State Champ Radio alt-r&b
We’re back with a certified-fresh round of picks from the best acts in emerging R&B and hip-hop. Victoria Monet is spicing up the summer with her latest single, “On My Mama,” while Amindi and Ambré are digging into our deeper side with their introspective and smooth new offerings. On the hip-hop side of things, alternative duo Paris Texas are keeping us on our toes, while SoFaygo leans into his inner rock star.
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Freshest Find: Forest Claudette, “Pool Boy”
On his soulful new EP, Everything Was Green, Forest Claudette shines across genre spaces. On “Pool Boy,” the 23-year-old singer dips their toes into funk and hip-hop, delivering a timeless cut with a worthy message. “If I apologize with heart in hand/ With heavy eyes/ Will that absolve me?” he contemplates within the groovy track’s opening lines.
Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”
Victoria Monet is on a roll. The R&B rising star dips into her vicious rap flow on the Chalie Boy-inspired “On My Mama.” Interpolating the Texas rapper’s breakout single, Monet adds a feminine edge, breathing new life into the confident 2009 cut.
Amindi, “green house”
Boasting one of those timeless tones and cadences, Amindi can’t go wrong. “Green house” is no exception, as the Inglewood native paints a pretty picture of romantic wonder, singing, “Thinkin’ ’bout that green house you said that we’d buy when/ We get at all these millions that we get from ridin’.”
Paris Texas, “Everybody’s Safe Until…”
You can always be sure that Paris Texas will do things their way. On “Everybody’s Safe Until,” the pair dig into the intrusive thoughts about their own insignificance atop bouncy live drums, as they run away from themselves in an artfully simplistic visual. The single comes ahead of their debut album, MID AIR.
Foggieraw, “Psalm 62”
Foggieraw used the power of social media to secure Alicia Keys’s blessing for the use of her 2003 hit “You Don’t Know My Name” for his new track “Psalm 62.” In March, the DMV artist teased the song on Twitter, asking his followers, “okay guys I’ve tried everything in my power to get this out… maybe y’all could kindly ask miss alicia on my behalf lol.” Three months and nearly 60,000 likes later, Foggieraw met Keys, she cleared the sample (her first time doing so for this song) — and “Psalm 62” got its official release, via Republic Records.
Ambré, “Muse Freestyle”
The intro to her new EP, who’s loving you?, “Muse Freestyle” sees Ambré posing the title question of the five-song project. “who’s loving you? is a question I’m asking myself and asking the audience,” the New Orleans artist said in a press release. “What does it feel like? What does it sound like to be loved? I wanted to create something that felt like b-sides or deep cuts, almost like a mixtape. Still very intentional but it was very easy to make.”
SoFaygo, “BEAUTIFUL ROCKSTAR”
“I am a beautiful rockstar/ I got some folks in my life I love, so I do this s–t with my heart in it,” sings the beautiful rockstar himself, SoFaygo. The Atlanta artist delivers this high-energy song as a bonus track on his latest EP, GO+, though he first teased it on Instagram Live in December 2021. “Beautiful Rockstar” also samples Jhené Aiko and H.E.R.’s 2020 hit “B.S.”
JAHKOY, “Man On Fire”
JAHKOY is a walking flame. On “Man On Fire,” the Toronto singer exaggerates his emotions and likens them to a fire. “[The song] is about when a guy feels a spark with a woman, but not only is there a spark, it slowly turns into what becomes a full-fledged fire,” he told Billboard. “The feelings become so ignited that he is now a walking flame.”
As the world breaks out their NSYNC “It’s Gonna Be May” memes, we’re breaking out ten of our favorite new releases in R&B and hip-hop from the last seven days. This week R&B dominates, with a handful of tracks to daydream to from Amaria, ASTN, rum.gold, Baby Rose and more. But rap lovers, don’t fret. We’ve got vibe-worthy cuts from Jharrel Jerome and KAMAUU, while Rico Nasty and Lola Brooke are here to hype you up for the week.
