2017 Sleeper Hit Playlist

Personally, I don’t really listen to the radio unless I am forced to (i.e. the aux breaks, new phone, armageddon) or for hilarious talk radio like Steve Harvey. This year brought us a variety of diverse and eclectic music that definitely exceeded my expectations. From old favorites like Drake, to new stars like Sabrina Claudio, 2017 had a solid lineup of projects. Although streaming is now at the forefront of delivering music to consumers, people still rely on the radio to discover new tracks. I wanted to share with you all a compilation of those songs that get overlooked sometimes.

The majority of these songs were NOT released as singles. They may not have gotten a ton of radio play, and most don’t have a music video. But they all offer that sweet bliss you feel when you’ve listened to an album from top to bottom and discover a song that you know the rest of your friends have probably slept on (and will oh-so-matter-of-factly swear they already knew about after you’ve put them on.)

These are your “what you know about this” or the “this that new new” songs of 2017. I’ve browsed some of my favorite projects this year and asked my friends for recommendations. Basically, don’t expect to see these songs atop of the billboard charts or on the Hot (insert random radio station) new hip hop radio station.

So to wrap up the year, I’m going to be that guy to show you what you are missing out on when you skip that song you don’t know on Apple Music.

If you deem this list worthy of your library add it! Spotify – Apple Music

Consider these the Sleeper Hits of 2017.

Sacrifices

Drake ft. 2 Chainz & Young Thug

Drake, 2 Chainz, and Young Thug give us a “road to the come up” anthem that every rapper has in their discography. Oh, and Thug’s verse? Contender for one of the best of the year.

Young Thug:

I’m talking neat like freak

I’m talking neat like fleek

I’m talking neat like a geek

You come with beef, I eat a B

I’m talkin’ B’s, spellin’ bee (sheesh)

Double R, that’s a Rolls, paint it yellow like it’s dairy

I’m talkin’ Rose like Derrick

I’m talkin’ rolls like a belly (woo)

 

Big Bank

Big K.R.I.T. ft. T.I.

A speaker knocker about getting your money right and flexing on haters by two of your favorite southerners.

Hook: Big K.R.I.T. :

I got big bank flexing on a mothafucka

Ain’t shit changed cause I’m still getting, still miiiineee

Ain’t no love for a hater tryna fly me, tryna play me

Mothafuckas never stop my, stop shineeeee

Yeah they see me but they still watching

I got shining on re-run (on re-run) I got shining on re-run

Yeah they see me but they still watching

I got shining on re-run (on re-run) I got shining on re-run

 

Droptop in the Rain

Ty Dolla $ign ft. Torey Lanez

I’ve said this before, despite the Torey Lanez feature, this is one of the catchiest songs off of his Beach House 3 project.

Ty Dolla $ign:

I know you love it, I know you looovee ittt.

Yeah this is one of those type of songs.

 

Billy Ocean

DJ Khaled ft. Fat Joe & Raekwon

Few things are more New York than Fat Joe, Raekwon, and piano beats.

Fat Joe:

I got my car back, I’m John Wick

The sky blue tint come equipped with the convicts

The don’s slick, some Billys we gon’ get

 

Nu Africa

CyHi The Prynce ft. Ernestine Johnson

A look into the utopian “Black Disney World” ran by the likes of Diddy, Jay-Z, and Kanye.

CyHi The Prynce:

Man, I swear her titties were so big

I Said, “Pardon me but who let Dolly in the party?”

Magic Johnson built some condos in the Congo

Kanye built a mall out in Senegal

 

The Story of OJ

JAY Z

The advice column heard around the world. (sorry not avail on Spotify)

JAY Z:

You wanna know what’s more important than throwin’ away money at the strip club?

Credit.

 

Some Girl

GoldLink ft. Steve Lacy

A poetic retelling of some of GoldLink’s sprung-in-love moments highlighted by a catchy hook from The Internet’s hidden talent, Steve Lacy.

