Evan Nabavian sampled Three Dog Night in his last job application.
Awkwardly co-opted cheeseball hooks hit their crescendo when J.R. Writer sampled “Oh Ho Ho It’s Magic” and Juelz Santana had the neighbhorhood kids flip the Hess Truck theme into a crack jingle. Both hallmarks of the Dips’ legacy, for sure. The hook on David Banner’s “Believe” ostensibly follows that trend, but it’s actually textbook chipmunk soul — whereupon producer Mr. Lee pitches up Jodeci’s “Love U 4 Life” into the ready and willing hook of a 90s leaning jam.
Banner and Big K.R.I.T. also employ another hip-hop trope: personifying your hometown as a woman; more specifically, your main chick who holds you down even when you mess with other dames. She completes you, etc. It’s not nearly as played out as the old “I Used To Love H.E.R.” switcharoo, so it’s fair game when they break down their hometown love with especially passionate flows. “Believe” is a banger with a heart and a number one record on my imaginary Hot 100.
Track and video below the jump.
Download:
MP3: David Banner ft. Big K.R.I.T. – “Believe”
