A Written Testimony: A One Year Retrospective

By Carter Fife

Last year Stereovision published a piece titled “Jay Electronica: Man or Myth?”, in which I delved into the creation and meaning behind one of the most celebrated hip-hop releases of 2020 - A Written Testimony. The article served to contextualize everything from the record’s samples and composition, to the cryptic backstory surrounding its release. Both the article and the album it covered would go on to be nominated for national awards, and almost a year later A Written Testimony continues to find its way to new audiences and earn new accolades. 

When December came around and writers were tasked to provide their top records of the year, I easily wrote in A Written Testimony as my number one choice - though 9 months had passed since its release. Having listened to over 200 records alone that year, I couldn’t help but wonder: what is it about this record that continues to resonate after all this time? Why did this album stay in rotation while many other commercial releases gradually waned in relevance? The answer was not as simple as I initially thought, but given that it has been over a year since fans were treated to Jay Electronica’s debut studio record, it may be time to look back.

Among the many subjects of Jay Electronica’s A Written Testimony, none stand out more than religion - a theme that touches everything from his writing to the number of days he spent working on the record. Though I remember critics deeming Jay Electronica’s use of religion and prophetic tone as ‘eye-rolling,’ I found this judgment to be a strange exhibition of gatekeeping something that literally nobody can be an expert on. Jay Electronica’s self-perceived relationship with God is something that cannot be invalidated even by the most uptight of skeptics, and because Jay Electronica realizes that, A Written Testimony becomes authentic, unique, and unlike any other release fans saw that year.

The narrative of A Written Testimony is structured almost like a murder mystery film - we see Jay Electronica and Jay-Z celebrating their present blessings before any sort of reflection takes place. While Jay-Z’s approach to writing sees him delivering both a proud look back on his success and a pointed critique at the forces that tried to hold him back, Jay Electronica’s methodology takes a left-turn. On tracks like “The Neverending Story”, he reveals that religion is one of the main factors that he attributes to his status and skill. While dwelling on his humble beginnings of faith and “squalor”, Jay Electronica writes:

“Though I tarry through the valley of death, my Lord give me pasture. 

If you want to be a master in life, you must submit to a master.

I was born to lock horns with the Devil at the brink of the hereafter - 

Me, the socket, the plug, and universal adapter.”

Whether or not you subscribe to the concept of organized religion, there is something to be said about Jay Electronica’s steadfast beliefs in God. A registered member of the nation of Islam, Jay Electronica has devoted his life to his religious beliefs and stands here today as one of hip-hop’s most celebrated figures. This background gives Jay Electronica’s music a refreshing dose of originality, for he is a character who few other cultural figures could even hope to emulate. Though it is not uncommon for artists to allow their religious beliefs to bleed into their music, Jay Electronica’s unique relationship with God manifests into A Written Testimony in an entirely new way. His goal is not to convert listeners or thank the creator for the money and fame - his only goal is to spread the wisdom that he has gained through his devotion to religion. 

Though religion is the guiding theme that shepherds everything else on A Written Testimony, what makes the album truly unique is how Jay Electronica presents the listener with wisdom not as a voice of sage authority, but as one who has made mistakes in the past. Embedded within A Written Testimony is a vulnerability that transcends the music it’s written into - as if Jay Electronica is revealing his innermost thoughts to both his peers, his audience, and even his god himself. With lyrics like “My mathematical theology of rhyming will touch the soul / I spent many nights bent off Woodford, clutching the bowl, stuffing my nose / Some of the cons I suffered for prose”, it should be no surprise that Jay Electronica portrays his art as a form of cathartic therapy on “Shiny Suit Theory”. Religion is the force that saved Jay Electronica in a past life, and wisdom was his parting favor. 

