Richardine Bartee
During the first quarter, Crystal Caines released two tracks “Run With Me” featuring A$AP Ferg and “No Drama.”
Nowadays, for me, it’s all about the songs that I can play in the car. As usual, the bass lines, melody, and lyrical wordplay piqued my interest on “No Drama.” Especially the line about your #MCM shooting blanks. How satisfyingly disrespectful? Honesty is the best policy and arrogance keeps the doctor at bay. When Caines said that ‘you don’t like me, when you see me, don’t speak’ I felt the sentiment. Furthermore, I like the shout out she gave to Leaf at the beginning of the song. “Drama” by Leaf is a top five Leaf song for me. I like “Nada” featuring Lil Yachty, “Slick,” “Money” featuring Pell, “Plate,” and “Drama.”
“Run With Me” reintroduces the Harlem-born multifaceted artist, and reconfirms the inevitable when you become someone of importance. People want to (suddenly) be around you. They want to hold your coat or wipe your rich, celebrity mouth after you eat and drink. What’s worse and more annoying than that? When someone comes to you with their hands out, and they haven’t earned a dollar. (I’m waiting for the day it happens in the flesh.)
Previously, journalists predicted that yesteryears were for the female rap artist(s). If they meant plural, they were grossly incorrect. Until other women can have a cadence as polished as their male counterparts, produce or write music, look desirable (or not), and have the understanding of staying on beat, it will be a dream. Being competitive, authentic, and polarizing is the only way to be noticed.
Like the cool, hip kids would say ‘Miss Caines is in her bag.’ I think Crystal Caines has what it takes to have a bountiful success in the music industry. Stream both tracks below.
*If you are not familiar with my support for Crystal Caines, it runs deeper than the entertainment business. In December, both of us lost someone dear and close to us. Alex Ghassan planned to shoot Caines’ music videos. Unfortunately, he perished during the Oakland Warehouse Fire. Since his passing, Caines and I have communicated. We planned to attend Ghassan’s memorial service in Maplewood, New Jersey but personally, I could not do it. As a matter of fact when it comes to death and funerals, I like to stay as far as possible.
Before that, I met and interviewed at a shared office space on Delancey in the Lower East Side. We drove past there the other day, and it was boarded up. I learned about Crystal Caines on the Beats Music for iPhone app. That app is now defunct.
