Money 💵 | 3 to 5 BOPS

Money 💵: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 14 (2023), features musical BOPS courtesy of Barrett Strong, BIA, Calvin Harris, Mary J. Blige, and The O’Jays.

Ah, you know what time it is! It’s 3 to 5 BOPS time – WOO! On 3 to 5 BOPS, it’s all about brevity and sweetness… for the most part! There’s a theme/topic, 3, 4, or 5 songs, and a blurb – two paragraphs or less.  3 to 5 BOPS, hence, is a mini playlist that shouldn’t take much time to consume.  In the 14^th edition of 3 to 5 BOPS (2023), we select songs that are associated with MONEY 💵 in some form or fashion. The BOPS arrive courtesy of 🎙 Barrett Strong, 🎙 BIA, 🎙 Calvin Harris, 🎙 Mary J. Blige, and 🎙 The O’Jays.  Okay, let’s get into it!

1. Mary J. Blige, “Rent Money” (Ft. Dave East)

💿 Good Morning Gorgeous • 🏷 Mary Jane Productions / 300 Entertainment • 📅 2022

“This can’t be reality / I’m picking up the pieces of the puzzle / Here all by myself, yeah / I can’t even wish you well.” 🎵 “Rent Money” was released as the third single from 💿 Good Morning Gorgeous, the first album released by 🎙 Mary J. Blige in five years. 🎛 D’Mile produced this relatively chill joint that samples 🎙 The Notorious B.I.G. record, 🎵 “Fuck You Tonight”.

For good measure, over the relaxed, soulful backdrop, Mary J. Blige brings some bite:

“Look now my rent money due

I spent everything fuckin’ with you, oh

They say you win some, you win some you lose

All I got is rent money due

Fucking with you.”

Blige invested her all into this man and she’s literally left with nothing.  After spending, being loyal, and of course, sex, she’s ultimately in a bad spot – that rent is due!  Basically, she can’t depend on him. Featured guest 🎙 Dave East fittingly, plays the guy who’s messed over her, asserting, “Phone out, she recording / Just so she can get the proof / It was all good when we was in the mood.” Sounds like he’s no good, Mary, but this song – it’s ‘on-point’ girl! Fancy sufficiently tickled!

Appears in 🔻:

• Rent: 5ive Songs No. 8 (2022)
• Awesome Songs: February 2022
• R Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2 (2022)

2. Calvin Harris, “New Money” (Ft. 21 Savage)

💿 Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2 • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment UK • 📅 2022

“Gucci garments, kush smell like armpits / You domestic, all I ride is foreign shit / Sippin’ Hi-Tech and I got a hot TEC / I got new money, it ain’t even out yet.” Did anybody expect 🎙 Calvin Harris and 🎙 21 Savage to collaborate? Probably not, but that’s exactly what happens on 🎵 “New Money”, the second single from 💿 Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2.

What makes “New Money” so potent? Even though 21 Savage is known for his deadpan style of rapping, there’s something endearing about this approach.  Furthermore, the 🏆 Grammy-winner still manages to pack a mean punch even if he’s not dynamic when it comes to the decibels.  Here, he touts material things, in all their glory even if ultimately, they are just things.  Still, there’s something awesome about him mentioning Gucci, Hermes, and Diamonds over ‘funky’ production.  As terrific as 21’s flow is, Calvin Harris’ production seriously kicks ass.  It preserves a soul/disco/dance sound of old while remaining fresh and non-anachronistic in 2022.  The combination of locked-in if low-key 21 and the soulful Harris backdrop is utterly sublime.

Appears in 🔻:

• Awesome Songs: July 2022

3. BIA, “Whole Lotta Money (Remix)” (Ft. Nicki Minaj)

🎵 “Whole Lotta Money (Remix)” • 🏷 Epic • 📅 2021

“It’s a whole lotta money in this motherfucker.” Woah, woah – language there 🎙 BIA! Kidding of course – we’re all hellish, cussing adults here… maybe… Anyways, who doesn’t love a kick ass banger by two bad ass female rappers? That’s what 🎙 BIA, assisted by 🎙 Nicki Minaj gives on 🎵 “Whole Lotta Money (Remix)”.  The original, which inches just past two-and-a-half-minutes, appears on BIA’s 2020 album, 💿 For Certain.  The remix, produced by 🎛 BeatGodz, Tee Romano, and London Jae, runs nearly four minutes in duration – more robust to say the least!

