We’ve almost made our way through June, so let’s make this Hot Music Friday count. Our list this weekend is ripe with vibrant alliances, some of which you wouldn’t have seen coming from a mile away whereas the others just make way too much sense.
From Big Freedia to Curre$y to Devendra Banhart, our picks for this week will transport you to a better place. Dig in!
Hot Music Friday – June 23, 2023
“El Niño” – Big Freedia (feat. Lil Wayne & Boyfriend)
No one knew we needed this. Sometimes, the most unlikely crossovers give us the best music and Big Freedia’s collaboration with Lil Wayne and Boyfriend is evidence of that. Opening Hot Music Friday with “El Niño” was a no-brainer. Give it a listen and you’ll see why.
“PLATINUM” – Tyga & YG
The Compton natives are setting us up for their collaborative album and it’s going incredible so far. After dropping “West Coast Weekend” earlier this month, Tyga and YG are back with a new single and it absolutely slaps. If this is the standard, the joint project is about to be straight fire.
“Rich Problems” – Dave East
Dave East has been nice with it from the start, so it’s no surprise that he’s still holding it down. Smooth on the beat yet hard-hitting with the bars, the New York MC stands out for consistently maintaining a high standard and it shows now more than ever. This one’s for the love of hip-hop.
“Twin” – Devendra Banhart
Musicians who know how to texture their sound with care deserve an eternal shoutout, so Devendra Banhart makes it on this week’s Hot Music Friday list by default. This dreamy cut will have you floating as you drift off into a meditative state — thank us later.
“Odyssey” – Beck & Phoenix
Beck and Phoenix have given fans a peek into their partnership as they prepare to hit the road in August for their Summer Odyssey tour. And the best part about the release of “Odyssey” is that it most likely means the co-headlining trek will feature both acts sharing the stage for at least one song.
“Yellowtail Sashimi” – Steelo (feat. Curren$y)
Curren$y has always put the craft above clout, and “Yellowtail Sashimi” demonstrates exactly why. Steelo is nowhere near as famous and revered as his co-pilot on the song, but he’s hip-hop to the core, which was enough for the New Orleans legend to hop on the joint.
“81” – Travis Thompson (feat. Jake One & Logic)
In the same spirit as the previous track, Logic and Jake One have always put hip-hop above everything else when it comes to their artistry. Travis Thompson, though incredibly talented, hasn’t yet reached the same heights as the artists featured in the song, but that didn’t stop them from working together. After all, sharing a vision is really all you need to create something together.
“Bending Hectic” – The Smile
The enigma is back with a new song! This is particularly thrilling because most people thought Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood’s group, The Smile, was a one-off project that would leave us with one album and one tour. Turns out they’re still in the zone because they’re still releasing music and they still have shows scheduled for the coming months.
