3 Stars out of 5
In his first single since his joint project with LOUGOTCASH, Bobby Shmurda returns with a track where he decimates anyone who snitches. Given the state of the culture regarding how people feel about Gunna’s decision to take a plea deal, Bobby feels like the perfect person to speak on the issue. Considering he rejected a plea deal of his own and took a longer sentence so it would shorten Rowdy Rebel’s, Bobby does not hold anything back on the aptly titled, “Rats.” He is no fan of snitches and makes it clear throughout the track with examples of what happens to those who snitch in his lyrics. The production is over a generic Trap beat, but Bobby’s delivery and performance truly make it his own. At only 2.5 minutes, the track isn’t terribly long, but Bobby effectively communicates his idea of snitches and avoids a song that feels dragged out. It feels very much like a track of the moment, where it reflects the time we’re currently living in. Though it’s not the most memorable, I imagine it will find itself played when the next big “Snitching Rapper,” moment comes along, whenever that may be.
5 stars out of 5
Flo Milli strengthens the North and South connection by dropping the remix to her viral track, with Lola Brooke and Maiya The Don in tow as well. While her intro verse remains, alongside the track’s catchy hook, Lola Brooke comes through in the middle of the track with a deep-voiced and punchline-heavy guest verse. Coming off the virality of her own track, Lola’s bars ooze a larger-than-life confidence in her short appearance. Over a beat that’s got a slower tempo than her breakout hit, “Don’t Play Wit It,” it’s great to see how Lola can approach a beat from a different rap subgenre, and her versatility in general. Maiya The Don pulls through in the back end with another boastful verse in the same vein as her own breakout track, “Telfy.” Giving us some of the same flavors that helped that song go viral, Maiya’s wordplay comes across as equally skillful and fun to witness. She also exhibits a couple of different flows in her appearance, even interpolating Flo Milli’s own flow from the track’s hook, showing some keen stylistic choices. Overall, it’s a great remix that not only elevates the original track but also shows the potential of a talented trio that may very well be dominating the airwaves within the next few years.
4 stars out 5
With a beat that borrows heavily from a mariachi-influenced horn loop, Midwxst and Denzel Curry team up for another quick track that has become an earworm in the short time I’ve spent listening to it. Not an introspective or substance-heavy track by any means, the song presents a fun vibe that you can bop your head to, thanks to the polished production and unique sample. Midwxst has been making waves in recent months, and a Denzel Curry appearance/cosign is no doubt going to help him with even more exposure. As a genre-bending sort of artist, it’s hard to label this track under one specific sound. Nowadays, it seems that more and more artists are seeking for a genre-less sound that is simultaneously many and not singular. The mariachi sample is one of my favorite parts of the track, as it’s simple yet effective and helps enrich the production with more than just trap drums and 808s. Denzel Curry’s verse is notable as well. He comes through with his beastly energy and leaves everything on the track in typical Denzel Curry fashion. I enjoyed this track much more than I was expecting to, and am eagerly awaiting what Midwxst will be following this up with.
4 stars out of 5
When I was writing the “Top 5 Collabs We Want To See in 2023” article earlier in the month, I have to admit that an Uzi collab with Bouba Savage was not one that ever crossed my mind. While it’s been confirmed via social media that Lil uzi Vert and Cash Cobain are working together in some way shape or form, we have this track with Bouba and Uzi to hold us down in the meanwhile. Stepping away from his Drill sound, Bouba Savage heads into Uzi’s territory, with a melody-heavy performance over trap drums and icy synths that decorate the soundscape. A considerably softer tone than some of the other tracks Bouba is known for, the influence that Lil Uzi Vert had on this track is undeniable. Truthfully, it sounds more like a track you would hear on one of his projects, as opposed to one of Bouba’s. However, we love to see the maturation of an artist’s sound in real time, and I believe that’s what we’re listening to here. At his young age, Bouba is showing off his artistic chops and trying to escape the “drill rapper” label early. Although the track was not at all what I was expecting, it was a pleasant surprise to see Bouba move his music in this kind of direction. Hopefully, going forward, he experiments with more sounds outside of the Drill subgenre, as I think he has huge potential to make waves in the Melodic Rap scene as well.