St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red, a master of deadpan nastiness, had a huge breakout year in 2023, and she’s remained in the conversation in 2024. Since she released her Hood Hottest Princess deluxe edition in December, Sexyy has had a pretend music-video baby with Drake and made Questlove feel like he has to defend her inclusion on the Roots Picnic lineup. Now, Sexyy’s got a new single, and it’s a good one. The new song ‘Get It Sexyy’ has a heavy, churning beat from Tay Keith, the Memphis producer who worked on Sexyy Red’s breakout hits ‘Pound Town’ and ‘SkeeYee,’ and those two make perfect sense together. It’s got that old Waka Flocka Flame world-exploding feeling, but Sexyy sounds calm and unimpressed while she talks her shit: “Booty shorts, coochie swoll/ Thong all up my bootyhole/ Nas cheaters, they on go/ Trust a na, that’s a no/ He can eat my coochie, though/ Awesome johnson got me throwed.” [via Stereogum]
Cardi B has released a new single, ‘Enough (Miami),’ which follows ‘Like What (Freestyle)’ from a couple weeks ago. She started teasing it a few days ago with its revealing single artwork (which briefly got pulled from Instagram due to nudity) and some lyrics: “Me versus you and you know who they pickin’/ I can survive in the coldest conditions/ Bitches is washed, soapin’ the dishes/ I apply pressure like boa constrictors/ One bitch, two bitch, old bitch, new bitch, none of y’all not gonna do shit/ I’m in Miami I pull on cruise ships.” [via Stereogum]
North Carolina rapper Rapsody has announced a new album, Please Don’t Cry, due May 17 via We Each Other/Jamla/Roc Nation. The 22-song album features Erykah Badu, Lil Wayne, Baby Tate, Alex Isley, Phylicia Rashad, Keznamdi, and more, and it includes recent single ‘Asteroids’ (ft. Hit-Boy), as well as the just-released ‘Stand Tall.’ “‘Stand Tall’ is the first song I recorded when I started working on this album in 2020,” Rapsody says. “I would say it represents my desire to speak to my humanness in the most free way. It started me on the journey, and it required me to be fearless, which is why I titled it ‘Stand Tall’ – be firm in who you are, legs straight, shoulder back, chest out.” The two-minute song comes with a five-minute video/short film featuring Rapsody in conversation with friend and actress Sanaa Lathan. “Sanaa was one of my guides and supporters on that journey,” Rapsody continues. “She offered so much insight, support, and tools to usher me through; as well as inspiring me with her own vulnerability. I’m grateful to have a friend in her and why I wanted to have this conversation with her first. She’s one of the biggest reasons I was even able to finish the album.” [via Brooklyn Vegan]
Barkaa has shared her latest single ‘We Up’, accompanying the release with an official music video. The single, which was produced by frequent Barkaa collaborator jayteehazard, and sees the rapper deliver a victorious anthem atop thudding bass and piercing strings. Operating at whiplash pace, Barkaa commits to remaining self-assured within relationships, friendships and everything in between. “I wanted to write something that pumped on the stage, that felt good spitting, that uplifted my people and hyped them up,” Barkaa explained in a press statement. “I wanted to create something fun, something cheeky and make a statement on what the concrete jungle raised.” Barkaa said the single is a reminder of her diversity as a rapper, a declaration that tells listeners she “worked my fucking ass off to get me to where I am today.” The accompanying music video was directed by Kieran Satour, and follows Barkaa as she takes a joyride with friends en route to a particularly rowdy night out. Watch the ‘We Up’ video — which also features motorbike riders and dazzling choreography — below. [via Happy Mag]
