This week’s New Music Friday features fresh releases from Jhené Aiko, EST Gee, Ro$ama, Tinashe, Victoria Monét, Rema, NAV, Young Thug and more.
September is already shaping up to be a busy month for music. This week brings one of R&B’s most anticipated returns, a handful of new rap projects and plenty of collaborations worth adding to your weekend rotation. From Jhené Aiko’s first album in six years to new music from EST Gee, Tinashe, Victoria Monét, Quavo and more, here are some of our favorite releases from the week of September 11.
New Music Friday Picks
Jhené Aiko – Westside Whimsy (Album)
Six years after Chilombo, Jhené Aiko is finally back with a full-length project, and Westside Whimsy easily feels like the biggest release of the week. The 20-track album finds Jhené leaning back into the dreamy, intimate R&B that has always worked best for her while also celebrating her Los Angeles roots. Kendrick Lamar reunites with Jhené on “So Good,” while Ab-Soul, Larry June, Tyga and OHMA also make appearances. It’s a long album, but Jhené’s music has never really been about rushing to the destination. Westside Whimsy feels more like somewhere you settle into, and after a six-year wait, that feels appropriate. Since it’s dropped, fans have been quick to try and speculate who certain songs are about, with many suggesting Big Sean. She’s since shut down those rumors.
EST Gee – Bigger Than The Devil (Album)
EST Gee stays firmly in his lane on Bigger Than The Devil, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Louisville rapper’s 17-track project is rooted in the gritty storytelling and matter-of-fact delivery that have made him one of street rap’s most recognizable voices. This time, though, there’s a little more reflection behind the toughness. Gee touches on survival, loyalty and how his life has changed while still delivering the kind of records his core audience expects. YFN Lucci, Skrt and members of his EST circle appear throughout, but Gee remains the clear centerpiece. It’s heavy, focused and sounds exactly like an EST Gee album should.
Rio Da Yung OG – The World Is Yours (Album)
Rio Da Yung OG keeps his momentum going with The World Is Yours. The rap star has always had a way of making even his wildest bars sound like something he casually thought of five seconds before stepping into the booth, and that style of rap remains a big part of his appeal here. Throughout the project, appearances include Veeze, Trippie Redd, Rylo Rodriguez, Tierra Whack, Lil Yachty, and more.The project doesn’t feel overly polished or calculated, which works in his favor. Instead, The World Is Yours sounds unmistakably like Rio: funny, unpredictable and packed with the kind of quotable lines that make you run a song back just to make sure you heard him correctly.
Ro$ama – My Forte (Album)
Ro$ama takes a major step forward with his debut album, My Forte. The East Texas rapper packs 20 tracks into the project, pulling from family, ambition and the experiences that have shaped his rise so far. BigXthaPlug and Monaleo are among the guests, while the accompanying “E.T.” video brings things even closer to home with appearances from Ro$ama’s mother and twin daughters. For an artist still introducing himself to a much wider audience, My Forte feels like a pretty comprehensive introduction. There’s plenty of Texas rap DNA throughout, but the more personal moments help give Ro$ama an identity beyond simply being another name to watch from the region.
414JungleBaby – Everybody Watching (EP)
414JungleBaby keeps the momentum going with his new EP, Everybody Watching. The Atlanta-based rapper has already been pushing the project with “Movie,” and this week he returned with a visualizer for another standout, “I’m Him.” The EP is a solid introduction to an artist still building his name, with 414JungleBaby leaning into the confidence and energy you’d expect from an emerging Atlanta rapper without overcomplicating things.
Singles
Rema – “Oh No”
Rema continues making music built for movement with “Oh No.” Produced by Rvssian, the single pulls from afropop, dancehall, reggaeton and kompa while keeping Rema’s melodic instincts at the center. It’s playful, flirtatious and immediately catchy, which is a combination he has pretty much mastered at this point. “Oh No” follows “Tea” and offers another glimpse into the world Rema is building around his next project. The accompanying visual was also shot around Los Angeles, pairing colorful city backdrops with a more romantic side of the Nigerian star. It doesn’t reinvent Rema’s sound, but honestly, when the formula feels this effortless, it doesn’t need to.
