This week brings in Nija’s newest project, Amber Mark’s highly anticipated debut album, and more.
Artists are back in their bag this week, they’re rolling out expressive and noteworthy releases that’ll be a part of the music conversation all year. Amber Mark’s debut album Three Dimensions Deep is one, in particular, that is deeply emotional and a long time coming.
Nija, who has made a name for herself writing hits for top acts has unleashed Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You. On it, she fuses drill, R&B, and other genres making for a solid listen. Pink Sweat$’Pink Moon surfaces and it’s equipped with features by his peers 6LACK, Kirby, Tori Kelly, and more. Elsewhere, KYLE drops It’s Not So Bad and Sinéad Harnett releases a deluxe edition of Ready Is Always Too Late.
Further down in the lineup is Rick Ross who has shared Richer Than I Ever Been (Deluxe) with three new tracks. Then there’s Babyface Ray who released RAY featuring Pusha T, G Herbo, 42 Dugg, Wiz Khalifa, and more. Blocboy JB has also unveiled Bacc 2 Da Blocc, while Chino Cappin’ reveals Permanently Scarred, a 15-track EP. Doe Boy’s OH REALLY is an additional drop that arrived today. Samm Henshaw’s debut album Untidy Soul is bursting with lush instruments and stunning production. Over 16 tracks he offers up a kaleidoscopic release that’s fit for listeners who enjoy new age R&B.
Keep scrolling to check out all the 11 releases we’re into this week.
Amber Mark – Three Dimensions Deep
The album is structured in three acts mapping Mark’s journey at different stages: identifying her own insecurities, working through the messy parts of self-discovery, and finally reaching a solid sense of self-worth. Three Dimensions Deep’s secondary, figurative throughline is inspired by Mark’s love of sci-fi and interest in heady astrophysics theories, a theme that pops up through celestial metaphors in her lyrics that amplify human concerns to galactic size. In Mark’s world, romance hurtles her to another planet, kisses are astronomical, and searching for her place in the world is posed as an all-consuming, cosmic question.
Three Dimensions Deep chimes in at an impressive 8.7/10 on the WOP scale!
Rick Ross – Richer Than I Ever Been (Deluxe)
It doesn't look like Rick Ross is quite done with his latest album Richer Than I Ever Been. The Florida boss has returned with an update to the project that was released a little over a month ago and added an additional three songs with two new features. The Anderson .Paak and AZ assisted add-ons have already began to garnish praise by fans on social media.
In early January, Rozay teamed up with DreamDoll as they unveiled the visuals to their collab "Wiggle", and it's expected that more visuals from the album are on the way. In the meantime, revisit Richer Than I Ever Been, check out the new tracks, and let us know what you think of the deluxe version in the comments.
Richer Than I Ever Been tops in at a 7.2/10 WOP scaled weight!
Pink Sweat$ – Pink Moon
Thanks to tons of shows under the Pink Moon Tour last fall, Pink Sweat$ has responded with a new project of a similar name.
The eight-track effort is one of many collaborative proportions, spending much of his time teaming up with contemporaries such as KIRBY, Tori Kelly, 6LACK, Blxst, and Sabrina Claudio. A duet to check out on this fine work of art is "Real Thing" with Kelly and co-produced by Dante Bowden.
Pink Moon masses in an 8.8/10 on the WOP scale!
Blocboy JB & Tay Keith – Bacc 2 Da Blocc
On Wednesday (January 26), BlocBoy and Keith unleashed their new collaborative mixtape Bacc 2 Da Bloc. The mixtape clocks in at 15 songs with features by EST Gee, Pooh Shiesty and more. The project comes after BlocBoy JB brought fans into his world in the new docu-series Blocumentary.
JB got the hype train moving by unleashing “Home Alone,” “M.E.M 2 Jacksonville” with SpotemGottem, and “Day Day N Craig” off the 15-track album. The Memphis native also dropped an official music video for “Smoke” that finds him living a GTA-inspired life.
