Some Toxin In Me

2 Chainz “Threat 2 Society”

There’s a lot of ways of framing a rags to riches story in hip-hop, ranging from euphoria to rage, but 2 Chainz mostly just sounds pleasantly surprised on “Threat 2 Society.” He sounds exhausted, even when he’s boasting. Everything good in his life seems to be above all else a relief, as he’s extremely aware of what things could have been. 9th Wonder’s track is similarly ambiguous in tone. It’s slow and meditative, with its central vocal sample – “it’s so good just to be alive” – manipulated and recontextualized just enough to make it seem more weary than celebratory. It’s not about thriving, it’s about surviving.

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