I still find myself returning to A Written Testimony a year later, because I find that the album is full of moments that simply bear repeating. Jay Electronica’s ruminations on his self-doubt and anxiety on “The Blinding” helped humanize himself from a near mythological figure into a real human being. His meditations on death and rememory on “A.P.I.D.T.A” is an incredibly touching moment that continually makes me realize that I am not alone in my suffering - with respect to both those lost during the pandemic and those close to me that have passed since leaving high school.

A year later, A Written Testimony is still just as refreshing as it was back in the early days of the pandemic. The record is still bursting at the seams with intentional and cleverly written tracks that are sure to strike a chord with any listener. If you didn’t get a chance to listen during the chaos of 2020, do yourself a favor and check it out now. With overarching themes that branch into the political, ethical, social, economic, and religious realms, this will be a record that we will likely continue to talk about for years to come. 

Listen to A Written Testimony here:

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Underrated Songs From 2015

With amazing releases like To Pimp a Butterfly, Rodeo, Barter 6, and If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, 2015 gave us some of the best hip-hop music we’ve ever heard, which means it also gave us some of the best hidden gems we’ve ever discovered

jump off the roof by Vince Staples (Feat. Snoh Alegra)

Vince Staples has a unique ability to inject the listener with energy from the moment he touches the mic. 2015’s Summertime ‘06 was his coming out party with standouts like “Norf Norf”. That being said “Jump off the roof” is the kind of energetic darkness that represents Vince. It’s darker message and undertones over a beat that smacks you in the face is the perfect combination. He’s so charismatic on this song he almost makes you want to join him. -Miles Hagan

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I’m Ya Dogg by Snoop Dogg (Feat. Kendrick Lamar & Rick Ross)

Though Snoop Dogg’s 2015 record BUSH was far from critically acclaimed at the time of its release, the Pharrell-produced record was actually home to some of both Snoop and Pharrell’s biggest sleeper hits. “I’m Ya Dogg” features none other than Rick Ross and Kendrick Lamar - who I personally believe delivered his career-defining performance - over Pharrell’s signature taught and bouncy production with a dash of ambiance thrown in for good measure. Though it may be a while until the culture starts to appreciate “I’m Ya Dogg” for the banger that it is, you can catch me yelling “Head in the Maybach boomin’ / thank God for leg room!” every time it comes on shuffle. -Carter Fife

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Holy Ghost by A$AP Rocky (Feat. Joe Fox)

Although to simply say that AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP is Rocky’s best project to date is a freezing cold take, I like to spice things up by attribute the album’s potency to the energy Rocky opens the project with on the tape’s intro, “Holy Ghost.” The song opens with long dramatic guitar bends that instantly cue listeners that what they’re about to hear is no rap song, but rather a sermon of epic proportion featuring pastor Flako at the peak of his powers. Rocky raps two of the best verses of his career cementing this as one of his best songs and one of the most criminally underrated tracks of 2015. -Spencer Lobdell

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Two Matches by Mac Miller (Feat. Ab-Soul)

There will never be enough R.I.P.s to fill the void Mac Miller left in the music community. GO:OD AM was Mac Miller seemingly coming out of a very dark place in his life. With an Ab-Soul feature that almost steals the show and a hook that makes anyone wanna sing, “Two Matches” is a standout from this project. Mac reminisces on the dreams he had as a kid and the realities that came along with realizing those dreams. -Miles Hagan

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Scott Mescudi’s Beautiful Scenery: Man on the Moon III Review

By Carter Fife

Last month Kid Cudi released the long-awaited Man on the Moon III: The Chosen, his final installment in a trilogy whose completion spanned over more than a decade. Though this record was initially announced in 2014, Cudi delayed the album in favor of 2015’s A Speedin’ Bullet to Heaven, but following its unfortunately negative reception he abandoned the idea entirely. MOTM3 became a pipedream for many hip-hop fans that eventually came true when Mr. Rager announced its revival in October, and it is because of this that I have struggled with how to approach MOTM3. How do we critically examine a record whose hype arguably eclipses every other trilogy in modern hip-hop? Artists like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Travis Scott have all had monumental trilogies in their careers, many including records that would become cultural turning points in music. None of them, however, had taken this long to complete, or had their trajectories paved with intoxicating highs and dysphoric lows. The culture has changed dramatically since 2009, so what if after all this time Kid Cudi fails to adapt and stick the landing? Luckily, this record sees the Cleveland rapper experimenting with different styles, some old and some new, delivering fans the project that they have been waiting for since the original Man On The Moon. 

