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It feels like ages since Azealia Banks surprise us with the release her debut album Broke With Expensive Taste – certainly it’s been a long time since we’ve had a new song from AB. But now she’s dropped ‘The Big Big Beat’, the first cut off her upcoming mixtape Slay-Z. Is it worth the wait? Hell yes!
‘The Big Big Beat’ follows the trend of much of Banks’ debut in that it highlights her impeccable rapping and her seductive singing. Living up to the mixtape’s name, Banks utterly slays over the rapping verses, and nails the singing verses too.
So how does it sound? ‘The Big Big Beat’ screams 90s house; there’s a simple and repetitive beat that cannot quite be called a big big beat itself, but it does threaten to drag you to the dance floor nevertheless.
This song is the new staple for my TUNES playlist. The backing beat is provided by An Expresso.
Lyrically, ‘The Big Big Beat’ discusses Banks’ wealth and allure; it’s very much the sequel to the seminal ‘Ice Princess’. Over the steady beat Banks sings, ‘You’ve been round the world looking for love in the strangest places / Don’t you think it’s time you confess your love to me?’ Following ‘Miss Amor’ and ‘Miss Camaraderie’, it appears as though Banks is very much still looking for love.
Later Banks seems to be discussing her origins as she asks, ‘How could that little young bitch from the ghetto hit the jackpot? / Ran off with the cash pot!’
Banks has certainly hit the jackpot; though Broke With Expensive Taste failed to sell many units, it still managed a respectable placing of 30 on the US Billboard chart, and it was critically acclaimed for its diverse genres. Hopefully its follow-up Business and Pleasure will match these heights.
‘The Big Big Beat’ allowed Banks to continue her most infamous trend: promising music, and failing to deliver. It was meant to be released on Sunday 7 February, though thankfully the delay wasn’t too long.
Apparently her people thing ‘The Big Big Beat’ is BIG, and wanted to give it a proper release. It won’t do anything in the charts, but it’ll keep her fans sated until Slay-Z drops.
In 2016 Banks has three prospective projects ready to drop, though I doubt all three will manifest. Slay-Z is meant to come in February, though given that we’re nearing the end of the month it’ll most likely come in March now, whilst Fantasea II: The Second Wave, the mixtape sequel to 2012’s FANTASEA is slated for a summer release. That’ll probably be delayed too.
And then her second album Business and Pleasure is also meant to drop this year… I’m thinking an early 2017 release is looking likely now.
But either way, it looks as though we’ll have plenty of AB in 2016! Can I get a hell yes?
