Listen to new must-hear songs from emerging R&B/hip-hop artists like KUR and Jay Worthy.
KEM at House Of ESPN – Celebrating the Fashion Icons of the WNBA held at Center 415 on September 12, 2025 in New York, New York.
Kristina Bumphrey/Variety
As an unforgiving blizzard pummels the Northeast, hip-hop and R&B gave us plenty of music and headlines to pass the time.
Baby Keem kicked off the weekend (Feb. 20) with the release of Ca$ino, his first studio album since 2021’s The Melodic Blue. Assisted by Kendrick Lamar, Momo Boyd, Too $hort and Che Ecru, the new project features a few potential spring and summer smashes, as well as production contributions from eyebrow-raising names like Grown-ish actress Yara Shahidi (“Birds & the Bees”).
Jay-Z got a head start on the 30th-anniversary celebrations for his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, with the streaming release of the original version of his classic “Dead Presidents” single. With Reasonable Doubt-related posters popping up across Jiggaman’s hometown of Brooklyn, New York, even greater surprises could be in store as we draw closer to June 25.
In heavier news, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Lil Poppa’s death a suicide, via a gunshot wound to the head. The Jacksonville rapper (born Janarious Mykel Wheeler) died on Wednesday at age 25.
Finally, Jamaican reggae star Keznamdi followed up his first career Grammy win — he took home best reggae album earlier this month for Blxxd & Fyah (Feb. 1) — with the reveal of a pair of U.S. shows in New York and Los Angeles, exclusively announced by Billboard on Monday (Feb. 23).
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from a seductive Kem single to a high-octane collaboration between Dess Dior and Belly Gang Kushington. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
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Freshest Find: Kem, “One Love”
R&B has always traded on the interwoven dichotomy of the sacred and the secular, and uncle Kem upholds that transition with his smooth new single, “One Love.” Taking a page out of the Book of Genesis, the three-time Grammy-nominated R&B icon seductively coos, “Two shall become one/ Two can be one, girl/ We can do wonders” in the simple, but incredibly effective chorus. Armed with a slow-burning, quiet storm-adjacent groove courtesy of Rex Rideout, Kem delivers a masterfully executed track that sits squarely in his grown-and-sexy wheelhouse. — KYLE DENIS
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Dess Dior & Belly Gang Kushington, “Tell Me Now”
“Take Me Now” transports millennials back to the fun snap-era party anthems of the 2000s, with a dose of inspiration from Dem Franchize Boyz’s “Lean Wit, Rock Wit It” banger. Dess Dior serves up her 10 dating commandments while running through the requirements for any guy who wants her attention. She passes the baton to Belly Gang Kushington, and the Atlanta native continues his winning streak while taking the track to another level as a perfect fit. No emerging rapper is turning verses to gold like BGK when it comes to bringing the motivational talk and boastful flair to the table right now. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
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Jay-Z, “Dead Presidents”
We’re not sure if you heard of this cat repping Marcy Projects out in Brooklyn, but he’s pretty good at this rapping thing. You might’ve heard him on Stretch & Bobbito kicking freestyles alongside Big L, or maybe you noticed him while watching Video Music Box, in Jaz-O’s “Hawaiian Sofie,” rocking a brolic cable and anchor around his neck. Well, now, the streets are saying he started his own label, and he’s getting ready to drop his debut album featuring heavyweights like DJ Premier, Clark Kent, Mary J. Blige and Biggie. This might be someone to pay attention to, so be sure to check out the promo single for the upcoming Reasonable Doubt. — A.D.
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Naïka, “What a Day”
French-Haitian pop artist Naïka transforms emotional overload into a reflection on “What a Day,” a standout from her debut album ECLESIA. As the song unfolds, the lens gradually widens, moving from the personal to the societal: xenophobia among children, poverty and incarceration. Then it stretches even further, touching on illness in the family, conflict in Haiti, violence in Palestine, and exploitation in Congo, each layer compounding the emotional weight. Produced by Caye and written by Naïka alongside Noémie Legrand, the record turns everyday anxiety into something far more expansive. “What a Day” doesn’t try to resolve the chaos; it captures the surreal reality of navigating personal stress while the world feels like it’s unraveling, acknowledging the strange truth that no matter what happens, the world keeps turning. — C.C.
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RealestK, “Angels”
Between his heavenly falsetto and producer Danny Boy’s ethereal soundscape, RealestK has another winner with his new single. “Angels,” the latest taste and opening track from his forthcoming Forgive to Forget LP (out March 20 via Standard Projects/ADA), finds him using theological imagery to take false prophets to task. “Paint me as the villain, baby/ If you gonna paint me, then you might just have to pay me/ You should paint my ass for free, this shit costs a fee,” he croons in the first verse, perfectly setting the scene for his gravity-defying chorus. Right after he drops Forgive to Forget, the Toronto-hailing artist will support Bryant Barnes on his spring North American headlining tour. — K.D.
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Jay Worthy & Method Man, “Visions”
Worthy said on IG that he originally wanted to get a verse from the Ticallion Stallion for his Once Upon A Time double disc, but their schedules didn’t allow it. So, instead, he figured out a way to get this collab out to the people by making it the lead single for his upcoming Once Upon a Time documentary soundtrack. Produced by Vada, Meth and Jay blackout over dusty loops like the gods intended. — ANGEL DIAZ
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RnBoi feat. Ayra Starr, “MON BÉBÉ (Remix)”
French R&B artist RnBoi joins forces with Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr for a confident Afro-fusion love anthem that blends romance, pride and unapologetic public devotion. Written by RnBoi alongside Ayra Starr and French brother duo Seny au piano and Max à la guitare, the track centers on one clear mindset: “already got my baby.” It’s less about labels and more about certainty. In his world, she’s already his, and that emotional claim carries a mix of tenderness and ego. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
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KUR, “Reminding Myself”
Philly fapper KUR returns with his ARD album, which doubles as slang for “alright” around the 215 and an acronym for “art of release and discipline.” KUR’s at his most potent and vulnerable on hard-hitting album closer “Reminding Myself.” He looks inward while reflecting on how his childhood molded his choices later in life, pays tribute to his grandma, and opens up about the agony that came with losing a child. KUR’s speedy flow is a repeated dagger to the heart, and there’s plenty of substance behind every bar. — M.S.
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