When “Dragonball Durag” came out on Thundercat’s album It is What It Is earlier this year, I was a massive fan. Not only was it comical, of course, and the video helped level up the comedic aspects of it, but it was just so smooth and charming, which is kind of ridiculous considering the lyrical content of the song itself. While I’ve made it known that Cat’s album is one of my favorites so far this year, I’m always looking for additions, adjustments, and remixes to see who else can bring a new flame to the party. Most recently, the newest spin on the classic, humorous love song was provided by two unlikely artists, but two of the most talented artists, nonetheless.
The two people I’m talking about, of course, are Smino and Guapdad 4000. While I’ve been a fan of Smino’s for a while, I’ve just recently started listening to Guapdad’s music, and I’m beyond impressed with everything I’ve heard. On the “Dragonball Durag” remix, Thundercat keeps his verses in place and untouched, ensuring that they remain as flawless and as wholesome as they were in the original version. I also enjoy this tactic because as I was making my way through his portions, I almost forgot that it was a remix so when Smino comes in for his verse, I was thrown off and surprised in the best way possible.
Smino comes in with an extremely uncharacteristic set of vocals, each one layered over the other, but it fits into the vibe of the instrumental perfectly. One layer is his normal, calm delivery while the other is sung in a very high pitch, but they complement each other effortlessly. In the background, echoing ad-libs basically talk in the distance, offering a bit of hecticness to this portion of his verse. This style lasts for just a few lines before his layers join forces and lead into his more typical but still intricate and impressive style. As he continues on flowing his words together incredibly, his demeanor remains unphased and tranquil, but he also uses a rhyme scheme that is somewhat off-kilter in a way that can’t be easy to pull off, but Smino has you thinking otherwise with his insane skill.
Guapdad comes in right after Smi’s lengthy portion, and his voice sounds better than ever. It almost comes off as if he’s whispering, but that’s just due to the gentle nature that is almost always present within his unique delivery. His cadence is consistent and certain points I even wonder when he even takes time to breathe, but this seems to be the least of his worries as he nonchalantly continues on. At a certain point, his ad-libs include multiple layers, much like Smino’s did earlier in the song, and this miniature crowd shouts the last word of some of his lines back to him, emphasizing them more than ever before. About halfway through, he slows his flow down just a little bit in order to sing his lines a bit more, stretching his words out in such a harmoniously perfect manner. While the two new additions make their way through their verses, they touch on romantic themes similar to the original version, referencing certain lines Thundercat originally said while also adding their own unique twist on the hit song.
When it comes to remixes, they often fall flat because the wrong artists hop on and just aren’t able to do the track justice. Although “Dragonball Durag” is a lighthearted, fun song, it’s not an easy record for just any artist to hop on and bring to new levels. Luckily, neither Smino nor Guapdad 4000 are just any artist, and they absolutely heighten the original version of this song tenfold. Their references were on point, their dynamic styles were clear as day, and their individualistic styles were on full display, complementing Thundercat’s already entertaining verses. While I’m not surprised that these artists went off the rails and killed the new additions given to this song, I’m just impressed that their parts came out as incredibly as they did. Whether you were a supporter of the original “Dragonball Durag” or not, you’re bound to be a fan of the remix now that Smino and Guapdad 400 gave us a piece of their creative minds, so make sure you tune in immediately.