Ice Spice has never been much of a lyrical rapper, but these moments are extremely disappointing Y2K! because they distract from a really exciting and ambitious album. Individually, any song here could be pondered and explained. This verse shows the influence of Nicki Minaj (“Phat Butt”), this beat feels like the Opium label (“Plenty Sun”), this low-key track gives Kay Flock (“Gimmie a Light”). Collectively, this album is unlike any of her peers, lurching from one sonic inspiration to the next. Even when the bars are messed up, Y2K! finds its footing thanks to Ice Spice's flexible and adaptable flow, assembling simple syllables into unusual rhythms.
At every turn, Ice Spice expands her signature lower register into new timbres. There's the 40-grit rap of “Bitch I'm Packin',” where Ice Spice whistles, “His bitch e ride it very good but I get better knees,” and the energetic Young Chop-like sound of “Popa,” where she influences a tie that brings to mind Young MA and Bktherula. She sounds incredibly annoyed with demanding men who sign NDAs before she cheats on them on “Plenty Sun,” and then appears like the demon emoji on “Did It First,” managing to sound even less apologetic about infidelity than Mr. “Lucky for me I deleted message” Central Cee.
Drawing on the history of the drill that spent decades between Chicago, New York and London, as well as the hippest Jersey clubs and rage beats, Y2K! it doesn't just surprise from track to track, it recasts the poppier singles as irregular elements of a coherent aesthetic vision. The silly Mike Dean synth breakdown on “Phat Butt” makes more sense as a Graduation-charged album introduction; Placed near the album's close, a Sean Paul sample cheat code feels less like nostalgia bait than a flag that proudly echoes the sample-drill's Caribbean roots. Day one partner RiotUSA is behind the boards on every track, and Y2K! it is a testament to the strength of their long-term creative collaboration. His weakest moments are those with outsiders – Guna and Travis Scott are just completely washed out here.
What is he doing Y2K! So instantly memorable is Ice Spice's refusal to be pigeonholed. Undeterred by the scrutiny of the Swiftie relationship or the pressure to live up to her previous sales peaks, Spice doubles down on the sounds she loves without compromise or quarters. A non-zero number of fans turned on this album because of PinkPantheress and “Karma (Remix)” only to be met with some of the scariest 808s on the planet. She already knows her Munchkins love the bops: Now she wants to see them mosh.
