Beat | 5 Gems

Reading Time: 10 min read

Beat: 5 Gems No. 21 (2026) features songs by Charlie Puth, Fcukers, Michael Jackson, Slayyyter, and Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion McCall.

“It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right / Just BEAT it!”

Right on, Michael Jackson! Hee-hee! For the one-hit-wonder duo Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion McCall, it was all about “Juju on that, Juju on that, Juju on that beat.” Ayy! And as for those Fcukers 🤭, “Yo, run the beat back / I wanna hear that.” Fcuk yeah! The common thread on Beat: 5 Gems No. 21 (2026) is… wait for it… B-B-BEAT! No 💩, Sherlock 🕵 😏! Charlie Puth and Slayyyter also put their two cents in about B-to-the-E-to-the-A-to-the-T. So, let’s embrace this multifaceted word that satisfies in so many ways… some not safe for work…

~ Table of Contents ~

1. Fcukers, “Beatback”

2. Michael Jackson, “Beat It”

3. Slayyyter, “BEAT UP CHANEL$”

4. Charlie Puth, “Beat Yourself Up”

5. Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion McCall, “JuJu on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”

5 Gems (2026)

1. Fcukers, “Beatback”

Ö » Ninja Tune » 2026

“Yo, run the beat back / I wanna hear that.”

Woo! Sometimes, a bold band name signifies bold, fierce, and unapologetic music. When you see the name Fcukers (Shanny Wise and Jackson Walker Lewis), you most definitely want to cuss a bi-otch out! Sure, the electronic band transposed letters, but the effect is the same. While “Beatback”, the song at hand, is far less naughty than the implied f-bomb of the band’s name, it is still a bold, fierce, and satisfying. “Beatback” is the opener from Fcukers’ 2026 debut album, Ö. Lewis, Wise, Dylan Brady, Kenneth Blume, and Lily Kaplan wrote “Beatback.” Lewis, Wise, Brady, and Kenny Beats produced it.

“No, don’t drop it / Don’t wanna see ya slow down / Don’t stop it / I wanna see you get down.”

Word. “Beatback” begins with enigmatic, rhythmic sounds. The intensity gradually picks up, capped off by the entrance of Wise’s breathy vocals. Those vocals, by the way, are a surefire vibe. As the song progresses, it grows more assertive and energetic – the instruments dig in even more. Sleekly produced, the beat is sick, the synths sizzle, and the rhythm is electrifying. Notably, there are only three sections: verse, chorus (both of which are repeated), and an outro. All told, there is NO WAY that you listen to “Beatback” and don’t move some part of your body. This brief number is a dance bop!

Appears in:

Striking Bops from February 2026

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2. Michael Jackson, “Beat It”

Thriller » MJJ Productions, Inc. » 1982

“Just beat it (Beat it) / Beat it (Beat it) / No one wants to be defeated / Showin’ how funky and strong is your fight / It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right / Just beat it!”

1982 was a big year for the late, great Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009). He’d release the biggest album of his career and the biggest solo album of all time with Thriller. Every song on Thriller is a bop. “Beat It” has a strong case as the crowning achievement. Jackson penned this beloved pop/rock joint while the legendary Quincy Jones produced it. “Beat It” spent three weeks at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified octuple platinum by the RIAA as of August 2022. The song won two Grammys (Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, and Record Of The Year). Additionally, it was nominated for Song of The Year alongside “Billie Jean” (an L to Sting and The Police for “Every Breath You Take”).

What makes “Beat It” one of the most iconic songs, ever? It’s simple: EVERYTHING. That can’t be overstated! Michael Jackson exemplifies a once-in-a-lifetime musician. The talent speaks for itself. His voice sounds youthful, commanding, dynamic, and expressive to the nth degree. He brings the colorful melodies to life with his prodigious instrument. The ear-catching songwriting matches his voice. “They told him, ‘Don’t you ever come around here / Don’t wanna see your face, you better disappear’,” he sings in the first verse, continuing, passionately, “The fire’s in their eyes and their words are really clear / So beat it, just beat it.” Word. The second verse is a vibe too, where, “Don’t wanna be a boy, you wanna be a man,” and “They’ll kick you, then they’ll beat you, then they’ll tell you it’s fair / So, beat it.” Jackson is warning this man of the danger that faces him and to ‘beat it’ aka step back from the fight. But, the ‘boy’ wants to be a ‘man’ even though he’s likely to get his butt kicked. The chorus, excerpted above, is the sugar honey iced tea. That leaves one more component that makes “Beat It” the sugar honey iced tea: the accompaniment. The sound is locked into sleek 80s rock, giving Jackson an edgier, hard-nosed sound. This was intentional. The backdrop matches the theme and lyrics perfectly, as masculinity is explored. The rhythm section is locked in. The guitar is the star, particularly the guitar solo by another late musical legend, Eddie Van Halen (1955 – 2020). So much more can be said about “Beat It”. The best way to analyze is not to analyze it. The music, in all its timeless genius, speaks volumes.

Appears in 🔻:

~ Table of Contents ~

3. Slayyyter, “BEAT UP CHANEL$”

WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA » RECORDS Label, LLC / Columbia Records » 2026

“I want sex, money, bitches, and the stickiest weed / I want a cigarette.”

