New Music Friday on May 13 saw two rap powerhouses make their return to music — one with a highly anticipated album, and the other with a collaboration featuring another rap star. One of pop punk’s greatest also returned with a new track. But which release was your favorite?
Kendrick Lamar dropped his fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers — and an expansive world tour not too long after. The album — which features production from Pharrell, Duval Timothy, the Alchemist, Beach Noise, Boi-1da, Sounwave, Dahi, FNZ, J.LBS, Bekon and more — sees the gifted rapper musing on socially conscious topics, everything from wealth struggles and cancel culture to hip-hop’s relationship with transphobia in lyrics deserving of his Pulitzer Prize.
Meanwhile, Post Malone teamed up with Roddy Ricch on “Cooped Up,” the most recent offering from forthcoming album Twelve Carat Toothache. Malone muses on why his comeback has taken so long — a by-product of everyone’s collective cabin fever due to the pandemic — and promises to indulge on the finer things life has to offer now that he has the freedom to do so. Ricch’s assist has a callback to his and Malone’s friendship beginnings as he thanks the “Circles” artist for giving him several career opportunities that allowed Ricch to get to where he is today.
My Chemical Romance announced an expansive reunion tour, but that didn’t necessarily mean new music. So fans of the rock group were surprised when on May 12, the band released “The Foundations of Decay,” a six-minute long track that showcases the band’s penchant for epic storytelling while highlighting Gerard Way’s impeccable vocal range.
Florence + The Machine, The Chainsmokers and Becky G also returned this week, but which release was your favorite? Vote below.
