2024 You Could Make a Case For: Your Old Droog - "Movie"
Your Old Droog is the kind of rapper who can release a song with Denzel Curry and Method Man verses and a Celebrity Death Match-inspired music video in 2024 and still be someone you might not know exists; a weird mix of access to the ability to realize a creative vision and also criminal near-anonymity in the mainstream. I was made aware of him via his 2017 collaboration with Heems "Bangladesh", a song I'll probably dedicate at least one full post to at some point, and I did listen to the album it was on (Packs) a decent amount, but I somehow checked out for... 6 albums in 7 years after that?
Movie, from last year, has Pretty Toney-era decadence vibes. "I Think I Love Her" is a slick parasocial love song complete with a music video that feels like the perfect companion to Charli XCX's "Boys" visual. "Mantra" addresses his upbringing as a Russian immigrant. "The Interview" is maybe the funniest skit I've heard on a hip-hop album since Prince Paul's peak? "What Else" recalls Clipse's "Mr. Me Too" with its confidence.
There's also an incredible punch-in tactic at play on a handful of tracks on this album where Droog acts as his own... hype man, sort of? Because one of the things that he does is self-consciously shout "what?" or "who?" whenever he makes a reference that I guess he thinks is too obscure? It's so funny and weird and charming and is honestly the best argument for why you should listen to this album, so I'll stop there.