Slayyyter (Catherine Garner) has spoken, and, as usual, she is something else! A boring Slayyyter isn’t fun, so we’d prefer her to push the envelope rather than not. The song where the envelope is sufficiently pushed, “BEAT UP CHANEL$”, is the second track on Slayyyter’s third studio album, WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA. It was written by Slayyyter and producers Austin Corona and Wyatt Bernard.

Among the first things that stand out about “BEAT UP CHANEL$” are the distorted, aggressive, and unrefined vocals by Slayyyter during the verses. She gives us more rapping and talk-singing. “Don’t wanna talk with ease, I’m over all it / Don’t try fucking with me, boy, I don’t want it,” she bites in the first verse, and adds, unapologetically, “Never gonna be your girl, boy, I don’t want you.” Ooh-wee! A boisterous backdrop accompanies Slayyyter like a champ. Notably, there is a significant contrast between the verse (more minimalist) and the chorus (bigger, warmer synths). Another notable contrast is that the chorus is much more melodic than the verses.

“Sex, money, drugs, chains on my chest, vintage Celine

Diamond grills, champagne bottles, I get for free

I want sex, money, bitches, and the stickiest weed

Fuck him, go into his closet, steal some of his Supreme

I want beat-up Chanels, I want new personnel

I wanna dye my hair every pretty shade of pastel

I want nasty afterparties, banged up at the motel

I want beat-up Chanels, I want something for real.”

Goodness gracious alive! To her credit, she’s honest, and honesty is the best policy! In the second verse, she throws in some more bangers like “I don’t give a damn, don’t you understand?” and “He looking when I dance, keep your head up out your pants.” 😳 In short, “BEAT UP CHANEL$” is another song where Slayyyter is true to herself through and through. Is she the WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA? Eh, there have been worse, but she sells the concept superbly on this bold, ultra-enjoyable pop cut.

Appears in:

Slayyyter, BEAT UP CHANEL$: Spicy Tunez No. 45 (2026)

~ Table of Contents ~

4. Charlie Puth, “Beat Yourself Up”

Whatever’s Clever! » Atlantic Records Group LLC » 2026

“Since you were a boy, you took the weight of the world / And held onto it ‘til you fell to the ground.”

That is heavy, Charlie Puth. Our adorkable, perfect-pitched pop singer, songwriter, and producer clarifies why this person took on this weight. “You did it for your little girl,” he sings, “So she would never feel the way you do now.” Word. Charlie’s advice: DON’T “Beat Yourself Up”. Puth penned the thoughtful second single from Whatever’s Clever! and produced it alongside BloodPop®. The sound of the record is a big selling point, with bright, energetic horn (saxophone, trumpets, and trombone) riffs, rhythm section and programming, and strings. “Beat Yourself Up” is grand.

With an epic groove and an active, slapped bass line, the warm and inviting musical backdrop sets up Charlie Puth for success. The ornate nature is a selling point. As for Charlie’s voice, it is beautiful, as always. Puth is no powerhouse, but he knows how to use his lighter sets of pipes effectively and efficiently. He packs the right amount of punch throughout “Beat Yourself Up.” He brings the tuneful melodies to life, particularly during the most memorable section of the song, the chorus:

“Please don’t beat yourself up, oh, whatever you do

‘Cause that doesn’t do nothin’, but just break you in two

Please don’t beat yourself up, though you made some mistakes

But you know it means somethin’ when you’ll live one more day.”

All in all, “Beat Yourself Up” is another pleasant, well-rounded single from Whatever’s Clever!.

Appears in🔻:

~ Table of Contents ~

5. Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion McCall, “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”

“Juju on That Beat” » Tha Lights Global, INC / Atlantic Recording Corporation » 2016

“Juju on the beat, Juju on that beat / Juju on that, Juju on that, Juju on that beat.”

Woo! Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall scored a whale of a hit with “JuJu on That Beat (TZ Anthem)” in 2016. The viral “Juju” peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified multiplatinum by the RIAA in 2017. As popular as the song was, it would be the sole pop hit for the duo. Even if the one-hit wonder label has a negative connotation for some, this song continues to slap anytime and anywhere it is played.

The chorus, excerpted above, performed by Zay Hilfigerrr, is the crowning achievement. Beyond the JuJu-ing, memorable lyrics from the centerpiece include “Running on that beat, ayy,” and, “Now do your dance… / You ugly, you your daddy’s son.” It’s not all about the chorus, though. Zay drops the first verse, rapping about girls checking him out in his skinny jeans and nappy hair. Of course, he invites everybody to do the dance, which is important, if not more so, than the song itself. Zayion McCall gets into the mix in the second verse, where he raps, “Okay, we knuckin’ and buckin’ and ready to fight / I got my cousin, he with me, and got Lil Zay on the right.” Word. Fittingly, “Knuck If You Buck” by Crime Mob featuring Lil Scrappy is sampled. So is “My Friends (We Get Turnt Up)” by Mr. Hotspot featuring Team Twin. Anyways, does Zayion say much? Nah, but like Zay, it’s fun, and that is the M.O. His confidence is through the roof: “I mean, I like your style, I’m on a whole ‘nother level / If you compare me and you, there wouldn’t be no comparings.” Over a fire beat, the Detroit rappers drop an enduring rap banger with “JuJu on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”.