Play-N-Skillz, Literally I Can’t | Controversial Tunes 😈🎶

In the 21^st edition of Controversial Tunes (2023), we explore the controversy behind the song, “Literally I Can’t” by Play-N-Skillz. 

Bring on the controversy! Controversial Tunes 😈🎶 is a column that provides background information and insight into songs that raised eyebrows and totally stirred the pot.  The records that grace Controversial Tunes are old and new alike, with all genres of music welcome.  In the 21st edition of Controversial Tunes (2023), we explore the controversy behind the song, 🎵 “Literally I Can’t” by 🎙 Play-N-Skillz. 

“A shot of vodka? / I can’t / Tequila? / I can’t / After party? / I can’t / Literally, I can’t.”  When you respond NO to peer pressure, it should be viewed as brave. Instead, far too often, the result is being viewed as boring, square, and up tight.  In the context of 🎵 “Literally I Can’t”, a song that has almost been literally wiped off the internet 😏 and unavailable to download or stream, the men – immature, overaged frat men at that – peer pressure the ladies to do things they don’t want to.  And, amplified by a distasteful music video (reuploaded by someone else because the original is private), you know what 🎙 Play-N-Skillz, 🎙 Redfoo (renowned for his 🎙 LMFAO days), 🎙 Lil Jon, and 🎙 Enertia McFly tell the ladies: “OMG, STFU! / SHUT THE FUCK UP!”

The controversy of “Literally I Can’t” speaks for itself.  It got the totally disgusting, misogynistic frat party gone wild video treatment but even if it didn’t the lyrics are abhorrent in their own right.  The artist that clearly hurt his career the most with this controversial 2014 joint is Redfoo (see Redfoo under fire over ‘misogynist’ song Literally I Can’t).  Although the then 39 year-old rapper (son of the legendary 🎙 Berry Gordy) seemed far too old to be anywhere near the frat house, and described his performance as satirical, you can’t unsay the disturbing, tone deaf lyrics he serves up.  “You got a big ol’ butt / I can tell by the way you’re walkin’ / But you annoying me… cause you’re talkin’,” he raps continuing, “Bounce on the pogo / Jump on the jack hammer / Get low, low, low…” So, basically, he’s telling her to pleasure his man parts, but she better not use her mouth to talk, let alone her mind! Also troubling for Redfoo, who quit his job on Australia’s X Factor in 2015, is when he tells her, “I said jump on the pole / I didn’t MEAN your opinion / Girl I’m sipping on this drink / I’m tryna see what you got / No tryna hear what you think.” MISOGYNY is an ugly thing.

Redfoo gets the brunt of the blame and fallout, but it’s not all on him when it comes to “Literally I Can’t (STFU).” Lil Jon was well beyond his crunk days when this hot garbage arrived, and even if the production of Play-N-Skillz is a selling point, the theme and controversy overshadow it.  Also, let’s not leave out Enertia McFly, who in the second verse continues the disgusting objectification giving women nothing in return.  “Your booty in my hand is my new motto,” he raps, later adding, “Put your lips on my bottle / Let me see you take it to the head.” Redfoo deserves the devil, but that oral sex reference is absolutely horrible.  The thing is, instead of ever getting behind shit like this, men need to be the ones doing better and saying, Literally, I can’t treat women this way – satire or not.  There is nothing funny about the controversial shitshow that is 🎵 “Literally I Can’t”.

🎙 Play-N-Skillz • 🎵 “Literally I Can’t” • 🏷 Party Rock • 🗓 2014

Play-N-Skillz, Literally I Can’t: Controversial Tunes 😈🎶 No. 21 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Party Rock; Anand Kulkarni, Aykut Bingül, Luân Phan, mohammadreza merhvand via Pexels; Anna, Gordon Taylor, harshahars from Pixabay; christian buehner on Unsplash]