As January winds down and everyone settles into the first quarter, we’re getting a flurry of music from across the spectrum. It’s the time of year when artists are actually ready to let you know what they have been cooking for the first few months, and this week does not disappoint.
Obviously, J. Cole’s new surprise mixtape is a very big deal, and we get some sultry grown folks R&B from the eternally youthful Mya. On his new project, DaBaby embraces growth, while Wiz Khalifa embraces his acting chops and also delivers a new soundtrack for his film. Meanwhile, Dave East and Joyner Lucas join forces for a new track that brings out the best in both.
Tems is giving us some stripped-down soul, as is Terrace Martin on his latest. Bay Area godfather E-40 is prepping a new album, and we’ve got a new single from Thundercat as a precursor to his upcoming full-length, as well. Oh and by the way, Alchemist and Budgie just dropped and we’re getting a duet from Kelly Rowland and Method Man.
Each week, Okayplayer will deliver a roundup of all the latest new heat from some of our favorite artists. Check out the latest offerings in our playlist below:
NEW SONGS
MYA - “ASAP”
Co-produced by the singer herself alongside Lamar “MyGuyMars” Edwards, the mid-tempo track is centered on themes of communication and honesty in a relationship. It has already debuted as one of the most added records at R&B radio, and Mya says the song is addressing reaching a “crossroad.”
YATTA BANDZ - “MEMORY LANE”
The Bay Area rapper is one of the West Coast’s most talked-about emerging talents. And he drops a winner in this introspective trap tune, reflecting on the end of a once unbreakable romance.
DAVE EAST & JOYNER LUCAS - “TRAFFIC”
Two emcees doing what they do best. East is the calm, Joyner is the storm. Over production by High Honors, they deliver a mission statement that sounds like two rappers throwing down the gauntlet.
JAMAL ROBERTS - “HEAD UP”
He broke through big last year, winning American Idol and winning over the support of fans. He’s earned a Grammy nomination and delivered a powerful performance of the national anthem.
BRANDY HAZE - “NEED YOUR LOVE”
Produced by Davon Lavor and Liston Gregory III, it’s a song that centers on mutual attraction and emotional clarity. Lyrically, it’s all about capturing a moment that feels instinctive — rather than over-explained.
MIKE WILL-MADE-IT FEAT. SWAE LEE - “ROCKSTAR RAGING”
He’s set to face off against Hit-Boy (more on that guy later) in a highly-anticipated Verzuz battle, so what better time to drop a new single? A perfect combo of bombastic production and infectious delivery from Swae.
FREDO BANG - “YOUNG READY”
He’s always showcased an uncanny versatility and his latest is meant to be an anthem. It’s an undeniably infectious track, with production that perfectly complements him throughout. Bang at his best.
EJ JONES FEAT. BIGXTHAPLUG - “GAS STATION LOVE” (REMIX)
Who doesn’t love this song? A great single gets reworked with a stellar guest spot from Big X and new life gets breathed into a track that was already a killer.
BENNY THE BUTCHER - “SQUEEZE FIRST”
Over a dark backdrop of heavy drums and a sinister groove, Benny delivers some of his sharpest lyricism and grittiest storytelling. It makes for powerfully evocative music.
FREDO WITH BURNA BOY AND STEEL BANGLEZ - “BIRTHDAY”
An excellent party track. It’s such a vibe and it already sounds like summer in the dead of January. A catchy single that sounds perfect for a weekend soundtrack or a low-key getaway.
E-40 FEAT. CHEF BOY - “PESOS”
Produced by DJAYCP, the new track is the first single from E-40’s upcoming album, Rule Of Thumb: Rule 2. The pair has serious chemistry and the song benefits from both 40’s legendary wordplay and unmistakable flow as well as Chef Boy’s melodic hook.
THUNDERCAT FEAT. LIL YACHTY AND FLYING LOTUS - “I DID THIS TO MYSELF”
The team up we didn’t know we needed. An insanely funky Thundercat bassline, along with a banging beat makes for a standout single from the upcoming Distracted — Cat’s new album dropping in the spring.
ROD WAVE - “FEED THE STREETS”
The new single features piano driven melody and Wave dropping emotionally-fraught lyrics about the responsibility that comes with success. Another example of how he can be one of rap's most introspective and vulnerable lyricists.
