Music moves fast. Sometimes too fast. If you were online in 2017, you probably remember the absolute seismic shift that happened when Charli XCX dropped her mixtape Pop 2. It wasn't just another collection of songs; it was a manifesto for what the future of pop could sound like if we all just stopped being so bored. Right at the heart of that project was the I Got It song, a track so abrasive, loud, and unrepentantly "too much" that it basically drew a line in the sand. You either got it, or you really, really didn't.
Honestly, it’s hard to overstate how weird this track felt at the time. We were living in an era of "chill-pop" and "sad girl" aesthetics. Suddenly, Charli—alongside a team of absolute visionaries like A.G. Cook and the late, great SOPHIE—slapped the world in the face with a beat that sounded like a car engine being fed through a blender.
It's loud. It’s metallic. It’s perfect.
What Actually Happens in the I Got It Song?
Most people think of a pop song as a verse-chorus-verse structure with a nice little bridge. Forget that. The I Got It song functions more like a high-intensity workout or a chaotic night at a club where the lights are a bit too bright. The structure is repetitive, but in a way that feels hypnotic rather than lazy.
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The hook is simple. "I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it." It’s a mantra. Charli isn't just saying she has "it"—whatever "it" is—she’s asserting dominance over a soundscape that most traditional artists would be terrified to touch. The production, handled by A.G. Cook and Umru, uses these industrial, clanging textures that define the PC Music aesthetic. It’s a masterclass in tension.
Then you have the features. This is where the track goes from a cool experiment to a legendary posse cut.
The Heavy Hitters
- Brooke Candy: She brings this raw, snarling energy that sets the tone.
- CupcakKe: Look, CupcakKe is a force of nature. Her verse on this track is legendary for its speed, its wit, and its absolute lack of filter. She anchors the song in a way that feels both grounded and totally wild.
- Pabllo Vittar: The Brazilian drag superstar adds a layer of international flavor and vocal prowess that elevates the track beyond just an underground London experiment.
When you put these four women together on a track this noisy, you don't get a mess. You get a symphony of the "outsiders" taking over the main stage.
Why the Critics Weren't Ready
Back when Pop 2 arrived, the critical reception was... well, it was polarized. Pitchfork gave it a high score eventually, but the general public was confused. The I Got It song was often cited as the breaking point for listeners. Why? Because it rejects the idea of "pleasant" listening.
In music theory, we often talk about dissonance. This is the lack of harmony among musical notes. Most pop tries to resolve dissonance quickly. Charli XCX decided to live in it. The metallic "clinks" and "thuds" in the production don't apologize for being there. They demand your attention.
I remember reading early forum posts on Reddit and ATRL where people were genuinely asking if the file was corrupted. It wasn't. That was the point. The "glitch" was the feature, not the bug. This song helped bridge the gap between the experimental fringes of electronic music and the mainstream pop world. Without this track, would we have the hyperpop explosion of 2020? Probably not. It laid the groundwork for artists like 100 gecs to eventually find a massive audience.
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The Cultural Weight of a "Brat" Anthem
It’s funny looking back from the perspective of 2026. Now that the "Brat" era has fully solidified Charli as a generational icon, the I Got It song feels like an early prophecy. It was the first time many listeners realized that Charli wasn't interested in being the "Boom Clap" girl anymore. She wanted to be the architect of something much darker and more interesting.
The lyrics aren't deep, and they don't need to be.
"Everything I do is iconic."
Is it a brag? Sure. But in the context of the song, it feels like a fact. When you’re pioneering a sound that everyone else will be copying three years later, you’re allowed to be a little arrogant.
Deconstructing the Sound: Why It Works
If you strip away the vocals, the I Got It song is basically a rhythmic experiment. The drums don't follow a standard pop pattern. They stutter. They skip. It creates a sense of perpetual motion.
A.G. Cook, the founder of PC Music, has often spoken about the idea of "hyper-reality" in music. This is the concept of taking something familiar—like a pop hook—and stretching it, inflating it, and distorting it until it becomes something else entirely. "I Got It" is the purest distillation of that philosophy. It’s a pop song, but it’s been put through a hydraulic press.
There's also the matter of the "drop." In EDM, the drop is usually a moment of release. In this track, the drop is more of an assault. It’s dense. It’s heavy. It’s the kind of music that makes your car speakers rattle in a way that feels slightly dangerous.
Common Misconceptions About the Song
I’ve seen a lot of weird theories online about this track. Let’s clear a few things up.
- It wasn't a "throwaway" track. Some people thought because it was on a mixtape, it wasn't a serious effort. In reality, Pop 2 is widely considered Charli's best work by many die-hard fans.
- The features weren't random. Charli is known for being a curator. She didn't just pick famous names; she picked people who represented the "future" of the scene.
- It’s not just "noise." While it sounds chaotic, the engineering on the track is incredibly precise. Every "glitch" is placed with intentionality.
How to Actually Listen to It (The Experience)
You can't listen to the I Got It song on tiny smartphone speakers. You just can't. You miss about 60% of what’s happening. To actually "get" it, you need a decent pair of headphones or a sound system with a sub-woofer that can handle low-end frequencies.
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When the bass hits during CupcakKe's verse, it should feel like a physical weight. If it doesn't, you aren't hearing the song the way it was intended.
Actionable Insights for Music Lovers and Creators
If you’re a fan or a bedroom producer looking at this song for inspiration, here’s what you should take away from it:
- Don't be afraid of "ugly" sounds. Sometimes a metallic bang is more evocative than a clean synth.
- Collaboration is a superpower. Charli didn't try to own the whole song. She gave her collaborators room to breathe and do their own thing.
- Repetition is a tool, not a crutch. Using a simple phrase like "I got it" allows the listener to focus on the evolving production underneath.
- Ignore the "radio-ready" rule. If Charli had tried to make this song fit on Top 40 radio in 2017, it would have been forgotten in a week. Instead, it became a cult classic.
To really appreciate the evolution of modern pop, go back and play "I Got It" alongside a track from Charli's latest album. You’ll hear the DNA. You'll hear the confidence. You’ll hear a songwriter who decided that the rules were boring and that "it" was whatever she decided it was.
The best way to engage with this legacy is to stop looking for a "melody" and start looking for a "feeling." The feeling of "I Got It" is pure, unadulterated energy. It’s the sound of a glass ceiling shattering. Go back, put on your best headphones, turn the volume up slightly higher than is probably safe, and just let the noise happen. You might find that you finally get it too.