Hip-Hop Duo, PARTYOF2, Calls Out The Fakes On Their Single “poser”

When I first came across the viral snippet of PARTYOF2’s single “poser” and read its caption, “This is what happens when the label says, do whatever you want,” I was skeptical. We live in an era of industry plants and are greeted by a never-ending slew of artists who are here one day and gone the next. Suffice it to say, my expectations were low going in. But when I sat down and listened to the full song, I was surprised by the amount of eccentricity that oozed from the track. With a lean runtime of only two minutes and twenty-three seconds, “poser” is packed with year-defining moments for rap that most fans of the genre should hear.

Starting off the track is one half of PARTYOF2, Jadagrace. Her commanding yet laid-back cadence, combined with her smooth and subtle flows, stabilize the performances. If there is one thing I can critique, it is her rather simplified rhyme schemes and lyrics, which grow somewhat redundant and uncreative by the tail end of the track. But overall, she is an entertaining performer who has a lot of tricks in her bag.

SWIM, the other half of PARTYOF2, brings impressive vocal range, shifting between bold projection and laid-back delivery. These shifts energize the track and contribute to its bombastic flair. It is clear he is inspired by the higher qualities of the Kendrick Lamar sound, circa now. The “hmm” ad-libs throughout part of the refrain aid in inserting bounce into the track, and some of his inflections and tones harken back to the recently released “GNX” album, which he wields impressively. Although I enjoy these aspects of his performance very much, I hope to see him develop his own style further and wear the borrowed ones less on his sleeve with future releases.

Now, let’s pivot to the production on this track, which is credited to Danes Blood and Dave Marcus. We have a large mending of sounds here that somehow form into one coherent banger. The first quarter of the track uses an assortment of distorted electric guitars and industrial synths overtop three variations of trap drums. This section of the track feels chaotic and sonically congested, which sets up the tension to immediately release when the beat switches.

The next section of the track uses catchy, simplified synth melodies and a stadium-style horn samples reminiscent of “Sticky” by Tyler, The Creator. The beat is carried by a speaker-knocking percussion loop that reminds me of The Neptunes in their heyday. I personally enjoy the first section of the track a bit more than the second, but it’s undeniably more accessible, with parts that loop in the mind long after listening.

With all of those qualities in mind, “poser” is a banger, and it achieves this with flying colors. The performances by Jadagrace and SWIM, combined with the unconventional production, lend to an enjoyable listening experience. With that being said, I hope to see PARTYOF2 flesh out their sound more with future releases to make those comparisons to other artists less apparent and more of a garnish on top of their already unique sound.

As for what is on the horizon for PARTYOF2, it seems they are gearing up to release their highly anticipated, untitled third album sometime this year. But with their singles pack, “we owe you an explanation,” and their most recent single, “WATCH THE PARTY,” it seems they are keeping us fed and happy in the meantime. Let’s just hope they don’t keep us waiting for the album too long.