The Smiths, that legendary 1980s indie rock band led by vocalist Morrissey and guitarist John Marr, did not seemingly have much in common with hip-hop even at the time of their heyday. They don't suddenly have even more in common with the genre currently.
Or, at least, one would think. That theory might be tested by the fact that A$AP Rocky has been an unabashed fan for many years. More recently, rapper Fenix Flexin produced a take on the Smiths' "Rubber Ring," with a tune called "Rubberz," a collaboration with Shoreline Mafia and Purps on the Beat.
Is the song, which Fenix Flexin seemingly spent months prepping for by trying out a Mancunian accent, a great challenge for someone from Los Angeles, actually good? To be fair, it wasn't going to challenge the original because what the Smiths created was unique. But should Mr. Flexin get props for trying?
Fenix Flexin's attempt to recreate the Smiths is at least a worthy try
For sure, Fenix's vocals are nowhere close to what the Moz has been capable of, and they shouldn't be. Morrissey was born to croon, and has harnessed that gift for more than four decades. Fenix doesn't have a great ability to sing, but instead stretches out how he is attempting to speak into something that resembles a tune.
The production of "Rubberz" isn't overly taught, either. The EDM feel is a far cry from the Smiths' base of guitar, bass, and drums. Instead, the quality of the new song feels more fitting with a video game fan in the early 1980s trying to replicate a Smiths tune. There is something not quite right about it.
"Rubberz" doesn't strain to be overly long, however. It stops a little before three minutes, thankfully. Yet, somehow it miraculously ends up being just infectious enough to get stuck in one's head. That might not be for the better, as the lyrics wouldn't exactly rival Morrissey's best.
As for any hint of an English accent from Fenix Flexin, that doesn't present itself either. At least, not believably. The track is simply a rapper delivering sing-songy vocals over a bed of electronic music.
By the way, this is meant as no disrespect to Fenix Flexin. He simply tried the impossible of being a California hip-hop artist in the 2020s, trying to mimic the Smiths of the 1980s. He misses the mark, but at least what he produced is a bit of forgettable fun to play late at parties.
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