🎵 The Cure’s Swan Song, 16 Years in the Making

Plus, The Weeknd’s homage to Brazilian funk. Ethel Cain delves deep into darkness.

After more than 2 ½ years behind bars following his arrest on extensive gang and racketeering charges, Young Thug is finally coming home. Initially facing a potential 120-year sentence, the rapper managed to negotiate a plea deal, securing 15 years of probation instead. Now, he’s a free man — though with a serious caveat: any probation violation will trigger a 20-year prison sentence.

Click here for a Spotify playlist with the songs mentioned in this article.

BIGGEST Songs of the Week 📈

We’re now three singles into the rollout for The Weeknd’s next album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, yet the album’s sound remains a mystery, especially as Abel takes a sharp turn with “São Paulo.” On Friday, he dropped this five-minute track featuring Brazilian singer-songwriter Anitta, marking his weakest song this year.

“São Paulo” is one of several The Weeknd debuted during a one-off performance in Brazil’s capital this September. It’s an homage to mandelão, a hip-hop-flavored Brazilian funk genre that emerged in São Paulo in the late 2010s. This mandelão style has been gaining traction recently, and while it may seem fresh to U.S…