The Singles Jukebox

We are not in love with the Coco…

[Video]
[2.57]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: The nadir of contemporary guitar-based pop rap. Shorn of “Mood”‘s competent beat and relatively good vibes, 24kGoldn reveals himself as a fraud with no hooks, just catchphrases. DaBaby’s charisma and ability to competently string words together makes him overqualified for this — he tries to mix it up with some flow switches, but it just feels like putting nice garnish on poor cooking. Also, not to be petty, but naming your song after a Nazi collaborator seems like an easily avoided mistake.
[1]

Thomas Inskeep: For someone who seems to want women, 24kGoldn sure doesn’t sound like he actually likes women one bit — and on “Coco,” neither does DaBaby. (Also, remember when rap songs actually had choruses? “Coco/ChaNELLLL” is not a chorus.) Not to mention that if I never again hear some young punk rapping over an acoustic guitar, it’ll be too soon.
[1]

Samson Savill de Jong: Rappers filling the hook with nothing but brand names will never not be annoying. This is an empty song, it’s ostensibly about gold-diggers but the verses go by so quick that you’d blink and miss them (it’s hard to know how much to blame TikTok only caring about a chorus versus this being a rapper with nothing to say). Polished cleaner than a bar of soap — even DaBaby struggles to inject any life into it — the overriding feeling I’m left with is one of cynicism.
[2]

Alfred Soto: Until DaBaby’s entrance, announcing a rapper who enunciates and pays no mind being loud about it, “Coco” is a blathered non-entity: it should’ve been called “Mood” — unlike 24kGoldn’s number one this past fall — and the mood is pneumatic excitement.
[2]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: DaBaby’s guest verse and 24kGoldn’s Trippie Redd-like wail in the pre-chorus are enough to prevent this from being completely tedious, but it’s hard to hear that final chorus and not think more could’ve been done given the repetitious hook. “Mood” was catchier, and “Rockstar” let its guitar figure have some semblance of emotion. “Coco” just feels hollow in comparison.
[4]

Nortey Dowuona: Shifting bass lopes around, bouncing the bass drums, as chattering hi-hats follow the clashing snares and 24KGoldn wheezes, whimpers and keens. DaBaby bobs and weaves between the hi-hats and 24K slides back in, slithering over the wandering guitars.
[5]

Scott Mildenhall: If he was hoping to hear that “Coco” pops! he should have aimed a bit higher than Choco Krispies. The titular chant sounds part-way kids’ party game and part-way “Mange du Kebab” — and how he must wish he had the charisma of Lil Maaz. A haughty man in a huff over nothing is no magnet, and in no way made forgivable by the lazy lyricism and prefab production. The laughable phone call intro acts as a disclaimer and could be an apology — if only he’d remembered to mute, he might have come up with something worthwhile.
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