Tinashe – “Pillow Fight” / “I’d Rather Be Alone”
Tinashe gives us two completely different moods ahead of Popstar. She dropped two singles this week. “Pillow Fight” is playful, sexy and energetic, while “I’d Rather Be Alone” slows things down and lets her more vulnerable side take over. Together, the songs are a good reminder of how much range Tinashe actually has. Her independent-era run has allowed her to get increasingly comfortable jumping between pop, R&B and experimental sounds without losing her identity, and these two records continue that streak. With Popstar arriving September 25, the bigger question now is how all of these different sides of Tinashe will come together across a full project.
Victoria Monét – “Juicy”
Victoria Monét knows how to make R&B feel polished without sanding away its personality, and “Juicy” is another example. The latest preview of her upcoming album Frequency of Love is driven by smooth guitar work and Monét’s warm vocals, giving the record a slightly nostalgic feel without sounding stuck in another era. Babyface has a writing credit, while D’Mile, Spencer Stewart and Michael Brun contribute to the production. It’s sensual without trying too hard to announce itself as sensual, which is probably why it works so well. With Frequency of Love arriving October 2, “Juicy” makes a strong case that Victoria’s next era could be even smoother than the last.
Quavo ft. T.I. – “Backwards”
Two different generations of Atlanta rap meet on Quavo’s new single “Backwards” featuring T.I. The collaboration is interesting before you even press play. T.I. helped define Atlanta’s mainstream rap rise years before Migos completely shifted the city’s sound, so hearing the two together feels like a small full-circle moment. “Backwards” is also another preview of Quavo’s upcoming album QRÖMELIFE, executive produced by Pharrell Williams.
Tee Grizzley, Skilla Baby & Ashanti – “Rain”
Tee Grizzley and Skilla Baby linking up makes perfect sense. Adding Ashanti is what makes “Rain” a little more unexpected. The record brings together two generations and two very different corners of hip-hop and R&B, giving Tee’s latest release a crossover element without completely abandoning his Detroit foundation. It also arrives as Tee continues rolling out his upcoming album They Forgot. Tee and Skilla already have natural chemistry as fellow Detroit artists, but Ashanti is the curveball that makes this collaboration worth checking out. Sometimes the most interesting New Music Friday records are the ones where the feature list makes you stop scrolling for a second, and “Rain” definitely does that.
Rakim, Kurupt & Masta Killa – “Rabbit”
Rakim, Kurupt and Masta Killa continue bridging coasts and eras with “Rabbit,” the latest release from their upcoming collaborative album The Godbody. There’s something refreshing about hearing three veteran lyricists make a record centered around bars without attempting to chase whatever happens to be trending right now. The larger project brings together East and West Coast hip-hop and is set to feature Snoop Dogg, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, KRS-One, Daz Dillinger, Kool G Rap and more. With The Godbody arriving September 18, “Rabbit” feels less like a nostalgia play and more like three artists reminding listeners why longevity in rap still matters.
Fat Nwigwe ft. Tierra Whack – “QUEEN [The Whack Version]”
Fat Nwigwe taps Tierra Whack for “QUEEN [The Whack Version],” and creatively, the pairing makes a lot of sense. Both artists have built worlds around their music that extend into fashion, visuals and performance, so Tierra’s unconventional approach fits naturally into Fat’s already colorful universe. The updated version expands on Fat’s original “QUEEN” while giving Whack enough room to bring her own eccentric personality into the mix. More than anything, the collaboration feels intentionally weird in the best possible way. Neither artist seems particularly interested in fitting neatly into one box, and that shared sense of individuality is what makes the record work.
