02.02.15

If it weren’t for their not-so-wholesome lyrical content, Atlanta-via-Mississippi brother duo Rae Sremmurd (pronounced “Ray Shri-merd”) could probably score their own Nickelodeon series. Swae Lee and Slim Jimmy flog a mischievous but non-intimating image, and their style of ADHD-friendly brat rap – which involves them yelling every lyric like it’s hashtagged and spelled with capital letters – has made them something of a “sensation” among “the kids”.

As the brainchild of ATL rap producer and lucrative hit-maker Mike WiLL Made-It, it only took a matter of months for Rae Srem- murd to become huge, with their largely unnoticed debut track We being followed up last year with the instantly anthemic bangers No Flex Zone and No Type. While most of the tracks here don’t quite match the irresistible brilliance of those aforementioned hits, Mike WiLL’s production is exceptional throughout, and SremmLife proves that these little rascals are certainly no fluke. This Could Be Us captures the pettiness of unrequited puppy love, Throw Some Mo commissions Nicki Minaj for the kind of catchy-as-hell hook that The Pinkprint arguably lacked and Unlock The Swag sees Rae Sremmurd repeatedly screech a nonsensical catch-phrase with so much audacity that it’s almost punk in essence.

It’s totally juvenile, and there’s every chance that you’ll hate this record. But Ultimately, Rae Stremmurd’s victory feels a bit like being woken up by a house party next door. You can either lie awake and groan with resentment, or you can roll out of bed, raid the cupboard for booze and go join in on the fun.

Davy Reed