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PinkPantheress (feat. Ice Spice), 'Boy's a liar Pt. 2'

An initially incongruous concept, a collaboration between producer PinkPantheress, known for her grunge hyperpop, and viral Bronx drill rapper Ice Spice is exactly what we needed. Ice Spice spits over the Mura Masa-produced Jersey club beat with a collected, indifferent delivery, unselfconscious bars serving as a hilarious approach to dealing with a triflin' lover: "Sayin' he home, but I know where he at, like / Bet he blowin' her back / Thinkin' 'bout me cos he knows that it's fat." Completely unbothered, Ice Spice cuts through the facade of PinkPantheress' nonchalant neurosis — the Londoner's cheerful musical arrangement of twinkly game console button chimes obscures devastating insecurities such as, "Every time I pull my hair / Well, it's only out of fear / That you'll find me ugly / And one day you'll disappear" — by highlighting self-confidence in the face of insincerity and disrespect. Most impressive is that, at a little over two minutes, the remix never overstays its welcome.

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LaTesha Harris is NPR Music's editorial assistant. A relentless jack-of-all-trades, she takes turns writing, editing and producing music coverage. Invested in the culture behind pop, hip-hop and R&B, her work highlights the intersection between identity and history. Once in a blue moon, Harris moonlights as a talking head with no filter.