New Music Friday has a heavy veteran presence this week that is bound to satisfy those that came of age in the early ’00s.
Jim Jones has been making waves lately with his war of words with Cam’ron and renewed friendship with Kanye West, and has unsurprisingly followed up with his first album in six years.
Fellow rap veteran Busta Rhymes also returns to remind fans that there’s no slaying a dragon with as much fire as him with an EP to tide people over until his new album drops next month.
Elsewhere, Boldy James continues to flood the market with his third album of the year, while there are also new projects from IDK, Fridayy and former TDE rapper Reason.
Check out the best of New Music Friday below.
Jim Jones — At the Church Steps
Features: Conway The Machine, Fabolous, Fivio Foreign, Dave East, Maino, Rell, Dyce Payso, Keen Street
Production: Heatmakerz, Statik Selektah, Hitmaka, 808 Mafia, Jim Jones
Label: Hitmaker
Dropping amidst his rekindled feud with Cam’ron, Jim Jones’ eighth solo album At the Church Steps includes the diss song “Jomo,” but no contributions from Kanye West, who he has been hanging out with a lot lately.
Busta Rhymes — Dragon Season… Equinox (EP)
Features: Killer Mike, Akon, Vybz Kartel, Symba, Tobe Nwigwe, Stacy Barthe, Trillian, J-Doe
Production: Erick Sermon, 9th Wonder, DJ Scratch
Label: The Conglomerate / Hitmaker
Busta Rhymes has been on one of the most prolific streaks of his career over the last year or so with a series of EP releases ahead of a full album next month. His latest, Equinox, features guest appearances from fellow heavyweight MC Killer Mike and dancehall don Vybz Kartel, plus production from a few legendary names.
Boldy James & Chuck Strangers — Token of Appreciation
Features: N/A
Production: Chuck Strangers
Label: 1301
Already Boldy James’ third release of 2025, this full-length collaboration with former Pro Era producer Chuck Strangers is further proof that there are few MCs who can match the Detroit native’s combination of quality and quanity. Unsurprisingly, he has another project scheduled to drop in May.
IDK — Bravado + Intimo (Deluxe)
Features: Ab-Soul, Joey Bada$$, Gunna, Conway The Machine, Denzel Curry, TheARTI$t
Production: Tae Beast, Kal Banx, Turbo, Mario Luciano, Calvin Valentine
Label: .idk.
IDK has consistently been one of Hip Hop’s most underrated MCs over the last decade, and while this deluxe expansion of his latest album is unlikely to see an explosion in his fanbase, it is another example of his lyrical dexterity and accomplished songwriting craft.
Reason — I Love You Again
Features: Hit-Boy, Bas, Ransom, Kota The Friend, Ben Reilly, Coyote, D’Anna Stewart, Junii
Production: Supah Mario, Swavay, Mike Hector, Robert Gill, Ted Boyd
Label: Do More Records / 195 Oak
His first release since departing TDE (thanks to a pro-Drake post on social media), Reason recruits a few famous friends for his new project I Love You Again. Despite the amicable affirmation, none of his former labelmates are anywhere to be seen.
Fridayy — Some Days I’m Good, Some Days I’m Not
Features: Meek Mill, Chris Brown, Wale, Kehlani, Teni, Joé Dwet Filé, Llona
Production: Fridayy, MOMBRU, Hossy, Lucid, Bizness Boi
Label: Lost In Melody / Def Jam
Big Hit — Free Big Hit
Features: Snoop Dogg, Hit-Boy, Ty Dolla $ign, Lefty Gunplay, Jay Worthy, TeeFLii, Musiq Soulchild, Joe Moses, Baby Stone Gorillas, X4
Production: Hit-Boy, Corbett, Chase & Cashe, Davis Strauss, Jesse Blum
Label: Surf Club
1900Rugrat — Porch 2 the Pent
Features: Kodak Black, Lil Yachty, BossMan Dlow, Skrilla, Rickfrmdacreek
Production: Credits unavailable
Label: A Remain Solid / 300 Entertainment
Terrace Martin — Albion Files
Features: A$AP Ferg, DRAM, Robert Glasper, Tone Treazure, Ogi, Preston Harris
Production: Terrace Martin, Jeff Gitty
Label: Sounds of Crenshaw
Paris Texas — They Left Me With a Gun (EP)
Features: N/A
Production: Paris Texas, Oscar Santander, Dilip, Billy Lemos, Danny Dwyer
Label: Paris Texas
Busta Rhymes is a childhood favourite and I’d slap him for this EP.
Busta has 2 ep’s with most of the songs that are coming out on the album. I bought the first one. But I’ll wait for the album because it has 6 extra songs on it
Busta is on a roll with these wack albums. WOW
Big Hit is terrible, but hey there’s a whole lot worse rappers than him out there