Ian Rushbury: Khalid comes across like De La Soul’s nephew. “Young, Dumb and Broke” manages to be wryly funny and meaningful at the same time. Throw in a bit of teenage angst and you’ve got yourself a summertime smash — people are going to be singing the chorus in shopping malls all across the U.S of A, all the way to Christmas. The video is cute, too. [8/10]
Adriane Pontecorvo: Every once in a while these days, I think about how stressful it must be to be in high school right now, on the verge of having to enter what must be one of the worst adult worlds in history. Thank goodness for artists like Khalid, who on “Young Dumb & Broke” sings about being all three of those things for a little while. The refrain of “Young, dumb, and broke” is a little tongue-in-cheek, but the message is a solid one: “We still got love to give.” Catchy and relaxed, it’s a good tune that doesn’t put on any airs. Also, that Wayne Brady cameo is priceless. [7/10]
Spyros Stasis: Taking on a nostalgic approach through story-telling, Khalid produces a solid R&B and pop mixture, which on a basic level works. However, as is the case with the other tracks in his American Teen record, it always feels like something is missing. This is mainly through the lack of tension, as while the sentimentality will hook you in, it will not be much use in retaining your attention for long. [5/10]
Jordan Blum: Thematically, it’s coming from a good place and spreads a fun and positive — if also clichéd — message, and there’s more technical musicality (melody, instrumentation) than you might expect from the genre. That said, it’s not very appealing melodically or vocally. As for the video, it’s got a bit of a cheesy PSA quality, but like the message(s) it represents, it’s pleasant and relatable enough. [6/10]
Chris Ingalls: What the world needs now is a good, irreverent high school graduation theme song. Well, maybe not, but “Young Dumb & Broke” fits the bill nicely anyway. Take away the video’s cameos and skits and there isn’t much substance to the track, but it’s got a good groove, and there’s a simple sincerity to it that gives it a lot of charm. [7/10]
Chris Thiessen: American Teen was one of the more critically overlooked albums released earlier this year. This song could easily be the 2017 (and beyond) high schoolers anthem. Khalid’s carefree attitude is captured in the music video, ending with a hilarious Wayne Brady cameo. [8/10]
SCORE: 6.83