There’s this TikTok trend going around right now that is the inspiration for this article. The sound goes like, “you’re never gonna like that song like I like the song.” In this article I will show you 10 songs that I think I like more than everybody else. Let’s get into it.
1. Meek Mill – Cold Hearted ft. Diddy
Everyone that knows me personally knows that Meek Mill is my favorite rapper of all time. People who know me really well, know that I didn’t have an iPhone until my senior year of high school. Why do I say that? Well, this song brings me back to a time where I was walking around with a green Motorola X in my pocket with purple and black earbuds.
I’m not joking when I say this was phone for at least two and a half years. Somehow I made it work. Everyone who used to Snapchat me in high school you are some real ones because if I was snapping someone with the android camera quality I would’ve simply just stopped.
“Last year was like a bad year, even though I touched more paper than a cashier”
Anyways, back to the great song that is “Cold Hearted”. Every time you hear Meek rap over a slow beat about his struggles and the trenches, you know the song is going to go crazy. The bars and wordplay in this song was insane, 15 year-old Yanni was smiling from ear-to-ear the first time he heard this. You play this song in the car with me you going to see me rap every single bar with my soul. This is that real music. Plain and simple.
“Small circle I ain’t never really ’round squares”
2. Giveon – Favorite Mistake
Man that summer of 2020 was different. It was peak quarantine and all that meant for me was infinite late night drives. I was driving my dad’s Nissan Leaf at the time, which was a fully electric car. So at least five times a week from early May to the end of July I would go to the Dulles Town Center at midnight, and charge the car for about 45 minutes. After the car would get near full charge, I would drive down route 50 for at least two hours at a time. You want to know what was playing during those late night drives? Some Kid Laroi, Chris Brown, a little Bad Bunny, a lot of Juice WRLD and an insane amount of Giveon. And my favorite Giveon song is definitely, “Favorite Mistake”.
“Can you find the lies? Do you feel alive?”
Don’t even get me started on the acoustic version of this song. The man just makes heavenly music. God blessed him with an incredible talent and I’m happy that he is sharing it with the world. “Give or Take” album review will be coming soon, I just need to give it a few more listens to lock in my rankings. But yeah, you’re never gonna like that song like I like the song.
“We both know it’s wrong. Can’t keep this for long.”
3. Bryson Tiller – Right My Wrongs
My favorite song by one of my top three favorite artists of all time. In my humble opinion, anything Bryson Tiller touches turns to gold. This song brings me back to walking the Rock Ridge high school hallways running late to third block Physics class. I would consistently listen to Bryson Tiller, PartyNextDoor and Meek Mill in high school. My sophomore year was the base, or start, of my current music taste. It’s when I got introduced to artists like Travis Scott, Tory Lanez and Bryson Tiller. Little did I know at the time that I would go on to memorize at least 85% of his discography.
“Tell me how can I right my wrongs?”
Every time this song comes on the car, no matter the time of day, I get in my absolute bag. When the second verse comes on it is over. Currently praying to God that he drops “Serenity” sometime soon.
“Girl, I guess time will tell. That’s the problem I ain’t got any left.”
4. Meek Mill – Blue Notes
Senior year of high school. I waited for months and months for DC4 to drop. I remember watching snippets daily just waiting for at least a track list. Kind of how I’m currently waiting on both Travis Scott and 6LACK. Finally, the mixtape dropped. On the Friday of my last ever high school game of football. The team knew to give me the aux in the locker room that day. “On The Regular”, “Lights Out” and “Outro” were definitely blasting through the speakers. However, “Blue Notes” is a song that doesn’t fit that scenario at all. Blue Notes is another slow beat that has Meek rapping about how the money made him into a savage and how he was struggling with drug addiction.
“Was it the money that made me a savage? Poppin’ them Percs and I made it a habit.”
Whenever Meek gets transparent on a track it just feels natural. The flexing with all the money, cars and clothes is cool, but the real Meek comes from when he’s talking about his personal experiences. This song is just special to me and I will never skip it when it comes on. The connection so strong to this song that the video was shot on my birthday. Shout out to Meek Mill for just consistently dropping gems.
