15 Really Awesome, Big Songs | Playlist

1. Louis The Child & EARTHGANG, “Big Love”

Here for Now • Interscope • 2020

“Here and now, I’m a say it real loud / It’s a new day, ‘notha spin gone ‘round / Look around, we alive right now / Stackin’ up big love ‘til it’s over.” YEAH! Chicago DJ duo Louis The Child (Robby Hauldren and Freddy Kennett) taps hip-hop duo EARTHGANG for “Big Love.” “Big Love” appears as the second track and first full-length song on LTC’s 2020 album, Here for Now.

“Big Love” is a spirited bop through and through. Louis The Child give us BIG, bright, and exuberant production work that suitable to expressing that big ole love! That beat! Those synths! MNDR sings the aforementioned chorus, which is catchy and quite the V-I-B-E.  On the verses, we get the heat from WowGr8 [aka Doctur Dot] (“Carpe diem, make love get the ‘creum’ / Now or never, prime time like Deion”) and Johnny Venus (“Outa thin air, baby, I’ll be there / Come and test me, I’ll show you who I be”).  Not only is this a stellar way to kick off Here for Now, it’s a stellar way to commence 15 REALLY AWESOME, BIG SONGS. 

2. Rico Nasty & Kenny Beats, “Big Titties”

Ft. Baauer & EARTHGANG

Anger Management • Sugar Trap. • 2019

EARTHGANG previously appeared on “Big Love” by Louis The Child, and they reappear on the, um, ‘big-chested joint,’ “Big Titties” – yup, that’s really the title! Although Johnny Virus and Doctur Dot claim the first two verses of “Big Titties,” the record is attributed to female rapper Rico Nasty and producer Kenny Beats.  It arrives as the fourth track on the 2019 album, Anger Management.  Safe to say, there’s really no way a song named “Big Titties” can’t be all up in your face… .

“They do it now, but I been did it / Catch me at the show, signing no some big titties,” Rico Nasty asserts on the not-so-subtle chorus.  That’s in between those two sexed-up verses by EARTHGANG. Among the highlights: “I could hit the cookie right and make your body curl up / Got the pussy purring, cat calling to me / Clitoris in one hand, feline in the other…” (Johnny Venus) …Also: “Dive in the pussy headfirst, I’m a lifeguard / If you ain’t gon’ let that bitch finish, my nigga, why start?” (Doctur Dot).  HOLY SHIT! Of course, Rico doesn’t let them nasty boys outdo her – hell no! She’s in firmly in control over this banging Bauuer / Kenny Beats backdrop:

“Don't give that boy the pussy if you know he ain't worth it
You ain’t learned yet? You worth way more than a Birkin
If that nigga got you out here looking crazy like a circus.”

3. Megan Thee Stallion, “Big Ole Freak”

Tina Snow • 1501 Certified Ent LLC / 300 Entertainment • 2018

“Ayy, big ol’ freak, huh? Big booty, big ol’ treat / I’ma make him wait for the pussy / Hit it, then he big ol’ skeet (Baow, baow, baow) …” Just filthy AF! Keeping things nasty on 15 REALLY AWESOME, BIG SONGS, we trade Rico Nasty and EARTHGANG for Megan Thee Stallion.  Long before Megan proclaimed herself a “Savage”, she was a “Big Ole Freak.” “Big Ole Freak” appears on her 2018 project, Tina Snow.

Even if you weren’t hip to Megan before she scored a no.1 hit in 2020, the script was quite similar back when.  The title “Big Ole Freak” is sexed-up, and so are the bars  served up.  Modesty doesn’t really suit Megan, so it’s not surprising when you hear unapologetic bars like “Ayy, I had a couple of shots at the bar / I’m finna play with that dick in the car” or “I need that neck like a muh’fuckin’ pendant / Need you to spit, make that muh’fucker glisten.”

4. Beyoncé, “BIGGER”

The Lion King: The Gift • Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia • 2019

Enough freaking sex talk… 25 years after becoming one of Disney’s very best, the company released a live action version of the 1994 classic, The Lion King.  Adding to the allure, a number of culturally relevant entertainers provided the voices for the iconic characters, including Beyoncé, who voiced Nala, and contributed an original song, “Spirit”.  Additionally, Bey produced a companion album/compilation, The Lion King: The Gift, an enjoyable, crowd-pleasing collection that ties in with the film, embraces Africa, and brings together numerous talented musicians.

