Bout to Blow: 10 Dope Songs You Should Be Hearing Everywhere Soon

If there's any justice in the world, you'll hear all ten. A selection of songs that are bout to blow, from radio to the video to Arsenio.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Back in March we debuted a column called "Bout to Blow," and so far it's had considerable success. Although we were on a temporary hiatus last month, it's returned in full to kick off the second half of the year. This column has two goals:

1. To use the many tools available to us today to get some idea of what songs were really bubbling with "the people"—in other words, to insert some science into the process. 

2. And to contextualize that information, because raw numbers in a vacuum would have you thinking an anonymous rapper dropped onto a stellar track was hip-hop's next big rap star when he was more like an empty vehicle for a dope beat, hook, and some tattoos. Shots?

The post is obviously intended to be somewhat predictive. There's also an element, though, that is cheerleading. Many of these songs might be flourishing in certain markets, but could use wider exposure. They're tracks where the metrics suggest some forward momentum, even if the clubs and radio play don't reflect that.

Back in May, we dug a little deeper to find songs that might do some damage. One was definitely a longshot—Columbia BT's Future-featuring "From the Start" hasn't gotten the push it needs to really get that exposure, and with Rich Homie Quan cashing checks, a Future hook isn't the unique selling point it might have once been. Snootie Wild and K-Camp haven't pushed "Made Me," which seemed like a strong collaboration, but the two artists are still both unrolling singles, so it might be some time before they settle on the next ones to push. But a few of the songs that dropped have gone on to pop. Two of the biggest include Ariana Grande's "Problem" which is now everywhere, in contention for song of the summer. And Mali Music's "Beautiful" is at No. 25 on Billboard's "Heatseekers" chart. And finally, although we were right to guess that a T.I. country rap tune was on the way to the top, we may have spoken too soon with "Homicide"...but you'll see what we mean when you check out this month's selection in Bout to Blow: 10 Dope Songs You Should Be Hearing Everywhere Soon.

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Rowdy Rebbel f/ Bobby Shmurda "Shmoney Dance"

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Maybe you like your New Yorkers a bit grimier. "Shmoney Dance" has been blowing up on Vine and Twitter quite organically, although a brief Kevin Durant cosign portends further cosigns, an ensuing wave of hype, and-yep-Rowdy Rebbel and Bobby Shmurda are outta here. Of course, it won't be without an attendant controversy. (And that's before you get to Bobby Shmurda's solo cut over Lloyd Banks' "Jackpot," "Hot N****," now approaching half a million views.) Accusations that this is manufactured by evil forces to bring down rap from the inside are no doubt gearing up as we speak. But even in the unlikely event that this record was contrived in a label office, the illuminati overlords have managed to capture very potent lightning in a bottle.

Despite production from Philly's Jahlil Beats, the aesthetics is post-Chicago drill. Even the song's name seems a mutation of the "Money Dance," also known as "Dro Style," popularized by Lil Mouse--although the Shmoney dance itself bears no resemblence. That seems the m.o. here. Chicago slang and style (for example, Rebbel raps about being "with the shits") popularized by artists like Chief Keef and Lil Reese reached a tipping point to youth street culture nationally, and has become the language new artists use to describe their own situations, a snake shedding its skin. Through creative misprision, it's coming out New York-ified—a long chain of influence running from hip-hop's birthplace in New York to Atlanta, up North to Chicago and then back East. New York seems particularly desperate for relevance now; it should be no surprise that this is being snapped up so quickly.

The Shmoney dance itself doesn't seem to be a specific dance; instead, the two rappers seem to be making it up as they go, gripped by the music, expressed with exuberant confidence. Rebbel and especially Bobby Shmurda seem so self-possessed on camera, their bodies moving with contagious self-assurance. But most importantly, it's fun, and vibrates with the urgency of the moment.

