Don’t Eat ‘Hot Wings’ Around 2 Chainz

“Hot Wings” is a little cruel. 2 Chainz’s latest effort is less about chicken wings and more about the lengths a woman will go to acquire said poultry. “Bitch is fuckin’ for hot wings / Bitch is fuckin’ for American deli / Bitch is fuckin’ for some eye cream,” Chainz raps over the Hit-Boy and G Dav-produced beat.

Tity Boi is a wordsmith, so he fully commits to the tale of the woman he put in first class. By the end of the hook listeners know this mysterious protagonist’s favorite flavor of wings (lemon pepper, naturally), preferred part of the wing (flats), but that’s where the tale unfortunately stops. The major failing of “Hot Wings” is that Chainz never imbues his central character with any nuance. Why does she love lemon pepper wings? Are flats a symbol? Is there a reason she’s never been in first class?

Thankfully, Hot Wings Are A Girl’s Best Friend — the two-song EP Chainz released on Friday — has a second, better half, as that title suggests. “Girl’s Best Friend” is an immediate rebound. Hot wings are swapped for diamonds, and Ty Dolla $ign’s smooth tenor softens Chainz’s edge. It’s all there in the title, this is a song about showering a lover in diamonds over a breezy Cardo and Dez Wright beat. The EP is a precursor to Rap Or Go To The League, Chainz’ upcoming album, and highlights the promise (and pitfalls) of Chainz’ best work.