THINK PIECE: DRAKE VS PUSHA T: WHO WON?

2018 has been home to two of the biggest rap beefs in quite some time. In an era where it feels like rap beef is just rainbow-haired kids on Instagram making semi-threatening videos towards each other, some longtime rappers have resorted to doing things the honorable way: by going at it, bar-for-bar, spitting some lyrical at one another. Today, I’m going to retrospectively discuss the first of the two big rap beefs from this year: you’ve heard all about it, but let’s talk about Drake vs. Pusha T.

For this “THINK PIECE,” I’m gonna talk about some background, as well as how the beef started, discuss the first diss track, the second artist’s reaction to said diss, the second’s artists response track, the first artist’s response to that, a summary of who won/lost, and whether more can be expected in the future out of the beef. So sit back, grab some popcorn, and get ready to learn it all about Drake and Pusha T.

HOW DID IT START?: Drake and Pusha T’s beef stretches far back. As Pusha has been beefing with Drake’s labelmates Birdman and Lil Wayne almost endlessly, Drake seems to have simply been caught up in the whirlwind of it, and his beef with Pusha appeared to be a byproduct of Pusha’s beef with Drake’s label. They’ve beefed for several years with subtle disses from 2012 to 2017, but the beef was rekindled in May of 2018 when Pusha T released his latest album “DAYTONA.” On the album’s closing track “Infrared,” Pusha reminded us of the accusations that Meek Mill brought up in 2015, where Drake was alleged of using ghostwriters for his music. With lyrics like “it was written like Nas but it came from Quentin” and “how could you ever right these wrongs / when you don’t even write your songs,” Pusha made it clear that his rivalry with Drake was still as hot as ever.

DRAKE’S DISS TRACK REVIEW/RATING: To the surprise of many, Drake wasted no time dropping his response to Pusha. In fact, the man released a diss track, titled “Duppy Freestyle,” on the same day as “DAYTONA.” He had to have been hurting with such a quick response, but at least he did it fast. Though the cover art of an OVO gold ring with generic “Duppy Freestyle” text didn’t do much hard-hitting going into the track, Drake made it clear that he wasn’t playing around. Over some very chilly production and a cutthroat beat, Drake flows somewhat unconsciously and his performance oozes confidence and braggadocio. Right from the jump when Drake lets out a big sigh as he has to keep dealing with the ghostwriting rumors, we see that this is gonna be a quick, but nonetheless painful, burn. And Drake holds little back on the song, reprimanding Pusha for calling out Drake on working with Quentin Miller (alleged as his ghostwriter, even though Quentin himself has even said he’s not Drake’s ghostwriter), but not reprimanding his producer, Kanye West, for needing Drake’s help writing songs like “30 Hours” and “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1” from his album “The Life of Pablo” (the latter of which he wasn’t credited for, thus making HIM a “ghostwriter”), while also confirming that he also helped Kanye write new music in Wyoming that was set to be on his then-upcoming album “ye” (which ended up being confirmed when it was revealed that Drake wrote the hook for the album’s big single “Yikes,” and wasn’t initially given credit for it). He also addressed the ghostwriting rumors again by noting that he was simply trying to help Quentin Miller escape from working double shifts in retail by collaborating with him on tracks (Quentin pointed out that Drake’s reference about working at a Kroger was incorrect and that Quentin actually worked at a Publix, but it doesn’t change the line’s meaning at all). He also dissed Kanye for being jealous of Virgil Abloh, who went from helping Kanye with album covers and stage design to becoming a head of Louis Vuitton, and he went even further to diss Pusha by claiming that he wasn’t even one of the Top 5 artists in his label, G.O.O.D. Music (I’m gonna hard disagree on that one, but I get it, they’re rivals, they’re supposed to throw hard lines like that at each other). He went even harder with his subsequent disses of Pusha, where he called out the man’s drug-dealing hustle that he raps so much about by claiming that he “might’ve sold to college kids for Nike and Mercedes / but [he] act[s] like he sold drugs to Escobar in the ‘80s.” He also said that the faded Pusha T signature on the Clipse microphone he owned resembled Pusha’s fading career, and he went on to point out that Pusha was aging (even faster than Kanye) and that he wasn’t even a multi-millionaire rapper. And not only did Drake tell Pusha that he would “let it ring on [him] like Virginia Williams” (Pusha T’s then-fiancée and now wife), but he decided to get a little extra petty and tell Pusha that he would send him and Kanye an invoice for $100,000 on the grounds that Drake’s diss caused Pusha to sell 20,000 more albums. All in all, a still-vicious track that rings off even now. If I had to give it a rating, it would most certainly get an “Excellent” from this critic.

PUSHA’S RESPONSE BEFORE RELEASING HIS TRACK: Now I’ve only really studied rap beefs this year (since I only really got into hip-hop/rap music seriously last year), so I’m not sure what tends to happen very often during the grace period between “initial diss track” vs “response diss track,” but some artists may not respond too heavily to a track before dropping their response. It allows them to focus more of their attention on making the song. Pusha mostly seemed to do that here, with his only real response to Drake being a tweet where he said “Send the invoice for the extra 20,” alluding to that final line from “Duppy.” Drake would respond to this with an Instagram picture of the invoice (which he sent on the grounds of “promotional assistance and career reviving”) along with a caption of “You’re welcome.” Extremely petty and really funny, but little did Drake know what Pusha had in store for him.

PUSHA’S DISS TRACK REVIEW/RATING: Pusha wasn’t gonna go down that easily, and so he dropped his own track, “The Story of Adidon.” The song was released four days later, thus he was definitely in the “3-5 business day” period. So, on the timing front, Pusha definitely didn’t waste that. On the cover art front, though, Pusha definitely hit the hardest with his song: one look at the 2007 picture of Drake wearing blackface, clown lipstick, and Jim Crow clothing (a t-shirt and hoodie, mind you), and you’d immediately question just what Drake was thinking when doing this (and you might also think of Pusha’s one lyric he spat in “Infrared,” where he said that he didn’t “tap dance for the crackers and sing Mammy”). And if that wasn’t a telling indicator that this was gonna be a discussion of racial identity for Drake, well then look no further than the sample Pusha used on this one: hiding nothing and providing zero subtlety with his production, Pusha raps over the excellent beat from Jay-Z’s “The Story of O.J.,” another song that revolves entirely around racial identity. And while Pusha’s flow on here is a bit more structured than Drake’s rather interesting flow on “Duppy,” Pusha’s lyrics are without a doubt more scathing. While his intro goes on a bit long and simply sees Pusha let us know that it’s going to be a “Surgical Summer” while also spitting a few Spanish lyrics, it says something that Pusha is willing to waste so much time early in the track spouting less hard-hitting lyrics because there’s so much in store later on. And ohhhh boy, does he have stuff in store: right from the jump, Pusha sets aside the ghostwriting accusations and the drug-dealing talk to discuss Drake’s pride, both as a man himself and in his family. Fueled by pettiness after Drake’s “let it ring on you like Virginia Williams” line discussing Pusha’s fiancée, Pusha talks about how Drake’s father, Dennis, walked away from his mother, Sandi, when Drake was 5. Right off the bat, burn. And he doesn’t stop there: beyond talking about how Drake’s mother “keep[s] coming in last place” for her lack of a marriage, he talks about how Drake, confused and feeling like he “wasn’t black enough,” parades his father around in unfashionable suits as a point to emphasize his black identity. Blackface cover, “The Story of O.J.” sample, lyrics discussing black identity…it all comes full-circle. But wait, Pusha only gets more vicious from there! Pusha demolishes Drake for, despite preaching about family and togetherness, having a baby with a former pornstar and hiding said child from the world, even going so far as to call him a “deadbeat mothafucka playin’ border patrol.” In Pusha’s own words, “ooh!” And even though said rumor circulated long before, Pusha wasn’t just scrubbing TMZ for rumors: he knew that the child’s name was Adonis and that Drake was allegedly planning to introduce the child to the world with an Adidas press run known as “AdiDon.” Boy, this guy did his research. He goes on to say that he is “pre-booking the churches” against his three “hearses” (Drake, Lil Wayne, and Birdman), and he responds to Drake’s “old age” and “faded career” lines by noting that he still releases classics, is aligned with the greats and is only chasing two ghosts (2Pac and Biggie). In arguably the harshest line of them all (one that I’d even argue oversteps a few bounds), Pusha makes light of Drake’s producer, 40, claiming that his multiple sclerosis has him “hunched over like he’s 80” and indicating that he will die soon (40 notably tweeted that the track was released the day before World MS Day, so points to Drake’s team on that). And as if THAT wasn’t all scathing, Pusha T labeled the song as “Surgical Summer, Volume 1,” indicating that he had even more dirt on Drake that he could reveal if the opportunity presents itself, and that he could just “peel it back layer by layer.” Yeesh, must be a good thing the beef was stopped where it was because, with all he revealed here, I’m terrified of the other shit he has on Drake. Either way, Pusha's track, outside of the OVO 40 line, also gets an "Excellent" from me, I love this song as well.

DRAKE’S RESPONSE AFTER PUSHA’S TRACK: Once Pusha’s track came out and the ordeal was made about Drake’s child, everyone was waiting patiently for Drake to respond to Pusha. Initially, he didn’t respond to the song, only posting an Instagram story clarifying the “blackface” cover art, claiming that the picture was from a 2007 photoshoot that he did with his best friend at the time and that it came from a project he was working on about the way that black actors were being stereotyped and typecasted in films at the time. Now, in a way, Pusha’s response to that where he talked about how Drake was “silent on all black issues” despite his massive platform is true, but I do see what Drake is saying, and I don’t disagree. For one, he was most certainly in a position to make a statement such as the one he was making, but also, let’s not take the cover art at face value: said picture is often attached to another blackface picture, where Drake, sans clown lipstick, looks down in sadness while the photo itself is black-and-white. If you look at both, it does add a bit to what Drake was saying and makes it a bit more understandable. As for a response track? Well, apparently Drake had one locked and ready to go, and he even confirmed this in an interview with LeBron James. However, Drake’s track apparently had some very hurtful bars, not just for Pusha but for Kanye, who Drake would’ve apparently “ended” with the track. Apparently, even though the track was ready, J. Prince, CEO of Rap-A-Lot Records, intervened and convinced Drake not to release his response, so Drake didn’t. Instead, he threw a few subtle jabs in throughout the songs on “Scorpion,” and also admitted that the child was his. While it seemed like that was the end of it, Drake also revealed in the LeBron video that Kanye snaked him by keeping the beat for “Lift Yourself” that was apparently going to go to Drake, bringing Drake out to help out with writing only to produce an album that dissed Drake in writing (Pusha's "DAYTONA"), and most notably, Drake apparently showed Kanye a picture of his kid and played him “March 14,” which seemed to indicate that Kanye gave Pusha the intel on Drake’s alleged son. Most recently, Pusha stated that it was actually 40 who spilled the beans about Drake’s kid, so the plot thickens a bit for sure, but we’ll see if more comes soon.

