Shortly after west-side hip-hop heavyweights Twista and Do or Die dropped “Aquafina,” the first single off their collaborative EP, Withdrawal, I told a friend the track sounded like the 90s. The tune glides on a dainty keyboard melody, gentle finger snapping, and subtle synth squelches, all of which effectively evoke bold velour sheets and candlelit soft-focus lighting ripped from a mid-90s R&B video. With the exception of a few moments that take me out of the song’s mood—a Lady Gaga reference, the line “ate her like a Combo”—Twista and Do or Die sound like they’re in their element.
Leor Galil writes about hip-hop every Wednesday.