BNYX FEAT. KID CUDI - “EVERYWHERE I GO (REMIND ME)”
The producer continues to make his transformation into full time artist, with a grooving track that features an appearance from Cudi. A song that wouldn’t have sounded out of place 20 years ago.
KELLY ROWLAND FEAT. METHOD MAN - “COMPLICATED”
Of course, this was going to happen — and it’s enough to make you wish they were really an item. The R&B star and the rap legend bring their onscreen chemistry to this tune from their new romantic comedy, Relationship Goals.
TEMS - “WHAT YOU NEED (A COLORS SHOW)”
A beautifully soulful and elegantly stripped-back performance of her track, a unique blend of Afrobeats and contemporary R&B that she channels so effortlessly. And she teams up with COLORS to bring a fresh sound to the platform. Undeniable chemistry.
HIT-BOY - “SEX IN THE CITY GIRLS"
There ain’t many workin’ harder than Hit-Boy right now. The rapper/superproducer has been dropping music in a frenzy for the past almost year, and on his latest, he bemoans the end of another relationship after he “thought I had one.”
APOLLO BROWN - “NIGHT MOVES”
Brown returns with another beautifully hazy instrumental. Sounding somewhere between '90s boom bap sounds and something much, much more atmospheric, his latest is a testament to his less-is-more approach and ability to evoke the vibes of his predecessors while trying something new.
MAX B FEAT. SHYST VADER - “ONE AND ONLY”
He hasn’t stopped moving since he touched down. Max teams up with North Carolina product Vader for this street-rooted record that manages to feel both timeless and current.
NEW ALBUMS
J. COLE - ‘BIRTHDAY BLIZZARD ‘26’ (EP)
Listen to Birthday Blizzard '26 here.
You have to admit that Cole is always going to do things his way. With the whole world eagerly awaiting The Fall Off, the legend out of North Carolina drops a surprise mixtape. To hear it, you have to go to Cole’s official website.
TERRACE MARTIN - ‘PASSION’
The Los Angeles product melds jazz, R&B, hip-hop and soul in a way that never feels forced or calculated, all the while exploring themes of love, vulnerability, growth, and freedom. Beautifully human work.
WIZ KHALIFA - ‘MOSES THE BLACK SOUNDTRACK’
Wiz is kicking off 2026 by reminding everybody who he is. The rap vet follows his most recent studio album, Khaotic, with this soundtrack to his film alongside Omar Epps. He is making some noise and it’s not even February.
DON TOLIVER - ‘OCTANE’
He’s locked in, full speed, rolling with no brakes and fully present in what he’s creating. The title is more than appropriate for an artist who sounds like he’s not holding anything back this time around.
DERIC - ‘MELODIES & MOOD SWINGS III’ (EP)
Melody and mood are his strong suits, as he’s proven for years now with his pen and his knack for infectious tunes that blend hip-hop, trap and R&B. His latest proves that his series is still as inspired as it ever was.
GLOKK40SPAZ - ‘BABY WHOA 2: DELUXE’
The rapper out of Atlanta is giving fans a deluxe edition of his Baby Whoa 2, and the sequel to his 2022 project. He expands on what made that particular album a standout, while also making it clear that he’s got more in the chamber.
DABABY - ‘BE MORE GRATEFUL’
The rapper finally delivers the ambitious 23-track project, one that finds him at a musical and professional crossroads. It’s the sound of him going deeper and allowing himself to grow, as the title suggests–embracing gratitude and humility.
JORDAN WARD - ‘BACKWARD’
The burgeoning superstar has shown a knack for channeling classic soul sounds without ever sounding deliberately revivalist, and his second album is a continuing step into his own style and aesthetic as an artist. The richness of the past with a purely progressive spirit.
ALCHEMIST AND BUDGIE - ‘THE GOOD BOOK, VOL. 3’Purchase THE GOOD BOOK, VOL. 3 here.
The pair decided to take a unique route for their latest; you can’t stream it on traditional DSPs. But the third volume of their acclaimed series stands as a strong new step into a bold direction, an evolution as much as it is a new installment of an existing series.
