Vince Staples tells it like it is, and also how it could be. In the past few years, he’s established himself as one of the most intriguing and subversive voices in hip-hop. A gifted storyteller, his detail-oriented writing style has proven to be one of his greatest strengths. He’s also known for his sharp sense of humor, which he displays mostly on social media and in interviews, removed from the context of his music.
Growing up, Vince had no interest in hip-hop, but he got his start in music working with Odd Future after befriending Syd. Although his earliest mixtapes Shyne Coldchain Vol. I and the Michael Uzowuru-produced Winter in Prague sound markedly different from the shock-value style of his peers’ early work, he was often mistakenly referred to as a member of their collective.
Since the start of his career in 2010, his sonic aesthetic has evolved in unexpected ways. Vince always stays ahead of the curve, crafting sounds that strike the perfect balance between ambitious and accessible. His debut album Summertime ‘06 offers vivid observations against icy, monochromatic instrumental backdrops, while his latest release Big Fish Theory presents has a more vibrant, dance music-influenced sonic identity.
The sound of his music has shifted dramatically over time, but his lyrics consistently carry weighty subtext, and he’s maintained common thematic threads between his projects. One motif he frequently returns to is the concept of stolen youth, the title of his 2013 mixtape and also a theme that weaves throughout the entirety of Summertime ‘06. Throughout his career, he has incorporated imagery related to sea-life and the ocean in his music videos, most notably in 2015’s “Lift Me Up” and 2017’s “Big Fish.” All of his projects explore the topic of self-destruction.
Choosing only ten songs from a catalog filled with countless gems was no easy feat, but we gave it our best shot. Read on to learn more about Vince’s finest work.
10. "Lift Me Up"
Project: Summertime '06
Year: 2015
Summertime ‘06 opens with the sounds of a groaning, post-apocalyptic synth, seagulls squealing, and a gunshot. The highly descriptive lyricism of the song that follows, “Lift Me Up,” succinctly introduces the microcosm of America he spends the rest of the album exploring. Atop DJ Dahi’s somber, bass-driven production, Vince presents the brutal realities of growing up in Long Beach, California. The song’s hook finds Vince pleading for a reprieve from his pain, his voice laced with weariness. “Lift Me Up” serves as a powerful and plaintive introduction to a project driven by heartbreaking observation and introspection.
9. "BagBak"
Project: Big Fish Theory
Year: 2017
Vince gave listeners their first taste of Big Fish Theory with “BagBak,” one of his boldest, most defiant tracks to date. Vince raps about violence, gentrification, and political unrest while skittering percussion, room-rattling bass, and a sharp lead synth ring out behind him. He raps with an urgency that is largely absent from his earlier work, and the track signals a step away from the bleak sonics of Summertime ‘06 and the minimalism of Prima Donna. While a substantial amount of Vince's work functions primarily as a vessel for vivid storytelling, "BagBak" feels more like a call to action.
8. "War Ready"
Project: Prima Donna
Year: 2016
A chopped-up sample of Andre 3000’s final “ATLiens” verse opens and closes “War Ready,” the most striking and impactful song from Prima Donna, a conceptual EP that chronicles the life and death of a tortured artist. James Blake’s sparse production places the focus squarely on Vince’s verses, allowing his message to be conveyed effectively. On “War Ready,” Vince looks both inwards and outwards, mixing introspection with sharp observations about racism in America.
7. "Killin' Y'all" ft. Ab-Soul
Project: Stolen Youth
Year: 2013
One of Vince’s earliest projects, Stolen Youth, is a collaborative mixtape produced entirely by Mac Miller, who uses the alias Larry Fisherman when he’s behind the boards. The Ab-Soul-assisted “Killin’ Y’all” is a righteous highlight of the tape, and one of the best examples of Vince’s innate talent for crafting compelling cadences. He and Ab-Soul trade dexterous verses peppered with clever wordplay over Mac’s moody, sample-driven production. The song’s refrain pays homage to Jay Z’s classic song “Can I Live,” but with an added violent twist. “Can I live without killin’ y’all?” Ab-Soul asks.
6. “NATE" ft. James Fauntleroy
Project: Shyne Coldchain Vol. II
Year: 2014
One of Vince’s most cinematic and emotionally potent tracks comes from his mixtape days. “NATE” is an unflinchingly honest exploration of the trauma of Vince’s childhood. The song opens with a bold, matter-of-fact statement: “As a kid all I wanted was to kill a man / Be like my daddy's friends, hopping out that minivan.”
