The Singles Jukebox

We did notice you, Lil Mosey, and have some commentary on the state of rap…

[Video]
[4.00]

Micha Cavaseno: Honestly, I wish I could give director Cole Bennett a 0 for his eternal scouring of the lowest common denominators in rap aimed at young people while doing the least amount of presentation, but this isn’t The Videos Jukebox, and so we have to address the fact that this is the kind of detour you make with someone as devoid of identity as Lil Mosey. “Noticed” is basically a logical yet utterly unimpressive attempt at a modern Fetty Wap single by someone who just has a lazy sense of self-gratification. Sure, a teen rapper acting conceited and self-important isn’t exactly a groundbreaking thing to find objectionable; yet I can’t recall a time I’ve ever heard one so blasé about the come up! Lil Mosey’s got all the sense of fulfillment of a grown adult for making a peanut butter sandwich, which makes you wonder if maybe we’re likewise scraping the bottom of the jar these days for that same ‘rap banger euphoria’.
[1]

Alfred Soto: “In this single Lil Mosey talks about how people changed because of his fame — but this doesn’t escape his attention,” according to Genius. “He also covers other familiar topics, such as getting money and taking drugs.” I hear nothing in his drone that distinguishes him from others monetizing their ambitions with streams, so it’s possible that Genius needs writers like me.
[3]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: Despite some interesting textures — the triumphant yacht rock-esque keys on the main riffs, the strange edge to Lil Mosey’s voice when he raps numbers — “Noticed” is fundamentally hollow. It’s rap that sounds like it was made so that its maker could say that he’s a rapper, perfunctory to such an extent that it would sound like parody if Lil Mosey showed any self awareness or wit. But instead “Noticed” sleepwalks through its own sound, showing exactly how low the bar is for a bare minimum piece of Lyrical Lemonade-core Soundcloud rap.
[2]

Taylor Alatorre: One of the first things that pops up when typing Lil Mosey’s name into a search engine is “lil mosey net worth.” This is the case for nearly every rapper of note, but it seems faintly ridiculous for a guy with one Hot 100 appearance who gets most of his revenue from YouTube streams. Still, money is a major issue, and people are curious. Especially so are Mosey’s fellow 16-year-olds, who see a kid launching a career by rapping on “type” beats and wonder if they could do the same. “Noticed” keenly plays into this curiosity by injecting the standard “back then hoes didn’t want me” boast with a sense of wide-eyed possibility. There’s a compelling dissonance between what Mosey says and the way he says it; he sounds simultaneously thankful for and bewildered by his instant success, and the beat’s airiness and stop-start structure prop up this feeling of irreality. “Stomach feeling bloated” is an odd flex but, as with Carti’s “my stummy hurt,” it absolutely suits the zeitgeist.
[8]

Iain Mew: Neither the rapping nor the big drifts of trance synths are particularly notable on their own, but the combination makes “Noticed”. I could imagine Alan Walker or a follower pairing this beat with some determined emoting, but instead Lil Mosey’s offhand happiness brings it down to size, and draws out the rough edges in a way that the sound rarely gets. Suddenly it sounds like the perfect soundtrack to a realisation that yeah, things are good actually.
[7]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: There’s a large number of Soundcloud rap that’s immensely popular amongst younger people but is getting ignored by major music publications. “Noticed” makes the case that this is sometimes a good thing.
[2]

Ryo Miyauchi: That stomping orchestra synth rolls out the red carpet like a refined take on Soulja Boy’s “Turn My Swag On” for the current era, and Lil Mosey celebrates his success and cash flow like it too. Except, the general attitude of Soundcloud rap really puts a drag on Mosey’s flow, which sounds nowhere as gleeful and excited as Soulja Boy about his gains. “Noticed” is even more bitter, turning success into a form of revenge, and it makes being rich sound way less fun.
[5]