Don’t push me cuz I’m close to the edge! I’m trying not to lose my head!

No, those aren’t the lyrics to Coi Leray‘s “Players,” an ode to the ladies who are just as capable as the fellas at being, well, playas. No sir, those are lyrics to “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, which, as I mentioned in my review of Nicki Minaj‘s “Super Freaky Girl,” immediately grabs your ear if you’re older than 35 or 40 years old.

That’s because “Players” is basically the same song. It samples the “The Message” while Leray lays down a pretty good rap onslaught over the top of it. The result is mostly fun, with “Players” playing (hehe) well to my audience at the nightclub I DJ at, becoming a nightly staple over the first half of 2023.

I didn’t know much about Coi Leray before “Players.” I know she released some prior singles that passed through my record pools, but I’m not even sure I gave them a listen. In fact, she’s released more singles since “Players” dropped back in Nov. 2022, but those have stayed off my radar as well (I’ll have to give them a listen now).

I love the theme to “Players” – a pure 1980s greed-is-good vibe: “What you know about living on top / Penthouse suites looking down on the opps / Took him for a test drive / Left him on the lot / Time is money / So I spent it on a watch…”

Truth is, it’s the sampling of “The Message” that really drew me into “Players.” And there’s nothing wrong with that; it’s long-held rap tradition to sample old-school 70s and 80s funk as a base to lay down contemporary lyrics (and as a launchpad to bring in new listeners outside the demographic, like me).

The question is: How is the rap?

I give Leray high marks. The 26-year-old raps with confidence and swagger (and apparently laid down the entirety of the “Players” studio recording in one take, according to a report)! Her voice and demeanor are perfect for the lyrics.

And I’m not the only listener appreciative of “Players,” a single apparently earmarked for her album Coi, slated for a June 2023 release. The song peaked at No. 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking her first Top-10 appearance on the chart. It also peaked at No. 1 on the US Rhythmic chart.

I’m looking forward to checking out more of Leray’s music, hoping there’s more “Players”-like fun to come.