“Kanye West”

There’s no way around the fidgeting that Young Thug has projected onto his latest single, the Wyclef Jean-featuring “Kanye West,” which anchors his new mixtape, JEFFERY. Before landing on that final title, over the course of the last couple weeks, the song has been variously referred to as “Pop Man,” “Elton,” “John,” and “Elton John.” Wyclef plays a vitally and surprisingly endearing role here (though he is channelled only in spirit on the mixtape’s first track, called “Wyclef Jean”). Blithe titular marketing aside, “Kanye West” has remained unchanged as one of Young Thug’s most refined and indispensable pop experiments yet.

Alongside familiar Young Thug scene-setter Wheezy, “Kanye West” also folds in Cassius Jay, a Zaytoven protege who similarly honed his chops as a church organist before earning placements like this as a go-to Atlanta mixtape producer. Together, the pair have given Thug a gorgeously beaming backdrop with tautly buzzing 808s, gently surging synths, and key runs folded in like a delicacy.

But as with most of Young Thug’s greatest hits, it’s his remarkably nimble voice that propels “Kanye West.” The hook is a geniusly pattering earworm built out of the rapper’s careful, scat-like “wamp-wamp” and “wet-wet” chant. Wyclef is there to soothe the star’s raunch with an interjecting and almost pleading lullaby. “Jeffery, be easy,” he presses during his verse, placating the star’s sensuality in both lyric and gentle tone. Whichever name stuck, it seems this song was always about the obvious grandeur of JEFFERY’S transfixing pop, yet another showcase in its namesake’s singularly malleable charm.