As the first fall breezes start to drift across New York City, Billboard helped usher out the summer season with its annual R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players Week. On Wednesday (Sept. 3), Unfiltered Live welcomed its very first in-studio audience for a Cash Cobain and Zeddy Will-led debate about the current king or queen of New York rap. That same day, The Orchard hosted a special conversation (“The Future of Hip-Hop Is Global”) at NeueHouse Madison Square. On Thursday (Sept. 4), Billboard honored several stars across R&B, hip-hop and African music at its Unveiled-hosted Power Players event, including cover stars Leon Thomas and Cardi B, as well as Wu-Tang Clan, Ravyn Lenae, Odeal, GELO, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith and Alamo Records. To close out the week (Sept. 5), Billboard also teamed up with UBS and EZMNY for a cocktail party honoring Thomas, Ty Dolla $ign and veteran A&R exec Shawn Barron. That very evening, Thomas, Lenade, Odeal, GELO and rising dancehall star Armanii blew the roof off of Webster Hall during Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Live concert. Outside of Billboard‘s festivities, the hip-hop and R&B worlds remained busy. Mariah Carey (Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award) and Busta Rhymes (Rock the Bells Visionary Award) were two of the main honorees at the MTV Video Music Awards (Sept. 8), Young Thug rocked the timeline with a series of leaked jail calls and an explosive new interview, and Kendrick Lamar took home his second career Emmy for best music direction for his seismic Super Bowl LIX halftime show. With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from 3Quency’s debut single to Errol Holden and Black Thought’s new collaboration. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below. Freshest Find: Camper feat. Jill Scott & Ty Dolla $ign, “Oowee” Ahead of his forthcoming Campilation debut project — out later this year via November Yellow/SLANG — Grammy-winning producer and artist Camper has shared his new single “Oowee.” Assisted by two generational R&B talents, Jill Scott and Ty Dolla $ign, “Oowee” serves up Camper’s signature lush soundscapes — this time with a piano-driven sound that tastefully accents the soulful sultriness that emanates from both vocalists. “We only smokin’ but that elevation/ It’s Cali with every talk for our revelations, ooh-wee/ Ooh-wee, ah-ah, ah/ I, I ain’t rockin’ with your medication,” Scott croons in her verses, nodding to her own classic “A Long Walk” before joining Ty for one last chorus. — K.D. Errol Holden feat. Black Thought, “Rudy Ray Moore” I’ve been following what Errol has been building towards for a couple of years now, and it looks like he’s finally ready to take that next step. He recently followed up his debut album, Supreme Magnetic, from earlier this year with the War Pig EP, which he dropped the week before Labor Day weekend. Be sure to check those out. But before you do, hit play on this loosie and hear him drop jewels alongside a legend as they go bar-for-bar over some smoky production. — ANGEL DIAZ Dess Dior & BJRNCK, “IDC” Dess Dior and BJRNCH’s new collab smartly flips Ciara’s 2006 hit “So What” into a confident anthem about self-worth, independence and refusing to settle. The track makes it clear that if one man won’t step up, there’s always someone else who will. In the chorus, they flip the narrative on relationships, reminding listeners that they’re unbothered by men who waste their time, with the bold mantra: “two words, so what?” In its celebration of being unapologetically selective about who gets access to a person’s time and energy, “IDC” is a winner. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON Rum•gold, “Is It Something I Said” A vulnerable ballad about the weight of silence in a relationship, Rum•gold’s “Is It Something I Said” is simply captivating. He captures the tension of lying beside a partner who feels emotionally distant, questioning if he’s the cause of the disconnect. The song weaves between longing, insecurity, and devotion, acknowledging pain but also affirming unconditional love with the refrain “Nobody loves you like I.” It’s both a plea for communication and a testament to the persistence of love, even in the face of uncertainty. — C.C. 3Quency, “Top Down” A new generation of girl groups is emerging, and 3Quency is ready to claim its spot. Just weeks after winning Netflix’s Making the Band and signing with Records and Columbia Records, the trio unveiled the slick, flirtatious “Top Down.” Blending ’10s rap-singing with the trademark staccato delivery of late-’90s pop&B, the three-piece group effortlessly harmonizes over Tommy Brown’s string-laden production, instantly outlining which sonic lane they seek to make their own. “I don’t need no rehearsal, I already do it perfect/ If you really want my body, uh, you better learn it,” Wennely seductively coos in the second verse. With an MTV VMAs red carpet appearance under its belt and a recently announced joint tour with fellow Making the Band-minted group Soulidified, 3Quency has certainly hit the ground running. — KYLE DENIS Veeze, “L.O.A.T.” Veeze, the quote-machine out of Detroit, is back with a new banger, and you have to ask yourself one question: Are you the lamest of all time? If not, you’re probably holding out hope from this song that we’re finally getting a follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut Ganger, which dropped in 2023. — A.D. Buddah Bless & Kodak Black, “Owe Me” Simply put, Kodak Black sounds clearer than he has in years on “Owe Me,” as fans are claiming that the vintage Yak is back. Who knows if Kodak is feeling more lucid recently or if it was Buddah Bless’ joyous production pushing the Florida native to drop the Auto-Tune, but either way, “Owe Me” is one of Yak’s best offerings of the year. He recounts those who he feels owe him something one way or another, reflects on his come-up, and snipes at his opps, while promising he’s never snitched to authorities. Stay in this bag, Yak. — MICHAEL SAPONARA Queen Naija, “Rain…” Queen Naija
