Reading Time: 2 min read

4 out of 5 stars

The Kid LAROI & Quavo, SLOW IT DOWN [📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Columbia; OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]The Kid LAROI and Quavo make a formidable team on the brief, fun, and sexed-up single, “SLOW IT DOWN.”

“Imet you on Monday / Fucked you on Tuesday / Wednesday, tellin’ all your friends I’m your new bae…” It doesn’t take long for The Kid LAROI (Charlton Howard) to set the tone on “SLOW IT DOWN”.  Sometimes, it’s easy to forget how young Howard was when he entered the pop/rap game – he’s still just 21 as “SLOW IT DOWN” arrives.  Even so, he brings ample ‘rizz,’ smoothness, and swagger.  His point to this girl: “You’re moving too fast, huh / I’m tryna make it last.” Word.  The Kid LAROI is joined by a fellow Grammy nominee, Quavo, as they interpolate a rap classic, “Slow Motion” by Juvenile. 

The Kid LAROI & Quavo, SLOW IT DOWN [📷: Columbia]“SLOW IT DOWN” is anchored by a sick beat.  The production (Starrah, Waves, and Dopamine), is a big selling point. Still, it is the vocalists, in their respective roles, that make this a bop.  The melodies sung by The Kid LAROI are among his most tuneful. Despite being smooth, he’s young and unapologetic like his Gen-Z contemporaries. “Thursday, same thing we did on Tuesday,” he continues naughtily in the first verse, adding, “Friday, let me hit that motherfucker my way.” Damn! He reappears in the third verse where they’ve been “Fuckin’ all week / You wanna have a drink, have sex on the beach.” Howard also performs much of the chorus, emphasizing that “slow motion,” while also getting the assist from Quavo (“She don’t know how to act / Keep throwin’ that back / Ass fat, waist snatched.” Of course, Quavo brings a melodic flow in his guest verse:  “Fuck the first class, I’m on a jet smokin’ (Oh) / Let me hit it on the island, she got me wildin’ (Who).” All told, The Kid LAROI and Quavo make a formidable team on the fun and sexed-up “SLOW IT DOWN”. 

4 out of 5 stars


The Kid LAROI & Quavo // “SLOW IT DOWN” // Columbia // 11.15.24

The Kid LAROI & Quavo, SLOW IT DOWN  [📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Columbia; OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]


the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.