Three New Releases Push Lil Baby, Jack Harlow, and SOB x RBE Back to Form
The Friday albums and EPs mark a return to core styles for artists who have faced recent career shifts.
By Oliver Bennett ·
Three new projects dropped on Friday, aiming to reverse recent career declines for Lil Baby, Jack Harlow, and the Bay Area group SOB x RBE. Each release represents a specific attempt to recover creative momentum after periods of stagnation or change.
Lil Baby's album FRESH focuses on productivity and maintaining a high output. He has released a Billboard 200 debut with every project since 2020, but critics have noted a monotony in his flow. In a recent Popcast interview, Baby described his drive as that of a "natural-born hustler." He stated that he would stop making music if he could not create hits, defining a hit as the act of showing up to work rather than just a chart position. His new track "Mr. Do Something" references a 2020 contract negotiation for 40 million dollars, framing his current status as being stuck despite commercial success.
Jack Harlow is releasing the EP Sweet Action II to reconnect with the style that produced his breakout hit "Whats Poppin." This follows his March album Monica, which featured a neo-soul aesthetic and a visual shift to conductor hats and chunky sweaters. Harlow's new project samples Tank and features Babyface, blending his earlier laid-back rap with singing. The release serves as a sequel to a previous EP, a common tactic in hip-hop for artists seeking to return to a familiar sound after a period of experimentation.
SOB x RBE returns with From the Land, a reunion album seven years in the making. The Vallejo group was a key part of the hyphy music revival in the late 2010s, with members contributing to the 2018 Black Panther soundtrack. The unit nearly disbanded after member Lul G was found guilty of murder in 2019 and the other members signed solo deals. The new album features the three remaining members and includes a track by Yhung T.O. that reflects on the group's long wait to reunite and their history of success with minimal resources.
The release of these projects coincides with a period where hip-hop's dominance on the charts has loosened. Lil Baby told Hot 97 that while the genre has fallen off, he remains hip-hop. He views his own career status as tied to the broader health of the music industry, suggesting that personal metrics are secondary to his identity within the culture. The new records arrive as artists navigate shifting audience expectations and evolving industry standards.
