Beyoncé surprised fans with a remix of her hit track “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM ” on May 19th. This remix features an alluring verse from iconic rapper Kendrick Lamar.
SOUND
Beyoncé has previously shown fans the iconic nature of this beat with its original appearance on her latest album Renaissance. The instrumental was produced by The Dream and Mike Dean, who are both seasoned, talented producers with extensive resumes. The instrumental in itself has super fast percussion, emulating a tense or ominous environment, almost as if one is being chased. The aura of the percussion is matched with a cavernous bass, adding to the tense energy. The remix's production is elevated through adding extra synth sounds along with extra harmonies and ad-libs from Beyoncé. These two get a 9/10 on the Intersect Rating Scale for their sound.
LYRICS
Kendrick starts this track off strong with his verse. He stays true to his unique rapping style, including clever rhymes and interesting flow switches. He ridicules Universal Music Group said, “Universal please don't play possum”, and continues to show off his high status in the industry saying, “Even AI gotta practice cloning Kendrick, the double entendre, the encore remnants.” Kendrick continues to prove that he is a master of language, and this skill, matched with the uniqueness of his flow, earns the group an 8/10 for lyrics on the Intersect Rating Scale.
ART BEHIND THE TRACK
The beginning of this track includes a sample from Atlanta Rapper Kilo Ali’s song, “Cocaine (America Has a Problem)”. Ali’s song details the turmoil that came with experiencing the crack epidemic in the 90s. Beyoncé flipped this concept in "AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM ", by replacing the concept of cocaine with the female body, indicating that the two have the same addicting qualities. Beyoncé’s use of this unique sample, paying homage to a respected Atlanta rapper, earns her a 7/10 on the Intersect Rating Scale for her art.
Overall, this track earns an 8/10 on the Intersect Rating Scale.
Stream “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM (feat. Kendrick Lamar)” below.
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