When Rocko dropped his Gift of Gab 2 mixtape back in February, it looked like the Atlanta rapper slash music-biz entrepreneur was on the verge of a mainstream breakthrough—a hunch I based largely on the strength of its addictive first single, “U.O.E.N.O.,” featuring Future and Rick Ross. Then, as you very likely heard, shit kind of blew up in the face of everyone involved with the song, thanks to two lines in Rick Ross’s verse where he seems to boast about drugging and date-raping a woman. In the whirlwind of outrage following its release, Ross lost his Reebok sponsorship, while guilt by association has blocked what looked like a sure shot at success for Rocko.
Right now Rocko and his team are scrambling to get back on target, releasing a new “U.O.E.N.O.” remix with Ross’s offending lines edited out, which will hopefully set things right by summer. In the meantime, Gift‘s second single, “Feels Guud,” languishes in obscurity. Which is a shame, because it’s an uplifting blast of catchy PMA energy that’s on my “Inspirational Rap” playlist next to Future’s “You Deserve It.” Ironically, a lot of the people who used the Ross fiasco to condemn hip-hop’s supposed moral rot would probably actually love the lyrics to “Feels Guud,” where Rocko literally raps about his relief at leaving behind his criminal past, his appreciation for his loving relationship with his son, and how he’s prudently invested his rap-game money, which even the most ardent antirap conservatives could probably vibe with.
Hit the jump for the video, and give your week a positive kick in the ass.