WHO WON?: Oddly enough, while most people are ready to anoint Pusha as the winner, I think it’s a little tougher. I know that sounds weird, especially with how vicious those Pusha quotes were, but I’d argue that both of them won, just in different battles. Sure, Drake took a heavy L when his child was exposed to the world, but I feel like, as info came out later on, some of Pusha’s hard disses hit a little softer in my eyes. Furthermore, this was a case of two people having an argument where neither is particularly wrong, but neither one is arguing about the same thing. Yes, Pusha was correct about Drake’s family issues, the identity of his baby mother (which I left out because that poor woman’s Instagram comments section is already a mess as it is), the baby himself (which was confirmed on Scorpion), and all of that, and even if he wasn’t technically “correct” on the “AdiDon” part, it really wouldn’t be a surprise if Drake had the Adidas run planned, but backed out right after Pusha’s diss. However, though he was right on those, Drake’s recent interview with LeBron seemed to indicate that he was trying to be a better father before the diss track and that he actually showed his kid (and the “March 14” track) to Kanye during writing sessions in Wyoming. It seemed like he was actually excited to raise the child and be a good father to him. Furthermore, not only was Drake correct in claiming himself as Kanye’s “ghostwriter” for “Yikes” as I mentioned earlier, but after making a whole track talking about Pusha’s drug dealing and the ghostwriting claims that followed him, Pusha brushed them aside right at the beginning of his song, seeming to subtly admit that Drake was correct in his points. So sure, you can hand the W to Pusha if you want just for sheer viciousness, but honestly, the battle really wasn’t as one-sided as you may think, so I'm actually gonna give it a tie. I know, I'm going against the consensus, and people will hard disagree, but I just feel like it wasn't such a one-sided victory.

WHO LOST?: Again, this will be an odd answer but, I'm gonna honestly say it…Kanye West. I know that sounds weird, but more and more as time went on, it felt like he was the true loser of the battle. At first, Drake made claims that he helped Kanye do writing in Wyoming, which was confirmed with the “Yikes” hook, which Drake wrote and initially wasn’t given credit for, and Pusha couldn’t really respond back to that in his track, only halfheartedly saying “how dare you put Ye in my verses.” It's also ironic that Pusha wanted the curses to himself but put Drake’s family, child, baby mother, producer, and labelmates in verses. Either way, as time went on, we started to learn more about how Kanye had planned to give Drake a beat but never did, had the intel on Drake’s kid as potential ammunition for Pusha, and oversaw Pusha’s record and writing diss even after having Drake write material for him. So, overall, Drake and Pusha didn’t lose. Kanye did. I’m sure if it was still June, I’d probably say Drake lost with little to no hesitation, but the more info spills, the more I feel Kanye looked stupidest here, not Drake.

IS THERE MORE TO COME?: Most definitely. Obviously, with recent media like the LeBron interview and Pusha’s 40 reveal, the beef still seems to remain hot, even if it means we won’t see another track anytime soon. And look, I know Drake has been making amends with those he previously beefed with, such as Meek Mill and Chris Brown, but at this point, I feel like there’s almost no way that Drake makes up with Pusha T. Maybe when one or the other is on their literal deathbed, but given that Pusha’s beef runs deeper than Drake and into Drake’s label, I don’t know when or if we’ll be seeing any making up. And while both of them might be done spitting verses directly at each other, I can tell you we’re probably still gonna see a few small bits of pettiness and subliminal shots here and there between the two, so I’m definitely interested to see what we get out of that. It may take a while, but I’m sure we won’t hear the end of “Drake vs. Pusha T.”

Phew, so that was that. I know, a lot to cover, but I think we did a good job. Next time, I’m gonna be doing a “THINK PIECE” on a rap beef that’s a little fresher in your minds: Eminem vs. Machine Gun Kelly. Oooh, that’ll be fun.

Lil Wayne "Tha Carter V" Album Review

Well…it’s here. Fans have finally been given their dues, and thus, I can actually say (to even my own surprise) that it’s time for a review…of the new Lil Wayne album, “Tha Carter V.” Didn’t think I’d actually be able to write those words.

Lil Wayne, at this point, needs no introduction: the prolific rap superstar from Hollygrove, New Orleans is finally here with what is his TWELFTH studio album, and his first since 2015’s “Free Weezy Album” (Weezy, by the way, is one of Wayne’s nicknames, and I will be using it at several points in this review). The man’s been making music since the late 90s with his “Tha Block Is Hot” album, and he ended up rising to prominence with the first in his series of “Tha Carter” albums, growing and growing until he hit his peak with “Tha Carter III,” a wildly popular album that’s essentially his most successful one to date. Since then, he’s had some up and down times, with his “Rebirth” album receiving scathing reviews, and his “Tha Carter IV” album receiving more mixed reviews, despite being home to several huge singles like “6 Foot 7 Foot,” “How To Love,” and “She Will,” songs that helped introduce me personally to Wayne (I know what you’re thinking, and no, I wasn’t introduced with “Tha Carter III” because I was 9 when the album came out and didn’t listen to rap at the time, naturally). It was with “Tha Carter IV” that, even if I didn’t jump on the Wayne bandwagon, I started to understand and see his influence on mainstream hip-hop, and I saw him as one of the most popular, in-demand rappers at the time.

Now, while I understood said influence, I never really considered myself a Weezy "fan.” Yes, I enjoyed “She Will” back in the day, and I’ve enjoyed him quite a bit as a feature on songs like “Let It Rock,” “I Made It (Cash Money Heroes),” “Down,” “Forever,” “I’m Goin’ In,” “No Love,” “The Motto,” “I’m The One,” and “No Problem,” among others, but I’ve never been all that big on his own music. In fact, I’m sure I’m not the first to say this, and I know I won’t be the last, but a lot of what made this project so intriguing to me was the much-publicized delays and legal battling with Cash Money Records that kept this thing from being released four years ago. I won’t speak much of it because it’s been spoken about already, but the album was supposed to drop as early as May of 2014. It only just released now as a result of Cash Money Records boss Birdman not wanting to release the album even though it had been completed, a topic that was also alluded to in Drake’s “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late” mixtape, with many critics speculating that Drake, with that project, was achieving solidarity with Wayne and planning to leave Cash Money as well. He's even continued to hint at this in songs and live performances, even up to his latest project “Scorpion,” where he indicated that once said album dropped, he would be out of his deal with Cash Money.

So, all of this legal business was in my head going into this thing, and it’s what made me most interested in listening because it raised so many questions: this thing was delayed so many times, does that show? If it was finished in 2014, will it sound that way? Has Wayne’s sound evolved to any degree with this project? Will Weezy shoot subliminals at Birdman and Cash Money after all of that? I was definitely fascinated to know at first, but then my stomach fell entirely on the floor when I saw that this thing was gonna be an HOUR AND A HALF of music, spread across TWENTY-THREE tracks. I get it, long albums are frustratingly “in” right now, and it’s better than what Wayne had before (apparently, the album was gonna have 31 tracks at one point), but just because others are doing it, that doesn’t make it okay. An hour alone is pushing things, an hour and a half is just ridiculous. And when it comes to long albums, you’ve gotta be really conceptual or have a crazy good story to make an album of this length work. Does Wayne have any worthwhile stories to tell that could make an hour and a half of music all that enticing? Well, let’s find out, I guess:

I Love You Dwayne: Kicking things off, we have a spoken-word track from the perspective of Wayne’s mother, Jacida Carter. Jacida talks about how proud she is of Wayne, and I know Wayne was so excited to have her on the album, so I’m glad he was able to get that. As it is, the spoken-word song serves its purpose and is a nice gesture to include her. It’s got emotional appeal to it, and while it’s not something I’m gonna throw on my playlist (since it’s a spoken-word song), I do think it’s an interesting and overall solid way to start the album.

Don’t Cry (feat. XXXTentacion): Okay, so this album has an XXXTentacion feature…because, you know, regardless of what you thought about him when alive, money-hungry executives can’t give him a few seconds to actually rest in peace before they start digging through his grave. Either way, this one sees Wayne talk about his emotions and the difficult situations in his life over a moodier, slow-paced instrumental. The production on this one is actually very smooth and emotional, and I like Wayne’s lyrics and more vulnerable performance. I wasn’t crazy about X’s hook at first, but it’s definitely a grower. I think his vocals are, again, very emotional and vulnerable, and the melody of it actually becomes a pretty good earworm after a while. I actually really dig this, it’s a good start!

Dedicate: A song where Wayne acknowledges his influence as a rapper while shooting some subliminal shots at Birdman, I LOVE Wayne’s flow on this one. It seems to take a few cues from newer rappers like Migos, but it also sees Wayne in top form as confident as ever, and his charisma throughout the song is also brilliant, as it honestly shows me once again just how much of an influence Wayne has had on new-school rappers in regards to energy of performance and vocal inflections. At one point, I was thinking to myself “man, his vocal inflection reminds me a bit of Uzi,” and then I remembered, “wait, Uzi wouldn’t be Uzi without Wayne!” I also love the very pounding keys on this one that mesh well with the trap drums, and the 2 Chainz-sampled hook (specifically hailing from 2 Chainz's song "Dedication") is pretty damn fun as well. Definitely one of the stronger tracks on the album.

Uproar (feat. Swizz Beats): Here, Wayne warns any of his enemies not to play with his name, noting that regardless of how old he is or how long he’s been around, he’s not playing any games now. Subliminals at Pusha T for the “Infrared” disses? Who’s to say, but regardless, Wayne samples G-Dep’s “Special Delivery” on this one, a vibrant and very grand track with very loud bells and trap percussion. I like said production, Wayne has a lot of fun on his performance with good flows and great energy and inflections on his vocals, and the hook is one of the most compelling choruses on the album. By the way, there are no lines that seem to be aimed at Pusha T, so it doesn’t look like Weezy’s trying to reignite any fire and let the “Surgical Summer” continue into the Fall, but that doesn’t take away from what’s a very enjoyable cut.

Let It Fly (feat. Travis Scott): A collaboration with “Mr. Astroworld” himself Travis Scott, this turn-up jam features another upbeat trap drum beat, but it also has some more nocturnal and moody production, akin to the kind of instrumentals that Travis usually has on his albums. I like the filters on his vocals, I think they mesh well with said nocturnal and eerie instrumentals, and I think Travis comes through with a pretty sweet hook as well. Wayne’s verse features some really strong flow as well, though I do wish that, for all the “rhyme flexing” that he does, he didn’t spend so much time rhyming some of the same words together. It just tends to feel a bit dull at points. Even so, the track still has plenty of charm to spare thanks to Weezy’s assured performance, and the song is a lot of fun overall.

Can’t Be Broken: With this cut, Weezy takes some time to be thankful, speaking on some of the “unbreakable” accomplishments he has achieved throughout his career, such as his massive sales and accolades, as well as the bonds he has created with his family and friends. I like the very emotional piano riffs, and Thomas Troelsen’s vocals on the hook, though given the “Alvin and the Chipmunk” treatment, are interesting as he sings what is one of the best choruses on the album. Wayne’s flows and technicality on his verse are, as always, on point, as he manages to flex and fire back at haters with confidence, while also having a performance that feels downbeat enough to have some emotional edge to it. Really dig this!

Dark Side Of The Moon (feat. Nicki Minaj): Yet another in a long line of collaborations with Ms. Nicki “Somehow Is On The Same Album as Travis Scott” Minaj, the two discuss a metaphorical apocalypse and interweave this with themes of loyalty, where they discuss how they will stay with their significant others no matter the situation. The production is much slower on this one, with lighter pianos and a more downbeat performance from Wayne. I wasn’t all that crazy about the hook at first, but it definitely grew on me as the song progressed, and Wayne’s performance has some good emotional weight to it thanks to the sadder vocals and somewhat slower flows. Nicki Minaj’s performance and very smooth, beautiful vocals also add to that emotional weight. Didn't think it would be one of my favorites on the album, but I really like this one a lot!

