The most challenging question as of late appears to be who or what to listen to first, and that’s especially true for this week’s edition of New Music Friday albums coverage.
Multiple underground-favorites-turned-mainstream-artists compete head-to-head for your on-demand streams, with blockbuster releases coming from Freddie Gibbs ($oul $old $eparetly), Kid Cudi (Entergalactic) and YG (I Got Issues).
New Music Friday - New Singles From Smino & J. Cole, Roddy Ricch, Quavo & Takeoff + More
Elsewhere, Tory Lanez makes his return amid yet more controversy with the unapologetic Sorry 4 What, Denzel Curry drops the deluxe edition of his acclaimed Melt My Eyez See Your Future LP, and the late Prodigy of Mobb Deep and Drakeo The Ruler’s legacies are kept alive with new posthumous projects.
Check out all of the albums released on Friday (September 30) below.
Freddie Gibbs — $oul $old $eperately
While Freddie Gibbs’ Alchemist-produced Alfredo earned him his first Grammy nomination in 2020, it became clear he isn’t willing to sacrifice his gritty lyrical integrity in the hopes of adding coveted hardware to his trophy cabinet. Two years later, $oul $old $eperately ($$$) — Gangsta Gibbs’ fifth solo album — has real-world implications while also reaching new heights worthy of his own Hip Hop ‘hood Grammy.
Opening with the hard-nosed bars of the Kelly Price-assisted intro “Couldn’t Be Done,” $$$ maneuvers in and out of countless rhythmic rabbit holes with ease. The Indiana native also elevates the caliber of his collaborations by commissioning verses from Pusha T, Rick Ross, Offset and Moneybagg Yo, as well as producers like Boi-1da, DJ Paul and DJ Dahi.
In the same way the cover art for the project personifies his “Big Rabbit” persona, $$$ affirms Freddie Gibbs’ ascent from underground mainstay to mainstream contender.
Kid Cudi — Entergalactic
The album and accompanying animated Netflix series Kid Cudi and black-ish creator Kenya Barris produced has finally arrived.
Nearly three years in the making, Entergalactic captures the veteran Cleveland MC at his most vulnerable point from the lens of a peak creative moment within his 10-year-plus career. During a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Cudi explained how a “magical” mushrooms trip with a former crush in New York inspired the series, and in turn the album.
Led by the previously released singles “Do What I Want” and “Willing To Trust,” the 15-track album also includes guest appearances from 2 Chainz, Ty Dolla $ign, Don Toliver, Steve Aoki and Dot Da Genius. Entergalactic is now also available for streaming on Netflix.
YG — I Got Issues
It appears no amount of accolades will satisfy L.A.-bred rapper YG.
Since 2009, he’s accumulated more than 10 billion streams and earned over a dozen platinum and multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America), in addition to releasing four consecutive Top 10 Billboard 200 albums.
Still, the Compton native is not too afraid to admit he has room for improvement. On his latest outing I Got Issues, YG maintains his stylishly dangerous bravado amid a gauntlet of major featured guest such as Nas, J. Cole, Moneybagg Yo, Roddy Ricch and Post Malone, among others.
The 16-track project is home to the previously released “Scared Money,” “Alone” and “Toxic,” the latter of which samples Mary J. Blige’s early work.
Tory Lanez — Sorry 4 What
Denzel Curry — Melt My Eyez See Your Future (The Extended Edition)
Baby Tate — Mani/Pedi
Warner Records artist Baby Tate has come a long way from checking folks on social media who were either to body-sham her or questioning her pioneering of the overtly extravagant and abstract duck nails manicure style.
In addition to securing her first Billboard Hot 100 Chart appearance early this year following her collaboration with the JID and 21 Savage track “Surround Sound,” this past January, the After The Rain rapper recently joined forces with R&B legend BabyFace during he very own late-night television performance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.
Now, Baby Tate has linked up with artists such as 2 Chainz, Kali, Slim Wave to deliver her 14-tack album Mani/Pedi — which she says is all about “Self Love.”
