New Music Friday on September 11 brings major industry releases spanning R&B, rap, and indie. Headlined by Jhené Aiko’s first album in six years, Westside Whimsy, alongside drops from Tinashe, EST Gee, and indie picks highlighted by NPR Music, this week reshapes the autumn streaming landscape.
The Big R&B Return: Jhené Aiko Leads September’s Slate
Six years after the release of Chilombo, Jhené Aiko has officially returned with a massive 20-track project titled Westside Whimsy. The album leans heavily into the dreamy, intimate contemporary R&B style that defines her catalog while celebrating her Los Angeles roots.
The project arrives with a star-studded feature list. Kendrick Lamar reunites with Aiko on the track “So Good,” while additional guest appearances feature Ab-Soul, Larry June, Tyga, and OHMA. Naturally, the internet immediately began digging into the lyricism, speculating on whether certain tracks targeted past relationships—rumors Aiko quickly shut down, keeping the focus squarely on the music rather than tabloid fodder.
The Bottom Line
- Jhené Aiko’s Comeback: Westside Whimsy marks her first full-length album in six years, boasting 20 tracks and features from Kendrick Lamar, Tyga, and more.
- Rap and Indie Diversity: Alongside Aiko, EST Gee drops Bigger Than The Devil, while NPR Music highlights key indie projects from Sylvan Esso, The Tubs, and This Is Lorelei.
Navigating the Rap and Indie Landscape on September 11
While Aiko dominates the R&B space, the hip-hop sector is seeing heavy-hitting releases from EST Gee, who dropped his 17-track project Bigger Than The Devil. The album relies on gritty storytelling and reflection on survival, featuring appearances from YFN Lucci and members of his EST circle.
At the same time, regional stars are carving out substantial streaming territory. Rio Da Yung OG released The World Is Yours featuring guest spots from Veeze, Trippie Redd, and Lil Yachty, while East Texas rapper Ro$ama dropped his 20-track debut album, My Forte, complete with a deeply personal visual featuring his mother and twin daughters.
On the indie and public radio front, NPR Music’s podcast team—featuring host Stephen Thompson alongside guests from WUNC, WNXP, and WXPN—highlighted a distinct set of foundational releases for the week. The “Starting 5” playlist features Sylvan Esso’s Ow ∞ (Psychic Hotline), The Tubs’ Hard Life (Merge), This Is Lorelei’s The Singer in My Band (Matador), Ezra Collective’s Here Because of Hope (Partisan), and Haruomi Hosono’s Yours Sincerely (Ghostly International).
Streaming Economics and Curator Impact
| Artist | Project Title | Format | Primary Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jhené Aiko | Westside Whimsy | Album (20 Tracks) | R&B |
| EST Gee | Bigger Than The Devil | Album (17 Tracks) | Rap / Hip-Hop |
| Ro$ama | My Forte | Debut Album (20 Tracks) | Texas Rap |
| Sylvan Esso | Ow ∞ | Album | Indie / Electronic |
| Ezra Collective | Here Because of Hope | Album | Jazz / UK |
Which of these September 11 drops are you adding to your weekend rotation, and does Jhené Aiko’s six-year wait live up to the hype? Sound off in the comments below.
