Young M.A‘s talent as a rapper is undeniable, but for a while now her career has been beset by speculation about her mental health and general well-being. It hasn’t helped that the last solo song M.A released, ‘Aye Day Per Day,’ came out in May 2022, with few updates since. Without warning, M.A shared a new song on Sunday called ‘Open Scars.’ The track acknowledges the controversies and gives some context to her struggles: “For the past three years I let my fans down / I lost faith and I couldn’t understand how,” she raps before hinting at a new sober lifestyle. “Without the Henny I see everything clear now.” Interlaced throughout the song’s music video are clips from a 2018 episode of The Therapist where M.A discusses her trauma and coping mechanisms. M.A has never shied away from laying out her whole heart on a track before, but ‘Open Scars’ might be one of her most vulnerable turns yet. [via The FADER]

Dai Burger is making waves in New York City’s vibrant queer rap scene with the release of her latest confident anthem, ‘Whole A$$ Mood (W.A.M.).’ As the lead single off her upcoming EP Dai Dreamin, dropping in February 2024, this track showcases Dai’s smooth flow and bold lyrics celebrating self-love. Over an infectious trap beat Dai exudes effortless charisma while proclaiming herself a whole vibe. Her lines are clever yet conversational as she asserts her self-worth and relishes her carefree lifestyle, and the sound is vibrant and assured – perfectly capturing Dais’s essence. The music video is just as striking as the song itself. Decked out in stylish athleisure wear and colorful balaclavas, Dai and her squad dance and cruise around the city in a convertible. The visuals radiate confidence and unbounded joy. As Dai takes the spotlight, it’s clear she’s an artist to keep on your radar. [via Earmilk]

East London’s Teezandos has come through with another hard hitting banger ‘Come From’. Undeniably one of the coldest rappers in the game, Teezandos has consistently dropped tracks with a hard edge, belying the idea that some people think that female artists cant do Drill as well as their male counterparts. In fact, some of the hottest raising talents in the industry that find themselves tackling Drill instrumentals are female, with the likes of Cristale and Teezandos just being a few that are leading the charge. [via GRM Daily]

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Back with more heat, Baltimore’s MVP Rican Da Menace unveils a new single and music video entitled ‘Off Top’ with Lola Brooke via BuVision/Columbia Records. This marks her first collaboration with the rapidly rising Brooklyn spitter, and it also unites two of the game’s fiercest females on one fiery collaborative banger. Produced by HitMaka, Nick Papz, and Xander, the beat samples the DMX classic ‘Ruff Ryders’ Anthem’. In between the instantly recognizable Swizz Beatz keyboard riff, Rican rips right through the beat with precise bars only for Lola to counter with an equally punchy cameo. The hook hits hard as it repeats, “I get mines off top.” Meanwhile, the accompanying visual plays out like a classic Yo MTV Raps!-era video. Emanating confidence, gusto, and swagger, this dynamic duo takes over Brooklyn—from the streets to the rooftops. [via Hip Hop Since 1987]

Tributes to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary are far from over. Flo Milli is joining in on the flower giving on her new freestyle, ‘Flo Milli.’ Simply put, the tribute is a lovefest on rap megastar Lil Wayne. From the signature deadlocks to the video’s original concept, Flo Milli aimed to honor the New Orleans native through his 2008 song, ‘A Milli.’ As Flo Milli borrowed the classic rap beat, she also takes some additional creative liberties by flipping several of the Young Money boss’ lyrics, including her stanza, “She’s a beast / She’s a dog / She’s a muthef*ckin’ problem / Claiming she want what but be running like a possum / You can’t stand ’em then you drop ’em / Hoes get messy imma mop ’em / hallucinogenic have ’em rolling when I rock ’em.” The entertainer took to Instagram to share the record’s cover art in which she continued her praise of Lil Wayne, writing, “Lil Wayne is still the GREATEST RAPPER ALIVE,” in the caption. This sentiment is echoed amongst several other recording artists, including his protégés Nicki Minaj and Drake, to NLE Choppa. [via UPROXX]

