The Best and Worst of Rap This Week: Lil Uzi Vert’s Gas Station Freestyle 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.
Sheff G: One and Only
Sheff G isn’t the poster boy for Brooklyn drill but he should be. Sure, he doesn’t have the natural charisma of the late Pop Smoke. Or the viral stickiness of Fivio Foreign. Or the catchy lingo of 22Gz. But Sheff G is a rapper’s rapper, the type who grew up idolizing Biggie Smalls, and has attempted to adopt that icon’s ability to make lyrical songs that are fun to rap along with. He also has an ear for production that’s unmatched in his borough, typically choosing beats that merge the Deep South’s infatuation with moody pianos and guitars with drill drum patterns. His new mixtape, One and Only, feels like a moment of separation from his peers, who have yet to make the same progress as Sheff. With tracks like the celebratory intro, his brooding sequel to “No Suburban,” and a pair of collaborations with his similarly skilled childhood friend Sleepy Hallow, it’s clear that even without the extra flair, there’s nobody quite like him in Brooklyn.
Lil Uzi Vert freestyling at a gas station
The only pure moment on the internet this week. 😍
Detroit mixtape of the week: Cash Kidd’s No Socks
Cash Kidd is a romantic. He hands his girlfriend a credit card (that doesn’t belong to him) and tells her to buy whatever she wants. He’ll bring her on a date to the traphouse, and makes her promises, but crosses his fingers behind his back. These sweet nothings are delivered throughout his new tape as he switches between an offbeat Detroit rap flow and a bright melody. Like on “Proud of Me,” where he pauses mid-verse to give his own rendition of Alicia Key’s “No One,” before he quickly returns to the romance by asking his girlfriend to sleep in a separate bed.
Questioning Nav’s questionable decisions on Good Intentions
Nav is known for rapping about his avoidable struggles, a pattern that continues on his new album. Here are some of the most egregious examples, along with manageable solutions:
“We ain’t returning shit, so we don’t need receipts/Don’t wanna know what I spent, the total’s scary”
Nav’s accountant would likely recommend that he keep track of his finances.
“Girl, tell me what you want me to do/The only one I trust, I count on you/I got lit, these bitches came out the blue”
Nav is finally in love. But, of course, instead of changing his lifestyle he keeps getting himself into situations that are hurting his newfound relationship.
“Gave my bros my publishin’, I don't care ’bout my percentage”
Again, Nav needs a financial advisor. For someone who supposedly doesn’t trust anyone, he sure is generous with others.
“YSL jeans too tight they don’t fit me”
I would simply suggest that Nav buy his jeans a size up next time.
“Goin’ in the fridge, I ain’t lookin’ for a Sunny D, I just want the purple stuff”
If Nav doesn’t want Sunny Ds in his fridge, then he should really talk to whoever does his grocery shopping. Seems like an easy fix.
Lerado: “Last Chance”
St. Paul, Minnesota’s Lerado can grace just about any beat with his lethargic delivery. Throughout his new EP CDQ, presented as one eight-and-a-half-minute piece on SoundCloud, he drifts under distorted production on the intro and prepares to start a controlled mosh pit with HOOK, but there’s something fitting about “Last Chance,” which begins at the 2:08 mark. On the song, enigmatic Virginia producer Nolanberollin supplies a perfect background for Lerado’s calm, reflective lyrics, which vaguely allude to his anxieties and relationships. The track only lasts a minute, but its lazy pace makes it feel longer.
Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon: “SHE GOT HER SECOND BABY DADDY NAME TATTOOED ON HER NECK BUT IM STILL IN LOVE”
Boasting one of the best song titles of the year, the latest from Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon has him kicking a fantasy freestyle for Funk Flex. Over smooth production, the North Carolina artist raps about dope being sold while he was watching Romeo!, compares his life to that John Gotti movie, and, of course, laments the girl who has “her second baby daddy tatt on her neck.” Funk Flex would approve.
Action Bronson’s return to television
At this point Action Bronson is a TV host who happens to rap on the side. It’s not a bad thing. F*ck That’s Delicious, his Vice food and travel show which recently began a new season, is exceptional at merging everyday eats with high-end cuisine. Do you want to watch Action Bronson stuff a knish with pepperoni and mozzarella at a deli in Whitestone, Queens? Or watch New York MC Meyhem Lauren order sandwiches named after Marisa Tomei and Bruno Sammartino in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn? Or see the Alchemist dive into pasta sprinkled with white truffles and drink a glass of 27-year-old bourbon with his pinky up? I do.
Throwback of the week: Diddy’s Central Park tears
There’s a story in Diddy’s 1999 GQ cover story about the rap mogul watching Love Story, a 1970 hit romantic drama about a couple from different social classes who fall in love at Harvard. When the movie reaches its tragic end, Diddy becomes so overwhelmed with emotion that he leaves his Park Avenue townhouse at 3 a.m. and goes into Central Park to bawl his eyes out. Who knew Bad Boy’s CEO could be a… sad boy?
Mari Boy Mula Mar: “Aflac”
Every scene needs their weirdo, and Mari Boy Mula Mar is Milwaukee’s. He sounds like he just stubbed his foot on a couch whenever he raises his pitch—the change is normally sudden and brief, like he’s in pain that quickly goes away. On “Aflac,” he ends nearly every line with a squeal, and he switches between a squawking melody and a not so quiet whisper. This back and forth makes it sound like he’s rapping jokes, but the lyrics make it clear he’s serious, even when he compares himself storming through the Milwaukee streets to Johnny Test. Just go with it.
Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