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Freshest Find: Rico Nasty, “Turn It Up”
Rico Nasty is here to wake you up. On “Turn It Up,” the rambunctious rapper draws on her early style, delivering gut-punching bar after bar in her signature raspy delivery. The single doesn’t miss a beat, as Rico trespasses, cleans and trashes a family’s home in the 1950s flashback music video.
Amaria, “Will It Last Forever?”
Singer-songwriter Amaria shows that there’s power in the calm. On her second EP, All for You, the burgeoning artist, producer and instrumentalist displays the vastness of her artistry, with closing track “Will It Last Forever?” making us wish it would.
Donalee, “Lifted”
Let Jamaican-born, South London raised singer Donalee put you in a trance with “Lifted.” True to its title, the single exudes elevating energy through Donalee’s ethereal tone, atmospheric layers and visual lyricism.
Baby Rose, “Water”
Possessing one of the most unmistakeable voices in today’s R&B scene, Baby Rose sets the tone for the summer’s quiet moments on her latest album, Through and Through. The perfect accompaniment for summer downpours and early morning showers, “Water” captures the steady fluidity of life’s most precious liquid through Rose’s touching lyrics and melodies.
rum.gold, “Forever in a Song”
Mastering the art of simplicity, “Forever in a Song” stays true to rum.gold’s sound and bold messaging. The track features earthy piano, a simple drum pattern and airy harmonies leaving plenty of room to soak in the melancholic nostalgia.
Jharrel Jerome, “Chinatown”
Emmy award-winning actor Jharrel Jerome is in his music bag. “Chinatown” is an airy and thoughtful rap offering from the rapper-actor’s upcoming project Someone I’m Not, which is slated to release later this year.
ASTN, “How Soon”
“How soon is too soon to move on?” That’s the million dollar question for ASTN who, on his new single, is ruminating about how to move on post-breakup. Leading with vulnerability, the 24-year-old sings with pure emotion over a guitar-laden instrumental laced with fluttering synths.
Aáyanna, “Won’t Cry”
Like ASTN, Atlanta-based singer Aáyanna is also getting over a breakup. On “Won’t Cry,” she grapples with her emotions, questioning if her relationship was ever real and promising to hold back tears. “I wrote ‘Won’t Cry’ after a breakup with someone I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. I questioned our relationship, and if we were just idealizing each other,” she says in a press statement. “I even questioned myself, because I only acted in the way I thought love was supposed to look like. I didn’t grow up seeing a healthy version of that in a romantic relationship, so all I could do was guess.”
Lola Brooke, “Just Relax”
Lola Brooke says “Just Relax.” Flipping Black Sheep’s “The Choice Is Yours,” the Brooklyn rapper comes out with her booming, gritty vocals as she bridges generations. The song’s video also pays homage through Lola’s street style seen throughout different shots. There is also a cameo by Black Sheep member Andres “Dres” Vargas Titus.
KAMAUU feat. Tobe Nwigwe, “don’t play with my money”
Maryland artist KAMAUU makes it known that things will get ugly if you play with his money, his art and/or his heart. Teaming up with Tobe Nwigwe, the two join forces for the uptempo rap song that appears on his latest debut album Lacuna in the House of Mirrors.
It’s mostly a week of laid-back feels. On her mighty solo comeback, Jorja Smith dares a former love to try her, 18-year-old viral artist d4vd gushes over the woman of his dreams and Khamari pulls on classic influences. But if you’re looking for a little more chaos, Tee Grizzley and Skilla Baby have you covered with the first offering from their upcoming joint mixtape.
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Moral of the story is, we’ve got something for every moment. So feel the vibes and share the wealth with our Spotify playlist, linked below.
