This friday finished a surprisingly strong week for new music, with new projects from Gucci Mane & Future, Nipsey Hussle, Owen Bones, Rapsody, and Trapo dropping over the past few days. Check out today’s new releases, which ranging from up-and-comers (Kevin Abstract & 6lack) to established greats (E-40 & Eminem).

AKTHESAVIOR – Blessings in the Grey 2

Formerly known simply as AK, AKTHESAVIOR is half of New York rap duo the Underachievers, popular helping bring the Beast Coast movement to the forefront, along with Flatbush Zombies and the Pro Era collective. Blessing in the Grey 2 is the sequel to a free mixtape AK dropped in 2014, and features Melo and Cree Ikuko. The Underachievers have yet to release an album since signing to Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label, but check out the duo’s latest mixtape, It Happened In Flatbush.

Bruno Mars – 24k Magic

“Uptown Funk” is one of the most overplayed songs of the last couple years (next to “Happy“), but it marked an important transition in Bruno Mars’ career: after two albums of light pop, spawning top 40 hits like “Grenade“, Mars’ finally made the transition to full-blown, James Brown-inspired funk that fits his voice so well. 24k Magic is a short album, clocking in at just nine tracks, but with no features it’s the perfect opportunity for Mars to flex his soulful new sound. The title track is already the standout radio hit, but songs like “Versace on the Floor” bring back the retro sound of 90s soul ballads. 24k Magic is the throwback funk record Bruno Mars always should’ve made.

E-40 – The D-Boy Diary

The D-Boy Diary serves as both E-40’s 23rd and 24th album, clocking in at a whopping 44 tracks. The California legend has had a long and storied career on the West Coast, from working with 2pac and beefing with Biggie in the 90s to collaborating on some of the biggest hits from the past couple years (“I Don’t Fuck With You“, “10 Times“, “Dope Dealer“). G-Eazy, Gucci Mane, Mistah F.A.B., Jay Rock, Kid Ink, Casey Veggies, Lil B, D.R.A.M., and Kamaiyah are only a handful of the album’s many features. It’s an ambitious project, but just the kind of consistently massive output we’ve come to expect from the man who brought California’s Hyphy movement to the mainstream.

Eminem – Infinite (Remixed & Remastered)

Eminem’s first album, released in 1996, went largely under the radar after limited distribution and almost no radio play; it would take a couple years for Dr. Dre to discover Em and help put out the Grammy-winning Slim Shady LP. 20 years after its debut, Infinite is receiving the remaster treatment from Jeff and Mark Bass, the album’s original producers. On top of simple remastering, the tracks are being remixed to fit the more sample-heavy, maximalist production of Em’s later albums. The album will be available, but in the meantime the title track is available as a preview.

Kevin Abstract – American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story

Young rapper Kevin Abstract blew me away with his debut album mtv_1987, with a sound that blended sounds from Gambino, Frank Ocean, Kanye West, and Tyler, the Creator into a genre-defying album that showcased the young artist’s remarkable talents. American Boyfriend is receiving a lot more press than his debut, since Abstract started being managed by Christian and Kelly Clancy (the managers behind most of Odd Future), and all of the single (“Echo“, “Empty“, “Yellow”, and “Miserable America”) have shown an absolute maturity in his sound. The album is a incredibly personal portrayal of personal identity and growing up in a place that refuses to accept you, as Abstract details his first same-sex relationship. Expect a full review of this album in the next week or so.

Termanology – More Politics

Massachussets rapper Termanology has had a long career working with the likes of Statik Selektah, Westside Gunn, and KXNG Crooked. Statik is responsible for most of the production on More Politics, Termanology’s fourth album, along production veterans Just Blaze, Q-Tip, Hi-Tek, and Dame Grease. Both Westside and KXNG show up as feature credits, along with Joey Bada$$, Bun B, Conway, and Styles P.

 

6lack – Free 6lack

6lack’s career should have started five years ago, after signing with an unnamed major label, but for whatever reason the then 19-year-old artist was shelved. For years he released music on the low, through Soundcloud or YouTube (although much of it was taken down by the label), but he’s since managed to escape his complex and join LoveRenaissance, a division of Interscope that’s responsible for bringing Raury to acclaim. 6lack’s first album, titled Free 6lack in reference to his past label issues, features early singles “PRBLMS“, “Rules”, and “Ex Calling”, a remix of Future’s Purple Reign hit “Perky’s Calling”.

Also released: Ella Mai, Time; The Killers, Don’t Waste Your Wishes; Metallica, Hardwired… To Self-Destruct