REVIEW: Black Widow by Iggy Azalea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3u22OYqFGo



That's right, folks. Iggy Azalea has another top 20 single this year, and just like with Fancy, it's awesome. Alongside that, she brought along amazing vocalist Rita Ora to add to how good the song is. Really, this review's gonna be covered majorly with praise, so just sit back and enjoy the positivity.

To start off, this song has a really dark feel that works incredibly well with the lyrics displaying Iggy's incredible ability to show vulnerability. Speaking of the lyrics, they're able to show how mad at the guy in question she is and how heartbroken she is that the relationship didn't work out without outright demonizing him, and any song that's able to do that automatically has my respect.

Rita Ora's chorus adds to the dark feel of the song and really gives her the ability to show off her vocal abilities. It's her work on songs like this and I Will Never Let You Down that really fit her style, and she should definitely do more songs like that and less like generic crap like How We Do (Party).

As for the production, it's minimalist, but also ominous and interesting enough to keep the song from being boring, which really lends the song a lot to work with.

If I had to have a complaint about the song, it is that Iggy's flow is a bit choppy and disjointed, and that can get in the way a some points in the song. Still, it's not a major hindrance, and doesn't keep the song from being as great as it is. I give it a 4 out of 5, and am comforted in the knowledge that it's songs like this that continue to prove how awesome Iggy Azalea is.

(Also, sorry for how incredibly late this review is. I completely forgot about it last Thursday and just recently started my senior year of high school. Don't worry. There will be a new review this Thursday.)

REVIEW: Fancy by Iggy Azalea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-zpOMYRi0w



From looking at my 10 Worst Hit Songs Of 2013 List, you'd probably make the assumption that I despise brag rap. You'd actually be wrong. I despise brag rap when it's done incorrectly. In order for a brag rap to be properly executed, it has to have a beat that's strong and engaging without grating on the listener's nerves, clever wordplay, a string of good rhymes, and a lot of charisma from the artists on the song. If even one of those things is out of place, it could place the whole song in jeopardy of being terrible. Unfortunately, the brag raps from the past few years that got popular have been nothing but absolute garbage. Seriously, who can really say they genuinely enjoy songs like I'm On One by DJ Khaled, The Motto by Drake & Lil Wayne, Drank In My Cup by Kirko Bangz, Back In Time by Pitbull, or any limp song like them? This brings us to the song we'll be discussing: Fancy. How does it hold up?

Well, surprisingly well if you ask me. Why is it that I say that? Well, let's find out.

To start, there's the beat & Iggy and Charli themselves. A lot of people have compared this song to Rack City by Tyga, but that comparison's actually pretty unfair if you think about it. Both beats are incredibly simple, yes, but the beat to Fancy is more upfront with a lot of force and presence coupled with hi hats and gang vocals that really lend the song a lot to work with. The beat to Rack City, on the other hand, is dull, muddy, flat, and extremely lifeless to the point where not even the gang vocals help. Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX bring a lot of energy and flavor to Fancy whereas Tyga sounds like he's narcoleptic. Also, a lot have said that the beat isn't strong enough to hold up Charli's strong voice, but honestly I find this beat to be really flexible and able to conform to her strong voice, so it really works for me. So yeah, it's a check in those areas.

Next are the rhymes and the wordplay. Not really much to say here. They're really clever and well strung together. Iggy's been in the rap game for quite some time now and really commands the respect she deserves, and I think she really does a good job of it, so she has mine. There's one lyric, though, that everyone really takes issue with, and that's when Charli XCX says she's in the fast lane from LA to Tokyo, pointing out that the two are not connected. Well, duh, anyone with an understanding of basic geography would be able to figure that out. All she really means is that she's on her way to being well known worldwide. People are really overthinking that line.

Overall, this song is amazing. The things that Iggy and Charli list might not be fancy, but hey, what're ya gonna do? Not a great song, but definitely one that I do think is really good. I give this a 4 out of 5, and I really hope to hear more from both Iggy and Charli in the future.