Yet here was 2 Chainz, standing tall and speaking a truly special career into existence. And he’s managed to transition into a stage of his career where a devoted fan base eagerly awaits his albums, something that was far from guaranteed a decade ago when “No Lie” and “Birthday Song” were dominating radio. He’s no longer at the center of rap culture, but he held a place there into his 40s, which is truly rare. Then, he began putting out complete bodies of work like ColleGrove and Pretty Girls Like Trap Music that showed he was so much more than just a punchline savant. He initially seemed destined to be a singles artist whose occasional hits could never match up to his stellar guest verses. What makes 2 Chainz so special is how much better he’s gotten since entering the public eye. But those Instagram caption bars only capture part of the Chainz story, and tucked away on nearly every one of his releases are smart, imaginative, and even poignant bars that point to a more fully-rounded sensibility. Some would stick with the so-simple-it's-brilliant options (“She got a big booty, so I call her Big Booty”), while others would probably opt for something from one of his star-making guest verses (“I'm drunk and high at the same time/Drinkin' champagne on the airplane”).
Take some time and peep the latest offering “Dead Man Walking” from two of the most legendary Atlanta icons in the game.You could ask 20 rap fans what their favorite 2 Chainz lyric is, and chances are you’d get 20 different answers. The song itself, on the other hand, is really interesting considering the divergence 2 Chainz takes from his normal style while he experiments with a new sound. It’s not the end of the world obviously, because with a career and tenure that both of these superstars have in the industry, not everything is going to hit the same as some of their other biggest successes. I only mention this because I feel as if releasing a video that truly stands out is essential in a day and age where young videographers are putting out insane visuals for local talents recorded on basic cameras and even cell phones at times, ultimately getting millions and millions of views. There are things like cars that have been set ablaze and low lighting to add to the cryptic overtones within the song, but nothing eye-opening really takes place to be honest.Īt the end of the day, I just feel like the visual wasn’t anything special or out of the ordinary. Meanwhile, 2 Chainz, Future, and their crew seem to be the only actual living beings as they galivant around streets lined with hearses and abandoned buildings. The scene is set as if everyone in an entire city is dead but might be coming back to life. The music video is obviously well shot and high definition, but it seems kind of unnecessary in my opinion. About halfway through, he begins to work his vocal effects more, utilizing his voice to almost add another layer of instruments to the beat which isn’t necessarily uncommon for him depending on the song. As for Future, he begins his verse boasting some blurred lyrics about his wealth. His flow switches up, his voice is deeper, and the vocal effects he uses make him sound slightly like his counterpart on this cut. 2 Chainz’s voice is completely different than usual, and I almost didn’t realize it was him at first. The song is slightly more menacing than we’re used to hearing from either artist considering they typically seem to be more about flexing than killing in recent years, but this track definitely shows their darker side. The duo decided to deliver a new song called “Dead Man Walking” as well as a complimentary video. Their one of a kind voices, style, flows, and personas aren’t easily replicated and they’re tight with some of the other top talents in the industry, so thankfully they won’t be quickly forgotten. 2 Chainz and Future are two of the biggest names in rap, and there’s a reason they’ve stuck around in the spotlight for so long.