GoldLink:

I met her in the summer, started with a kiss

And she fucked so good that I had to flood her wrist

Two days in and I wanna have her kid

Then she told me she belong to the city and her boy

Wear a wig and a cig just to smoke away her tears

And I wanna learn about her hears and touch her rear

 

Falcon

Jaden Smith ft. Raury

A trippy, uptempo ride through Jaden’s rebellious emotions in his Tesla Model X (with the Falcon doors).

Jaden Smith:

I hope wherever you are

You can see all of the stars, constellations

I’m impatient, you are beautiful (beautiful)

You should know (you should know)

…..

Kick in your door, “doo doo doo!” with the tool in my hand

Raury they don’t understand

We had to stick it to the man, we bout to hit the road

Get the money where I can

Sativa

Jhene Aiko ft. Swae Lee

Cannabis and sexual tension.

Hook: Swae Lee

Why you make it so complicated?

Off the drink, we concentratin’

I know you won’t leave me hangin’

Smokin’ weed out the container

We spend cash for our entertainment

 

Runnin’ Round

Xavier Omar

Someone really broke my man’s heart, but he lived to tell about it.

Xavier Omar:

I ain’t bout it no way

I can’t have it no way

Back and forth with you

Highly doubt I’m gon’ wait

Hung around, I won’t wait

I ain’t forcin’ you

Tired of it

 

Say It First

Sam Smith

Smith lets his new boo know; “I’ve been hurt before so you are going to have to really show me your worth it.”

Sam Smith:

‘Cause I’m never gonna heal my past

If I run every time it starts

So I need to know if I’m in this alone

Come on baby, say it first.

 

Hold Me Down

Daniel Caesar

You ever score a lady so bad that you’ll do anything for her, but then she up and goes ghost? Well it happened to Danny and he paints an amazing emotional portrait for us.

Daniel Caesar:

I never asked for much only that you stay true

Need I remind you all the things I do for you?

Who can I blame, I played the game

So just for now

I was wondering can you hold me down

I was wondering can you hold me down

 

Coffee & Cigarettes

Vic Mensa

A story about a heartbroken teenage Vic who realized he was never loved back.

Vic Mensa:

You were only 17

Fallin’ in love with everything

Except for me, except for me, except for me

These cigarettes is brunin’ like a dream

And all this money heals everything

Except for me, except for me, except for me

 

Ninety

Jaden Smith

A magical journey through the trials and tribulations of lust, love, and heartbreak.

Jaden Smith:

You need to stand for something or else you’ll fall

For nothing

Girl, this not my country, we all come from Africa

Now we’re up to something

Girl, you’re hella grumpy

I think you’re just hungry

Cause right now you’re actin’ up..

 

AfricAryaN

Logic ft. Neil deGrasse Tyson & J.Cole

A 12 minute epic re-telling of the emotional effects of being biracial, and how at the end of the day none of that matters and everyone should be treated equally.

Logic:

I feel the Aryan in my blood, it’s scarier than a Blood

Been looking for holy water, now I’m praying for a

Flood

It feel like time passing me by slower than a slug

 

Girl Like You

Toro y Moi

Chaz’s recount of that one summer fling that got away.

Toro y Moi: 

Aren’t you gonna stay?

Keep me ‘til the sun comes up

Crack a Pellegrino

From the bottle, no cup

That was summer love, that was summer love

Late night, cemetery

Think it’s still light out

Temporary love at sight now

Love is scary, baby, look out

 

Plastic 100° C

Sampha

Sampha melts like burning plastic with excitement and passion when he encounters new aspects of life like fame and love.

Sampha: 

It’s so hot I’ve been melting out here

I’m made of plastic out here

You touched down in the base of my fears

And that’s when your beauty appears

It’s so hot I’ve been melting out here

I’m made out of plastic out here

You touched down in the base of my fears

Houston, can-can-can you hear me now?

 

911/Mr. Lonely

Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean & Steve Lacy

A beautiful poem about how lonely one can get even though they may “have it all,” and how someone lending a listening ear could be what was missing.

Tyler:

Five car garage

Full tank of the gas

But that don’t mean nothing, nothing

Nothin’, Nothin’, without you shotgun in the

Passenger

 

Everlasting Love

Sabrina Claudio

When Sabrina finally meets someone worth breaking down her barriers for, it will damn be worth it.

