Getty Image/Merle Cooper
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B and afrobeats column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
Brent Faiyaz — Larger Than Life
It’s only been a little over a year since Brent Faiyaz released his second album Wastleland, but the DMV singer is back with a new body of work. Larger Than Life arrives as a 14-track project that feels more like a mixtape, but with features from A$AP Rocky, Missy Elliott, Babyface Ray, Lil Gray, Coco Jones, and more, Faiyaz delivers a body of work that proves that he’s indeed Larger Than Life.
BJ The Chicago Kid — “Long Time”
Later this month, BJ The Chicago Kid will release Gravy, a joint album with super-producer Yeti Beats. The latest preview from that is “Long Time,” a solo record that quite the infectious vibe from BJ as he sings about the “one that got away” long after the relationship’s end.
Destin Conrad — Submissive
Destin Conrad continues to be one of R&B’s brightest gems and his new EP Submissive is proof of that. Making for his third project in as many years and the follow-up to Satin, Conrad delivers nine tracks that find him “submitting to non-physical things, submitting to change, submitting to not knowing.” He accomplishes this with help from Jordan Ward and Masego.
Masego — “You Never Visit Me (Remix)” Feat. Wale & Enny
Seven months after releasing his self-titled second album, Masego breathes new life into it with a new remix of “You Never Visit Me.” The standout track from Masego gets an update with a pair of rap verses from Wale and Enny.
Rema — Ravage
Rema takes another step forward in his crossover agenda with the release of his new EP Ravage. It arrives weeks after his “Pretty Girl” collaboration with Ice Spice, and through five songs, Rema sinks back into his afrobeats while showing off new tricks and styles in the genre.
Mr Eazi — The Evil Genius
Years in the making and Mr Eazi finally checks in with his debut album The Evil Genius. Once a leading voice in the rise of afrobeats in the 2010s, Eazi proves that he hasn’t lost a step or any of his unique qualities over the years. The Evil Genius blends afrobeats, afropop, gospel, hiplife, highlife, and folklore for a unique representation of what afro-fusion can be through its 16 songs.
Blaqbonez — Emeka Must Shine
A year after releasing his album Young Preacher, a project that Uproxx recognized as one of the best afrobeats albums in 2022, Blaqbonez gets back to work with another album. Emeka Must Shine delivers 14 songs with features from Black Sheriff, Victony, Odumodublvck, Ludacris, Young Jonn, and more. “I wanted to create something that not only celebrates my personal journey but also showcases the immense talent and potential that Nigerian hip-hop possesses,” Blaqbonez said about the album.
Alicia Creti — “Crazy”
Meet Montreal singer Alicia Creti whose soaring vocals and incredible range and helping her rise in the R&B and pop world ahead of her upcoming EP Self/Less. With that project still on the way, Creti returns with “Crazy,” a bouncy and vibrant record that explodes at its chorus as she sings about a relationship that pushes her to the edge.
Hennessy — “I’ll Be”
After releasing Time Revealed to close 2022, Hennessy is making sure to end another year with new music for fans. This time we have “I’ll Be,” the follow-up to “Forever & A Day.” The new record is a heartfelt slow jam that’s sultry and drips of honey from start to finish. In the end, it’s a record that stands as one of the best in Hennessy’s catalog.
Erykah Officer — Ery’s Diary
Straight out of the CXR household comes Erykah Officer whose name you may have caught alongside fellow CXR acts Dende and Chris Patrick. Now, she gets her moment to shine with her Ery’s Diary EP. Through six songs, Officer delivers a delicate and vulnerable project that also showcases her sweet vocals and honest lyrics.
Chxrry22 — Siren
Ahead of her tour in Australia and New Zealand as the opener for The Weeknd, who signed her as the first woman to XO Records, Chxrry22 returns with her second EP Siren. It’s a big step up from her debut The Other Side as Chxrry22 widens her artistic range with new collaborations (Vory & Offset) and expanded sounds. “This is a soundtrack to the art of being a siren,” Chxrry22 says of the project.
SuperSmashBroz — Loved Ones
The Boston-based duo SuperSmashBroz, comprised of brothers Muyi Fre$co and Noma Nomz, shared their third album Loved Ones to close out October. The project is drenched with afrobeat sounds like afro-fusion and amapiano and it celebrates collaboration and relationships in and outside of music with help from Wani, Xenia Manasseh, TeaMarrr, Prettyboy D-O, BenjiFlow, Tobes44, and more.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
