FERG – FLIP PHONE SHORTY – STRICTLY FOR DA STREETZ VOL .1 (Album Review)

FERG goes all in on “Flip Phone Shorty: Strictly for Da Streetz Vol. 1,” delivering chaotic energy, menacing beats, and unapologetic flexing—but is it essential listening?

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TOP 5 TRACKS

5. FERG STRONG

This is steroid music at its finest.

“FERG STRONG” sounds exactly as the title suggests. It’s ferocious, featuring a tumultuous beat full of impactful 808s and sporadic synths. Over it, FERG employs an extra villainous rap delivery to talk about stomping on, spitting on, and probably number-twoing on his opps. This isn’t a track to play while working out; it’s the track you blast after slamming the weights on the floor post-workout, flexing in the mirror.

4. SHOOT THE CLUB UP

Don’t worry, guys — FERG isn’t talking about bringing a gun to the club; he’s talking about impregnating someone there. That’s it.

“SHOOT THE CLUB UP” is easily one of the oddest club bangers in recent memory. Despite the track featuring a menacing club beat, FERG strangely delivers a laid-back rap verse, detailing a wild scenario where he wants to make it rain in a club reportedly packed with 17,000 women (So, you mean to tell me that there’s more women in this club than at a Washington Wizards game? I’m not buying that s**t).

Big Boss Vette follows with an unfiltered verse, dropping the classic “my vagina is better than hers” bars that do feel essential to the track. Towards the end, FERG makes a casual return, sounding as exhausted as I’ve ever heard him sound. Overall, the track is still likable, even if FERG sounds like he needs a nap, the chorus feels stale, and some of the bars showcase questionable decision-making.

3. BIG DAWG

I feel like FERG reminds us that he’s a big dawg bi-weekly.

“BIG DAWG” has this bouncy, evil, hard-hitting beat that I wouldn’t mind getting my ass kicked to. Over this backdrop, FERG taps into his animalistic side, rapping with grit, flashy flows, and relentless energy, perfectly matching his lyrics that flex wealth, power, success, flashy cars, expensive jewelry, women, and dominance. After hearing this track, it’s clear: FERG is an alpha, and if you want to take him out, you’ll probably need a few Kenyon Martins on your team.

2. FOCUS ON ME (Ft. Denzel Curry)

Telling a chick to “focus on you” is some s**t every drunk dude has told a chick in the club before.

“FOCUS ON ME” features a beat that feels like it could soundtrack some wild pole routines, while also carrying a villainous energy that would make Master Shredder pull some ones out. FERG delivers a repetitive yet catchy hook, paired with an untamed verse in which he switches moods and raps about upgrading a stripper who changed his life. Denzel Curry brings a loose, confident performance, boasting about commanding respect and indulgence in the bedroom. While the beat doesn’t fully hit for me, the rapping from both artists is solid.

1. P.O.L.O.

Rappers have made me hate Ralph Lauren, bro.

“P.O.L.O.” comes equipped with a frantic, Cash Money–era beat that you could easily imagine Juvenile saying some wild s**t over. Luckily, FERG brings that exact energy. He bounces all over the production, dropping bars about kicking it with shroom-popping dark-skin baddies, being back on the block, and pulling up in cars that are cleaner than Reed Sheppard’s jumpshot. The way FERG weaves through the beat feels like he recorded the whole thing while aggressively swerving through lanes. And the hook—featuring a perfectly ratchet guest vocal—adds the final jolt of attitude the track needs.

SONG BY SONG RATING

1. BALL (3.5/5)

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Check out the individual track ratings we gave—these are what we used to calculate the overall score.

OVERALL RATING

(61.8%)

FERG is a fascinating figure in hip-hop. While he’s always louder and wilder than most, his past projects haven’t always hit as hard as they could. On Flip Phone Shorty, though, he goes all in.

Production-wise, the project is menacing and hard-hitting, built to make you throw hands in clubs, stomp on sneakers, and mean mug anyone smiling on the block. The beats have layers that show attention to detail: some feature Southern influences, others dramatic flourishes, and many channel pure villainous energy.

Lyrically, FERG taps into his most ignorant, untamed self. There’s heavy flexing, bold threats, and plenty of wild partying with women who look like they might have stolen a few chains from Josh Hart’s hotel room. He also sprinkles in moments to remind us that, in the streets, his jersey hangs in the rafters with the greats.

The album’s undeniable highlight is the energy. In a world where most artists are cautious and calculated, FERG says “f**k it” and does whatever he wants, which is surprisingly refreshing. That said, the album isn’t essential listening. The production occasionally feels uninspired, the content is shallow, and at times it comes off a little dated. Overall, while Flip Phone Shorty delivers chaos and charisma, it’s not something I personally need in my rotation.

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