Life is moving fast once again. I just finished moving in to my new apartment at my college and setting up everything in my room. School starts this Monday and I am very nervous, but at the same time excited. A lot of big things are on the way for me and I can’t wait. I just really need to focus on my workload and keep pushing to be the best I can be. However, I always remember to post my “songs I’m listening to” every single month. Another 10 new songs to list off of the playlist. Maybe one day one of these lists will include a song from a new Meek Mill album, or DONDA. One can only hope. Let’s get into it.
1. Lil Baby & Lil Durk – That’s Facts
I just can’t stop listening to this album. It is currently my album of the year pick, until someone finally drops, and it has been in my rotation nonstop since it dropped. Both Durk and Baby’s chemistry is palpable throughout the whole project and especially on songs like this you can hear the true talent from each artist. One thing that stands out to me on this collaboration is that both Durk and Baby equally balance each other. Neither “carries” the other throughout the whole project. Both artists are at the top of their game right now, and they are getting ready to go on tour together starting on September 1st.
2. YNW Melly & Lil Uzi Vert – Mind of Melvin
YNW Melly has dropped another album from behind bars. This time he dropped one on August 13th with features from Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, and Lil Tjay just to name a few. The 22 year-old has been in prison for a murder case since February 2019, but has been still putting on some big songs. “Suicidal” has been Melly’s biggest release since his arrest, earning a posthumous remix from Juice Wrld. There has never been a denial of the Melly has, it’s just the fact that the young rapper can’t stay out of trouble. After several delays of his trial, no one really knows if he even has a chance to get out. I hope that everything in his case goes smoothly and that we don’t lose another great young artist to death, due to him facing the death penalty.
3. Don Toliver – Bang Bang
Donny Womack is an incredibly underrated and overlooked project by Don Toliver, and “Bang Bang” is one of the highlights. Since it’s release three years ago (August 2nd, 2018), “Donny Womack” has served as a benchmark for the quality that the Houston artist has released over the years. Many fans were introduced to Toliver on Travis Scott’s “ASTROWORLD“, which was released a day after “Donny Womack”, but they should go back and give this project a listen.
4. Yung Bleu – Contract Killers
Yung Bleu’s work has not gone unnoticed by many, including myself. The Mobile, Alabama native made an appearance on last months, “songs I’m listening to” article and I don’t think this one will be his last. He has tremendous potential and his versatility is what is going to eventually take him to the top of this game. “Moon Boy“, although it didn’t smash the charts, is a great piece of work and is hopefully just the start to Yung Bleu’s career.
5. Jack Harlow ft. Chris Brown – Already Best Friends
Jack Harlow is a great artist, not just a rapper. If you in any way doubt his abilities, I advise you to go watch his Lollapalooza performance this month. His crowd control, vocal range, and his rapping stamina impressed me greatly. I watched the performance and immediately went back to his album, “That’s What They All Say” to look for some more hits. Now I know this song got really big because of the TikTok trend, which Jack even mentions during his performance at Lolla, but the song itself is great on its own. “Already Best Friends” is definitely not my favorite Jack Harlow song, but it’s the one that is going through my speakers at this time. Looking forward to hearing new Jack Harlow sometime in the future.
6. The Kid Laroi – BAD NEWS
Once I saw that Laroi signed to Scooter Braun for management, I knew that the industry machine was going to be behind him. And now two months later, Laroi has had the #1 song in the country for the past two weeks with “Stay”. With the “F*CK LOVE” chapter coming to a close for the 18 year-old Aussie, Laroi has turned his focus to his debut album, which he says will come out in 2022 on the song, “I DON’T KNOW“. I foresee a lot of pop features and big collaborations in Laroi’s future.
7. Smiley ft. Drake – Over the Top
Prada and Gucci, it don’t go togetherrrrr. This song became a meme on TikTok due to Smiley’s alleged “fumbling” of a Drake feature but I always like his part in the song. I think it was the Toronto accent and sound that threw most people off. I mean, if Drake signed him to OVO Sound then he must be somewhat decent right? People got to stop having these bad reactions so quickly and then just following others. It’s a new sound, you have to get used to it.
8. PartyNextDoor – TRAUMA
Toronto has apparently taken over this list. This was an album that in my opinion was overlooked due to the fact that The Weeknd dropped the week before. “PARTYMOBILE” is a great album but due to the so-called nostalgia that Party’s first project has attached to his fanbase, ti was never given the respect it deserved. With artists like Party and Migos, sometimes their own fanbases never let them their first big release. This album is full of hits and I will stand on that. Let’s see if we hear from Party for another two or three years.
9. Rod Wave – What’s Wrong
This man simply never misses. One of the best artists in the game right now. If anyone is going to be at his concert on October 3rd in DC, you will see me there. Hopefully it’ll be front row but we shall see. Not much needed to discuss here, go listen to the track and come back to tell me if I need to any more words here.
10. Blxst & Bino Rideaux – Pop Out
Two artists on the rise from LA linked up and made a mixtape, and it did not disappoint. I’ve always been a fan of Blxst’s sound and I’ve heard Bino Rideaux all the way back on Dave East’s “P2” album three years ago. So to hear “Pop Out” was a breath of fresh air for me. It’s a smooth track that can be played at any gathering. I just need another solo Blxst project like, “No Love Lost“.
And there you have it folks, the August edition of “songs I’m listening to” is now complete. I have a big couple of months ahead and I hope to give you all more content on both the music and sports side. Until next time, this is YSN, signing out.
