Akon plans to recreate his music in 2025. May 2025 was a landmark month in hip-hop, packed with accolades, milestones, and controversy.
At the American Music Awards, Kendrick Lamar dominated with ten nominations, taking home Favorite Hip-Hop Song for “Not Like Us.” Megan Thee Stallion and Eminem also won top honors, with Em nabbing Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist and Favorite Hip-Hop Album for The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Beyoncé made country music history, winning Favorite Female Country Artist and Album.
The beginning of summer includes many new artists dropping music around the award week. From Busta Rhymes showing his Knicks pride to YFN Lucci’s return to Sexton’s introduction, here’s a list of new music you might have missed this week.
Busta Rhymes Taps Papoose, Joey Bada$$, Nems & Swizz Beats For “New York Knicks Anthem”
Bussa forms a new conglomerate to help craft an anthem for the playoff-driven Knicks. The anthem delivers some of the best lyricism to ever come out of the Big Apple. Not to mention, its release is perfect timing.
Akon & Josh Ross Are “Drunk Right Now”
The collaborators team up to pay tribute Kon’s classic track “Na Na Na.” “Akon’s music was always a huge part of my life growing up,” says Ross. “Having two older siblings, his songs were always playing—his sound, his hooks, everything about it just stuck with me before I even knew what the words meant. I’ve always been a fan. About a year ago, I was messing around in the studio and reimagined his song ‘Right Now,’ just for fun. We started playing it before our shows and the crowd went nuts—it turned into this wild country party anthem.”
“I ended up sending it to him, not really expecting anything… and he actually loved it,” he continues. “He said he wanted to jump on it, and suddenly it turned into a real collab. It’s one of those full-circle moments I never saw coming and I’m truly grateful to have a summer party anthem.”
Kardinal Official Asks Us To “Let Me Out”
“This isn’t just about making noise to cut through—it’s about making truth,” says Kardinal. “I’ve spent years creating sounds that move me, that disrupt the system, that remind me why I fell in love with hip-hop in the first place. It’s the raw, unfiltered kind—the kind that doesn’t beg for approval from anybody. Lately, I’ve been surrounded by a powerful mix of new artists who feel deeply and create fearlessly, and many icons who continue to uphold a certain standard…that energy was the perfect storm for me. ‘LET EM OUT’ wasn’t just a song—it was a release. A way to say: this is who I am now. No compromises. Just music that makes you feel alive!”
Sexton Links With Fat Trel For “FTT”
“Fuck They Think” is a bold and empowering anthem that speaks to the struggles and triumphs of being a female artist in the male-dominated music industry. The dynamic duo has been teasing the release of this collaboration for months, and it’s safe to say that the final product does not disappoint. The track showcases Sexton’s signature raw and unapologetic style.
YFN Lucci Takes Us Back To “Jan.31”
An emotional homecoming in the wake of a grueling battle with the Georgia legal system. Propelled by triumphant lyricism and soul-sampling production, the Summerhill rapper’s victory lap of a single presents one of his most personal releases to date.
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