Claudio: 

I hope it don’t take us to long now

But I’d try for a thousand years if that’s what

It takes to get somewhere we want

I hope it don’t take us to long now

But I’d risk forever to make it right

And to feed our desires to hold on

 

Everlasting

Big K.R.I.T.

K.R.I.T. like em ratchet. K.R.I.T. likes em classy. He doesn’t discriminate and is ready to love.

K.R.I.T.:

How ‘bout we get stuck together like we off

In traffic?

Even if you ratchet or you plastic or classy

I’m askin’ if the chemistry we got is everlastin’

If the chemistry we got is everlastin’

If the chemistry we got is everlastin’

If this chemistry we got is, I’m just askin’

 

DUCKWORTH.

Kendrick Lamar

This song tells the story of how an attempted robbery by a young Anthony a.k.a. Top Dawg almost resulted in the death of Kendrick’s father, Ducky.

Kendrick:

Crooked cops told Anthony he should kick it

He brushed ‘em off and walked back to the

Kentucky Fried Chicken

See, at this chicken spot

There was a light-skinned nigga that talked a

Lot

With a curly top and a gap in his teeth

He worked the window, his name was Ducky

 

Murda

CyHi The Prynce ft. Estelle

CyHi reminds us that murder does not just happen when it comes on the news. It’s an epidemic that affects us all.

CyHi:

I seen my partna take a bullet and his shirt

Was soakin’

Free my nigga Greg, the gave him like, my heart was broken

He got locked up back when Ja Rule was yelling (murder)

I don’t smoke if it ain’t no orange hairs in my purple

Waffle-ass nigga, aint no squares in my circle

Just a bunch of players, a few drug dealers

That’ll serve you

And a couple niggas that’ll (murder)

 

Kora Sings

Sampha

A relaxing yet emotional song about the love a mother has for her child.

Sampha: 

A mother needs her sons

Oh she needs them near

We don’t have to talk

I just need you here

But if you go away

Please don’t disappear

The heat is making light

Of a heavy year

 

Used to

Sabrina Claudio

A quick and simple mid-tempo bop about simpler times.

Claudio:

Last night I was thinking

About the time when I was weakened

When I let you take advantage

Those were the times

Those were the times

 

Caramelo Duro

Miguel ft. Kali Uchis

A sexual metaphor about food/candy – Miguel’s specialty. Only this time, it’s mostly in Español.

Miguel:

Caramelo duro, deja que te vuelva loca

Muy limpio, que puro, no te dejare sola

Regálame un poco de azúcar

Regálame un poco de azúcar

 

Hard candy, let it make you crazy

Real clean, how pure, I’m leaving you alone

Can you let me get a little bit of sugar

Can you let me get a little bit of sugar

 

Bella y Sensual

Romeo Santos ft. Daddy Yankee & Nicky Jam

A poet, gangsta, and businessman all plead their case to a beauitful woman.

Romeo:

Bella y sensual, sobrenatural

Uno de nosotros te tiene que conquistar

Bella y sensual, sobrenatural

Uno de nosotros te tiene que conquistar

 

Beautiful and sensual, supernatural

One of us has to win you over

Beautiful and sensual, supernatural

One of us has to win you over

 

GPS 

Maluma ft. French Montana

Maluma and his homie French let the women of their dreams know that they don’t need GPS to find her and do her right.

French Montana:

Colombia like tato, hit up Capo like I’m el Chapo

Drinking Blue Dot out the bottle, out the

Case like Desperado

Need no GPS, mami, camo’ hacer el sex

Conmigo, shawty, no stress, do you right

Hasta las diez

 

Felices los 4

Maluma

Another serenade from Maluma. This time he gives us a closer look on the aftereffects of past lovers whom have both found new people to replace their old flame.

