In The Cut: Azealia Banks And Curren$y Made XXL’s Top Songs Of The Week

Yes, we know. Jay-Z over everything and J. Cole is the new God. We know, we know. What we also know is that you've most likely been listening to a very limited number of songs in these past few weeks, so we've taken it upon ourselves as curators of this hip-hop culture to make sure you're not missing out on the new tunes you might've overlooked in your hunt for the Yeezy Red Octobers MCHG.

Before we get to that, let's take a look at the news. As is typical with high-profile weeks like this one, a lot has gone on… Freddie Gibbs released his refreshing new project ESGN (dude likes sports); Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose announced that they'd obtained a marriage license, with plans to marry this Fall; derailed Compton rapper Guerilla Black pled guilty to multiple fraud charges, likely landing him in prison for a long, long time; and Southern legend Master P became the first rapper inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame (Congrats Percy!). And in the off chance you're still fiending for more Magna Carta coverage, XXL pulled together some of the producers who worked on the album for a behind-the-scenes look at crafting the project.

In our 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. Until next week—keep it regal, rap fans.

Azealia Banks Ft. Pharrell Williams — "ATM JAM"
It's impossible for Pharrell to be involved with this many good songs, right? Right? Dude is stupidly and infuriatingly talented, but since he's singlehandedly going to soundtrack this summer and the next 20 summers, I won't hold it against him. Instead, I'll play this song out of a pink Beats by Dre Pill on the subway this afternoon in hopes that everyone breaks out into a communal twerk session. Racks racks racks.—Dan Buyanovsky, Associate Editor

Capital STEEZ — "King STEELO"
On what would have been Cap STEEZ's 20th birthday, the young prodigy's Pro Era cohorts put out an unreleased track he recorded before his untimely death just before Christmas of last year. Over a laid-back beat with a breathy flute sample and a menagerie of chirping birds in the background, STEEZ touches on many of his common themes—third eyes, chakras, Mario, his PE conglomerate and dream states ("We astral projected and I gave her the best sleep")—and reminds us why his flow and lyricism were such a big loss to the future of the Beast Coast movement.—Dan Rys, Online Features Editor

Robin Thicke — "Take It Easy On Me" 
Timbaland is on a roll lately. After getting placements on Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z’s new albums, the producer is back with a jubilant beat for Robin Thicke's "Take It Easy On Me." On it, Robin uses his always-smooth voice to craft a dance-ready anthem that details his sexual desires. While this sounds reminiscent of JT's work on FutureSex/LoveSounds, Thicke manages to call it his own.—Eric Diep, News Editor

Snoop Dogg — "Passenger Seat"
I can't even front, whether he calls himself Snoop Dogg or Snoop Lion, it’s been a while since I was really feeling a track from the Long Beach legend. But Snoop’s latest leaker, “Passenger Seat,” just has that vibe. Credit the Minnesota-bred, Dallas-based beat maker Cardo. The budding Taylor Gang producer has made a name for himself creating dreamy soundscapes for the likes of Wiz Khalifa, Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs and Dom Kennedy, and his intoxicating woodwind-driven instrumental under The Doggfather’s smooth flow is definitely something to ride to. Shotgun!—C. Vernon Coleman, Assistant News Editor

Curren$y — “I Can’t Stop”

You can't stop Jet Life. Curren$y, aka Mr. Give-You-Consistently-Dope-Freebies-When-He-Feels-Like-It, drops "I Can't Stop," a synth-heavy Sledgren production that the sonic equivalent to straight THC. Curren$y and the Jet Life crew are currently gearing up to drop another mixtape, but with a twist—they've formed a new partnership with BitTorrent, the result of which will be a multi-media bundle package with exclusive promotional content. Jet Life does it again, grab your girl.—Emmanuel C.M., Assistant Editor