7 must-listen new albums of the week from Little Simz, Omar, Cypress Hill

The first week of June delivers a solid collection of Black-led releases spanning multiple generations and genres. Little Simz returns with her introspective Lotus, while Lil Wayne offers the long-awaited Tha Carter VI. Jazz fusion veterans Azymuth present their anniversary album Marca Passo, and Cypress Hill reimagines their classic Black Sunday with the London Symphony Orchestra. The week also features new work from UK soul artist Omar, Montreal vocalist Dominique Fils-Aimé, Chicago experimentalist Ben LaMar Gay, showcasing the breadth of contemporary Black music.

Little Simz — Lotus

North London-born Simbiatu Ajikawo, who has established herself as a respected voice in UK rap through Mercury Prize and BRIT Award recognition, returns with her sixth studio album spanning 49 minutes across 13 tracks. Released through her Forever Living Originals in partnership with AWAL, the record builds on the cinematic approach of 2022’s No Thank You while incorporating string arrangements and minimal percussion. Produced by Miles Clinton James, the album features collaborations with Sampha and Moses Sumney, with lead singles “Flood,” “Free,” and “Young” exploring themes of personal growth and resilience across her genre-crossing approach.

Lil Wayne — Tha Carter VI

Seven years after Tha Carter V, Dwayne Carter Jr.—who was signed to Cash Money Records at age 12 and has since sold over 120 million records worldwide—delivers an 18-track album through Young Money/Republic Records. The influential Southern rap figure’s latest release features an extensive guest list including Bono, Billie Eilish, Andrea Bocelli, and Miley Cyrus, while longtime producer Mannie Fresh contributes bookending skits that reference Wayne’s New Orleans roots. The pre-release single “The Days” appeared in ESPN’s NBA Finals promotional campaign, showcasing the prolific mixtape artist’s continued cultural reach.

Cypress Hill & The London Symphony Orchestra — Black Sunday Live at the Royal Albert Hall

South Gate’s Cypress Hill, the first Latino hip-hop group to achieve platinum status and receive a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, present their orchestral collaboration recorded on July 10, 2024, with a 70-piece ensemble conducted by Troy Miller. This live album reinterprets their 1993 platinum-selling Black Sunday in its entirety, realizing a concept previously featured on The Simpsons. The orchestral arrangements expand DJ Muggs’ production while maintaining the original’s hip-hop foundation, available as a 2-CD/Blu-ray package and gold vinyl edition through UMe.

Azymuth — Marca Passo

Brazil’s jazz-funk trio, formed in Rio in 1973 and known for developing their “samba doido” (“crazy samba”) style, marks their 50th anniversary with 10 new compositions produced by Daniel Maunick for Far Out Recordings. The group, whose work has been sampled by contemporary producers including Madlib, Flying Lotus, and Kaytranada, balances analog instrumentation with synthesizer elements on tracks like “Fantasy ’82” and “Last Summer in Rio,” which features Incognito’s Bluey on guitar as a tribute to late drummer Ivan “Mamão” Conti.

Ben LaMar Gay — Yowzers

Chicago multi-instrumentalist and former AACM member Ben LaMar Gay, known for blending jazz, funk, and experimental music into concise compositions through collaborations with Makaya McCraven and Theaster Gates, presents a 12-track album combining cornet, electronics, and Afro-Brazilian rhythms on International Anthem. The opening track “yowzers” features layered percussion and processed horns, while “John, John Henry” recontextualizes American folk through field recordings. Gay describes the record as “a celebration of small victories.”

Dominique Fils-Aimé — Live at the Montreal International Jazz Festival

Montreal vocalist Dominique Fils-Aimé, who won a 2020 JUNO Award for Stay Tuned! and completed a trilogy exploring blues, soul, and gospel traditions, documents her June 29, 2024 performance at the festival’s main stage with a 16-piece ensemble and nine-voice choir. This 14-track live album includes reworked catalog material and features an a cappella version of “Moi je t’aime” that incorporates audience participation. Released via Ensoul Records with detailed liner notes, the recording captures her transition from studio exploration to live documentation.

Omar — Brighter the Days

UK soul artist Omar Lyefook MBE, known for the 1990 hit “There’s Nothing Like This” and collaborations with Stevie Wonder and Erykah Badu, marks four decades in music with his ninth studio album on BBE Music. The artist whom Prince once praised for his musical output presents a nine-song collection produced by longtime collaborator Greg Boraman, featuring Eric Roberson, Raheem DeVaughn, and Zed Bias, with Fender Rhodes piano prominent throughout. The title track references classic Hi Records production styles.