The FIRE EMOJI playlist is just about the closest to a meritocracy that you’ll find in the realm of hip-hop. Every selection is made with the utmost scrutiny, without a single inclination towards the negative. Case in point: this week’s biggest risers aren’t without their pitfalls.Think about it. NAV rode his retirement streak to relative boredom, only to return to the racket re-energized. Ironically, NAV and high-energy don’t compute at least on a sonic level. Say what you will about the NAV “you want to see in this world,” but at the end of the day, the haunting backdrops that appear limiting to some, are really where he gains those merit points. “Price On My Head” with The Weeknd is a fine example of this demonstrable quality.

Rich The Kid’s The World is Yours 2 was the other major release to come out this week. To mark the occasion, our editorial staff chose “Fall Threw” featuring Gunna and Young Thug to grace the list. It goes to show you just how much RTK’s output is pockmarked by famous guest appearances. At a certain point, it might be worth noting how adaptive he is to this arrangement. Rich, and his Culkin-esque persona, find a way to surprise us, always in the subtlest manner possible.

Lastly, the FIRE EMOJI playlist shines a light on Jacquees’ latest collaboration with Lil Baby, further cementing the r&b singer worthy of self-adulation. You’re probably wondering how Jacquees’ one song manages to squeak atop our ranking systems, but the real answer is readily apparent.

The resident Cash Money vocalist mixes an r&b sensibility more commonly associated with the peak modern era in the 90s, with his signature lyrical musings… oh and a Lil Baby sprouts up in the middle order of “Your Peace.” 42 Dugg, Lizzo, Post Malone, Lil Skies, PnB Rock, and Big Sean also figure on the playlist this week, don’t sleep on it for one second.

 

Advertisement