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EST Gee and Future have made an anthem for hustlers and self-starters the world across. On their new joint single, they put a new spin on an age-old adage: “If you want something done, do it yourself.” The quote — according to a Forbes article about (ironically) the power of delegation — has been attributed to Napoléon Bonaparte, playwright Charles-Guillaume Étienne, and Zorg, the villainous megalomaniac portrayed by Gary Oldman in the 1997 sci-fi cult classic The Fifth Element. And today, with the release of “Shoot It Myself,” the Louisville up-and-comer and the Atlanta veteran join the ranks of these brilliant, complicated men.
The two emcees may be a decade apart in age and vastly different in style, but Gee and Future share a relentless work ethic that keeps them dropping music at a prolific pace. The new song finds them both in peak form, flexing casually over a Westen Weiss and BeazyTymes beat. “Clearest water, this the one, made Jesus take his sandals off / Come knock on the devil’s door, make sure you turn your camera off,” Gee raps early on, ice cold from the get-go. “I take pills and I sip lean / Bitch, I don’t feel right tryna drive a boat,” Future monotones later, sticking with what he knows.
The song’s underlying message, however, is one of self-sufficiency — in any situation, but especially when guns are involved. “Fuck my shooter, I’ll shoot it myself,” Future repeats over and over on the chorus until the phrase begins to feel like a religious mantra.
Unfortunately, in an apparent betrayal of the track’s core value, its highly produced visual treatment was not shot by Gee and Future themselves, but by director Diesel Filmz. Watch it above.
