KANYE WEST featuring PAUL McCARTNEY
Only One
Roc-a-Fella
"You'll keep rising," predicts Kanye West, in the guise of his late mother Donda, addressing her son from beyond the grave. "Till the sky knows you name." Hmmm, only Kanye could write a song dedicated to the woman who raised him and have it end up, basically, as a gushing tribute to himself . . . Well, I suppose Jay-Z did have his mother on The Black Album waffling on about how great he is. And Ghostface Killah's mom-tribute described his mother as weak and credited his grandmother with keeping the family together. And Tupac's Dear Mama divulged that his mother smoked crack when he was a kid . . . Actually, you know what, rappers? This year, just send her a card!
SOPHIA GRACE
Best Friends
Sophia Grace is an adorable 11-year-old rapper with a penchant for finger-wagging, sass and slightly age-inappropriate big-talk. This YouTube smash hit is dedicated to her 8-year-old cousin Rosie ("We run this town," Sophia claims, rather improbably.) The pair are best friends and promise to have each other's backs for life. Three months from now, expect the follow-up single Rosie Is A Total Bitch.
RYLEY WALKER
Primrose Green
Dead Oceans
Ryley Walker is a 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Chicago who croons like Tim Buckley, plays guitar like Nick Drake and probably refers to the opposite sex as "M'lady". Primrose Green is the title track from his forthcoming second album.
GIRLPOOL
Alone At The Show
The Le Sigh
LA punk rockers Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad have hit the ground running in 2015 with this extremely catchy two-minute ode to unrequited mosh-pit crushes. (That's crush as in infatuation, rather than stampede.) Their self-titled debut album is available on Bandcamp. girlpool.bandcamp.com
