Radical Optimism from Dula Peep, Kendrick's Well Done Rap Beef, Willow Smith, Rachel Chinouri - Music That I Loved Last Week

Hello from Canela's Café, where my friend Tucker does a set every Friday night. I got back to America just in time. My Release Radar has been sounding off all week as we've gotten so many good music releases.

1. Kendrick Lamar : Europhoria, 6:16 in LA , Not Like Us

Personally the rap beef between Kendrick and Drake needs to be studied in academia and will go down as one of the biggest and most significant Hip Hop feud since West Coast vs East Coast rap. I have not stanned Kendrick this hard since I first listened to Pimp a Butterfly as a part of a paper I was writing for one of my musicology classes. It goes without saying that he is a world class lyricist and the amount of double and triple entendres alone could make him worthy of yet another Pulitzer. But as you listen be aware of the bigger conversation that is circling around the nature of authenticity in Hip Hop and Drake's relationship to the wider Hip-Hop and black culture. As one of the biggest mainstream Hip-Hop acts, Drake has notoriously strayed away from any meaningful or significant talk about his blackness or the black experience, staying firm in his commitment to lover boy centered dance tracks. Throughout Kendricks' songs he's attacking Drake for this, as the symbol for the commodification of and commercialization of Hip Hop, exhibiting the space as more of a culture vulture than a contributor : "You make music that pacifies em I make music that electrifies em'. It is both as a cultural statement and a personal diss, a dragging of Drake on epic proportions. While I do not like the use of "pedophilia" or weird behavior towards young woman as a gotcha, calling out Drake's inappropriate behavior with young women, overall Kendrick has clarified once again that he is not the one to mess with. Kendrick even gives this man life, fatherhood, and career advice.... Lord have mercy!!

Give all these tracks a listen minimum 4x.

2. Willow : Empathogen

I'm currently baffled by the low Pitchfork score this album got because it is absolutely incredible. Willow continues to reinvent herself musically proving that she is a dynamic singer-songwriter and musician. Having seen videos of her playing guitar bass, and synth for this album, I am blown away by so much of the natural musical ability that seems to flow into such unique arrangements. Through jazz-inspired, rock, and some pop influences, she weaves us through the innerworkings of complex emotional landscape. Empathogens, from which the album gets it name, increase a person's feeling of empathy and benevolence towards others, as well as feelings of being socially accepted and connected. And certainly you walk away from this album have a deep connection and empathy for the vulnerable raw honest feelings Willow puts on this album. Some of my favorites on this album include : Home featuring Jon Batiste and Pain for Fun and hard-hitting duet between Willow and Saint Vincent. This is already one of my favorite albums this year (right after Cowboy Carter, and Only God Was Above Us).

3. Rachel Chinouri : What a Devastating Turn of Events

I've been rooting for Rachel all year to find her place in the indie-pop/folk space and she's finding her way touring with the likes of Lewis Capadli, Louis Tomlinson, and Remi Wolf (see y'all in October where I will be shouting every lyric to this album). In What a Devastating Turn of Events, we get a peak into Rachel's in her world as she struggles with rejection and unrequited love, perfectionism, despair, and self-esteem. Black Sad Girls Rise Up! It's a strong start for Rachel and I'm really excited to see where her career goes. Some personal faves from this album include "What Have I Ever Done" , "All I Ever Asked of You, and "The Hills".

4. Dua Lipa : Radical Optimism

Dula Peep is back! With an album that leans a little less heavily into the funk than her previous album Future Nostalgia, Dua delivers a a few hits and a few sleepers on this album. I have to say I think Future Nostalgia is a near perfect pop-album and I felt myself wanting to get more of that sound on this album. I will say however , this album is extremely cohesive and delivers some of Dua's most dynamic and adventurous vocals. Shoutout to "These Walls" cause that is my album highlight. It's still a fun project so definitely give it a listen.

5. While this is not a new listen, in honor of me trying to get tickets to see her and Emily King this week, please check out Norah Jones latest album Visions. It's such a cool interesting sound, sounding like an indie folks. Big props to Staring at the Wall, my favorite song on this album. And as a throwback, Seven Years from her album Come Away with Me.