Listen to new must-hear songs from emerging R&B/hip-hop artists like Crimeapple and Ebubé.
Justine Skye at the Warner Music Group Grammy Awards Party on January 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Dan Steinberg/Billboard
The ladies of hip-hop and R&B ran last week’s news cycle.
Cardi B kicked off her arena-headlining Little Miss Drama Tour in four packed California shows, including two nights at Inglewood’s Kia Forum. Across those shows, Bardi brought out a slew of special guests, including GloRilla, Tyla, Kehlani, and Blueface. On the Sunday night show (Feb. 15), the Grammy winner also seemed to defend Stefon Diggs despite their recent split. “Just because I ain’t f–king with my baby daddy doesn’t mean you get to talk about my baby daddy,” she said before launching into her BIA diss track “Pretty & Petty.”
Beyoncé joined the rest of the country’s Super Bowl festivities with several fashionably late photodumps on her official Instagram page and website, most of which found her flaunting her bold new blonde bob. As anticipation for Act III continues to build, the final installment of her ongoing album trilogy consisting of 2022’s Renaissance and 2024’s Cowboy Carter, all eyes will be on Queen Bey ahead of her grand return to the MET Gala in May.
Finally, Brandy dominated the timeline with her intricately stacked rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday (Feb. 15). Assisted by R&B vocal group June’s Diary, the inventive National Anthem rendition garnered split reactions across social media, though nothing in comparison to the instant memeification of Fergie’s version from 2018.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from a poignant Shae Universe single to a certified Feng banger. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
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Freshest Find: Shae Universe, “D’Angelo’s Joint”
D’Angelo ignited the musical souls of multiple generations, and his groove remains eternal by way of Shae Universe’s gorgeous tribute. The U.K. R&B singer-songwriter, who has been one of the genre’s most exciting indie names for about a decade, teamed up with The Prodigal Sons for a lush, bass guitar-driven ode to the evolution of soul music; “Keep it going, keep the flow, on & on/ Something ’bout the legacy/ Feel it living on in me,” she croons. Accompanied by a stunning visualizer that features parallel examinations of the evolution of Black hair and soul music, Shae Universe has delivered the ultimate anthem to bridge Black and Women’s History Months. — KYLE DENIS
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Feng, “Firework”
2026 is shaping up to be a major year for bubbling U.K. rappers making a name for themselves stateside. Feng delivered his Weekend Rockstar project, which oozes with electronic-rap feel-good vibes, reminiscent of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness.” Album standout “Firework” focuses on finding your happiness in life and attacking it before it’s too late. “I know you want it, but it won’t happen overnight,” he intones. The accompanying Steve Smith-directed visual follows a girl letting her guard down, enjoying the freedom of her youth and blissfully raging alongside her friends.
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Crimeapple & Evidence, “Dr. Scholl’s”
Jersey’s Crimeapple just dropped a tape with Cali’s Evidence providing the beats, and the lead single has Crime tiptoeing around Ev’s cat burglar soundtrack like he’s ready to pull off the heist of the century at the Bellagio. Be sure to check out the rest of the project because it’s pretty good. — ANGEL DIAZ
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Baby Rose & Leon Thomas, “Friends Again”
Baby Rose returns with her first single in two years, enlisting Leon Thomas for a slow-burning duet about what happens when friendship crosses a line. Written by the two vocalists alongside Lawson, “Friends Again” leans into unpacking the desire to evolve the platonic into something deeper, no matter the risk. Across production from Tommy Brenneck and Eric Hagstrom, this duet is a bittersweet reminder that sometimes love doesn’t destroy a friendship because it was wrong; it simply complicates it because it’s too real.
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Isaia Huron, “W.T.A.”
On the heels of his newly announced signing to RCA Records, in conjunction with Slang Music, ascendant R&B singer Isaia Huron has shared a new, Valentine’s Day-appropriate single titled “W.T.A.” A backronym for “way too attached,” the slow-burning joint finds Huron crooning of an infatuation so intense it’s even taken him by surprise. “I think we moved a little too fast/ ‘Cause only one of us can do a love like that/ ‘Cause only one of us is way too attached,” he sings over yearning guitars. — K.D.
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Justine Skye, “Thong”
“I came out with no thong tonight/ You want me by your side, don’t you boy?” is certainly one hell of an opener. Justine Skye has been thriving at the intersection of R&B, dance music and rhythmic pop for some time now, so a Kaytranada link-up makes sense. The two musicians have teamed up for “Thong,” the sultry new single from Skye’s forthcoming CANDY EP, which is set to continue her formal foray into the dance scene. Between Kaytra’s slinky, house-steeped production and Justine’s airy, seductive vocal, “Thong” bottles the shimmering sunrays of summertime into a track fit for all seasons. — K.D.
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Ray Emmanuel, “In Your Face”
Ray Emmanuel returns with his first single of 2026, and he’s taking a creative leap as a producer with “In Your Face.” The North Carolina MC draws inspiration from the King of Pop as he interpolates Michael Jackson’s “Annie, are you okay” lyrics from “Smooth Criminal” to describe the turbulence of a relationship he won’t give up on. Strings and thumping percussion only lift Ray’s bars to hit harder, while pushing the pace and remaining in control of the reins amid the sonic chaos around him. — M.S.
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Ebubé & Tyler Lewis, “Coming Home”
UK R&B artist Ebubé delivers a tender ballad about longing, regret and choosing love with intention. Co-written with Tyler Lewis and produced by Ebubé himself, the track, set to appear on his upcoming EP A Mile in My Mind, out March 13, captures the quiet ache that surfaces when ambition creates distance from the person who matters most. While Ebubé sits with remorse, Tyler Lewis adds balance and emotional clarity, questioning why things shifted and pointing to commitment as the underlying fracture. Polished by Raf Riley’s mix, “Coming Home” is ultimately about emotional maturity and realizing that success means little if you have no one to share it with. — C.C.
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Larry June, Curren$y & The Alchemist, “Everything Allocated”
A Larry June, Curren$y and The Alchemist go together like a bong and water, rolling papers and a grinder, a joint and a lighter, etc. Their project drops next week on Feb. 20, and it looks like the Alchemist went into his Mobb Deep files for the lead single as he provides Larry and Spitta with some sinister keys as both sound motivated and in rare form. — ANGEL DIAZ
