The former is responsible for how "My X" has the poisonous, almost irredeemable vindictiveness you'd expect from an early Taking Back Sunday song, but also a flippancy to show that it's not directed at anyone in particular. Rae Sremmurd are in about the same place here, a nexus of youthful exuberance and grim nihilism. Though still under the surveillance of Mike WiLL Made-It, "My X" brings in Young Chop, who adds slight G-Funk/No Limit synth whinnies to a production style that Chief Keef has all but abandoned since Finally Rich, one where "ice grill" signifies both diamonds and mean mugging. In that context, "My X" actually has incredible timing. Or maybe you have selfish motivations in romance and finance, knowing that living well is the best revenge, whether the target is a previous significant other, an old boss, or just your own self from 2014. But take a moment to think about your new year's resolutions: perhaps you've vowed to call your mother more, lose 10 pounds, file your taxes far ahead of April 15. Album DescriptionWhy on earth would SremmLife drop on January 6? The pre- and post-holiday season tends to be a no-flex zone for just about everyone except established chart-toppers, and Rae Sremmurd's music sounded especially good blasting out of moving vehicles this past summer. See More Your browser does not support the audio element.
The coming-of-age and kinetic SremmLife reminds listeners that jumping into "poppa's chair" was a thrilling mix of pride and new opportunities, plus, the album doubles as a guaranteed party soundtrack.
There are moments when the LP feels a bit rushed, but there's also more refinement and purpose here than expected from such a supernova act. Big Sean's feature lands on "YNO," a crucial cut that's one-part zombie walk, one-part come-up anthem ("Tokyo drift through the hills/Used to have to walk, no wheels").
SremmLife can also be a surprisingly diverse and sure, as "Throw Some Mo" saddles up next to a strip clubbin' Nicki Minaj with so much swagger that no one will bother to check these kid's I.D.s. Stoned roller "Lit Like Bic" is just happy to sit in "poppa's chair" now that these teens are entering their twenties, then "Up Like Trump" spits out witty bits like "I do my own stunts" and "wear my hat to the front, like I drive a truck," and like everything here, it's highly infectious. That latter hit put Rae Sremmurd (or Ear Drummers backwards, a reference to producer Mike WiLL Made It's record label) on the cover of a Marvel comic book relaunching Captain America as a racially diverse title, and in this case, the hype machine and talent work in tandem as SremmLife surrounds its hits with worthy follow-ups.
They aren't so gangsta, and their early hits came with arguably "positive" messages when compared to folks like Chief Keef, as the brilliant "No Type" ("I ain't got no type/Bad bitches is the only thing that I like/You ain't got no life/Cups filled with ice and we do this every night") is a booty-fueled ode to keeping one's mind open, while "No Flex Zone" believes it's better to be a "trill ass individual" than a crowd follower. Looking like a combination of Kriss Kross and Das Efx while sounding like neither, Tupelo, Mississippi rappers Swae Lee and Slim Jimmy came on hard in 2014, taking Migos' bright style of trap music and adding a little of David Banner's sway to the bottom end.
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