This month’s team picks prove that balance is everything — with Cardi B, J.I.D, Olivia Dean, and Bruiser Wolf leading the charge on our fall playlists.
This month, my playlists have lived somewhere between power and peace. On one side is Cardi B’s Am I the Drama?, a hard-hitting, high-energy soundtrack that’s been pushing me through my morning gym sessions. On the other hand is Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving, a project that feels like a warm exhale, the kind of record that pairs perfectly with a cup of tea and a quiet moment of journaling before work. Together, they’ve become the anchors of my renewed wellness journey: Cardi gets me moving; Olivia keeps me grounded. True balance, in every sense.
That balance has been showing up in other ways, too. I’ve been getting back into audiobooks, determined to finally finish Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone trilogy before the year’s over. Right now, I’m deep into the audiobook for Children of Virtue and Vengeance, and it’s been the perfect companion on long walks or late-night wind-downs.
And while I’ve been finding my rhythm between workouts, reflection, and world-building fantasy, the rest of the Boardroom crew has been spinning their own eclectic soundtracks — from Detroit rap and soulful R&B to nostalgic throwbacks and experimental collaborations. Here’s what everyone’s been listening to this month.
Subscribe for the biggest stories in the business of sports and entertainment, daily.
Boardroom’s Picks
Damien Scott, Vice President, Content
MADE BY DOPE
Bruiser Wolf & Harry Fraud
Release Date: 10/22/25
“The Detroit rap scene is like one of those deep-sea ecosystems that contain never-before-seen biotic components that have evolved over time to survive and thrive in its far-flung mini universe. The artists coming out of Motor City seem to exist in a world unto itself. One divorced from — or in opposition to — styles from big markets that dominate Spotify playlists. Instead, what you get is a bevy of novelty. A circuit that calls back to a time when biting someone’s style was the worst sin a rapper could commit. Danny Brown’s Bruiser Brigade is home to a few of those luminaries, but none shine brighter than Bruiser Wolf.
After breaking through with 2021’s Dope Game Stupid, Wolf has provided a steady flow of delectable stories told through his patented flow that—and I mean this in the best way possible — sounds like a reformed pimp spitting spoken word. It’s been all very enjoyable, but his work hasn’t yet fully congealed into a solid vision. Until now. Thanks to Brooklyn-based producer Harry Fraud, Wolf has finally landed on a sound that perfectly accompanies his conversational flow: Lush instrumentation, samples given room to breathe and flow, drums that don’t obstruct or distract from Wolf’s hilarious punchlines.
Wolf comes off as his usual unbothered, bemused self. Telling stories like a raconteur regaling a small crowd at a billiards bar. He brings some friends along for the ride, too, including Benny the Butcher, Mick Jenkins, Curren$y, and Bruiser Brigade’s own Zelooperz. If you’ve never heard Wolf rap, you’re in for a surprise. There’s no way around it. He sounds like Rodney Dangerfield trying to rap like E-40. That might not sound like your thing, but beats like the one Harry gave him for “Against All Odds” make anything palatable.”
Ellis Buery, Coordinator, Audience Development and Analytics
Ellis has been deep in rotation with J.I.D lately, spinning both God Does Like Ugly and The Forever Story, the latter he calls his favorite album of all time. “The beats, the flows, the lyrics, all perfect,” he says. He’s also revisiting G Herbo’s catalog in anticipation of the rapper’s upcoming album Lil Herb.
As the youngest on the team, Ellis prides himself on keeping his ear to the ground with new-gen artists like Bktherula, BabyTron, Xanman, and Skrilla. And when he’s not listening to music, you’ll find him tuned into the Badlands podcast on YouTube, keeping up with everything happening with his beloved New York Jets.
Bernadette Doykos, Senior Director, Partnership Marketing and Strategy
“Another month, another chaotic lineup of music for me. As predicted, Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving delivered. “Baby Steps” is the standout track beyond the ubiquitous “Man I Need” — and all of its remixes.
The state of the world has led me to seek some audio escapism. With Fred Again.. taking over my IG feed with his joyful pop-ups around the world, I’ve skewed a bit more house than usual, and the breadcrumbs to his upcoming album have served me well and pair perfectly with the new Tame Impala, a bit of a club-y departure from his usual vibes.
Lastly, after a brief hiatus, I’m back on the audiobook train and just finishing The Compound, which I would characterize as Love Island meets Lord of the Flies. I’ve really enjoyed the psychological game play that fuels a young woman’s time on a reality show that is part Bachelor, part Survivor, with a dash of Alone. The British narrator has become my chosen companion for errands and household chores as I race through to figure out what’s next. Definitely recommend.”
