Every Cell Replaced, Erased

Vince Staples featuring Kenrick Lamar, Kućka, Sophie, and Flume “Yeah Right”

Vince Staples’ Big Fish Theory has a constant jittery energy, with mostly EDM-identified producers delivering tracks that accentuate the anxiety and paranoia in his verses, and situate his rapping in somewhat alien musical territory. It’s a very adventurous record, and sounds at least a year or two ahead of the curve. Maybe that’s why Staples always sounds a bit impatient on the mic – he’s moving at his own speed and waiting for everyone else to catch up. That said, it’s not much of a surprise that Kendrick Lamar sounds entirely comfortable on “Yeah Right,” one of the most out-there and interesting tracks on the record. He’s a remarkably adaptable rapper, and seems to approach every feature as a technical challenge. He and Staples are in synch here, both picking at rap tropes with a critical eye and a high degree of self-awareness. They both seem to be wondering what a rapper should or could be, and considering what parts of the tradition to keep, what to leave behind, and what clichés they don’t mind embracing.

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