7. “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”
Burna Boy | I Told Them…
Favorite lyrics:
“We can go ahead and just head out
And chill up in my villa together the whole night
Just get in my drop top, take the head out
And cruise with your head outsideeeee…”
Since “Ye” smacked me across the face during the summer of 2019, Burna Boy has been among my favorite artists period; I can’t call myself hive or anything, but I’m firmly seated somewhere around the midsection of the bandwagon. His international popularity has only ballooned over the past half-decade, reaching a new peak with 2022’s “Last Last,” his biggest hit to date. (Now that song is undeniable. Shayooooooooo.)
There are no anthems of that magnitude on his most recent I Told Them…, but it’s my favorite Burna project from start to finish regardless, bolstered by a lead single that left me in complete awe the first time it crossed my earwaves.
“Oh, no he didn’t,” I said to nobody in my apartment once that all-too-recognizable guitar riff played through my headphones, and I all but lost it once Brandy’s I’m just tryna be me… officially entered the chat. In so many ways, this song is nothing more than another “Last Last”: take an old Darkchild production, add new drums and lyrics, rinse, repeat. Afro(American)-Beats, if you will. I do not care. Sample every Rodney Jerkins beat available if these are the results. I vote for “You Rock My World” next. Why not?
A minor nitpick: I firmly believe this would have been the biggest song in the world – if not this very prestigious list – had 21 Savage not been randomly inserted onto what’s been recognized as the song’s official version not even a month into its distribution. He sticks out like a sore thumb and I would argue singlehandedly craters the song’s momentum. Now a proper remix would’ve included Brandy and Pastor Betha. Can we still make this happen?!