The new EP by the Lil Mariko and Full Tac duo, Lil Mariko, serves as an auditory successor to “Where’s my Juul??” in the best way. The EP is comedy rap, electropop, and even metal all in one. If that sounds like a lot to juggle, it is, but it’s well-executed and fun.
To preface, “Where’s my Juul??” was a single released on Full Tac’s YouTube channel featuring Lil Mariko. It presented such eloquent lyrics as, “Hey, have you guys seen my juul? / I, like, literally just had it in my hand / Like, you gave it back to me, right? / I let you hit my juul and then you gave it back to me?” in Lil Mariko’s iconic high-pitched, Valley girl voice. Cue the chorus where she erupts into metal screams of, “Where’s my juul?” This, aesthetically and thematically, is the heart and soul of Lil Mariko. It shouldn’t work, but it does.
Lil Mariko begins strong with “Hi, I’m a Slut,” a reclamation and response to slut shaming. It’s explicit in a refreshing way — “Hi, I’m a slut / Do what I want, I don’t give a fuck” — and establishes the entire EP as comedic: “Hi, I’m a giant whore / Got boys and girls always at my door (Knock knock, skank!)” The instrumentals focus on bass and electronic synths, borrowing elements from trap and pop. The closest I can come to describing the creative energy of this EP is the palatable elements of 100 gecs meets Doja Cat meets Baby Metal. Lil Mariko’s voice deserves a shout-out of its own since it’s the star of nearly every track: it’s got that same compelling quality as Billie Eilish when she talk-sings her lyrics.
Lil Mariko has a few misses, namely “I’m Baby” and “Catboys,” but it’s short, sweet, and overall does an amazing job of being explicitly humorous, offering some great beats, and successfully mixing genres.
Lil Mariko Album Cover. (Lil Mariko)
Chandy is a biology major/chemistry minor who's been a staff writer, Arts editor, and Managing Editor at The Cascade. She began writing in elementary school when she produced Tamagotchi fanfiction to show her peers at school -- she now lives in fear that this may have been her creative peak.
