The Worst Guys
The Worst Guys by Childish Gambino featuring Chance the Rapper is 95 BPM — Andante (walking pace).
Half-time 48 BPM · Double-time 190 BPM · released 2013
Song DNA
Misophonia Triggers
A introspective hip-hop track exploring themes of hedonism, sexual performance anxiety, and the hollowness of materialistic lifestyle through Gambino's self-aware lyricism.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: confident, introspective, melancholic, reflective
Traditions: hip-hop, rap
"The Worst Guys" climbs hard.
Dynamic range 7/10 places this in our upper band. The opening volume that feels comfortable will not be comfortable at the climax. If you are setting this up for a focused listen, anchor your volume to the quietest section, not the loudest. The arc is the point of the song; if you blunt it by riding the volume knob, you lose what makes it work. Childish Gambino featuring Chance the Rapper built the dynamic shape on purpose. Plan around it.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 7/10 means this song moves. Expect a real volume climb between quiet sections and the loudest part of the arrangement — enough that you may want to set the initial volume below where you'd normally land.
Sudden changes: present. This song uses surprise as a feature. For focus or background listening, it's likely to pull your attention away; for active listening, that's often the point.
Texture is layered — a full arrangement with clear separation between parts.
Predictability is medium — conventional structure overall, with one or two moments that deviate from what you'd expect.
Vocal style: dynamic vocals.
2013 context
Released in 2013. We have 408 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.5/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 2010s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
How fast is "The Worst Guys"?
95 BPM — Medium (midtempo / pop ballad)
Too slow for most running; good for warm-up walks or cool-down.
Warm-up, cool-down, yoga, stretching.
Morning coffee, deep work, commute wind-down.
Browse more songs at 95 BPM.
When "The Worst Guys" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
No — too dynamic or too many surprises. Save for active listening.
No — 95 BPM is too slow for sustained cardio.
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
Yes — predictable enough for safe driving attention, interesting enough to stay engaged.
Yes — sits in the background without demanding attention.
Not really — it's pleasant but doesn't hit hard enough for cathartic listening.
Related reading
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Why this rating
We rate this song Moderate because it falls between our Safe and Intense thresholds on at least one dimension. Moderate is the default for most well-produced music that has real arc but no surprise elements. Full rubric: methodology.
See how “The Worst Guys” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
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Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-14. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Contact the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
By the numbers: how this song compares
Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.
Where it sits in 19,000 songs
On our 19k-song scale this lands in the middle band — more energetic than 77% of songs, calmer than the other 23%. Its intensity reading of 58/100 comes from a dynamic range of 7/10, layered texture, moderate shifts, and dynamic vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is blazing intensity: more extreme on that axis than 77% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on near-total stillness — steady volume, no surprises, a slow and unhurried pulse — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.
Feels almost identical to
Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.
What it’s good for
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
2013 in context
The 408 songs we’ve measured from 2013 average a dynamic range of 6.5/10. At 7/10, this track is right in line with its year.
Mixes smoothly with
Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.
The fingerprint
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "The Worst Guys"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "The Worst Guys" by Childish Gambino featuring Chance the Rapper?
"The Worst Guys" by Childish Gambino featuring Chance the Rapper has a tempo of 95 BPM (Andante (walking pace)). At half-time that is 48 BPM, and at double-time 190 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "The Worst Guys" by Childish Gambino featuring Chance the Rapper?
"The Worst Guys" by Childish Gambino featuring Chance the Rapper rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 7/10, moderate sudden changes, layered texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.
How loud is "The Worst Guys" — what is its dynamic range?
"The Worst Guys" has a dynamic range of 7/10. Noticeable climb from quiet sections to loudest point. Set opening volume slightly lower than your preferred peak.
Does "The Worst Guys" have sudden or surprising changes?
Yes. "The Worst Guys" uses surprise as a compositional feature. Expect unsignaled transitions.
What is "The Worst Guys" best for?
In our library "The Worst Guys" is recommended for: deep listening, emotional release, study. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "The Worst Guys" released?
"The Worst Guys" is from 2013, on the album "Because the Internet". It appears in our 2010s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "The Worst Guys"?
We tag "The Worst Guys" as confident, introspective, melancholic, reflective. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "The Worst Guys"?
The vocal style is dynamic vocals.
Is "The Worst Guys" good for running?
Not really — at 95 BPM it's below most running cadences. Better for warm-up, cool-down, or walking. Recreational runners typically step at 140-175 BPM.
Is "The Worst Guys" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (7/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "The Worst Guys" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Contains transitions that will wake you up.
Should I listen to "The Worst Guys"?
"The Worst Guys" is Moderate intensity — fine for most listeners, but with enough dynamic activity that it works best as active listening rather than background.
Songs with the same DNA
layered texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
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