Pop Perspective: Iggy Azalea’s “Team” Rated And Reviewed

Mike Wass | March 18, 2016 3:37 pm
Iggy Strips For 'Schön! Magazine'
Iggy Azalea poses topless for London's 'Schön! Magazine.' See the shoot.

At Idolator, the editors share a passion for high-quality pop. Occasionally, our tastes align. Other times, not so much! So, in the spirit of debate, we’ve developed a recurring feature called Pop Perspective. Basically, all of the editors dissect a particularly noteworthy pop event, and give it a rating out of 10.

That way you’re getting a full spectrum of views and we can all vent. (It’s cheaper than therapy!) The latest pop event to be dragged under the Idolator microscope is Iggy Azalea’s comeback single “Team,” which is the second taste of her sophomore LP after buzz track “AZILLION.” Is the defiant anthem another “Fancy”-like smash or something of a misfire? See our thoughts below.

Robbie Daw — 8/10

Thank the pop gods Iggy Azalea seems to have freed herself from the chains of high-profile collaborations, hater drama and overall expectations, and gotten back to what’s important: Focusing on her own brand of catchy rap-pop. To be honest, “Team” is the first single choice from the Aussie rhymestress I’ve thoroughly enjoyed since “Work.”

I don’t really care about the drama vortex swirling around this talented young musician; I just want to hear good things coming from her. “Team,” fortunately, finds her back on track in that regard.

Carl Williott — 7/10

Pop Perspective is nothing if not a forum for fully honest first impressions, and if I’m being totally real with myself, this song is dope. Any other rapper is on this beat and I’m giving it a thousand flame emojis out of a thousand. But I just can’t get past Iggy’s voice. This has nothing to do with all the extraneous Iggy stuff, I’m strictly talking about what’s on wax. The fact that she’s going the Ariana route and consciously trying to make her vocals sound less garbled might actually make it worse for me.

As for that extraneous stuff, rather than taking Macklemore’s mealy-mouthed, woe-is-me approach to cultural appropriation, Iggy just doubles down, deploying a patois and a Juvenile interpolation to outrage-bait everyone. It’s a savage, self-aware troll move, and as a lifelong fan of Troll King Kanye, I have to give her points for that.

Mike Wass — 8/10

If I could just copy and paste the second paragraph of Carl’s blurb, I would. “Team” is palpably defiant. From the blunt lyrics (“baby I got me and that’s all I need”) to the second verse, which employs Patois and Spanish, this is a 3:29 minute Fuck You to haters. You’re either going to applaud Iggy’s decision to carry on like 2015 never happened or fire up your computer and write a think piece. Regardless of where you stand, your ears will have been treated to one of the catchiest pop/rap hybrids in recent memory.

As much as I liked The New Classic and Reclassified (judge away), the Australian rapper’s decision to reunite with mixtape collaborators D.R.U.G.S. turns out to be a wise move. They guide Iggy away from the overtly pop sound of her last few singles with laser-sharp trap beats, while acknowledging her pop sensibility with sing-along hooks and a monster chorus. I’m fuckin’ with the team. It will be interesting to see if radio comes to a similar decision.

AVERAGE SCORE: 7.7/10

What would you rate “Team” out of 10? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!