R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Lefty Gunplay, Moses Sumney & Hayley Williams, Fetty Wap & More

Moses Sumney and Paramore’s Hayley Williams have been two of the most exciting voices in the alternative space for several years running, and they’ve now finally joined forces on a track that trades on the soulful undertones of their respective voices.

Written by Sumney and co-produced with Quickly Quickly and Grammy-winner Rob Bisel, “I Like It I Like It” finds Sumney and Williams nailing slightly crunchy harmonies over a soundscape that trades on the gentler, more subtle elements of funk and soul. A sensual, ever-teasing amalgam of synths, syncopated percussion, and ricocheting reverb, “I Like It I Like It” flexes not only their vocal chemistry, but also Williams’ ability to float between genres at the drop of a hat. — KYLE DENIS

Huntsville, Alabama rapper Sincere Hunte links up with Chicago (by way of Montclair, NJ) producer Thelonious Martin to connect on “Shortstop” — the lead single off their upcoming EP Where the Wind Blows. The track features Thelonious’ trademark soulful sound as Hunte bars up with raps about the ups and downs of life. That new tape is a must-listen if the rest of it sounds like this. Check it out when it drops on Juneteenth next month. — ANGEL DIAZ

Sometimes it’s better to cut losses and move forward than fight for what you’ve been yearning for. Naomi Sharon’s mesmerizing vocals bounce off the luscious reverb and find her cleansed with a refreshed outlook while applying the lessons learned from her past relationships. “You swear you thought that you had me pinned/ Uncovered, but I’m still under your skin,” she sings about an ex-flame. The First Lady of OVO’s refined outlook on love is displayed throughout the sweet six-track offering, as Sharon sets the bar higher for 2025 and extends the bounds of her artistry. — MICHAEL SAPONARA

One of the buzziest aspects of GNX upon release was Kendrick’s support of rising local talent, from Lefty Gunplay to Wallie the Sensei to Dody6. After nearly stealing the show on “TV Off,” Lefty is now the first GNX-featured rapper to drop his own full-length project.

Titled Can’t Get Right, the new project is a joint release with Jason Martin (formerly known as Problem) that showcases more of the quick wit and delightfully off-kilter flows that make this class of West Coast MCs so exciting. On “Cracks in the Cieling,” a laid-back joint built around a soul sample and produced by PoWR Trav and Tomy Parker, Lefty delivers verses chronicling the contrast between his current success and stints in the county jail. “Sitting in the county jail, counting the cracks in the ceiling/ My big homie caught an L, and I’m just happy I got to see him/ And lil’ Frankie turned 12, I’m going platinum in New Zealand/ Sitting in the county jail, counting the cracks in the ceiling,” he spits.

“That Girl” is a flirty, feel-good anthem that celebrates confidence, attraction, and the kind of magnetic energy some people naturally radiate. Russell sets the tone with slick one-liners and clever wordplay, painting a vivid picture of a woman who’s completely captivated him. Meanwhile, Saweetie comes in cool, confident and completely in control, flexing her power with lines like, “I get anything I want when I click my heels.” Her self-assured energy contrasts perfectly with Russell’s smitten vibe, creating a playful back-and-forth that highlights their chemistry. Together, they celebrate mutual attraction, luxury, and the thrill of meeting someone who truly matches their energy. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON

Not sure if you’ll hear anything smoother than Valee and Spitta over Harry Fraud production, so check out the Chicago rapper kick slick lines like “my pockets filled up with your favorite kinda cake” and stay for Curren$y’s various car references — which will never get old, especially when laid over a smooth saxophone sample straight out of a late-’80s/early-’90s crime drama. — A.D.

The Moroccan-born singer returned with her The Tip Off EP, and the soothing “Something Real” serves as a standout from the hoops-themed project. Abir gets brutally honest about how she’s been avoiding love, but she eventually caves and surrenders to her romantic instincts. Produced by NES, “Something Real” embraces Arabic strings and finds Abir taking listeners on a journey of unlearning the trauma of previous relationships, which will allow her to fully indulge in future intimacy. “‘Something Real’ was a turning point for me,” she said of the track. “It came from realizing that if I wanted something deep, I had to unlearn the fearful ways I used to protect myself.” — M.S.

TA Thomas’ Southern Soul EP is finally here — and standout cut “Devotion” was well worth the wait. Housed on the Mississippi native’s first project under Def Jam.

The entire project is a love letter to the subgenre of the same name that infuses gospel, blues, and notes of country into a luscious soul foundation, and “Devotion” perfectly encapsulates the throughline of reckless, unconditional love that courses through each of those sonic spaces. “I wanna know, when you go to sleep at night/ Am I the last thing on your mind?/ I wanna know, I wanna know/ First thing that I wonder when I wake up in the morning/ Am I the first thing on your mind,” he croons in the chorus of the falsetto-driven, Ray Keys & Samuel C. Harris-helmed track. 

UMI and 6LACK’s “Hard Truths” is a soulful confrontation of the emptiness that can hide behind material success and surface-level pleasures. The track serves as a mirror held up to anyone chasing external validation, while avoiding the deeper work of emotional growth and connection. Having money, a big house and designer clothes doesn’t mean anything if you’re still lonely and emotionally unfulfilled. “Are you alive?” isn’t just a rhetorical question — it’s a call to check in with your soul, not just your lifestyle. Together, UMI and 6LACK deliver a gentle but honest reminder: healing, connection and emotional awareness are more valuable than anything money can buy. — C.C.

Fetty Wap is in the midst of serving a six-year sentence on drug charges and “Forever” serves as his first release from behind bars. The New Jersey hitmaker looks inward to explore the depths of his soul with a cathartic offering while utilizing his signature slurry melodic flow. Even while dealing with the desolate situation of prison, Fetty’s pain and flaws have him feeling sorrow, but there’s still a light at the end of a tunnel with a broken heart. “Even when the sun shine bright I feel it rain,” he raps. — M.S.

New Jersey-born rising R&B star Honey Bxby just dropped her fourth single from her upcoming Raw Honey project — a smooth collaboration with hitmaker Toosii that showcases their undeniable chemistry.

“3AM” is a sultry late-night anthem that captures the raw emotion, vulnerability, and temptation that creeps in during the early morning hours. Honey Bxby and Toosii trade verses that feel like a real-time back-and-forth between two people who just can’t stay away from each other. Honey’s not playing games — she wants clarity, passion and presence, while Toosii’s not just sliding through; he’s catching feelings too. Together, they explore the emotional highs and messy vulnerability that come with craving someone in the quiet hours. “3AM” isn’t just about a hookup, it’s about that one person who always stays on your mind. — C.C.

Meek Mill and Fridayy turned their pain into champagne on the mournful “Proud of Me,” and the poignant duo returned to lend emerging Brooklyn rapper Kocky Ka a stamp of approval on the “Dark Nights” remix. Ka mixes a gospel croon with his inspirational melodic rhymes as he ruminates on making it through the storms of “Dark Nights.” Meek, who brought the ‘fro back in the visual, bats third and delivers another razor-sharp verse to continue his winning streak and gives a co-sign to Ka. “That why I’m giving a verse like this to Ka, and don’t want none/ I feel more satisfied if he survive and get some munyun,” the Dreamchasers boss raps to close out his chilling assist. — M.S.