Okay, full disclosure: I just freaking hate this song. I used to think, well, at least the hook is kind of interesting from a lyrical perspective, but that's sampled from Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek," which means this guy, who is, I guess, a singer, doesn't even sing the hook on his own song. This dude is a little young to be running on fumes, artistically speaking, but there you go.
For some reason I can't ebmed the video, so here's a link, but be warned: I couldn't find a version without the stupid Geico ad. And this is the official video. Isn't the video an ad for the song? What the hell is the revenue model here? Isn't this kind of like a movie trailer having an ad at the beginning? Or an author's blog having ads for stuff other than his or her books? (Believe me, I've considered it.)
Okay, every genre has its cliches and conventions, but what the hell is it with the male rappers and R&B singers announcing their names at the beginning of the track? Is this because every song from the hip hop industrial complex is "Somebody feat. Somebody Else?" (Either "R&B singer feat. Rapper" or "Rapper feat. R&B singer.") And yet the women don't seem to do this. Try this sometime: Just sing out your name. See how stupid that sounds? I wonder how Jason Derulo can do this with a straight face.
But on to the fact that this guy comes across as a complete tool in this song: "I was caught up in her lust." This guy could teach politicians a thing or two about the non-apology apology. Apparently his own lust had nothing to do with it. He was just helplessly caught up in someone else's.
You do have to kind of admire, in a perverse way, the straightforwardly materialistic appeal he makes to his wronged lover here. Note he does not pledge that he won't cheat again: he merely says "when I become a star, we'll be livin' so large, I'll do anything for you." So, basically, stay with me because I am going to make money. It's contemptible, but kind of refreshingly honest. I guess any woman that falls for that pretty much deserves the guy.
