Too many artists coming up the ladder in hip-hop and R&B are leaning on big basslines when it comes to establishing a groove in a track, but Star2 isn’t among this unfortunate group of his peers. Contrarily, in his latest single with HoodTrophy Bino, “GO!,” he’s putting up a beat that is percussive and based on his vocal cadence, which is an area of his skillset in which he has been increasingly exceptional since finding his initial fame in the last year. “GO!” is what its title would suggest in more ways than one, and it’s sending Star2 back into the headlines with as much panache as his longtime listeners have come to expect out of his sound.
The music video for “GO!” is rather playful, which is somewhat different from the underlying emotion we’ve seen in a lot of previous works from this artist. I don’t think Star2 is trying to remove himself from his emo influences here, but instead let the energy Bino is putting up in the guest slot guide the narrative more than his own attitude normally would. This dictates a much more collaborative and energetic finish in the long run, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more of it in the future.
Context is ultimately what makes the lyrical content in “GO!” feel personal, which despite being true of other material in Star2’s discography seems a little more emphasized in this release. He wants us to know how intimate each performance he gives is, to such an extent, I would say, that he’s showing us how a single can mean something unique to the moment he recorded it as opposed to how he would perform it live. That’s the essence of versatility, especially in a genre as multilayered as hip-hop is, was, and always shall be.
Everyone has been talking about Star2 for a reason, but that reason might not be the most exciting element of what makes “GO!” a credible single for this artist. I can’t be certain whether it’s the influence of HoodTrophy Bino or just the fact that he’s maturing with the career he started at such a young age, but he’s translating as being a lot more secure in his persona here, and I’ve got a feeling that what we’re going to be witnessing out of his next few releases could represent the trademark moment Star2’s followers have been anticipating from day one.
