New Music Friday is starting off with a bang, with three heavyweights coming out of the gate swinging.
Drake kicks things off with “HABIBTI (FOMO Deluxe),” adding four records that listeners first heard through his “FOMO” film. The new additions are “Solar Eclipse” featuring Don Toliver, “Québec,” “Cold Shoulder” featuring Don Toliver and Yebba, and “Classic PT2.” “Solar Eclipse” is especially notable because it transforms Ella Langley’s massive country hit “Choosin’ Texas” into a Drake and Don Toliver collaboration. Meanwhile, “Classic PT2” extends a song from the original “HABIBTI,” giving the deluxe a direct connection back to the album instead of simply functioning as a pack of unrelated leftovers.
Yung Miami is also making noise with “2008,” officially kicking her “Watch Dis” album campaign into another gear. The upcoming project will mark her debut solo album following the end of City Girls, and Miami is not pretending the transition has been effortless. In the album trailer, she admits, “I don’t know how some days I built the courage to go in the studio to even record.” Still, her message heading into the rollout is considerably less vulnerable: “I’m back to pop my [expletive], and I want everybody to watch dis.” The new songs follow “Spend Dat” as Miami continues establishing what her music sounds like without JT standing beside her.
Then there is Quavo, whose third solo album “QRÖMELIFE” comes with Pharrell Williams serving as executive producer and a guest list that does not play small. The 14-track project includes Offset, Future, Lil Baby, Yung Miami, T.I., Justin Timberlake, Tyler, The Creator, A$AP Rocky and Pharrell. Previously released records “HAAVIN,” “Trance,” and the T.I.-assisted “Backwards” also make the cut.
However, “Away” featuring Offset carries some extra weight. The collaboration reunites the surviving Migos members on Quavo’s solo album as the two continue rebuilding creatively following Takeoff’s death. Quavo says the album itself came together while he was still navigating grief. “We made this project together last year at a time when I was still dealing with grief and needed to create and express myself.”
That makes this New Music Friday less about one sound and more about artists moving into their next chapters. The weekend playlist has options. Keep scrolling to discover even more new releases.
Yung Miami – “2008” (single)
Lil Nas X – “World’s Greatest” (single)
Rob49 – “Girls Girls” (single)
Lucky Daye – “Talk To Me” (single)
Russ – “Come Back To Me” (single)
2Rare feat. Amerie – “Buss Down 1 Thing” (single)
Drake – “Habibti FOMO Deluxe” (album)
Quavo – “QROMELIFE” (album)
Victoria Monet – “Frequency Of Love” (album)
Ari Lennox – “Vacancy: Late Checkout” (album)
NoCap – “Heaven On Mars” (album)