Mona Lisa (feat. Kendrick Lamar): The track that has thus far gained the most traction, Lil Wayne teams up with none other than “Kung Fu Kenny” himself Kendrick Lamar to talk about a deceptive woman who essentially sets her boyfriend up to be “robbed,” playing this into the ambiguity of the smile in the Mona Lisa painting. The two play cat-and-mouse and tell the two different sides of the tale, all over another more emotional, piano-driven instrumental. Wayne’s performance sees him rapping a bit in his higher register, but he sounds good in it, and his flow is very varied throughout the song. And naturally, Kendrick’s verse (which apparently was from the era of “To Pimp A Butterfly”) features the same great rapid-fire flow and charismatic vocal performances that he’s always given us. I see why this is the song from the album that’s blown up the most, it’s really great!

What About Me (feat. Sosamann): A track that sees Wayne talking about a woman that’s paying more attention to another man, thus causing him to question if she really loves him, I kinda like that this song has some R&B vibes, with Wayne’s performance being more melodic and romantic and the production being a bit more spacey and moody. I love Wayne’s vocals on here, and I think the hook is insanely catchy and ear-wormy. I wasn’t really entirely crazy about Sosamann’s performance at first, because he did just sound like another auto-crooner, but his vocals are nice and they do mesh well with the moody instrumentals on here. Pretty good track.

Open Letter: Exactly as the title suggests, this song is an actual open letter to many people around Weezy, be it his fans, his friends, his family, it’s got everyone in it, and it sees Wayne get a bit personal with us, notably even letting us know about his struggles with self-hatred and contemplations of suicide. I do like a lot of his bars on this one, though I don’t think his flow is quite as sticky or attention-grabbing as some of the previous songs on the album. Still, I do like the very woozy and hazy production, and I think it’s interesting seeing Wayne bearing his soul to some degree on this track. Not one of my favorites on the album, but I do think it’s a good track with some potential to grow on me.

Famous (feat. Reginae Carter): Lovingly, Wayne actually features his firstborn daughter, Reginae Carter, on this track, one where he talks about how his rise to the luxurious life he is living now has had positive and negative effects on him. Unfortunately, while his daughter’s vocals are not bad (her vocals are very light and pretty), I think she’s drowned in just a little too much autotune. And while I do again like quite a few of Wayne’s bars (I actually particularly like the “you can’t spell fame without me” line), I feel like some of the piano-driven production does feel just a little contrived. It’s not a terrible track, I can see the appeal of it and it’s definitely listenable, but it doesn’t grab me like some of the other cuts on here.

Problems: Wayne gets braggadocious as he talks about the fame, the wealth, and the pros and cons of millionaire status over some Zaytoven production. I definitely think Zay’s beat is really hard-hitting, and the somewhat nocturnal production is really bright and lovely. Unfortunately, while Wayne’s vocal inflections are really interesting as usual, I don’t find his flows to be quite as interesting, and I think the hook is one of the weakest on the album. Still, I think the really sweet production saves this from being one of the album’s worst. I just wish Weezy’s presence on the song was a bit better.

Dope N***az (feat. Snoop Dogg): Yes, I’m censoring that word. We went through this in my review of Chris Brown’s “Heartbreak on a Full Moon,” as a white male I’m not in a position to use it in any context, so it's gonna get censored. Anyway, Wayne is joined by another legend in Snoop Dogg to talk about how he reacts to the actions of the people he knows. I like Wayne’s very varied flows on this one, and there are some really cool guitars as well (the song samples “Xxplosive” by Dr. Dre, and the sample is used very nicely here). And while I wish he had a verse, I think Snoop’s hook is immediately catchy, and his performance has that trademark Snoop charisma that makes him such a compelling performer. Really good song!

Hittas: Another track that sees Weezy in full braggadocious mode, lavishing in the party-going, wealthy high life, this song actually features a single lyric from Drake. Speaking of which, where was Drizzy on this album? Seemed like a lock to be on it (I know the actual reason he’s not here, just play along). I like the very hazy and ethereal production, with a simple beat and very dreamy synths that work wonderfully together. Wayne’s flows, once again, are smooth and really fun (even when he spits goofy bars like “I’m an ass with that semi, call me semicolon”), though I do think the song could’ve used a better chorus. Still, it’s definitely a pretty good track and it’s got the potential to grow on me with a few more listens.

Took His Time: Ohhhhh, he SURE did. But no, this song isn’t about how Wayne took his time with the album, or how Birdman took his time working out the legal issues, but the song is about how God took his time trying to create Wayne. Hmm…interesting. But anyway, this is another track with very moody, somewhat soulful production that has some very pretty background vocals to it. And once again, I really like Wayne’s variations to his flow, switching up often from cadences that are faster, slower, and sometimes more slanted, and pulling them all off really solidly. And while I wasn’t really all that crazy about the hook at first, I think Wayne’s vocals and melodies on it are catchy and nicely ear-wormy. Pretty good track, I like it.

Open Safe: A DJ Mustard-produced banger, this bouncy track sees Lil Wayne rapping relentlessly and confidently, although I must note that he uses the n-word for the sake of a rhyme 62 times on this one. Totally not repetitive at all, nope. But regardless, DJ Mustard’s production is cutthroat and very hard-hitting, with really sweet, nocturnal synths and the trademark bouncy percussion he's known for. I’d actually say the instrumentals on this track are some of the best on the album. I’m not quite as crazy about Wayne’s performance, though: yes, his vocals are charismatic and exciting, but I just kinda feel like his flow gets a bit monotonous after a while, which doesn’t help that repetitive rhyming I mentioned earlier. Still, I can see this being a song that grows on me with a few more listens, it’s a pretty good listen despite the repetitiveness of it.

Start This Shit Off Right (feat. Ashanti & Mack Maine): But…but this is track #17. How is this “starting shit off?” I’m confused. Anyway, this feature-filled song is once again braggadocious, feeling more like something you’d hear at a party compared to some of the other tracks on the album. And the production, once again, is pretty damn strong, with really funky synths, bright keys, and a really catchy drum beat. I do think that Mack Maine’s hook is a bit repetitive, but fortunately, his presence throughout the song is kept to enough of a minimum that it doesn’t sour too quick. Wayne’s verses once again feature some fun bars and great flows, and Ashanti is a show-stealer with her very angelic vocals. Really dig this one, easily one of my favorites on the album.

Demon: Should be obvious with the title, but Weezy talks here about the demons he has faced over his life: past flames, money, himself, everything, it’s all here. Taking things a bit slower as well, Wayne nonetheless gives us some faster-paced flows, some of which feel a bit unconsciously slanted and off-time. I like some of the more moody, lowkey production, and the hook has some charm to it, but I feel like this is another overly repetitive cut, given that it’s just one verse (which gets repeated as well) and the rest of the song is just choruses, bridges, and hooks. It has a few good ideas going for it, but this is one of the more inessential tracks on the record.

Mess: Keeping things going in a more introspective direction, Wayne talks about the messiness of his love life on this song. He talks about this over another more moody instrumental that features some very sad guitar plucking, as Wayne gets a bit more melodic on us. And I do like his singing here, it actually feels like it carries some emotional weight to it. I don’t think the lyrics are all that interesting for what Wayne is going for, and the hook isn’t one of the album’s best, but I can see how people would like a song like this, and it’s definitely far from the album’s worst. Not something I’ll come back to much, but it’s got good things going for it.

Dope New Gospel (feat. Nivea): Essentially Wayne’s version of Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror,” here we see Weezy talking more about his ups and downs, while also featuring Nivea, his ex-fiancé. Again, very nice move by Wayne, respect. And I like some of the very subtle gospel nods on the production, which is at points angelic and at others very gorgeous. Wayne’s vocal inflection, which leans more on crooning, is smooth and very nice, as is his typical exuberant and entertaining flows, and Nivea’s vocals sound very pretty as well. Definitely one of the sweeter cuts on the album, I really dig it.

Perfect Strangers: Another love song, Wayne talks here about how he is in love with so many different women, and how he doesn’t even know who they really are, giving him the feeling that they are more like strangers, even if they talk often. Rough times, sorry Weezy. Anyway, I once again love the production here: the synths and pianos kinda have a tiny bit of a throwback vibe. I’m not sure what it is, but it kinda feels nostalgic to me for some reason (and I mean that in a good way). I again love Wayne’s more moody and emotional vocals, and the song feels like it mixes in some pretty nice R&B feels that help make it one of the more fun tracks on the album.

Used 2: With some help from Metro Boomin, Wayne talks here about how he’s grown up and changed some of the habits he had in the past. I use the term “grown up” a bit lightly, though, because with lines like “I used to fuck and get tired, now I fuck her ten times” in the hook…yeah, that’s something. But either way, this one also has some super deep, dark, cutting production that features very sinister keys and somewhat more minimal percussion. I also love how Wayne has some more sad, what sounds to be tear-filled vocals throughout parts of the song, but juxtaposes them with more fast-paced flows, and still shows confidence in himself all throughout. The hook is also one of the catchier ones on the album, and it helps round out this really intense, damn good track.

Let It All Work Out: The outro track to this VERY LONG album, Wayne gets a bit personal with us by detailing a suicide attempt of his past, and telling us about he was saved from said attempt. And while he’s not credited, Weezy enlists the help of Sampha, whose song “Indecision” gets sampled, and his song “Let It All Work Out” that he did with Young Thug gets interpolated. Wayne’s flow here doesn’t really grab my attention right away, but I think some of the bars are pretty interesting and his confidence is definitely on full display here. The production takes some very neat twists and turns as well, though I feel like Sampha’s “let it all work out” passage just gets a bit too repetitive for me. It’s not the strongest song on the album, but I do think it’s an appropriate closer. Could it have been improved? Sure, but I see why Wayne chose this one to close with.

So, now that it’s finally out and I’ve finally gotten through all of it, what do I think of Lil Wayne’s long-awaited “Tha Carter V?” Well, to my surprise after all the legal battles and delays, I actually really enjoyed the album! I was worried that Wayne wouldn’t have enough interesting subject matters to make a 23-song album interesting and…well, a lot of this is flexing, so I guess that wasn’t extremely far enough, but that doesn’t really matter because Wayne and his producers for much of this album are in top form. The instrumentals are sticky and memorable, as Wayne has an ear for a lot of different styles and sounds, some nocturnal, some banging, some moody, but all pretty enticing. And Wayne remains an interesting performer after all these years: his performances throughout the songs feature some extremely varied flows, sweet filtered vocals, and charismatic inflections as well.

I am a bit conflicted with my rating, though, because the album does have a few flaws. For starters, while there are plenty of really enticing and great hooks on this album, there are quite a few times where those hooks are just “in one ear and out the other,” which makes quite a few songs feel a little less attention-grabbing. And the other big issue is that, while Wayne and the producers are often in top form here, this 23-song album does have a decent helping of filler to it. I understand Wayne’s desire to give his fans a longer album, especially since they’ve been waiting for such a long time, but I do think he could have cut down on the number of tracks just a little bit. Given that much of the album doesn’t really see him tackling a bunch of hard-hitting themes, there’s a lot of turn-up flavored filler that could’ve been cut entirely from the record.

You know what, though, I think this is a case where I’m willing to be nice with my rating, and forgive some of those flaws because, at the end of the day, I did like 14 out of the 23 songs on here, and the songs I liked, I REALLY liked. And the few songs I didn’t like still had some good ideas going for them. Sometimes, it’s not just about how many songs you liked and disliked on the album, it’s about the extent to which you liked or disliked said songs, and I definitely loved a good majority of the album. The love outweighs the very slight dislike. It’s a wonder that Wayne even got this thing out, and it’s even more of a wonder that I walked away from the album loving so damn much of it. So overall, I’m happy to say that I definitely recommend giving “Tha Carter V” a listen. Weezy fans, I’m glad you guys have gotten what you’ve been waiting for, I’m glad it’s everything that you hoped it could be, and I’m glad that I can totally see why.

