WHAT makes a song a hit? Is it the lyrics, the artiste, the hype at the time? Is it ‘something special’ about the voice or rhythm?

The TEENage Hitlist highlights the hits and the misses as soon as we are privy to both local and international releases.

Local Hit Of the Week

My Cup by Richie Loopz

The Lil’ Wayne-popularised party cup trend, where patrons at parties drink from their personalised coloured plastic or styrofoam cups, is currently sweeping through the dancehall culture thanks to Ding Dong.

Singer/songwriter/producer Richie Loopz’s My Cup is a catchy feel-good party vibe song released by Scikron Entertainment/Big Yard Music.

The song utilises a tune similar to Black Dada’s I’m a Zoe. The chorus is extremely catchy and will certainly one to sing along to this spring into summer.

Richie Loopz must be commended for his vocal clarity, something that has been lacking in the dancehall genre. Kudos also must be given to the song’s production team as it is hip hop influenced with enough dancehall vibes to be appreciated on local airwaves.

The ad lib at the end of the song is also hilarious as it pays homage to Lil’ Wayne in a recent interview in which he was asked about the significance of his ‘cup’.

Listeners will hear witty lines such as “Put your cups to the ceiling… in ah the club, in ah the streets but not in a yuh cars”, in which Richie Loopz condemns the practice of drinking and driving, a move which must be applauded.

With all the above noted, TEENage Hitlist believes that Richie Loopz’s My Cup fulfils its party-pleasing purpose and is the first dancehall song this year that shows potential to cross over into the international market.

International Hit of the Week

Love King by The-Dream

Chances are you know songs such as Rihanna’s Umbrella, Mariah Carey’s Touch My Body and Beyonce’s Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It), but did you know that they were all written by R&B singer/songwriter The-Dream?

These singles along with a string of other monster hits that ruled the charts in the latter part of the last decade have given him the moniker ‘Radio Killa’.

The-Dream has also achieved a moderate level of success as a solo artiste with his past two critically received albums Love Hate and Love vs Money. His latest single Love King is the first release from his upcoming album that bears the same name.

Love King follows tradition — similar to as his previous first album singles Shawty is a Ten and Rockin’ That Thing — as it utilises a Los Da Mystro production heavily influenced by Prince’s Darling Nikki. Love King, just like his previos releases, is in a nutshell about Prince’s admiration for beautiful women. This is ironic because things have changed since in The-Dream’s personal life as he is now married to songstress Christina Milian.

The saying ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’ is ideal, for this song is just as appealing as The-Dream’s prior first singles and TEENage Hitlist believes that it will be just as popular as them also.