Childish Gambino "3005"

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Drag your feet no longer: Childish Gambino is sincerely about to become a much, much bigger star. His album Because the Internet has been out since last year, nearly seven months. But someone at the label hit the big red button, because in the past month or so, his single "3005" has gotten considerably more attention at radio. While Urban radio has yet to support, the Rhythmic format spins "3005" approximately the same number of times they spin Lil Wayne and Drake's "Believe Me." Eventually, it's hard to imagine a number of Urban markets won't fall like dominoes; Drake has set a precedent for Childish Gambino's neurotic hitmaker, and "3005" is a hit record, with a huge, dreamily transcendent hook that almost makes up for—sorry, this still gets to me—lyrics like "Got no patience, 'cause I'm not a doctor/Girl why you lyin/Girl why you Mufasa?'" But hey, if we've already accepted Iggy Azalea's absurd accent, what's a few forced punchlines between friends.

Sevyn Streeter "B.A.N.S"

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Hip-Hop/R&B radio isn't the friendliest space for women at the moment; the phenomenon of the "song for men about women" was even recently addressed in the New York Times. The article draws our attention to the discomforting recurrence of songs that, while perhaps not without therapeutic value, are mainly putting the blame for men's unhappiness at the foot of women generally, as if they were an abstract force of nature rather than, you know, individual people.

Florida singer Sevyn Streeter found success with "nEXt" and-especially-"It Won't Stop," though she's struggled a bit in the name recognition department. People know her songs-after all, they've charted and have done very well on radio-but not the person behind them.

This deserves to change with "B.A.N.S.," a song that takes several steps from the comfortable heartsickness of "nEXt" in the direction of emotional torment, finding strength in the face of abuse. The songwriting is flawless, and Streeter's performance is distinctive and impassioned. "B.A.N.S." is also appropriately blunt—an anguished, angry counterpart to the callousness of K—Camp.

The song hasn't been serviced to radio yet, but the video has already clocked nearly 100,000 views in the few days it's been out. And the time is right.

Lupe Fiasco f/ Ty Dolla $ign "Next To It"

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The past few years have not been kind to Lupe, who seems to have alienated all but the most ardent members of his fanbase. Although Lasers sold well, it's famously considered a creative mess, beholden to the common 2010s problem of balancing pop moves with the hip-hop audience. He's an extreme talent who doesn't always seem to know what to do with it; your view of Lupe can shift at a moments notice. One moment, he seems a lone voice of righteous truth to power; the next, a victim of his own slippery cynicism. It doesn't help that Lupe's got a tendency to simply weird people out, so that even when he's right about a contentious issue, it comes off as poor stagecraft.

Not to pick on Lupe, who genuinely has a big single in his hands with the Ty Dolla $ign assisted "Next To It." Who knew all it would take to make Lupe sound alive again was a sense of unforced whimsy? Apparently, the answer is Ty Dolla $ign. Here's hoping Lupe paid Ty the big bucks for both the beat, hook, concept, and guest spot, because this is the most addictive Lupe record in recent memory. Oftentimes, Lupe's best songs are the ones where he's at his most earnest and empathic; his conceptual records can risk seeming pretentious or strident. In this case, though, the lighthearted nature of the song's conceit lets Lupe really dig into the concept. He darts flawlessly over the track, a cat playing with a ball of yarn, batting it around gently before Ty comes in to deliver the glorious hook. It's a song so good it singlehandedly argues for his continued relevance, making the dangerous argument that the best possible Lupe record is one that aims for pop and hip-hop at once, while letting Lupe indulge in his most Lupe impulses.

Michelle Williams f/ Beyonce & Kelly Rowland "Say Yes"

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If we were to pick a gospel song to blow up in 2014, what would it need? If your answer was "production courtesy Harmoney Samuels, the talent behind Arianna Grande's 'The Way'" you'd get partial credit. But the real answer is that a Beyonce guest spot can't hurt. Based on a Nigerian hymn, Michelle Williams' sunny day celebration, "Say Yes," could only be further improved if it was called "Say Yass" and featured Soulja Boy on the hook. The song's swinging rhythm suggests the sounds of soca or reggae, or is perhaps intended to emulate the sounds of contemporary Nigeria. Either way, it's one of the most interesting juxtapositions of the year, and will no doubt be propelled to greater heights thanks to the reuinited Destiny's Child lineup.

