Kehlani had a major hit on their hands when they dropped their single “Folded” on us last summer. And, while we undoubtedly love that jam, we’d be lying if we said we weren’t ready for something new. Their other stellar cut “Out The Window” hasn’t taken hold the way “Folded” has, but we have a feeling they might have a heater with their latest single “Back And Forth” featuring the one and only Missy Elliott.
Co-produced by The Stereotypes and Khristopher Ridick-Tynes, the song has a distinctive late ’90s/early 2000s feel with knocking drums and a melodic loop. And then, of course, there’s Missy, who throws in all her tags, including announcing that “this is an exclusive” and screaming out “new Kehlani!" at the top of the track as well as giving it a brief intro.
Kehlani, meanwhile, is quite tired of dealing with an argumentative lover who seems to always be itching for a fight. The current catalyst is the singer looking way too good in a fire ’fit that is sure to catch eyes at the club. But they aren’t having it tonight, instead opting to move the quarrel to the morning.
“I ain’t goin’ back and forth tonight, I’m goin’ out (I ain’t goin’ back and forth tonight) / I ain’t goin’ back and forth tonight, I’m goin’ out (It’s last call, you the last thing on my mind),” she sings on the chorus. “I ain’t picking up the phone for nun’, nuh-uh, before the lights come on (Get there when I get there, take my time) / I ain’t going back and forth tonight, I’m out (So don’t you start that s**t when I get home).”
Missy pops back in one last time to reiterate what Khelani’s been singing, letting a dude know that she ain’t got the time. But she does have a second to shout out her beloved friend in the process, rapping that “all that back, back and forth got me feeling like Aaliyah.”
With KEHLANI set to arrive on Friday, April 24th and summertime vibes on the horizon, this might be a contender to have the streets moving for the foreseeable future. Get into Kehlani and Missy Elliott going “Back And Forth” when you press play below.
