"TIMMY TURNER" IS OUT, Y'ALL!
At 1:50 p.m. EST, on July 21, 2016, did anyone yell these words in your immediate vicinity? When Desiigner expanded his sing-song freestyle for XXL into a full song with help from producer Mike Dean, did you take a smoke break—even though you don't smoke—in order to carve out quiet time and space to listen? Did you race into the restroom, grab a stall, and pop in your ear bud? Did five people in your office press play at slightly different intervals to create a cacophony for the employees who don't read rap twitter?
If your phone and/or gchat isn't blowing up with conversations about whether Desiigner succeeded or failed, hang out and talk with Complex as we offer our own evaluations.
Khal, senior editor: I like it. I'm glad it worked out for Desiigner, honestly. Back in June, I wrote about Desiigner's New English mixtape, and how I wished that more of the project sounded like his 2016 XXL Freshman freestyle, which had a melody that killed everybody listening. Even if you don't know word one that he's saying (I'll need to consult Genius to figure that out), this works. Sure, it's a generic trap bass-driven cut, but everything that I dig about Desiigner is based in how his unique, over-the-top personality fits into a generic-ass scene. This isn't GREAT, but it's leaps and bounds above New English.
Maybe the key is Mike Dean.
Frazier Tharpe, social media editor: I, for one, think the internet salivated over this just to for hype's sake but regardless this is the validation Desiigner needed to drop that was absent on Not English. I still have no real clue wtf he's saying here, but it's hypnotic and melodic in a way more evocative of his G.O.O.D. colleague Travi$ Scott than Future. All in all, God bless Mike Dean—the last 45 seconds of this beat are something else.
Rawan Eewshah, deputy editor: It usually takes me a few listens before I can determine whether or not I like a song but I liked 'Timmy Turner' immediately. The beat, the flow, the outro—I enjoyed all of it. And no, I'm not one of those Kanye stans who says Desiigner > Future just because the former is signed to G.O.O.D. Music. So far, Desiigner is two of two for me.
Brendan Dunne, news editor, Sole Collector: I realized after putting "Panda" on my phone that I will never in my life have more than three minutes for a Desiigner song. Sometimes you listen to "Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 2" and you hear the "Panda" part and think, "Oh, I'd like to listen to the actual song." Then you do and you realize you don't have the patience to listen to this guy for that long. Same goes with this. Just give me the 45-second freestyle.
Maurice Peebles, deputy editor: In the fifth season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, there's an episode where Will is helping Ashley get her singing career started. After impressing a music executive, it starts looking like Ashley might soon become a star. At one point, though, Will is confronted by Jazz, who now is managing a singer of his own that looks and sounds exactly like Ashley. Her name turns out to be Bashley.
Desiigner is Bashley to Future's Ashley. But whether you hate him or not, it sounds like Desiigner Bashley might have another hit single.
Zach Frydenlund, news editor: The curious case of Desiigner has set the internet ablaze yet again. The original freestyle had a certain flare that got fans excited, and I think the final cut lives up what fans were looking for. During the beginning of the track, Desiigner does sound a lot like Future, which is the major knock on the Brooklyn rapper, but it doesn't sound bad and, generally speaking, the song further proves he has enough in the tank to be something more than a one-hit wonder. The catchiness and joyful trapness should propel this to summer-banger status just as "Panda" is finally slowing down. It gets the Chopz approval.
Edwin Ortiz, news editor: I don't think it's a secret at this point, that Desiigner is capable of entertaining through repetition and unpredictable delivery, and that shines through on "Timmy Turner." Also, Mike Dean kilt the production; they're a good combo in the booth. That said, the Future-ish vocal approach is more pronounced here, which begs the question: is Desiigner doing it because he knows people will get a slight rise out of the comparisons, or because he can't rap in a different manner? Whatever the case, I'm throwing it in the playlist right next to "Juice" since it transitions well.
Alexander Krinksy, intern: The full length is trash in comparison. The XXL preview generated that hype because the melody was tight. The full length took that and over cooked and then watered it down. I’m seriously disappointed. On top of that, Desiigner sounds more like Future than ever—if you're going to be someone else at least do it better. I get "Panda" is a lot to live up, but this seems like yet another example of an artist getting branded too early into their career.
