Sk8star: “Yeannn” [ft. Teezus] Track Review

We’re overdue for a full write-up on Atlanta’s burgeoning ØWay collective, but meanwhile I’ll give a quick rundown:

The Good: The chameleonic, Auto-Tuned sex-symbol rap of 2010s YSL lives on in the music of ØWay flag-bearers Tezzus, diamond*, Pz’, billi0n, and—most notably—Sk8star, the 23 year old from Macon, Georgia whose wavy new album, Designer Junkie, is what it’d sound like if Keed and Gotit had a baby brother they used to bring to the studio.

The Bad: Alleged serial rapist Ian Connor, who spent last year acting as a dot-connector of sorts for the group, gets to say he put them on.

The Irrestible: Sk8 and Tezzus touch the sky on “Yeannn,” a track that turns a little piece of onomatopoeia into the centerpiece of a hit. With that indelible Southern gift for pulling new lingo from thin air, the duo deploy yawns that stretch like bungee over Zaytoven-type keys. Sk8star’s money-hungry warble is cool on its own, but Tezzus’ coarse, creaking melodies stick with me. “Yeannn” is funny as hell and haphazardly genius, especially since, according to The Fader, Tezzus was barely awake when he recorded his verse. I bet Future would be proud.