Iggy Azalea owned the summer of 2014. Her Clueless inspired music video for “Fancy” was an instant fan favorite that revisited one of the most vibrant eras of the 90s. The song quickly reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. She had the endorsement of T.I., one of rap’s most respected artists. She wasn’t the best rapper ever by any stretch of the imagination, but she had a few catchy tunes. However, her fall seemed to have happened just as quickly as her rise. Pundits called her out for not writing her own lyrics and labeling her as a gimmicky one hit wonder. 

The Australian rapper has dropped a few mixtapes since her The New Classic debut studio LP. she dropped the lukewarm single, “Savior”, featuring Quavo. Now, she’s back with two new singles (“Kream” and “Tokyo Snow Trip”),  hoping to shake up the music industry again. Both songs are lifted from her upcoming Survive The Summer EP. Dropping an EP vs another studio album may be a good move for Iggy Azalea. Studio LPs are getting short and shorter these days anyway. 

So, exactly how does her new music sound? The music video for “Kream”, featuring Tyga, just dropped on Friday. The clip looks like an exclusive look inside a fluorescent strip club. Think Hype Williams’ Belly, circa 1999. Showing skin is still associated with driving up record sales. Nonetheless, it’s a bit disheartening to see Iggy twerking on her knees next to an oven full of money and clear platform heels. This is not the approach that will make people push pause on Cardi B or Nicki Minaj.

However, the production on the song is actually decent (though a tad bit too trendy). Also, someone must have told her that it was time to retire her signature nasal, animated voice. Good call. Lyrically, the song is a major let down. The fact that Wu Tang’s classic “C.R.E.A.M.” is sampled here really is an injustice. Tyga’s gravel voiced feature does little to raise the quality of the song. “Kream” will be a sleeper strip club anthem at best. 

How about “Tokyo Snow Trip”? This one is better, but it still misses the mark. “Hocus Pocus” and “rats and roaches” lines devalue the message she’s trying to convey here. Then again, that message seems to be about how much money she has. “Tokyo Snow Trip” has whispers throughout the song that are reminiscent of the Ying Yang Twins “Wait The Whisper Song”. That is not the formula to craft for a music takeover. Iggy is back. Sadly for her, few will likely sit up and take notice. Iggy Azalea’s new uber gangsta persona is not believable. Perhaps she would have fared better addressing her haters, with some catchy punch lines. 

Check out the music video for “Kream” and the audio for “Tokyo Snow Trip” below. Warning, this one is NSFW (not safe for work). What are your thoughts on her new songs?