One question ruled last weekend’s cultural conversation: Am I the Drama?
Doubling as the title of Cardi B‘s sophomore studio album, which finally arrived on Sept. 19 after a seven-year wait, Am I the Drama? dominated the weekend thanks to jaw-dropping disses (“Magnet” and “Pretty & Petty”), new music videos (the Kehlani-assisted “Safe”) and a packed promo run that brought the BX rap queen across the country on a mini meet-and-greet tour. Notably, Drama earned a RIAA Platinum certification on release day thanks to the pre-release consumption of the Hot 100 No. 1 hits “WAP” (with Megan Thee Stallion) and “Up,” which close the 23-track album. Also including the pre-singles “Outside” and “Imaginary Playerz,” Cardi’s new set looks poised to make a big debut, following in the footsteps of her Billboard 200-topping debut LP, 2018’s Invasion of Privacy.
On the R&B side of things, Brandy put a special spin on Kehlani‘s buzzy hit “Folded,” which recently became the highest-charting solo song of her career on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 34, chart dated Sept. 20). Although Brandy’s remix is still MIA on streaming platforms, fans may be able to hear version of “Folded” on The Boy Is Mine Tour, which she’ll co-headline alongside Monica this fall. The 24-city trek will visit major arenas across the U.S. and feature special guests Kelly Rowland, Muni Long, Coco Jones and American Idol season 23 winner Jamal Roberts.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from a new Jay Electronica joint to Nippa and Cash Cobain’s new collaboration. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
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Gabriel Jacoby, “The One”
Ascendant South Carolina native Gabriel Jacoby hit a home run with his new single, “The One.” A spunky and funky ode to an undeniable love, “The One” finds Jacoby blending warbling guitars, a seductively raspy falsetto and earthy percussion to get his message across. “I’ve waited on someone like you/ To move with me darlin’/ Until the morning arrives/ I’ll be the one,” he promises in an earnest, soulful tone in the pre-chorus. Produced by Jacoby, Matt Zara, Pera Krstajic and Two Fresh, “The One” is a breath of fresh air that picks up on the undercurrent of funk that’s coursed through contemporary R&B all year. — KYLE DENIS
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Jay Electronica feat. Dr. Wesley Muhammad PhD, “Ashes to Ashes”
Not sure if you noticed, but Jay Elect dropped a bunch of music over the weekend, and while some have some head-scratching song titles, there are songs like “Ashes to Ashes” that remind you why he’s still such an interesting character within the story of modern-day rap music. He said on one of the tracks that he gave Jigga 19 albums, so maybe we can expect more music from the melanated carbon-dated Phantom of the Chakras. — A.D.
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Nippa & Cash Cobain “Sum’n Serious – Slizzy Mix”
Nippa’s “Sum’n Serious” gets a fresh update with a “slizzy mic” featuring Cash Cobain, who brings his signature sexy drill sound and an interpolation of Keyshia Cole’s “Trust” to the already heartfelt track. Originally featured on Nippa’s Hope She Hears This album in May, the song was co-written by the North London artist (born Jordan Adebiyi), Cobain and an extended lineup of talented composers and lyricists. Production comes from WhoJiggi, Sons of Sonix, and Ralph “Foreign” Wright Jr., providing warm R&B textures that underscore Nippa’s vulnerability. Cash Cobain’s contributions infuse the track with grit and sensuality, expanding the song’s emotional depth while keeping Nippa’s rising star power front and center. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXON
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Amber Mark, “Too Much”
Ahead of joining Sabrina Carpenter on the latest leg of her Short n’ Sweet Tour, buzzy R&B artist Amber Mark has unveiled the latest taste of her forthcoming Pretty Idea LP. “Too Much,” the new Julian Bunetta-produced single, finds Mark adding a hip-hop edge — both in delivery and production — to a slick interpolation of Usher and Alicia Keys’ “My Boo,” making for a Y2KN R&B/pop fantasia that retains the essence of 2020s language and attitude. — K.D.
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keiyaA, “Take It”
It looks like we’re finally getting a follow-up to the critically acclaimed Forever, Ya Girl — and I, for one, couldn’t be more excited. Last month, she dropped off “stupid prizes,” the lead single for her upcoming album Hooke’s Law, and over the weekend, we got “Take It,” a song I would like to see performed in a smoky jazz club somewhere in the city. If you’re not familiar with her game, I suggest you tap in, because she writes and produces everything herself, and it doesn’t sound like anything else out there at the moment. — ANGEL DIAZ
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Ilham, “Love Away”
Queensbridge-born Moroccan-American artist ilham blends alternative pop, R&B, and house on “Love Away,” a standout from her long-awaited independent EP uhm…ok?. Co-written with Lita and Major Myjah, the new song combines lush melodies and driving rhythms to explore the intensity of devotion in a committed relationship. Produced by Al Shux and Fallen, “Love Away” balances passion and protectiveness as ilham pleads, “Don’t give my love away,” capturing both the desire for closeness and the need to safeguard a bond. Her layered vocals also help turn deeply personal experiences into a universally resonant R&B-pop hybrid. — C.C.
