If you’ve ever seen me hustling to a class in Bradley Hall, taking a stroll to the student center or walking to the library for a study session, there’s a good chance I was jamming out with my AirPods in.
Music is a huge part of my life, and I take playlists very seriously, with over 20 currently in my Apple Music library. Over the past four years, I’ve listened to tens of thousands of hours of music, but a handful of tracks have stood out for one reason or another.
Here are the top five tracks that have defined my undergraduate life.
“a m a r i” by J. Cole
Seeing J. Cole perform live in October 2021 was incredible. It was my first concert, and he exceeded my expectations. I’ll always remember riding up to Chicago on a Thursday and returning for classes the next day with my voice all but gone from screaming the whole night.
Named after the son of Dreamville manager Ibrahim Hamad, “a m a r i” sees Cole reflect on life before fame, as he describes overcoming poverty and adversity. He makes several basketball references, including a line relating his domination of fellow rappers to Russell Westbrook’s rock-the-baby celebration. The mellow track, produced by Timbaland, balances Cole’s rags-to-riches story with his cadence, which teeters between passionate and laidback. It leaves me with no choice but to nod my head along every time.
“What’s The Use” by Josh Levi
I finally watched “Insecure” during the second semester of my freshman year, and it changed my life. Issa Rae is a creative genius, and one of the best parts of this show is the music that came from it. Season five gave me this incredible song from Josh Levi, the singer known for his 2023 hit “BIRTHDAY DANCE.”
Probably one of my favorite breakup songs of all time, “What’s The Use” is about accepting the end of a great love, acknowledging that a relationship can’t work if two people are constantly at odds. Levi’s soft hums and controlled falsetto pair perfectly with the restrained guitar, forming a moving R&B ballad.
“DONT WANT IT” by Lil Nas X
When he released his debut album, “MONTERO,” Lil Nas X was unstoppable. My best friend and I saw him live in the fall of our sophomore year. In preparation for a night of singing along in the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom’s standing room only section, Lil Nas was almost all I listened to for weeks.
“MONTERO” is a beautiful body of work, but “DONT WANT IT” was immediately addictive. The Atlanta-born artist interpolates the nursery rhyme “Hush, Little Baby” as he speaks to what you can achieve when you believe in yourself and not your haters. He raps each verse in a lower register before his voice shifts to a higher one, producing an interesting sonic juxtaposition. Audio clips of people announcing the success of Lil Nas’ singles, placed between verses, add to his confidence.
“7:00” by Bryson Tiller
Bryson Tiller has remained my favorite artist since I was in middle school, thanks to my sister and her friends religiously listening to “Exchange.” He released his third full-length project last year, but there’s something about 2020’s “A N N I V E R S A R Y” that has always kept me coming back.
“7:00,” which samples Usher’s “Nice & Slow,” is one of five songs added on the album’s deluxe version, and arguably the best of the set. Tiller wears his heart on his sleeve, assuring his love interest that her man can’t give her what she needs. The Louisville native seamlessly transitions from singing to rapping, maintaining his typically contemplative yet confident demeanor throughout. The mention of the 1990s film “Love Jones” and Tiller’s wordplay in the second verse are especially notable.
“Wanna Be” by GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion
When this song dropped in April last year, it went triple platinum in my apartment. When my best friend showed me the music video, which is set in a fictional fraternity house, my jaw dropped. We sat on my futon for what felt like hours already trying to memorize Megan’s verse. With clever punchlines and a ridiculously catchy hook, the rap duo knew they had a hit on their hands.
“Wanna Be” samples Soulja Boy’s iconic “Pretty Boy Swag” and Project Pat’s “Don’t Save Her.” Glo and Megan take turns executing energetic verses, pledging their single status and decisiveness when it comes to men who don’t want to commit. The song concludes with both women hyping each other up, and it was incredible to watch them perform it live in Chicago last summer at the United Center.
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