One of these days, I'm going to write one of these entries, and y'all will abandon me in droves. I promise to be especially hardcore next week in recompense. But: I cannot stop listening to the Ludacris verse in Justin Bieber's "Baby":
I find the whole artifact kind of fascinating: the creepiness of a 16-year-old declaring that "I'll buy you anything / I'll buy you any ring" to retain his ex's affections, the dissonant naivete and knowingness of the line, which both captures the sense that your first love lasts forever, and acknowledges it's just a first relationship of "I just can't believe my first love won't be around." But the Ludacris verse is actually a much better mini-narrative and capture of the fluttery feelings of that first playground crush. And it's got this awesome, skittery pacing that emphasizes the emotions involved really well. Also, I like the imagery of Luda, who is like, a foot and a half taller than the Biebs, schooling him on the ways of romance and pop music, and merrily cashing what I'm sure is a fat paycheck all the while.