The Singles Jukebox

“But I specifically asked for Clarks…”

[Video][Website]
[4.86]

Alex Macpherson: T.I. reprises “Whatever You Like”, remains fine while doing so. There’s nothing striking about “Got Your Back”, but like “Whatever You Like”, neither is there a moment of it that isn’t enjoyable.
[7]

Alfred Soto: Standard issue hip-hop jetsetting, done to better effect on Rick Ross and Ne-Yo’s recent “Super High.” It isn’t just T.I.’s inability to push against the usual tropes, it’s how the colorless Keri Hilson sounds unworthy of the expense.
[4]

Martin Skidmore: Keri sings the catchy hook with a firm warmth, which I like a lot. It’s also nice to hear a male rapper being positive about women. TI sounds great when swaying along with the beats, but he more or less sings some of it, and that is very poor indeed, but the rest of it carries it through well.
[7]

Kat Stevens: Like a labrador with a Louis Vuitton collar, Keri placidly vows to help T.I. cross the road without the slightest hint of self respect or even a tiny difference of opinion. Keri only brushes her hair in the morning because it will make T.I. feel better while he’s in prison, and as her reward the grateful T.I will take her to fashion shows and let her ride in fast cars. Her loyalty is admirable but it’s so one-dimensional that my inner feminist is Not Happy. I imagine there’s a whole load of anxiety, doubt and heartache you could sing about in this situation (102 episodes‘ worth, in fact): sticking by your man even though you’re not sure he’s in the right, or how difficult it is to put on a brave face. Keri’s album showed she could do conflict and tension very well indeed, so her portrayal as an unchanging materialist who might as well disappear when T.I closes his eyes is very disappointing. The song is equally shallow, built on beige coloured Duplo blocks nicked from the local lobotomy clinic, designed only to make comfortable, recogniseable, pasteurised chords, ensuring T.I.’s visiting hours go smoothly.
[2]

Jonathan Bogart: Has the law of diminishing returns set in for Tip, or am I just in a crotchety mood? His sense of timing remains as nimble and fleet as ever, but I can’t shake the feeling that we’ve heard all this before, usually better. Keri Hilson’s wan attempt at being more than 2009’s It Girl doesn’t exactly help; they’re both skilled professionals, and this isn’t bad or anything, just relatively uninspired.
[6]

Rodney J. Greene: This doesn’t completely bend pop to T.I. or Tip to pop like “What You Know” or “Whatever You Like”, leaving both its rappings and its trappings more fitful than fitting. That said, Miscarry Baby sure does know her way around an obvious hook.
[6]

Al Shipley: The less said about the rapping and the chorus the better, so I’ll focus on minor details: I hate these Toomp beats where the taps on the dome of the cymbal are almost louder than the snare drum.
[2]