Best Songs of the Week Featuring Drake, T-Pain and More
It's been a busy time in hip-hop, with some of the big names in the game reasserting themselves. While Drake and T-Pain are never really "gone," the songs they let fly this week are a solid reminder of their legacies. They kick off this week's edition of XXL's best songs of the week.
While Drake's "God's Plan" dropped early Saturday morning (Jan. 20), it's just too huge to ignore since it dominated this week. The celebratory track chronicles Drake's road to rap superstardom, with its highs and lows. There is also a diverse crew of producers credited with the beat, including both Boi-1da and Cardo. Ever-gracious for everything he's accomplished, the 6 God uses this moment to give thanks. "Turn the O2 into the O3, dog/Without 40, Oli, there would be no me" he raps, thanking his OVO counterparts. "Imagine if I never met the broskies!"
T-Pain, who has multiple classic songs under his belt already, has returned to music over these last few years after a short hiatus. Earlier this week, he posted a video teasing a new freestyle over Kodak Black and XXXTentacion's hit song, "Roll In Peace." Soon after, he released his twist on the track online. T-Pain flows on the beat like a natural, shouting out Florida's wave of buzzing young rappers. "Niggas must wanna bleed, they don't wanna play my beat/Niggas ain't rats where I'm from so they don't fuck with my cheese," he spits aggressively. "Every Florida nigga coming up, that is that shit that I like to see/Every Florida nigga saying that they the only Florida nigga/That shit don't sound right to me."
As you know by now, Migos released their highly-anticipated new album, Culture II. One of the catchiest songs on it is the third track, "Narcos." In addition to rapping on the song, Quavo co-produced it with DJ Durel. He kills the hook, singing, "Straight out the jungle/This real rap, no mumble," freeing his group from an unfair criticism they've faced in the past. Offset easily runs up and down the beat, spitting, "Hey, cold gang with the cocaine/The more money make more rain/Pourin' up a pint while I'm baggin' propane/Point blank range give a nigga nose rings" in his typical staccato flow. Not one to be out-rapped, Takeoff warns just how far he'll go for some payback. "I just put a pack on the way to Bogota/Poke his eyes out, ain't no tellin' what he saw," he threatens. "I'ma wire his jaw, I don't know if he will talk/Get the chainsaw and I'ma saw his legs off."
Kent Jones has always had a good feel for what a catchy song should sound like, and his latest, "Merengue," is no exception. The self-produced track is about finding the girl of your dreams, and aiming to woo her with your dance moves. The song is just fun; something that will sound great during a night out on the town. "I just wanna let you know/I'ma take this dance never let you go," Kent sings. "I know how you really feel if the rest don't know/She said I ain't really trying to profess you know."
Harlem's own A$AP Rocky has been teasing new music for quite some time, and turned that into reality this week. The first of his three new songs this week is "5ive Stars," featuring DRAM. Rocky brags minimalistic beat like he never left. "Gave the Uber man five stars/Left the restaurant, five stars/I was fuckin' with a five star," he rattles off with ease. "She done fucked about five stars, sidebar/Pull off, all the kids fightin' like, 'That's my car.'"
Our last song this week comes from a singer, which is somewhat rare here. Jhene Aiko and Swae Lee's "Sativa" caught on from nearly the moment it was released last September. She's decided to give her fans a treat, freeing a remix that adds the other half of Rae Sremmurd, Slim Jxmmi. The song itself is about Jhene's love for marijuana, and Jxmmi's new verse adds onto that feeling. "I'm on them indicas, I can't even lie, I'm feelin' 'em," he admits. "She ain't into them guys, who do it miniature/ I didn't mean to keep on waitin'/I hope I reach your expectations."
Listen to the best songs of the week below.
See New Music Releases for January 2018