Anastasia - "You Do"
I'm used to Anastasia's (formerly known as Anya) smooth nonchalant flows. Her new EP Born to Love You is very different. Gone are the rhymes addressing Austin-specific issues full of details. Enter some sultry slow jam trap tunes. This EP is a more R&B style effort with Anastasia singing the whole way through. She's got a gorgeous voice, which she's shown off throughout her rap records in addition to the raw raps. It's hard to pick just one standout track, but the soulfulness and vulnerability of "You Do" make it my Austin fresh pick.
HySociety - "Heaven"
Franklin TN duo HySociety has been releasing a regular string of great songs. The vocalist & rapper, Truett, weaves dreamy sung vocals with smooth & fresh raps. He's witty and quick to flaunt his swag, with a mix between braggadocious lady killing and humorous lightheartedness with lines like, "Who's that girly chillin with a choker?" The music is a more organic version of trap with a lot of piano/keyboard driven melodies and bass that knocks hard. This is a talented duo making their rounds on Soundcloud with party jams, looking to skip school, talk to girls, and grab all the dough they can.
Big Sean - "No Favors" ft. Eminem
This has been a hot song since it came out last month. Big Sean often loses me in his arsenal of sexual innuendos, but this is a more serious song full of social issues that shows off his clever wordplay. Eminem's been more political than usual lately since mid-2016 and this verse had a lot of people talking about it the day it came out. These aren't the rhymes he writes for his pop hits; they're the weird rapey ones. But as usual, there are shocking lines that satisfy people looking for humor or for his unique wordplay. Oh yeah, and he said, "Trump's a b*tch." The only ways I found to listen to this online are through a Spotify account or SoundCloud Go subscription.