Wayne, you proved me wrong. The wait was worth it. Way to go.

Favorite tracks: Don’t Cry, Dedicate, Uproar, Let It Fly, Can’t Be Broken, Dark Side Of The Moon, Mona Lisa, What About Me, Dope N***az, Took His Time, Start This Shit Off Right, Dope New Gospel, Perfect Strangers, Used 2

Least favorite tracks: Famous, Demon

Rating: Excellent

Logic "YSIV" Album Review

I thought reviewing Logic first would be a good idea because it’s shorter than Wayne, but an hour and 16 minutes compared to an hour and 27 minutes…Jesus Christ, when will this long album thing stop? Ugh, anyway, it’s now time for a review of the new Logic album, “YSIV” (an abbreviation, by the way, for “Young Sinatra IV”).

This is the latest full-length album from rapper, singer, songwriter, biracial, “Bobby Tarantino” himself, Logic. Logic doesn’t really need much of an introduction around these parts, I’ve already covered a good few of his projects lately: this year alone, I’ve reviewed both of his “Bobby Tarantino” mixtapes, as well as last year’s full-length album “Everybody.” This project right here is his fourth studio album (and the first in his “Young Sinatra” series that is classified as a studio album, since the first three “Young Sinatra” projects were all mixtapes), and it’s the second project he’s released this year, following the “Bobby Tarantino II” mixtape that he dropped back in March. Since then, he’s provided several hints at this album right here with the release of three singles, “One Day” which features OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder, “The Return” and “Everybody Dies.”

Now, I’m sure you guys know it already, but I do enjoy much of Logic’s music. I love both “Bobby Tarantino” mixtapes, and I’ve definitely given “Bobby Tarantino II” plenty of repeat listens this year, as I’ve continued to return to songs like “44 More,” “Everyday,” and ESPECIALLY “Midnight,” I absolutely love that track, but honestly, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this album. For starters, as someone that has only listened to “Everybody” and the two “Bobby Tarantino” tapes, I’m not really all that familiar with Logic’s “Young Sinatra” persona, and I’m not sure if it’s any different than his other voices. Not only that, but I honestly didn’t really pay much attention to the lead singles that he dropped for this thing. Not out of malice, but I just never really got around to listening to them. Still, I do like Logic’s music, and he definitely knows how to come through with some bangers, so I’m definitely excited to see if he does that here. Let’s take a look, shall we?

Thank You (ft. Lucy Rose & The RattPack): Always starting the albums with the skits, huh? Well, actually, this one is a skit and actual music, so at least there’s that. Anyway, Logic kicks off by informing everyone that this is just the end of the “Young Sinatra” series and that it’s not actually his final album like he’s been teasing. And right from the jump, it’s a seven-minute track! Well, at least we get the idea early and often that this thing is gonna be long. Either way, while I like the message and find Logic’s performance on the verse to be rather confident, I’m not really all that into the production. It just feels like a serviceable beat, and I think Logic’s crooning on the hook is somewhat clunky. And again, it’s sweet that he’s thanking his “RattPack” for giving him a platform to spread his message of PLP (peace, love, and positivity), but this song really didn’t need to be seven minutes. Definitely not the hardest-hitting starter the album could’ve had.

Everybody Dies: A single that sees Logic telling everyone to live their best life since we’re all inevitably going to die (very dark, Logic), I like the very dark production and I really love Logic’s rapid-fire flow and lyricism on this one. Sure, he does go over a few of the same points he mentioned before, but he sounds great doing it, and the song’s production really cuts deep. I don’t really think the hook is one of Logic’s strongest, and it does hold the song back from being one of my favorites on the album, but I do think the song itself sounds really good, and it could end up being a grower with a few more listens.

The Return: The resurrection track of his “Young Sinatra” persona, Logic talks on this one about everything from his come-up to Donald Trump to his haters to even Jay-Z, who he wants to make a song with. I’m down with it, but first Hov has to put “4:44” on Spotify so I can listen to that thing! Anyway, while I wasn’t initially super into this because it sounded a bit too much like the last song, I do think the beat is really fun, the hook is pretty sticky, and Logic comes through with a lot of really clever bars, too. I actually got a kick out of when Logic said “I wish I could face my homophobic, racist attacker / and smack the shit outta they face as peaceful as possible,” and I love how he rapid-fires bar after bar like this throughout the song. Really dig this track.

The Glorious Five: Something of a personal track, Logic details his relationship with his father with this cut, while also talking about how the fame hasn’t changed him at all. You know, just another day in the life of Logic. But honestly, I really thought this was an emotional track. Beyond the hard-hitting boom-bap production and Logic’s rapid-fire flow (and a hook that’s probably one of the album’s best), I actually found his story about his father to be really hard-hitting and resonant. I also like how this track sees Logic, a usually confident performer, in a somewhat more vulnerable frame of mind, still feeling like he doesn’t quite belong yet. It’s a cut that really hits at the heartstrings, and it’s one I can tell Logic definitely put his hard and soul into.

One Day (ft. Ryan Tedder): With the help of OneRepublic's lead singer Ryan Tedder, Logic talks about making his dreams come true, being successful, and other such things that he's talked about in the past. I really like Ryan Tedder’s vocals on the chorus, though I do feel like they are a little bit at odds with Logic’s at certain points of the song. Still, Logic’s performance has plenty of charisma, the boom-bap production is exciting and vibrant (as are the really fun keys), and while some of the lyrics are clearly stuff Logic’s talked about before, the bright and positive vibes of the song are strong enough to make this a good single.

Wu Tang Forever (ft. Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, RZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, Jackpot Scotty Wotty, U-God, Masta Killa & GZA): Mad respect to Logic for having the Wu-Tang Clan on their album, but couldn't you give us something a bit shorter? I get it, there’s a lot of features so the song has to be long to give them all their time, but jeez, eight minutes? Yeesh, talk about excess. And honestly, “excess” is the perfect way to describe this song. Yes, the flows are good, and the boom-bap beat is fine (oh, and some of the bars are pretty clever), but damn, did this really need to be eight minutes? Especially given that Logic feels like a non-presence for most of the song, this feels a bit at odds with the rest of the album. Maybe it’d be better if it was on a Wu-Tang album, but as it is, it’s just out of place and overly long.

100 Miles and Running (ft. Wale & John Lindahl): This one sees Logic making references to featured artist Wale’s 2007 mixtape “100 Miles and Running,” which is apparently one of his most successful projects. Wouldn’t know, because I don’t really listen to the guy. Either way, I do like the rather bright sound of this one (and I love the groovy bassline and bright guitar riffs) and Logic’s flow is great as always, though I do find some of his lyrics on this to be a bit redundant and it just feels like he’s kinda repeating himself. Wale’s flow and technicality are good as well, as is John Lindahl’s hook, but I personally don’t find myself really loving the overly long interludes. Still, there’s a lot to really adore about the track, it’s just there’s just as much to dislike about it.

Ordinary Day (ft. Hailee Steinfeld): A song that was apparently scrapped from “Everybody,” Logic teams up with the lovely singer/actress Hailee Steinfeld for this slightly more moody track, given some of the synths and Logic’s moody auto-crooning on the hook. I do like the beat and as always, Logic’s technicality is on point, but I think that the chorus is one of the clumsier ones on the album, as it’s just a bit too repetitive and dull for me. And while I like Hailee Steinfeld’s vocals, I feel like she’s not given enough time to really show them off here. It’s definitely not one of my favorites from the album.

YSIV: The title track sees Logic use some of his “YSIV Freestyle” that he used to announce the album, while also paying homage to the recently deceased rapper Mac Miller. This is another rather long cut, clocking in at just over six minutes. I know Logic has a lot of time on his hands given how much he drops at once, but jeez, dude, this is a bit much. Still, I think he rapid-fires some rather clever bars on this one (and he also gives a very sweet tribute to Mac), though I do find some of the subject matter to again be redundant (something Logic admits to on this song, frustratingly). And the boom-bap beat is nice, as are the very smooth piano riffs and feel changes, though I again think the song could’ve used a better chorus. Still, this could be another grower, it’s definitely a nice enough song despite its length.

Street Dreams II: A sequel to a track that apparently never got released, Logic pays homage to Big L and tells a fictional story about robbing a store with his producer, 6ix, though he reveals that it was all just a dream. Don’t you love when stories end like that? Anyway, this is another merely middle-of-the-road song to me: I love the very moody instrumentals and the boom-bap beat is good enough, but Logic’s performance honestly doesn’t stick with me as much. Yeah, his flow is strong as always, and the story is interesting enough, but it doesn’t really sound like he’s doing much to distinguish himself with this one. I’m sure the hardcore fans will dig it, but for me, it just doesn’t do much.

The Adventures of Stoney Bob (ft. Kajo, Slaydro & Big Lenbo): It’s a song about smoking weed! “Indica Badu” is calling my name. And honestly, I feel like the song isn’t really as strong as “Indica Badu” because, with “Indica Badu,” I really felt like, even as someone that doesn’t smoke weed, the song’s production was interesting enough that it created the feeling of being on a weed high. This one doesn’t really do that: the instrumental just feels like a number of the other songs on this album, and while Logic’s performance (as well as the performances of the guest vocalists) are all good, the production just feels somewhat dime-a-dozen and doesn’t really stick like a number of the other songs on here. One of the weaker tracks on the album, even if I appreciate that the weed-smoking song is 4:20 in length.

Legacy: A more emotional track, Logic talks about his fear of working so hard that he ends up missing important moments in his family’s life. Fortunately, I actually like this one a lot more than many of the other songs on the album. Even if some of the production still feels a bit “same-y” compared to some of the other songs on the album (with some rather moody, piano-driven melodies and rather standard boom-bap beats), I really like Logic’s storytelling, and I think this is one of the album’s more interesting songs lyrically. It comes from a different perspective since Logic doesn’t actually have a kid, but I do like what he’s saying on this one, and that’s what makes it one of the album’s more compelling tracks.

ICONIC (ft. Jaden Smith): Apparently, this one is called “ICONIC” because Jaden Smith is on it and he still thinks he’s an “icon living.” Funny, Jaden, funny. Anyway, there are a few things I really like about this one: I like that Logic references Eminem’s name-drop from “Kamikaze” with class (because regardless of how good or bad he is now, you’ve gotta respect Eminem, he’s a legend), and as someone that’s generally not a huge Jaden fan, I do like that his contribution to the track is short, sweet and to the point, not feeling like it goes on too long (I also like how it leads into the feel-change I’ll talk about later). I also like the more pumping beat, Logic’s hook is one of the more compelling choruses on the album, and I think his performance is one of the more exciting and energetic vocal performances on the album. And the feel-change the song takes towards the end actually works for the better here, giving the song nice variance and increased fun factor. Definitely one of my favorite cuts on the album.

Last Call: Logic finishes off by trying to be Kanye West (since Kanye did this on “The College Dropout”), while also talking about his come-up, his success, and his future. So, essentially he talks about Logic topics, but he just brings his future into it. And not only does he do that, but he makes the song 11 minutes as well…as if he hasn’t been bloating out runtimes enough with this record. And it also doesn’t help to me that this song just feels like so many of the others on the album, with very similar moody piano riffs and a very same-y boom-bap beat. And there are some good flows and crooning on this song, but it just becomes so dull listening to Logic’s bloated spoken-word interludes on this one. I get it, it’s supposed to make him seem more personable, and Logic is definitely likable when he talks, but I feel like they just make the song go on too long. Overall, just as the album started off a bit rough, this is definitely an unfortunately weak end to a disappointing album.

