures of commitment. The track paints a portrait of a relationship strained by flaws but guided by genuine devotion, a love messy enough to hurt, but strong enough to hold on to. The duo’s vocals convey how fear and ego can ruin something beautiful — but if the bond is too meaningful to leave behind, you must still show up emotionally and still imagine a future together, even when it’s painful. — C.C.

Just a few months after unveiling her Dumbcrazy project, AKIA has doubled back with a sultry new duet alongside fellow R&B rising star Aaron Page. “I told her, ‘If you link with my n—a, you better rob him,” AKIA opens the bass guitar-driven track, succinctly setting the stage for her no-games approach to those who pride themselves on being the side chick. Simply put, they’re not welcome where AKIA is present, but not before Aaron says his piece and explains that certain behaviors lay the doormat for side chicks to walk across. “You act like I don’t love you no more/ That s—t make me not trust you no more,” he coos in his verse, completing a conversation that ultimately ends with him and AKIA agreeing that no one really knows their situation except the two of them. In banding together, the two of them will make it through “Side B—h SZN.” — K.D.