New music releases are picking up in the back half of the first month of 2021. This week, Rowdy Rebel dropped “Re Route” with Funk Flex, his first major release since being released from prison last year. In honor of his 26th birthday, Joey Badass dropped his smooth single “Let It Breathe.” DJ Scheme and Juice WRLD also formally released the posthumous track, “Buck 50,” while Billie Eilish and ROSALÍA teamed up for their Spanish language collaboration “Lo Vas Olvidar.” This weeks’ list also includes songs from BRS Kash, Duke Deuce, Rich the Kid, Lil Skies, and more.
Follow our Best New Music playlist on Spotify and continue for this week’s picks.
Rowdy Rebel & Funk Flex, “Re Route”
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On his first single since being released from his seven-year prison sentence in December 2020, Rowdy Rebel teams up with Funk Flex for a dizzying drill record. “Re Route” finds Rowdy Rebel spitting over booming bass as he raps about his return to rap and wealth. He also shouts out Pop Smoke and sends a warning to his murderer. “It ain’t no option, R.I.P. to Pop Smoke/ If we find out who did it, y’all know we gon’ pop them,” he raps. According to Funk Flex, the song and video were recorded and shot all in one week.
Joey Badass, “Let It Breathe”
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“Let It Breathe” is a smooth, jazzy record where Joey Badass skates over Statik Selektah production as he discusses life, death, and legacy. “Want you to celebrate me like I’m dead already/ Like this crown up on my head is heavy,” he spits. He also talks about his impact in New York, rapping, “I hold weight in my city, they still ain’t see me sweat/ I lift the whole game with a finger, quarter.” “Let It Breathe” is a reflective record that was released in celebration of Joey’s 26th birthday on Jan. 20.
Juice WRLD & DJ Scheme, “Buck 50”
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On “Buck 50,” Juice WRLD keeps it real as he raps about seeking vengeance on anyone who tries to attack him. “Try to run on me, we gon’ bust semis,” he sings. Juice is suspicious of haters as he raps, “Hatin’ on me, but they wanna be just like me, I know/ Jealousy is one of the ugliest things to show, oh/ Poppin’ A-215s, the only thing that numbs.” “Buck 50,” Juice’s collaboration with Carlton, appears on the deluxe edition of DJ Scheme’s album, FAMILY.
Billie Eilish & ROSALÍA, “Lo Vas Olvidar”
![In their first single of 2021, Billie Eilish and ROSALÍA team up for the bilingual track, “Lo Vas Olvidar,” which translates to “you will forget it” in English. The record is a slow-burning and dark song where the first-time collaborators join in reverent and muted harmonies over synth-heavy bass. “I actually think it’s so beautiful and it’s not something I feel like I’ve done,” Billie Eilish told Zane Lowe of the collaboration. “She [ROSALÍA] just opened a little channel in me that I hadn’t tried out before.” “Lo Vas Olvidar is part of the soundtrack for HBO’s Euphoria.](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8TsWkuWWXgc/mqdefault.jpg)
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In their first single of 2021, Billie Eilish and ROSALÍA team up for the bilingual track, “Lo Vas Olvidar,” which translates to “you will forget it” in English. The record is a slow-burning and dark song where the first-time collaborators join in reverent and muted harmonies over synth-heavy bass. “I actually think it’s so beautiful and it’s not something I feel like I’ve done,” Billie Eilish told Zane Lowe of the collaboration. “She [ROSALÍA] just opened a little channel in me that I hadn’t tried out before.” “Lo Vas Olvidar is part of the soundtrack for HBO’s Euphoria.
BRS Kash f/ DaBaby & City Girls, “Throat Baby (Remix)”
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BRS Kash tapped DaBaby and City Girls for the remix of his breakout record, “Throat Baby,'” and it’s even nastier than the original. DaBaby kicks things off with a raunchy verse, singing about getting pleasure everywhere from the car to Lowe’s. City Girls’ Yung Miami starts singing out seductive commands, while JT lays down Auto-Tuned vocals, saying, “My throat crazy, he gon’ keep hurtin’ you/ My throat crazy, straight jacket, white suit.” BRS Kash appears on Complex’s Rappers to Watch in 2021 list.
Kota the Friend, “Pomegranate”
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“Pomegranate” is a reflective record where Kota the Friend takes a moment to celebrate the things he once took for granted. “You take for granted certain shit/ Like never worryin' if she fuck with you 'cause you rich/ Or friends feelin' like they deservin' of what you get,” he raps. Kota also works through the stress and emotional weight that comes with fame and fortune. With only one verse, “Pomegranate,” sounds like a therapeutic journal entry.
Duke Deuce, “Soldiers Steppin”
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“Soldiers Steppin” is a rowdy record that finds Duke Deuce yelling as if he’s a drill sergeant. The track continues to bring crunk music back to the mainstream, as Duke raps, “Left right, right left/ Choppas swinging when we step/ We can tell they scared/ Got them pissing on they self/ 2020 fucked up, so we back up on that crunk shit/ Hater violate, I bet I don’t go out like no punk bitch.” “Soldiers Steppin” is an energetic record you’ll want to add to your weekend playlist.
Rich the Kid f/ Mulatto, Flo Milli & Rubi Rose, “Nasty”
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Rich the Kid tapped three of rap’s newest stars for his new record. On “Nasty,” he unites with Mulatto, Flo Milli, and Rubi Rose, as they lay down raunchy bars over a Buddah Bless beat. While Rich the Kid celebrates his girl’s skills on the dance floor and in the bedroom, Mulatto hops on, showcasing different flows as she raps, “Demon time, I give him hell, sound like an angel when I’m on it.” Flo Milli flaunts her attitude as she brags about her body and skills, while Rubi Rose is the epitome of lust, rapping, “Boy, this a movie, have you ever made a flick?”
PnB Rock f/ King Von, “Rose Gold”
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While “Rose Gold” starts off slow with melodic piano keys, the bass soon kicks in, transitioning to an uptempo beat. On the track, PnB Rock brags about his designer jewels, new whips, and his arsenal of weaponry. The song also features a posthumous verse from Chicago rapper King Von, who raps about fallen friends and lethal tendencies. “These lil boys can’t fuck with me/ Four-five Glocks, they stuck to me/ I be in your dreams, you can’t even sleep, you think about touchin’ me,” he spits. “Rose Gold” arrives two months after King Von’s tragic death in late 2020.
Lil Skies, “Take 5”
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“Take 5” is a melodic record that finds Lil Skies reflecting on his fortunes and his hunger for more. “I got new money, I spend it to waste time/ You truly are dummy to think you could take mine,” he sings on the chorus. He also looks back at the times when he had nothing, rapping, “I was down for so long, I did minimum wage/ Lifestyle lookin’ average, I was stuck in a cage/ Ran it up at fourteen, I knew I had to get paid.” “Take 5” appears on Lil Skies’ new album Unbothered.
Smino, “MLK Dr”
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“MLK Dr” is a trippy record in which Smino daydreams while walking down Martin Luther King Drive. “I just seen a Martian right off Martin Luther King/ Said his luvrecraft just caught a flat, like, bitch, just fix the streets/ That’s why I hate comin’ down to Earth, I couldn’t fo shit but agree,” he raps over Phoelix and Kal Banx production. The new record, which is Smino’s first release of 2021, arrived on MLK Day on January 18.
