Having worked on his new album steadfastly throughout most of this year, Problem has giving the project another tease with this new pre-release single, titled "Top Off." Referring to a convertible's removable roof and not the disrobing of another individual (then again, maybe that's actually what it's talking about instead...), Problem brings some smooth, easily digestible West Coast vibes to this, his follow-up to last month's "Mission Statement." It's definitely a departure from that previous track, which featured some much darker production and a more brooding sense of style; here, there's nothing but sun-soaked instrumentals to back up the veteran rapper. In a word, this song is just cool.
Produced by 9th Wonder, Problem gets an assist from Airplane James on this one, is built on the back of a 90's-style hip-hop beat that is more than a little on the funky side, accentuating all of those R&B feels with some soaring "Oooooo-oooo" vocals, in addition to the rhymes he and James present to the audience. In general, the lyrics feel laid back too, which again is a change of pace from "Mission Statement," a song that took itself far more seriously than this one. Without all of the self-importance attached to it, "Top Off" glides effortless from start to finish, really embodying the spirit of the drop-top experience, which is often characterized as something of a carefree feeling. That translates into a boastful set of bars for Problem, who is confident without ever seeming too desperate in terms of attention-seeking.
Overall, this is another strong offering from Selfish, his upcoming LP that is slated for release on November 3rd. One can only hope that Problem, who has consistently shown himself to be a favorite among hip-hop heads, will give his fans a batch of new material that lives up to his recent work. This track in particular should bolster those high hopes even more.
Quotable Lyrics
First off
Take your top off
Too real to be knocked off
$200 slides my socks off
Moviee time, I'm box office
