New Music Friday is covering completely different corners of the conversation this week. Remy Ma has plenty to get off her chest on “Alimony,” Tee Grizzley is using “They Forgot” to remind listeners exactly who he is, and Tinashe is embracing the “Popstar” title after years of carving out her own lane. Three releases, three very different statements, and enough new music to keep the weekend busy.
Remy Ma leads with “Alimony,” a surprise six-track EP that finds the Bronx rapper putting her perspective back at the center of the conversation. The project features production from Hitmaka, Ron Browz, Platinum Sellers, Juice Dukes, DJ Mac and Crash Dummy, while Tink appears on “Cry in the Wraith.” Remy also brings Keke Wyatt into the mix for “Why I Get Married?,” which arrived with a visual that leans heavily into wedding imagery before flipping the celebration into something much darker. The EP also includes her previously released “W.Y.F.L.” More than anything, Remy is framing “Alimony” around women having the conversations that usually happen once the door closes and the group chat opens.
Meanwhile, Tee Grizzley has a reminder of his own with “They Forgot.” The Detroit rapper’s 16-track album arrives through 300 Entertainment and includes “Back Ina Yams,” “Hard Times” featuring Hurricane Wisdom and “No Effort 2,” a sequel to his 2017 fan favorite “No Effort.” There is also “Rain,” which pairs Tee with fellow Detroit rapper Skilla Baby while incorporating Ashanti’s vocals, bringing an early-2000s R&B memory into a distinctly Detroit record. The title tells you where Tee’s head is. “They Forgot” is positioned as a reminder of the storytelling, technical rapping, and street perspective that powered his rise from “First Day Out” onward. Even the tracklist plays into that mission, with titles including “Detroit Public Schools,” “Survival Skills,” “Grizz They Need You,” “Robbery 10,” and “Finally Made It.” If anybody actually forgot, Tee brought 16 reminders.
Then Tinashe switches the entire mood with “Popstar,” her 16-track album released through Nice Life and Atlantic Records. The project follows the momentum surrounding “Nasty” and her “Quantum Baby” era, but “Popstar” is not built around simply recreating one viral moment. Instead, Tinashe moves through pop, R&B, electronic textures and dance music while leaning into the performance-heavy identity she has spent years building on her own terms.
The rollout already gave listeners “Too Easy,” “Crash Out,” “Melatonin,” and “Pillow Fight.” Now, the complete album adds records including “Empty Stadium,” “I’d Rather Be Alone,” “Nobody Wanna Dance Anymore,” “The Show Must Go On,” “Brainrot,” “Cloud 9,” and the title track. Notably, all 16 songs are credited solely to Tinashe with no featured artists. For an artist who spent years proving she could build outside the traditional major-label box, calling the album “Popstar” feels less like an aspiration and more like planting a flag.
This New Music Friday has no shortage of personality. Remy Ma is turning real-life tension into bars, Tee Grizzley is making sure his résumé stays fresh in everybody’s memory, and Tinashe is putting a name on the era she has been building toward. Now the only question is which one gets the first spin. Take a scroll below to update your playlists.
Big Mama German – “No Hands” (single)
Leon Bridges – “Watch You Dance” (single)
John Legend, Pharrell Williams – “Fireflies” (single)
Kirk Franklin feat GloRilla – “This Time” (single)
That Mexican OT feat. OC Chris – “I Can’t” (single)
Babyface Ray – “Nothing” (single)
G-Eazy feat. Ty Dolla Sign – “JFK” (single)
Remy Ma – “Alimony” (EP)
Tee Grizzley – “They Forgot” (album)
Tinashe – “Popstar” (album)