The song’s namesake, Vince’s drug-dealing father, becomes a fully fleshed-out character as the narrative progresses. He's neither judged nor glorified. While Vince acknowledges that his father had a significant impact on his attitude towards violence growing up, he also attributes some of his warped perception to pop culture. “American culture is a violent culture,” he explains. “When I was younger we were just at a closer distance than most people.” James Fauntleroy lends his vocals to the breakdown, bringing the song to a sonically satisfying conclusion.
5. “Love Can Be…" ft. Kilo Kish & Ray J
Project: Big Fish Theory
Year: 2017
In a 2015 interview with Hot 97, Vince said “everything we love is directly related to Ray J.” Vince is the only artist who could possibly get Kilo Kish and Ray J on the same track, and he’s also the only one who would ever think to do so. The result is a forward-thinking song that defies genre and convention. With GTA’s futuristic production as a backdrop, Vince, Kilo, and Ray J present a pessimistic outlook on love driven by clever wordplay and percussive delivery. Vince has a great ear for surprising yet natural sounding collaborations, and the unexpected magic of “Love Can Be…” is further proof.
4. “Señorita" ft. Future & Snoh Aalegra
Project: Summertime '06
Year: 2015
On “Señorita,” the first single released from Summertime ‘06, Vince impatiently lays out his mission statement: “I’m trying to paint you a picture.” He places his listeners into the scene immediately, constructing vivid imagery of Long Beach. His writing style is detail-oriented throughout; he uses references to specific places and characters to give listeners insight into life in his hometown. A sample from Future’s “Covered N Money” serves as the chorus.
“The hook is the scenery,” Vince explains in an annotation on Genius, “It’s the situation, and the verses are the explanations.” The Future sample plays nicely with the eerie, purposefully dissonant piano line and snarling subbass, and tricks passive listeners into thinking “Señorita” is merely a party track. The song ends with haunting vocals from Snoh Aalegra, which provide a sinister edge. “Señorita” also contains Vince’s first mention of the “crabs in a bucket” motif, a concept he explores further on the opening track of Big Fish Theory.
3. “Crabs in a Bucket”
Project: Big Fish Theory
Year: 2017
In a since-deleted tweet, Vince stated that his goal with Big Fish Theory was to “get in the MoMA, not your Camry.” He later clarified that he was joking, but the album certainly does read like contemporary art. Big Fish Theory’s massive opener “Crabs in a Bucket” introduces Vince’s newfound electronic-influenced sound flawlessly. Avant-garde but also accessible, “Crabs in a Bucket” sets the tone for the rest of the songs that follow. Atop vibrant, danceable production supplied by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Zack Sekoff, Vince tackles heavy subjects like racism, classism, and the unbearable pressure that comes with the whole world wishing failure upon you. Vince wants to make you move, but he also wants to make a statement.
2. “Yeah Right" ft. Kendrick Lamar and KUČKA
Project: Big Fish Theory
Year: 2017
On “Yeah Right,” Vince and fellow Californian Kendrick Lamar blast an unconventional instrumental to smithereens. The beat, a metallic clash of jagged percussion and growling subbass, is a collaboration between Flume and PC Music affiliate SOPHIE. Vince’s confrontational verses are delivered with an artful apathy, providing a striking contrast to the frenzied sonics of the production. Throughout his guest verse, Kendrick proves his versatility by cycling through five different flows in the span of 16 bars. Australian singer KUČKA adds an element of mystique to the song with her otherworldly vocals, which hit during the breakdown. “Yeah Right” displays an unlikely team of collaborators joining forces to make one of the most magnetizing tracks in recent memory.
1. "Norf Norf"
Project: Summertime '06
Year: 2015
The visceral impact of “Norf Norf” is unmatched by any other song in Vince’s discography. Led by the unflinching refrain “I ain’t never ran from nothing but the police,” the song is anthemic and defiant. Clams Casino’s amelodic, whale horn-sampling production provides a mesmerizing backdrop for Vince’s passionate vocals, and makes the song an unlikely and unconventional hit.
“Norf Norf” made a lasting impression in the year of its release, earning significant critical acclaim. The song unexpectedly gained momentum again in 2016 after it became the centerpiece of a viral video. In a low-res YouTube clip, a distraught mother reads and reacts to the song’s lyrics, expressing horror and disbelief that it was played on a radio station her children often listen to. While the majority of the internet laughed at the woman, Vince came to her defense. “The woman in that video is clearly confused on the context of the song, which causes her to be frightened,” he wrote. The disconnect between members of the Long Beach community and those far removed from it is a topic Vince often raps about, and the viral video gave him an opportunity to discuss it outside the context of his music.
“Norf Norf” highlights all of Vince’s greatest strengths; his writing is cinematic, witty, and conversational, his rapping is dexterous as ever, and, most importantly, he conveys an important message with urgency.
