We take a look at the fresh releases and review new releases from Souly, Boondawg & Ramzey and Young Thug.
The hip-hop world was dominated by one piece of news over the weekend of June 23-25: Young Thug has released the album BUSINESS IS BUSINESS while he is still in prison. But German artists have also been busy bringing out new things. We look at the releases of Souly, Boondawg & Ramzey and Young Thug.
Souly – “Your Girlfriends”
Souly completes his album I WISH I WOULD CARE with “Deine Freundinnen”. The record was released in March, but Souly has released three more singles with “Der Lehrer”, “Schweden” and “Deine Freundinnen”, which will soon be released on a deluxe edition.
The new track shows clear indie-pop influences. Retro synths and dreamy guitar chords accompany Souly’s voice, which keeps switching between singing and rap. The Munsterlander settles accounts with an ex-girlfriend on the song. He was long over the breakup, he never liked her girlfriends. “I’m long over it and I’m starting over / Yes, I’m starting over / Do you know who I am? Yes, you will regret that / Use the night for life and use the days to dream,” Souly explains in the first stanza.
Towards the end of the second verse, he then reveals that he doesn’t just have negative feelings towards his ex: “There’s so much in it, yes, what’s still inside of me, but / yes, I’ll leave it in, just leave it out sadness / I admire you, yes, and your sophistication, yes / I admire you, yes, why are you doing well? Yes / I admire you, how do you handle it like that?”
“Deine Freundinnen” is a moody indie rap crossover on which Souly proves his skills as a singer and songwriter. He also shows once again what his fans already know: his music cannot be pigeonholed.
Boondawg & Ramzey – “Spooky”
Boondawg and Ramzey find it spooky at the top. On their first song together, the two reflect on how their personal life situations have changed since they became successful rappers. “Look what you can handle / between being humble and megalomania / between I say what I really think, or do I just wish you a nice day?” Ramzey raps in his part. Boondawg, meanwhile, talks about the pressure to succeed weighs on his shoulders. “My money is straight, but I don’t feel like it’s enough,” says his part.
The two complement each other well on “Spooky” – the different rap styles create a pleasant dynamic. It’s probably too late to call Boondawg and Ramzey newcomers, but they’re definitely two of the most exciting rappers of the new generation, doing their own thing.
Young Thug – BUSINESS IS BUSINESS
BUSINESS IS BUSINESS is a very special album simply because of the circumstances under which it was released. “Thugger” has been in custody since May 2022, with the infamous YSL trial still ongoing. It was Metro Boomin who finally assembled the record from older and new unreleased tracks.
So what does BUSINESS IS BUSINESS have in store for us? At first glance, at least a track list with features that makes US rap fans’ jaws drop. Drake, Future, 21 Savage, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert – all these heavyweights of the hip-hop scene have (at least) one guest contribution on the new record. These songs are – so much has already been revealed – the best of the album. For example, “Oh U Went” has a real catchy hook and a fantastic Drake part. On “Want Me Dead” with 21 Savage, Thug leans out a little further lyrically. Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Yak Gotti and Thugger himself let loose on “Wit Da Racks”.
Thugger, Young Metro & Co. do business as usual on BUSINESS IS BUSINESS. Of course you can’t blame a jailed rapper directly for that – after all, how is he supposed to make new music? However, that doesn’t change the fact that some tracks on the record are unforgettable. Nevertheless, there are some highlights – above all the aforementioned “Oh U Went”, “Want Me Dead” and “Wit Da Racks”.