Best New Music: Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, Jorja Smith, Olivia Rodrigo + MORE

It’s Monday so, by now everyone has probably heard last week’s music releases but, in case you haven’t or even if you have, here’s Everything GOOD Mag’s best new music picks of the week.

Nicki Minaj – Beam Me Up Scotty

Release date: May 14, 2021

She broke the internet! Nicki Minaj’s mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty was originally released in 2009 but as Minaj said on Instagram live on Friday, because of artists re-releasing their mixtapes on streaming services lately, she thought she might as well join in too, which makes sense since Beam Me Up Scotty celebrated it’s 12 year anniversary on April 18th. Everyone who was old enough to have a myspace rushed to Apple Music and Spotify to listen to favorites like “Itty Bitty Piggy”, “I Get Crazy” ft. Lil Wayne, “Boss Ass B*tch (Remix)”, and “Slumber Party” ft. Gucci Mane. The re-released version of the mixtape includes 3 new tracks; “Seeing Green” ft. Drake & Lil Wayne, “Fractions”, and “Crocodile Teeth (Remix)” with Skillibeng plus the 2014 song “Chi-Raq” ft. G Herbo. “Seeing Green” has everybody talking, it sounds like the early 2000s Young Money we know and love. Listen to the standout track and full album below.

Favorite tack: “Seeing Green” ft. Drake + Lil Wayne

J. Cole – The Off-Season

Release date: May 14, 2021

J. Cole has twitter buzzing with fans giving praises to his new 12 track album, The Off-Season. His last album, KOD came out in 2018 and fans have been highly anticipating Cole’s new stories these past three years. J. Cole is known to rap about his life and perspectives and in The Off-Season he does just that. With features from 21 Savage, Morray, Bas, 6lack, and Lil Baby (not that any features are necessary) The Off-Season is what we needed and more. Today, J. Cole dropped a music video to the second track on the album, “amari”. Watch the new visual below.

Favorite track: “hunger on hillside” ft. Bas

Jorja Smith – Be Right Back

Release date: May 14, 2021

Jorja Smith is back with an eight track EP, Be Right Back. Smith’s debut album Lost & Found released in 2018 and she made sure to let us know this project is not an album but just something to share with us until it comes, “It’s called ‘Be Right Back’ because it’s just something I want my fans to have right now, this isn’t an album and these songs wouldn’t have made it. If I needed to make these songs, then someone needs to hear them too.” Watch the music video to standout track “Bussdown” ft. Shaybo and listen to the full EP below.

Favorite track: “Bussdown” ft. Shaybo

Olivia Rodrigo – “good 4 u”

Release date: May 14, 2021

The third single for Olivia Rodrigo’s upcoming debut album, SOUR, dropped on new music Friday titled “good 4 u”. “good 4 you” makes the first two singles from the album, “drivers license” and “deja vu” complete as the perfect trilogy. Each song is about the same thing but it’s sang in different ways with different emotions. Her first single, “drivers license” was when the wound of the breakup was fresh, “deja vu” is part of the healing process, when you reminisce of the memories, and “good 4 u” is when your sadness turns to rage but you’re closer to moving on. The emotion of this song is evident compared to the others because Rodrigo is singing with fiery punk rock passion. This is different than what we’ve heard from her and we hope there’s more coming on the album. Watch the music video for “good 4 u” below.

Other Favs of the week:

Internet Money ft. Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert & Don Toliver – “His & Hers”

Release date: May 13, 2021

Leon Bridges – “Motorbike”

Release date: May 14, 2021

21 Savage ft. Gunna + Young Thug – “Emergency” (Spiral: From the Book of Saw Soundtrack)

Release date: May 14, 2021

St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home

Release date: May 14, 2021

Favorite track: “Down

Protéjay“1 Call”

Release date: May 14, 2021

T-Pain ft. Kehlani – “I Like Dat”

Zhavia Ward – “Big Girl$ Don’t Cry”

LAUREL – “Let Go”

Elaine – “Right Now

Migos – “Straightenin”

Shaun Creates – “Jimmy Choo” (The After Party EP)

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