Man on the Moon III is a love letter to not only Kid Cudi fans, but to the culture that has fueled his career by fostering his artistic development. In the four years since his last solo record Kid Cudi has been featured on over half a dozen commercial hip-hop releases, and he even had his own collaborative record with Kanye West in 2018. Despite this, I went into this album anxious, maybe even skeptical. Though Cudi has done well keeping up with the culture, consistently proving himself as versatile through his features, I was worried that a solo full-length project like this was potentially being released for the wrong reasons. After all, he has an upcoming show to promote, and it has been a while. During my first listen, it did not take long for me to feel like an idiot. 

Though the record is divided into multiple acts (like the previous MOTM entries), Man on the Moon III stays pretty cohesive in its two halves. The first half is where Kid Cudi switches up his usual repertoire and adopts a much heavier and abrasive style - think Travis Scott, Night Lovell, the rare up-tempo track from The Weeknd. The album begins briefly with “Beautiful Trip”, a track that pairs the Rager’s eerie-yet-iconic four-note theme with a spacious introduction - complete with hums. “Tequila Shots” follows, setting the stage for what many of the upcoming tracks will cover. The mix is glittering, ambient, and ethereal, but the percussion is hard-hitting with thunderous bass signals and punchy hi-hats that cut through the noise no matter how loud. The writing is top-notch, the composition is clean and makes sense, and the chord progressions are interesting and literally make me think about space. Somehow Kid Cudi is able to take many of the styles that have become industry-standard over the past few years, and orient them in ways that feel new and exhilarating. Almost every track here sounds cinematic, like I could watch the new Blade Runner film on mute with this playing the whole time. 

Not every song in the first half sounds like it came from the Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight cutting room floor, however, as “She Knows This” begins as an inexplicably fun and percussion-laden track. As the song progresses, the momentum of Cudi’s raps and melodies culminates into one of my favorite beat switches from 2020. The drum pattern gets swapped for something on the lower end of the frequency spectrum, and a distorted and robotic synth malfunctions as Cudi chants “This for my sanity / Some play, some days turn into night / I say you can’t judge me babe / I’m twisted in the brain”. The lyrics here capture many of the main ideas found in the first act: Cudi is balancing between peace and struggling recklessly with love, substances, and his mental health. He sometimes illuminates these issues through a cautious pensiveness, other times with a demonic optimism that only Kid Cudi could pull off. 

There are many other great moments in the first half of the record, notably “Dive” which sounds like it is trying super hard to emulate the Pharrell production we saw on Cudi’s 2016 record Passion Pain and Demon Slayin’. The track is littered with hi-toms and bouncy bass patterns, which pair well with the echoey vocals that make Kid Cudi sound almost godly. Another is “Show Out”, and although I’m not sure how I feel about the Pop Smoke feature on the chorus, Skepta and Kid Cudi spar like pro-boxers talking about their mythical statuses and guns that are the size of Kevin Hart. Though the production feels overly drill inspired considering how little Pop Smoke appears on the track, Kid Cudi truly has the gift of sounding good with just about everyone.

