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Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

The Weeknd finally announced Hurry Up Tomorrow, his long-awaited sixth album, and shared its cover art. Additionally, Kehlani kicked off her Crash Tour while Sade announced her first song in years, one she’s releasing for a great cause.

Here are the new releases you need to have your eye on this week:

Queen Naija — “Good Girls Finish Last”

Queen Naija’s “Good Girls Finish Last” marks her first release of the new year and one that finds reflecting on a relationship that made them feel like they weren’t good enough. The record follows her 2023 EP After The Butterflies, the 10-track effort that featured NBA Youngboy, Monica, Ella Mai, and Eric Bellinger.

Nippa — “F.N.F.”

London singer Nippa keeps his hot-streak alive with his new single, “F.N.F.” The funky single is one Nippa uses to capture the burning desire that exists between him and a significant lover. Though they may be friends, Nippa is down to blur the lines for the sake of some late-night fun.

RINI — Lucky 7

RINI’s new EP Lucky 7, his third project in four years, gives an unfiltered look at his recent experiences with love. In a press release, RINI said the project captures “emotions of longing, reflections on the past, and hopes for the future.” Lucky 7 arrives with seven songs and no guest appearances.

Laila! — Gap Year!

Brooklyn singer https://uproxx.com/music/laila-thats-not-my-problem-video/ finally shared her debut album Gap Year! with the world. The 17-track project is an entirely solo affair as it arrives with no features and production completely handled by Laila! “This album is a collection of what I’ve made during this year of being out in the real world & doing what I love,” she said about the project in an Instagram post.

Ye Ali — THJ Radio Vol. 1

Ye Ali put on his producer and curating hat for his new compilation project THJ Radio Vol. 1. The 14-track release rounds up some of R&B’s emerging stars like Reggie Becton, Ballad, Jawan.mp3, Larrenwong, Jahkoy, Dende, and others, as well as established acts like Tone Stith, Ant Clemons, and Eric Bellinger, for a diverse and very entertaining presentation of R&B’s future.

Mac Ayres — “She Won’t Stay Long”

Mac Ayres is back on the scene and he returns with his new single “She Won’t Stay Long.” The sweet and somber single is one Ayres uses to account for the moment he falls in love with her a girl that he also describes as “broken.” He knows she’ll eventually run away, but for now, he just wants enjoy his time with her,

Hylan Starr — Room To Grow

Hylan Starr checks in with his Room To Grow project, which has been years in the making. The newly-released EP features six songs and guest appearances from Wale, Eric Bellinger, and Chiae. Starr explained the project title in an Instagram post, saying the EP “is gonna help yall get to know me as a person and why I got room to grow.”

Gemaine — “War Cry”

Compton singer Gemaine strikes while the iron is hurt as he returns with his new single “War Cry.” The track is a triumphant and towering record that Gemaine uses to celebrate the wins he obtained, both in and outside of music.

Che Ecru — “Thirst”

Che Ecru’s active year continues with “Thirst.” The track follows his Pain Pack 14 EP and “Love Sick” singles and gives his growing audience another taste of his trademark sound: quivering auto-tune laced croons over bass-thumping production.

Ivory Scott — “What You Like”

Chicago singer Ivory Scott finds his groove on his new single “What You Like.” After calling on Kevin Gates for a remix on “Real 2,” Scott focuses his attention on a new relationship and he connected he feels with his partner.

ASTN — What A Night To Be In Love

Florida-bred artist ASTN delivers his first project since 2022 with What A Night To Be In Love. The five-track release celebrates love and the feelings it brings even in the shortest time span. The EP features on guest appearance from Thuy who can be found on the opening track “Two Truths And A Lie.”

Yesterday (September 10), Pharrell was hosting a screening of his new Lego-animated biopic movie Piece By Piece. At the event, he came face-to-face with a sign-wielding protestor, but he handled the situation calmly and confidently.

As Newsweek notes, the protester was there in support of PETA, and they had a sign that read, “Pharrell: Stop Killing Animals For Fashion,” presumably in reference to his position as Men’s Creative Director for Louis Vuitton. She was also heard yelling, “Stop torturing animals.” Pharrell kept his cool as he repeatedly told the person, “I know,” “You’re right,” and “I’m working on it,” before they were taken away.

He then spoke about what just happened to the audience, saying:

“Let me address that. You know, Rome wasn’t made in a day, and sometimes when you have plans to change things and situations, you have to get in a position of power and of influence, where you can change people’s minds progression. That’s not necessarily the way to do it, and sitting in my position, when I have conversations on behalf of organizations like that, unbeknownst to them, they come out here and do themselves a disservice. That’s OK: When that change comes, everybody in this room, will remember that I told you we’re actually working on that, and if she would have just asked me, I would have told her. But instead, she wanted to repeat herself.”

PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman issued a statement after the incident that says, “We would be happy to stop disrupting Pharrell’s appearances but despite a lot of lip service, he’s yet to ditch fur and exotic skins. Pharrell can decide in a heartbeat, today, to use his power for good and stop being complicit in cruelty — it’s quite easy to be kind.”

Watch a video of the incident here.

Until fall arrives later this month, it’s still (technically!) Brat Summer. So before it’s over, Charli XCX is releasing a remix of album highlight “Talk Talk” with Sweat tour partner Troye Sivan.

Dua Lipa will also be on the remix, although she won’t be doing any singing. Charli clarified her involvement on social media. “also thank you @dualipa for speaking french and spanish on the track,” she wrote.

The “Talk Talk” remix is out tomorrow, Thursday, September 12.

Charli XCX previously revealed on TikTok that “Talk Talk” (try saying “TikTok Talk Talk” five times fast) is about her fiancé, The 1975’s George Daniel.

“We were at the NME Awards [in 2020], we were both sat on different tables, and we were like texting each other, but we weren’t hanging out,” she said, according to People. “But we were both looking over at each other — it was very like, one of us would look, and the other one would look away, and then just vice versa. You know, when you just feel like someone is watching you, you can feel a hole burning in the back of your head or something like that.”

She added, “It was very much that moment.”

In 2023, celebrity power couple Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner confirmed that they were separating and getting a divorce. Now, the legal proceedings are apparently finalized: TMZ reports that the two have settled their divorce and a judge has signed off on it.

This comes a year after the two announced their split in September 2023, writing in a joint statement, “After four wonderful years of marriage we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage. There are many speculative narratives as to why but, truly this is a united decision and we sincerely hope that everyone can respect our wishes for privacy for us and our children.”

Turner previously explained how helpful Taylor Swift (A Joe Jonas ex, by the way) was during the split, saying of the time she let her and her children stay with her, “Taylor was an absolute hero to me this year. I’ve never been more grateful to anyone than I am for her because she took my children and me, and provided us with a home and a safe space. She really has a heart of gold.”

Meanwhile, Jonas seemingly sang about the situation recently on his song “Work It Out,” which features the lyrics, “So you think you’re too cool to go to therapy / But look at you, your anxieties got anxieties / You go to bed with a head full of insecurities / Nobody cares what you said back when you were 17.”

It’s almost time: The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards are tonight, September 11. Megan Thee Stallion is hosting, and she and a bunch of others are performing. If you want to check out the action, here’s what to know.

How To Watch The 2024 MTV VMAs

The ceremony starts at 8 p.m. ET, and a re-run will begin at 11 p.m ET. The show will air live on various Paramount channels, including BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Nick at Nite, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1, and Univision. It will also be streaming on Paramount+. Furthermore, there will be a simultaneous broadcast on Univision.

A lot is at stake for some artists: Those with the most nominations this year are Taylor Swift (12), Post Malone (11), Eminem (8), Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA (7 each), Benson Boone, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, GloRilla, Lisa, Olivia Rodrigo, and Teddy Swims (4 each).

First-time nominees include Alexander Stewart, Benson Boone, Burna Boy, Chappell Roan, Coco Jones, Flyana Boss, Gracie Abrams, Gunna, Jelly Roll, Jessie Murph, Joyner Lucas, Laufey, LE SSERAFIM, Lojay, Morgan Wallen, Myke Towers, NCT Dream, Pheelz, Playboi Carti, Rauw Alejandro, Raye, Sabrina Carpenter, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, Tyla, Tyler Childers and The Warning, and Victoria Monét.

Since the sorrowful news of Rich Homie Quan’s tragic death, fans of the “Spin” rapper have continued to listen through his discography.

What is even more heartbreaking for fans is he had just wrapped up a new project shortly before his death, which could mean a posthumous album is on the way. This news is all according to the late musician’s father, Corey Lamar. On September 7, Lamar sat down with WSB-TV’s Michael Seiden to discuss his son’s life up to the last moments.

“We had just completed a 20- or 25-song project, and we were in the process of scheduling two video shoots off our project,” he said. “Quan has probably over 2,000 unreleased songs. But once he gets in a mode to record those songs become old to him. And when they become old he wants to focus on the new stuff. He has a catalog in the vault. He has a ton of music that the fans need to hear.”

So, who could fans expect to hear on the project should it ever be released? In the chat, Lamar shared that Rich Homie Quan just wrapped up collaborations with 2 Chainz and Plies.

Posthumous album are an extremely delicate situation. Still, many of rap’s fallen figures including Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., Big Pun, DMX, XXXTentacion, Young Dolph, and Pop Smoke’s estates approved the release of a project after the untimely deaths. Many of which of gone on to shift the culture.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign has just secure yet another A-list backer. Today (September 10), Taylor Swift, announced her formal endorsement of Kamala Harris.

In a lengthy post, the “Everything Has Changed” singer outlined her decision and addressed claims that she supported Donald Trump’s campaign, all while poking fun at Trump’s VP choice JD Vance’s remarks about “childless cat ladies.”

