New month, new music — it’s March and we’re ready to hit the ground running! Along with some fantastic new collaborative singles, this week’s New Music Friday is loaded with A-list album releases.
With De La Soul’s entire catalog now available on streaming for the first time ever, the music space also has brand new material from Kali Uchis, Dreamville, slowthai, and Macklemore, among several others!
Here are some of our favorite new releases of the week:
New Music Friday – March 3, 2023
“Liquor” – Babyface (feat. Ari Lennox)
Babyface has 26 number-one hits to his credit, not to mention 12 Grammy Award wins. Then there’s Ari Lennox: Dreamville’s model signee whose career has taken off faster than any of her labelmates, and for a damn good reason. Ever wonder what would happen when you pair these two magicians together? That’s correct — twice the magic.
“On the Street” – j-hope (feat. J Cole)
A J Cole feature has become the ultimate badge of honor in hip-hop, but its value now extends past the genre. Yet, it was surprising for fans to learn that the Dreamville boss was summoned by K-Pop sweetheart j-hope because it just … came out of nowhere! We’ve been waiting to hear what a hope X Cole collaboration sounds like, so let’s just get straight into it.
“Olajuwon” – Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim
Haitian American MC and producer Mach-Hommy simply doesn’t get his due respect. We’re talking about one of the most sophisticated spitters of the modern era, and his affiliation with Griselda is a testament to his skill. He has now joined forces with fellow elite Tha God Fahim on what can only be described as rap royalty. This one is golden, head to toe.
“Don’t Text Don’t Call” – Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa
Our two favorite ganja enthusiasts are back at it, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that we’re here to shout them out this New Music Friday. Produced by Ty Dolla $ign, Wiz and Snoop’s latest release is an extract from An 8th, an NFT mixtape that they released through Ape Drops last year. The song has been around for a bit, but it’s only now hitting major streaming platforms for the first time. This was the pair’s first joint effort (see what we did there?) since the 2011 soundtrack album, Mac and Devin Go to High School, and they picked up right where they left off.
Liberation 2 – Talib Kweli & Madlib
Talib Kweli and Madlib get together and released Liberation for free via Stones Throw Records in 2007. It was a power move beyond measure, and they’re now following it up with another, contrasting one. Whereas the first installment was accessible to all, Liberation 2 is exclusive to those with a subscription to the Luminary podcast network. Though our first taste of the album suggests that it’s going to be chef’s-kiss amazing, we’ll have to take a chance and pay for a subscription before knowing if the entire tracklist is worth it.
Red Moon in Venus – Kali Uchis
“Love is the message,” Kali Uchis said about her new album. “Red Moon in Venus is a timeless, burning expression of desire, heartbreak, faith, and honesty, reflecting the divine femininity of the moon and Venus. The moon and Venus work together to make key aspects of love and domestic life work well.”
Whether or not you understand the astrological reference above, it’s safe to say that everything Uchis touches turns to gold. That alone is a perfectly valid reason to give her new record a listen.
Creed III Soundtrack – Dreamville
Last week, we got a peek at the cultural phenomenon that is the Creed III soundtrack. Fortunately, the tease was well-timed and we now have the entire tracklist at our disposal. Believe us when we tell you this 18-piece package is stacked … like really stacked. Executive produced by Dreamville, it features JID, Bas, Big Sean, and EARTHGANG, plus so many more. This was certainly a smart marketing move for the movie because the soundtrack is certainly going to go a long way for the Creed III team.
UGLY – slowthai
The sweet and sour intersection between punk and rap, slowthai is as endearing as sonic chaos can be. In terms of hip-hop, he is without question one of Britain’s finest, so we had to include him on our list for New Music Friday. We have a special place for those who bring glory to their regions, and this Northampton rapper is among the first names to pop up when we cross the pond. Because his first two studio albums were so solid, we have every reason to believe this one will be no different.
Stay tuned for Respect My Region’s review of the new album!
Ben – Macklemore
Seattle’s most successful hip-hop artist is back with his third full-length solo effort. With features from DJ Premier, NLE Choppa, and Windser, we’re hoping that Ben is the satisfactory comeback we’ve all been waiting for. It’s been over five years since Macklemore’s last album, so the anticipation for new body of work from him is higher than it’s ever been. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope the tracklist is as good as the singles that hyped it up.
Masego – Masego
Jamaican American singer and saxophonist Masego has the presence of a savior. It’slike when Anderson .Paak showed up out of nowhere and began rapping and singing while sitting behind a drumkit surrounded by a band. Once in a blue moon, an artist comes along and makes everyone go, “damn, I didn’t know that was an option.” Masego stands out for that exact reason. Categorize him however you want, but he brings an elegance to the music space that is lacking, and we commend that. His sophomore album should definitely be a priority this New Music Friday.
