Ian looks to silence some critics with this one.
Ian has been rubbing some hip-hop fans the wrong way lately, and I completely understand why. When I first heard him rap, I was taken aback—he’s this clean-cut white boy flowing over trap beats that artists like Gucci Mane and Future were dominating back in the day. Apparently, Tyler, The Creator feels similarly, as he recently shared in an interview with Maverick Carter that he thinks Ian essentially cosplays as a rapper. While I wouldn’t go that far, I can see why people might have that perception.
One thing you can’t deny about Ian is that he’s entertaining. After hearing many of his tracks, I truly believe he has “it.” Ian also comes across as someone with a genuine passion for hip-hop, unlike certain artists who made a switch to genres like country or rock (cough cough). Anyway, while I was scrambling to get to a laptop yesterday, Ian dropped a new track called “Shut It Down.” In it, he sounds as unapologetic as ever.
In “Shut It Down,” Ian flexes on his listeners, boasting about his iced-out wrist, his readiness to handle his enemies, and his playboy lifestyle. He also makes it clear that his hustle for money isn’t stopping anytime soon. The grungy track, produced by 2hollis, features an edgy trap beat infused with synths that evoke the melancholic tones of sentimental scenes from Terminator 2. As for Ian, his mumbled, relentless rap style is unapologetic and certain to irk his haters. But who cares, right?
Check out “Shut It Down” below.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
