“Paper Boi”
The show: Atlanta
Donald Glover can do no wrong, and he absolutely proved it with the FX show, Atlanta. This show changed the game when it came to integrating music in the television industry. Glover is from Stone Mountain, Georgia, so he brings a unique perspective on the culture of the region.
He said he wanted to make a show about music, but he didn’t necessarily want it to be like Empire, and boy, did he succeed. His rap alter-ego Childish Gambino is a powerhouse in his own right, so he knows exactly which artists would be a good fit for writing and performing the music for the series.
Best of the best: “Paper Boi” (“The Big Bang,” season 1)
This might not be the most innovative or groundbreaking of the soundtrack, but it most definitely epitomized the narrative of the show. The character Paper Boi, cousin of Glover’s Earn, is an up and coming rapper whose grassroots single, “Paper Boi,” gets a lot of traction on Atlanta radio, mostly due to Earn’s efforts.
Earn wants to manage Paper Boi’s burgeoning career, and the single is a gateway to a career that could change both their lives. Although Earn doesn’t have any experience and Paper Boi is a reluctant star, the song is their own American dream.
Best lyric(s):
“Paper Boi, Paper Boi
Always ’bout that paper, boy
If you ain’t on your grind
And you flexin’, you’s a hater, boy”