Amindi - telly

Released - May 2021

Label - THAT'S NASTY

L.A. based artist Amindi presents infectious bubblegum trap record ‘telly’. The title is an idiomatic expression for Telfar, a black-owned New York fashion brand that gained widespread following off of their affordable, colourful handbags. It acts as an entrance point to Amindi’s playful illustration on aspects of Black American pop culture. Woozy horns and a ‘Hotline Bling’ sounding rhythm form the introduction, which is followed by a catchy hook and Amindi’s vocals that meld smoothly with production. As well as clever references to music icons Destiny’s Child, the lyrics throughout the track are stylised and delivered with a cadence that conveys a strong social media/technological influence.

"Deep in my bag

it ain’t Birkn issa Telly

don’t got a man

but i got niggas on my celly

they got a script

& it’s the same thing that they tell me

they wanna cater to me

like Michelle & Kelly" By presenting song lyrics in this format, a carefree easy breezy attitude is exuded perfectly illustrating the mood of the song. We also hear some humour in the second verse as Amindi gets frank about young men’s formulaic and tired approach toward girls again enhancing ‘telly’s’ relatability. Furthermore, the simplistic AA rhyme scheme allows the track to stick with us. 'telly' is great on so many levels. Its summery production, clear vocals and coy presentation enmesh to create this colourful Y2k/Gen Z world. All the Black popular culture anecdotes and integration of social media’s linguistic style makes the track fun and accessible, and you should definitely put Amindi on your radar.