Gmac Cash back with 'Detroit Sign 2,' is still not impressed with city's 'Hollywood' sign

Detroit rapper Gmac Cash is back with another song about Detroit's new "Hollywood"-style sign, in which he addresses the sign's addition of nighttime lights, as well as the response to last week's viral song.

"They done went and put the sign up in some lights, I ain't gonna lie, it kinda look alright/ but that's only when you ride past it at night, I'm sick y'all got me bout to rap about this sign twice," he raps in "Detroit Song 2," which was released Tuesday.

Last week, Gmac Cash released "Detroit Sign," in which he mocked the sign that was installed along I-94 as a welcome to visitors entering the city ahead of next week's NFL Draft. "One thing I'ma do, I'ma state the facts/ this ain't the sign that we wanted, you can take it back," he rapped in the 1-minute song, which quickly spread across the internet. It racked up more than 8.6 million plays on TikTok, and received coverage in Complex, Vulture and more.

In "Detroit Sign 2," he addresses criticism he received for mocking the sign.

"How you mad at me 'cuz I want better for the city? And I ain't the person to just take what anybody give me," he says, rating the sign a five out of 10 and saying the Uniroyal tire along 1-94 looks better. Later in the song he says, "I'm talking bout the sign, now they calling me a hater/ I put on for the city, I'ma probably run for mayor."

You can hear the song below. (Warning: Explicit lyrics.)

Initial reaction to the sign, which went up last week, was so mixed that Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan blamed unreal expectations based on an AI-generated image that heavily circulated online when the project was announced.

"The Detroit Sign is a testament to Detroit’s growth over the last 10 years," read a post on the city's official Instagram page. "No, it hasn’t been perfect but it’s been a decade of resilience, tough conversations and togetherness. We are growing. This is only the beginning. We are evolving and we are reaching new peaks together as One Detroit."

Gmac Cash, born Gerald Allen, is known for his topical songs about everything from the Belle Isle slide to Gretchen Whitmer. "I'm bout to hit up Big Gretch and see what we can do/ this can't be the only sign, we need another two," he says in the newly released song.

More signs are on their way, in fact: Smaller "Welcome to Detroit" signs have been slotted for locations including Interstate 75 at 8 Mile, Interstate 96 at Telegraph, I-94 at Moross, Southfield at 8 Mile and Southfield at Ford Road.

The project cost the city a total of $425,000.

agraham@detroitnews.com