Song title doubles as Jukebox consensus…
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[5.43]
Thomas Inskeep: Girl Talk proves that he can produce an original track (even if it is an homage to early-’00s hip hop) and Freeway proves he’s still got it, 11 years on from the awesome, underrated Philadelphia Freeway. Free raps likes he wants to make sure you know HE MEANS IT, while Girl Talk’s swirling string riff backs him up with urgency. This pretty much hits every single one of my buttons — and the presence of WFF, who I find extremely minor-league at best, doesn’t even detract.
[8]
Alfred Soto: In which Waka goes wacky and Freeway gets stuck in a jam, while Girl Talk’s sampled synth strings undulate and sonar blips go blergh. Not an strafe like his other tracks. Maybe it should’ve been.
[6]
Megan Harrington: I have a chapbook of bad feelings and misgivings about Girl Talk, a thing I defended a decade ago on the grounds of olds not getting it. So what’s a guy to do when he’s run out of familiar Journey songs to beat match? Sample an obscure 90s indie band and turn it into a clunky beat for Freeway and Flocka. To their credit, neither seems even aware of what he’s rapping over, they’re both perfectly happy to run counter-current. Girl Talk is not a good producer.
[4]
Brad Shoup: I’m the asshole who thinks “1-900-Hustler” is the best thing Jigga’s ever been a part of, so it’s always nice to hear from Free. Girl Talk whips up a “Heavy Action” approximate, and it allows his partner to levitate on the hook. If this played at a Spurs game I might fight Matt Bonner.
[6]
Will Adams: Simple stadium hip hop featuring your college’s marching band. The growling middle eight wasn’t totally necessary; I just want to hear those horns.
[6]
Patrick St. Michel: Girl Talk has an incredible gift for knowing exactly what college kids will gobble up come homecoming. Trust me, I was there… Night Ripper came out just in time for the middle of sophomore year, and because I was THAT GUY in the dorm, I found this one before anyone else and was blasting it in the equipment rental room during my shifts. And dear goodness, for the only time in my life I was cool, because everyone loved that fucking mash-up collection I shared with them. It’s a cheap thrill, but that’s what Girl Talk deals in — back then it was the joy of being like, “is… is that Soulja Boy AND Aphex Twin???,” the joy of recognition. It’s a little different now, but the endgame is still about making you feel better about yourself. “Tolerated” is mindlessly angry, a thunderous chest bump confirming that the problem isn’t you post a handle of Fireball Whiskey, but all the “haters” around you. It’s “Turn Down For What” with Freeway shouting a lot, it’s TNGHT with viral-video smarts and a self-aware Waka Flocka Flame. The person who introduces this before the tailgate will feel the same dumb rush I did, and all who listen will rejoice in knowing that, no, I’m not an asshole for chanting “state school” at a forty year old, they just can’t handle this. Girl Talk knows his audience well, and it ain’t me anymore.
[4]
Katherine St Asaph: Did you know Girl Talk’s name is Gregg? Oh man, do you think he ever sampled Ol’ Gregg? That’d be siiick! (If you didn’t find that funny, you’ve outgrown Girl Talk.)
[4]