Overall, while the album mostly ended pretty well, I have to say that “YSIV” is easily the most middle-of-the-road Logic project I’ve listened to at this point. Yes, Logic continues to prove that he, technically speaking, is one of the more talented rappers in the game, and I do believe that many of his flows are very fun and impressive, but honestly, even with the hype and the return to the “boom-bap,” most of the production on this thing just doesn’t really stick. A lot of it just tends to mesh together, as do Logic’s lyrics, since he finds himself just recycling the same tired themes with no real care at all. At the very least, “Everybody” was conceptual in some way. This honestly just felt like an extended “Bobby Tarantino” tape to me, especially since it felt to me like Logic referred to himself as “Bobby Tarantino” more times than he referred to himself as “Young Sinatra.” And furthermore, I feel like Logic’s previous albums saw him come through with some really strong hooks, but here, most of the songs just didn’t hook. A lot of them just kinda felt like white noise to me, in one ear and then out the other. All things considered, despite the hype behind the fact that it’s the final “Sinatra” project from Logic, this is one of his least special and least distinct works to date, unfortunately.

Logic, I love ya, man, but I’m sorry, I wasn’t all the way into this album.

Favorite tracks: The Return, The Glorious Five, One Day, Legacy, ICONIC

Least favorite tracks: Thank You, Wu-Tang Forever, Ordinary Day, The Adventures of Stoney Bob, Last Call

Rating: Okay

Troye Sivan "Bloom" Album Review

I know what you’re thinking: “DUDE, ‘THA CARTER V’ AND ‘YSIV’ JUST DROPPED, WHY AREN’T YOU REVIEWING THOSE?” Well, one, I’ve kept you waiting for this long enough, and two…both albums are over an hour and I’m terrified, so instead, it’s finally time for a review of the new Troye Sivan album “Bloom.”

Troye Sivan is a South African pop singer, songwriter, actor, and YouTuber who first gained popularity in the music realm with his singing videos on YouTube. His success with said videos landed him a record deal with EMI Australia in 2013 and lead to the release of his first two EPs “TRXYE” and “Wild” in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, at the tail end of the year, Troye ended up releasing his debut studio album “Blue Neighbourhood” which, despite not reaching the Billboard 200 peaks that his two EPs reached (both EPs peaked at #5, “Blue Neighbourhood” peaked at #7), the album featured his first Top 40 US hit in “YOUTH,” which peaked at #23 over here on the Billboard Hot 100 and has thus far trumped the success of any of his other singles (all of his other songs that charted in the Hot 100 have hovered around the 80-94 mark).

Now, I’ve spent plenty of time with the aforementioned single “YOUTH” and I think it’s a great song, but otherwise, I’m not totally familiar with Troye’s music. I’ve been hearing this album get a lot of praise and hype in several corners, but I didn’t really listen to a lot of the singles. I think I remember hearing a little bit of “My! My! My!” when it first came out, but I don’t remember it really clicking with me right off the bat, so I’m going into this mostly blind. I’ve heard great things about a lot of Troye’s music, and I know this album has gotten a lot of that praise, but I don’t know what to expect. Hopefully, it’ll be something good, right? Let’s find out.

Seventeen: Right off the bat, Troye talks about an experience he had lying about his age at 17 to hook up with an older man on Grindr. Okay. Regardless of the odd lyrical topic, I do think Troye’s more filtered vocals are rather nice, and the song does have a very nice, mellow, and moody feel to it. Sadly, I honestly don’t really find the hook all that compelling here, and without any real catchiness to it, I really don’t find a whole lot that makes it feel all that distinct, honestly. I guess I can see the appeal of the song, but maybe it’s just not for me.

My! My! My!: One of the album’s bigger singles, Troye taps into freedom and sexuality on this track, doing so over some rather bouncy and sensual production. I really dig the beat on this one, I think it’s more immediate and catchy than the last track, and the electronic instrumentals are very sticky as well. Troye’s vocals also sound very pretty, and while I wasn’t initially as big on the hook when I first heard the song, it’s definitely a grower. This definitely feels like a more distinct pop hit, and I really like it a lot!

The Good Side: Troye delves into his lost relationship on this cut, talking about how he got “the good side” of the breakup, given that he was able to use said breakup to push his music forward and use it as catharsis. Nice, and more power to you, Troye. I really like the acoustic guitar riffs on this cut, and again, Troye’s very low-key vocals sound very smooth and pretty, but honestly, there’s still just something not quite clicking with me about it. Again, maybe it’s that I’m not crazy about the hook? Maybe it just doesn’t feel super distinct or sticky to me? I don’t know, but I feel like this one just doesn’t totally do it for me. It’s got good things going for it, but it just doesn’t really stick to me.

Bloom: What Troye has described as a “gay anthem” with undertones about one losing their virginity, Troye also sees this one as being “almost bubblegum.” And yeah, I see what he’s saying, but all in all, this is actually a pretty fun cut. The production is more busy and punchy, and while it takes a minute for the song to really kick in and get good, it’s a blast when it does. Troye’s vocals are gorgeous, I love the hook, and I can tell that Troye just had such a fun time making and writing this one out. It’s a really strong single, easily one of the album’s best songs.

Postcard (feat. Gordi): Another personal story where Troye talks about his boyfriend’s imperfections and how he was unable to get a postcard Troye had sent from Japan, this ballad feels far more stripped-back than the others, with just Troye singing over a piano melody. Said piano is really quite beautiful, and Troye comes through with some very catchy and pretty vocal melodies. I also think the hook is one of the most emotionally resonant and sticky choruses on the record. This is a track that's easy to get into and easy to fall in love with, it’s one of the most gorgeous songs on the record. I can see myself getting a lot of listens out of this one.

Dance To This (feat. Ariana Grande): Bringing in the lovely Ariana Grande definitely helps get me excited for your track, so points for you, Troye. This one is a more mellow dance song that talks about a couple that chose to stay home to party instead of going out. It’s an interesting topic for sure, and the song is a nice slice of electropop with very bouncy and neat production. Troye’s vocals are very smooth, and he comes through with a lot of very catchy melodies on this track. Ariana’s vocals also mesh perfectly with the production, and she sounds gorgeous alongside Troye on the hook. I again can tell a lot of fun was had with this one, it’s so catchy and vibrant! I love it!

Plum: A more heartbreaking track about realizing that even the most beautiful things in the world can turn out rotten, this is another electropop song with some really smooth synths and a pretty fun 808 drum beat. I don’t think said production is some of the album’s strongest, but I do think it sounds nice enough, the hook is pretty fun, and Troye’s vocals are very nice as always. I can see why this is considered a “least favorite” in some circles because it doesn’t feel like the most distinct thing the album has to offer, but honestly, it’s just too damn fun to pass up, and it’s definitely a grower. Really liked it!

What A Heavenly Way To Die: What a heavenly title. This song is a more minimal ballad inspired by The Smiths’ “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out,” and it’s another somewhat more stripped-back and emotional cut. Yes, it does have the electronic production and the somewhat energetic percussion, but it definitely has a more mellow, sad feel to it than some of the other songs on here. Troye’s vocals also sound very gorgeous and emotional, and I think Troye’s ear for hooks shines through with this cut. I really dig this one, definitely think it’ll get repeat listens out of me.

Lucky Strike: Comparing his love for a boy to the addiction one gets when smoking Lucky Strike Cigarettes, this is another more energetic, electropop track that kind of reminds me a bit of “YOUTH,” just a little more uptempo. I do think said uptempo electronic production is quite strong, and it sounds very lovely, and honestly, this is a weird example of a song that grew on me a lot as I was listening to it. Troye’s vocal melodies are catchy as hell, he sounds great, and the hook, while I didn’t find it as immediate as first, definitely grew to be a lot of fun as the song progressed. Really dig this one! Might have taken some time to grow on me, but it’s pretty great!

Animal: Finishing things off with what Troye describes as an “epic profession of love,” this song also feels more stripped-back, with electronic production that’s a bit more downtempo and less danceable than the last song. The song leans a bit on the long side at four minutes and 25 seconds, but it’s an absolutely gorgeous four minutes and 25 seconds. Troye’s vocals are beautiful as always, the song has some very lovely feel changes, and the slower, more emotional production is the kind of stuff that just makes you close your eyes, lean back, and appreciate. It’s luscious, it’s heavenly, and it’s a fantastic finisher to the album.

Overall, Troye Sivan’s sophomore album definitely lives up to the hype it’s received as one of the best pop albums of the year. Troye tackles a number of different themes on this album with maturity and makes what feels like a statement on unabashed, unapologetic queer love, and the highs and lows that come with it. And beyond his natural handling of these mature topics, Troye also has quite an ear for very lovely, beautiful, ear-wormy production that definitely feels a cut above the types of pop music that come out today. It’s ethereal, it’s spacey, it’s heavenly, it’s luscious, and most of all, it’s just fun. The instrumentals are crafted with real love and care, and they’re easy to get into and fall in love with. Troye, too, is easy to fall in love with, thanks to his effortless charisma and very pretty, smooth vocals. He proves that you don’t need some over-the-top, high-note-belting voice to really make a song click and that natural, smooth vocals can be just as charming. I think you get it at this point, Troye Sivan’s “Bloom” is a wonderful album, and I can’t wait to give this thing more repeat listens.

Well…after I review the new Lil Wayne and Logic albums that are both over an hour. Pray for my sanity.

Favorite tracks: My! My! My!, Bloom, Postcard, Dance To This, Plum, What A Heavenly Way To Die, Lucky Strike, Animal

Least favorite tracks: Seventeen (if I had to pick one)

Rating: Excellent

BROCKHAMPTON "iridescence" Album Review

Oh yeah, it’s time!!!!! I know one or two of you are probably still waiting to hear my thoughts on Troye Sivan, but we have more pressing matters, my friends, because it is time for a review of the new BROCKHAMPTON album “iridescence.”

This is the latest studio album (and major-label debut) from the Texas-based boy band BROCKHAMPTON. You may have heard of this group before, as they blew up in 2017 with their “SATURATION” trilogy of albums, which became some of the year’s most critically acclaimed records. The band brought with said trilogy of albums a very cutting-edge, different style of hip-hop, and one that seemed impossible given the size of the group (there’s like 13 people in the band, holy moly). Now, after said albums, the group went through some rather turbulent times: they planned to release an album called “Team Effort” in 2018, but delayed it indefinitely and announced that their 4th studio album would be called “Puppy.” However, despite a positive coming in the form of their signing to Sony’s RCA Records label, a negative came in the departure of group member Ameer Vann, after news broke of his sexual misconduct and verbal/mental abuse. The group did bounce back during the Summer, however, releasing three singles in the form of “1999 WILDFIRE,” “1998 TRUMAN,” and “1997 DIANA” on Beats 1 Radio (none of which made this album, might I add).

