NEW MUSIC MONDAYS. An opulent trove of elegance from 6LACK, aja monet, JPEGMAFIA, Shaggy, Chuck D & John Densmore, Thee Marloes, Anäis Cardot, TOBi and LEISURE.

6LACK

Love is the New Gangsta

(LVRN / Interscope Records)

Atlanta’s premier mood-setter, 6LACK, returns with his highly anticipated fourth studio album, Love is the New Gangsta. It has been three years since his Grammy-nominated 2023 masterpiece Since I Have A Lover. Historically, 6LACK built his entire brand on being the king of moody, late-night text energy, coming up through the Atlanta scene singing and rapping through the shadows of heartbreak. But things have changed; he’s a family man now, and this record is all about trading the cold streets for emotional accountability and pure vulnerability.

Sonically, this joint is an immaculate blend of hip-hop soul that glides effortlessly. He taps in with 2 Chainz for a floating, smooth-as-butter standout track called “Sunday Again,” and unpacks his mental health journey beautifully over the elegant trap-hybrid production of “TRAUMA.” The lead single “Bird Flu” shows off his growth, proving that taking off your cool is the ultimate power move. It’s mature, it’s soul-baring, and it’s a stellar spin for New Music Monday.

JPEGMAFIA

EXPERIMENTAL RAP

(AWAL)

Peggy is back to challenge standard radio formats with an absolute sledgehammer of a project. Dropping just a couple of years after his chaotic solo masterpiece I Lay Down My Life For You, Barrington Hendricks (aka JPEGMAFIA) has delivered his sixth studio album, EXPERIMENTAL RAP. For a little history check, Peggy has been the absolute blueprint for underground glitch-hop and industrial punk-rap ever since his military discharge, building a reputation for making music that sounds like a computer crashing in the most beautiful way possible. On this massive 25-track journey, he handles the writing, producing, and mixing entirely by himself.

This album completely shatters boundaries, colliding elements of rap, rock, industrial grit, and gospel textures. Keep an ear out for “Bridges on Fire,” which features an incredibly ethereal guest feature from Buzzy Lee, and the absolute hyper-pop heat of the single “¥ (Yen).” It’s rowdy, button-pushing, and brilliant, reminding listeners that some artists play by nobody’s rules but their own.

Shaggy

Lottery

(VP Records / Ranch Entertainment)

Reggae royalty Shaggy has officially returned to secure the summer soundtrack with his brand-new studio album, Lottery. It has been a few years since his last major collaborative eras, and the diamond-selling, military-veteran-turned-global-icon is here to remind everyone of his legendary history. From ruling the late ’90s and early 2000s charts with multi-platinum anthems, Shaggy hasn’t lost an ounce of his signature, gravelly charm. This project is a vibrant celebration of dancehall, reggae fusion, and smooth R&B vibes.

Shaggy pulled out a legendary rolodex for this tracklist, featuring major link-ups with Jeremih on the title track “Lottery,” a heavy dancehall heater titled “Boom Body” featuring Akon and Aidonia, and stellar vocal magic from Robin Thicke and Anthony Hamilton. Even Sting slides through for a couple of tracks, including “Til A Mawnin.” This entire record is an absolute cheat code for high-energy daytime programming that lets the sun shine through the speakers.

aja monet

the color of rain

(drink sum wtr)

Surrealist blues poet and community organizer aja monet has delivered her sophomore studio album, the color of rain. Coming hot off the heels of her critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated 2023 debut when the poems do what they do, monet continues to solidify herself as one of the most vital voices of our generation. Historically rooted in the lineage of legendary Black avant-garde spoken-word artists and jazz-poets, her work isn’t just music—it’s a spiritual movement that commands you to lean in and feel every single syllable.

This record is an absolute masterclass in genre-bending bliss, co-produced by monet herself alongside jazz drum virtuoso Justin Brown and the iconic, legendary Meshell Ndegeocello. The instrumentation melts jazz, soul, and blues into an organic tapestry that defies any standard radio category. Tracks like “the color of rain” stop listeners right in their tracks. It’s deep, it’s revolutionary, and it’s a stunningly beautiful addition to evening or Sunday morning vibes.

Chuck D & John Densmore

No Country For Old Men (under the project name doPE)

(Org Music)

Public Enemy’s legendary frontman Chuck D and The Doors’ iconic drummer John Densmore have joined forces to form a brand-new super-duo called doPE (combining the first half of The Doors’ logo with Public Enemy’s PE abbreviation). Originally sparking the idea way back at a Record Store Day panel in 2014, these two Rock & Roll Hall of Famers finally dropped their debut collaboration, No Country For Old Men. This is literally decades of counter-culture history colliding on one record—bridging the gap between ’60s psychedelic rock rebellion and the golden era of socio-political hip-hop.

The record is a gritty, raw masterpiece that seamlessly pairs John Densmore’s historic, jazz-inflected drum rhythms with Chuck D’s booming, unmistakable spoken-word delivery and social commentary. It features the Record Store Day Song of the Year “Tick Tick Tick,” an absolute powerhouse of a track that feels like history itself talking back to the modern world. It’s old-school grit meets timeless wisdom, giving the airwaves some serious artistic weight.

