12 New Rap and R&B Songs Out This Week

March 13, 2020

Just about the whole thing that could’ve made this a weirder timeline would be Jay Electronica actually releasing a new album, and lo and behold, that happened! You can read about that album and the second Lil Uzi Vert album in a week in Notable Releases, and scroll down for Chika’s debut EP, Blueface’s debut album, and new singles from Octavian/Skepta, Kemba, Chronixx, Tyga/Megan Thee Stallion, DaniLeigh/DaBaby, Kool Keith, and more of this week’s new rap/R&B/etc songs…

CHIKA – INDUSTRY GAMES EP

Chika’s debut EP has got it all: cutthroat raps, powerhouse singing, stop-you-in-your-tracks lyricism, pitched-up Kanye-style soul samples, the works. It’s not everyday a debut is this strong.

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BLUEFACE – FIND THE BEAT

Offbeat rapper Blueface has dropped his official debut album, Find The Beat. Guests include DaBaby, Lil Baby, Polo G, Gunna, NLE Choppa, Stunna 4 Vegas, Jeremih, YBN Nahmir, and more.

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OCTAVIAN & SKEPTA – “PAPI CHULO”

UK rappers Octavian and Skepta team up for an airy and moody new track produced by “Old Town Road” producer YoungKio, and it comes with a Lyle Lindgren-directed video that features cameos from A$AP Ferg & Nast.

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KEMBA – “NONE OF THIS MATTERS”

The underrated Bronx rapper Kemba is back with a new single that finds him in a more ominous, atmospheric mode than usual. Great stuff.

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CHRONIXX – “DELA MOVE”

Modern-day reggae leader Chronixx has announced his highly anticipated sophomore album, Dela Splash (due later this year), and the first single is “Dela Move.” It’s not just reggae but also ’70s-style psychedelic soul, modern hip hop, and more, and it’s a genuinely great song that comes with an equally great video directed by Nabil (Frank Ocean, Kanye West, etc).

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TYGA – “FREAK” (ft. MEGAN THEE STALLION)

The often-monotonous Tyga is in his usual form on his one, but it’s worth it for Megan’s verse alone.

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DANILEIGH – “LEVI HIGH” (ft. DABABY)

R&B singer DaniLeigh has released a new tribute to Levi high jeans, and it comes with a verse from DaBaby who sounds as booming and in-your-face as ever.

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KOOL KEITH x THETAN – “BAD DREAMS”

If the new Body Count album isn’t enough non-cheesy rap metal by an ’80s-era rap lifer for you, here’s more. Kool Keith shared another song from his upcoming collab album with metal duo Thetan, and it’s dark, psychedelic, heavy, and awesome.

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QUEEN NAIJA – “BUTTERFLIES PT. 2”

R&B singer Queen Naija’s debut album is expected this year via Capitol Records, and it’s prefaced by this chilled-out new single.

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ANDERSON. PAAK & JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE – “DON’T SLACK”

So far this year, Justin Timberlake has released new songs with SZA and Meek Mill, and now he’s got one with another great, comparatively newer artist: Anderson .Paak. Like the SZA song, it’ll appear in Trolls World Tour (which both JT and Paak voice characters in), and this one sounds a bit like early Janelle Monae.

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ANDERSON .PAAK, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, MARY J. BLIGE, & GEORGE CLINTON – “IT’S ALL LOVE”

Just three days after “Don’t Slack,” Anderson .Paak and Justin Timberlake dropped another song from Trolls World Tour, and this one also features Mary J. Blige and George Clinton. This one’s more of a soaring, triumphant soul song — cool stuff.

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DEB NEVER & KENNY BEATS – “STONE COLD”

Brockhampton collaborator Deb Never released he House On Wheels EP on WeDidIt last year (with production from 100 gecs’ Dylan Brady, Shlohmo, and D33J), and now she’s got a new song helmed by one of the most in-demand rap producers of the moment, Kenny Beats. The song’s sort of about wrestling legend Stone Cold Steve Austin (yes really), and it’s a chilled-out dose of indie-R&B.