Freshest Find: Jorja Smith, “Try Me”
Prowling in an ancient coliseum while donning influences from early civilizations, Jorja Smith is engulfed in a familiar battle that transcends time and space: a lovers quarrel. The track’s production is just as unique as its video, an amalgamation of clacking drums and bells that sink into a hypnotic rhythm as Smith challenges, “I’ve changed?/ There’s only been one thing that I’ve changed.” The cut is a dynamic and promising return for the singer, who took a brief step away after promising to Be Right Back with her 2021 EP. In the end, Smith prevails in her battle, as a praying mantis devours another behind the closing credits. Fun fact: The females of that species are known to attack and cannibalize their partner during or after sexual encounters.
Tee Grizzley & Skilla Baby, “Dropped the Lo”
If there’s one thing we love here, it’s a Detroit link-up. Tee Grizzley and Skilla Baby have given us just that and more: a joint mixtape titled CONTROVERSY via 300 Entertainment/Grizzley Gang arriving on April 28. “Dropped the Lo” is a taste of what’s to come, the duo playing perfectly off of one another, delivering attention-commanding bars as they roam the streets of Downtown Detroit in style.
d4vd, “Sleep Well”
Houston-made singer d4vd unravels a heartfelt ballad with the new “Sleep Well.” The 18-year-old Interscope signee behind the viral hits “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me” is gearing up for his debut EP, Petals to Thorns, due out May 16. This soulful offering centers d4vd’s rich tone and lovesick lyricism.
Casper Sage, “Pseudo”
Hypnotic harmonies shimmer across a laid back instrumental bed on Casper Sage’s “Psuedo.” The track arrives on a three-track EP from the Oklahoma City act. Also titled Psuedo, Casper Sage calls the project “an encapsulation of a moment in time that was filled with purposeful loneliness, chaotic emotional turmoil, and vices trying to cover it all up.”
AQ, “Showdown”
Combining drill 808s with 2016-17 trap R&B sensibilities, AQ presents a refreshing take on rap-singing and late night drive music. The short and sweet “Showdown” boasts replay value, packed with emotion and catchy melodies.
Gabrielle B., “Body”
Gabrielle B. is all about intimacy. “Body” sees the emerging singer enticing her lover as she whisper-sings about “craving your body right now” and being able to “elevate your life.” The song’s instrumentation pairs well with her almost hushed vocal tone, and listeners can expect an accompanying video soon.
Khamari, “Right My Wrongs”
Boston native Khamari finds himself at the intersection of timeless musicality and contemporary style. Like previous singles “On My Way” and “Drifting” where he samples R&B/soul greats Al Green and Nina Simone respectively, the singer continues to liberate his old soul with “Right My Wrongs” on which he interpolates Darondo’s 2005 song “Didn’t I.” The songs are a glimpse into Khamari’s sonic documentary — or upcoming debut album — A Brief Nirvana, due out May 26.
Jean Deaux, “Yeah Yeah”
The hi-hat-strewn “Yeah Yeah” arrives as a standout track on Jean Deaux’s new EP Heavy. The Chicago singer/rapper doesn’t tolerate the BS and even throws some jokes in her bars, singing “Baby you got problems/ No Iyanla, I could never solve ‘em.”
Saba x No I.D., “Back in Office”
From the private collection of Saba and producer NO I.D. comes “Back in Office.” The Chicago natives teamed up for the single with Saba flexing his cadence and lyrical prowess over an electric guitar-laced beat. “Back in Office” sees Sabab addressing his haters and critics with lines like, “Got n—as asking, is it jazz or is it rap?/ I’m a bit imaginative, I’m where the ribbon at,” and “This is for the amateurs, this is what a master raps/ Some of them not amateurs, but next to me they sound like that.”
AG Club, “flippin s–t”
Bay Area hip-hop collective AG Club threw a one-two punch with their new two-pack 2MORE. Released ahead of their debut Coachella set this past weekend, frontmen Jody Fontaine and Baby Boy tag-team for “aorta” and “flippin s–t,” which both feature a booming bassline and nimble raps. The latter in particular almost acts as a declaration, as the duo strives to flip the industry upside down with their presence.
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