Maluma:

Y siempre que se va, regresa a mí

Y felices los 4

No importa lo que dirán, nos gusta así

(te agrandamos el cuarto, baby)

Y siempre que se va, regresa a mí

Y felices los 4

No importa lo que dirán, somos tal para cual

 

Whenever she leaves, she comes back to me

Happy, the four of us

I don’t care, I like it like this

(We’ll tear the room up)

Whenever she leaves, she comes back to me

Happy, the four of us

I don’t care what they say, we’re made for each other

 

 

Un Vuelo a La

Romeo Santos ft. Jessie Reyez

Two lovers break up and they spill their fiery emotions to each other in perfect crooning harmony.

Romeo:

Ya no te amo, vete al infierno

Si no te largas, me marcharé

Jessie:

Tranquilo mijito

Que you a usted nunca lo amé

 

Romeo:

Tienes veinte personalidades

Y no he vuelto a ver el personaje del cual me

Enamoré

Jessie:

Sabe que, por que no te vas voz pa’ la mier–

 

I don’t love you anymore, go to hell

If you don’t leave, I will

Relax little boy,

I never loved you

You have 20 personalities

And I have never seen the one that

I fell in love with

You know what? Why don’t you go to hell!

 

Body Talk

Majid Jordan

A fun and sexy take on liking a girl and reading each other’s body talk (language).

Majid: 

Show me what it is you need

Show me what me eyes don’t see

Baby, I could let you breathe

Baby, I could let you live

Show me what you want from me

Tell me and I’ll make it real

Hand on my heart, I will

Show me how you really feel

 

Go Gina

SZA

SZA tells the hard working uptight “Gina” to let her hair down and enjoy life. Yes, Gina is loosely based on the character from Martin.

Damn Gina, Damn Gina

Them jeans, they must be uptight mama

You need some get right mama

Go Gina, Go Gina

Go get that get right mama

Go Gina, Go Gina

Go ‘till you get right mama

 

 

Got Her Own

Syd

Syd has found a girl she thinks she can woo with her fancy things, but she is sadly mistaken.

Syd:

You try undress her, but she say no

You try to sex her, but she say no

You thought your jewelry, your fancy clothes

Would

Keep her from leaving and going home, well

Boy you thought wrong, you weren’t even

Close

Balance

Roy Woods ft. dvsn & PnB Rock

A clever metaphor for balance, both with your liquor and how close you let a girl get.

PnB Rock:

You don’t listen when I try to tell you things

Like I ain’t lookin’ for love, no

Girl I met you in the club

We was just high off some drugs

I hit you off in the bathroom

Then we took it to the backseat

You want that good in the taxi

Stand down, stand down

 

Friends

PnB Rock

That infamous convo that we all have with that one amazing girl that we just can’t wife.

PnB Rock:

Why can’t we just be friends?

Why we can’t just be cool?

Why you gotta put a label on it?

Why you gotta put a label on it?

Why you gotta put a label on it?

You know you my ride or die, you know how we ride

You know how we ride

You know how we ride

You know you my ride or die

 

Voilá

N.E.R.D., Gucci Mane, & Wale

A motivational chant that reminds us we have the power to change our own lives.

Pharrell:

You have the power to

Change the course of the night

Take this time to recharge (hold on, hold on)

Yourself up ‘til the light goes off

Look around, we’re your friends

We’ll be here in every life

Every time you need a lift (hold on, hold on)

You’ll know tricks, we’ll pull it off

 

Confess

Logic ft. Killer Mike

A self reflection focusing on sin and how anyone, no matter what color you are or how much you have sinned, can repent and move on.

Logic:

I’d rather be a different man in another world

Than work for the man in my universe

Wonder what it feel like to take flight

Momma told me everything gon/ be alright

At The Club

Jaquees ft. Dej Loaf

R&B new schooler Jacquees breaks down to a shawty that even though the club is jumping, VIP is packed, and the night is young; he’s only worried about her at the end of the night.

Jaquees:

Met her in the club

All the ballers showing love

Can you party with a thug

I’m just trying to show you love

VIP we got it packed

This is where the party at

You’re the one I wanna know

So tell me how it’s supposed to go

 

So there ya have em folks. If you add the playlists on Spotify or Apple Music, check in once in a while I might add some more music to this list. I definitely want to make more in the foreseeable future, so look out for those!

Under-promising and over-delivering,

DJ Manny Stackks a.k.a. The Talent