Rae Sremmurd "No Flex Zone"

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There's something quaint about the effort made in labeling the duo's catchy bubblegum rap single "No Flex Zone" a "viral video." Although the video is nearing the 300,000 mark after just a month on YouTube, that seems more likely a result of the radio play "No Flex Zone" has received across the country since its release last month. Plus, nothing about the video really screams "viral," from the group's odd name to the presence in the video of Mike Will and A$AP Rocky. That's all fine, though, because despite its contrivances, Mike Will and Rae Sremmurd's "No Flex Zone" has a sparse, unforced charm, in distinct contrast with its marketing. Perhaps the song's most distinctive element is the medium-high pitch of the boys' voices, which hits a frequency rare in rap these days. (The closest analogue I could come up with was Seelenluft's novelty one-off dance single "Manila," which sampled the vocals from a teen boy back in the early 2000s.) It's an eccentric little pop rap jam, and on the verge of being much, much bigger.

Bandit Gang Marco f/ Young Dro "Nasty"

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Young Dro jumping on bout-to-blow rap songs from young rap phenoms is a tradition at this point, from "Patna Dem" to Ain't I" and beyond. His latest guest spot is over a record that thus far has only made waves in Atlanta, and its message is pretty self explanatory. The ragged, shouted vocals cohere into an undeniable hook that one could easily imagine transcending its current status as a regional proto-smash and becoming a national hit in the biggest sense any day.

Migos "Fight Night"

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Any haters who thought the Migos were apt to be one-hit wonders wasn't paying attention. (Especially since they'd already had "Bando" when "Versace" arrived, but haters aren't much for the finer points of discographies.) And while the shock-of-the-new that greeted their mainstream arrival last year has dissipated, No Label II (the title is now a lie; the trio has signed with Lyor Cohen's 300) is a consistently exceptional tape that finds the group honing a very specific, increasingly crafted sound. Although it's earned some competition from "Handsome & Wealthy," the Migos' atypical "Fight Night" seems primed--both statistically and musically--to really break out. Production-wise, its bassline-driven, uptempo beat should feel right at home with the West Coast's Mustard wave. And while everyone else is running the Migos flow into the ground, the Migos have thankfully moved on.

T.I. f/ Young Thug "About the Money"

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Few expected 2014 to be a big year for T.I.; his last album, 2012's Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head sold respectably, but didn't have a big cultural impact. And while plenty saw the evident chemistry between Young Thug and Rich Gang—in fact, "Lifestyle" is starting to see a little traction on radio as well—T.I. and Young Thug seems like a random collaboration at first blush.

It was longtime Thugger producer London on the Track who figured out the right tonal meeting point for the two rappers. His straightforward beat uses a few simple elements—a rolling marimba, an organ, and heavy drums—but arranges them so as to sound at once fresh and traditional, the rare country rap throwback that doesn't sound staid. It's not too far off from Tip's own "Front Back," which reimagined a classic in contemporary clothes without mucking up UGK's legacy. While Thug's rap style can still feel hit or miss song to song—one minute, he sounds like the only rapper who matters, and the next you're wondering if you even like rap music at all—he delivers here, with lines that get stuck in your head for no real reason ("F&N make my hip limp/Fishing with these little bitty shrimp dips"). To say nothing of his hook, which joins "Hookah" and "Baby" as one of the best moments of rap songwriting in 2014. Ultimately, though, the song stands out against the backdrop of Thug, Quan, and Migos collabs because Tip and Young Thug have such contrasting styles.

Of course, Tip's mediocre collaboration with Iggy Azalea will end up taking off in a bigger way on the charts (it's already surpassed "About the Money" in YouTube views).

Troy Ave f/ Lloyd Banks "Your Style"

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For some reason, Troy Ave inspired a contentious bit of online drama last month, despite being one of the genre's seemingly less controversial personalities. But it couldn't have hit at a better time. Put aside your preconceived notions about Troy Ave, his stated mission of Returning the Feeling, and all associated baggage: "Your Style" is a shimmering summertime single that deserves national attention. They don't make breezy summertime pop gems like this in New York any more. Admittedly, the way Lloyd Banks' relaxed vocals unfurl in clouds of exhaust pipe smoke is an essential counterpoint to Troy's clearer, less intricate directness. But thanks to its melodic hook, producer Chase N Cash's register-ringing production, and a bit of ineffable luck, Troy Ave got one, whether you like it or not.*

*No payola was involved in the writing of this endorsement.

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