FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Music

Hold onto Your Hats, theMIND, Mick Jenkins, Noname, and Jesse Boykins III's "Animated Ambition" Is One Hell of a Ride

The Noisey Next singer recruits some friends, who rap absolutely electric verses that take the beat and karate chop it in 18 ways.

Hey kids, wanna hear some raps? Then tune in right the fuck now because whoaaaaaaaaa buddy here are some raps! Recent Noisey Next star theMIND brought his friends Mick Jenkins, Noname, and Jesse Boykins III on board for "Animated Ambition," whcih has an appropriately animated video and is, loosely, about wanting to be a cartoon character. theMIND and Boykins do their damn thing singing, and it is just as awesome as you would hope. But Mick and Noname steal the show with absolutely electric verses that take the beat and karate chop it in 18 ways and leap over it doing 900 degree spins and other cool metaphors that I have in short supply but they do not.

Advertisement

Mick advocates for more recess—I mean what I'm trying to say is I'm an advocate for recess / to prevent a rapid regress / trying to make it last forever young Keith Sweat—while also working in a buttload of 90s R&B references and a shoutout to Hey Arnold. Noname breaks down the current political climate with rhymes so dense (and yet so smoothly on-beat) that I can't manage to write them all correctly no matter how many times I pause the song. It's some of the most skillful rapping I've heard in a long time. If Noname isn't on your list of best rappers working right now, here's a guarantee right now: She will be by the end of this year.

"I know I'm getting money when the drums come in, and I know my mama safe for a minute" she concludes, letting theMIND and Jesse Boykins III sing us out. This shit is awesome. Check out the video below.

Follow Kyle Kramer on Twitter.