Well, folks, we've finally made it: the final Fire Emoji playlist update of 2023 is a very short but very sweet one. As the year comes to a close this weekend, it's a pretty slow week for new releases as folks celebrate and gear up for 2024. Still, there were four particularly great tracks to highlight this week that will surely help you end the year off with a bang. First up is Lil Uzi Vert's "Red Moon," which was once a YouTube exclusive for Christmas Day that eventually made its way to streaming services. It's not as energetic or vibrant as we're used to hearing from them these days, but it represents the Philly superstar's other half: a moodier, more tender, emotive, and vulnerable melodic approach with some great drum-and-bass percussion.
Furthermore, another Fire Emoji highlight comes from none other than Sexyy Red, who is absolutely one of the year's most dominant and important artists. Say what you will about the new Chief Keef-assisted remix of "Bow Bow Bow (F My Baby Daddy)" [or "F My Baby Mama" in this case], but you can't deny the sheer impact that hits like this had in 2023. The Chicago legend comes through with a pretty charismatic performance, proving that he can still play with the younger crowd as one of its biggest influences. The song remains as good if not better than its original, and it will lead us into hopefully another great year for the St. Louis MC.
Read More: Sexyy Red’s 2023 Features, Ranked
HNHH Fire Emoji Playlist: Stream
In addition, we had to shout out the title track on Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, and The Alchemist's collaborative project, Hall & Nash 2. Whether it's the sharp and boisterous lyricism or the vintage and engrossing production, any song on this tape would've fit like a glove on Fire Emoji. What sets "Hall & Nash" apart on the tracklist is its deliberately patient, menacing, and almost Western-like beat, sampling some rattling, a guitar twang, and ghostly keys. Ahead of a revamped version of the same record apparently coming in 2024, we can't recommend this Griselda and Uncle Al team-up enough.
Finally, one of the greatest lyricists writing and rapping today had to drop one more gem for us this year before closing it out. Boldy James came through with production help from Your Boy Posca on the single "They Vouching," which is as lyrically grimy as it is sonically soothing thanks to wondrous flute melodies and ambient, persistent synth pads. Let us know what your favorite Fire Emoji inclusion was this week– and what else we missed, too. Check out the playlist above and come back to HNHH for every great rap release to come in 2024: we'll have it on lock.