Listen to new must-hear songs from emerging R&B/hip-hop artists like Moonchild and Raqbaby.
Connie Diiamond attends All Black Birthday Celebration for Connie Diiamond on May 12, 2025 in New York City.
Johnny Nunez/WireImage
Awards season is in full swing. Just a week after the Caribbean Music Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards mounted their latest ceremonies — both honoring Busta Rhymes, no less! — the 77th Primetime Emmys lauded some of the buzziest names in hip-hop and R&B.
Although both Beyoncé (Beyoncé Bowl) and Kendrick Lamar (Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show) lost outstanding variety special (live) to SNL50: The Anniversary Special, both artists took home some hardware at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmys, which were presented on Sept. 6 and 7. Queen Bey took home her very first Emmy for outstanding costumes for variety, nonfiction, or reality programming for her 2024 Netflix-hosted Christmas Day NFL halftime extravaganza, bringing her halfway to EGOT status. Already an Emmy winner, Lamar took home a second trophy (alongside Tony Russell) for outstanding music direction. Additionally, Doechii’s 2025 Grammy performance earned choreographer Robbie Blue an Emmy for outstanding choreography for variety or reality programming.
Outside of the Emmys, Cardi B hosted an NYC pop-up in anticipation of her Am I the Drama? album, The Carters graced the REFORM Alliance Casino Night Gala and Wyclef Jean wrapped a monumental, genre-fusing residency at the Blue Note Jazz Café.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Mobb Deep’s new single to 4batz & Flo’s new collaboration. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
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Freshest Find: Moonchild feat. Jill Scott & Rapsody, “Not Sorry”
After blessing Camper and Ty Dolla $ign with her magic touch on last week’s Freshest Find, “Oowee,” neo-soul queen Jill Scott joins forces with Rapsody for Grammy-nominated R&B trio Moonchild’s new “Not Sorry” joint. “No, I’m not sorry/ That all my hard work’s been paying off/ And I forgot to pick up your slack,” Moonchild’s Amber Navran coos in the first verse, perfectly encapsulating the tongue-in-cheek giddiness that comes with committing to their own self-interest in the face of a selfish lover. With a wise verse from Rapsody and the sultry glimmer of Scott’s voice, “Not Sorry” arrives as one of the year’s most alluring R&B collaborations. — KYLE DENIS
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Raqbaby, “DoorDash (OMG)”
Raqbaby plays a food delivery driver in the chaotic ”DoorDash (OMG)” visual, but his antics get more devilish as the clip goes on. The Chicago-born rising star moves on from food to shooting opps with his paintball gun and blowing up another customer’s house. Don’t let it distract you from his twitchy flow, as Raqbaby gets reflective about how the dark moments in his life had him contemplating suicide, and nowadays he can’t keep the girls away, but that hasn’t slowed down his goal of one day fathering 40 kids. Put your seat belt on when pressing play on Raq’s high-octane I NEVER GAVE AF project is out now. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
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Mobb Deep, “Against the World”
Hearing Prodigy over Havoc production just feels right. The rap game hasn’t been quite the same since P’s untimely passing, so this upcoming Mobb Deep album is not only welcome but necessary. Fully produced by Havoc and The Alchemist, Infinite drops on Oct. 10, and if the rest of it sounds anything like this lead single, then we should be in for another masterpiece. — ANGEL DIAZ
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4batz & FLO, “act xvi: twentyfoe7”
London-based girl group FLO joins 4batz on “act xvi: twentyfoe7,” a smooth, contemporary R&B cut from his Still Shinin album. The track captures the highs and intensity of a consuming romantic connection, balancing moments of vulnerability with the rush of desire. Over smooth, sultry production, the repeated “twenty-four seven” emphasizes unwavering devotion, while the interplay between 4batz and FLO highlights the push-and-pull of love in real time. Released September 12, the song showcases both artists’ knack for blending emotional honesty with modern R&B flair. — C.C.
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Connie Diiamond, “Breathe”
Bronx MC Connie Diiamond is back with her new Underdog SZN 2 project, and “Breathe” is an instant standout. Over a Go Gizzly-produced beat that immediately recalls the percussive fervor of mid-’00s hip-hop production like Timbaland’s iconic “Drop,” Connie delivers slick verses packed with classically New York braggadocio and swagger. “Been a baddie while you′ve been there so salty/ Had to tell these broke bitches, get off me, look/ Van Cleef and the Scantone coffee/ E-N-E, no, this shit really cost me,” she spits in the second verse. — K.D.
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Coi Leray & BKTHERULA feat. G Herbo, “Pink Money”
Coi Leray has entered a new era since becoming a mother for the first time earlier this year. With added motivation, Coi’s grit remains as she flexes about getting to the bag with ferocity on “Pink Money,” featuring assists from BKTHERULA and G Herbo. Coi raps about making it rain in Magic City — and she brought that same mindset north to Starlets strip club, where she hosted a wild Wednesday night at the NYC staple gentlemen’s club. Look for more heat the rest of 2025 and a new EP at the top of ‘26 from Coi. — M.S.
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KP SKYWALKA, “Industry”
KP SKYWALKA followed up his 4 Tha Freakas project from earlier this year with I Tried to Tell You this past weekend, and the single “Industry” serves as the intro to the DMV rapper’s latest album. Come for the H-Town “A Thin Line Between Love & Hate” sample and stay for KP’s raps where he says lines like, “He wanna diss on a song like he Papa Doc” and “Dirty ass spot, I spray it with Baccarat.” — A.D.
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Trevor Jackson, “One Foot In”
With writing and production from Iyn Jay, Trevor Jackson leans into smooth, soulful R&B on “One Foot In,” a single that melds sleek melodies with candid vulnerability. The track finds Jackson navigating the frustration of loving someone who won’t fully commit, crooning lines like “You can’t love me with one foot in and one foot out” over Iyn Jay’s understated, moody production. Jackson’s layered vocals and carefully placed harmonies underscore the tension of craving stability while facing mixed signals, making the song both intimate and universally relatable. “One Foot In” leads into his forthcoming I LOVE YOU EP, arriving October 3. — CHRISTOPHER CLAXTON
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BIA & Key Glock, “Dade”
BIA has kicked off the rollout for her BIANCA debut album, which arrives on Oct. 10, with the hard-hitting “Dade.” The thumping track will also appear in Madden 26. The Massachusetts native lights up the scoreboard while delivering one punchline after the next, seemingly mimicking a Project Pat flow, before handing the baton over to another Memphis titan in Key Glock, who rarely blesses other artists’ songs, so you know he respects BIA’s pen. “Orange Richard Mille dancing just like BIA, going against Glizzock, I wouldn’t wanna be ya,” he raps.
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