ACRN.COM

By Grace Koennecke, Reviews Editor and Copy Editor

[Kemosabe Records/RCA Records; 2024]

Rating: 8/10

As someone who used to be a major Doja Cat fan during her Planet Her era, I honestly had no idea she dropped an extended version of her most recent album, Scarlet, called Scarlet 2 CLAUDE on April 5. Within this extension, the rapper’s seven new tracks pleasantly surprised me, especially “URRRGE!!!!!!!!! (feat. A$AP Rocky)”. 

It was an unexpected move to include A$AP Rocky, let alone any collaborators on this version of this album, as Doja Cat told Apple Music back in December she was taking a break from working with other artists in her genre. However, both rappers’ swagger is clearly put on display in this song, making it an addictive listening experience.

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For me, this song’s tone is why it’s so addictive to listen to. Doja Cat’s speaking voice is confident and daring, telling off her critics in the opening lines: “F*ck them kids / Ain’t got nice words for none of them kids / What you heard ain’t what I said / You got all snakes in your camp”. With pulsing bass and A$AP Rocky’s adlibs between most of the verses, “URRRGE!!!!!!!!!” serves to me as an example of what both rappers are capable of when they’re at their best.

The chorus is quite memorable, exuding an outspoken quality that only Doja Cat could get away with. She says, “Gotta fight the urge / Fight the urge to talk my sh*t / Fight the urge to f*ck your b*tch / Fight the urge to keep gettin’ rich”, and her voice contains the energy that was missing in Scarlet. 

Once A$AP Rocky jumps in, the beat completely changes, slowing completely, but it somehow works in the grand scheme of track’s two minute and 33-second runtime. In his verses, the rapper acknowledges his run-ins with the law, as well as his take on the current “big three” argument in rap music. Unbothered and unapologetic, his flow perfectly matches Doja Cat’s, and the two together is a collaboration that should’ve happened a long time ago.

In particular, A$AP Rocky’s lines, “I don’t wear ESSENTIALS ‘cause I’m quintessential / Influential on the instrumental / I’m intricate, the flow sentimental”, prove his witty ability to rhyme even about repetitive themes like wealth and designer brands.

The only flaw with this track is that it doesn’t really see Doja Cat speak again once A$AP Rocky takes over, which may have been intentional but doesn’t make it feel like it’s truly her song. It’s also pretty short for a rap song, and it would’ve been a better listen if the two continued to bounce off each other’s energy. There’s a lot of potential in this collaboration, and I hope the two continue to make music together in the future.

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