“You did me a favor, I knew you was sheisty. I knew you would show who you was”
5. Travis Scott – CAN’T SAY ft. Don Toliver
When I wrote my “songs I’m listening to” article for this month, I had no idea I was going to do this article. So the fact that this song was in that article, four years after its release, just goes to show you how much I love this song. The whole 2018 and 2019 I was constantly listening to this album. I almost put, “Drugs You Should Try It” instead of this song but the Don Toliver pushed it over the edge. There’s no other words that I need to say. This song just makes me feel pure serotonin.
“Gang too wavy, move like Navy Seals”
6. The Weeknd – I Was Never There ft. Gesaffelstein
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, this is the Weeknd’s best project ever. 2018 was really a great year for music in general. From the spacey beat in the beginning to The Weeknd’s vocals, the song is just perfection from start to finish.
“When it’s time, when it’s time, when it’s time, it won’t matter”
The song continually builds up and then all of a sudden has one of the most beautiful transitions known to man. If you want to know why this is my favorite song by The Weeknd of all time, go to 2:10 of this song. There is your answer. What a wonderful piece of art.
“Ooh, now I know what love is. And I know it ain’t you for sure”
7. Vory – CC Interlude
If you haven’t listened to any solo Vory track, I simply can’t look at you the same. Vory is one of the most underrated artists in the music industry right now, and this song will show you exactly why.
“I hope you forgive me ‘fore you ever forget me”
The man has writing credits on Bryson Tiller’s “Don’t”, Beyonce & JAY-Z’s “FRIENDS” and Drake’s “Mob Ties”. He’s actually him. This song is on during every late night drive that I take, which is honestly a current theme throughout this article. Go listen to Vory’s debut album, “Lost Souls”. You’ll be seeing it in my top 10 albums later this year.
“I gave you my heart and you decided to drop it”
8. Chris Brown – Natural Disaster/Aura
If I say how talented Chris Brown is again, I’ll sound like a broken record. “Indigo” is one my 10 favorite albums of all time and this song sits at the top. He is comparing his experiences of falling in love to “Natural Disasters” and he even advises against it in the song.
“Don’t fall in love, it’s a mistake”
The second half of the song, “Aura” is a calming, relaxing sound that is almost trying to get the listener back to the side of loving. It’s a personification of the angel and the devil on the shoulders of the listener, and on Brown himself. After showing how love can be a natural disaster, the tone immediately switches and the lyrics speak for themselves.
“You want the same thing, love. And now we got it”
It’s a song that takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions but it also brings you back to earth at the end. Life is all about love, no matter if we want it or not it will always have an impact on our lives. It’s just up to you how you decide to give it back.
9. Rod Wave – Dark Clouds
Two years later, and this is still by far my favorite Rod Wave song. Rod Wave is always talking about his past experiences with love and his struggles back in St. Petersburg, but this song just hits different. He starts the song off with talking about the sorrow he feels and hoping that tomorrow will be a better day. That kind of defines the song for me, it’s a symbolism of the title. There will always be “Dark Clouds” surrounding you, but you are responsible for finding the light.
“I been feelin’ pain for so long”
In a way he blames himself for his troubles with love, saying that he doesn’t make his situation better by giving his heart away to whoever. It is an introspective track and can still be relatable to anyone. This song turns on in the car or at a party, you’re going to see a different Yanni Kouiroukidis. One of my favorite artists in the industry right now and I can’t wait for him to drop another album.
“You had me but you lost me. I’m not mad, I’m exhausted.”
10. Kanye West – Family Business
“You can still love your man and be manly, dog”. Arguably my favorite Kanye West song ever and one of the best beats he ever rapped over. The real ones will appreciate this selection right here. I almost put “So Sick” by Ne-Yo here, but “Family Business” is just too much of a classic. The song makes you feel like you’re sitting at the family reunion waiting for your mom to fix you a plate.
“I feel like one day you’ll understand me, dog”
To me, the song captures the true beauty of family *Dom Toretto voice*. No matter what, you’re family is going to have your back. No matter the arguments or the gossiping, it’s all going to stay in the family business. The togetherness is what truly makes life so great. I know my brothers got my back and they don’t have to question my part for them either.
“As kids, we used to laugh, who knew that life would move this fast?”
Life may fly by, but make sure you are enjoying it with people that love you just as much as you love them. This is YSN, until next time, signing out.
