We all know how the average Pharrell beat starts at this point, but where each beat goes from his signature four-count is still anybody’s guess. It’s a testament to his ear that the producer is still creating the strangest and most whimsical music for titans of rap, R&B, and pop three decades into his career. Whether by himself or as one-half of the Neptunes with Chad Hugo, he’s become an institution based on subverting expectations; sometimes going grand (Jay-Z’s “I Know,” “Gust of Wind” from his 2014 solo album G I R L), sometimes going minimal (Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright,” Frank Ocean’s “Sweet Life”), but always being recognizable.
For his latest single “Cash In Cash Out,” Pharrell goes the stripped-back route—the beat is nothing more than airtight snare drums, a blown-out 808, and vocal chirps, one of his more skeletal productions since Pusha T’s “Brambelton” from this year’s It’s Almost Dry. But the rhythm is a perfect match for 21 Savage and Tyler, the Creator, who each approach it from opposite ends. 21 commits to the march, rapping about charging a million dollars just to show up and warping a reference to the stoner comedy classic How High into a cold gun metaphor. Meanwhile Tyler—always one to relish a chance to rap over his idol’s beats—hop-scotches across pockets, still in Call Me If You Get Lost flex mode. From the beat to the guest pairing, “Cash In Cash Out” is dark but playful, continuing Pharrell’s streak of finding the beauty in opposites.
