With the spectacular success of “Act Up” now half a decade in the rearview, it’s become clear that the City Girls as a collective, and individually, have started to carefully consider how they want their careers to play out in the future. JT, one half of the duo, arguably made her boldest move yet amid those concerns, going solo for the first time for the fiery single “No Bars” back in July. Some six months later, JT just added a second entry to her catalog with “Sideways.”
JT Addresses The Future of City Girls on “Sideways”
While JT never compromises in her unapologetic confidence on the mic, it is noteworthy that “Sideways” isn’t as turned up as “No Bars.” The harsh piano and thumping synth production of the latter give way to retro production here, and JT responds in kind. Her demeanor isn’t all that different, but her register is. She takes on a more lowkey, relaxed delivery while keeping constant her trademark lyrical style.
For listeners with questions about the City Girls’ future, JT expends some choice lines on the matter, equally dismissing concerns regarding their dynamic while also acknowledging those who want to pigeonhole them given their past successes. A few bars into the song, she raps, “It’ll never be the same, m********* the old days.” Just a couple of bars after that, she spits, “Ridin’ solo and I’m still in the group.”
A surefire candidate for Rap Caviar and similar playlist placement, “Sideways” carves out a new lane for JT that her work with the City Girls may not have easily dovetailed into. While projecting forward in this format is always a risky proposition, the early returns on solo JT music show that maybe her individual catalog will allow her space to continue iterating on this new style. You can find “Sideways” now on all streaming platforms.
On my soul