Wednesday Roundups #146: 25 New Projects You Should Listen to Now Listen to new releases from Honey Dijon, Yaya Bey, Adrian Younge, rjtheweirdo, Naji, BombayMami, Red Cafe, MarcLo, Mike Shabb, cortex, Stu Bangas & A.G., Natural Elements, Squadda B, and others.

Listen to new releases from Honey Dijon, Yaya Bey, Adrian Younge, rjtheweirdo, Naji, BombayMami, Red Cafe, MarcLo, Mike Shabb, cortex, Stu Bangas & A.G., Natural Elements, Squadda B, and others.

Album Review: Rocks, Paper, Scissors: Choices by Sir Michael Rocks The Cool Kids co-founder’s solo album is a south-suburban hustler’s diary with the names left in. The family stories and robbery narratives pull rank on the brand-name flex every time.

The Cool Kids co-founder’s solo album is a south-suburban hustler’s diary with the names left in. The family stories and robbery narratives pull rank on the brand-name flex every time.

Album Review: Traditional Noise by April + VISTA The D.C. duo named their debut after a fake anxiety drug and filled it with songs about losing yourself. The prescription doesn't work, and the album is better for it.

The D.C. duo named their debut after a fake anxiety drug and filled it with songs about losing yourself. The prescription doesn't work, and the album is better for it.

We Saw Michael, The Anticipated Biopic About Michael Jackson Before discovering Michael in theaters tomorrow (on Wednesday, April 22), Shatter the Standards shares its advance impressions of this highly anticipated biopic.

Before discovering Michael in theaters tomorrow (on Wednesday, April 22), Shatter the Standards shares its advance impressions of this highly anticipated biopic.

Album Review: Mama It’s a Renaissance by Jesirae A debut that names the Harlem Renaissance out loud and writes well enough not to be laughed at for it. Most MCs would not survive the comparison.

A debut that names the Harlem Renaissance out loud and writes well enough not to be laughed at for it. Most MCs would not survive the comparison.

Album Review: Extraordinary by Gareth Donkin The breakup accusations have a defendant and a temperature; the self-directed pep talks describe nobody.

The breakup accusations have a defendant and a temperature; the self-directed pep talks describe nobody.

Album Review: What Would Harley Race Do? by Action Figure 973 & Artificer An underground-rap concept record where a dead NWA champion does half the emotional work, and the Belleville MC building around that voice has the ear to match.

An underground-rap concept record where a dead NWA champion does half the emotional work, and the Belleville MC building around that voice has the ear to match.

Album Review: This Thing of Ours by Xzibit, B-Real & Demrick Xzibit, B-Real, and Demrick reconvene for their second proper album under Scoop DeVille’s sole production. The mob-code concept holds and is built on Cosa Nostra literalism.

Xzibit, B-Real, and Demrick reconvene for their second proper album under Scoop DeVille’s sole production. The mob-code concept holds and is built on Cosa Nostra literalism.

Album Review: Still Trying to Figure Me Out by Eddie Kaine & BhramaBull A Bed-Stuy lifer on his tenth producer-paired record reframes the distance between his outside reception and his own account of himself as a working position.

A Bed-Stuy lifer on his tenth producer-paired record reframes the distance between his outside reception and his own account of himself as a working position.

Between the Trade Notice and the Memoir Phases is a memoir about Brandy Norwood. It is also the first document out of her household to return fire at the press record around her mother.

Phases is a memoir about Brandy Norwood. It is also the first document out of her household to return fire at the press record around her mother. Read over at Blackpolitan.

Album Review: Time Heals Everything by Blu & Exile At 37, the Los Angeles rapper stops rehearsing the mythology his 24-year-old self built. His fifth record with Exile writes directly about what a verse can carry on rent, Palestine, prison, and more.

At 37, the Los Angeles rapper stops rehearsing the mythology his 24-year-old self built. His fifth record with Exile writes directly about what a verse can carry on rent, Palestine, prison, and more.

Album Review: Selfy by Stu Bangas & A.G. A Bronx originator’s seventh solo LP gets handed one beatmaker, ten tracks, and zero room for excuses, and the moniker shows up doing its own dishes.

A Bronx originator’s seventh solo LP gets handed one beatmaker, ten tracks, and zero room for excuses, and the moniker shows up doing its own dishes.

A Proposal and a Standing Reservation 6LACK brings 2 Chainz along for a Sunday reset, Queen Naija sings her actual proposal, plus new Teedra Moses, KIRBY and Natanya.

6LACK brings 2 Chainz along for a Sunday reset, Queen Naija sings her actual proposal, plus new Teedra Moses, KIRBY and Natanya. Read over at Soulpolitan.

Album Review: Once In a Red Moon by Red Cafe A 49-year-old Brooklyn rapper puts out his own album on his own dime, twenty years after his debut was first scheduled to arrive. The features sit alongside Benny the Butcher, Max B, and more.

