In the Cut: XXL’s Song Picks of the Week 3/29

It's been a busy week at the XXL offices - not only has there been a "regular" amount of rap drama, breaking news, and exclusive stories to hunt down, we revealed the cover of our now-famous annual Freshmen issue. A few months ago, Vice's music outlet Noisey wrote a story about us, asking themselves if the Freshmen list was still relevant, and created their own potential list. After the release of our list, which was picked up by just about every major music outlet - urban or otherwise - Noisey published a by-the-numbers breakdown of the list, essentially approving our picks. The point here isn't to gloat, but to reiterate the importance and relevance of our Freshmen list, because we put a lot of work into deciding upon it and curating it, and more than anything we're just excited to share it with you. Starting on Monday, we'll be slowly releasing Freshmen-related content to our site, so make sure to check back with us after the weekend.

In other news, Waka Flocka and Gucci Mane had a serious falling out, sparked by an inflammatory tweet via Gucci's "hacked" Twitter. Since the incident, Waka has gone on MTV's RapFix and has said he's never going to work with Gucci again. For fans of the Ferrari Boyz, this is sad news. To add insult to injury (or more insult to insult), Gucci has been incarcerated and was denied bond. We wish the best for Gucci in this time of turmoil, but if his ongoing incarceration leads to another Diplo-led Free Gucci mixtape, we won't be too mad about the whole thing. Also, bucket hat-wearing cool guy and 2013 Freshman Schoolboy Q came by our office yesterday and dropped some bombs about his upcoming Oxymoron, and his plans to continue working with Danny Brown and A$AP Rocky in the future. We'll be releasing our hilarious video interview with him next week.

Now, in our new weekly column called In the Cut, the diversely-opinionated XXL staff celebrates another lively week in hip-hop and picks some of their favorite releases from the past week. Some are songs, some are videos, all are incredible in their own way. See you in a few days, rap world.

Previously: In the Cut: XXL’s Song Picks of the Week 3/22 

Marco Polo ft. The Artifacts - "Back to Work"
It's been nearly 15 years since El Da Sensei and Tame One have recorded a track together, but the Jersey duo do it big on this latest cut from Marco Polo's upcoming Newport Authority 2 mixtape. Going bar-for-bar over Marco's intricately layered, bass-heavy boom-bap production, Tame and El remind boom-bap heads why the Artifacts are one of hip-hop's most beloved duos and give hope that maybe one day, they'll return to the wrong side of the tracks. - Sean Ryon, News Editor

Stalley ft. Scarface - "Swangin'"
Few emcees who hail from outside Houston have ever accurately captured the sound of that made the City of Drank the hip-hop titan it is today; however, Stalley breaks that mold with the slab-certified "Swangin'." Although Stalley definitely delivers an impressive performance on the cut, it's the lush, '90s synth production that makes this song great. It also doesn't hurt that Face Mob blesses the MMG up-and-comer with a verse for the song. - SR

Trinidad Jame$ ft. Reija Lee - "Females Welcomed" Video
It's rare nowadays to see a music video that makes you fall in love with a song that you've already heard a handful of times, and that's exactly what this video did for me and "Females Welcomed." The beat is so groovy, and so is Trinidad's outfit in this video, and so is Jonathan Mannion, and so is that girl in the gold swimsuit's butt. Sure, a video making you fall in love with a song is rare, but so is someone like Trinidad Jame$ - dude's got the swag of a 10-year vet, and does pull-ups like three times in this video. And this is also the best hook ever - "Now my side bitch my main bitch 'cuz my main ho ain't feelin' me no mo'." #TrinidadJame$Problems - Dan Buyanovsky, Associate Editor

Travi$ Scott ft. Wale - "Quintana"
When I was working on my own 2013 Freshmen list, I put Travi$ Scott on it, even though he hadn't really done anything to make me think he would make an impact on hip-hop music in 2013. But, he had the invaluable Kanye cosign and his art direction was always impressive. For his latest Wale-featuring (weird choice) single off Owl Pharaoh, he makes a banger that sounds like the music you'd hear in a trailer for a Michael Bay movie about Escobar. "Straight from Mexico, call her Quintana!" What? Who cares. "Swear to God we go Rambo!" - DB

Future - "No Love"
Future’s got a handful of gems with humble beginnings on DJ Spinz mixtapes, and this week’s “No Love” sees the “Cashin’ Out” producer mess around with some awesome xylophone. It's another out-of-this-solar-system Future ballad, and it sees Mr. Hendrix wrestle with emotions after a breakup, unable to hide his true loneliness despite a strong attempt at macho posturing. “I took a chance on you. I even brought you around my homies…Something I never do” he admits. - Neil Martinez-Belkin, Assistant Music Editor

P.A.P.I. ft. Pharrell - “The Problem (Lawwwddd)”
Noreaga and Pharrell worked together in the past and their chemistry hasn’t gone unnoticed. In a strong attempt to hit the airwaves, “The Problem (Lawwwddd)” features Skateboard P’s piercing falsetto on the hook and a frantic synth beat. P.A.P.I. comes correct on the track with an old school vibe, throwing down some lines reminiscent of his C-N-N days. Overall, the acclaimed rapper and hitmaker have produced a single ready for the clubs. - Eric Diep, Editorial Assistant

Joey Purp - "Don't Stop"
Chicago's Save Money Crew (whose members include Chance the Rapper, Kame de Chukwu, and more) is another buzzing group you should pay attention to. Joey Purp falls within the collective and dropped a standout joint earlier this week. “Don’t Stop” is “some of that real shit” and “some of that trill shit,” which means that it’s a dope track worth checking out. If you’re looking for another Chi-Town lyricist outside of Lupe Fiasco or Common, then keep an eye out for Joey. He’s got the talent to really start making some noise soon. - ED

ScHoolboy Q - "Yay Yay"
When this song dropped last Friday afternoon, many folks here at the XXL office lost their minds. This record instantly garnered the constant-repeat status, and it has since become an inescapable part of my working hours. The hook’s stupidly catchy with the ever-growing highlight (that “Yay! Yay!”), it’s impossible to forget. Q’s playful wordplay, summarized context, and signature delivery—compact with now marked adlibs—build up a song that may sound like a pass for the first time, but it sticks to the rib like soul food on the second, third, fourth listen on and on. —Jaeki Cho, Senior Online Editor

Tyler, The Creator's "IFHY"
A love song that's very unsure of its mood, which in essence describes the true meaning of the word "love." This constant cycle of love-hate relationship is a complex mindfuck that many of those emotionally unstable seem to experience. Tyler fits the mode, and he's not afraid to admit it. Pharrell Williams' queasy backdrop, accented with large drum claps accompany the signature sound molded by OFWGKTA. But what really makes the song special is Skateboard P's hook. It just never gets old. —JC