As the week in music comes to a close, HYPEBEAST has rounded up the 10 best projects for the latest installment of Best New Tracks.
This week’s list is led by Lil Nas X‘s awaited debut studio album MONTERO, Kali Uchis and Amaarae‘s remix of “Sad Girls Luv Money” and Kehlani’s newest Blue Water Road cut, “Altar.” Also joining this selection are offerings from Majid Jordan, VanJess, Lance Skiiwalker, Headie One, Wiki x MIKE, Tems and Pa Salieu.
Lil Nas X – MONTERO
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Two years after his viral hit “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X finally dropped off his debut studio effort, MONTERO. The 15-track project is executive produced by Take A Daytrip and features guest appearances from Doja Cat, Elton John, Jack Harlow, Megan Thee Stallion and Miley Cyrus, along with production from Kanye West, Omer Fedi and more.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Kali Uchis x Amaarae – “Sad Girlz Luv Money (Remix)”
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Amaarae enlisted Kali Uchis for a remix of “Sad Girlz Luv Money,” which originally appeared on The Angel You Don’t Know. “Sad Girlz Luv Money was already a magical song with myself and Moliy but Kali takes it to a new dimension! I’m excited to have her on the remix. I’ve loved her music since I was 19 in College so to be able to work on this with her was amazing and she kills her verse! I think the Sad Girlz Worldwide are going to LOVE this,” Amaarae said in a statement, while Uchis added, “I love this song so much and was honored when Ama asked me to be a part of this. She deserves all the success and blessings coming her way.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Kehlani – “Altar”
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Shortly after announcing her brand new album Blue Water Road, Kehlani delivered the new single “Altar” that’s produced by Pop Wansel. Her forthcoming record is the followup to 2020’s It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, sharing on Twitter, “coming out of the rubble of It Was Good Until It Wasnt and into the light, on to the road.” She added, “let’s have fun.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Pa Salieu – Afrikan Rebel
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Pa Salieu dropped off his latest EP, Afrikan Rebel. The three-track project features appearances from Tay Iwar, Zlatan and Obongjayar, and is “about being proud and loud about where you come from in.” The Gambian-via-Coventry star added, “For me that is Africa. Growing up in the UK especially having spent my early years in Gambia wasn’t always easy being black and especially not black African with an African accent, but I have always been taught to be proud of who I am and have never shied away from that fact for better or for worse.” He continued, “I see the word ‘Rebel’ only in the most positive sense. Those figures through history that have fought against the odds to stand up for what they believe in have always intrigued and inspired me. ‘Rebel’ is a mindset that helps keep me strong and I hope I can encourage others to be vocal about their beliefs and stand up for what they feel is right. My Afrikan Rebel series is a movement which I hope can allow me to connect with others with a similar mindset and gives a platform for me to experiment with influences and inspirations from my culture and others from the great continent of Africa.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Lance Skiiwalker – Tales From The Telescope
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TDE’s Lance Skiiwalker has followed up his 2016 debut album Introverted Intuition with the brand new EP, Tales From The Telescope. The five-track project features the previously-released single “In the World” with Nick Hakim and arrives with an accompanying music video for “See It All.” In a statement, Skiiwalker shared, “I’ve always made music to inspire people to live life with curiosity, joy, and imagination. During the pandemic everyone has been forced to be alone more often, so it’s the perfect time to learn self growth and love. Stay introverted!”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Tems – If Orange Was A Place
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Hot off her appearance on Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, Tems delivered her latest EP, If Orange Was A Place. The record arrives as she was chosen as Apple Music’s Up Next artist, saying in her Up Next film, “My decision to quit my job, that leap that I took, literally everything was just coming together. Just off ’Try Me’ alone I had a lot of shows. I couldn’t go out anymore, I couldn’t go to the supermarket anymore, I was like, ‘ok something is happening.’ ’Try Me’ came out of that strife, and I really wanted it to mean something, especially for Nigerians, people that live in this country, because things are hard.”
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Headie One – “Beggars Can’t Be Choosers”
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Headie One has released the followup to “Pound Signs” and “2 Chains” with the new cut, “Beggars Can’t Be Choosers.” The Ghanian-British artist is also set to drop his upcoming mixtape Too Loyal… For My Own Good on October 1, which will mark his first release since October 2020’s Edna.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Wiki x MIKE – “Promised”
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Ahead of his latest project Half God, which drops October 1, Wiki enlisted the help of MIKE on the new single “Promised.” His upcoming record will mark his first full-length effort since 2019’s Oofie, which featured Denzel Curry, Your Old Droog, Princess Nokia and more.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
VanJess – Homegrown (Deluxe)
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Sister duo VanJess dropped the deluxe version of their February EP, Homegrown. The followup to their debut album Silk Canvas, the latest edition features five new tracks including “Slow Down” with Lucky Daye and “Say Yes” with TOKiMONSTA.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
Majid Jordan – “Summer Rain”
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Majid Al-Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman, better known as the duo that makes up Majid Jordan, delivered their newest single, “Summer Rain.” The OVO Sound signees recently dropped off “Waves of Blue” and “Been Through That” this year, marking their first two pieces of original solo work since 2019, but the followup to 2017’s The Space Between is yet to be announced.
Listen: Spotify | Apple Music
