Iggy Azalea’s, The New Classic, proves that there is something ratchet in being fancy

 After having her album pushed back more than once since 2012, rapper Iggy Azalea finally dropped The New Classic in April 2014.

Azalea immigrated from Mullumbimby, New South Wales, Australia, to the United States on her own just before her sixteenth birthday in pursuit of a hip-hop career.

Azalea’s current single “Fancy,” produced by The Invisible Men and The Arcade, incorporates the California sound. It is an interpretation of the San Francisco Bay Area rap sound, popularized by DJ Mustard.The song has a sort of dry beat, with rap music’s famous “Hey!” sampled in the background. The tune, featuring British singer Charlie XCX (‘Ex See Ex’), peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The New Classic is a mix of electronic dance music (EDM), contemporary R&B, and rap. Lyrically, it touches on rejection, struggle, success, love, perseverance, competition, and swagger, which ranges from bougie to ghetto.

“Lady Patra,” featuring Mavado, has a reggae vibe, and is in reference to Jamaican dancehall artist Patra who is known for her independence and erotica. Although it may have experimental appeal, “Lady Patra” will have little appeal for dancehall lovers.

Other tracks on the album include “F*** Love,” an uptempo, comical piece alluding to a preference of diamonds to love, and the motivational “Impossible is Nothing.”

The New Classic (Deluxe Version) has an additional three songs, including the single “Bounce.” Other singles released from the album are“Change Your Life,” featuring T.I., and “Work.”

“Work” is a dance tune about her immigration struggles which, during the tune’s chorus, samples from “Get It Girl” by Miami’s 2 Live Crew.

Azalea primarily uses Afro-American Southern diction throughout the album, except on “Goddess,” in which she blends in a Northeastern accent. “Goddess” shows off her more hip-hop side, and finishes with a rock feel.

Azalea has gotten some additional attention because she is a foreign-born female in an American male-dominated genre. Only time will tell if the album becomes a historical classic, but Azalea’s dream of reaching elite status in rap has been realized.

Dahnje Marceo
Staff Writer
dmarceo@ucmerced.edu

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