You Thought (song)

The song opens with an "alternative guitar beat and building percussion, with Teezo spitting his signature flow over the punk-rock instrumentals." After one minute, the song becomes softer, and Teezo duets Monáe.^[2] Writing for NME, Kyann-Sian Williams wrote that the song, featuring "the equally thought-provoking music disruptor Janelle Monáe", "is a perfect example" of Teezo's "amalgamated" song structure".^[3] He identified the instrumentation as having a "punchy bassline", "thrashing drums and shredded guitar riffs".^[3] Describing the song's composition, KCRW's Andrea Domanick wrote that the "Texas rapper-singer hits the ground running, his flow nonchalantly keeping pace with a drum major beat over reggae strums that give way to metal riffs. But just when you think he’s tough as the nails in his ‘do, Teezo relents into a confessional croon that grasps at a fraught relationship. Add Janelle Monáe into the mix for call-and-response vocals that bring the track to a halting conclusion, with no resolution."^[4] Lyrically, the song addresses how others perceive Teezo, and later revolves around a broken relationship.^[1]

"You Thought" received critical acclaim. Elaina Bernstein of Hypebeast wrote that "the emerging rapper continues to flex his unique way of intertwining hip-hop and trap with edgy pop-punk influences; on his newest single "You Thought", Teezo does what he does best – and enlists Monáe to contribute her genre-bending finesse as well."^[2] She also opined that "the duo’s harmonies evoke a magical energy that rings so differently from the hard-hitting first minute of the cut."^[2] Kyann-Sian Williams of NME called Teezo's vocals and instrumentation "a total delight", also praising Monáe's register.^[3] The chemistry between Teezo and Monáe was widely praised.^[5][6]