10 Songs to Help You Remember Why Rich Homie Quan Was an Atlanta Trailblazer

“The Most”

It’s really the second verse of this song that’s the highlight. It’s a moment of realness and vulnerability that seemingly comes out of nowhere, with Rich Homie Quan thinking about more pressing concerns than a record deal or the woman he’s rap-singing about: “I know that I gotta feed my family / No matter the circumstances you gotta keep them happy.”

“Lifestyle”

Although “Lifestyle” is best known for Young Thug’s classic hook, Rich Homie Quan offers a verse on the track that shouldn’t go unnoticed. From the way he builds melodies out of certain lines (“Sunday through Monday, I've been grindin' with no sleep”) to the way he plays with multiple flows, it’s an indelible

“Type of Way”

As with most Rich Homie Quan songs, “Type of Way” shines because of its hook. But there’s also these blink-and-you’ll-miss-them moments of brilliance: the way he raps “No rookie, girl scout cookie” and the melody of the line “I set it off like Queen Latifah, ‘cause I’m living single,” for instance. Also, what better way to end a song than with some of the ad-libs that you would become famous for?

“Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)”

“Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.” Even without the music, you probably know exactly how to sing this phrase, because Rich Homie Quan made it so well. Whether used by Quan himself to express his excitement at making millions of dollars off a mixtape or by onlookers dazzled by the amount of money the rapper carries on him, “Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh” is so simple but says so much — and we have Quan to thank for that.

“Walk Thru”

Rich Homie Quan really gives the spotlight to Problem on “Walk Thru,” but he stills crafts a good hook and has some funny one-liners (“I’m the alphabet boy ‘cause I keep an L on me” is a great way of reclaiming a letter associated with negative things in a positive light). Also, his subtle and unexpected appearance in Problem’s verse is great, too.

“Freestyle”

The specificity of calling out white people in power while Rich Homie Quan shares the life he envisions for his son is great in his “Freestyle” verse. Also, the shared third verse between Quan and Young Thug is so good, especially when it ends with both of them hitting a double-time flow.

“WWYD”

“What would you do for some paper?” It’s a question that drives “WWYD,” with Rich Homie Quan rapping about the lengths one might go all for some money, including this notable bar:

“What would you do for some paper?
Would you cross your partner for some paper?
When he been your partner since day one
That ain't real shawty.”

It’s a song that, underneath its motivational-sounding chorus, serves as a reminder of just how bad money can be.

“They Don’t Know”

What’s notable about “They Don’t Know” is the contrast between the first and second verses. Where the former is more celebratory, the latter is more poignant, with Rich Homie Quan reflecting on close calls with the law, helping out friends in jail, and being an unsigned rapper just trying to help his mother out.

“The Author”

“The Author” is a great example of Rich Homie Quan’s storytelling. As one of the singles off his debut album, Rich as in Spirit, “The Author” essentially tells Quan’s rise to become a rap star. There were sold-out shows in Houston where he still wasn’t turning a profit or recording at his mom’s house without an engineer.

“Blah Blah Blah”

This is one of Rich Homie Quan’s earliest examples of transforming a repeated word into something catchy and memorable. “Blah Blah Blah” was rightfully chosen as a single from Quan’s I Promise I Will Never Stop Going In.