Swift isn’t the only musician to show her support for the Harris-Walz campaign. Rap stars Quavo and Megan Thee Stallion used Harris’ Atlanta rally to verbalize their support in various ways. Even Beyoncé authorized the use of her song “Freedom” for Harris’ presidential campaign video. Although that isn’t an official endorsement, it is extremely close to it.

Read Taylor Swift’s full endorsement statement below.

Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do your research on the issues at hand and the stances these candidates take on the topics that matter to you the most. As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can about their proposed policies and plans for this country.

Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.

I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate Tim Walz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.

I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make. I also want to say, especially to first time voters: Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story.

With love and hope,

Taylor Swift
Childless Cat Lady

On August 30, the tragic news of Fatman Scoop’s passing shattered the hip-hop community. Since then several of the late musician, hype man, and radio personality’s former collaborators including Missy Elliott, Ciara, and more heartfelt tribute.

Now, the world can pour out their love for him at a public ceremony. Today (September 10), Fatman Scoop’s family announced that Harlem’s Apollo Theater will host his ‘Celebration Of Life.’ The service is scheduled for Thursday, September 12.

“Please join the Freeman family in the celebration of Isaac “Fatman Scoop” Freeman at the Apollo this Thursday,” read the post (viewable here).

Although the posture featured BET’s logo, it is unclear if the network will broadcast the service. No featured speakers or performers have been announced for Fatman Scoop’s ‘Celebration Of Life.’ However, the image does indicate that this is a public ticketed event. Find more information here.

In a statement shared by the family, they briefly eulogized his life, writing:
“FatMan Scoop was not just a world-class performer, he was a father, brother, uncle and a friend. He was the laughter in our lives, a constant source of support, unwavering strength, and courage. FatMan Scoop’s legacy is of love and brightness, it will reside in our hearts and memories forever.”

Come September September 12, a more robust speech is sure to move the late culture icon’s supporters to tears.

The supply of live music programming has been plentiful. However, many concertgoers’ budget to attend these aren’t. Kacey Musgraves seems to understand that. Today (September 10), the “Irish Goodbye” singer announced her partnership with Amazon Music which will save supporters a pretty penny.

Back in April, Kacey Musgraves announced her Deeper Well World Tour. Tickets for the shows quickly began to move during pre-sale. But, in case you didn’t secure access to Musgraves’ stop in a city near you, thanks to Amazon Music you fans catch a livestream of the tour.

On September 20, as Musgraves takes over Seattle, Washington’s Climate Pledge Arena, Prime Members will have the chance to stream it live. Starting at 7:30 pm local time, users can log into to catch the show. Father John Misty and Nickel Creek are listed as special acts for the night. However, it is unclear if their sets will make the broadcast. Find more information here.

Kacey Musgraves 2024 Tour Dates: Deeper Well World Tour

09/11 — Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena *
09/12 — Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena *
09/15 — Greenwood Village, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre *
09/19 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena *
09/20 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena *
09/23 — Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center *
09/24 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center *
09/27 — Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena *
09/28 — Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena *
10/01 — San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena San Diego *
10/03 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum *
10/04 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum *
11/06 — Laval, QC @ Place Bell #
11/07 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena #
11/09 — Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena #
11/10 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena #
11/12 — Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center #
11/13 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center #
11/15 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center #
11/16 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center #
11/21 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center #
11/22 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center #
11/23 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center #
11/26 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center #
11/27 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center #
11/29 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena #
11/30 — Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood #
12/02 — Orlando, FL @ Kia Center #
12/05 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center #
12/06 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena #
12/07 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena #

+ with Madi Diaz
* with Father John Misty and Nickel Creek
# with Lord Huron and Nickel Creek

Uproxx cover star Chlöe is a sucker for a good contemporary R&B ballad. But the “Boy Bye” singer has proven to be a mastermind when it comes to electronic fusion.

Her latest album, Trouble In Paradise, showcases Chlöe’s balance of the worlds. On her latest single, “Shake” featuring Jeremih, blends her R&B likeness and love of EDM. The official video is just as fun.

In the twerk-filled visual directed by Boma Iluma, Chlöe shows off the NSFW side of carnival. Back in July, Chlöe posted her glorious ‘Queen Of Hearts’ costume, which broke the internet. Now, it has been the centerpiece of the visual.

As Chlöe makes her way around the celebration, there is a sea of people enjoying one another’s company (whining waists, clapping cheeks, and all).

Over on Instagram, Chlöe spoke about the inspiration for the video. “I wanted to drop something special for you guys in honor of ‘Trouble in Paradise’ being out for a month,” she wrote. “Enjoy this video to ‘Shake.’ Watch the full thing on my YouTube channel. I want those booties bouncing and shaking.”

Watch the full video for Chlöe’s new single “Shake” featuring Jeremih above.

Trouble In Paradise is out now. Find more information here.