It's always hard to name a winner of the Rapper of the Year. Depending on what metric you are using, the answer can be vastly different: if you are looking at sales J.Cole gets the nod; if it is the artists that held fans in hostage with anticipation the longs, you are giving it to Nicki Minaj; if you are mostly focusing on radio and club spins, Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan are the only justifiable answer. "Lifestyle," even though for some it was impossible to decipher, was a monster hit for the duo. Their collaborative mixtape, On Tour: Part 1, under the Rich Gang moniker, was easily one of the stronger projects this year. In rapid succession they have released fire track, after fire track.
Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan look to continue their hot streak on the Dun Deal produced "Hold Us." Not since Bones, Thugs, & Harmony have rappers been able to harmonize like Thug and Quan on this track. Both push their limited singing ranges to the limits, with the latter handling the majority of the chorus. Somehow, in a strange way, their shrieking and yelling is as catchy as always.
Peewee Longway makes an appearance, spitting the third verse. Unfortunately, like most of Thug's and Quan's collaborations, this song is over four minutes long. While it is good, towards the end, listeners may have some slight fatigue and will gloss over Longway's verse. However, this would be at a great expense, as he always delivers strong features and "Hold Us" is no different.
Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan have hit their groove and know their formula for success. "Hold Us" has all the makings of one of their strong singles, including infectious hooks and incredibly clever wordplay. Definitely check it out, since you can be sure that in the next couple of weeks it will be everywhere.
