New Music Friday: Kali Uchis, Masego, Macklemore, Dreamville

Today marks the release of the highly anticipated, Creed III. J.Cole’s label, Dreamville Records, provided the soundtrack for the latest installment of the boxing blockbuster. The 18-track album features Dreamville signees but receives support from Kehlani, SiR, Blxst, and Arya Starr to name a few. Dreamville Records teased fans with “Ma Boy” in February which features J.I.D and Lute but kept the album under wraps. The label shared in a press release, “Dreamville/Interscope Records worked closely with the franchise’s producers MGM, Proximity and Outlier to create a musical experience that fit not just the film’s needs but one that will be celebrated as its own piece of art.”

R&B songbird, Kali Uchis has released her third studio album, Red Moon in Venus. The 43-minute album is a dreamy listening experience with appearances from Summer Walker, Don Toliver and Omar Apollo. It’s been two years since we received a full length project from Uchis. Similar to her previous Grammy-nominated album, Sin Miedo, Uchis brings bilingual lyricism over hypnotic R&B beats.

Trap-house jazz musician, Masego has released his second studio album, Masego. It’s been five years since he dropped his critically-acclaimed debut album, Lady, Lady. In between that time, Masego released a slew of singles including viral hit, “Yamz”. During the pandemic he offered fans international escapism with his 2020 EP Studying Abroad. His latest self-titled project follows his flirtatious player attitude while fusing jazz and R&B. The album has no featured guests, a testament to his growth and confidence as a multi-instrumentalist.

Seattle’s very own, Macklemore is back with a new solo project, Ben. The album name, a play on his birth name Benjamin, has eleven featured guests including DJ Premier, NLE Choppa, and Morray. Ahead of the release, Macklemore shared with Kelly Clarkson that Ben was influenced by his relapse with alcohol addiction during the pandemic. The opening track, “CHANT”, offers a strong rebound after being in a dark place, “They told me that I’m gone/ I told em’ don’t panic.” Macklemore closes the album with “TAIL LIGHTS”, a track expressing that his “compass is broken” but he’s still trying to find the right path.