Now, I’m sure you guys remember this (because there’s a small chance if you’re reading this, you were one of the people that put me on to these guys), but BROCKHAMPTON’s “Saturation” trilogy were some of my most-requested albums to review, so I gave them a listen over the Summer (in fact, “SATURATION III” was my milestone 100th review). I’m glad I listened to you guys because the “SATURATION” trilogy is excellent, and I love BROCKHAMPTON. Not only is their style so cutting-edge, different, and exciting, but it’s also so emotional and gorgeous, and I’ve continued to thoroughly enjoy each album with more repeat listens. So, naturally, I was excited for wherever the group was going to go next, especially with this being considered the first of their “The Best Years Of Our Lives” trilogy. And I did enjoy the “1999 WILDFIRE,” “1998 TRUMAN” and “1997 DIANA” tracks upon hearing them the first time, however, any expectations or predictions I could’ve made went away when I found out that none of those three singles would make the final album. So, all bets are off in terms of what this could be like, but I’m still excited because BROCKHAMPTON is a group I adore, so what do they bring with “iridescence?” Is the beginning of this new era a beautiful one? Well, let’s find out:

NEW ORLEANS: Alright, so this time, there’s no “every title has the same number of letters in it” thing, they’re just going right in. Not only are they talking about their come-up, but they’re also giving us their first collaboration, with none other than…Jaden Smith? Well, that’s the last person I’d want to collaborate with BROCKHAMPTON, but hey, his appearance is much smaller so I was hoping he’d come through. Overall, the group brings more very weird, quirky, cutting-edge production here, and Dom’s verse hits hard right from the jump. Kevin’s hook is pretty fun, bearface’s vocals are much different than before but still welcome, Matt’s flow is smooth, and Joba and Merlyn’s performances are very charismatic and energetic. And Jaden’s feature actually works here, given that he’s only here for a short time and all he does is sing-rap smoothly over the hook. Already, this one is a banger. I really like it!

THUG LIFE: This track is all Dom and bearface (the latter of which makes me happy, because I always want to hear more bearface), as Dom talks all about his own negative attributes and personality traits. This one leads in perfectly from the last cut, and it’s a more moody, emotional cut with very sad keys and an absolutely beautiful hook from Kevin, bearface, and the London Community Gospel. Dom sing-raps on his verse here, and his rather broken, sad vocals are really effective, as is his rather slanted, not entirely straight flow. Not gonna lie, this song really had me in my feelings, it’s such a gorgeous cut that, even at just 2 minutes, might honestly be one of my favorites from the group.

BERLIN: What seems to be a song advocating for the end of violence, this cut has a slightly more abrasive feel to it, though thankfully it’s not overly aggressive. The track features some very weird, filtered, and really fascinating percussion, and bearface’s vocals, though heavily filtered, are really fun on the hook. Dom’s performance is really a highlight here, but it’s always a team effort with these guys, and I think everyone comes through with very energetic and memorable vocal performances with very sticky melodies and flows. The track gets rather heavy at the tail-end, but in this case, that’s not a bad thing, as it helps add some variation and makes the song really enticing.

SOMETHING ABOUT HIM: All Kevin all the time on this one! This cut, which probably has the most letters I’ve ever seen in a BROCKHAMPTON title, sees Kevin talking about his love for his long-term boyfriend Jaden Walker, who I might add helped create “1998 TRUMAN” and “1997 DIANA” as he was credited for “styling” on the song. The song is slightly slower and moodier, with somewhat downtempo percussion and some rather seductive instrumentals. Kevin’s vocals take a lot of twists and turns on this very short track, with a lot of different filters and sounds, but he makes each angle very kinetic and interesting, and it ends up being a very sweet song that, even for its short length, begs repeat listens.

WHERE THE CASH AT: Outside of one verse from Matt, this song is Merlyn’s own. Seen as something of a sequel to the song “CASH” from the first “SATURATION” album, Merlyn’s performance on this one oozes with energy and charisma, and his hook is really sticky as well. Matt’s verse is also really exciting, as his fast-paced flow meshes well with the somewhat darker electronic production and very engaging percussion. When it comes to BROCKHAMPTON, you either get the emotional songs, or the bops: this one is a bop, and it’s a damn good one.

WEIGHT: With this one, the group seems to look into their inner-demons, and talk a lot about the “weight” that they’ve carried since the “SATURATION” trilogy earned them world fame. Beyond the idea of pressure, there are also themes of self-harm, fear, drug use, alcoholism, and much more here. And with Kevin’s very sad vocal inflection on his verses, as well as the very moody synths, the sad feel is immediate with this one. The song does change to something more energetic, with a drum beat and keys that kind of remind me of a video game (I think of “Kingdom Hearts” a bit here), but it works even if the change is rather sudden. Joba’s vocals are smooth, Dom’s verse also has the sad inflection to them that worked well for Kevin, and Sammy-jo’s interlude is certainly emotional. Yeah, I dig this one a lot. Very enticing song that takes things down the emotional route that’s worked very well for the group before.

DISTRICT: The gang’s all here with this one, seeming to allude in some ways to their “new start” on the hook. The electronic production is, again, somewhat abrasive, but very pounding and really sticky. Kevin’s hook is one of the most fun choruses on the record, the flows throughout this one are consistently great, and the vocal filters many members use mesh well with said production. Maybe it was because I loved bearface’s vocals so much before on the “SATURATION” trilogy that I wish his weren’t filtered, but it’s okay because they fit perfectly, and the song ends up mixing well between being an emotional bop. I really like it!

LOOPHOLE: BROCKHAMPTON was known for their shorter “skit” interludes throughout the “SATURATION” trilogy, and it looks like they’ve got another one here. It’s just a short interview between DJ Whoo Kid and Cam’ron that talks about fame and how said fame changed friendships. The interview does have very emotional strings added to it that give it a moody feel, but as it is, it’s a 53-second song that serves its purpose as an interlude and nothing more.

TAPE: Kevin seems to embrace anger on this one, talking a lot about his disdain for writers, tweeters, journalists, and much, much more, and Joba, Matt, and Dom seem to embrace some insecurities as well. The production is a bit busy on here, and while it does capture the emotional feel rather well, I do think it's a bit too slanted and off-time for me. I do think the boys all come through with great vocal performances here, but again, some of the percussion just feels a bit clumsy and makes the song a little worse. Maybe it'll grow on me in the future, though.

J’OUVERT: What seems to reference an annual Caribbean street carnival, this song doesn’t really change much up in terms of BROCKHAMPTON’s sound, but given how weird and different their sound is, that’s okay at this point. The song has very banging production that makes it feel like a turn-up track, and the performances are very energetic, especially Joba’s (he’s definitely the highlight of the song with his smooth hook nicely juxtaposing his very shouty, harder performance on his verse). And honestly, it’s really nice to hear bearface rap a bit on this one, as his flow is really fun on his short interlude. It’s another bop, what more needs to be said?

HONEY: A track that pays respect in several ways to 50 Cent, this one has a really great lead-in from the last track, and the production feels a little less fast-paced compared to the last one. Still, it’s got a very pumping, turn-up vibe to it, with a solid synth bassline and great sampling of the Beyoncé song “Dance for You.” There’s a lot of weird sonic twists and turns on this track that really work, and the boys all sound very smooth and melodic up against these very vibrant instrumentals. This is another banger.

VIVID: Here, the boys flex just a little bit over some very dark, turn-up production with a banging drum beat and more rapid-fire flows. I love said flows on this one, as Matt and Dom bring some great technicality (I particularly find Dom’s performance fun as he switches between a more low-key inflection and a more shouty, aggressive performance very nicely). The darker production is also fantastic, helping to add another bop to BROCKHAMPTON’s long list of them, and the song is rounded out nicely by Kevin’s fun outro and bearface’s very pretty, filtered vocals on his short verse. Really like this one a lot!

SAN MARCOS: A reference to the city of San Marcos in Texas, where the group had their humble beginnings, this seems to be a message from the boys that they are leaving the past in the past and beginning again (which makes sense given that this is a new “era” for BROCKHAMPTION, and with the fact that the album title is all lowercase this time around, that also adds to it). I really love the guitars here, they give the song a very moody feel that I really love. Matt’s somewhat broken vocals on his verse add to said feel, Kevin and bearface’s vocals are beautiful as well, and I also love Dom and Joba’s more melodic flow on this song (oh, and the cameo from the London Community Gospel Choir at the very end is a nice touch, too). This is a very different-sounding song for BROCKHAMPTON, and I absolutely adore it. This might actually be up there as one of my favorites from the group.

TONYA: The first single that dropped before the album, this one seems to share similarities to the award-winning film “I, Tonya,” a film about someone who achieved stardom only to lose it to scandal. This song seems to play off of that idea of “unstable stardom,” while also having some subtle allusions to Ameer’s departure from the group. The song starts with a very sad piano melody, along with very emotional vocals from bearface that mesh well very with said piano. bearface actually takes the lead on this one, while the hook is delivered by Jazmine Sullivan, serpentwithfeet, and Ryan Beatty. This is honestly perfect for the sad feel the song is going for, as their vocals are all very lowkey and gorgeous up against the pianos. The song ends up taking a somewhat bigger feel once the drums kick in, but it still works and still feels somewhat lowkey, thanks largely to the sad inflections on Kevin, Dom, and Merlyn’s verses, and Joba’s more melodic vocals in his appearance. Said performances are all very sticky, and they help round out another amazing song.

FABRIC: The closer to the album, this one also feels a bit more emotional with some of the lyrics, but it seems to end off on a positive note with the group reiterating it being “the best years of [their] lives.” The production is a bit more minimal, with more lowkey synths meshing with some more downbeat and melodic flows and performances from the boys. Said emotional vocals are very nice, the very plucky feel of the song is very effective, and the hook is one of the album’s best. The song also takes on a slightly heavier feel to finish off, but again, it’s very effective and really fascinating. It leaves me fulfilled, but also wanting to hear more of what they have to offer. It’s a really beautiful ending to the album, and it’s another affirmation of why BROCKHAMPTON is one of the most interesting groups in music today.

I don’t know how they did it, but BROCKHAMPTON’s new era is off to a pretty damn good start. Continuing to show a focus no group of this size should be able to have, the boys create a perfect mix of songs, some of which are more emotional, and some of which are huge bops, but what stays consistent is just how enticing and cutting-edge they are. Even if the boys don’t really “change” their sound, said sound is just so vibrant and exciting, and the vocal performances are just so charismatic, that they manage to keep it interesting. What I can also appreciate is that the album features a few more songs with just one or two members, and I like how these kind of make them feel a bit more intimate and personal. While BROCKHAMPTON has always been about the team and the entirety of the group, it’s nice to see the boys get a little more time to themselves in the spotlight to really explore and give us a look at who they are. I’m sure I’m not the first to say it, and I definitely won’t be the last, but BROCKHAMPTON’s “iridescence” is fantastic, and if this is the beginning of the “best years” of BROCKHAMPTON’s life…well I can’t wait to see what else is in store.

Way to go, boys.

Favorite tracks: NEW ORLEANS, THUG LIFE, BERLIN, SOMETHING ABOUT HIM, WHERE THE CASH AT, WEIGHT, DISTRICT, J’OUVERT, HONEY, VIVID, SAN MARCOS, TONYA, FABRIC

Least favorite tracks: I guess TAPE, if I had to pick one.

Rating: Excellent

Bhad Bhabie "15" Mixtape Review

*snickers* Ohhhhh myyyyy God, you guys are gonna hate me for even giving this one attention. I could easily be covering Troye Sivan right now, but it’s time for a review of the new Bhad Bhabie mixtape “15.”

Bhad Bhabie is a Florida-based rapper who first blew up in late 2016 with an appearance on Dr. Phil that spawned the very viral meme catchphrase “cash me ousside, how bow dah?,” which led to her becoming the theme of a very viral dance song and earning her the nickname, “The ‘Cash Me Ousside’ Girl.” Apparently, she ended up using this meme success to begin a music career, because our constant use of this rambunctious girl’s viral catchphrase served as enablement and helped her build a following to support her music. Surprisingly enough, her music actually saw some decent success, with singles like “These Heaux,” “Hi Bich” and “Gucci Flip Flops” making their way onto the Billboard Hot 100. I know, I sometimes question how we got to this point as well.

