J Cole & Tee Grizzley Go "Blow For Blow" On Our New "Fire Emoji" Playlist Update: Stream

BYGabriel Bras Nevares1.8K Views
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Wireless Festival: Birmingham
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JULY 10: J. Cole performs during the Wireless Festival at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) on July 10, 2022 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Katja Ogrin/Redferns/Getty Images)
Young Thug, Nigo, Meek Mill, The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, Maxo Kream, and Tyler, The Creator also graced our "Fire Emoji" update this week.

Our latest Fire Emoji playlist update this week may not be the most stacked in our catalog, but this week in rap music held some truly standout collaborations that we'd be remiss not to highlight. First up is the new single from Tee Grizzley and J. Cole, "Blow For Blow." It's a pretty chilled-out but still hard-hitting team-up thanks to some icy and mellow keys plus a rattling and bouncy Detroit drum pattern. As far as verses, both MCs switch between multiple flows to deliver charismatic bars in engaging fashion. It's an unexpected link-u[, but nonetheless a fulfilling and skillful display.

Another blockbuster drop on our Fire Emoji playlist update is the long-awaited and latest collaboration between The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, "Timeless." Despite its title, the track sounds deeply rooted in today's moody trap and R&B fusions, bolstered by rubbery and futuristic synths and bass tones, a simple percussive treatment, and some sharp, quick, and confident deliveries from both artists. Carti kicks us off with a dynamic delivery that sounds like he's featuring an alternate version of himself on the song, whereas Abel Tesfaye comes through with some expectedly angelic vocals.

HNHH Fire Emoji Playlist: Stream

Next up is a trunk-knocking 2000s-era Pharrell-style throwback from Maxo Kream and Tyler, The Creator, "Cracc Era." A lot of folks online have compared it to how the Neptunes producer meshed so well with rappers like Slim Thug and Clipse. It's not hard to see why: the deep and bass-heavy beat only need some buzzing shots of synth to keep both lyricists focused while the rough drums give the cut a funky and stankface-inducing flow. In fact, some die-hards out there (including Maxo himself) think that this is a perfect recipe for a collab album.

Meanwhile, Young Thug and Nigo joined forces for the jittery, high-speed, and boisterous "Dope Boy." Finally, we wanted to shout out Meek Mill for the slightly reflective and passionate new single "ROBBIE SON." Let us know what your favorite Fire Emoji inclusion was this week, as well as what else we missed, down in the comments section below. Check the playlist out above and, as always, come back to HNHH for the best rap releases around the clock.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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