Is there such a thing as the greatest rap verse of all time? No single, definitive answer exists, and there never will. Judgment here is inherently subjective, and that subjectivity is something that should be celebrated. If you ask me on the right day, I might crown Bun B’s verse on UGK’s “Murder” as the ultimate all-timer. Another day, I might pick Pimp C’s turn on UGK’s “One Day” — different artist, different track, same crew, same record. The nature of the game is that rappers are expected to declare their own lines as the best ever; they’re supposed to believe it. To project sky-high confidence outward, you need to feel you’re the best.
Back in 2013, Kanye West claimed that his second verse on “New Slaves” was the best rap verse of all time. I didn’t buy it then, and I don’t buy it now, but I appreciated the drive it showed. This week, Tyler, The Creator offered a comparable claim, albeit with a touch more restraint. On Thursday, Tyler posted about his contribution on former Migos member Quavo’s new solo album QRÖMELIFE: “my best verse of all time is on this (prolly top 25 in rap history) what i did to the english language is insane and shall be studied 10/10 real grown man bars.”
Today, Quavo’s album has finally dropped, giving us a chance to hear Tyler’s verse in full. I suspect he was joking? Or maybe the impact simply needs a moment to land. Tyler appears on “Baby Breath,” a track that also features Pharrell and A$AP Rocky. His contribution is good, but it doesn’t feel like Tyler’s career peak, nor his strongest stretch of late. (He truly exploded on AZ Chike’s “Look Like My Mama.”) It might not even be the best verse on that track?
Tyler opens the song by listing the word “bling” about 15 times, then repeats “vroom” five times. He’s clearly having a ball, and that energy is contagious. He injects real momentum into the record, doing what rappers are supposed to do — flip the energy for the crowd and answer the hecklers in the bleachers with swagger. Listen to the track yourself below.
QRÖMELIFE is Quavo’s third solo project, or its fifth if you count the full-length tapes he cut with Travis Scott and with his late nephew Takeoff. His solo releases haven’t lit up the charts, but this one represents a bold swing. Pharrell produced the entire album, much like he did with Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out last year. The sessions took place at Louis Vuitton’s headquarters and aboard a yacht in Miami, with a star-studded guest list that includes Justin Timberlake, Future, Lil Baby, Yung Miami, T.I., and Quavo’s former Migos partner Offset. (Quavo has recently hinted that he and Offset are plotting a final Migos album and tour.)
Viewed from a certain angle, QRÖMELIFE might read as a last-ditch bid by a handful of former A-listers to reclaim their past relevance. Yet I’m just giving it a first listen and finding it enjoyable. We haven’t had a brisk, event-ready rap record that’s this much fun in a while, and this one could be the missing piece. Stream it below.
There’s more Tyler news, too. On Tuesday, Tyler shared a remix of “Girls,” LilGoatD3 and Roddy Ricch’s recent single. In the YouTube description, he wrote, “i really liked this song so i wrote to it! very sweet.”
Tyler’s verse on the “Girls” remix contains the memorable line “contrary to belief, I never nutted in a white bitch,” and it also gives a nod to his former video collaborator Ayo Edebiri. After sharing that remix on his alternate Instagram account, Tyler offered a bit more context on Thursday.
On Wednesday, A$AP Rocky’s tour rolled into Accor Arena in Paris, and Tyler joined him on stage for two numbers, “Who Dat Boy” and “Potato Salad.”
QRÖMELIFE is out now on Quality Control/Motown/UMG.