Now, I know, some of you are all ready to give me the what for because I’m even daring to go near this thing. And I know what you’re thinking, I’m supporting a spoiled, angry, 15-year-old girl that’s had to battle back from an arrest (yes, at 13-14 years old, she was arrested for grand theft and marijuana possession) AND battle back from accusations of being a “culture vulture," so I get it: you guys are wondering why I’m enabling someone like this. Well, I’m not gonna lie, part of me is doing this because I’m a glutton for punishment, but also because I feel like Danielle has grown at least a little tiny bit as a person based on some of the recent videos I’ve seen from her, and I’m willing to give second chances. That, and even though this mixtape is 15 songs, it is lined with some big features like Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, YG, and Ty Dolla $ign, so there’s at least a chance it’s doing something decently. Let’s see if that’s the case:

15 (Intro): Danielle starts off the song by talking about how her 15 minutes have lasted longer than she expected (you know, because Cardi B didn’t talk about this already), and she does this over a very minimal, very basic trap drum beat. It’s honestly kinda stale, Danielle’s performance makes her sound like she’s trying too much to sound like a hard-ass, and I can tell lyricism isn’t her strong suit. Danielle, you wanted me to name just ONE rapper that’s better than you? Well, uh…I have a list. Denzel Curry, Pusha T, Eminem, Travis Scott…Dolly Parton...Betty White...probably Estelle Harris...did you want me to keep going?

Juice (feat. YG): Danielle talks about her “rags-to-riches” story on this track, once again doing so over some very basic, overdone trap production and click-clack percussion. Danielle’s performance once again sounds silly to me, as it just screams “15-year-old trying to sound cooler than she actually is,” and the hook doesn’t stick whatsoever either. Hell, I had some hope that YG would help save this one, but he does next to nothing of interest and it feels like he just fades into the background. I’m sure this could be a good track for children who want to seem cooler and harder than they actually are, but otherwise, I can’t take this seriously.

Gucci Flip Flops (feat. Lil Yachty): One of Danielle’s biggest singles, this is your standard trap flex song. Only difference is that it’s got a 15-year-old girl leading it, and Lil Yachty comes in for some reason. Honestly, the hook on this one just gets really grating after a while, Danielle’s vocal performance doesn’t come off as interesting to me (it again just kinda makes me giggle), the trap drums and murky keys are very generic, and I don’t find Yachty’s verse all that enticing either. I honestly just find it a bit weird that he’s talking about “fucking bitches” on a track with a 15-year-old girl. I know, he’s not talking ABOUT the 15-year-old girl, but…it’s still creepy.

Affiliated (feat. Asian Doll): Okay, I actually liked the way this one started with some of the more bright keys and energetic production…and then Asian Doll started rapping on the hook and my ears screamed “STOP!!!!!” Beyond her voice being even more grating than Danielle’s, she literally sounds like everything else out there. I actually kinda wondered if she was trying to be a female Kodak Black, and if that was the case…that’s not something you should be trying. I also find it weird that Danielle is talking all about how she “graduated from the streets” at 15, and again trying to make herself sound tougher. But you know what was the worst part? When both of them started rapping together. I was about two seconds away from having my ears literally bleed. And then when they ad-lib on the outro, it honestly sounds like listening to two very loud, annoying grandmas speak to each other. Yeah, that bad.

Geek’d (feat. Lil Baby): Once again, Danielle tries to be a bit more confident here by basically telling listeners not to mess with her because she will not be afraid to fight you. I wouldn’t be shocked if she’s talking to that Woah Vicky girl she got in a fight with before. But regardless of who she’s talking to, her song still sounds like wallpaper trap music. Again, very dark, murky, emotionless keys, a grating vocal performance that tries to make Danielle seem like a “tough girl,” and a Lil Baby performance that, while not terrible, still sounds creepy for the same reasons that Yachty’s performance did. I didn’t think I would dislike this album THIS much so far…but that’s why you never go into a Bhad Bhabie song or album with expectations, I guess.

No More Love: Ohhhhhhhhh noooooooo, Danielle’s jumping on the auto-croon bandwagon, too? Jesus. Well, it’s not as bad as when 6ix9ine did it, but it's hard to be that bad. Still, Danielle’s vocals aren’t really all that great, and the huge amounts of autotune they drowned her in don’t do much to help her either. The trap production tries to go for a sad sound, with Danielle trying to talk about a guy that she has no more love for, but honestly, it’s just dull. It’s background noise, honestly. It really doesn’t leave a lasting impression at all, it’s just white noise.

Clout Drop: An under 2-minute song that tries to take on another dark, murky feel, Danielle talks on here about how she’s not messing around with people that are chasing clout. Admittedly, I think her more rapid-fire flow on this one is actually interesting enough to keep this song from being one of the album’s worsts, but it’s just a shame it sounds like so many of the other songs on here. It feels like Danielle is settling for this very one-dimensional sound in her music, and it’s honestly not all that distinct from many others in the current wave of SoundCloud rap. And again, the length makes the song feel pretty damn unfulfilling in the end. Not one of the album’s worst, but it’s not very good.

Yung and Bhad (feat. City Girls): Do I really have to say it? This one sounds almost the exact same as the other songs on this tape. I almost couldn't tell that this was a different song. And yeah, she still has the rapid-fire flow here, but it honestly feels tiring already, and it’s not enough to have rapid-fire flow when your production is so generic and overdone. And City Girls, why? You just helped Drake make “In My Feelings,” which is a hit and a good song. Why are you reducing yourself to this mess? Ughhhhhh, let’s just move on with this thing.

Bhad Bhabie & Jack $hirak: Oh. My. God. Literally, it sounds like almost the exact same thing! Who is Danielle having a competition with on this one? And what were the terms? “Whoever makes the most generic, one-note mixtape wins?” Well, congrats, Danielle, you have won. 1st place. Still got a way to go until you dethrone the supreme champion NAV, but sooner or later, you can do it. In all seriousness, it just feels like Danielle giving us the same flow, the same dark, sinister but still one-note production, and a hook that hardly does anything to “hook.” Next song, please. I just want to be done with this.

Famous: *falls off of bed and slips into madness* Bhad Bhabie, why? What did I do to deserve this asinine music? What did I do to deserve these wallpaper trap songs, cringe-y vocal performances, and lackluster hooks? And why are you again trying to croon at points of this one? Honestly, I don’t even care that you’re famous at this point, congratulations kiddo, you made it. I just care that you use that fame to put out quality music, but it doesn’t sound like that’s happening here. It just sounds like everything coming out of your mouth is the same, and everything your producers make is the same. Is it that difficult to try something different? Hm?

Hi Bich: Okay, this is a little bit of a reprieve. One of the big singles that Danielle dropped way before the release of this tape, I have a feeling this made it onto the tape because of it being her highest-charting single yet. Honestly, I’ll take it over “These Heaux.” Simple as the song’s production and structure, it’s actually oddly catchy and it’s got a pretty fun hook as well. Danielle claps back at the haters on this one, and while some of it may come off as goofy (especially some of the lyrics on the hook), it’s actually a little more fun than most of the songs on the album. Danielle’s verses aren’t quite as strong as said hook, and I don’t want to come back to this at all in the future, but it’s definitely better than anything else this album has offered so far.

Shhh: *curls up in the corner and rocks back at forth* Danielle…tells people to “shhh” on this, but…why doesn’t she take her own advice? *snaps out of madness for a second* Okay, but seriously, Danielle just sounds like every other trap artist on this one, with a basic trap drum beat, very same-y dark production, a completely laughable and goofy hook, and another super cringe-y vocal performance. I just want this to be done already. I tried to defend Danielle, but why do all of her songs just sound the same? Please, just end this.

Trust Me (feat. Ty Dolla $ign): Ty, man, what the hell were you on to get on this one? Do you hear Danielle’s auto-croon vocals? They’re not very good! Look, I respect that Danielle is trying to go for a more emotional, lovely song here with brighter, more moody production, but I feel like even with autotune, she just doesn’t have the vocal chops to make this one work. Really, what stops this from being one of the album’s worst is that Ty actually comes in and gives it his all with a nice performance. Otherwise, this is one that merely shows me that Danielle needs some work vocally if she wants to make this emotional angle work.

Bout That: Oh, and right after she goes down the emotional route, she’s back to wanting to fight people. Man, kids these days just never know if they want to fall in love or get in a fight. And I knew I was in for a bad time with this one when it started with Danielle laughing. Jesus, if you’re a film director and you need someone with a really creepy laugh to play your villain, just cast Bhad Bhabie. Just don’t ask her to make the movie’s soundtrack, because if it’s anything like this song, it’s gonna have really basic, one-note production, cringe-y vocals, and a complete mess of a hook. Hey, at least there’s only one song left.

Bhad Bhabie Story (Outro): A nearly 7-minute song by Bhad Bhabie? Honestly, terrified. And to be real, I don’t care if this is supposed to be a more raw, emotional track and Danielle is supposed to be telling her very personal life story, this honestly just feels like the silliest way to spill your life. Like, this whole “conversational” thing just feels so silly and not at all enticing. And honestly, hearing a 15-year-old talk to me about how she smoked and “finessed people for money” really isn’t interesting whatsoever, it just feels silly and it makes me want to tell every parent in the world to control their damn child. And again, at almost 7 minutes, this just goes on WAY, WAY, WAYYYYYYYY too long. Just end already, please.

Oh Lord, yeah, this was awful. I tried to go into this thing thinking that Bhad Bhabie would actually come through with something somewhat interesting, but as I said a bunch of times, she just felt like she was trying to repeat herself too much. Already doesn’t help that she’s a 15-year-old who’s trying to put on the “tough” persona to seem cool, and then she comes through with these really cringe-y vocal performances as well. And the beats, too! Literally, all of them just sound the exact same! You know what, I’m just gonna end this before I go completely bonkers because I feel like I’m repeating myself too much and you guys already get the point. Plus, if I continue talking about this mixtape any longer, I’m just gonna end up making myself sick. So, let’s just end it here. It sucks. Don’t listen to it. Bye.

Favorite tracks: Yeahhhhhhhh, no.

Least favorite tracks: 15 (Intro), Juice, Gucci Flip Flops, Affiliated, Geek’d, No More Love, Yung and Bhad, Bhad Bhabie & Jack $hirak, Famous, Shhh, Bout That, Bhad Bhabie Story (Outro)

Rating: Awful

Denzel Curry "TA13OO" Album Review

Alright everyone, I’ve kept you waiting long enough, so let’s go: it’s time to finally review the new Denzel Curry album “TA13OO.”

Denzel Curry is a Florida-based rapper, and one of the spearheads of the “SoundCloud rap” movement that has grown so much in recent years (even though he doesn’t really take credit as an “originator” of the movement, instead reserving that for rappers like Lil B, Gucci Mane, and Chief Keef, just to name a few). Where most of the recent SoundCloud rappers became fast bloomers, debuting around 2016-2017 and quickly growing in popularity from there, Denzel has been dropping projects since 2011. At the time, his mixtape “King Remembered Underground Tape 1991-1995” was released by SpaceGhostPurpp, who Denzel also credits for originating the “SoundCloud rap” scene. This right here is Denzel’s third studio album, following up on 2013’s “Nostalgic 64” and 2016’s “Imperial,” though he is perhaps more known for the very viral (and very meme’d) single “Ultimate” (I AM THE ONE, DON’T WEIGH A TON, DON’T NEED A GUN TO GET RESPECT UP ON THE STREET”), which was included on his 2015 double EP “32 Zel/Planet Shrooms.”

