Never thought I’d be writing about Justin Bieber, but his appearance here shows just how much hip-hop sounds have permeated across mainstream pop music. A little over 4 years since he last released solo music with 2015’s Purpose, Bieber debuted his newest single, “Yummy,” along with a fun video to kick off the new year. It’s the lead single for his upcoming album, which will reportedly drop sometime in 2020, and was produced by Kid Culture, Sasha Sirota and collaborator Poo Bear.
It’s hard not to notice the hip-hop influence in the beat for “Yummy” as it’s driven by a few fast-paced hi-hat variations and some big 808s across the hook. While he’s not rapping on this song, Bieber’s affinity for hip-hop goes back to the early 2010s when he showed his lyrical ability with a few radio freestyles, including one over Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Otis.”
Most recently, the Biebs demonstrated his foray into hip-hop with his summer 2018 feature on DJ Khaled’s “No Brainer” featuring Chance the Rapper and Quavo, and his latest work with 18-year-old Kid Culture, who has production credits for two rising rap stars, YBN Cordae and Lil Mosey, shows how he’s tapping in with notable producers in the scene. Genius recently documented Bieber’s full hip-hop catalog.
According to TMZ, his new album will also include features from Post Malone and Travis Scott, though it wouldn’t be the first time he’s worked with these artists. In 2015, Bieber famously appeared on La Flame’s Rodeo for the dazed and confused “Maria I’m Drunk” alongside Young Thug. In 2016, he brought Posty on tour with him across North America.
Read About It By Gerard Smith 