Sparse, dark production creates an atmospheric backdrop, with a prominent beat leaving plenty of room for Cristale’s flow to take centre stage. Her rapid-fire delivery is remarkably controlled, shifting pace and intensity throughout rather than simply charging relentlessly ahead. There’s something inherently restless about the result; even without an obviously looping musical device, ‘Quantum Loop’ manages to create the frustrating sensation of constantly moving without quite escaping the cycle.

Its video takes Cristale away from the city, following her as she drives through the English countryside during golden hour. The peaceful setting makes an unexpected contrast to the track’s unease, while occasional glitching effects suggest a crack in reality – as though the loop itself is beginning to show. It’s a simple but effective visual for a track whose concept gets increasingly under the skin.

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Built around crisp, minimalist production, ‘No Harm’ allows Cristale’s rapid-fire delivery to take centre stage. Every line lands with purpose, while her unmistakable South London accent adds another layer of authenticity and personality to the performance. Rather than relying on elaborate production, the stripped-back beat gives her words the space they deserve, creating a track that feels both immediate and deeply self-assured.

It’s Cristale’s commanding presence that makes ‘No Harm’ so compelling. Balancing reflection with quiet defiance, she proves that vulnerability doesn’t have to come at the expense of strength. The result is another confident step forward from one of UK rap’s most exciting emerging voices.

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Rooted in sharp lyricism and hard-hitting production by Young Chencs (Central Cee, M Huncho, Unknown T), ‘Top 3’ sees Cristale in full control, delivering cutting bars with clarity and purpose.

Awarded DJ Target’s Embargo on his BBC 1Xtra show earlier this week, ‘Top 3’ is a track that speaks to Cristale’s flourishing reputation: uncompromising in tone, but accessible in its execution, with a hook that lands just as hard as the verses. Cristale’s new single is accompanied by a music video directed by Sam Fallover. She kicks off her festival plot with an appearance at City Splash Festival on 25th May.

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Produced by Pooh Beatz, Go Grizzly, Cheeze Beatz, and Icarus, ‘Ate’ drops TiaCorine into a rattling soundscape of futuristic synths and blasted drums. She stays on top, switching between taunting tones and hard bars as she brags about bleeding men dry with the verve of a folk legend in the making: “I take everything from these n—-s and give it to b—–s, I sound like a hero / Bad b—- Robin Hood, I get dollars, yen, euros.”

The ‘Ate’ video, directed by Fred Focus, drives home TiaCorine’s wild charisma and God-given dominance as she strolls into a bar and not only quickly becomes the center of attention, but transforms the night into a chaotic rager. It’s a reminder that the North Carolina artist is careening toward a major breakthrough following releases like last year’s kaleidoscopic ‘Different Color Stones,’ a gift to fans as she works on her next album.

Rising drill phenom STAR BANDZ has just released her new visual for ‘Mirror Mirror’, a standout track from her debut mixtape, ESTRELLA, which dropped in 2024 via Priority Records/Capitol Records.

Directed by frequent collaborator Sergio Esparza, the defiant new music video for ‘Mirror Mirror’ featuring BabyChiefDoIt amplifies the 16-year-old’s unapologetic attitude, showing off her relentless swagger and hard-hitting bars. Filmed against the backdrop of a luxurious mansion, the video showcases STAR BANDZ’s signature confidence and lyrical prowess as she delivers a performance that’s bold and unforgettable.

Cristale flexes on new one-two ‘Vogue’ and ‘Olive Branch’.

The South London artist is hugely talented, a lyricist who can work in multiple lanes. Essentially drawing on the force of hip-hop – but with a UK slant – she’s a MOBO nominated rapper, someone working with real velocity.

Out now, ‘Vogue’ and ‘Olive Branch’ show two differing aspects to her personality. Toddla T was on-hand in the studio, and he powers the crisp, fashion-forward roller ‘Vogue’.

A real flex – it comes a matter of days after London Fashion Week – on the flip you can find the more introspective, soulful, and spacious ‘Olive Branch’. [via Clash]

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This past week, all eyes have remained on Lola Brooke as she continues to make her presence heard and felt by all. Now, she releases the official music video to ‘Shelter Baby (Be That Bitch)’ from her debut project Dennis Daughter. ‘Shelter Baby’ is a central piece of Lola’s project, Dennis Daughter. Produced by Reefa Music, the haunting and action-packed beat accompanies Lola’s story as she speaks about the significance the shelter system has on her life. The contrast between the club-banging beat and commendable, storytelling lyrics emphasizes Lola’s transparency in a fashion that strays away from the need of sympathy from the masses. Rather, ‘Shelter Baby’ celebrates the Lola Brooke coming-of-age story. The Ben-Marc-directed video shows Lola in a head-turning Jean Paul Gaultier ensemble as she flaunts the essence of how she’s always felt to “be that bitch” from day one. [via Broadway World]

Aotearoa/New Zealand’s JessB returns with her new single ‘Talk Of The Town’, alongside the announcement that she will release her debut album Feels Like Home on July 5. ‘Talk Of The Town’ is a chilled, laid back track with a funky R&B-rap soundscape with lyrics that explore not caring what other people think of you, and the freedom that brings. “I was inspired by the feeling of speculation and gossip around ‘who is dating who’,” JessB says. “The song speaks to the feeling directly, while still reinforcing the idea that I always follow what’s best for me regardless of what other people think. Let them talk!” [via Women In Pop]

Cristale has shared new single ‘Will You Ever?’. Out now, it spins her sound in a more introspective fashion, the quiet paranoia of the production matched by some of Cristale’s most open, emotive vocals to date. Daring to open herself up, ‘Will You Ever?’ is a brave return, challenging expectations in the process. Out now on Black Butter Records, the track underpins the sheer depth of this raw Brixton talent. [via Clash]

