"Gangsta" is a song by American R&B band

Free Nationals Free Nationals are an American R&B band formed in Los Angeles, California. The group consists of José Ríos (lead guitar, backing vocals), Ron "T.Nava" Avant (keyboard, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Kelsey Gonzales (bass guitar, bass synth) ...

, American rapper

ASAP Rocky Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a member of the hip hop music, hip hop coll ...

and American singer Anderson .Paak. It was released on February 23, 2024, with an accompanying music video.

Composition

"Gangsta" is a

retro-soul Retro soul, sometimes written as retro-soul, is a post-modern and contemporary popular music genre that emerged years after the golden era of soul music. In style of singing, arrangement and recording techniques, this music attempts to offer new ...

song combining elements of funk and jazz, and has been described as "free-flowing". The production contains "psychedelic strings, pocket drumming, movie samples, and record scratches". The song opens with the chorus, sung by Anderson .Paak, followed by a verse from ASAP Rocky, who reflects on how his father taught him his "gangster" ways and boasts the extravagant aspects of his lifestyle, including women.

Critical reception

Tallie Spencer of ''

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'' called the song a "testament to the creative synergy that occurs when like-minded artists come together to push the boundaries of musical expression" and "standout track, solidifying its place as a must-listen in the evolving landscape of contemporary music." Aaron Williams of ''

Uproxx Uproxx Studios (stylized as ''UPROXX'') is an American music, entertainment and popular culture website and content studio. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater. The website was acquired in 2014 by Woven Digital (which later ...

'' commented the song "amalgamates the signature components of each act, and results in untouchable musical chemistry." In addition, he described the production as "brilliant", that ASAP Rocky "taps into a sense of bravado", and Anderson .Paak's "soulful" performance as "somehow making the life of a gangster sound smooth and sweet."

Music video

The music video was directed by François Rousselet and is set in a world governed by children. Kid versions of ASAP Rocky and Anderson .Paak wear stylish outfits and drive through a cartoon

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

in a

muscle car A muscle car is an American-made two-door sports coupe with a powerful engine, marketed for its performance. In 1949, General Motors introduced its 88 with the company's OHV Rocket V8 engine, which was previously available only in its lux ...

, where the streets are lined with playhouses; they rob a liquor store with others, perform in front of a private jet, defend themselves in court, engage in

Super Soaker Super Soaker is an American brand of recreational water gun that uses manually-pressurized air to shoot water with greater power, range, and accuracy than conventional squirt pistols. The Super Soaker was invented in 1989 by engineer Lonnie John ...

shootouts and throw

Molotov cocktail A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see '') is a hand-thrown incendiary weapon consisting of a frangible container filled with flammable substances and equipped with a Fuse (explosives), fuse (typically a glass bottle filled wit ...

s. In one scene, it is revealed that the events of the video are from the imagination of a child playing in a bathtub.

Charts

References

{{Anderson .Paak 2024 singles 2024 songs ASAP Rocky songs Songs written by ASAP Rocky Anderson .Paak songs Songs written by Anderson .Paak Empire Distribution singles