DJ Khaled dropped a surprise new track, “Top Off,” from his upcoming album, Father of Asahd, early on Friday morning.

But if you ask the right people, the only person that mattered in terms of Friday releases was Beyoncé — despite the fact that she appears for less than a minute on the fragmented song that Kevin Hart promised would cause a worldwide “flatline.” Sorry, Kevin, but nah.


It’s a song that’s destined to be a hit thanks to the star power of its features: rapper Future, Beyoncé, and her husband Jay Z — and in news that will surprise absolutely no one, Queen Bey is the undisputed clear star of the track. Although Bey graciously shares the song with two of hip hop’s favorite rappers, when she begins to drop bars, the game is basically over — confirming that Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is not only the queen of our hearts (and maybe everything) but also that she’s your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper.

On “Top Off,” the first single from DJ Khaled’s upcoming album, Queen Bey stood out — not just because she’s Beyoncé Giselle Knowles — but because she raps. Rare Beyoncé bars were dropped with a ferocity that stopped the music world and made it incredibly clear that the people are dying for a Beyoncé rap album.

Don’t be mistaken, though. This isn’t new behavior: Beyoncé has been doing this for a while. As documented by The Fader, Bey has a storied history of delivering melodic bars smoother than most MCs. It’s been happening since Destiny’s Child but perhaps her fiercest contributions to the game come from songs like “Diva,” “7/11,” or when she linked up with Nicki Minaj on “Feelin’ Myself” and the immaculate remix of “Flawless.”

There are a million theories one can muster as to what exactly makes Bey’s rapping so compelling. Maybe it’s because she’s Beyoncé, or maybe it’s due to the limited number of women rapping unabashedly like she does. Maybe it’s because she catches pockets of songs in a refreshing manner that’s uniquely her own.

 

Sure, when Beyoncé raps, skin clears and crops flourish around the world. But beyond that, perhaps it’s captivating because when she does decide to spit, we get a glimpse of the “authentic” Beyoncé from Houston, Texas, instead of the polished Hollywood figure we’re used to fawning over. Beyoncé’s never been afraid of getting real in her music.

But with each “Free Meek Mill” or reference to Drake she delivers in “Top Off,” it feels like a guard is let down for a bit, and sometimes even just the illusion makes all the difference.

The people have spoken. Your move, B.

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