YG taps A$AP Rocky for “Handgun,” the third advance from his third studio LP, ‘Stay Dangerous.’  While relatively catchy, the record is a bit underwhelming.

Compton rapper YG returns with his third studio album, Stay Dangerous. Stay Dangerous follows up his excellent, somewhat underrated sophomore LP, Still Brazy, released in 2016.  The promo campaign for Stay Dangerous has been relatively quiet, so buzz surrounding the effort feels lukewarm.  Nonetheless, YG has delivered some winners with “Suu Whoop” and the star-studded “Big Bank”, featuring 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Nicki Minaj. Assisted by A$AP Rocky on the third advance single, “Handgun,” is it as triumphant as the two singles preceding it? Not quite.

“Hand Gun” commences with sketchy, seedy-sounding, mysterious synths at the onset. At this point, the record is rhythmic, and already firmly planted in a minor key. After the intro, YG drops the hook, which is ‘loosely’ pop-rapped. It’s not the catchiest hook in the history of rap hooks mind you, but it is indeed catchy.

“I just bought me a handgun and that shit came with the drum / Do a n*gga fast like And-1, I need a bag then and some / uh, uh, uh, uh… / I hop out the tub, my feet land on Gucci rug / Eat it up, then slide in her, make her tell me who she love / uh, uh, uh, uh…”

Moving onto the verses, YG delivers gimmicky, repetitive rhymes as opposed to straight bars.  It’s a bit off-putting, but, you still feel his energy.  What’s he amped up about? Well, he raps about sex and shooting mostly. A handgun and his… never mind.  A$AP Rocky takes the second verse, exhibiting gimmicky much like YG’s initial verse.  He adds a few more topic to his ‘arsenal’ – shooting, lux, money, sex. Still, he doesn’t serve up a surprise rap lyric gourmet…

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, “Handgun” is okay, but a bit on the underwhelming side.  The production work is solid, and the hook is successful, but, not the best YG I’ve ever heard.

YG • Stay Dangerous • Def Jam • Release: 8.3.18

Photo Credits: Def Jam