Song You Need to Know: Jaudy and Brray, 'Medusa'

Love is war in “Medusa,” the latest single from the Dominican rapper Jaudy and the Puerto Rican MC Brray.

Medusa, an infamous character in Greek mythology, is a monster with snakes for hair; anyone who caught a glimpse of her face was instantly turned to stone. Jaudy and Brray seem happily, if hopelessly, entangled with a partner that they claim is even more dangerous. “I didn’t believe the Greek mythology,” one rapper says in Spanish, “but Medusa doesn’t even compare.”

This sounds menacing and potentially life-threatening, but the boys appear perfectly content to be turned to stone, reeling off lines like “I love her even though I know she uses me” and “I traded my soul for pleasure, I don’t regret it.” The chugging “Medusa” beat, all bludgeoning bass and needling hi-hats, was produced by Rewire.

Jaudy specializes in trap at a time when many of his countrymen are racking up streams with driving, uptempo dembow. His 2019 single “Si Mañana Me Muero” was both triumphant and gloomy: “If I die tomorrow,” Jaudy rapped, “remember that I did it from scratch.” “Si Mañana Me Muero” became a hit in the Dominican Republic last year, amassing nearly six million views on YouTube without the backing of a major label.