Chicago rapper and singer Tink’s greatest strength is her candor. Her introspective writings hone in on relationships, sparing no detail of her struggles. She’s a dual threat, masterfully pivoting from sweetly sung melodies to stunningly crisp raps in an instant, and she always gets her point across. “Count It Up,” a new Jahlil Beats-produced single, uses her full arsenal. At its core, “Count It Up” is a song about the slog of a brutal tour schedule and doing what’s necessary to provide for family members in need. But it also serves as a career checkpoint, taking stock of how far she’s come and just how far she’s willing to go. “Last year around this time we was waking up in the apartment/Convos about condos on a lakefront with our blunts rolled,” she reminisces, before later snapping back to the present: “Still going through a lot, still tryna get it right/Still thinking for whatever reason ‘How did I get set up with this life?’” Tink sounds burdened, but resolved to persevere. She moves nimbly through verses, and her hushed tone is underscored by the work of Jahlil Beats. Jahlil is best known for his siren horn-heavy bangers, especially songs like Meek Mill’s “Ima Boss” and Bobby Shmurda’s “Hot Nigga,” but “Count It Up” is among his more elegant productions. It’s still marked by his signature bass knock, but subtle, music box-esque synths help set the scene for Tink’s remembrances.
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