Week #34 ('20) Singles
Welcome to my Singles post, where I go over all of the loose songs released over the past week so. These are songs that are not currently attached to projects, and may either be promotional singles for an upcoming project or songs dropped at the random whim of the artist. I’ll show you the single, where to find it out in the wild, and a little blurb about it for my thoughts/further context. Click here to see previous Singles posts.
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Headie One (Feat. AJ Tracey & Stormzy) – Ain’t It Different
A HUGE track for British hip-hop right now, bringing in three of the most visible faces in that scene right now into a single full of star-power. While I think the featured verses could have been longer (especially Stormzy, who really needed his verse doubled in size thank you very much), all three of the artists come correct on this cut. The sampled hook is also super catchy and the beat is a fun/slightly dark banger; I wouldn’t call it UK Drill or Grime music, much more in line with pop-rap over here in America, but the more digital undertones (especially the phasing sub-bass) give you the general feel of a British banger. A Headie One project seems to be in the works, so stay frosty.
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Snoop Dogg – Nipsey Blue
I wouldn’t call this a new song from Snoop Dogg, because it’s pretty much a direct sample of a song from ’76 called “Misty Blue” from soul-singer Dorothy Moore. Snoop basically presses play on the song, having lost none of it’s brilliance in the almost 50 years since it’s release, but Snoop Dogg repurposes a few of the lyrics to demonstrate the pain he feels from loosing Nipsey Hussle, someone he legitimately considered his “Nephew” (I know he throws the term around a lot but Nip was like family to him for real). It’s really a touching tribute piece from one of hip-hop’s most visible characters; shit had me tearing up a little no lie.
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RZA (Feat. Ghostface Killah) – Fighting for Equality
The Abbot has a new movie out in theaters right now (a fact probably no one knows given that most movie theaters are either understandably closed or un-fucking-believably open) called Cut Throat City. I’m not sure what the movie is about, but this track he just put out with Ghostface seems to indicate that it’s about racial inequality, with the lyrics dealing heavily with the differences between the haves and the have-nots, promoting pro-black teaching and detailing the violent journey from violent beginnings to today’s violent ends. RZA approaching the subject with aggression and rage, blowing up on the mic yelling for his entire verse, while Ghostface doesn’t get as serious with some funny wordplay and over-the-top gangsterisms. RZA’s best verse in a hot minute, all of you Wu-Tang fans tap in.
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DDG (Feat. Blueface) – Moonwalking in Calabasas Remix
I never heard the original, but I know that DDG has been making waves recently with some hot singles. The beat is a fairly simple acoustic guitar lick looped over a har-hitting trap beat, cool and blue, enough to maintain engagement but still highlight the emcees. I think DDG is the full package, being able to flow well and hit the limited melodies presented on the track, switching it up to show some real versatility. I ain’t gonna lie, but I think Blueface stole the show on this one, because some of the shit he says on the song is hilarious. Are his melodies as good as DDG’s? No, but his charisma and self-awareness is just so on-point with this song. Listen if you want a good laugh, housed within the framework of a legitimately good trap single.
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The LOX (Feat. DMX) – Bout Shit
Yonkers, stand the fuck up on this one: if anyone could bring DMX back in such a grand fashion, it was going to be The LOX, both being remnants of that early 2000’s New York hip-hop that took over the radio, lost to time in the years post-50 Cent. It’s a very melodramatic and competitive style of rap, full of the violence of early emcees like Kool G Rap and Wu-Tang, but with a fresher (for the time; it’s a bit dated nowadays) coat of paint over the beats. This track is like a time-capsule back to this time-period in all of the best ways: the beat is a grinding banger, all three members show off their talents on their verses, and god damn DMX sounds like he never lost that animalistic edge. A blast from the past, but a welcome one. New LOX album on the way very soon.
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Aminé (Feat. Luke Steele) – Hello
I can see why this was left off of his Limbo album, being a short little banger detour for Aminé. It’s not even two minutes, with much of the time is spend indulging in Luke Steele’s odd and disorienting singing, but whenever Aminé gets on the mic you get some funny wordplay and a solid flow. If you liked his album, this will be a natural love for you Aminé fans.
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Rich Brian – Don’t Care
Brian dropped an EP just a few hours before I started writing this, containing this song and a handful of others. I haven’t listened yet, but if it contains the same quality of this single here I think we’re in for a treat. I’ll admit I didn’t like his last single as much because it was a bit *too* poppy, but I think this one and Bali show a great balance between wanting to maintain that hip-hop core and embracing more pop-rap trends. The singing is even acceptable and catchy, especially on the hook. The switch-up for Brian has been rocky, but I think he’s finally hitting his stride in terms of making accessible radio music.
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Fivio Foreign – 13 Going On 30
Fivio just has one of those voices that you gravitate to on a pure entertainment level. His flow is unique, staggering words and emphasizing weird parts of his bars in little bite-sized flows. The beat takes a usual NY Drill beat and slows it down, which makes the track feel distant from the scene while still containing the skeleton. I’m gonna say that I prefer whenever this style is faster and more street, but I appreciate Fivio trying for some more personal material. We need an official album from this man immediately.
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Pouya – Who Am I to Blame?
Very short, gets to the punch quickly, and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. The melodies aren’t meant to be serious, and paired with the plucky and campy instrumental it feels like some sort of Tim Burton trap. The flow is consistent with these Southern rappers like $crim and BONES, quick-witted with it’s sharp stream of words, but Pouya has usually taken a more light-hearted approach to his hip-hop in comparison to the mind-destroyingly dark subject matters of those mentioned; instead, on this track here, we get a little bit of self-reflection, not too much of a challenge to the brain but more of a musing on his current fame and status in the game. I hope this is pointing towards a new project on the way, cause I would love a whole Pouya tape in this vein.
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