The first verse questions “ow you suburban critiquin’ G MC’s in the Yukon?/ou should be slow to squeeze like glue guns,” the clever wordplay being used to distinguish between the modern suburbanite hip-hop audience from the veterans of the rap game Andy grew up with. The song is a lyrical feast, with Andy throwing shots at reckless critics, repping New York, and reflecting on his own growth. “Mangia” has some of Andy Mineo’s best bars over a smooth record with three slightly different sounds. Mangia (Ramen and Rhymin’) – “What’s courtside? (Ayy-o) I been to the empty tomb.” Of course, as one of the most popular artists in our space, Andy is always surrounded by controversy, which he counters by stating, “…bump all that bonchinche (gossip) ’cause we grown now.” The drama will always follow him, but Andy’s focus is dedicated to “ellin shows” without “…sell soul out.” The double entendre here is a humorous one, as Andy uses the ideas of pros and cons alongside professionals as opposed to con artists, opting to keep those who are supportive and can push him positively rather than being inauthentic or overly pessimistic around him. Mineo recognizes his struggles could have been the end of him, but Andy “ame upright when shoulda broke down.”Īndy’s second verse on “Herman Miller” also plays into the specifics of his career, sharing appreciation to his team with lines like “hole crew, everybody ten toes down,” and “It’s a lotta con artists, gotta keep the pros ’round.” Within the track, Andy looks on his struggles with anxiety that defined I: The Arrow and much of Work in Progress with newfound peace, telling listeners, “I thought God ain’t walkin’ with me, found out it was a test.”Īs Mineo alludes to, tests of faith are trials that end with a more secure belief, which the “Herman Miller” music video could be paralleling as Andy bench presses a bar while reciting the lyrics. “Herman Miller” is a high-energy track named after the luxurious furniture company that shared the song. Herman Miller – “Man, I’m stressed, stressed about some things I cannot change/But I’m blessed.” “Shibuya Roll Call” is about being willing to succeed on one’s own terms, with Andy and Words embracing who they are as individuals, even if that appears strange to outsiders. He then gives a vivid picture of just what sorts of opportunities he’s earned, going from “class clown” to “o triple platinum on the Tik-Tok.” Wordsplayed’s definition of success is not the same as his peers, which he acknowledges by rapping, “I’ll let them keep the bag, contracts, and finger food/I’ll take my family a Emmy and a Nardwuar interview.” In his verse, Words proclaims, “Loved by, many, secretly loved by more/pportunity was late, so I went to its door…” Of course, Wordsplayed is no slouch, including bars that provide just as much motivation as his incredible “Circle of Life” persona. He knows exactly how far he’s come, and now Andy is here to give “cold water” for “…those who’s thirstin,” a symbol that comes up frequently in the Bible as a sign of spiritual refreshment. The two former New Yorkers spit with constant suave, as Mineo recites powerful lines like “I ain’t selling narcota, just bars with a lot of…/Purpose for those who hurtin’…”Īfter years in the music industry, Mineo knows exactly who he is and gives a look at all of it in a lyrical embrace of marital commitment, financial freedom, and peace. The two preceding versions and the Magic and Bird duo’s take are all about introducing oneself, and in this track, Andy and Words do just that. “Shibuya Roll Call” is a reference to the song first made famous by the 1996 film Get on the Bus, and then reinvented in a favorite show of Andy and Wordsplayed, The Office. Shibuya Roll Call w/ Wordsplayed – “Blessing all my enemies, when it’s beef, let us eat.” Happy Thoughts is a project of sonic enthusiasm, and in a year of seemingly unending pain, it could not come any sooner. The title builds on the themes of the first Never Land 2 EP’s, with the line “ut if I lose my happy thought then I won’t fly” off I: The Arrow ’s “…Lost” serving as a particular inspiration.Īs was made clear on that project, Mineo yearned to find a sense of joy once again, and it seems the trip to Japan he took with the Miner League team gave him just that. The new EP had five singles released before the full project drop, because as Andy stated in a September Instagram post, “…we all need happy thoughts in 2020.” While fans eagerly await the promised Never Land 2 project, Andy Mineo has been sure to provide new tunes through 2019’s Work in Progress, and now, 2020’s Happy Thoughts.
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