[Video][Website]
[6.00]
Jessica Doyle: DeKalb County, Georgia, went from 27.5% black in 1980 to 42% in 1990 and 54% in 2000; the rise of a black power base in DeKalb is relatively new, compared to the century-plus of black political and economic development in Atlanta. Now, “Type of Way” put Rich Homie Quan in DeKalb east of the city of Atlanta (he grew up both inside and outside the city); but this video is set entirely in Atlanta. The opening and closing shots put the car running southwest on Peachtree Street — in other words, moving away from DeKalb towards what has historically been the center of the city’s black power structure. If part of “My *****” is to celebrate YG and Young Jeezy’s adoption of Quan, then the video makes that adoption geographic as well. Its most striking shot is of Quan looking listless outside the sign for the Atlanta city jail (Quan did serve a year for burglary, but it was in DeKalb County’s jail, outside I-285), as if he has to be introduced to the obstacles still facing Atlanta’s black community even while being celebrated by its most successful music industry… what? the song? oh. right. Random white lady from the northern suburbs still finds Quan adorable, appreciates the tempo change at the end of the first verse, promises never to try to sing along, ever.
[6]
Alfred Soto: Fraternity over squelch beats, how deep it goes only they know.
[4]
Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy: Have you heard C-Murder’s “Down For My Niggas” lately? It’s still a blast, a super-powered aggressive bark with a deathless hook that’s perfect in its bluntness: everyone else sucks, my team rules, repeat ad infinitum. “My Nigga” finds DJ Mustard sucking the energy out of the original to craft another of his lurching subwoofer rollers, a tribute in behaviour rather than intent. Quan is the MVP here, guttural and impassioned, reminding us why “Type of Way” was such a shot to the heart. Jeezy cashes in and out, while host YG stays still and lets the track move on from his grasp. The original’s intensity is totally absent is here — so is the sense of brotherhood — there is at least that hook, but what’s a chant without a reason to recite?
[5]
Patrick St. Michel: A smooth reconfiguration of one of Lil Wayne’s most wide-screen songs turned into laid-back cruiser. Maybe a little too relaxed, as everyone here sounds good but nothing really sticks out save for Rich Homie Quan’s shouts deeper in the mix.
[6]
Brad Shoup: How many times did Mustard have to delete someone saying “pause”? Add this to the homosocial hip-hop canon, with Quan’s defensive cooing the most tender feature. One milkshake with three straws, please.
[7]
David Turner: This is an actual “hit” in that it has broken within the Billboard Top 20, which for a rap song in 2013 is fucking impressive if you’re not: a condescending white guy in a fur coat, an angry white guy, or this fucking guy. “My Nigga” is a typical “ratchet” song from the dream team of DJ Mustard and YG, a minimal remix of Luniz’s “I Got Five On It“. But the song’s popularity seems to have steamed from Vines of people, not-black, figuring out that it’s funny to repeat the chorus of the song. Vine already made “Gas Pedal” and “Red Light” (two excellent songs) popular by white people misreading them and proceeding to make them into twerk anthems; now the same is happening with racially insensitive language. Bless rappers getting paid off white ignorance. Gotta find the bright side!
[8]