Sean Paul is the master of unlikely musical partnerships. His proclivity for sharing the spotlight knows no genre-bounds, ranging from compatriot Beenie Man to pop-punk outfit Simple Plan. This has no doubt contributed to his global seat as the household dancehall darling. In his newest single “Body,” Sean Paul teams up with Migos—a trio that as of late, has entered a new role as a pop music Swiss army knife—for better (see Calvin Harris’ “Slide”) or worse (their recent outing with Katy Perry). It seems the key to remaining relevant in an attention-deficit industry is the flexibility to fit into any mold, and Migos and Sean Paul working together is like two sets of blank slates on a crash course for the pop charts.
Ostensibly, “Body” is a freewheeling anthem of hedonism, with all the trappings of a quintessential summer jam. Migos take the offensive here, flexing their newfound success over thick, addictive synth lines reminiscent of DJ Mustard. It’s radio-ready beat, but its familiar bounce has a copy-and-paste feel. Sean Paul circles Migos’ verses on the bridge with pat lines about beach bods (“Hot with your body, hot with your clothes”) and a leering chorus: “I just wanna feel ya, oh/I wanna steal ya girl” he croons. Halfway through Takeoff’s verse, he even adopts a questionable, Drake-like patois parlance—rounding out his vowels to match his collaborator. If you can see through all the designer name drops, and too-sleek tropical-pop sheen, it’s really a love song filled with giddy one-liners like, “I wanna sing to her/Quavo Sinatra.” Sweet as the offer sounds, maybe next time.
