In the New Yorker article “The Despair of Generation ‘Notti Bop’,” (paywall) Jody Rosen chronicles Kyle Richh, Jenn Carter, and TaTa’s drill rap hit “Notti Bop”, a song inspired by the murder of Ethan “Notti Osama” Reyes, and the viral dance that emerged from their mockery of Reyes death. “At a time when the phenomenon of viral videos has become familiar, even banal, “Notti Bop” stands out in its capacity—its eagerness—to appall,” he writes. “What you behold, in TikTok after TikTok, is kids having transgressive fun, and revelling in their own brazenness. They are experiencing some of the keenest and most primal pleasures of youth: the thrills of mischief-making and putting one over on clueless adults.” Rosen has plenty to say about the cultural context behind “Notti Bop,” but is curiously silent on whether the song is any good. He seems more comfortable with describing the pathological aspects of the “Notti Bop” craze than making aesthetic judgements. As a result, the rappers and their mimics turn into subjects in a true-crime tale rather than artists creating a macabre spectacle through the act of imagination.

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