Prodigy — The Hegelian Dialect 2: The Book Of Heroine
Drakeo the Ruler — Keep The Truth Alive
Boldy James & Nicholas Craven — Fair Exchange No Robberies
Rome Streetz — Kiss the Ring
Big30 — Last Man Standing
DDG — It’s Not Me It’s You
UnoTheActivist — Limbus 3
billy woods — Church
Joe Moses — From Nothing 2 Something 4
Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire — I Love Y.O.U cuz Y.O.U Ugly Vol. 1
Jansport J — Los Angeles Soul
Also be sure to check out this week’s New Music Friday singles coverage featuring new songs from Smino and J. Cole, Roddy Ricch, Quavo and Takeoff, Kodak Black, Trippie Redd and more.
Stay up-to-date with the latest Hip Hop and R&B releases here, and peep HipHopDX’s 2022 Rising Stars update, highlighting the achievements of Doechii, Nardo Wick, Coi Leray and others.
Soul Sold Separately > I’ve got issues.
This week busy as duck. Here is a list I am gonna play: billy woods church, body bag ben and planet asia heist the crown, boldy james and nicholas craven fair exchange no robbery, bronze nazareth if you’re worried you should be, denzel curry melt my eyez see your future the extended edition, freddie gibbs $$$, rome streetz kiss the ring, shhh that is a lot of hip hop. But I am still listening to that Cam’ron A-Trak joint in the car it is not leaving
As always some great pick. You might also wanna check out Sol Messiah – God CMPLX. Great release in my opinion.
Wasn’t aware Bronze dropped, thank you!
Only 1 album worth listening to. We Know The Truth
Never heard of jansport….sounds kind of like j dilla…pretty nice though…lots of
Solid releases this week!!!!
He’s been producing for years.
You could play that Gibbs $$$ front to back. A lot of features, but they blend in well. The resort concept was a little flimsy. And Jeff Ross’s bit was not only unfunny, it was disrespectful. Not quite Alfredo or Pinata , but it’s up there.
That Freddie Gibbs is album of the year, period. Whole album rides, nos skips. Wow. Haven’t heard something that good in years. Hopefully this gets a lot of attention so more rappers put out quality projects like this.
I ain’t gon lie this New Yg album slap hard.. Shit dope let’s be real…and more of that west coast Sound on it.and More story telling Raps and punches,Showed how he’s Elevated Good Lyric Wise .. My Best release This Week.. and for real That. Drakeo the ruler album just some ass.. And kinda Beats me it was released on the same day YG dropped his Slapper… To get Sales,Kinda Corny to me..
Freddie album fire
Tory Lanez album fire as fuck yo mans should be selling 400k upwards imho
Gibbs album has all that wack Trap production and his flow is always the same. Rome Streets is solid or the tracks with drums. Body Bag Ben and Asia are killing these other half finished albums. Hard beats with drums with L’s to match.
Same Flow? You didn’t listen to the album from the beginning of the couldn’t be done to blackest in the room you could hear him change the Flow and throughout the album he’s using different flows
You buggin. Freddies flow is all over the place on this album, in a good way. I dont like all the beats he picked but its still solid. Some of his lyrics show some growth too which I didnt expect considering how dumb he is on his socials.
“Trap production” and “flow is always the same.” You obviously didn’t listen to the album, skimmed through it, and judged like a female in the process. Dumb son of a bitch.
It’s kinda sad no one mention in the comments Prodigy album. It’s solid effort – not on the level of previous album but as a posthumous album is better than DMX album for instance. It is cohesive, has this gritty vibes. I’m really happy to have hear something more from Mobb Deep legend
Thought the same thing dunn
It’s terrible yo. P would never rap over such terrible beats. They did P a disservice on this mug.
Well, I would partly agree, but there are some good beats either (You will see, Walk out, Flirting with Death), but Prodigy on the album does his thing. It’s classical P, and I am glad to have the opportunity to listening to it, even if the chose of the beats wasn’t the best. I would give it 3.5
King Iso – 8 PM Med Call
Bump that new Infamous P kicko, rep for the thunny
ALBUM IS COOL. ITS LIKE HIS TAKE ON GHOSTFACE WIZARD OF POETRY.
Rome streetz album fire
Freddie gibbs been getting on my nerves the last few years with all the social media stuff. But can’t lie this might be his best album. Album of the year so far to me. I don’t see anybody else topping it, Kendrick and Krit have the ability but they dropped their albums already and neither were as good as this. Gotta give credit when it’s due and it’s even more impressive because it’s hard to exceed expectations when they are very high.
Its Almost Dry still on top this year.
Gansta Gibbs!!! on anotha Level