Earlier this year, Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of the hip-hop musical Hamilton, announced the upcoming project Hamilton Mixtape, in which he enlisted prominent musicians to recreate their own versions of songs from the musical. One of the first tracks to drop today is a rendition of “My Shot,” where Black Thought, Joell Ortiz and Busta Rhymes adding a touch of grittier lyrics to the hit show’s tune.
Black Thought’s verse is steeped in deep political awareness, yet catchy enough to maintain the interest of a passing listener of hip-hop; Joell Ortiz delivers a raspy, harder-edge to the song’s chorus and second verse, while Busta rounds out the three with signature, fast-paced lyricism. Background vocals courtesy of none other than Fun singer Nate Ruess.