BlocBoy & Tay Keith combine for a weigh-in of 6.7 on the WOP scale!
Chino Cappin’ – Permanently Scarred
Georgia's Chino Cappin’ is kicking off 2022 with a new album, Permanently Scarred. The project sees Cappin' team up with Jacquees, PopLord, and more across the 15-song tracklist.
Cappin' returns to the melodic trap sound that made his last album, Ladders, so well-received. Throughout the project, he hits on several topics, such as his troubled past on “Been A Minute” as well as the title track, or drug use on "Ed Edd Eddy."
Chino chimes in a at a 8.3/10 on the WOP scale
Doe Boy – OH REALLY
Cleveland-born, Antlanta-riased rapper Doe Boy isn't leaving any stones unturned on his new album OH REALLY. The 27-year-old emcee's most highly-anticipated album release to-date was released last wednesday (Jan. 26th) with features from the likes of Lil Uzi, Roddy Ricch, Moneybagg Yo, G Herbo, 42 Dugg, Nardo Wick, Ty Dolla $ign, Babyface Ray, and MORE.
The Freebandz-affiliated artist shines on the nineteen-song tracklist, which features production from Tay KEith, ATL Jacob, among others. The album also includes previously released singles "LOW KEY" with Uzi and "AINT MY FAULT" with Rowdy and 42 Dugg.
OH REALLY weighs up to the WOP scale with a 6.9/10!
Babyface Ray – FACE
A level up from 2019’s ‘Unfuckwitable’, ‘FACE’ feels driven by a palpable sense of purpose. The temperature rarely moves above freezing, the rolling 808s combined with eerie electronic elements that blend introversion with ominous paranoia. Opener ‘My Thoughts’ lays out its case, while lead single ‘Sincerely Face’ is a trap panorama; Yung Lean’s punchy guest bars on ‘Overtime’ work perfectly, with Pusha-T’s appearance on ‘Dancing With The Devil’ ratcheting up Ray’s ambitions.
Ruthlessly honest, Babyface Ray uses voice samples throughout to expand on his universe. Moments of support and revelation, perfectly amplifying the mood and tone Babyface Ray has sculpted.
FACE tops off at a 7.0/10 on the WOP scale!
KYLE – It’s Not So Bad
Running back to the muted, soulful pop he made at the dawn of his fame, the 28-year-old exudes a real sense of identity on this independent release, which may have been lost during his two-album major label days with Atlantic Records. Just look at ‘Loves Theme Song’: KYLE hasn’t strayed from nostalgic-sounding tracks, and here keeps those ‘00s-centric warped sounds via acoustic guitars and lilting piano notes. Telling a tale of the perfect relationship (“And the dream team’s strong / I’m a be the shoulder that you lean lean on”), KYLE always keeps it fresh, with the New Orleans bounce sound at the end to go berserk to.
It's Not So Bad slides in with a weight of 7.1/10 on the WOP scale!
Nija – Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Nija has penned hits for some of your favorite artists, and now she steps into the limelight with the release of her debut project Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You. The 10-track offering is a brash and self-assured work—an R&B project that takes cues from hip-hop’s confidence and pairs it with a no-nonsense approach all the singer’s own.
Prior to the project’s release, she blossomed into viral popularity with the release of her debut song “Ease My Mind (Come Over),” which undoubtedly set the tone for what’s to come. Other pre-releases such as “Finesse” and “On Call” appear on the project alongside several standout cuts. Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You, which is executive produced by Jack Rochon (6LACK, Jacquees, Shelley), is a coming of age moment for Nija. She’s been behind the scenes for a minute and now she’s shaking the snow globe with her latest full-length.
Don't Say I Didn't Warn You strikes down an 8.4/10 on the WOP scale to round off the week!
Be sure to drop in every week for our picks of albums you might have missed on your search for new music weekly. Also, don't forget to stream our HOT-25 Playlist for some of the hottest newly released singles throughout the Hip Hop/R&B cosmos. Click below to stream TODAY!
