23 New Albums You Should Listen To Right Now (Week Of Feb. 26)
This week’s crop of new albums features newcomers, veterans, and everything in between.
It’s way too much work to keep up with the best new albums dropping these days. We’re all stuck in the house, and between all the new shows, movies, and sports, who could feasibly find out about everything that’s dropping lately?
That’s where we come in. Every Friday at Okayplayer, we round up the most intriguing albums to be released in the past week. This week features deluxe editions from Bryson Tiller and Chloe x Halle, albums from Duke Deuce, Shordie Shordie, and more. Take a look and be sure to stream your favorites from the list.
Curren$y — Collection Agency
Photo Credit: Jet Life Recordings
Curren$y’s work ethic is the stuff of legend at this point. On Friday, he dropped his latest offering, Collection Agency. The project features hazy production from Harry Fraud, DJ Fresh, and Trauma Tone and a guest appearance from Spitta protege Larry June.
Rome Streetz & DJ Muggs — Death & The Magician
Photo Credit: Soul Assassins Records
Brooklyn MC Rome Streetz has covered a lot of ground in a short time. From a 2018 collaboration with London producer Farma Beats in 2018, to his latest offering with Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs, Rome keeps pace regardless of the tempo.
Shordie Shordie & Murda Beatz — Memory Lane
Photo Credit: Warner Records
Baltimore crooner Shordie Shordie teams up with Murda Beatz for twelve heartfelt anthems dealing with heartbreak, betrayal, and fame. Come for Murda’s lush production, stay for the raspy Frank Ocean interpolation on “Moral to the Story.”
Photo Credit: Stinc Team
Drakeo the Ruler hasn’t let his foot off the gas since his November 2020 release from a Los Angeles jail. The Truth Hurts is his third project in four months, and comes at a bittersweet time with the very recent death of Stinc Team member Ketchy the Great. Ketchy appears on the project as well as Drake, Icewear Vezzo and Don Toliver.
Bryson Tiller — A N N I V E R S A R Y (Deluxe)
Photo Credit: RCA Records
The release of Bryson Tiller’s third album Anniversary came with a deluxe edition of his debut Trapsoul. With Serenity still in the works, Tiller’s dropped bonus tracks from the Anniversary sessions. This bonus pack features a guest verse from Big Sean, production from Cool & Dre and Sango, and writing from Usher and Jermaine Dupri.
Joe Chambers — Samba de Maracatu
Photo Credit: UMG Recording
On Friday, legendary jazz musician Joe Chambers dropped his first album as a bandleader since 2016’s Landscapes. Samba de Maracatu features nine original compositions with Brad Merritt on the keyboard and Steve Haines on bass.
Page Kennedy — Page
Photo Credit: Kennedy Ent
You may know Page Kennedy from shows like Desperate Housewives, Blue Mountain State or My Name is Earl. In 2017, he released his debut album, Torn Pages. On Friday, he dropped his sophomore effort Page, featuring appearances from Elzhi, Xzibit, and Method Man.
Duke Deuce — Duke Nukem
Photo Credit: Quality Control Music
Memphis MC, crunk revivalist and Memphis jook enthusiast Duke Deuce returns with the highly-awaited third album Duke Nukem. The project features guests like Quality Control teammate Offset, Young Dolph, Foogiano and Lil Keed.
Stunna Girl — STUNNA THIS STUNNA THAT
Photo Credit: Epic Records
Northern California MC Stunna Girl launches her 2021 campaign with Stunna This Stunna That, a 12-track project designed to get you on the dance floor. “I want you to get off the wall,” she said in a press release. “Don’t stand there just to stand there!”
Payroll Giovanni & Cardo — Another Day Another Dolla
Photo Credit: BYLUG Entertainment
Detroit stalwart Payroll Giovanni and Texas-via-Minnesota producer Cardo have become a formidable duo. Their third project together, Another Day Another Dollar, picks up where the Big Bossin series left off, with guest appearances from Larry June and Tamara Jewel.
Fred The Godson – Ascension
Photo Credit: R1CMG
Fred the Godson’s first posthumous album Ascension came on the same day as his home corners in the South Bronx were emblazoned with his namesake. The project is nine tracks of Gordo, no features.
AJRadico — Transit
Photo Credit: Radico Planet
Queens MC AJRadico has been producing, mixing, and engineering his own music since 2016. On Friday, he released Transit, an insular and entertaining eight-track solo project.
Chloe X Halle — Ungodly Hour (Chrome Edition)
Photo Credit: Parkwood Ent
It’s Chloe and Halle’s world and we’re all just living in it. On Friday the duo followed up the premiere of their “Ungodly Hour” video with a deluxe “Chrome Edition” of the album with two extra tracks, “Hazy” and “80/20.”
El Camino — On The 3rd Day
Photo Credit: El Camino
Griselda Records signee Elcamino reaches across the pond to link up with German producer TrickyTrippz for On the Third Day, an EP that has everything from boom-bap and soul samples to spooked-out organs and synths.
Casey Veggies — CG5
Photo Credit: Commission Records
Casey Veggies closes out his Customized Greatly series with a 12-track project with guest appearances from Wiz Khalifa, D Smoke, Nno and Tink.
Nick Hakim — WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD (The Remixes)
Photo Credit: ATO Records
Brooklyn artist Nick Hakim has remixed each track of his 2020 album Will This Make Me Good. For the reworkings, he worked with names like KeiyaA, Pink Siifu, James Krivchenia of Big Thief and indie songwriter Luke Temple.
Curtis Williams — Lightning McQueen
Photo Credit: Palette Records
Former Two-9 MC Curtis Williams teams up with Sango and Palette a spacy, reflective project. The album features 10 tracks, two of which are instrumental only. Nate Fox and Nate Banks come along for the ride.
Gabe Nandez — Ox
Photo Credit: POW Recording
Photo Credit: Jazz is Dead
To say Adrian Younge’s story is impressive would be an understatement. A renaissance man amongst multi-hyphenates, Younge released The American Negro album alongside the Invisible Blackness podcast and accompanying short film. Find all three on Amazon.
Ne-Yo — In My Own Words 15th Anniversary Edition
Photo Credit: UMG Recordings
In honor of the 15th anniversary of his debut, Ne-Yo has released a special deluxe version of In My Own Words. This version features six new tracks including the previously retail-exclusive “Girlfriend” and the “Stay” remix. two of which are live sessions of “So Sick” and Sexy Love.”
Young Buck — Back On My Buck Shit Vol. 3
Photo Credit: Cashville Records
Nashville MC and former G-Unit member Young Buck has quietly been productive of late. Since the pandemic began, he’s dropped the Outbreak EP, Vaccine, and now he returns with Back on My Buck Shit, Vol. 3. The entire project was produced by Drumma Boy, so you can expect a few bangers.
Freddie Gibba x Madlib – Pinata (Deluxe Edition)
Photo Credit: Madlib Invazion
Photo Credit: ThankYouBus
Indiana MC ThankYouBus and Philly producer bylameboy met by chance, thousands of miles away from home. Now in Los Angeles, the duo eventually produced BusBoy, an EP and short film that reflects the highs and lows of working in the City of Angels.