Following the pre-chorus, BIA drops the money-loving chorus, which in essence, isn’t on “no broke shit” (or “ho shit” for that matter).  She then drops an edgy verse, asserting she doesn’t associate with broke folks and jealous bitches (shocker), before we get a refrain, pre-chorus, and chorus. Then, of course, comes Nicki Minaj, who is unapologetic AF.  The one-liners are endless.  “I put on my jewelry just to suck my nigga off / Fingers on his balls like I’m ‘bout to tell him, ‘Cough’” is the way she commences the verse.  Da-yum! Of course, she doesn’t stop there, adding, “Pucci on my coochie, I’m make these niggas drool.” Holy Snickers – felt like some censorship was necessary, for once! Of course, Nicki and BIA trade bars on the third verse, and it’s as confident hard-nosed as you’d expect (“My pussy pretty, I fuck ‘em like porn stars / Ain’t playing basketball, but my bitches is all stars”).

Appears in 🔻:

• 13 W Songs: No Rhyme or Reason (2021)

4. Barrett Strong, “Money (That’s What I Want)”

💿 The Collection • 🏷 Spectrum Music • 📅 2004

“The best things in life are free / But you can give them to the birds, and bees / I need money.” Woo! What a memorable line from the 🎙 Barrett Strong classic, 🎵 “Money (That’s What I Want)”. The legendary Motown singer/songwriter, who passed away at the age of 81 on January 28, 2023 😢, leaves behind some truly iconic songs as a writer, primarily.  While he’s most renowned for his pen, he scored a hit on the pop charts with “Money,” which peaked at no. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 1960.

The chorus is the most famous part of this early soul classic, with Strong singing lead, supported by marvelous background vocals: “I need money (That’s what I want) / That’s what I want (That’s what I want).” Still, the verses are infectious, including the second where Strong, showing ample personality, asserts, “Your love gave me such a thrill / But your love don’t pay my bills.” Hence, that’s why Strong needs M-O-N-E-Y! “Money” was penned by another icon, 🎼 ✍ Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford.  Gordy also produced this super catchy joint.  A record that is well into its 60s, 🎵 “Money (That’s What I Want)” never grows old or sounds the least bit anachronistic.

Appears in 🔻:

• Barrett Strong, “Money (That’s What I Want)”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 26 (2023)

5. The O’Jays, “For The Love of Money”

💿 Ship Ahoy • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 1973

“Money, money, money, money, money!” Woo! 🎙 The O’Jays waste little time at the beginning of their top-10 soul classic, 🎵 “For The Love of Money”. Following a groovy, instrumental intro, they repeat the subject of “For The Love of Money” 30 times before dropping the first verse! The repetition sets the tone for this money-centric gem that appears on the soul collective’s 1973 album, 💿 Ship Ahoy. This record marks another marvelous example of the pen and production of Philly soul proponents 🎼 ✍ 🎛 Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff (Anthony Jackson also contributes his pen).

“Some people got to have it, some people really need it / Listen to me y’all, do things, do things, do things, bad things with it.” Facts, O’Jays! A long time before 🎙 Wu-Tang Clan rapped about 🎵 “C.R.E.A.M.”, not to mention more than a decade after 🎙 Barrett Strong wanted money, The O’Jays were singing about how corrupt that “mean green” can be.  “For the love of money, people will steal from their mother,” goes the chorus, continuing, “For the love of money, people will rob their own brother / … For that mean, mean, mean, mean, mean green.” Even though this “Almighty dollar” song is 50 years old as of 2023, the message, theme, nor song is the least bit anachronistic.  Money continues to be the root of all evil, and there may not be a better song to illustrate that point than this exceptional O’Jays gem. Also, it goes without singing that The O’Jays are those guys – the vocals are magnificent!

Appears in 🔻:

• The O’Jays, “For The Love of Money”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 27 (2023)

Money 💵: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 13 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Epic, Mary Jane Productions / 300 Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment, Spectrum Music; Pixabay]