R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Moses Sumney, FLO, Kitschkrieg & More
The Olympics are still in full swing, so, naturally, Snoop Dogg and Beyoncé continue to be central figures at this year’s Games.
Between cheering on a horse named Gin & Juice alongside longtime collaborator and friend Martha Stewart and starting an impromptu dance party with Simone Biles, Snoop Dogg would take home the gold medal if there was an Olympic event for best celebrity personality. After introducing Team USA with “Ya Ya,” Queen Bey used another Cowboy Carter track — the Willie Jones-assisted “Just for Fun” — for a special commercial commemorating Simone Biles. The Beyoncé-women’s gymnastics crossover didn’t stop there; all three women who made the podium in the floor excise final used Beyoncé tracks in their routines. Gold medalist Rebecca Andrade (Brazil) tumbled to “End of Time,” silver medalist Biles (USA) included “Delresto (Echoes)” in her mix, and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles (USA) soared to a medley of “Black Parade,” “My House,” “Cuff It,” “Energy” and Destiny’s Child’s “Lose My Breath.”
In non-Olympics news, Kanye “Ye” West and Ty Dolla $ign finally unveiled Vultures 2, Drake and Partynextdoor announced a new joint album due this fall and The LOX delivered an instant classic Tiny Desk performance.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from FLO’s latest banger to Moses Sumney’s new heartbreaking ballad. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
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Freshest Find: Moses Sumney, “Love’s Refrain”
Ominous choral coos, haunting snaps and a range-traversing vocal performance are the grounding elements of “Love’s Refrain,” the stunning closer to Moses Sumney’s new Sophcore EP. “I lied/ I’m in love all the time/ I fetch for the kiss of death, unrequited,” he opens the first verse, carefully setting up a gut-wrenching story of unrequited, love compounded with this confines of heteronormative friendships and the fluidity of platonic and romantic relationships. A master of chilly, introspective electronic R&B, Sumney’s voice is particularly soulful here; his yearning holds centuries’ worth of literary longing.
Mudbaby Ru, “40 Mo’ Reasons”
Following the viral success of his brash “40 Sum Reasons” single, Mudbaby Ru spins the block to double down with the charismatic “40 Mo’ Reasons.” Hailing from Arkansas, Ru narrates vivid street tales while comparing himself to legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick and bragging about sleeping with an opp’s baby momma while dancing on his grave. A hilarious exchange with Siri adds a comedic touch to the track’s outro. It’s about that time for Mudbaby’s major label debut album.
FLO, “Check”
FLO has garnered a lot of love for their references to Y2K pop&B, but they keep those allusions to the visuals for their latest single, “Check.” Accompanied by a music video that pays homage to Beyoncé’s “Check on It,” the U.K. girl group lay their pristine harmonies over a skittering backbeat just short of Miami bass. In essence, it’s FLO meets PinkPantheress… so don’t be surprised if you come across a remix featuring the chart-topping artist ahead of the trio’s appearances on Kehlani’s upcoming Crash World Tour.
Sugarhill Ddot & PnB Rock, “Lamborghini Dreams”
PnB Rock was tragically murdered on the West Coast in September 2022, and nearly two years later, his first posthumous guest verse lands on Sugarhill Ddot’s 2 Sides of the Story debut album. Rock’s croon opens the lucid “Lamborghini Dreams,” where he eerily touches on death. “Almost died behind the whip, I had to slow down,” he sings. The Harlem native colors outside the lines of his melodic drill world and name-drops Soulja Boy and Doja Cat in the same bar. Ddot is the first artist signed to the revamped Priority Records and hopes to make a statement in the drill lane with his new debut LP, featuring Hunxho, Skilla Baby and more big guests.
JPEGMAFIA, “I’ll Be Right There”
Introduced by a warped sample of Jade’s career-defining hit “Don’t Walk Away,” JPEGMAFIA fires off several warning shots to his haters with his latest single, “I’ll Be Right There.” The pitched-up harmonies give the illusion of a sinister gospel choir, which plays well with the snarl Peggy employs in his verses. Steady percussion and shimmering strings round out the soundscape, over which he spits, “Y’all keep on thinkin’ I’m playin’ the hand I was dealt/ Yeah, until the same hand get a grip on that bitch/ Y’all want none of them problems/ Y’all want none them issues.” Several modes removed from the rave-provoking feel of his previous I Lay Down My Life For You singles, “I’ll Be Right There” slyly flips classic new jack swing romance into a bone-chilling warning straight from the roots of gangsta rap.
Kitschkrieg Feat. Future, Mariah The Scientist & Fridayy, “Slow Down”
Oktoberfest meets Magic City. German production trio Kitschkrieg invites a star-studded guest crew to invade the dancefloor on the woozy “Slow Down.” Future, Mariah The Scientist and Fridayy join forces to make up a melodic rap-R&B cocktail. Pluto’s star shines the brightest as his syrupy flow has become bulletproof while spanning different genres. He paints a raunchy picture while opening up about some of his wild escapades — blowing six figures on women, getting fellatio on FaceTime and sipping lean out of his Grammy trophy. Look for more genre-blending collabs on Kitschkrieg’s forthcoming German Engineering Zwei album, which arrives on Nov. 15.
