ArrDee x Aitch – War
Absolutely nothing…
[Video]
[2.75]
Wayne Weizhen Zhang: Something tells me that in a real war these two blokes would both crumple so fast you wouldn’t even have time to play this whole, dull two minute song.
[2]
Scott Mildenhall: The unremarkable posturing of this Kersal Massive reunion may not have left a mark even if it hadn’t been taken off radio playlists within days of joining them. There’s nothing revelatory in the lyrics or the flow — although they’re both more accomplished than on ArrDee’s last effort. What does boost things is the production, which uses less cliche cliches effectively. Without the brass, there would be nothing memorable about this at all.
[5]
Micha Cavaseno: It’s somewhat hilarious in the way that the UK Rap Industry is so desperate to unify themselves under a new white savior the way they constantly hoped that Plan B would be able to shoulder the burden so they could just stop pushing black artists altogether. The new wave of white MCs making quasi-drill/road rap/grime such as Slowthai, Central Cee, Aitch and beyond makes as insufferable a boor (yet credible) as Devlin look like a beacon of authenticity by comparison. ArrDee at least objectively had the show-stealing verse on the “Body” remix so you know, I can’t object to him getting a shot. I just would like him to not make a gentrified UK Drill record with Aitch meant for your Download Festival crowds. It’s breaking my heart to watch perhaps the second major collapse of the UK Urban music industry in favor of chasing pop crossover desperation and allowing for gentrification, but at least the first time it involved being able to laugh at Professor Green.
[3]
Edward Okulicz: I enjoy this song more if I imagine the backing has sampled the fanfare that might accompany a cartoon tinpot dictator. Which means that the problem might be that I don’t find either ArrDee or Aitch convincing at being hard, or that their bars have any real personality.
[3]
Nortey Dowuona: I WOULD USUALLY NOT BE AGAINST WHITE MEN THREATENING WAR AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND NOT US, BUT THEY’RE DOING IT OVER THESE DRUMS. THIS IS A WAR CRIME. AITCH AND ARRDEE FOR THE HAGUE.
[2]
Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: Poor timing aside, this is a shockingly competent bit of FIFA-core from two guys who haven’t shown much in the way of rapping skill before this. Here, over some facsimile of a drill beat, they even begin to sound menacing. Would definitely use in a hype video if I was in tenth grade, highly recommend.
[6]
Ady Thapliyal: ArrDee recycles his flow from “Flowers” again, while Aitch, by far the more talented of the two, disappoints with a short, dull verse. I will never listen to this again.
[0]
Ian Mathers: I’m going to have to start opening these ones in incognito mode, because I do not like what it’s doing to my YouTube recommendations.
[1]
Not sure if Slowthai or Central Cee would consider themselves white (and I’d say the former is doing fairly different stuff). But at least ‘Alex from Glasto’ didn’t happen.