On his latest single, “Hey Corona! (Nice to Meet Ya)”, underground music hobbyist Angry B pinned his rap skills and dark wit, to the sounds of mainstream pop and a funky EDM template. He blurs the lines between genres with the top of the charts — and only the top — in his sights. As can be deciphered from the song title, Angry B pulls his aspirations from the dramatic Covid-19 disease hitting mankind across the globe.
“It’s one of the most critical situations we’ve had and there will be a lot of sad stories connected with it,” says Angry B. “On the other hand, people are freaking out and making this virus way more dangerous, than it is by itself.” The song is meant to motivate people to calm down, and bring back some joy and normality in a time without these elements. “Furthermore,” continues Angry B, “it doesn’t help to freak out and to go to buy, and store toilet paper for the next 20 years.”
Furthermore, sincerity is present from the outset of “Hey Corona! (Nice to Meet Ya)”, and consequently, as the record progresses and new lyrical threads are broached, Angry B’s candid approach feels earnest and refreshing, as opposed to being disrespectful and distasteful. The track will undoubtedly irk some listeners.
Thankfully Angry B is a bold artist, and he’s also talented enough to have the track address the Covid-19 complexities head on, without sounding overly irreverent. As he himself explained: “The song is about the reaction of human beings in this situation, which leaves one question: Who is more destructive – the virus or the humans themselves?”
“Hey Corona! (Nice to Meet Ya)”, has quite a few punch lines, and a catchy mellifluous vocals hook, but the song’s strength, besides its driving rhythm, is being inquisitive about human nature in the current situation. Angry B examines the difficulties, and uncovers the grotesque.
He does nothing more than reflect the realities with a good dose of wit. And while rap is typically built upon catchy wordplay, this track also focuses on a soaring, up-tempo melody – a rarity in the genre.
Angry B’s confidence on the mic serves him well; the fact that he can funnel all that Pop-EDM froth is an impressive testament to his infectious, unflappable cool. The guy knows how to hang in nearly every sonic situation on “Hey Corona! (Nice to Meet Ya)”, and master it.
There is no doubt that this song will make your regular rotation list. No matter what you think of “Hey Corona! (Nice to Meet Ya)”, the one thing we all can agree that Angry B has put together a thoroughly catchy and danceable single. The man just knows how to put one together – whether it’s his distinctive flow, the tongue-in-cheek lyrics, the cutting edge production or the captivating vocals.
Angry B delivers a resoundingly potent message, and real definite proof that he is not only a unique and innovative artist, but also that he can nail the theme of a track in a creatively deft turn. I can’t wait to see what he comes out with next…if I get through the Coronavirus of course!
