Five on it: Healing in the heat with Greentea Peng

Five on it image composite of press photos for Greentea Peng, Good Girl, Miraa May, CHIKA and R.A.E.

It feels impossible to reflect on this week’s music without addressing its hottest video. One thing that’s been particularly enjoyable recently has been the hard-hitting femme rap collaborations that have been dominating the charts. Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B (with… Kylie Jenner?) are no exception. Within eight hours of its release, the video to their new track ‘WAP’ has already racked up over six million views and counting and is trending on Twitter.

Featuring a fun-house-style pastelled mansion, the video shows Meg and Cardi exploring its various rooms, containing famous faces including Rosalía, Normani and Mulatto. Around halfway through, makeup mogul Kylie Jenner struts through in an animal print number, to the pleasure of lovers of the iconic meme (and the displeasure of others).

The video is fun, sexy and liberating. In our office group chat this morning we all excitedly exchanged our thoughts after we had given it a watch, fawning over the energy, production and outfits – and despairing in unison about the fact we wouldn’t be able to dance to it at events this summer. It is videos like these that become cultural talking points, that bind us together in these separate times, which in itself makes songs like ‘WAP’ (standing for “Wet Ass Pussy”), ironically heart-warming.

Greentea Peng- ‘Hu Man’

In the description of the track, Greentea Peng described ‘Hu Man’ as “an offering of peace and healing to the collective in these intense times” and that’s exactly what it does. Peng’s slinky vocals offer a wash of relaxation while the bossa nova-style plucked guitar strings infuse the track with an easy-listening element that elevates it to a place that is both feel-good and tranquil.

Good Girl – ‘Don’t Talk Back’

A black girl band channeling 90s classic R&B vibes? Sign us up. Featuring breathy, Janet Jackson-esque vocals and a pulsing beat, what more is there to want?

Miraa May, Toddla T – ‘Carnival Love’

The fact this has dropped on a 36 degree day in August couldn’t be any more perfect – though the downside is that it makes the cancellation of Notting Hill Carnival even more visceral. Be prepared to catch a riddim with this vibrant tune.

CHIKA – ‘U Should’

CHIKA’s Tiny Desk show went viral earlier this week on Twitter, with users quickly engrossed by her eloquence and effortless flow. Showing her talent once again in this transcendental melodic number, we see a more vulnerable side to the Alabama artist.

R.A.E – ‘Summer Love’

R.A.E is also inspired by the 90s, but in a completely different way. Everything from the song production to the video aesthetic for ‘Summer Love’ draws from old school hip-hop in a joyful and nostalgic way that will have you reaching for the remote to replay The Fresh Prince.

You can follow the gal-dem Five on it playlist on Spotify: