As we approach the end of summer, you can count on this week’s fresh tips to keep the heat going. From the genre-fusion sounds of Kenny Mason and yvngxchris to the sparkling drills of Bronx rapper Ice Spice, we’ve got something for every moment of your week.
West Atlanta native Kenny Mason opens his latest single with a sweet threat: “At 30, I see some n- lurk from the whip/Try me, someone’s saved,” he said with Seemingly innocent rhythm nursery rhyme rap. The track juxtaposes childish and menacing, a joyous synth loop layered with trap drums, with Mason and DavidTheTrgic swapping images back and forth over the two-minute song.
Laid-back singer Armindi is back with Cyclops as usual. The song feels good as the Inglewood-raised singer celebrates her victory and stares at the prize like a fictional Cyclops. While the image features Amindi’s signature buzz, the cover showcases a different look reminiscent of ’90s icons Lil Kim and Faith Evans.
Thanks to the unorthodox singer’s milky melodies and dominant jazz bass lines, Greentea Peng’s latest creation has a mysterious, sensual feel. The track focuses on live instrumental performances by some horn players and a production by Italian producer St Francis Hotel. “[I’ll] let the lyrics in this song speak for themselves and, as always, let yourself interpret and resonate with them,” the singer said of the song on Instagram.
Up-and-coming rapper Yvngxchris is on his way to success. At 17, the newcomer, managed by Pusha T, has more than a million monthly Spotify listeners and has just released his Virality EP on his home label, Columbia Records. The rapper features Milwaukee rapper DC the Don on “QuikkSkope,” a truly cross-genre offering that includes elements of ’80s production, futuristic synths, trap drums, and indie percussion, all in a twist somehow combined.
