Obi Alfred is bringing old R&B to a new audience and serving as a torchbearer for the genre. Born in New Jersey and bred in Texas, the Nigerian-American’s unique approach pays respect to the titans of the genre while pushing into daring, current terrain. Now, with the most captivating songs of his early career, Obi is establishing himself as one of the most significant emerging talents...

J Terrell's "Stardom" isn't a song asking for your belief; it's a receipt for a future that has already been purchased. Presented as a dispatch from "Dream Radio," the track functions as an audible incantation, a funky, propulsive spell designed to bend reality to its will. The confidence here isn't boastful; it’s procedural, as if we’re listening to someone calmly read the minutes from...