One of the best songs from the project is none other than “Bigger.” The superb “Bigger” is an empowering, encouraging, and uplifting anthem.  Beyoncé embodies her inner Simba, applying it to life. “Bigger, you’re part of something way better / Bigger than you, bigger that we,” she sings on the chorus, continuing, “Bigger than the picture they framed us to see / Legacy, oh, you’re part of something way bigger.”

5. Juice WRLD, “Titanic”

Legends Never Die • Grade A Productions / Interscope • 2020

Among the best moments from Legends Never Die, the posthumous studio album by Juice WRLD is the third track, “Titanic.” It all starts with a super catchy chorus that highlights the legendary Luxury cruiser that sunk: “Abandon all ships, it’s about to go down / No Titanic (Titanic) / There’s a lot going on in my head right now / But I manage.”

“Titantic” in the hands of Juice WRLD isn’t about the ship or the Academy Award winning film. Juice WRLD uses this as an opportunity to reflect on himself, specifically his issues and drug use.  Arguably, you could make the case he’s even applying the definition of the word itself, which Merriam Webster asserts is “having great multitude, force or power: colossal.” Wouldn’t it be a fair assertion to say the late rapper a ‘titanic’ situation when it came to the happenings within his head and issues with drugs?

6. Backstreet Boys, “Larger Than Life”

Millennium • Zomba Recording LLC • 1999

From 2020 we take a trip back to 1999 when the boy bands dominated pop.  We won’t debate whether Backstreet Boys or N’Sync were better.  Girls loved both (+ 98º as well), and guys loathed them – or were jealous or DL fans! The point is, Backstreet Boys win a spot on 15 REALLY AWESOME, BIG SONGS with their big-time hit, “Larger Than Life.”

“All you people can’t you see, can’t you see / How your love’s affecting our reality,” the heartthrobs sing on the chorus, continuing, “Every time we’re down, you can make it right / And that makes you larger than life / Alright!” Perhaps you could argue this is corny and schmaltzy more than 20 years later, but it definitely captures the sound that was predominant in the late 90s and early 00s. And deny it all you will boys who were in middle school when it bowed, you know it’s catchy AF! This fan appreciation joint is definitely much cleaner than the multitude of pop these days. There’s no profanity in the least yet still, the song is “Larger Than Life”… okay, I admit that was bad!

7. Nelly Furtado, “Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)”

The Spirit Indestructible • Interscope • 2012

With “Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)” – a song that’s supposed to be about earrings – Nelly Furtado created one of the more clever, dirty songs of 2012. One reason we know why earrings are secondary (at best) is that Furtado reiterates “bigger the better, bigger the better…” over and over.  No one cares about the size of her hoops, but obviously, some folks care about ‘size’ when it comes to matters of the bedroom….

There’s no doubt whatsoever that “Bigger the Better” is sensually derived. Furtado goes on to sing, “I don’t wanna talk about sex / Wanna express myself tonight…” Hmm, Interesting! She goes on in the next breath to say: “I can go fast; I can go slow/ I can go places nobody else goes / … Everybody say, hey, they goin’ at it all night and day…” Apparently, everything has to do with tempo, but we all know what she’s getting at. Can you say big ole double entendre? The second verse makes her points more obvious:

“The boy going to feel my poison
I know he can't stand the rain…
...You got my rum rum shaking them another back
... and I never have to fake it fake it...”

And yet, she doesn’t wanna talk about sex? And just to confirm, this record is Definitely NOT about earrings.

8. The Notorious B.I.G., “Big Poppa”

Ready to Die • Bad Boy • 1994

“I love it when you call me Big Poppa / Throw your hands in the air if you’s a true player / I love it when you call me Big Poppa / To the honies getting money / Playing niggas like dummies.” Yeah! Going back to the 90s, how about some Biggie Smalls, best known as The Notorious B.I.G.! One of the short-lived rapper’s biggest hits is “Big Poppa,” which is timeless to the nth degree.  Man, did he sound fresh over an Isley Bros. sample (“Between the Sheets”).

What’s undeniable is how much swagger The Notorious B.I.G. had. He was a big guy, and certainly not a ‘pretty boy’ by any means, but yet he had ‘superstar’ written all over him.  When you think about this 90s icon, you think about command and presence.  That’s exactly what he possesses from start to finish on “Big Poppa.”