Amanda Tirador, Senior Manager, Partnerships and Marketing
“Still riding the Swag I and Swag II wave. As a former die-hard Belieber (yes, I had a JB fan account on the OG Twitter with 30k followers at 13), I’m living out my teenage dream — looking hot and blasting JB in NYC.
Real fans know Swag isn’t JB’s first R&B attempt. Journals (2013), which was a wildly underrated album, walked so Swag could run. Aka, Swag is getting the hype Journals always deserved, but that’s a conversation for another time… anyway, JB 4EVR!!!!!”
Shlomo Sprung, Staff Writer
Shlomo’s been vibing to Miguel’s new album Caos — shoutout to On Record for putting him on. He’s also obsessed with Tame Impala’s latest project, Deadbeat, especially the last two minutes of “Not My World” (“listen and thank me later,” he says). Anytime Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA link up, he’s all in. The duo, known for their 2023 project Scaring the Hoes, recently dropped a deluxe edition, Scaring the Hoes: Director’s Cut, this month, doubling down on their chaotic, experimental sound.
Rounding out his rotation this month is INJI’s new EP SUPERLAME; another strong addition to his playlist.
Jon Wiener, Senior Director, Audience Development
“In terms of shows, I went to a My Morning Jacket concert a couple of weeks ago. They celebrated the 20th anniversary of Z — their best album — by playing it all the way through at Brooklyn Paramount. Earlier this month, I returned to the same venue to see Thundercat shred some bass and pay tribute to D’Angelo by bringing out Remi Wolf to cover “Lady.”
In terms of what I’m listening to, I’ve been on some deep cuts lately. This morning, I was rocking out to Richard and Linda Thompson. I’ve also been on a Leon Russell kick recently for whatever reason — specifically, I’ve been wearing out Leon Russell and New Grass Revival‘s The Live Album. For a good time, feel free to blast the version of “Stranger in a Strange Land” off that record. You can thank me later.”
Audrey Blackmore, Video Producer
“Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving feels like 34 minutes of hope. It treats love as something fluid and layered: self-love, loving somebody else, loving somebody more than yourself, and then learning how to come back to yourself. You can hear her vulnerability, her wanting, and then her acceptance. Every track feels like she’s literally talking to herself, reminding herself that love isn’t just a feeling you fall into; it’s an art you learn, unlearn, and relearn over time. The production never tries to be louder than her; it just holds her: warm, soulful, intimate.
That’s why I love the whole album. It doesn’t romanticize love as perfect. It shows the part where you pour into someone, the part where you realize you’re not being poured into back, and the part where you decide, I deserve more, and I’m allowed to ask for it.
My top three:
“Lady Lady” is like a calm check-in with your higher self. It’s her saying: I’m changing, I’m evolving, the universe is moving me forward, and I’m going to trust that. It’s soft but powerful — feminine, grounded, and unapologetic about growing.
“Close Up” is that ache of being right next to someone and still not knowing where you stand. It’s wanting to be seen fully and loved honestly, without guessing. It sounds tender, but underneath it’s like: I need you to stop being vague and actually show up.
“Loud” is heartbreak without yelling. It’s two people technically together, but the silence between them is saying everything. It’s that moment you realize, you don’t hear me, and I can’t ignore that anymore.
I love this album because it gives language to all of that — loving someone, losing yourself in it a little, choosing yourself anyway, and asking out loud for the love you know you deserve.”
Vinciane Ngomsi, Reporter and Digital Creator
“Right now, I’m all about nostalgia. Preferring to enjoy a simpler time when life didn’t seem as complicated, what’s currently blasting through my speakers are all things from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. Think Madonna, early Jay-Z, Prince, and rock music from Van Halen and Aerosmith (my taste is all over the place!). If I have to listen to anything current, it’s always going to be Beyoncé.”
Read More:
How On Holding Is Thriving By Targeting Ambitious, Affluent Consumers
Edgar Wright Brings Stephen King’s ‘The Running Man’ Back to Its Novel Roots
Breaking Down Project B’s Bold Vision to Disrupt Women’s Basketball
Cadillac F1 Names TikTok’s Ahmed Iqbal as CMO, Racing Toward a Digital-First Future
The Horsemen Are Back, Reimagining the Power of Illusion in ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’
