★ ★ ★ 1/2 out of 5
While her long-delayed sophomore album In My Defense failed to make the chart splash she was hoping for and deserving of when finally released earlier this year, Iggy Azalea still easily showcased why she is one of the more consistent and prolific acts of the decade. Standout tracks such as “Started” and “Fuck It Up” were radio-ready with Azalea’s touch of sarcasm and authenticity intact.
Now, just a mere five months later, what started as a potential album re-issue has morphed into an extended play of its own. Wicked Lips boasts intriguing collaborations with British pop newcomer Alice Chater and Brazilian artist Pabllo Vittar, while maintaining the confidence and cleverness listeners have come to expect from an Azalea project.
Preceded by “Lola”, and after a few minor delays of its own, the four-track effort is a satisfying appetizer for what could be in 2020. With effective, club-ready production and self-written shots at the world around her, Azalea is far from announcing the defeat many are rudely anticipating and salivating for. In the end, the extended play highlights the effortlessness that comes with doing things at your own pace, on your own dime.
Lead single “Lola” is cleverly built atop a "Mambo Italiano" sample, evidently aiming for Cardi B-level success. However, instead of presenting a stereotyped caricature of Italian-Americans, Iggy and partner-in-crime Alice Chater use the opportunity to explore the theme of duality and get honest about their bipolar tendencies when it comes to relationships. Shortly after Chater’s heavenly vocals open the effort, Azalea chimes in with straightforward admissions of her unstable behavior.
On “Not Important”, Azalea sharpens her nails and takes aim at the scrubs in her life claiming to be rich, when the receipts tell a different story. Thanks to Dallas-based producer J. White Did It, the raptress warns potential suitors to not falsify their assets. She’ll find out. “Ya'll don't call the shots that I do, all y'all birdies fly to my coupe, won't stop chirpin' 'bout what I do, y'all ain't worthy bow to my shoes,” she shoots on the bridge, referencing Damon Wayans and Jamie Lee Curtis along the way.
The four-track EP closes out with “Personal Problem”, a bouncy club anthem that finds Azalea boasting about her own worth, while comparing her success, or lack thereof, to her counterparts. At the same time, the artist wishes others would own up and handle their own problems, instead of throwing that weight onto the shoulders of others. “You shooting shots like free throws, you ain't even hit me once, bitch reload, winning at life, this shit feeling like a cheat code,” she teases on the opening verse.
Wicked Lips is short but straightforward. Azalea aims for chart success on "Lola" and "The Girls", some of her most pop-leaning efforts since dominating radio airwaves with "Fancy". But Azalea is so much more. When she ventures out solo, she hits hard, remains unapologetic, and validates claims that she works harder than most on the scene. While her self-written material shines bright on its own, teaming up with producers who only elevate her game might be her smartest decision as she navigates the music industry now as an independent artist. Some tracks may not have lived up to their full potential, but when all is said and done, the extended play highlights the artist's strengths while ignoring potential filler to get her message across loud and clear.
Tracks to Hear: "Lola" and "Not Important"
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