Week #3 ('21) 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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Ghetts (Feat. Stormzy) – Skengman

Out of all of the Grime legends, I think it’s about time for Ghetts to come out with an album of his own, on the heels of a handful of others from the scene who have dropped recently. The single he dropped with Skepta a while ago was a banger, but I have to say I think this new one with Stormzy takes the fuckin’ cake. The beat is so clean and ominous; there isn’t much about it that screams “Britain”, being more in line with a seductive trap beat, but Ghetts’ flow will make any beat imaginable exotic and unpredictable. More than that, Stormzy killed his verse on this bitch; I love how slow the verse is while still throwing some punches in there. Also Ghetts featuring himself was both electrifying and hilarious.

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MaSiWei – Why

I remember listening to a mixtape from this guy a while ago on Soundcloud, and I always thought that he had the talent and individuality to make a name for himself separate from his fellow Higher Brothers. That seems to be coming to pass, with this single marking a kind of solo transition into a softer and chart-reaching sound. Now, it’s still in Chinese, so I don’t know how well the song can resonate with American audiences, but the flows, melodies (despite not knowing the words), and the cloudy and flowery beat, make this a fun and pleasing listen. I’m eager to hear how MaSiWei continues down this path; if we’re looking at an album, I’m all for it.

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Chip – 10 Commandments

Chip just doesn’t want to seem to let up on Stormzy at all, but, honestly, would anyone blame him? Stormzy just rolled up to Chip’s apartment with his family inside and y’all think Chip’s just gonna drop it? Nah. The fire in his belly is warranted for sure, and it leads to sharp bars and a poisonous delivery. I love how it references something that literally *just dropped* when he says “skengman? Ok den”, the referenced track you can find just above with Ghetts’ track. We’re still waiting for Stormzy to fire back with an actual diss (which seems unlikely, but I can wish), but I’m glad for the bars we’ve already gotten from the real spitters heart that Chip has.

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The Plug & M24 (Feat. Fivio Foreign) – Fashion

I was treated with two drill tracks this week, both featuring Fivio Foreign, with one trafficking more in the UK side of the culture while the other being closer to home in Brooklyn. This first one from London-by-way-of-Brixton rapper M24 is cold-blooded and menacing; I’ve never heard the guy before this, but I love how scary and menacing his voice is, a lot like Unknown T or a harsher Headie One. Fivio on the assist makes perfect sense, bringing the two Drill scenes together in a way that make sense. It looks like this guy “The Plug” is looking to bring together some kind of mixtape if his previous singles are anything to go off of, so get excited for more of these tracks.

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Funkmaster Flex & Fivio Foreign – Game Time

Flex looks like he’s about to drop mixtape of his own here soon, having wowed me with the track he curated from the late King Von that he released a few weeks ago, and coming back again with this great track with Fivio. I give great credit to the Funkmaster for keeping up with the cutting-edge sounds of the New York scene, with this new single being a true-to-form and slap-tastic Drill banger that is as potent as it is short. Fivio is energetic and… entirely himself on the track. I love the man and his style, but if you’ve heard him once you’ve heard him a thousand times. Listen if you’re investing in the BK Drill culture, and cross your fingers for a Flex tape here before too long.

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Ameer Vann – IDFIATOK

I’m loving how Ameer is taking a lot of what made his tenure in BROCKHAMPTON so weird and special and replicating that on his own singles. The beats may not be as left-field as the ones BH would peddle, but you can still hear that clear Neptunes influence, and I’m glad Ameer hasn’t dropped this from his persona after his departure from the group. This new single is very short, but the beat and lyrics give to you a great snapshot into Vann’s current artistic direction, and leaves me hoping that the more full-fledged efforts of the Houston-inspired rapper can bring more red meat. Also, the music video for this is hilarious and entertaining, another appreciation that I’m glad carries over from his BH days.

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Ariana Grande (Feat. Megan Thee Stallion & Doja Cat) – 34+35 (Remix)

I feel like I didn’t give Ariana’s last album it’s proper due, either due to a lack of interest or the overwhelming amount of other music at the time, but it’s tracks like these that having me thinking of going back. I remember liking the original track a lot, but this remix, adding some great verses from competent guests rappers Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion, really makes this track into something fun and worth listening to (especially Megan, the lyrics are on point). I might not be the biggest fan of the hook, but the vibes are here, and sometimes that’s all you need.

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Rich The Kid – Split

This guy has dropped so many singles in the past year with so many people it’s hard to tell when he’s actually going to drop. As for this single here, it sounds like a B-side to something that would have come from the album he did earlier with YoungBoy NBA, feeling very spacy and synthetic in its instrumental. I actually like the way Rich sounds over this beat; he’s not doing anything new in any way, but it just so happens the stars align on the track to make something lyrically energetic and instrumentally wavy. I just hope there’s a bit more of a focused effort on the project this is attached to.

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Yella Beezy – Is You Fuckin?

I think this track is absolutely hilarious with it’s very forward and no-frills question: is you fuckin? There isn’t really a serious bone in the skeleton of this song, which presents itself as something hard and street but really devolves into one-liners about big dog dicks and slapping asses so hard people can’t sit down. I got to shoutout the dude’s accent as well; Dallas is his home, but Beezy sounds like a combination of Birdman and T.I. in the best ways and to comedic effect. A very fun and low-stakes track, and another in a long line of Yella Beezy singles leading up to whatever album he has in store.

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