Tkay Maidza has announced a new album, Sweet Justice, coming in November. The follow-up to her 2016 self-titled debut (plus a couple of Last Year Was Weird EPs) features the Flume-produced ‘Silent Assassin,’ which dropped earlier in July, plus additional production from Stint and Kaytranada. Now, Tkay is sharing the new single ‘Ring-A-Ling,’ which also has a video directed by Jocelyn Anquetil. Here’s what Tkay had to say about Sweet Justice, which also has collabs with Lolo Zouaï, Amber Mark, and Duckwrth: “Sweet Justice was a way for me to channel my emotions from what I’ve experienced in the last two years. It’s a diary of things and thoughts I’ve kept to myself. Making the record was a healing experience and I’m grateful to have worked with producers who have inspired me throughout my career.” She adds of ‘Ring-A-Ling,’ which is produced by Two Fresh: “I wanted to make an empowering song that tells others that my biggest focus are my goals.” [via Stereogum]

TeeZandos has followed the release of her new tune, ‘Veteran’, by dropping a set of visuals for the track. Zandos has a reputation for displaying undeniable charisma and ferociously defiant bars and that’s just what we get on ‘Veteran’ – a hard-hitting drill drop that demonstrates her growth as an artist. For the video, Zandos turns to Scorpio Films who provide us with a set of visuals that switch between Zandos being interrogated and catching a vibe with her crew at night. [via GRM Daily]

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Teezandos has let off a new tune dubbed ‘Magic Wand’. Continuing to set pace, Teezandos’ goes in across a fiery drill production to establish her sound further for 2022. The accompanying video sees her perform the track across various London landmarks to add depth to the energetic vocals and performance itself. [via GRM Daily]

Latto celebrates all the boss bitches in the new video for ‘It’s Givin’ from her album 777. ‘It’s Givin’ was one of the album’s standouts, receiving attention on its release night for its thumping beat and motivational messaging. Latto keeps that energy with the video, creating an inclusive workspace where all women can be bosses. The video highlights several disabled women and features cameos from stars like Angie Martinez, Ella Mai, Flo Milli, and Chloe and Halle Bailey, as Latto herself leads business meetings and drapes herself over the copy machine in a heavily modified business suit with strategic cutouts that show off her assets. [via UPROXX]

Nyota Parker is a rapper, vocalist and songwriter with Congolese and Irish heritage, based in Cape Town, South Africa. Her uniquely mixed background allows her to draw from rap and hip hop, jazz, trap, soul and more into what she terms as “Trazz.” The 21-year-old artist recently dropped her debut album Spectrum last November and its deluxe version earlier this month and now she shares the visual for the title track. The record is a blend of lofi, soulful textures with soft trap drum grooves provided by American producer, Jazz Groupiez. Nyota sure sounds at home and delivers a laidback unapologetic performance with insightful lyrics that dwell on self growth, awareness and focusing on one’s dreams despite the odds. The video is shot by Pink Lemonade Skate who makes use of the summer aesthetic of Cape Town, capturing the beautiful serene scenery and of course Nyota’s laidback and unassuming performance style. [via Earmik]

Going against the grain is just Kelow LaTesha’s style. The Prince George’s County, Maryland rapper has an animated and playful take on DMV rap that allows her to stand out from the sea of dead-eyed flows and bluntness associated with street rap from the region. Her new EP Turbo breezes through a variety of modes in 20 minutes. ‘Relax’ is a syrupy sugar rush. Over the blown-out drums, she stretches her voice until it sounds like it’s about to squeak. Kelow has all the space in the world to try carve out new grooves over the hypnotic beat. She’s rapping with a machine’s precision in the first verse, forcing every syllable to land a uniform distance apart. In the second verse, Kelow switches to a smooth melodic flow that sounds like she’s leaning back in a recliner. [via the FADER]

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