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Songs From Black Artists That Everyone’s Listening To This Summer

Artists such as Shaboozey, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyoncé have been on everyone's summer playlist.

Photo: Getty Images Paras Griffin // Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation // Joseph Okpako

There’s less than a month left in the summer, meaning it’s starting to get a little chilly outside. But before you start layering up with coats and hoodies, let’s revisit some of the tracks that had us jamming all summer. Hip-hop, R&B, and even country were in everyone’s headphones while it was hot outside. What are some of the songs that made the list?

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Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

Shaboozey - “A Bar Song (Tipsy)“

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7bQwwqW-Hc

2024 has been an amazing year for Black artists in the country. After a feature on Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” Shaboozey dropped an album of his own and arguably the most popular track of the year, “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

Kendrick Lamar - “Not Like Us”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H58vbez_m4E

I mean, this is the most obvious choice for this list ever. Kendrick Lamar is one of the biggest rap artists in the world. He got in a rap beef with the biggest rapper artists in the world, and he created a certified west coast bop that made everyone want to instantly crip walk.

GloRilla - “TGIF”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP6eqCOM7tk

If you weren’t rapping, “It’s 7 pm Friday/It’s 95 degrees/I ain’t got no n***a/And no n***a ain’t got me” were you really living this summer?

Beyoncé - “Riverdance”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO8oJ1OHLHU

Beyoncé’s attempt at country music was a booming success. But the track that everyone dancing their ass off this summer was “Riverdance.”

Tinashe - “Nasty”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrjESdPsLxE

Tinashe’s career saw a renaissance with this upbeat track. It was especially popular on social media with its fun hook that made it extremely meme-worthy.

Sexyy Red - “Get It Sexyy”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUE6Haw_3zg

Despite how you feel about Sexyy Redd, one thing she’ll always do is have fun, and no track describes it more than “Get It Sexyy.”

SZA - “Saturn”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2G8ESoDXm8

This song isn’t nearly as upbeat or energetic as others on this list, but SZA is such a popular and beloved artist that it’s hard for her not to release a track and it not be played all over social media.

Tems - “Wickedest”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0K9ihD_CiQ

Tems released another excellent album with “Born in the Wild.” This track was one of the better songs on the album and is a nice vibey track to play on a cool summer night.

Victoria Monét - “Alright”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0oGhx2JT1A

After a breakout in 2023, Victoria Monét gave her fans some more excellent pop music with “Alright.” Her next album is sure to have her listeners excited again.

Future & Metro Boomin - “Like That”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9bKBAA22Go

The song that helped start the summer of hate in hip-hop. Although it feels like was eons ago since this track was released, it’s still a banger with an amazing beat from Metro Boomin and an unforgettable verse from Kendrick Lamar.

Ice Spice - “Did It First”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2neoYs8niw

Although her debut album didn’t hit, this track received a lot of buzz due to its fun upbeat production.

Jordan Adetunji - “KEHLANI”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULCb3krc5LI

If you’re not a Gen Zer on social media you may be unaware of this song. But it’s been pretty hard to escape for those chronically online.

GloRilla - “Wanna Be”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT_83vSP1es

GloRilla did it again with “Wanna Be,” another hype track for the ladies to turn up to all the summer functions. The Memphis raised her profile in the past six months with the number of fun tracks she released.

Gunna - “one of wun”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_JtBYqMgk8

Gunna has been consistently dropping hit after hit since he was released from jail in December 2022. This track and his 2024 album have been in rotation all summer.

ScHoolboy Q - “THank God 4 Me”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXeXH1aM6w8

This may be a little selfish of me. But ScHoolboy Q has still got the juice. This banger of a rap song is everything you want from Q. Fun, energetic, and exciting.

Laila! - “Not My Problem”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUf2n2R4fI8

Mos Def’s daughter, Laila!, has been blowing up on social media with her vibey R&B music. This track in particular is a mainstay on TikTok, with Gen Zers everywhere jamming to it.

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