They don’t make music like they used to.

So, recently, I found a couple of new tracks, both of which are interesting, for different reasons. You’ve probably heard of the first- “Whip My Hair” by Willow Smith. If you’re a pop or hip-hop fan and you haven’t heard it yet, you may want to come out from beneath that rock.

Yes, that is Will and Jada’s daughter. Yes, she is only nine years old. Yes, that is (mostly) her voice. It’s a nice standard pop tune- admittedly, it probably would not stand out as much if it had been recorded by an older girl with no industry connections. The song’s only faults are the annoying pitch of its repetitive chorus and the lyrical content- sorry, but I was nine once; I don’t believe her when she talks about haters. That’s more of a personal preference though; Shirley it would be wrong of me to hinder your enjoyment of the song for that reason alone.

I came across the next one a couple of weeks ago but paid it little mind. The beat is nothing special, and, at first listen, I found the majority of the lyrics lackluster. Yes, I am referring to Kanye West’s recently leaked/released single, “Monster.” (I’ve linked it rather than including the video itself, as the video will probably have been blocked by the time you read this). The track includes verses from Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, and an unimpressive Rick Ross.

West’s trademark these days seems to be overly long, drawn-out, overly sexual verses. The only thing that kept me listening through his spiel was the knowledge that Jay-Z was up next. Hov does not disappoint. His verse is more thought-out and better delivered, and includes what I consider to be the best lines of the song: “Everybody wanna know what my Achilles’ heel is/ Love/ I don’t get enough of it.” Nicki follows with a strong verse of her own, adding her color/insanity to the mix.

Essentially, while Kanye’s name may be on the track, Jay and Nicki own it. That makes me wonder exactly who is riding whose coattails here.