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During the closing credits of the premiere episode of Disney’s new series Ms. Marvel, a scorching hip-hop track can be heard playing in the background. As it turns out, the song, titled ‘Rozi,’ is by Eva B, who is dubbed as Pakistan’s first-ever female rapper. Entirely rapped in Urdu, the track marks Eva B’s first release on Naughty Horses Records. Gingger Shankar co-wrote and produced ‘Rozi,’ which features both Pakistani and Indian influences. The lyrics match the journey of Ms. Marvel protagonist Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) as a Muslim teenager navigating life in New Jersey. “Asar he ye mjhpe logon ki baton ka,” Eva B spits with authority. “Faraq he ye soch or duniya ki nazron ka/ Duniya to bolti thi bolti rahegi ye/ Himmat ka he parwana parwaz he hoslon ka.” In English, this translates to: “This is the effect of people’s words to me/ The difference is this thinking and worldview/ The world keeps talking/ But the courage to fly is the flight of destinations.” Shankar opened up about the song in a statement, saying, “The track is done in Urdu, which for a mainstream Marvel series to do is fantastic. I’ve always been a fan of Marvel, but if you had told me five years ago that we would be doing an Urdu hip-hop track with Pakistani and Indian influences for a Pakistani female superhero, I wouldn’t have believed it! ‘Rozi’ is an anthem for women’s empowerment and Eva B delivers. Eva and I worked on it through the pandemic between Los Angeles and Pakistan and are thrilled for folks to see its debut on Ms. Marvel.” [via Consequence]

In recent weeks, the New York rapper Princess Nokia has been making new connections — showing up in a Kacey Musgraves video, opening for HAIM at Madison Square Garden. Soon, she’ll star in Daughter Of The Sea, a short film about grief and spirituality in Puerto Rico. She’s also coming out with her own music, too. Princess Nokia released her single ‘No Effort’ a few months ago, and now she’s got a new one called ‘Diva.’ On the song, she sings and raps about feeling like a pop star, a goddess, and a diva, ratting off the names of her inspirations and showing off her own confidence over regal horn bursts. Princess Nokia shot the accompanying video in Puerto Rico with director Robot MoonJuice, and she looks absolutely unreal in it. [via Stereogum]

Sound London riser Cristale has provided us with a new set of visuals for ’13 Going On 30′, taken from her debut EP. Teaming up with director Yukki, Cristale provides us with a football-themed set of visuals which mirror the youthful nature of ’13 Going On 30′ and the reflective lyrics. The track is taken from Cristale’s debut EP, What It’s Like To Be Young, which she’s described as being a “tribute to my younger self” and is out now. “Turning 21 has been challenging to say the least,” Cristale explains. “Some of these songs date back 2 years, but some of the experiences that I touch base on are at least 10 years old. I’m using this project to say congratulations to my younger self, all of the challenges that I faced, I overcame and now because of the music, the process will live on forever and always mean something somewhere.” [via GRM Daily]

Within the last few months, Rubi Rose liberated new singles for the masses including ‘I Like’ and ‘Single.’ Now, she makes her swift return with yet another strong offering titled ‘Wifey,’ which sees Rubi drop some lyrics about owning her own narrative over a sample of NER*D’s iconic track, ‘Lapdance’. [via Revolt]

Sophiegrophy, an Australian-based Nigerian-born hip-hop artiste has released a new song titled ‘Question mark’. ‘Question mark’ is the third song to drop from Sophiegrophy’s forthcoming sophomore EP. Recorded in Lagos (Nigeria), ‘Question mark’ effortlessly blends raps rendered in Yoruba with the hard-hitting punch lines that have become her style. The song places Sophiegrophy in a narrative of false assumptions where the definition of one’s perceived identity is in a constant state of flux, based on misdirection and under attack by fake news and the endless enquiry into an artist’s real state of mind. According to her: “Don’t ask a question when you have already assumed the answer. The real answer won’t fit your reality. They want to get to know me so they ask questions, but the answers I give does not fit the narrative so they continue to ask more questions.” [via The Guardian]

DMV rapper Kelow Latesha puts her energetic personality on full display for latest release, ‘Titanic.’ The accompanying visual feels like a variety show equipped with costume changes and personas. Her lyrics challenge haters and provide an instant serotonin boost. ‘Titanic,’ has a playful trap beat. The rapper toggles between high pitched inflected vocals and casual bars. She raps, “Free the nipple, call it Janet. I love money, it’s romantic.” Featuring the late rapper, Goonew, the two artists serve witty verses with a boastful candor. The track has a unique SoundCloud rap vibe with the articulate flow of a chart-topping single. [via Earmilk]

Currently touring with the Tony award winning Broadway musical HADESTOWN, artist Hailes has also somehow found the time to self release her own music. This time, she shares the free-flowing single ‘Only One,’ a heartfelt narrative of falling in love with someone special. Written about someone she’d just met and the “prospect of falling in love in the summertime ‘Only One,’ showcases Hailes incredibly rhythmic flows. Despite not considering herself a rapper, her talent prevails. A mixture of sleek beats and lo-fi rhythms, the track is an expressive revelation of feeling in utter contentment. Harnessing those feelings of finding the perfect person for you, ‘Only One,’ navigates the enchanting waters of new romance, touching on the whirlwind of heightened emotions. Telling us more about the track’s creation, Hailes says: “During the pandemic I escaped to a little beach house in Cape Cod with my writing partner/producer Daniel and this is one of the songs that came out of that time. We wanted to get away from the chaos that was New York City at the time, and surround ourselves with good vibes and nature.” [via Earmilk]

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