Dej Loaf – “Beef N Broccoli”
Dej Loaf just dropped her stellar All Jokes Aside mixtape this past spring, but since then she’s come with a nice string of one-offs. She continues that streak with the smooth, contemplative ballad “Beef N Broccoli.” The single’s sleeve art is misleading, because this is definitely a song that goes much deeper than the classic Timberland boots suggest. The Detroit rapper uses a soulful beat driven by a beautiful Spanish guitar flourish to reflect on what means the most to her in life, and how trivial everything else is in comparison. There’s also some sharp barbs at people thirsty for fame in the rap game and who want to take everything she’s earned away from her to make a name for themselves. She sums it up cleverly on the hook: “How you gon’ beef when you ain’t got no broccoli?” It’s rare we get a vulnerable Dej, but she’s raw and potent on this one. Listen.