Who would have thought a green kid who turns into animals would have so much musical talent as well? It’s almost unfair.
Of course, the green kid in question is Beast Boy from the animated Cartoon Network show Teen Titans Go!, and the music is actually being provided by Chizzy, a Georgia-born, LA-based producer and songwriter who penned “Catchin’ Villains,” a clever, catchy play on the aromantic sort of come-ons popular in rap music today. The below clip, taken from a recent episode of Teen Titans, finds Beast Boy wooing teammate Raven with romantic, sunset drives and boardwalk dates, but enraging her with his insistence on prioritizing their alone time over his superheroic duties.
https://twitter.com/jacsaz/status/983925888734650368
Throughout the clip, teammate-turned-terrorist Terra appears as a reminder of the Titans’ day-saving obligations, but Beast Boy plays her off in his efforts to court the more serious-minded Raven. There’s a slick layer underlying the imagery as well, evoking the smooth-talking rapper who romances the subject of his affection, while covertly eyeing her potential replacement. Of course, turnabout is fair play, as Raven finds time to cast a few glances at the nautical hunk Aqualad.
Catching Villains is officially out on all digital platforms! S/O to everyone who’s been reaching out, covering the song, sharing & supporting! Much appreciated! Lets go!! #CatchingVillains #TeenTitansGo #BeastBoy https://t.co/LC9it847y5 pic.twitter.com/Doe4zWIRr3
— Chizzy Stephens (@yaboychizzy) December 10, 2017
“Catching Villains” is only one example of the cartoon’s clever use of music and pop culture references in its current run. The song and video originally aired Friday, October 6, 2017 as part of the episode “TV Knight 2” alongside other fun, funny riffs on pop-rap like “HARD!” and “Straight Buggin’,” but fans have apparently recently re-discovered it and seem to be losing their minds over just how good it is. The tweet above was only posted three days ago, yet has accumulated over 11,000 retweets and 19,000 likes in that short timeframe, as well as a truly ridiculous thread of responses reacting to the song’s surprising quality. As one fan joked, “BRUH somebody people sign Beast Boy!” There are already mixtapes from fast food restaurants, and it wouldn’t be the first time Cartoon Network has dabbled in a full-fledged hip-hop album based on one of its shows, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. If Chizzy’s down and the songs all bang as much as “Catching Villains,” give Beast Boy a green light — pun definitely intended. Check out the full version of “Catching Villains” below.
