Jessi can always be counted on for a fun, colorful rap track — no matter the agency she’s signed with. Gum is her first work since leaving P Nation and signing with Jay Park’s More Vision, but you’d never know it from listening to the track.
Gum is everything you’d expect from Jessi: energetic, a little silly, and catchy in a concept-heavy way. This isn’t always a winning formula, but if you can set your expectations just right you’re in for a good time. I’m not overly thrilled with Gum as a song (it needs a stronger hook), but it’s undeniably fun. I especially enjoy the production, which moves past obvious trends in favor of a throwback groove with plenty of exuberance in its rhythm.
This energy helps smooth over Gum‘s repetitive structure. If Young Posse’s debut Macaroni Cheese had leaned into a similarly upbeat groove, it might have been an equally campy success. Jessi’s the perfect ambassador for this in-your-face, cartoonish sound. Her force of personality drives the track, amiable and up for a joke. Her commitment is infectious, even if Gum is too slight to live up to her best material.
Hooks
7
Production
9
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8