The Dream

The same man that wrote "Single Ladies" for Beyonce wrote "Umbrella" for Rihanna. He calls himself The Dream and with hits like that, who's going to argue. I tend to love the work of producers and writers who step out from behind the curtain to make their own records (Timbaland, Keri Hilson, Ryan Leslie) and it's good to see The Dream doing that with Love Vs. Money.

Listening yesterday for the first time, I thought, "That's funny. This reminds me so much of Kardinal Offishall, particularly my jam "Gimme Some." Three and a half seconds on Google taught me that my ears were on point: The Dream made that track with Offishall. That's always a good thing in slicked-over Top 40 when an artist can keep that strong of an identity in tact.

Here's what I think about "Gimme Some." It's, like, the only piece of music, maybe ever, that makes me horny. How many songs about fucking have ever made you even an ounce turned on? I count them at zero. But "Gimme Some" turns some kind of switch in my head. The chorus hook is some ridiculous, synthed-out eroticism. If you must, just ignore Offishall's rap and get to the hook.

"Love vs. Money," the title track is a stylistic cousin to "Gimme Some," only it's sad instead of sexed up. "He took my shorty, he took my girl/He took the any and everything out my world/He took my heart, he took my soul/I should have known money couldn't match love." This is so twisted and cool, because he's flipping the cliche and playing the part of the guy who tried to buy the girl's love and he lost out to someone who just treated her right. "I can't even hate the homey..."

Kardinal Offishall "Gimme Some (Feat. The Dream)"


The Dream "Love vs. Money"