R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Pooh Shiesty, J Hus, FLO, Def Soulja & More

Christmas is just ten days away, but the worlds of hip-hop and R&B haven’t closed up shop just yet!

Last month, Billboard reported that a fan-created conspiracy theory that Timothée Chalamet is moonlighting as fast-rising Liverpool rapper EsDeeKid helped the MC’s Rebel LP reach the Billboard 200 for the first time. While on the promotional campaign trail for his upcoming film, Marty Supreme, the Oscar-nominated actor finally commented on the rumors. “I’ve got no comment,” he teased. “I’ve got two words on that. All will be revealed in due time.”

On the other end of the hip-hop spectrum, Nas and DJ Premier finally dropped their Light-Years collaborative album, which arrives after a three-decade wait. Featuring just one guest star in AZ, the new LP flaunts the chemistry that resulted in early Nas classics “N.Y. State of Mind Pt. II” and “Nas Is Like.”

Friday night saw a Caribbean wave crash over New York with the UBS Arena-set Jamaica Strong benefit concert gracing Long Island. Headlined by Shaggy, Kes and Sean Paul, the star-studded event boasts West Indian music superstars across reggae, dancehall and soca, banding together to raise funds for Hurricane Melissa relief. Over the weekend (Dec. 14), Billboard exclusively reported the release date of Jerry Wonda and Buju Banton’s forthcoming, two-part charity single, “Jam for Jamaica.” The song will be released on Feb. 6, Bob Marley’s birthday.

With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Pooh Shiesty’s long-awaited comeback to a soulful duet between Otis Kane and Aaron Childs. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.