Cheetah’s “Not Today” has replayability and showcases her talents

Cheetah, who still hasn’t released an album, surprisingly came back recently with a digital single called “Not Today“.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neg8ZD_OIN8

The track is partially about Cheetah feeling herself, as you could surmise from the hook, in which she sings, “My soul, my body good, I feel so good, my friends, everybody good, I’m all ready.” But it’s also about frustration with other people who seem to be jealous that she’s living her life the way she wants, and the hook concludes, “Are you mad at me? Why are you looking at me like that? I’m just doing well. Too bad, why you mad at me?”

Cheetah spends the song talking about authenticity…

“I don’t like being fake, you know this,
Come here, party with me and look,
Look how fake they are.”

…dealing with expectations and living up to them…

“A lot of things around me change so quickly,
Even the glass that was just full is now empty,
So maybe that’s why people want new things from me.”

…and most importantly, having a message for people who want to drag her down: “Not today.”

“To those who try to bring me down,
I need to say this,
It’s not that time yet, not today.”

The instrumental really sets the tone for the track from the very start. It’s a groovy track and Cheetah provides her own R&B vocals on a sensual hook with lyrics that have bite, and it then segues into her rapid-fire flow during the verses. I understand why rap reality shows are a joke in and of its own description, but the widespread exposure given to artists like Cheetah are why I thought they do serve a purpose within Korea’s entertainment culture.

More important than any technical aspect of the music or lyrical message of the song is the fact that I can replay this over and over again and not get tired of listening to it. The instrumental and the chorus are alluring and lowkey addictive, while her flow and execution of the verses are on point throughout. This is, amusingly, leagues ahead of her attempts to make a mainstream bop.

Anyway, still waiting on that album, Cheetah.

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‘Not Today’ Single Album

“Not Today” Song