With heaps of classic samples and pop culture references, the Michigan rap crew keeps things breezy and showcases their tight-knit power.
Part of the distinct energy of the Michigan rap scene is not just the speed or intensity, but the humor—from Rio da Yung OG’s gross-out punchlines to Bfb Da Packman’s outright comedy rap. But there’s probably no one from the Detroit metropolitan area as consistently funny—or as gleefully delightful—as ShittyBoyz, the trio consisting of half-court jesters BabyTron, StanWill, and TrDee. They can go pound for pound and bar for bar with the likes of Icewear Vezzo and Band Gang Lonnie Bands, but the self-described scam rappers are more transparently goofy than many of their peers, as the name might indicate.
Their new album, Trifecta 2, comes in the middle of a triumphant year for the group, which has included the first Trifecta album and BabyTron solo project MegaTron. BabyTron has experienced the most solo success thus far, including a slot in this year’s XXL Freshman Class, but ShittyBoyz form a tight-knit unit with effortless chemistry. At times, their flows can be difficult to distinguish, but not because they sound alike; each member is so in sync with the others that the back and forth form a collective Voltron. And despite the pounds of runtz and zaza they brag about inhaling, ShittyBoyz never run out of breath.
The fat synths and pounding 808s of “Win or Lose” are pure Detroit, but listening to an entire ShittyBoyz album front to back makes for a high-energy DJ set, with unpredictable sounds that swerve into one another. On “Zeke & Luther,” ShittyBoyz hold their ground over a chaotic piano line, while “Cheers B!tch” approaches acid house. Mixed in with the hi-hats and thumping bass of Drakeo the Ruler type beats like “Going Hyphy” are the wailing quiet storm saxophone of “Getaway” and the tropical guitar of “Most Wanted.” ShittyBoyz don’t make dance music per se, but frequently draw from it, with sampled snatches of ’80s R&B, Miami bass, and freestyle deep cuts, like the interpolation of Cynthia’s “If I Had the Chance” on closing track “GGG.” You could make a dangerous drinking game out of every time the 808 cowbell hits.
No matter what beat is thrown their way, the ShittyBoyz still maintain an impressive number of words per minute—it’s less that ShittyBoyz dabble in different styles, and more that they contort different styles to fit into their own distinctive universe. “Video Games” is the album’s most adventurous piece of plunderphonics, an epic mega-mix that veers through multiple game soundtracks, like a restless kid who can’t settle on which one he wants to play. As the Boyz spit relentless bars, the beat behind them switches from the familiar loading screen music for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas to the scores from Donkey Kong Country, Luigi’s Mansion, Ratchet and Clank, and Def Jam: Vendetta. The choice of GTA is especially fitting, as listening to ShittyBoyz’ sped-up throwback samples often evokes flipping through radio stations in Vice City.
Even when the ShittyBoyz aren’t pilfering pop culture for potential beats, they’re referencing it, especially pro wrestling; in fact, the depth and breadth of their wrestling fandom is probably only rivaled in today’s rap game by Westside Gunn. On “WWE,” ShittyBoyz run through an encyclopedia of wrestling superstars, from Rick Rude and the Sandman to Mick Foley and John Morrison—at the end of the song, every line with a wrestler name-drop is repeated and highlighted, just in case you didn’t catch it the first time.
In many ways, ShittyBoyz share something with the wrestlers they idolize, as expertly skilled craftsmen who achieve maximum entertainment value. Like the best sports entertainers, ShittyBoyz are master technicians who don’t show the seams. Their flows are so effortless that you can’t even tell they’re working, the delivery so precise that it never feels practiced or rehearsed.
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