Hot Grrrl Shit

Teezo Touchdown is at the forefront of a movement that is very close to my heart, the popularization of Black Alt-ness. Black artists are often categorized as rappers or R&B artists no matter how provocative and genre-bending their music is (see “Igor” winning Best Rap Album). Teezo Touch Down is the epitome of subversive. You might know him as the guy who wears nails in his hair, or the guy who promotes his music via yellow sticky notes, or maybe you saw him open for Tyler the Creator’s “Call Me if You Get Lost Tour”, no matter how you know him, his talent is undeniable. Teezo Touchdowns debut album “How Do You Sleep At Night” pushes his subversive aesthetic even further through a unique mix of sounds, genres, and lyricism. 

This album has been highly anticipated, especially after Teezo received cosigns from Tyler the Creator, the king of alternative blackness, and Drake, the king of mainstream rap. As someone who enjoys more experimental projects, I thoroughly enjoyed “How Do You Sleep At Night’s” collage of mismatched sounds. Though the project has received criticism for lacking cohesion, I think all of the tracks come together to create a full mosaic of Teezo Touchdown as an artist, and an exploration of his potential musically. I also enjoyed the album’s ability to be an impressive showcase of Teezo Touchdown’s talents, without taking itself too seriously. 

I was also drawn to the term “Rock and Boom”, which Teezo Touchdown has coined as a part of the album rollout. This phrase exemplifies how Teezo Touchdown is combining the attitude and aura of Rock, with the expressionism and creativity of Boom Bap style rap. I think what stood out to me most about this was how much it resonated with me, and the way Hot Grrrl Shit is setting out to combine the attitude of riot grrrl with the deep experiences of black femininity. 

Overall, I highly recommend this album if you’re looking for an alternative black coming-of-age soundtrack, or if you’re looking for a refreshing, genre-bending display of new talent. 

My Highlights 

Ok 

This is the opening track of the album. It combines Teezo Touchdowns off-kilter, witty lyricism with guitar-heavy rock instrumentals. The chorus is probably the most catchy hook on the album and is reminiscent of 2000s pop-punk. Overall, this is a fun track and a perfect introduction to what Teezo brings to the rest of the album 

Sweet ft. Foushee 

Foushee is a fantastic choice of feature for this track. Her 2020 album softCORE is a masterful combination of pup-punk and RnB, two genres How Do You Sleep At Night plays with. Foushee delivers beautifully smooth vocals on this more laid-back trip-hop/RnB track. 

Neighborhood

This track is the most impressive from a lyrical storytelling perspective. The track tells a story of a day in the life of someone becoming progressively disillusioned with his life as he becomes more aware of how poverty is negatively affecting his life. Teezo’s ability to tell a somber story is well-complimented by a soothingly melancholy chorus. 

Familiarity 

This was the lead single of the album, so I’ve had more time to sit with it. This is by far the most upbeat/poppy track on the album. The way Teezo Touchdown talks about struggling to be successful despite being aware of his talent gives the song a very coming-of-age feel that resonates. It also gives the listener a peek into a more personal side of Teezo Touchdown, and his experiences with pursuing a music career. 

Nu Nay 

This might be an odd choice, but this is my favorite track on the album. It’s a light and fun anti-club banger about the struggles of modern-day nightlife. In that sense, it follows the tradition of songs like Chance the Rappers “All Night” It has a bouncy funk groove that makes you want to dance along.