Fine Ho, Stay

One of 2020s hip-hop’s most remarkable talents, Flo Milli put the rap game on notice with “Beef FloMix” and “In the Party”. The Mobile, Alabama, artist’s savagely confident takedowns of haters and wannabes made her debut project Ho, why is you here ? an instantly adored standout in a crowded and expanding pool of new entrants. Her 2022 follow-up You Still Here, Ho ? kept up that momentum with songs like “Bed Time” and “Conceited”, signalling her pop chops to those who dared to count her out. Whether a continuation of or conclusion to the more-than-implied titular saga, Fine Ho, Stay serves to solidify her position as the worthy successor to a proud tradition of brash women in rap. If the explicit opener “Understand” and its bar-by-bar punchlines somehow don’t make it clear enough, Flo Milli operates on a different level than the competition. It certainly doesn’t hurt that she broke big on the charts with “Never Lose Me”, included here as a remix with SZA and Cardi B features as well as in its original solo take. The supreme energy of that big hit resonates with the similarly sleek “Can’t Stay Mad” and “Life Hack”. Working with seasoned producers like Da Honorable C.N.O.T.E. and Lex Luger, she drops post-trap anthems “New Me” and the Monaleo-backed “Neva” opposite winking Southern rap throwbacks like “Got the Juice”. The sole male guest she deigns to allow on the record, Gunna, rightfully treats her like a lady on his gentlemanly “Edible” verse.