Track Review: City Girls & Usher, “Good Love”

Last summer, City Girls treated us to “Twerkulator,” and for Summer 2022, they’ve recruited the legendary Usher for “Good Love.” Built around a sample of Lathun Grady’s “Freak It” (which, in turn, samples Debbie Deb’s “When I Hear Music”), Usher and City Girls effortlessly embody that track’s raucous sexual energy and uninhibited fun.

“Good Love” follows “Top Notch,” a collaboration with Fivio Foreign that felt more balanced than this one. Here, Usher does the heavy lifting with an earworm hook that brings an old school flair to the distinct raunch of City Girls. As pristine as ever, his voice cuts through the production to deliver a chorus that is pure ear candy. With each iteration of the chorus, he adds different embellishments to increase and maintain the dynamism of the song. In fact, Usher’s gravitas makes “Good Love” feel like his record.

On the other hand, both members of City Girls turn in characteristically fun verses. Yung Miami’s verse suffers from a redundant, stagnant flow. Until she interpolates Uncle Luke’s “I Wanna Rock” at the tail end of her verse, it’s a pretty unremarkable affair. As for JT, she comes in hot with an homage to the Cha Cha Slide as she chants “Hands on your knees, hands on your knees / If that nigga broke, then make that ass freeze.” It’s the perfect start to a verse that’s as brief as it is enjoyable. City Girls feel like the featured artist on this track because not only does Usher command more presence, but he also quite literally has more airtime on the track. Regardless, this should be a sizable summer hit for the duo and follow in the footsteps of “Act Up” and “Twerkulator.”

Score: 60