Strike One: “Look What You Made Me Do”
Strike Two: “…Ready For It?”
Why is Taylor Swift rapping and who told her the white-girl rapping route was a wise move in 2017?
This isn’t looking good. First there was the strange, vindictive, “I’m So Sexy”-sampling first single “Look What You Made Me Do.” Now Taylor Swift’s follow-up single is not sounding any better. “…Ready For It?” features Swift rapping on the verses like a mid-late 2000’s Ke$ha and Fergie. The beat is aggressive like a pounding dance remix or something off Kanye West’s 2013 album Yeezus. When the pre-chorus/chorus hits though, the beat breaks and possesses a sweetness akin to the sound off a standard Swift record. Lyrically it’s a who’s who of references from old Swift songs that will surely please dedicated fans. Beyond that, it’s a dated sound and tired format.
Listen to “…Ready For It?”