In The Cut: Big Sean & Juicy J Made XXL’s Top Songs Of The Week

As the world recovers from Kendrick-mania, nearly ten full days after the verse that stopped the world dropped, we're still catching up on new music. This week, Drake—as he likely will for the weeks to come before the release of his upcoming album Nothing Was The Same—made major headlines after he pushed the release date of his LP back a week and revealed the album's cover art, which is as upbeat as anything Drake's put his name on. Meanwhile, Pusha T finally announced the real release date of his debut LP My Name Is My Name; Yo Gotti teased an upcoming tour with YG and revealed the release date of his own album; and 2 Chainz leaked the track list to his forthcoming B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time.

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 real, rap fans.

Rapsody Ft. Phonte & Jay Electronica - "Jedi Code"
The top-secret reveal from Rapsody's excellent new mixtape She Got Game was a verse from Jay Electronica on "Jedi Code," and hip-hop's favorite mystery man delivers with a line that references Ghostbusters, Biggie and Baby Jesus tears all within a minute. It's always great to hear Phonte and 9th Wonder on a track together, too, and—wait, a minute, did 9th sample a yodeler on this beat? That's some real Jedi shit.—Dan Rys, Senior Editor

Big Sean - "Toyota Music" 
With Big Sean's Hall Of Fame leaking earlier this week, I knew I was excited to hear some of its deep cuts but I really wasn't expecting anything like this. This smoked-out, nostalgic and ultra-smooth cut incorporates all of the things I love about Sean - understated confidence and simplicity. It's the perfect track to hotbox the Prius to.—Dan Buyanovsky, Associate Editor

Juicy J Ft. A$AP Rocky - "Scholarship"  
In one of the most socially irresponsible songs in recent memory, Juicy J and A$AP Rocky's "Scholarship" cranks up the ratchet-ness to a hilarious degree. Off Juicy J's upcoming Stay Trippy, the duo provide a soundtrack for monetary contributions to an exotic dancer's academic pursuits. "Scholarship" might not be "right," but it certainly is amusing. Stay trippy, my friends.—B.J. Steiner, News Editor

Fat Trel Ft. YG - "That's Life"
At what point will DJ Mustard's clicking, creeping minimalism get old? After his Ketchup mixtape, I was worried that I might've OD'ed on this stuff, but then I find something like this, a late cut off Fat Trel's new SDMG mixtape, and my faith is restored. Fat Trel and YG aren't necessarily the first people you'd think would be an ideal fit for Mustard's West Coast death rattle, but they ride this one perfectly, delivering hardened verses about stealing your girl and other, more violent hardships. I kinda wish the song went longer than two and half minutes, but as they say on the track: That's Life.—Dan Jackson, Music Editor