“Conversate for a few, ‘cause in a few we gon' do
What we came to do, ain't that right, boo? (True)
Forget the telly—we just go to the crib
And watch a movie in the jacuzzi, smoke Ls while you do me.”

9. Jack Harlow, “Hey Big Head”

Sweet Action • Generation Now / Atlantic • 2020

“Hey, big head / I’m locked in tryna make this bread (Woo) / I can’t keep on giving you time / I got cash to make instead (Cash).” So… we move from the mid 90s to 2020 with “WHATS POPPIN” hitmaker, Jack Harlow.  The Louisville, Kentucky-bred rapper also has ample swagger, particularly for white rapper.  Jack keeps things short and sweet on the ‘big’ banger at hand, “Hey Big Head,” which appears on his 2020 EP, Sweet Action.

The aforementioned lyrics are cocky and confident – exactly what you expect from rap, period.  Expectedly, Jack Harlow doesn’t keep it nearly as ‘clean’ as the first two lines.  It doesn’t take long for him to assert over the banging Paul Blanco and Jenius beat, “She wanna fuck me one-on-one / We might run that train instead / Me and my friend just like twins / Same nutsack and the same dick head (What the fuck?).” … now that’s some shit indeed.  The best way to take “Hey Big Head” is with a grain of of course – it’s nothing more than a brief, but entertaining flex joint.

10. Whitney Houston, “Somebody Bigger Than You and I”

Ft. Bobby Brown, Faith Evans, Johnny Gill, Monica & Ralph Tresvant

The Preacher’s Wife • Arista • 1996

After the sex served up by The Notorious B.I.G. (“Big Poppa”) and Jack Harlow (“Hey Big Head”), how about a little contemporary gospel via Whitney Houston? Not every soundtrack is relevant beyond the film it services, but Preacher’s Wife (Soundtrack) is one of the exceptions.  According to RIAA, the soundtrack has been certified triple platinum.  Those numbers, of course, predate streaming which means, it actually sold at least (or whereabouts) three million copies.

But enough sales analysis, let’s focus on the song at hand, “Somebody Bigger Than You and I.” This record is an enjoyable blend of both the R&B and black gospel sound of the 90s.  If this is the only version of the song you’re familiar with, or like me, it’s the version you heard when you were younger, it actually dates back to 1960.  It was written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath, and Sonny Burke.  Mahalia Jackson famously recorded it (1960), as did Elvis Presley (1967) and others. On this spiced up verse, while Houston is the biggest name on the record, she gets a lift from a star-studded cast: Bobby Brown, Faith Evans, Johnny Gill, Monica and Ralph Tresvant.  The crowning achievement, of course, is the chorus, which is an expansion from the original.

11. John Legend, “Bigger Love”

Bigger Love • Columbia • 2020

“Bigger Love” serves as the title track of Bigger Love, the 2020 studio album by John Legend. Unfortunately, Bigger Love the album turned out to be quite the commercial flop.  Furthermore, some critics weren’t too high on it…  The song itself is a highlight, though it’s not without flaws.  Regardless, Legend remains a potent vocal force, as he does on pretty much anything he sings.

Legend’s lower register is rich and robust, while his upper register and falsetto are both surprising yet incredibly effective.  Thematically, singing about a dedicated, “bigger love” is definitely in Legend’s wheelhouse lyrically and thematically.  One of the criticisms of the album related to this track, however, is that he devotes a bit too much time to love.  We get it John – you want a BIGGER LOVE!  Specific to this record, what’s a bit of an adjustment is the sleek, modern pop sound, constructed by the production team of Ryan Tedder, Di Genius, Cautious Clay, and Zach Skelton. It’s successful, but a departure for Legend fans most accustomed to those throwback vibes.  Still, as aforementioned, it’s a highlight within the context of the album .

12. Father John Misty, “A Bigger Paper Bag”

Pure Comedy • Sub Pop • 2017

Father John Misty remains up to his old, clever, lyrical tricks on “A Bigger Paper Bag”, one of many highlights from his superb 2017 album, Pure Comedy.  “A Bigger Paper Bag” opens with a bang: “Dance like a butterfly and drink like a fish.” The lyrics are a play on the immortal slogan by the late, great Muhammad Ali. From Tillman’s perspective, he focuses on the powerful alcohol and other demons, which the title clearly suggests.

Key lyrics appear on the chorus:

“Oh, I was pissing on the flame
Like a child with cash or a king on cocaine
I’ve got the world by the balls
Am I supposed to behave?”

Multiple interpretations can be made regarding the chorus.  Essentially, it seems Father John Misty has everyone drunk off what he’s offering, so therefore, he can do whatever he wants. After elevating himself (or the character he plays) on a pedestal, he goes on to criticize himself.

13. Declan McKenna, “Humongous”

What Do You Think About the Car? • Columbia • 2017

“Don’t tag me along to your show, to your broadcast / I know, I’m good at letting go / And then tag me along with your rules, with your promise / I swear you spend too much time on your phone and on your hair.” Throughout “Humongous”, the opening record from What Do You Think About the Car?, it’s clear that British wunderkind Declan McKenna isn’t happy.  He begins the record antagonistically and continues to showcase angst on the chorus.

“Do you care?
I’m big, humongous, enormous, and small
And it’s not fair that I am nothing and nobody’s there
Do you care?”

What is he getting act? It’s clear he’s speaking up for generation Z.  While he focuses on the youth, he’s also speaking for much of society as a whole.  The highlight comes when the tempo and energy increase – a production shift – and McKenna delivers a truly biting performance.

“Don’t speak, don’t be so broken and weak
I’m gonna throw up
Well baby, when will you grow up?
You’ve been such a joke this week
You think you’re funny
When you’re talking all loud and your nose is all runny.”

Is it appropriate to say an alternative musician has bars?

14. YG, “Big Bank”

Ft. 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Nicki Minaj & DJ Mustard

Stay Dangerous • Def Jam • 2018

2 Chainz, Big Sean, Nicki Minaj and DJ Mustard all on one track? Yup, “Big Bank”, the crowning achievement from Stay Dangerous, totally has some star power going on.  YG, the head honcho, kicks the skeletal flex-fest off assertively, bragging about money and material things. He follows up with an utterly simple hook: “Big bank take lil’ bank, bank… /Type of money you gon’ need a safe / Type of money you gon’ need a bank.” Yeah, it’s basic AF  but at least it’s basic with a hell of a lot of swagger.

2 Chainz (second verse) asserts, “And you know Tity [Boi] shinin’ like acrylic.” “First generation millionaire” Big Sean is proud of the fact that he “broke the curse in my family not having shit.” Fair enough. Nicki Minaj steals the show, confidently spitting, “Yep, the queen’s back, what’s happenin’? / Rerun, ‘bout to make these bitches rap again.” Whatever you say girl!  Nothing brand new or remarkable comes of “Big Bank” but hey, it’s an undeniable banger.

15. Lil Baby, “The Bigger Picture”

“The Bigger Picture” • Quality Control Music • 2020

Grammy-nominated rapper Lil Baby delivered his best work, on the deep, insightful, “The Bigger Picture”. Among the best songs of 2020, this gem from 13 Powerful Songs Where Black Lives DO Indeed Matter is a must hear. It commences with an intro, which sets the tone.  The senseless death of George Floyd in 2020 is the catalyst, as we hear news clips about the protests in Minneapolis.  The intro fittingly concludes with “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.” From there, Lil Baby is on autopilot, blending conscious rap with his beloved trap flow.  Throughout the course of a couple of verses, he’s very honest, thoughtful, and quite insightful about the events that have turned the world upside down.  “I find it crazy the police’ll shoot you and know that you dead, but still tell you to freeze / Fucked up, I seen what I seen,” he spits on the first verse, continuing, “I guess that mean hold him down if he say he can’t breathe.”

There are countless instances where Lil Baby nails it.  “I see blue lights, I get scared and start runnin’,” perfectly captures the fears black men and women have of the police, based on an ugly history.  On the second verse, he supports the protest, but is also sensible, acknowledging that “Corrupted police been the problem where I’m from / But I’d be lyin’ if I said it was all of them.”  Also, incredibly ‘woke,’ on the third verse, he spits, “What happened to COVID? Nobody remember.” Dope! Lil Baby brilliantly sums up “The Bigger Picture” on the chorus:

“It’s bigger than black and white
It’s a problem with the whole way of life
It can’t change overnight
But we gotta start somewhere
Might as well gon’ head start here
We done had a hell of a year
I’ma make it count while I’m here
God is the only man I fear.”

A BIG moment for Lil Baby by all means.