The Best and Worst of Rap This Week: Bruce Hornsby Co-Signs Polo G and More

Pitchfork’s weekly rap column covers songs, mixtapes, albums, Instagram freestyles, memes, dances, weird tweets, fashion trends—and anything else that catches our attention in the world of hip-hop.

Unraveling the mystery of Gunna

In my ongoing quest to find out as much as possible about the essentially unknowable Atlanta rapper Gunna, I listened to his new album WUNNA—an acronym for “Wealthy Unapologetic Nigga Naturally Authentic”—and picked out some of the most revealing lines.

“Make me quick to grab a choppa, start a World War 6”

Gunna is clearly a history buff. I wonder which Ken Burns documentary is his favorite.

“Feelin’ like I’m Jigga on a yacht”

Before this line, I wasn’t sure if Gunna had ever heard a song that he didn’t rap on, but here we learn he has at least seen JAY-Z’s “Big Pimpin’” video.

“I’ve been gettin’ it since a toddler, I keep dollars on my head”

Gunna has been hustling since the days when he was barely able to walk in a straight line. Inspirational.

“I’m sippin’ codeine, I’m movin’ slower than Donatello”

I’m sure Gunna likes the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles because they have a shared love for Italian Renaissance art and pizza.

“Tryna cross your bitch, go to New Jersey City, yeah/I’m chillin’ in Paterson”

Gunna is spending quality time in Paterson, New Jersey—but why? Does he miss Paterson native Fetty Wap? Do they have a good deal on Runtz? I suppose it’s time for another investigation.

Hook: “gNaT”

Hook has released three mixtapes this year, and they sound nothing alike. Crashed My Car, entirely produced by Nedarb, is packed with West Coast anthems perfect for destroying a house party or spitting in someone’s mouth. On Pretty Bitty, a freestyle tape, the Riverside, California rapper tackles regional hits of the past like “Pop, Lock & Drop It” and “I’m Shinin’.” And her latest, I Love You 2, Hook, places her breathy delivery on beats so mellow they could soundtrack a group meditation. On the 2thousan9-produced “gNaT,” Hook still brings the rage despite the instrumental’s relative chillness: “I can’t fuck with you, you be actin’/Niggas be fake like elastic.” Listening to Hook, you never know what type of bar or beat you’re going to get, but it’s guaranteed that she will rip whatever comes her way.

Young M.A has a bad beats problem

Young M.A is a great rapper, but why doesn’t she have more great songs? Outside of “EAT” and “PettyWap,” she has rarely captured the untouchable energy that makes her radio freestyles so compelling. Listening to her latest mixtape, Red Flu, it’s clear the production is failing her—on some tracks, it sounds like she just went on YouTube and typed in “trap beat” and went with the first result. She’s still rapping extremely well—“Flip a check, soon as you get a check, make that money stretch/Spent a check, just to get a bitch, man, that’s a dummy flex,” she stunts with ease on “Trap or Cap”—but the song can’t overcome a bad beat.

The 15th anniversary of Common’s Be

In 2005, fourth graders like me had little to no awareness of Common’s impact. My real introduction to the Chicago veteran didn’t arrive until middle school, when I saved up to buy the Chappelle’s Show DVD box set. In one episode, Common and Kanye West performed “The Food” in a fake kitchen. It was a perfect moment: Common’s delivered his raps with an ease that made me listen to every word, and Kanye’s beat was imbued with the warmth of Thanksgiving dinner. Not even Common’s headwear—which would maybe appeal to a 1920s newsboy or a slam poet in Love Jones—could turn me away from the video, which I watched dozens of times. Eventually, I went back and downloaded his 2005 album Be on this early streaming app my mom had called Rhapsody, and for the first time immersed myself in the music of Common.

Tems: “These Days”

Early in her life, Tems fell in love with Destiny’s Child. Now, she’s putting her own spin on R&B. Over the past couple of years, the Nigerian singer fused soul and Afropop on her self-love anthem “Mr Rebel,” provided “Try Me” with larger than life vocals, and rode on the smooth rhythm of “Looku Looku.” On her latest single, “These Days,” she delivers a catchy hook over dreamy Rvdical the Kid production that matches her reflective mood. “These days are made out the pain/These nights are not for the stars,” she sings sweetly. She’s a star—a fact made clearer with every new track.

Game recognize game

King Von doesn’t want to admit he’s hungry

In the first episode of King Von’s new YouTube vlog series, he returns to his Chicago block, and becomes vexed when one of his friends refuses to share their food with him. Feeling rejected, Von pretends he no longer wants the food. “That shit look dry anyway, macaroni look dry as hell,” he says, clearly putting on a facade for the cameras. Next time, somebody get King Von a plate.

Detroit mixtape of the week: WTM Scoob’s Don’t Proud

“Fuck niggas if they ain’t my niggas/No cap man, I don’t even like niggas,” is how WTM Scoob begins his new tape. The young Detroit rapper often sounds like he’d rather be doing anything else—he’s completely disinterested by everything that’s not either scam money or the luxury items he’s purchased with said scam money. Who knew apathy could be this much fun?

Medhane: Cold Water

Whether I’m stuck in my room or outside living life, Medhane’s Cold Water is an album I will be playing all year long. The Brooklyn rapper has reached new heights here. The record runs effortlessly from end to end, but I find myself going back to early favorites like “Truth and Soul” and “Bun Down Babylon” the most, specifically for the lyrics. “Provoke hope, through the low I could see the gold, keep it close/Demons screaming, tryin’ hit my soul,” he raps on the former, reflecting on painful moments in his past. This record won’t get old.

Originally Appeared on Pitchfork