The Permanent Collection: 002 & 003

It ain’t enough

Welcome to the next instalment of The Permanent Collection! My personal vault of favourite songs in the entire world. This week we have entry number 002 and 003, with 003 accessible for paid subscribers. Enjoy.

The Permanent Collection 002 —
Rick Ross, André 3000 - Sixteen (2012)

UGH YOU GUYS I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH. I admit, when I DJ I play this song often.

Rick Ross aka Teflon Don himself is known for making “luxury rap” - decadent, gilded and dripping in thick, expensive syrup. It really is a one of a kind sound and I love it. How does he achieve this signature sound? Heavy use of strings, orchestral samples, a live band (!!!) and in my opinion, a lazy, soulful tempo that is as slow as your Maybach’s acceleration.

The song’s concept is simple and instructed by the first line - “when sixteen ain’t enough”. Sixteen as in - the standard sixteen bars given to a rapper for a feature verse. So if it’s not enough… then what? Well, Rick and André just rap and rap and rap until, well, it’s enough.

Firstly, the beat has a swing and groove that is just effortless. It sounds like a chaise lounge. The freestyling and finger picked bass (rather than a midi keyboard bass), the tinkling keyboard, the winding strings, the messy guitar solo - it’s as if you’re listening to a smokey bar jam band where everyone’s so far in the pocket you’re standing in fuzzy, 60-year-old lint.

Secondly, ANDRÉ. Does he do a bad feature? The instrumental falls back and lets him cook - André has the tongs. If I’m honest, this song feels more like jazz than hip hop. The lyricism is impressive, but personally I just get lost in the interplay between André and the groove. This song is EIGHT MINUTES LONG and it could go for an hour and I wouldn’t mind.

A great concept, a luxurious album cut, a hidden gem of mine that ALWAYS hits whenever I play it out.

Thanks for reading! Paid subscribers can access song 003 and playlist below. It’s a song that sticks in my mind when I think about my time in London, and the quiet hours in the office. See you next week.