This song, for me, was a time machine to junior year bumping to Hip-Hop circa 2000. A golden age.
Back then, one of the best parts of the CD-R/Napster/Limewire days, was just searching for one rapper, and finding a ton of files where they did a collab with another rapper. Often you’d find a ton of songs that had like 9 guys rapping over the same beat on it. I don’t remember when that died off, but fuck did we lose that exchange!
When I heard this song, I was instantly transported back to being 17, in my room, in veritable metropolis Redford, NY, bumping Hip Hop loud and annoying my parents.
The sweet delivery of A$AP Rocky in this first verse hits hardest for me in the verse that starts with:
“Bag made of Goyard…
Cheff’in like I’m Boyar, Dee… Hehe.
I just love that subway train beat throughout that all these guys rap over. It’s the closet this 42 yr old Redford, NY redneck will get to the “STREETS”. The beat is grimy. Like all that collected dirt and STUFF around train tracks in the NYC subway. Like…FILTHY. That’s what this beat somehow gets across, right?!
It’s a great example of the best collaboration tracks from almost 25 years?! ago. (DEAR LORD). Such an awesome sensory experience to be taken on a tour of these artists different styles and swagger. Changing cadence in the middle of lines? It’s ridiculous.
Enjoy it for what it is…an reverent ode to an eon past. They don’t make them like this anymore…unless A$AP Rocky and Co. are on the track.
Have a fantastic fuckin’ day. Love you.
everything, etc. 