Welcome back to our Fire Emoji playlist, which can barely (but surely!) keep up with all the new music hip-hop’s giving us each week. We got some big albums to highlight this time around, including Offset’s new album KIARI and its versatile array of moods and approaches.
While there are still plenty of bangers across the tracklist such as “Run It Up” with assistance from Key Glock, this also contains some of the former Migo’s most personal tracks yet. Fans have already dissected the closing track, which is about the Cardi B divorce. But there are also many other moments on here that provide food for thought.
If you want even more intimate vibes on Fire Emoji, Earl Sweatshirt came through with another tender but still gritty LP in Live Laugh Love. In comparison to previous full-length explorations of family life and the importance of mentality, this is the most explicit but also dynamic example of that artistry.
“TOURMALINE” is a great example of this, where a rare Earl hook mixes wistfully with vividly descriptive verses and blunt, emotionally resonant reflections. If nothing else, he proves why he’s still one of the best and most beloved writers in the genre today.
HNHH Fire Emoji Playlist
Elsewhere on Fire Emoji, we also got the return of a legend who’s still crafting impressive bodies of work. Ghostface Killah set a high bar when he announced Supreme Clientele 2, but even the most skeptical of rap purists can appreciate the fundamentals on this new album.
“Love Me Anymore” with Nas not only reflects their strong chemistry, but it also plays with more synthetic and crisp tones. Of course, the lyrical dexterity from both MCs is still at the center, and we doubt either career will ever distract itself from that main focus.
Finally on Fire Emoji, we wanted to shout out the new Joey Bada$$ single, the brooding “DARK AURA.” While piano flutters and orchestral soars create beauty here, the Brooklyn MC’s venomous disdain for other MCs and his defense of his lyrical and spiritual superiority keep things gruff. If his upcoming album Lonely At The Top will emulate this as well, we’re in for a treat.