Thundercat Drops Remix of Single, “Dragonball Durag” With Smino and Guapdad 4000
The original version of Thundercat’s “Dragonball Durag” took on the form of a soul-inspired love ballad in dedication to his durag. Thundercat has stated that “the durag is the ultimate power move. Not like a superpower, but just- you know, it translates into the world.”
It’s only right, alluding to that amount of power, that he has picked rappers Smino and Guapdad 4000 to be featured in the remix. Smino and Guapdad 4000 on the remix of this song both deliver a high energy of playfulness to this track – making the light-hearted content of the lyrics emphasized.
In “Dragonball Durag,” Thundercat is stating the profound level of confidence he feels whenever he is sporting a durag. He compares the presence of a durag to that of a dragon ball – both harnessing mythical, magical powers to whomever is the beholder.
The instrumentation of the track has jazz horns sprinkled in – juxtaposing the melodic, groovy bassline that Thundercat is infamous for.
Smino’s typically confident, self-assured demeanor is a symbolic manifestation of the durag in the flesh. Guapdad 4000 spits on the level of self-care that the durag instills in him – rapping about tea tree oil and ditching Head and Shoulders shampoo.
Overall, the entire tone of the original version of “Dragonball Durag” is altered by the mere carefree energy these rappers embody and stand for.
The music video for the track has singer Kali Uchis as one of Thundercat’s “love interests.” He stands outside her window, dancing in his durag and feeling himself. Throughout the video, he is getting continuously rejected or ignored by the females that surround him. However, the level of confidence his durag instills in him, has him dancing through it all – almost seemingly unaware or unaffected that they are not interested.
