With artists releasing songs at a fast and furious pace it’s difficult for the average hip-hop head to keep track of it all—no matter how tapped in they are. That’s why we created The Ones, a daily roundup of the best new rap tracks you need to hear curated by the Levels team. We sort through all the new songs—across all the platforms and subgenres—so you don’t have to. Thank us later.

Young Zay - “Bros for Life”

There’s something special about a Bronx rapper following in the footsteps of French Montana and gravitating to a high-pitched sample that sounds ripped out of a Japanese video game’s soundtrack. The vocal flip and melancholy keys add to the atmosphere of grief, as Young Zay mourns the passing of his childhood friend. Zay is angry but cautiously optimistic, exhibiting an ability to balance emotion that is reminiscent of Meek Mill’s. It’s raw and even in the midst of the anguish Young Zay is unapologetic: “Did a lot of real shit and I’ma glorify it.”

Don Toliver - “Diamonds”

Timing is everything. Houston’s Don Toliver swooped in on Astroworld, stole the show, and had a full-length project and video waiting for the internet once they figured out who the hell he was. “Diamonds” is the perfect intro track to Don Toliver’s music; we get a glimpse at his melodic ability, and even pick up on high-pitched Auto-Tune quirks similar to Travis’. The songwriting is sharp, and it’s clear from the jump that Don Toliver is going to be cranking out some catchy tracks in the near future: “You know pressure make diamonds/Rollie on my wrist, perfect timing.”

Neek Bucks - “Grind”

Blame the late-summer humidity or the disappointing current season of “Power” but for some reason New York rappers have been very emotional lately. On “Grind,” Harlem’s Neek Bucks grabs a beat that could double as a Drake time and place track and thrives as he lays out his rap aspirations: “Lately I been taking chances hoping that it might work.” Neek’s got bars, can flow, and recognizes Miami as the official New Yorker vacation spot: “I done did Miami 20 times it’s off my wishlist.” What more do you need?

FBG Young - “Intro/Cute B**ch”

FBG Duck put Chicago’s Fly Boy Gang on the map, but the member who may have the most breakthrough potential is FBG Young. His energy is contagious, and anyone bold enough to say, “We gonna shoot a nigga dead” in the middle of the deepest Dougie of the 2010s should be revered. The song is split into two parts and both hit equally as hard. The second half, with its pop appeal, indicates that it is poised for the mainstream.

Hawa - “Might Be”

Seventeen-year-old Hawa once wrote compositions performed across the world by the New York Philharmonic and now she’s bringing that innate musical ability to the city’s rap scene. On “Might Be” she rides the booming drums of Tony Seltzer letting her melody take control. It’s smooth and quotable enough (“Dumb nigga/Get a hitta”) to find itself helping to round out the summer before it comes to a close.

Listen to new rap from Young Zay, Don Toliver, Hawa, and more on our Spotify playlist, Apple Music playlist, and SoundCloud playlist.