Zeus32
The 22-year-old rhymer continues supplementing his brand through a ’90s mindset.
Mirroring his nostalgic style that’s surprisingly persisted into the mainstream, Joey Bada$$ rolls around in a ‘90s drop top Benz in the Statik Selektah-produced slow jam, “500 Benz”.
“500 Benz” marks a continuation in a longline of Joey x Statik collabs: from tracks like “Carry On” featuring Freddie Gibbs, to shooting a 2015 Back and Forth Vice episode, the two are kindred spirits. While the former is a 22-year-old black kid from Brooklyn, and the latter is a 35-year-old white guy from the Boston area, they both harbor a Golden Age Hip Hop love, and continue to enlist their musical prowess to bolster this traditional sound.
A retro vibe is weaved into every fiber of the “500 Benz” fabric, extending passed the overtly paid homage via the sound and featured car. Joey is shown wearing a throwback-flavored ensemble, accentuated by a pair of classic, clean red and white Nikes and a pair of ‘70s-styled sunglasses—which might be medically necessary given his recent bout with the sun. Joey flows in his staple Brooklyn fashion about the trappings associated with the fast-moving, busy life, and how he knowingly exploits his rare life position. He remarks on his wrist that’s “below freezing”, and spits a fantastic bar about girls who only bat eyelashes when guys are on top: “Girls only suck a n***a when they succeeding”.
“500 Benz” is a great late-night, head-bumping track. Stream the Worldstar-premiered video below:
