Rich Gang dissolved soon after, and Thug and Quan’s relationship with it. It’s hard to listen to a song like “Lifestyle” and not feel a pang for the era of rap it represented, one that felt just a little more big-hearted than this one. Ten years after “Lifestyle” dropped, hip-hop’s song of the summer would be a diss track created by Kendrick Lamar targeting Drake, a friend turned foe guilty of various perceived sins, including the exploitation of Atlanta rap music. When appraising “Not Like Us” next to another Song of the Summer candidate, I said it was like comparing a neutron bomb with a beautiful garden. I stand by that: As exhilarating as the evisceration of another rapper can be to witness, and as important as the spirit of competition is to hip-hop, part of me yearns for a time that, in hindsight, feels less rancorous and more united.
Quan had crossed my mind in Belgium when I was shadowing Thug in 2019 for a FADER cover story. Thug was performing at Tomorrowland, a festival just outside of Brussels, and “Lifestyle” was one of his final songs. As the unmistakable first notes echoed through the sound system. London on da Track, the song’s producer, joined Thug on stage, and the two twisted their fingers together in camaraderie. My brain sparked: what if Rich Homie makes a surprise appearance to perform his “Lifestyle” verse? Here, at an EDM-centered event in the European countryside? It was far-fetched, but for a moment it felt possible, and I held my breath as Quan’s concluding bars approached. Then, a hail of DJ drops cut off the song, and the moment with it. The DJ transitioned into “Meet Me At The London,” a song featuring J. Cole and Travis Scott intended to launch Thug into a new phase of stardom, leaving songs like “Lifestyle” firmly in the rearview. The crowd continued to dance, and Thug was alone on stage; Quan’s verse became just another “what if” in a genre too full of them.