Other People Need Food

Mac Miller featuring Anderson Paak “Dang!”

I can’t say that I would’ve expected Mac Miller to make one of the tightest, most focused, and musically rich rap records of 2016, but 1) it’s on me that I wrote this guy off for no good reason 2) I’m very glad that he did. “Dang!” sets the tone for The Divine Feminine early on, tapping into a chill, sophisticated quasi-disco aesthetic that reminds me a lot of Beyoncé’s “Blow” while exploring anxiety about an on-and-off relationship Miller sounds desperate to save. (Both songs are very focused on cunnilingus though, so there’s that.) I like the contrast of the smoothness of the sound with the vulnerability of Miller’s words, which are cleverly written but delivered with a slightly mush-mouthed delivery that feels right in this context. The overall feeling of the track is light and perky, which lends an optimistic tone to Miller’s verses. He’s admitting to fucking things up, but it’s easy to get on his side and believe him when he’s making his promises.

Buy it from Amazon.