Michael Jantz ‘26
Guest Writer
The East Atlanta rapper’s second collaboration tape with New York based-producer Pierre Bourne shows glimpses of the duo’s former chemistry. While the pair has had success in the past, this time it feels like they are both punching below their weight.
Young Nudy and Pierre Bourne had been collaborating for years prior to their first billed tape Slimerre together. Nudy’s offbeat and relaxed delivery meshed well with Pierre’s zany and colorful production style on 2017’s Nudy Land, Nudy’s breakthrough tape which put their synergy on full display. After two years and another song together on Nudy’s 2018 project Slimeball 3, the duo dropped Slimerre in 2019. The project had a star-studded lineup, with features from Nudy’s cousin 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert, DaBaby and Megan Thee Stallion. Even with these A-list rappers, the two’s unique style managed to stand out, showcasing a dynamic appeal that gave them a distinct niche within the trap-dense Atlanta scene. After the successful project and some more tracks in the encompassing years (with “Pot Roast” on Gumbo being a standout), the expectations were understandably high for the sequel.
Unfortunately, Slimerre 2 falls short of its predecessor. While there are a few bright spots, it lacks the energy and creativity that defined their earlier collaborations. Lyrically, Nudy continues to muse about the same enticements that always drive him: sex, money and drugs (“Choppers and bandanas, five sticks and ten cameras, a hundred pounds/Paid like eighty thousand, tryna make two hundred thousand”), almost like he’s on autopilot. The lyrics echo his formulaic swagger, but lacks the punch and charisma that infects his tracks. While his vocals can be seen as woozy and unenergetic, it’s usually this delivery that complements Pierre so well. However, on Slimerre 2, Nudy genuinely sounds like he is unenthusiastic, going through the motions rather than leaning into what makes him stand out.
Pierre’s production, once the magnetic pulse that pulls listeners into Nudy’s world, often lacks the spark that made him so captivating in the first place. His beats on prior projects like Nudy Land and Slimerre were energetic, with intricate layering and drums that added dimension to Nudy’s nonchalant flow. However, his efforts here feel almost stripped down, missing that quirkiness that made him standout as a pioneer of the producing game. Songs like “How It Be” and “Money” showcase the emptiness of the beat that leaves Nudy carrying more weight than usual, to which even he doesn’t compensate fully.
While songs like “10pc Teriyaki” and “I’m Big Dawg” flash moments of the duo at their best–Nudy’s laidback sound pairs with Pierre’s off kilter orchestration swimmingly–a majority of the tape feels like both artists are coasting rather than innovating. Pierre’s production, often lacking the playful layering that is attributed to him and Nudy’s usually lazy yet engaging delivery that he has honed over the last decade seems unenthusiastic. Rather than drawing listeners in, Slimerre 2 stays effectively in the background, making the project feel like a nostalgic ode to their previous works rather than a bold new chapter in their collaboration.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Featured image courtesy of Pitchfork
Web Edited by Zexuan Qu ’28
Leave a Reply