New music Friday: Drake, 21 Savage, Lecrae, Coco Jones and Alicia Keys

Hip-hop takes centerstage as new Christmas music also arrives

New music Friday: Drake, 21 Savage, Lecrae, Coco Jones and Alicia Keys

Hip-hop has taken center stage as November arrived, with a hint of new Christmas music hitting the airwaves. Drake and 21 Savage dropped the highly anticipated Her Loss, a 16-track project that has started many discussions.


The album had Drake mentioning Roe v. Wade, his beef with Ye, Serena Williams’ husband, and alleged disses of Ice Spice and Megan Thee Stallion.


Ye responded on Twitter with “#LoveSpeech.”

“Enough already,” Ye tweeted. “I done gave this man his flowers multiple times Let’s really see who are real ops are in this music game Imagine all the rappers on the same side and everyone cleaning up each others contracts It’s kingdom time Love Drake #lovespeech.”


Megan Thee Stallion also responded in a series of tweets.

“Stop using my shooting for clout b—- a– N—–!” Megan Thee Stallion tweeted. “Since when tf is it cool to joke abt women getting shot ! You n—- especially RAP N—- ARE LAME! Ready to boycott bout shoes and clothes but dog pile on a Black woman when she say one of y’all homeboys abused her.”

Near the end of the album, Drake and 21 Savage reflect on their current places in rap superstardom. Drake brought up the criticism he received for making house music on Honestly, Nevermind, and how he’s an international artist. On “3 AM in Glenwood,” 21 Savage rapped about survivor’s guilt amid losing his friends as he was growing up.

Lecrae released Church Clothes 4, the final installment of his mixtape series that began in 2012. The album features PJ Morton and Andy Mineo, as well as nobigdyl. and labelmate Whatuprg.

The Christian hip-hop legend opens the project with voicing on being unsure about voting for Raphael Warnock or Herschel Walker because some Christians “don’t rep the Kingdom.” Throughout the project, Lecrae reflects on his dominance in the genre, bursting through the mainstream and getting the No. 1 album in 2014, while battling depression behind closed doors. The concept of church clothes is to come as you are to church and pulling the curtain back on the misconception that Christians are perfect. This collection of songs is the perfect way to conclude the decade-long series, and a breath of fresh air in rap.

Alicia Keys released Santa Baby, an 11-track Christmas album with the singles “December Back 2 June” and “You Don’t Have To Be Alone.” Coco Jones released her debut EP, What I Didn’t Tell You.

Jssan released “City of Mine,” which was his take on his hometown of Chicago. He sings about the lack of safety he feels in the city. Meechy Baby, a member of the Never Broke Again collective, released the single, “Son.”

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