With the back-to-back frenzy of Grammy Week and Tremendous Bowl LIX formally at our doorsteps, all eyes are on Kendrick Lamar as he makes use of the 2 marquee occasions to segue into his impending North American stadium excursion. Closing week (Jan. 23), the Compton rapper and Apple Tune launched a brand new teaser for his upcoming halftime efficiency; the clip discovered SZA, his Grand Nationwide tourmate, playfully dumping a container of blue Gatorade on Lamar, confirming her visitor look right through his Tremendous Bowl set.
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Lamar, in fact, KO’d Drake in ultimate 12 months’s seismic rap combat — and 2025 already has some sparring of its personal. On Can’t Rush Greatness (Jan. 24), his long-awaited debut album, UK rapper Central Cee threw some pictures at fellow British MC Aitch, spitting, “I felt like a p—k after I went to the BRITs and so they gave the award to a man known as Aitch/ I had my acceptance speech ready like, ‘Lengthy reside F’s,’ I’m goin’ insane.” Mere hours later, Aitch replied with a tract titled “A Man Known as?”; “Little boy is solely there to be spun, gettin’ mad on the BRITs, there’s naked to be gained,” the Manchester-based rapper tousled. Time will inform if the Cench-Aitch combat can dangle a candle to the Kendrick-Drake one.
In heavier information, the hip-hop neighborhood additionally spent the weekend mourning the losses of journalist and screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper and DJ Unk, the long-lasting voice in the back of Billboard Scorching 100 hits like “Stroll It Out” (No. 10).
With Contemporary Alternatives, Billboard targets to spotlight one of the most perfect and maximum attention-grabbing new sounds throughout R&B and hip-hop — from Youssoupha’s rousing name to motion to BigXThaPlug and Jessie Murph’s new cross-genre duet. Make sure that to try this week’s Contemporary Alternatives in our Spotify playlist under.
Most up to date In finding: Youssoupha, “Prose Battle”
As anxiousness sweeps the U.S. — and as protests sweep the remainder of the sector — within the wake of a brand new American presidential management, artists are proceeding to make use of their tune to talk fact to energy. Throughout “Prose Battle,” a surprising lyrical workout taken from Amour Preferrred, his 8th studio LP, French rapper Youssoupha requires liberation for oppressed other people internationally, from Rwanda to Mali. “Besoin d’une vraie answer ou d’une révolution pour renverser le royaume de Macron/ Besoin de voir l’Afrique jamais résignée, qu’elle arrête de croire que Poutine est plus stylé,” he spits over Akatché & A2B’s gritty manufacturing, hard the dissolution of invisible colonial empires earlier than voicing his improve for the Palestinian other people on the finish of the primary verse. “Besoin de grandes gueules quand personne ne dit rien, besoin d’une terre pour l’État Palestinien/ Besoin d’éviter de gros scandales, toute ma vie, j’suis fatigué du prose battle, mais voilà.” — KYLE DENIS
Central Cee & Lil Durk, “Fact within the Lies”
Central Cee’s Can’t Rush Greatness album already provides the U.K. rhymer an early rap album of the 12 months candidate. Cench and Durk connecting has been years within the making and the intercontinental duo didn’t disappoint. “Fact within the Lies” reveals Cench and Smurk getting fair about their hesitancies about love within the highlight over Ne-Yo’s “So Unwell.” Central Cee main points ladies switching up on him except he’s supporting them financially whilst Durk lives via the well-known “what occurs in Vegas, remains in Vegas” adage. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
BigXthaPlug feat. Jessie Murph, “Holy Flooring”
Dallas rapper BigXthaPlug simply dropped the deluxe version of Take Care that includes a number of new tracks, together with the Jessie Murph-assisted “Holy Flooring.” An anthem of resilience and self-empowerment, “Holy Flooring” reveals the 2 stars acknowledging existence’s struggles whilst keeping up their satisfaction and energy. Murph’s emotive refrain conveys how hardships develop into part of us, with the “smoking gun” symbolizing the unavoidable demanding situations that form our lives. BigXthaPlug’s verse displays at the harsh realities of good fortune — from betrayal to unmet expectancies — whilst reinforcing that loyalty and tough paintings are the actual measures of good fortune. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
Aqyila, “Focal point”
Emerging Canadian R&B artist Aqyila has been making secure waves for years with tracks like 2023’s JUNO Award-winning “Hi,” and she or he’s having a look to take care of that momentum in 2025. Co-written with Sam Hook and produced via Monro, “Focal point” reveals Aqyila seductively cooing over a sultry uptempo R&B observe that employs dancehall-adjacent synths and Afrobeats-nodding drum patterns. “I want you to center of attention, give me all of your consideration/ The slippery slope is when I am getting your consideration,” she croons within the hook, sightly dipping into slightly of a staccato supply that contrasts well together with her ethereal, languid riffs within the pre-chorus. It’s the modulation within the ultimate refrain, on the other hand, that truly highlights how exact Aqyila’s vocal acrobatics are within the uppermost reaches of her voice. — K.D.
