Donnie Trumpet (now Nico Segal) and The Social Experiment emphasize the importance of independence in the uptempo “Slip Slide.”

After a brief intro by Busta Rhymes, the song starts with the constant hook that will be repeated throughout the song:

I don’t wanna slip, slip, slip, slide!

I’mma stand up on my own two

Stand up on my own two

The hook could refer to two different things. The first and most obvious one is just being yourself and “standing up on [your] own [two feet].” The second meaning could relate to maintaining one’s independence as an artist, given Chance the Rapper’s appearance on “Slip Slide” and his refusal to sign with a record label.

Busta Rhymes’ first verse is uninspiring. His cadence fits the tempo of the song, but the lyrics are somewhat shallow. His message about being at the top of the game (“We talkin’ all night but this is my birth right / Please can you get to bringin’ the crown to me?”) fails to resonate because he clearly is not one of the best anymore.

B.o.B’s second verse is better than Busta Rhymes’ in terms of flow and, ironically, rhymes. He has an amusing part where he plays on his low GPA, but then calls his doubters “slower than slow.” Despite that, the verse shows that there is really no overarching theme in “Slip Slide.”

Busta Rhymes talks about being the best, B.o.B. talks about his doubters, and Chance and The Social Experiment talk about independence. The only thing that unites these three ideas is the hook. The fantastic jazzy beat goes to waste in what could’ve been a song of the year candidate had the features adhered to a consistent subject matter.

You can follow Wilko on Twitter @wilko_mart_cach.