XXL’s Songs Of The Week

There’s plenty of new music to sift through. How do you know what is good or bad? Well, that’s where we come in.

Aside from a busy week of interesting news, there’s always a plethora of dope music that drops. Sometimes it’s out of nowhere, and sometimes it is promoted and released right when we expect it. As rap heads, we are all for it and love to talk about the new ish that comes out. In an attempt to keep you up to date with everything, we are going to round up our favorite tracks that we’ve been bumping in the offices. Click through for the best songs of the week.

Previously: The 25 Most Anticipated Albums For The Rest Of 2014
The 25 Best Songs Of 2014 (So Far)

The 25 Best Mixtapes Of 2014 (So Far)
The 25 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2014 (So Far)

Vince Staples, "Blue Suede"

Vince Staples' "Blue Suede" isn't so aggressive that it clouds its Long Beach roots. The video — shot in black-and-white with only blue and red colors visible — is a day in the rhymer's home region.

A day in the life is a simple concept, but the stabbing synths and the consistent close-up shots of Staples, his crew and his blue Jordans give the video a claustrophobic feel. It's almost a relief that nothing violent happens by the video's end. Staples dancing on a rooftop is the most danger here.

"Blue Suede" is the first single off Hell Can Wait, which is dropping this fall.

Previously: Joey Fatts And Vince Staples Take A Stroll Through Long Beach In “Million $ Dreams”

Makonnen featuring Drake, “Goin Up On A Tuesday”

Drake jumps on Makonnen “Goin Up On A Tuesday” and sings over the record, produced by Sonny Digital and Metro Boomin.

For fans who don’t know who Makonnen is, he’s a rapper/singer/producer from Atlanta who’s a self-proclaimed disciple of Lil B. His most recent project is I Love Makonnen EP, which was released last month.

Listen to “Goin Up On A Tuesday” above.

Jeezy Featuring Rick Ross And Game, "Beautiful"

"Beautiful" is the latest heat to drop from Jeezy's upcoming Seen It All: The Autobiography. Rick Ross and Jeezy are pretty much in the same lane with their mix of luxurious production tinged with trap leanings.  The latest Seen It All leak is more of that, but this time it features Rick Ross and Game. The trio waxes over Black Metaphor's production about the come-up, women and the beauty of the struggle. Not quite Thug Motivation, but definitely something to motivate towards.

Seen It All: The Autobiography is due on Sept. 2.

Previously: There’s A Lot Of Hip-Hop Heavyweights On Jeezy’s New Album ‘Seen It All’
Jeezy Rocks The Streets In “Me OK” Video

Bigga Rankin Featuring Kevin Gates, "John Gotti"

Kevin Gates already has a diverse catalog under his belt. With his By Any Means mixtape gaining more attention, the 2014 XXL Freshman doesn't stop working. For any rapper, sometimes their throwaways can be their best songs. In this case, Gates teams up with Bigga Rankin for "John Gotti." Surprisingly, Gates' affinity for the mobster lifestyle runs deeper than we'd expect - just check out him talking about Luca Brasi Volume 2 during our interview in March. Here, Gates mumbles and croaks his lyrics, before straightening up and going in. Backed by some menacing production, Gates wows us once again by keeping it 100 percent real.

Check it out above.

[via TrapsNTrunks]

J. Cole, "Be Free"

J. Cole, who's known to have conscious rap leanings, isn't the one to stay quiet during tragic circumstances like these. Michael Brown represents another young black male lost because of police brutality. J. Cole recognizes this and pays tribute on "Be Free," which is simultaneously a call for justice.

"Be Free" finds J. Cole singing in a pained tone to make his humanistic statement: "All we wanna do is break the chains off/ All we wanna do is be free."

J. Cole released a statement about the song:

"There was a time in my life when I gave a fuck. Every chance I got I was screaming about it. I was younger. It’s so easy to try to save the world when you’re in college. You got nothing but time and no responsibility. But soon life hits you. No more dorms, no more meal plan, no more refund check," J. Cole said. "Nigga need a job. Nigga got rent. Got car note. Cable bill. Girlfriend moves in and becomes wife. Baby on the way. Career advances. Instagram is poppin. Lebron leaves Miami. LIFE HITS. We become distracted. We become numb. I became numb. But not anymore. That coulda been me, easily. It could have been my best friend. I’m tired of being desensitized to the murder of black men. I don’t give a fuck if it’s by police or peers. This shit is not normal. I made a song. This is how we feel.

"Rest in Peace to Michael Brown and to every young black man murdered in America, whether by the hands of white or black. I pray that one day the world will be filled with peace and rid of injustice. Only then will we all Be Free."

Listen to the straightforward, honest tribute above.

Previously: Bas And J. Cole Celebrate The Good Times In “My Nigga Made Bail” Video