With less than 24 hours till the release of his first album in 11 years, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, Busta Rhymes raises the excitement to an all-time high by teaming up with hip hops current king Kendrick Lamar for a brand new single titled “Look Over Your Shoulder”. Being one of the most hyped-up collaborations of the entire year, can these lyrical gods create a classic track together?
Opening up the record, there is a sweet sample from the Jackson 5’s 1970s hit “I’ll Be There”. Specifically, there is a vocal line from non other than a young Micheal Jackson as he repeats the phrase, “just look over your shoulders, honey”. Just when you think things can’t get any greater, Kendrick Lamar wastes no time as he immediately comes firing in with a lengthy and intricate verse. With over a year of time since we last heard him, Kung Fu Kenny seems to have entered a new phase in his career as he raps in a newly found phantom-like demeanor. While usually being hands-on with his vivid storytelling, Lamar switches things up as he takes a backseat with more analytical rhymes. From teaching about industry scammers to analyzing himself from afar, King Kunta delivers one of the best guest verses of the entire year. After MJ’s reprised hook, Busta Rhymes brings things full circle as he gives his all to contest Kendrick. With an intuitive flow that starts off slow and gradually builds pace, the 48-year-old New York legend spits just as proficiently as he did three decades ago. Ending things on a glorious note, the king of pop sings his heart out as he passes the limelight to comedian Chris Rock for a few quick words about a man who can’t stop working (referencing Busta Rhymes probably).
While 2020 has given us plenty of unforgettable moments in the music world, “Look Over Your Shoulder” may just be the best one yet. Lead by Kendrick Lamar’s heaven-sent performance, Busta Rhymes, Micheal Jackson, Chris Rock, and the rest of the assets fall into place seamlessly. Going forward, I hope Busta Rhymes can ride this wave out tomorrow and have a successful LP. More than that, I cant wait to see this new side of Kendrick unfold into what will hopefully become his next album.
Rating: 9.7/10
Written By: Mr. Fantastic
Scored and edited by: Mr. Fantastic, owner and founder of Fantastic Hip Hop
