While talking about how the song came together in an interview with Genius,GoldLink said;
"It was the most natural song I ever did,because I met Brent,and I was with Brent in LA when we did it together. That was the first time I actually met Brent. We were just vibing,and it kind of worked the way it was. He freestyled his,and I freestyled mine. But I guess the only thing I had in my head,“Where I’m from.”The subject matter came from thinking about all the people that helped me get to where I was. To get to the position I was to even be able to get to LA and be in the studio at Pulse,to be with Brent."[4]
Critical reception
The song received acclaim from critics. According to Ross Scarano of Billboard "there wasn't a catchier sung rap hook in 2017",also writing that "Shy Glizzy may have the show-stealing verse,but there's no denying that this raised GoldLink's clout in a major way".[5] Calling it an "excellent rap song",Okayplayer wrote;"The hook is money,the rhymes are top notch and never fall into "mumble" status,and makes the listener feel welcomed along for the ride."[6]Pitchfork wrote that GoldLink "manages to distill his city's amorphous hip-hop scene into a single sound",while Shy Glizzy "darts around with a shouted giddiness,stealing the show with his fist-pumping momentum" and Brent Faiyaz delivers an "elegant chorus" which "could appear on the song two more times and not be enough".[7]Rap-Up called it "a mellow yet unforgettable smash" featuring "Shy Glizzy's awesome flow and Brent Faiyaz's moving crooning over Teddy Walton's smooth production".[8] Jonah Mendelson from The Michigan Daily praised the artists,saying that "every member of the collaboration comes through with some of the best work of their careers",while the song "is a reminder that not every great song has to contain avant-garde experimentation or deep metaphorical meaning —there is a place for well-crafted tracks that are just an enjoyable vibe".[9]
The official remix of "Crew" features American rapper Gucci Mane and was released on June 21, 2017.[15] A digital extended play (EP)—which included remixes by Lido, Richie Souf, Backyard Band and New Impressionz—was released on August 18, 2017.[16]
Music video
The music video for the song, directed by Matthew Dillon Cohen, premiered via GoldLink's Vevo channel on March 2, 2017.[2] Cohen filmed a prominent portion of the music video in Cheverly, Maryland, a Washington DC suburb.[17]
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