A 49-year-old Brooklyn rapper puts out his own album on his own dime, twenty years after his debut was first scheduled to arrive. The features sit alongside Benny the Butcher, Max B, and more.

Album Review: For What It’s Worth by cortex A Malmö singer wants the lover-boy file with none of the accountability that file requires.

A Malmö singer wants the lover-boy file with none of the accountability that file requires.

Album Review: At Least She’s Beautiful by rjtheweirdo An R&B singer keeps dating women he was warned about and sings his admissions like they count as correction. Self-naming is his whole rhetorical move.

An R&B singer keeps dating women he was warned about and sings his admissions like they count as correction. Self-naming is his whole rhetorical move.

Album Review: The Nightlife by Honey Dijon The veteran Chicago DJ’s third album hands every lead to a guest and never softens a single beat. It’s the cleanest case she has made for where this music came from and who gets to keep it.

The veteran Chicago DJ’s third album hands every lead to a guest and never softens a single beat. It’s the cleanest case she has made for where this music came from and who gets to keep it.

Album Review: Fidelity by Yaya Bey The Queens songwriter’s fourth full-length is a self-produced record of grief. She counts what’s been taken from her and leaves the numbers unrounded.

The Queens songwriter’s fourth full-length is a self-produced record of grief. She counts what’s been taken from her and leaves the numbers unrounded.

Album Review: Forever Ends Someday by Wesley Joseph Three years of patient writing turn into a debut that calls youth something borrowed and grief something you repay by singing it forward.

Three years of patient writing turn into a debut that calls youth something borrowed and grief something you repay by singing it forward.

Album Review: 10 Til’ Midnight by Snoop Dogg The 22nd Snoop record rests on the same premise as its sleeve. He bought Death Row, he is from where he is from, and the kids need to know.

The 22nd Snoop record rests on the same premise as its sleeve. He bought Death Row, he is from where he is from, and the kids need to know.

New Music Drops: April 17, 2026 As new albums and singles get constantly flooded into our radar, look no further than skimming through the release week of April 17th. We know it can be a task, so let’s help you cut through.

As new albums and singles get constantly flooded into our radar, look no further than skimming through the release week of April 17th. We know it can be a task, so let’s help you cut through.

Album Review: Superbloom by Jessie Ware The London singer closes her disco trilogy with immaculate songs to her husband. One of them catches him dancing with someone else.

The London singer closes her disco trilogy with immaculate songs to her husband. One of them catches him dancing with someone else.

Album Review: KONNAKOL by ZAYN On the British-Pakistani singer’s fifth solo record, a Carnatic percussion concept does the heritage work. The English lyrics are still the lost-love material he was writing a decade ago.

On the British-Pakistani singer’s fifth solo record, a Carnatic percussion concept does the heritage work. The English lyrics are still the lost-love material he was writing a decade ago.

Milestones: Ice Cream Man by Master P The first album to prove that a New Orleans rapper could own his masters and still go platinum. Percy Miller bet on distribution, not bars.

The first album to prove that a New Orleans rapper could own his masters and still go platinum. Percy Miller bet on distribution, not bars.

Milestones: All for You by Janet Jackson After her darkest and most confessional album, Jackson came back grinning, newly single, and talking very specifically about what she wanted done to her body. The pop world didn’t know what to do.

After her darkest and most confessional album, Jackson came back grinning, newly single, and talking very specifically about what she wanted done to her body. The pop world didn’t know what to do.

Album Review: Yo Favorite Trappa Favorite Rappa by Sexyy Red Her fourth tape is the first that the St. Louis rapper has built like a real mixtape, DJ Holiday hosting throughout and the trapper-rapper distinction collapsing on contact.

Her fourth tape is the first that the St. Louis rapper has built like a real mixtape, DJ Holiday hosting throughout and the trapper-rapper distinction collapsing on contact.

Album Review: Floetry the Extension by millkzy millkzy writes live chamber rap as short-story scenes. The scene-writing carries his self-coined style better than the defense ever did.

millkzy writes live chamber rap as short-story scenes. The scene-writing carries his self-coined style better than the defense ever did.

Album Review: Mudbrown by Kumail Kumail’s second album is the rare record in Voodoo’s long shadow that shows up with the homework done. Love songs mean the offer; refusal songs mean the door.

Kumail’s second album is the rare record in Voodoo’s long shadow that shows up with the homework done. Love songs mean the offer; refusal songs mean the door.

Album Review: Outsider by Tiwayo Tiwayo disappeared, stayed gone, and wrote an album that calls itself an outsider’s LP without a trace of irony.

Tiwayo disappeared, stayed gone, and wrote an album that calls itself an outsider’s LP without a trace of irony.

Album Review: Don’t Call Me Lucky by DJ Muggs & T.F An MC three LPs into a single-producer run sits across from the beatmaker who’s been running that model for thirty years. No luck was involved.

An MC three LPs into a single-producer run sits across from the beatmaker who’s been running that model for thirty years. No luck was involved.