It’s almost officially summer, so you know that good food and good music will be in heavy demand. Hip-hop tastes are ever-changing, but one thing that’s true in any era and any region is staying on top of the dopest sounds and styles of the moment. You can never be too fresh, and it doesn’t take long for yesterday’s hit to become yesterday’s news.

Pharrell burst onto the scene in the late 90s with the Neptunes, blending pop, hip-hop, rock and dance into a uniquely infectious sound that would come to define the 2000s. That’s fresh.

Nicki Minaj became a household name a decade ago—armed with an arsenal of hilarious alter egos and rhymes for days. She’s now a global icon and did it on her own terms. That’s fresh.

But innovators like Pharrell and Nicki Minaj didn’t become who they are by playing it safe or repeating themselves, so daring to be different should naturally be a part of any music lover’s attitude. In keeping with fresh flavors for the summer, we’re giving you a Fresh Flavors Playlist for the week!

Great tracks like Majid Jordan’s “Phases” are all about being unafraid of change; Mary J. Blige’s return emphasizes the beauty of the “Glow Up;” evolving past your old self. And Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA” rallies you around the idea that everything that you need to become the very best you can be is already built into who you are. All you have to do is tap into it.

So take a listen to our Fresh Flavors playlist for this week and embrace what’s fresh!

 

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