Best Songs of the Week Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, Vince Staples and More

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The new school is well represented in XXL’s selections for the best songs of the week. Each comes through with a unique sound that helps them stand out from the pack.

2016 XXL Freshman Lil Uzi Vert leads off our picks with his new track “Uppin Downers.” The Philly rapper distorts his voice on the song to mimic the feeling of being up on molly and down on Xanax.

Vince Staples locked down a spot with his raucous new record “Bagbak.” The West Coast rhymer uses his latest creation to demand respect for his people.

“Prison system broken, racial war commotion/Until the president get ashy, Vincent won’t be voting/We need Tamikas and Shaniquas in that Oval Office/Obama ain’t enough for me, we only getting started/The next Bill Gates can be on Section 8 up in the projects/So till they love my dark skin/Bitch, I’m going all in,” Vince raps.

Big Sean’s I Decided dropped earlier today (Feb. 3), dominating the coverage as the biggest release of the day. With that in mind, it’s only right that the standout cut “Owe Me” be included in this week’s selection. The song features Sean addressing an old flame.

“I got no regrets, you disrespect, disrespect/Only time I seen you now is on the Internet/Just to see if it’s somebody else that you tied to/I hit you back when I decide to/You got my tattoo, we was tribal/Then you left and we turned rivals/Now you back, it’s our revival/They don’t make you feel like I do/They didn’t make you perform for me/You was my American Idol how you rocked the mic/Man, we went from long text, now they shorter than a haiku,” Sean raps

Closing things out is The Underachievers’ new single “Gotham Nights.” AKTHESAVIOR and Issa Gold’s jazzy record will appear on their upcoming album Renaissance, which is due out later this month.

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