<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not every day that it\u2019s Friday the 13th, but funny enough, this is the second one in a row, and the fire music releases are just as magical. From Jack Harlow\u2019s introspective Monica <\/em>to Bossman Dlow\u2019s \u201cMotion Party\u201d to Momo Boyd\u2019s \u201cStrong,\u201d here are the highlights of the weekend.<\/p>\n I was today years old when I realized Jack Harlow<\/a> and Common shared a birthday\u2014and that there would be not a single<\/em> rap on his highly anticipated fourth studio album, Monica. <\/em>Some folks called it that Harlow would lean into R&B<\/a> and given his affinity for melody, \u00e0 la his predecessor Drake, I should\u2019ve expected it. In retrospect, Harlow\u2019s commitment to Kangol hats, from the cover art to Paris Fashion Week, were a clear indication that the Gen Z hip-hop sensation was entering his Soulquarian-inspired era. The credits read like a neo-soul dream team, featuring the likes of jazz titan Robert Glasper, the ethereal Ravyn Lenae, and fellow Louisville native James Savage.<\/p>\n Executive produced by Aksel Arvid, the 9-track 28-minute body of work, recorded at the legendary Electric Lady Studios, kicks off with the cheeky yet vulnerable \u201cTrade Places.\u201d The most popular song on the LP also comes with a music video starring Harlow, model Na\u2019Jeen Michelle, and the wintry streets of New York City. Overall, Monica <\/em>is a daring departure that has received mixed reactions, but based on the sonic quality alone, it\u2019s an egoless risk that proves he\u2019s playing the long game. And that\u2019s the best gift an artist can give.<\/p>\n Her name is Momo Boyd<\/a> and the M stands for momentum. Hot on the heels of her recent success on Baby Keem\u2019s first no. 1 on Billboard\u2019s Top R&B\/ Hip-Hop Albums chart, Ca$ino<\/em>, she\u2019s back with a \u201cStrong\u201d solo effort. Boyd has an exceptional way of transmuting the memories you\u2019d rather not revive into the sweetest melodies that you\u2019d rather not forget. The lyrics transported me back to a less than pleasant time, but her hypnotic delivery has me just as hooked as it did on \u201cGood Flirts.\u201d I\u2019ve said it before and I\u2019ll say it again: If today\u2019s rappers are looking for an upcoming singer-songwriter to add character to their songs, Momo Boyd is the one for the job.<\/p>\n I\u2019d be lying if I said I listen to country music regularly, but I\u2019d also be lying if I said this Kacey Musgraves record wasn\u2019t an absolute banger. \u201cAin\u2019t nobody\u2019s tool up in my shed. Ain\u2019t nobody\u2019s boots under my bed,\u201d she sings resignedly on \u201cDry Spell,\u201d and girl, same.<\/em> What could\u2019ve been quite the NSFW song (and video, which at the 33 second mark came quite close) is so cleverly and relatably written, it feels like Musgraves added us to close friends. Celebrities. They\u2019re just like us for real.<\/p>\n I\u2019m always tickled when I see beabadoobee\u2019s name, but also pleased when I hear her voice. Like most of us, I\u2019m a sucker for nostalgia and this song and music video bring me back to the early 2000s in the best way possible. In a time where artists seem to either rely on distasteful AI or otherwise blas\u00e9 visuals, bea\u2019s latest effort is refreshing in that it appears effortless, but not lazy.<\/p>\n \u201cMotion Party\u201d by BossMan Dlow is so short, it finished playing before I finished typing this paragraph. The upbeat track sounds every bit as much as Florida as he is and the flashy, fun music video stands at no. 1 on YouTube\u2019s trending music chart. Fans have been begging for the album and it seems we\u2019re one single closer to it. Until then, Dlow, can I hold a Ben?<\/p>\n I\u2019ve had the pleasure of witnessing James Blake\u2019s range of talents, from engaging DJ sets on festival stages like Gazebo Fest to intimate settings where his heavenly vocals transcend like they did at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church. What\u2019s even more masterful than his curation or vocal abilities, however, is his pen. \u201cTrying Times,\u201d the title track of Blake\u2019s new album, couldn\u2019t be more aptly timed or titled.<\/p>\n What on the surface is a love letter to a current flame can also be interpreted as a resonant message describing our relationship with global circumstances. In a world of uncertainty and turmoil where much can feel hopeless, poignant art such as this is what aids in carrying us through.<\/p>\n SAILORR\u2019s \u201cCOCONUT\u201d music video featuring fellow melodic crooner Eem Triplin feels like an acid trip in the best way possible. Give the editor(s) a raise. The sticky hook will have you singing along by the second time it comes around on the song. I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s Florida\u2019s finest who\u2019s chronically online or someone on her team, but the incorporation of the viral TikTok dance<\/a> was chef\u2019s kiss. Though the song originally dropped last year, it\u2019s a testament to the belief in her catalog for the R&B singer to continue to push her album and bring new life to it through her signature vivid visuals.<\/p>\n This is easily my favorite offering from the XXL 2025 Freshman. There once was a time where the emcee was often compared to Doja Cat due to both appearance and tone, but the more she releases, the more evident it is that she\u2019s her own artist. Not only is Samara Cyn\u2019s \u201coooshxt!\u201d catchy, but the visuals are interesting, and of course she comes with the bars. It\u2019s short and sweet, but feels complete, not like she\u2019s chasing algorithmic success. Ms. Cyn, keep working with these producers because they\u2019re bringing out your best work.<\/p>\nJack Harlow \u2013 \u201cTrade Places\u201d<\/h2>\n
Momo Boyd \u2013 \u201cStrong\u201d<\/h2>\n
Kacey Musgraves \u2013 \u201cDry Spell\u201d<\/h2>\n
beabadoobee ft. The Mar\u00edas \u2013 \u201cAll I Did Was Dream of You\u201d<\/h2>\n
BossMan Dlow \u2013 \u201cMotion Party\u201d<\/h2>\n
James Blake \u2013 \u201cTrying Times\u201d<\/h2>\n
SAILORR ft. Eem Triplin \u2013 \u201cCOCONUT\u201d<\/h2>\n
Samara Cyn \u2013 \u201coooshxt!\u201d<\/h2>\n
HeadHuncho Amir \u2013 \u201cSet\u201d<\/h2>\n