Now, I honestly can’t really say I have much experience with Denzel’s music. Not because of any malice or anything like that, but I’ve just rarely ever heard much of it outside of “Ultimate” which, again, I probably wouldn’t know if not for memes. This was his first project that really stopped me in my tracks because a number of the reviews I saw told me that the album was quite good. A lot of times, that’s all you really need to tell me to get me interested in the album, but I was also intrigued because of some of Denzel’s marketing for the album, like the cover art and some of the clips that I saw for his music videos: the direction the album was taking appeared really dark and somewhat terrifying, and further research told me the album was tackling some very difficult themes, something you don’t really see all that often out of a large majority of today’s “SoundCloud rappers.” Everything was starting to sell me on the album, so let’s find out if it lives up to the hype:

Act 1: Light

TABOO | TA13OO: Okay, so Denzel seems to really like doing unconventional things with his titles. Noted. Regardless, Denzel ironically starts off the “Light” act of the album with a very dark track, talking about molestation and his relationship with a woman who grew up suffering from some very disgusting abuse. It’s a very slow-paced, dreamy-sounding track that sees Denzel taking on a more melodic feel. I love his vocals on the hook, and he also comes through with a very charismatic and energetic performance. I also think his lyricism on his verse really hits hard, and the song works at being very sinister and eerie while possessing a lot of replay value. Already, I’m upset I didn’t review this sooner because wow, this is a crazy good starter track.

BLACK BALLOONS | 13LACK 13ALLOONZ [FEAT. TWELVE’LEN & GOLDLINK | TWELVE’LEN + GOLDL1NK]: Wow, that was a lot to type out for a title. Either way, though, Denzel talks a lot about his life and compares his own events to those in the film “IT,” with some help from fellow rapper GoldLink and R&B singer Twelve’Len. The song takes on a slightly more upbeat feel than the last cut, but it’s still got some very mellow, really intoxicating production, a fun hook, and a great verse from Denzel. The features are also very solid on here: Twelve’Len’s vocal interplay with Denzel is very solid, and GoldLink’s somewhat staccato flow on his verse is very catchy, as is the energy he brings to the table with his performance. Another really great track!

CASH MANIAC | CAZH MAN1AC [FEAT. NYYJERYA]: Showing us a bit more of the light, positive side of this first act, Denzel essentially uses this track to flex the large amounts of money that he made. He does this over a somewhat slower, but more bright instrumental that’s very synth-driven. The 808s blend well with the synths, Denzel’s flow, despite being slower, is still plenty charismatic and intriguing, and Nyyjerya is very sticky as well. Denzel’s lyricism is very interesting, as to how he portrays money as the kind of thing that suddenly solves all problems in certain points (and also, the nod to Rae Sremmurd’s “Black Beatles” was a nice touch as well). Denzel definitely crafted something special on this track.

SUMO | ZUMO: Okay, I was hyped for this one because I heard Denzel references “Sly Cooper” on it. Mad respect on that one, mad respect. Beyond that, though, this seems to be the album’s biggest single, and it seems like one Denzel created a lot of hype for. And for all the right reasons, because it’s a really hype single! I love the very dark but still upbeat turn-up production on this one, Denzel’s performance is ferocious as he delivers the hook and his verses with so much conviction and punch! His bars are also clever, and while I was mostly looking forward to the “Sly Cooper” reference, I ended up getting a bigger kick out of his reference to the Cartoon Network show “Chowder,” where he even referenced how Schnitzel always says “rada” and actually weaved it in nicely to the song. Easily one of my favorites on the album, a great ending to Act 1.

Overall, Act 1 really kicks things off strong. Won’t go super in-depth about it since it’s so short, but I feel like Act 1 on its own certainly stands out as a showcase of Denzel’s ear for eerie, dark production and very intense performances. He handles a number of different vibes on this side and makes each of them work!

Act 2: Gray

SUPER SAIYAN SUPERMAN | ZUPER ZA1YAN ZUPERMAN: The beginning of the “Gray” act of the album sees Denzel comparing himself to that of the Super Saiyan characters in “Dragon Ball Z,” both in his lyricism and in his very flashy, unstoppable flow. Said flashy flow is certainly really fun and energetic, and despite the song’s short length (it clocks at just over 2 minutes), Denzel makes it hit hard with that fast-paced flow and the very dark, woozy instrumentals here. I also love how the song ends with so many weird sonic elements just sticking together to make something really intriguing. Sometimes, when you throw too much together at once, it just feels tacky, but Denzel makes it work here, and he crafts a track that is high-energy but also very mysterious.

SWITCH IT UP | ZW1TCH 1T UP: Moving closer to the “Dark” side of the album, Denzel literally “switches it up” on this track, going from talking about his flashy “Super Saiyan” side to exploring themes of paranoia and bipolar disorder. Once again, the 808s and the instrumentals are very menacing and creepy, and I absolutely LOVE Denzel’s vocal performance on this one. I think Denzel really embraces his energy and large-ham style to come through with an extremely entertaining performance, and of course, his flow is really sweet as well. I think Denzel had some hard themes to talk about on this one, but he explored them very well and made a great track out of it!

MAD I GOT IT | MAD 1 GOT 1T: Pushing even further into the “Dark” side, Denzel talks on this track about how fame has ruined relationships for him and made his close friends jealous. Denzel’s hook is more melodic, and his vocals are not over-the-top, but they sound very nice. The production also consists of some very dark, throbbing piano keys and a pounding, rattling 808 drum beat. The song also takes a lot of different sonic turns, with some very weird (and successful) bridges and a hard-hitting beat switch before the third verse that adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the song. Much like how Denzel says to “make like a roller coaster,” this song works like a roller coaster; it twists and turns in so many directions, and it’s all the better for it.

SIRENS | ZIRENZ [FEAT. J.I.D. | J.1.D.]: Denzel gets political on this cut: he talks all about the state of America, police brutality, gun violence, and the justice system, among several other things. Can’t remember the last time one of the modern “SoundCloud rappers” got explicitly political on one of their cuts, so big props to Denzel on this one. And props to his production as well: it’s rattling and at times terrifying, while also being energetic and upbeat. Denzel’s flow is strong and his lyricism is very clever as he critiques America, but what really sells the song is his very angry, hard performance here. J.I.D.’s verse also features some really great rapid-fire flow, and Billie Eilish’s vocals on the hook blend very well with Denzel’s. This is another really hard-hitting track, and it’s one of the album’s most essential cuts.

CLOUT COBAIN | CLOUT CO13A1N: Another one of the album’s biggest singles, Denzel talks about how a desire for fame can become self-destructive, and how his success has led to paranoia and suicidal thoughts, comparing his struggle to that of Kurt Cobain. I love the very ethereal, atmospheric production here, it kind of feels like a very demented lullaby with some energetic 808 drum beats thrown in for good measure. Denzel’s vocals here are also very emotional, his melodies and flow are very catchy, and his lyricism is also very powerful. I can see how this one got a single release, because it does feel like it has the most commercial potential out of the songs so far, but that’s all for the better because it’s an excellent listen.

Overall, Act 2 doesn’t really change the style much from Act 1, as Denzel’s production is still dark and hard-hitting. That doesn’t really matter all that much, though, because the music itself is still fantastic. Denzel’s production and vocal performances are admirable, as is his ability to tackle such hard-hitting and dark themes. Even if it doesn’t change things up much, I’m just glad the second act continued to provide some very great, memorable cuts.

Act 3: Dark:

THE BLACKEST BALLOON | THE 13LACKEZT 13ALLOON: Typing out all these alternate title names is really getting to me. My back hurts from this. Either way, we’ve finally hit the “Dark” act of the album, and Denzel gets personal here by talking about his family issues. While it’s a very emotional and personal track, Denzel juxtaposes that with some very upbeat, turn-up instrumentals and a very energetic vocal performance, complete with a hook that sounds like it’d be delivered by Pharrell Williams. That’s not a point against the song, by the way, because the hook is infectious and exciting, and Denzel’s rapid-fire flow also keeps the song very exciting. It’s personal, it’s got dark themes running throughout, and it’s also a great listen.

PERCS | PERCZ: Really? With a title that short, you still found something to change? Wow. Either way, this was another bigger single from the album, and on it, Denzel continues to reflect on his success as a rapper, while also taking shots at the state of the rap industry today. Once again, he does that over some very upbeat, energetic, turn-up instrumentals that have a bit of a subtle electronic twist to them. It’s a very pumping song with another very vibrant, ferocious performance from Denzel, who has some insanely clever bars on this one about today’s rappers (I particularly loved the line where he said “sound like ‘dur, dur, dur,’ you like ‘oh, that’s lit,’ because I’ve always listened to SoundCloud rappers and wondered how people could listen to their lyrics and say “ohhhhh, that’s hard!!!”). How does Denzel keep coming through with such bangers? I dunno, but he’s doing it and that’s all that matters.

VENGEANCE | VENGEANCE [FEAT. JPEGMAFIA & ZILLAKAMI | JPEGMAF1A + Z1LLAKAM1]: Oh, come on! You didn’t even change anything in the alternate track name! Meh. Either way, this song sees Denzel delving into some of his darkest, most violent thoughts yet, with themes of murder, kidnapping, robbery, and much, much more. Once again, the production remains very upbeat as Denzel continues to turn up on this cut, but the instrumentals are still very eerie and otherworldly, and the performances are great. Denzel, as always, brings in a very confident, intense performance, ZillaKami provides a very gruff, aggressive verse that hits hard (hey, 6ix9ine, take notes, if you want to make an aggressive performance actually hit, do it like ZillaKami does…or better yet, leave the music industry), and JPEGMAFIA comes through with a bouncy, off-the-wall performance on this one. It’s a banger, what more needs to be said?

BLACK METAL TERRORIST | 13 M T: Oh, NOW you condense the alternate track title? On the LAST song? Fine, at least I don’t have to keep typing them out. In any case, Denzel finishes off this album with a track that basically sees him “finishing” his enemies and declaring himself as the single best rapper. Big words for sure, but given the critical success of this album, he’s well on his way if he keeps delivering concepts like this one. Anyway, Denzel throws his rap style back to that of “Ultimate,” going harder than ever with very aggressive, somewhat ear-piercing screams. Still, I love the energy that goes into those screams, and I also dig how the song switches between the light, chill feel, and the more abrasive, hard-hitting feel so perfectly. It’s another banger that sees Denzel in top form, “finishing them” just as he is told to do throughout the track. Good stuff, Zel.

Overall, Act 3 once again sees Denzel not really doing much different in terms of the sonic elements of the album (it’s not like each act has a different vibe to it), but once again, that really doesn’t matter because he still comes through with the bangers on this act. Carving out his place as an artist separated from the rising wave of SoundCloud rappers, Denzel pushes through with punchy production, wild performances, great hooks, and some really solid features, ending off the album fantastically.

So, taking all of that into consideration, it should be obvious that Denzel Curry’s “TA13OO” is a wonderful album. I want to try to keep the sum up short, for one because I feel like I’d be repeating myself but also because I don’t want to push this to the point of gushing. Denzel’s production is sticky, his hooks are ear-wormy, his performances are intimidating, and his music handles very difficult themes with aplomb. The only very minor flaw that I can point out is that the whole “three-act structure” of the album is not fleshed out quite as well as it should be, since the three acts don’t really do much differently from one another, but that’s irrelevant in this case because the music hits so hard. I’m ashamed it took me this long to get to the album because it is truly fantastic. From beginning to end, it’s a roller coaster ride that you just don’t want to get off of. I can’t wait to see where Denzel goes from here, and I hope this album helps cement his name a bit more.

Now if you’ll excuse me…I’m off to go loop this album.

Favorite tracks: ALL OF THEM | ALL OF THEM

Least favorite tracks: NONE OF THEM | NONE OF THEM

Rating: EXCELLENT | EXCELLENT