As noted in last month’s edition of Complex’s search for the song of the summer, 2019’s lack of an official rooftop anthem isn’t due to a lack of qualified candidates. On the contrary, unlike summers past, this year’s warmer months have been scored by more than a handful of memorable tracks. Leading this unprecedented season of slaps are women rappers—which shouldn’t come as a surprise, given how women have dominated hip-hop throughout the year.
Only halfway through the calendar, more femcees have already been featured on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 2019 than any other year this decade. Seven women rap acts in total have appeared on the chart this year, with Saweetie becoming the latest on July 13th via her bouncy and booty-friendly single “My Type.”
The case for why the 26 year-old’s ode to preference should be included in the running for the song of the summer actually dates back to the spring. “My Type” was reportedly a last-minute addition to Saweetie’s ICYEP, which dropped in late March. Yet thanks to a viral challenge and some love from the Bay, the song has taken over nightclubs and day-parties all month.
As a part of Saweetie’s #MYTYPECHALLENGE, fans took to Instagram, TikTok, and Triller to upload videos of themselves dancing to the track, all competing for a shot at winning $3000 and tickets to see the San Franciscan perform at Rolling Loud Bay Area. Subsequently, the song’s official video debuted on July 3rd, catapulting the record to the Hot 100 as well as Amazon Music’s new Rap Rotation—a weekly playlist with the expressed purpose of curating upward trending songs.
Featuring cameos from fellow hometown heroines Kehlani and Kamiyah, as well as some distinctly hyphy aesthetics, the “My Type” music video is as much about Saweetie’s city as it is her taste in men. As for why the song’s appeal spread further than Northern California, though, there are a few factors to consider.
Once “My Type” comes on at a party, the first cue to abandon the wall and put your knees to work is the song’s familiar sound. Much like Nicki Minaj’s “Megatron” last month, Saweetie’s potential song of the summer relies on an infectious and immediately identifiable sample—Petey Pablo’s 2003 hit, “Freek-A-Leek.”
With the nostalgia box checked, not only is the song a unifier of different aged millennials, but it also has the power to bring together different genders. Boasting lyrics that empower women to be explicit in their standards but also celebrate men who are rich and well-endowed, “My Type” may be the humanitarian solve to the Hot Girls vs. Hot Boys meme we’ve been (desperately) seeking all summer. A result of Saweetie’s boundless benevolence, men can hold their heads high as their girlfriends gas them on the dancefloor when the DJ spins this record—whether they have the requisite figures and inches or not.
While online trolls agonize over her technical skills as a rapper, Saweetie has delivered yet another undeniably fun song for adults who experience the pleasure of regularly being invited to parties. So, while the song is for anyone, it may not be for everyone.
Checkout Saweetie’s summertime smash on Rap Rotation below, as well as new music from Big Sean, Chance the Rapper and more.
