Finally, Phil Mitchell makes the Jukebox…
[Video]
[6.00]
Alfred Soto: Fredo keeps finding new variations on disgust in the line “If money talks, then why them man there speakin’ back?” In American trap I no longer expect clarity — figured it was like asking for vocals on mid ’70s Miles. But Fredo and Dave, circling each other, showcase its possibilities.
[9]
John S. Quinn-Puerta: A redux of 90s subject matter with contemporary production sounds more interesting on paper than it ends up being, but perhaps it’s just the strangeness of hearing English accents on a flow that feels lifted from the Dirty South.
[4]
Thomas Inskeep: In 2021, I find coke raps a little tiresome (I mean, you can’t top the Clipse, so why keep trying?), but to be fair, both Fredo and Dave have great flows, and Dave himself did a solid job on the production of “Money Talks” (especially the piano at the song’s end). There’s really nothing to complain about here.
[6]
Julian Axelrod: At one point Dave stops his verse and mutters, “Spooky bando,” which doubles as this song’s sonic mood board. The names are retracted, the threats are oblique, and the beat sounds haunted even before it devolves into baroque piano near the end. Meanwhile, Fredo and Dave float unbothered above the carnage.
[7]
Oliver Maier: Fredo and Dave lurch through the swamp in search of good punchlines. The latter fares better overall, with his smirk-worthy petrol station line and Call of Duty double-entendre, but it’s not enough to save “Money Talks” from monotony.
[4]
Samson Savill de Jong: A list of thoughts: 1) Of all the mainstream UK rappers right now, I think Dave is comfortably the best. He’s supposedly a feature here, but if you’d never heard of either of these guys before, I’m not sure you’d correctly identify who the featured artist was meant to be. 2) 5 foot 3 3) This song is basically about barring and punchlines. They’re mostly fine. Some are better than that. 4) “I go Heathrow more than your man goes petrol station” is so fucking cold that man will never recover. 5) Dave’s production here is pretty solid too, with the beat doing enough to keep it interesting throughout. 6) In heels 7) As far as I can tell Fredo has walked the walk, but his voice just means I cannot buy him as a genuine roadman 8) For the life of me I cannot figure out why Dave’s girl being short is relevant to anything else, and that mystery is the only thing that will live on in my head from this song.
[6]