5 New Albums You Need to Hear This Week

Shy Glizzy — Young Jefe 3

Six years after the release of Shy Glizzy’s breakout mixtape Young Jefe, and four years after its sequel, the DC veteran completes the trilogy. His nasally flow remains potent as ever. Young Jefe 3 features Lil Uzi Vert, Meek Mill, Ty Dolla $ign, Jeremih, G Herbo, NoCap, and more, with production from Buddha Bless, Zaytoven, and Trauma Tone, among others.

Kamaiyah & Capolow — Oakland Nights

Oakland Nights, the new joint mixtape from Kamaiyah and Capolow, is all sleek, hard-hitting West Coast funk. The two Bay Area rappers trade melodic bars over sinewy baselines and spacey synths, while RJmrLA and the legendary Keak Da Sneak provide guest features. Feel-good raps about getting paid, hooking up, and enjoying life’s finer things make for an immensely enjoyable 24-minute listen.

Read our feature interview: Black Excellence: How Kamaiyah Is Achieving Indie Success

Moneybagg Yo & Blac Youngsta — Code Red

After apparently eschewing separate solo projects for a joint mixtape, two of Memphis’ biggest names unite for Code Red, with Blac Youngsta’s animated personality proving a fitting complement to Moneybagg Yo’s unflinching drawl. A mix of collaborative and solo tracks, the two are joined by DaBaby, Yo Gotti, 42 Dugg, City Girls, Pooh Shiesty, and more.

Watch Moneybagg Yo perform "U Played" for Fine Tuned.

Armani Caesar — THE LIZ

Over the last year, Griselda has grown their brand of upscale grime from Buffalo blog darlings into a burgeoning rap empire through sheer force and consistency. Armani Caesar, the label’s newest signee, slots in cleanly alongside Westside Gunn, Conway and Benny. THE LIZ, her GxFR debut, showcases a similar passion for designer clothes, technically proficient shit-talking, and beats straddling the line between dusty and warped boom bap and plush soul samples, with an added trap element not typically associated with her label.

Read our feature interview: Armani Caesar Is Ready for Her Star Moment

Toosii — Poetic Pain

Syracuse-born, Raleigh-raised artist Toosii is signed to South Coast Music Group (SCMG), the label home of DaBaby, and he seems well-positioned to be the next big rap name from the Carolinas. His sound—melodic and emotional rap&B—and his storytelling prowess have made him very popular in a short amount of time, and February’s Platinum Heart has already racked up over 20 million streams. Follow-up Poetic Pain doubles down on the formula across 17 tracks, with guest spots from Lil Durk and Summer Walker.

Watch our Own The Label interview with Arnold Taylor, founder and CEO of SCMG.