Jerk

as day breaks

(DeepMatter Records)

Prolific Brooklyn-bred multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Joshua Kinney—better known as Jerk—has delivered as day breaks. This project serves as the bright, sun-kissed sister record and daylight counterpart to their brilliant 2025 nocturnal release, as night falls. Jerk has a fantastic history of blurring the lines between lo-fi hip-hop beatmaking and live, instrumental avant-garde jazz compositions, earning huge nods across the UK and US jazz scenes for their lush, cinematic soundscapes.

Created hand-in-hand with longtime collaborator and powerhouse drummer Martine Wade, this album operates like a sonic chronicle of a single day. Jerk completely shines here, playing everything from the saxophone and flute to the Fender Rhodes and synthesizers. The focus track “still dreaming” is a breathtaking downtempo groove that perfectly captures that hazy, bird-chirping space between sleep and wakefulness, while “steppin out” brings the funk-infused momentum needed for the midday hustle. It’s breezy, sophisticated, and an absolute must-hear.

Thee Marloes

Di Hotel Malibu ears”)

(Big Crown Records / Secretly)

Surabaya, Indonesia’s favorite soul trio is back with another absolute sureshot. Two years after their spectacular 2024 debut album Perak blew the minds of retro-soul lovers worldwide, Thee Marloes return with Di Hotel Malibu. Composed of vocalist/keyboardist Natassya Sianturi, guitarist/producer Sinatrya Dharaka, and drummer Tommy Satwick, this group made history by bringing a beautifully distinct, Indonesian-flavored mid-tempo soul sound straight to the legendary Big Crown label roster.

This new record expands their sonic universe massively, incorporating looser structures, rich instrumental textures, and songs sung in their native Indonesian and traditional Batak languages. A major standout for the rotation is the brilliant track “Six Years”—a deeply personal song that chronicles singer Natassya’s real-life struggle and leap of faith when she finally decided to quit her stable, comfortable 9-to-5 day job to pursue music full-time. With its infectious, breezy two-step grooves and honeyed vocals, this whole album is pure, unadulterated vibes for a sunny afternoon.

Anaïs Cardot

Map Of Her Shadow

(TEBETI)

Gabonese-French singer-songwriter Anaïs Cardot has officially dropped her highly anticipated sophomore EP, Map Of Her Shadow. Emerging as a viral sensation who grew up moving between Africa and France before refining her craft in Ottawa and Paris, Anaïs has built a beautiful history of delivering hyper-intimate, bilingual soul and acoustic jazz that cuts straight to the heart. It’s been a couple of years since her initial breakout singles, and this new 7-track project finds her at her most mature and emotionally bare.

While the gorgeous production floats effortlessly through folk, UK R&B, and jazz, the lyricism shifts away from typical romance to unpack the complex, vulnerable shadows of familial grief and generational healing. The track “Another Day” features a breathtaking collaboration with French indie-soul artist Lossapardo, creating a late-night atmosphere that is absolutely divine. It’s a stunning, healing body of work that brings an incredible touch of global sophistication to the airwaves.

TOBi

For Good Measure (Live at Dreamhouse Studios)

(ALLWON / ADA Canada)

The reigning king of the Toronto rap-soul fusion scene is taking a massive, well-deserved victory lap. Hot off the heels of taking home yet another major trophy for Rap Single of the Year at the Juno Awards, the Nigerian-born, Brampton-raised superstar TOBi has blessed us with For Good Measure. It hasn’t been long since his critically acclaimed 2023 studio album PANIC. took over the charts, but this new 7-song project is a brilliant, completely live-off-the-floor reimagining of his finest catalog tracks, recorded in just two days alongside producer Nick Ferraro and a killer 4-piece jazz band.

Historically, TOBi has always been celebrated for his fierce, Kendrick-esque flows and shape-shifting vocal textures. On For Good Measure, he melts those hip-hop roots down through a smoky, cosmic soul-jazz filter. The live rendition of “City Blues” is an absolute masterclass in raw vocal power, and the acoustic, folk-funk rebirth of his breakout anthem “Shine” is guaranteed to give you goosebumps. It’s organic, elite, and belongs in high rotation immediately.

LEISURE

Welcome to the Mood (Special Edition)

(Nettwerk Music Group)

Auckland, New Zealand’s favorite purveyors of ultra-smooth grooves are back to give listeners the ultimate sonic massage. The five-piece electronic-soul collective LEISURE has officially unveiled their smooth-sailing new single “Ride It Out,” serving as the final teaser before they drop the massive deluxe iteration of their fifth studio album, Welcome to the Mood (Special Edition). Since making waves with their self-titled debut back in 2015, this tight-knit group of producers and songwriters has mastered the history of blending ’70s funk, ’90s trip-hop, and slick, modern electronic textures into the ultimate soundtrack for laid-back lounges.

“Ride It Out” brings a beautiful, mature perspective to their signature chill aesthetic, coasting over a hypnotic, windows-down bassline that explores the beauty of resilience and patience in a relationship. It perfectly pairs with the album’s other recent stellar single, “Home.” This special edition isn’t just a lazy reissue either—it adds four brand-new tracks to the atmospheric world they built last year. It’s an absolute masterclass in groove-heavy performance that is perfect for an afternoon drive vibe.