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SZA — LANA
SZA is having quite a year. Shortly after collaborating with Kendrick Lamar on “luther” and “gloria,” she announced her role in his upcoming Grand National Tour through North American stadiums. Now, before the year ends, Solana unveils the long-awaited and highly-anticipated LANA, a deluxe version of her 2022 album SOS.
The TDE superstar recently beamed about the LANA material during an interview with British Vogue. “I think I am making music from a more beautiful place. From a more possible place versus a more angsty place,” she explained.
It’s also a bit of a perspective shift. “I’m not identifying with my brokenness. It’s not my identity,” she added. “It’s sh-t that happened to me. Yeah, I experienced cruelty. I have to put it down at some point. Piece by piece, my music is shifting because of that, the lighter I get.”
SZA delayed the album by a few hours. She announced: “Just needed a few more hours for new mixes to ingest evenly across all platforms. Mixes are important. Love you, camp.”
J. Cole — 2014 Forest Hills Drive (10 Year Anniversary)
J. Cole has been on a nostalgic journey this year. After dropping Might Delete Later and bowing out of the year’s biggest rap feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, the Dreamville boss went on to release his early mixtapes on digital streaming platforms. He’s also unveiled an “Inevitable” audio series that looks back on those projects. But now, for his latest move on that nostalgic front, Cole World unleashes the 10-year anniversary edition of his acclaimed album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive.
Cole is also dropping some unheard material in this iteration of the project. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony appear on one of eight tracks that were reportedly slated to appear on the original before being shelved for a decade. “Home Soon,” “Die Together,” and “Judgement Day” are among the LP’s other unheard songs.
Many consider this one of if not the best J. Cole album. Cole, who recently performed the project at Madison Square Garden for an anniversary show, also believes this is a pivotal body of work. “There was an album that felt like a championship,” he told ESPN last year. “That was a championship run in a way I would look at how the Bulls look at The Last Dance. That was the feeling.”
He went on to explain that the album’s significance goes beyond the accolades. “Guess what? That album didn’t win a Grammy,” he says. “A Grammy didn’t increase my enjoyment or decrease my enjoyment. If that album had won a Grammy, it wouldn’t have changed my experience. The fact that it didn’t win didn’t change my experience. That was what a championship felt like to me.”
Burna Boy — “Bundle By Bundle”
Burna Boy has been all over the tabloids this week, but now the attention moves squarely back on his music. The global superstar, who was recently spotted hand-in-hand with Chlöe Bailey, is back with another new single, “Bundle By Bundle.”
Burna approaches the dance-ready new track with his signature voice and flow. “When it comes to class, I be teacher,” he commands from the jump. “Half a million dollars, when I smile for the picture / That’s why I don’t put no ice in my liquor.”
The song, produced by Telz, is also all about the dough. In fact, that’s where the “Bundle By Bundle” title comes from. “When we throw the money, we dey throw ‘em bundle by bundle,” he sings.
Burna Boy recently dropped the songs “Higher” and “Tested, Approved & Trusted.” This year, he also teamed up with Usher for “Coming Home” and 21 Savage and Metro Boomin on “just like me.”
Gunna — “Got Damn”
Gunna continues his hot streak. This year, he made waves with his One of Wun LP. Since then, he joined The Kid Laroi, Offset, and Normani for features. More recently, he unveiled his “Him All Along” and now he’s back with “Got Damn.”
He uses the thumping instrumental as a backdrop for some thoughts above the clouds. “On the private jet / I don’t get no rest / I want my respect / I’ve been running up the check,” he raps.
Soon, he turns his attention to his good fortune. “Got damn, a n—a fortunate / Every day locked in, I made Ms off my voice / I know how to win, get you in on the sauce / Head up with my chin up, I ain’t got no other choice.”
Gunna recently spoke with XXL about how he continues to expand his horizons as an artist. “I just want to keep being more creative,” he said. “Keep doing things that feels good and that you didn’t know that Gunna could do, or you wouldn’t expect this sound from Gunna. Or, ‘Damn, Gunna came back with this signature sound,’ and just showing you, like, this longevity.”