As Joey Bada$$ handles California cats like Ray Vaughn, Reason, AzChike and Daylyt on his lonesome, it looks like the West Coast isn’t giving up last year’s “Not Like Us” and GNX-feuled momentum without a fight. Over the past few months, Joey has been heralding his return to the rap game with slick boom-bap tracks that have given way to a legitimate coast vs. coast battle. Although his real target is Kendrick Lamar, Joey — and his West Coast adversaries — have helped maintain the competitive, bars-focused spirit of hip-hop at the forefront of the genre as 2025 rages on.
While that battle has largely been kept on wax and in good faith, other hip-hop/R&B stars have courted more sinister controversy over the past week. On Thursday (May 15), a court granted Grammy-nominated singer and actress Halle Bailey temporary physical and legal custody of her son Halo, whom she shares with her streamer-rapper ex-boyfriend DDG. The ruling came one day after Bailey secured a restraining order against DDG, alleging physical and verbal abuse.
On Friday (May 16), Drake shared a petition urging Calif. Governor Gavin Newsom to pardon Tory Lanez, who’s currently serving a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted on three felony counts tied to his shooting of Megan Thee Stallion in July 2020. That same day, Chris Brown was denied bail during a court hearing for his assault charge in Manchester, England; he remains in police custody with an “inflicting grievous bodily harm” charge, which has been tied to a February 2023 London nightclub attack allegedly involving the Grammy-winning singer.
In other news, Trey Edward Shults’ Hurry Up Tomorrow, a psychological thriller film that serves as a companion piece to The Weeknd‘s Billboard 200-topping album of the same name, opened with a paltry $3.3 million at the domestic box office.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Latto’s new summertime banger to Jvck James’ first release after a two-year hiatus. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
-
Freshest Find: Latto, “Somebody”
This time last year, we were a month and a half away from Latto gifting us a summer anthem with her now-Grammy-nominated “Big Mama.” This week, the ATL MC is back for round two. “Somebody,” produced by key Sugar Honey Iced Tea collaborator Pooh Beatz, finds Latto infusing her Drake-esque melodic rap cadence with the sunny spirit of Jamaica, which is where her younger sister, Brooklyn, directed the track’s official music video. “You make it so hard to be P/ Got me wearin’ my heart on my sleeve/ I be missin’ you soon as you leave/ Damn, really missin’ you soon as you leave,” she spits in the second verse, oscillating between a Big Mama-fied lothario and girl who’s simply catching feelings. — KYLE DENIS
-
R2R Moe, “Midnight Club”
R2R Moe is the next drill artist to blow up out of New York. The Harlem native puts his angelic spin on sexy drill while taking the next step in his ascension with the arrival of his sophomore mixtape Road 2 Riches, Vol. 1. Moe separates himself from Cash Cobain’s sexy drill lane with moody tracks such as “Midnight Club,” which showcases sonic versatility while staying true to himself. The entire project is well worth a listen for drill savants looking for a breath of fresh air. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
-
Jvck James & Stormzy, “Easier Done Than Said”
“Easier Done Than Said” is a sensual tug-of-war about proving love through action instead of talk. Jvck James opens the song acknowledging that lavish gifts still leave his partner doubting his love for her, so he offers something more convincing: physical presence and demonstrable care. The hook insists that showing beats telling, because words breed hesitation while deeds silence second-guessing.
Stormzy’s verse deepens that theme; he flips between playful bravado and genuine vulnerability, confessing he ditched his pride and “took the wrong approach,” yet is now ready to kneel and “make a pledge.” His string of cheeky innuendos covers a core admission: months of emotional cat-and-mouse have proven words unreliable, so commitment must be felt, not argued. Together, the pair contrast flashy promises with tangible devotion, concluding that love’s credibility lies in lived experience: it’s easier done, held, touched and shown than endlessly said. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
-
Rome Streetz & Conductor Williams, “Rule #4080”
Rome and Conductor dropped off the lead single and video for their upcoming album Trainspotting. Based around Industry Rule #4080 that record company people are shady (first introduced by A Tribe Called Quest in 1991 on their song “Check the Rhime”), the independent Brooklyn MC puts us up on game on how to maneuver the rap game in 2025 — and he’s doing it over majestic loops provided by the Conductor. — ANGEL DIAZ
-
Savannah Ré, “Go’ Head”
For her first independent full-length project, Canadian R&B star Savannah Ré pays tribute to the divine feminine across 11 tracks that deepen and expand the soulful sonic profile she established with her Opia album and previous EP. “Go’ Head,” a Western-infused party anthem produced by her husband, Yogi the Producer, and Boi-1da is an instant standout on the three-time Juno Award-winner’s new project. Built around a finger-picked guitar loop, Savannah delivers a party anthem that’s a welcome deviation from her midtempo comfort zone. “She ain’t never lied, she a real one/ Bust it open wide in the middle/ Make that shit bounce, let it jiggle/ All my bitches live and they with it/ Acting like they need love/ I’m just tryna get some,” she croons in the chorus. — K.D.
-
Sabrina Claudio, “Memory Foam”
Sabrina Claudio is gearing up for the release of her Fall in Love With Her album (out June 6), and she gave fans a final taste of the project with the LP’s poignant closer “Memory Foam.” Claudio’s feathery vocals glide over guitar strings as she reflects on leaning on a best friend to fill up her cup and recharge after being drained by toxic relationships. “My heart’s like a blade of grass/ You can cut it to pieces, but it keeps growing back,” she resiliently sings. — M.S.
-
Thee Sacred Souls, “We Don’t Have to Be Alone”
“We Don’t Have to Be Alone” finds Thee Sacred Souls gently dismantling the idea that companionship must be wrapped in declarations of “I love you.” Over buttery horns and unhurried drums, lead vocalist Josh Lane tells a potential partner that wanting each other tonight is reason enough to close the gap between two lonely hearts; no grand labels, vows, or lifelong promises are required. By repeating that “lonely days lead to lonely nights” but “we don’t gotta be alone,” he reframes intimacy as a simple, honest choice made in the present moment. For them, authenticity is measured by honesty and mutual warmth, not by conventional milestones. “We Don’t” offers a comforting invitation to share tenderness without pressure, reminding listeners that genuine connection can thrive outside the rigid boundaries of traditional romance and titles. — C.C.
-
TiaCorine, “Ironic”
“Let’s get fly and smoke some chronic/ That sh— be so ironic.”
Lines like that, combined with her delivery, are what make TiaCorine one of rap’s most unique artists. You never know what you’re going to get when you hit play on one of her songs, but one thing is for certain — shorty is gonna get some bars off. Produced by Kenny Beats, her latest single and video is a testament to the Carolina MC’s commitment to being different, interesting and creative. Hopefully, this means we’re getting a new project this year — maybe she and Kenny have talked about doing a tape together. — A.D.