Jordan Adetunji & Bryson Tiller, “305”
“Kehlani” was once simply the top of the iceberg for Jordan Adetunji, who showcases his vary of flows and a mix of Jersey membership, R&B and rap sounds all over his A Jaguar’s Dream debut mission. From Belfast to Miami, Adetunji and Bryson Tiller bask in the entirety Vice Town has to supply. “305” meshes moody R&B that The Weeknd would lend his croon to with an uptempo digital twist that may make any person flooring the gasoline pedal cruising alongside Ocean Pressure. — M.S.
Kacy Hill & 6LACK, “Time’s Up”
Kacy Hill joined forces with 6LACK on “Time’s Up”, a observe she first of all penned in 2019 and later delivered to existence via sliding into his DMs. Co-written with Ryan Beatty and produced via Jim-E Stack, the track explores the wonderful thing about taking time in a courting, valuing the moments spent in combination. The refrain, with its repeated theme of “takin’ my time,” emphasizes the aim to savor the relationship and let issues spread naturally. 6LACK’s verse contrasts the herbal top of affection with the chaos in his existence, touching at the complexities and vulnerabilities of intimacy. Kacy Hill’s verses spotlight the readability and pleasure the connection brings, with the entirety else fading away of their shared moments. “Time’s Up” captures a relaxed contentment, reminding us of the significance of being provide and in point of fact appreciating the ones we care about. — C.C.
1900Rugrat & Kodak Black, “One Take Freestyle (Remix)”
1900Rugrat made some noise in Florida together with his “U.O.E.N.O.”-sampling “One Take Freestyle” ultimate 12 months, and the burgeoning rapper is wearing his profitable streak into 2025. Kodak Black took understand of Rugrat’s motion and hopped at the professional remix for his fellow Sunshine State local. Yak tackles rising from his previous, “I admit, I stated a large number of dumbass shit when I used to be a youngin” and pushes again towards colorist allegations. “I’m the only, lil’ b—h stated I’m a colorist, how the f–k, b—h? I really like my mom,” he snarls. — M.S.
Naïka, “Layers”
Naïka refuses to be boxed in. The French-Haitian singer grapples together with her identification problems and the labels society persevered to throw at her rising up at the soothing “Layers.” She cathartically flips the angst into a steady guitar ballad whilst encouraging listeners to rejoice the wonder naturally inside themselves. “I hate the containers, they suffocate me,” she sings. “Child, a majority of these layers stay me heat and make me me.” — M.S.
Charlie Bereal, “Some Other people”
Charlie Bereal opens “Some Other people” with this airy chant: “Keep in touch/ Make a chum/ Train anyone/ Proportion with them/ Get in combination/ Get started your individual/ Construct in combination/ Make it higher.” Greater than a hook that completely enhances his and Josef Liemberg’s lush, sweeping and soulful soundscape, it’s a much-needed reminder of what we will do on an interpersonal degree to make the sector an more straightforward position to exist inside. With a buttery falsetto that exudes the similar heat his lyrics exalt, Charlie Bereal emerges from his newest LP, Stroll With the Father, as considered one of fresh soul’s most enjoyable new artists. — K.D.
Abir, “Butterflies”
The hiatus is over, Abir returns together with her first unmarried in 4 years with the intoxicating “Butterflies” — and she or he’s again in her R&B bag. The L.A.-based Moroccan singer makes her candy get away as a fluttery Abir serenades a definite lover who completes her lifestyles. “You’re supplying me with what I wish to push the clouds away/ Even a knife is sort of a sunny day,” she admits whilst showcasing her mellifluous vocal vary. — M.S.
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