This week’s playlist began as an 80 song mess (we need to relax), and has been meticulously whittled down to a carefully curated list of 25 songs that will be sure to meet all your sonic needs, with selections ranging from Yves Tumor to YNW Melly to ICYTWAT. After a long series of battles with each other and with ourselves—wherein I refused to remove my NGeeYL song and Jalen removed and then re-added “LITE SPOTS” on two separate occasions—we give you our (dare I say) masterpiece, AFTR PRTY Radio Week 3! Our five highlights of the week include fresh releases from Duwap Kaine, Forevatired, NGeeYL, and Joey Bada$$, and, of course, a celebration of DS2’s 5th anniversary.
“The Percocet & Stripper Joint” by Future
Today we celebrate the 5th anniversary of the release of Future’s third studio album, Dirty Sprite 2. Building off the momentum of three mixtapes, DS2 ultimately peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200, making history as the Atlanta trap giant’s first #1 album. Produced primarily by Metro Boomin, Southside, and Zaytoven, DS2 is full of an energized darkness.
What better way to pay homage to Future, DS2, and the summer of 2015 than to listen to "The Percocet & Stripper Joint."
"Under Da Sun 2" by Duwap Kaine
Last month, Savannah, Georgia native Duwap Kaine dropped Underdog II, his second project of 2020, following up on his 2018 debut album Underdog. Over the past few years, the independent 18 year-old rapper’s unique sound has earned him a dedicated SoundCloud following. In characteristic fashion, Underdog II includes no features, but boasts production from a familiar cast of characters, including Nine9, BrentRambo, and Duwap Kaine himself.
“Under Da Sun 2” (prod. Nine9) showcases fuzzy 808s beneath hazy synths that cut out to make way for emphasized adlibs, as well perfectly pitchy harmonies swimming in autotune.
"DEVIL FRUIT" by Forevatired
Earlier today, Abuja-born, Lagos-based 11-member group (or as Lawrence Burney puts it, “Nigerian boy band”) Forevatired gave us the gift of THOSE KIDS NEXT DOOR. The group’s debut mixtape provides a fresh, experimental escape from reality with an effervescent pop-infused hip-hop sound that immediately draws you in. “DEVIL FRUIT”, originally released as a single for the project, combines the futuristic with the nostalgic: playful, glistening synths and zippy percussion are joined by adlibs reminiscent of early 2000s R&B backup vocals.
Lock in for 21 minutes (god knows we all have 21 minutes to spare these days) and run this tape front to back for an enchanting escape from a dull quarantine Friday.
“Redbone” by NGeeYL
Though NGeeYL is signed to 300 Entertainment amidst hip-hop giants such as Young Thug, Lil Keed, and Megan Thee Stallion—and a Young Nudy feature on his sophomore album, Hiatus, has racked up about 850,000 streams on Spotify—his music remains objectively underplayed and, in my opinion, drastically underappreciated.
On Live Ammo, the Spartanburg, SC rapper delivered exactly what he formerly promised with singles “Real Smoke” and “Firefly,” bringing his distinctive, effortlessly relaxed flow to trap-heavy production bursting with 808s. While the layered synths in “Redbone” made it an easy staff pick, other album highlights include a production credit for jetsonmade (another one) and a standout feature from Lil Keed.
“Shine” by Joey Bada$$
Joey Bada$$’s latest release, The Light Pack, is the Brooklyn rapper’s first solo project since 2017. The EP features a Pusha T collab sandwiched between two beats from Statik Selektah, a fellow PRO ERA member who has been producing for Joey since his debut mixtape, 1999.
On “Shine”(feat. Chicas & Chana O’Ferral), the project’s third and final song, Joey’s mellow flows cascade over an instrumental beat built around a sample of Roy Ayer’s “Everybody Loves the Sunshine.” The 25 year-old rapper reflects on the impact of his past and present success, as well as looking towards building his future legacy: closing out his first verse, he raps: “Fuck buyin’ cars, though, I’m buyin’ back my masters / ‘Cause it ain’t just the cash that I’m after.”
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