Song of the Week: "My Bad" - Cyanca

For an artist who's always demonstrated an eye and mind for the marketing and creative direction that accompanies her music, it's fitting that before Cyanca's new, distinctly Missy Elliott-flavored music video was even released, it had already been cosigned by Misdemeanor herself.

The setup was simple enough, the kind of low-stakes Twitter name drop that anyone promoting something on the Internet has tried before (including yours truly, without an ounce of shame). Along with a teaser of the video, she wrote: "Shoutout to @missyelliott influencing me to have no ceiling on my sound." A humble note, an informative anecdote to fans — the type of thing that's worth putting up even if it elicits no response at all. But especially worth putting up when it does.

🔥 okaaaay Supa Dupa moves👏🏾

— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) February 20, 2024

"Okaaaay Supa Dupa moves," Elliott replied, almost surely sending the Charlotte-based artist into a mild fever state, and lending the ultimate stamp of approval to her latest song — a taught, hypnotizing rumination on identity called "My Bad."

To know that "My Bad," like Cyanca herself, takes inspiration from Missy would be enough to sketch the outline of the song's thematic roots: challenging norms of feminine expression, resisting music industry conventions that demand labels like "singer" or "rapper," and being unapologetically (for the most part — as the title itself winks at) oneself. But it's within the larger context of Cyanca's career that her newest song is truly best understood.

Some artists "blow up," others can seem to "explode" or "burst" onto the scene. In 2017, it felt like Cyanca simply floated onto it, held aloft by the dreamy glow and twinkling keys of "New Phone, Who Dis" — a song so mesmerizing that it managed to carve its own lane despite featuring a sample ("Romance" by Hiroshi Suzuki) that had just been used on a major label album by a prominent Charlotte rapper a year before (Lute's "Home" ft. Elevator Jay). In the kind of airy, soothing voice that would often be associated with affirmation and declarations of love, Cyanca does the exact opposite, issuing blunt, pointed ultimatums like "If you ain't really tryna grind, we can't be texting." On that first EP, The Isle of Queens, the seeds of an intriguing, hard-to-categorize act had already been planted.

By the time she released the EP Fast Times in 2021, the ease with bending and hopping genres had only grown: the Kaytranada-esque sounds of "Charger," the hazy, ethereal R&B of "PB&J," the straightforward rap bars of "Dominos" — it all worked.

Now, on "My Bad," Cyanca again branches into new territory, with a song that — from the prodding lyrics to the bracing production — is as openly confrontational as she's ever been.

Call it the nature of our divided times, call it the flavor of the hip-hop moment (ask Nicki and Megan if conflict is good for business), or just call it another demonstration of the sonic ground Cyanca can cover without ever looking out of place. On a song about transcending peoples' pre-conceived notions, the high-quality execution of such an antagonistic track from the former choir singer ("Do you rap? Do you sing? Fuck you n****, I do me") is a meta moment in itself.

But for all its mean-mugging and swagger, a sliver of sweetness can't help but make its way through — taking the form of the refrain "my bad..." at the end of each chest-thumping line of the hook — as if no amount of rap bluster can fully dilute the "bless your heart" politeness that's essentially a genetic trait to a North Carolinian. If killing is to be done, it feels quintessentially Southern, and quintessentially Cyanca, for it to be done with kindness.

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ALSO NEW THIS WEEK(ISH):

Everydaydream EP - Nance

There's no interpretation of the word "new" that would, in February 2024, be mistaken to include an album from September 2023. But you know what? Nance understood the assignment and sent in his music, and for that, he is on the weekly roundup. After a decade plus on the scene, Everydaydream is Nance's most mature work to date, and features a host of capable contributors including Skizzy Mars, 3amsound, tyler donavan and more.

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"Holler Back" - Ol' Burger Beats ft. Kooley High

Kooley High's recently announced, 18-track collaboration album with Tuamie, All Infinite, may still be a couple of months away, but that didn't stop Tab and Charlie from popping up this past week in the form of "Holler Back" — the closing track of Norwegian producer Ol' Burger Beats album 74: Out Of Time, which also features appearances from Quelle Chris, billy woods, Ill Camille, and many more luminaries of the art-rap landscape. A true delight to not just see Kooley High listed among their ranks, but to bring the album home. Our sources say the title comes from all songs being 74 bpm, but that claim could not be independently verified by press time.

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"UGOMDN (pt. 2)" - Chlothegod ft. Mick Jenkins

More words on this site will undoubtedly go to Chlothegod — who we proudly claim as a Super Empty Show alum — in the near future, as the rocket ship of organic love she's on right now is almost hard to fully comprehend. For now, we'll just say that when rising stars get the "bigger act" cosign/remix treatment — as Chlo is getting today with Mick Jenkins joining for a "Pt. 2" remix of her song "UGOMDN" — the pairing can often feel like it has more to do with an attempt at brand synergy than musical compatibility. Not this time, thankfully. Over the undulating synths of UGOMDN, Mick Jenkins' smoky baritone is right at home.

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That's all for the second installment of Song(s) of the Week! See you here next week — same place, same time (ish). And artists, don't forget to get those submissions in!