What Could Possibly Go Wrong: The Dominic Fike Review
Image Courtesy of Dominic Fike
By Katie Van Lew
Florida-native Dominic Fike has redefined the alternative hip-hop scene. Most people would know Fike from his hit “3 Nights,” which earned him a well-deserved place in the Top Ten charts across multiple countries. Since then, the rapper and singer has released his EP Don’t Forget About Me Demos (2017), and more recently, his debut album What Could Possibly Go Wrong (2020).
Fike is a multifaceted artist as he is able to flow naturally from singing to rapping on each track. The first song on the album, “Come Here,” is a short rock song that kicks off his album with a punch. This is very on-brand for Fike, as his music is not defined by a specific genre. Fike is unique in that all of his songs emanate diverse vibes. The worst thing that an artist can do is produce song after song and sound the exact same on each record. Fike is able to accomplish the opposite, as each track embodies a different mood or genre.
“Cancel Me” is Fike in his most creative and raw form. In this song, Fike refers to the toxicity of “cancel culture.” Social media perpetuates the practice of cancel culture with many fans turning against their favorite artists for reasons unrelated to their work. Essentially, this practice is done when a celebrity sparks controversy, either from their past or present. Artists are highly publicized, with little room for privacy in their own lives. In the song, Fike reflects on the fame he has acquired and thinks about how life would be so much easier if he were to be “canceled” by his fans.
“Why” is arguably the best song on the album. Fike achieves a sweet balance between singing and rapping which makes the song an addictive listen. It is quite impossible to listen to this track and not smile or dance. Much like the title suggests, Fike raises the simple question of “Why,” and more specifically, why we are who we are. Amidst the optimistic and carefree nature of the song, Fike emphasizes the importance of remembering one’s identity.
In “Chicken Tenders,” Fike exhibits his creative flair, all while adding a Brockhampton twist. This song showcases Fike’s carefree nature of enjoying simple luxuries such as eating chicken tenders in a hotel room.
On Fike’s final track, “Florida,” he ends his debut album with a nostalgic piece on his experience with fame and leaving behind his Florida roots. The first two verses are inundated with introspective reflection, drawing out contrasting thoughts of remaining the same person while selling one’s soul to live out dreams in Los Angeles. By the third verse, Fike transitions from his soft, melancholic daydream to rap. His flow on the third verse is raw, matching the beat almost perfectly.
Fike accomplishes an extraordinary debut album, curating a piece that is authentic to himself as an artist. With high expectations set from his EP, Fike is able to exceed these expectations on What Could Possibly Go Wrong. His style is elaborate, as the album transitions from ballads to rap to summertime anthems. Fike possesses an immeasurable talent in regard to his artistry and creative vision in which he essentially morphs the genres of music into his own symphony. Although most would identify his genre as gravitating towards the alternative/hip-hop scene, his album proves that he can create anything and execute it with both excellence and effortlessness.