Man on the Moon III’s second half (composed of its final two acts) is much more lowkey, adhering to the classic Kid Cudi style that many of his fans may have been waiting for. While this section of the record still maintains Cudi’s patented atmospheric-euphoria, the trap and commercial hip-hop styles are left behind in favor of something slower. What is interesting about this part of the record is that though these are older styles in Kid Cudi’s wheelhouse, the themes of these two acts cover topics that are largely new to the rapper. “Elsie’s Baby Boy” acts as a flashback to Cudi’s past, something fans have not seen in this level of detail since 2009’s “Soundtrack 2 My Life”, and “Sept.16” focuses on Cudi’s present relationship and the love and support he gets from those close to him. The record’s final eight songs all focus on affection, perseverance, confidence, and resilience. Cudi even enlists indie-rock favorite Phoebe Bridgers for “Lovin’ Me”, a track about self-love and persevering through hard times. The album’s closer “Lord I Know” is a song full of self reflection, with Kid Cudi coming to terms with his imperfections, his past, and his faith - all while looking towards a brighter future. It is a moment that truly provides closure to a trilogy many fans have been invested in for years. 

The strong points of Man on the Moon III are easy to observe. Kid Cudi comes back swinging after four years without a solo record. He can rap effortlessly with Skepta, he can ride a whole host of different and subversive beats, but he can also take it down a notch and sing over a guitar track with Phoebe Bridgers. He has mastered his 2013 Indicud braggadocio, and his pensive sensitivity. He masters vulnerability when acknowledging his own shortcomings, but he shows wisdom when knowing he is not alone or lost. Since there are two distinct styles at play on this record, it appears that there is something for everyone to enjoy. Most of all, this album feels like a colossal ‘Thank you’ from Kid Cudi to his peers and his fans for supporting him after all this time. Of course, the way he delivers this message is by assembling his dream team of Dot Da Genius, Plain Pat, and other contributors that have been with him since day one.

Despite these benefits that Man on the Moon III carries, it is not without its stale moments. There are trade-offs that come with having such a closed and exclusive circle, and the biggest one is that though the individual tracks were good, altogether it is hard to feel like I was not given the same two songs 8 times each. While I enjoyed this record, it would have been nice to add more contributing artists and producers without diluting the final product. Seeing production credits from E.Vax and Take A Daytrip was great, but I couldn't help but wonder why certain artists were left out. Kid Cudi spoke to Zayn Lowe about Travis’s influence, but he was nowhere on the record, and neither was Kanye, Pharrell, or any of the artists that Cudi has appeared with since PP&DS. It is known that Cudi is very against doing the same thing twice, and I enjoyed the four features included on the album, but I couldn’t stop wondering why they were chosen. It appears that it would have been more wise to turn this ‘love letter’ into a ‘celebration’ of MOTM by including the friends he had made along the way. This is ultimately a small complaint, as Kid Cudi has announced that he has a slew of new records on the way (WZRD 2, Entergalactic, KSG2, Project with Travis Scott), so it’s likely safe to say that we will get some more collaborative efforts sooner rather than later.

Though Man on the Moon III was exactly what I was hoping for from Kid Cudi, there is still a part of me that wishes he took more risks. He is a talented artist, and it’s sad to think that on the one solo record fans get every four years from him, the biggest risk he took was using styles that had developed since in absence. This is also a small complaint, as this is a final entry into a decade-old trilogy, so the conceptual space for risk-taking is admittedly small. Still, despite my enthusiastic enjoyment of this record, I would have loved to hear some tracks that made me double-take in the same way his music did eleven years ago. That’s not to say that “Tequila Shots” and “Dive” did not make me double-take, just for a different reason of course.

Man on the Moon III: The Chosen is a solid entry by Kid Cudi into an already impressive discography. Though my expectations were admittedly low, this album scratched my itch for classic Kid Cudi music, as well as for a more modern Kid Cudi style that he previously played with on Travis Scott’s 2016 banger “Through the Late Night”. Completing the MOTM discography, Kid Cudi managed to establish himself as an impressive rapper while also ending his 11 year narrative. In addressing both past and present, Kid Cudi leaves fans looking to the future (and the eventual deluxe of this record) for what new styles, colors, and scenes he will innovate towards. Whatever he decides to do, I’ll definitely be there. 

Favorite Tracks

Tequila Shots

She Knows This

Sad People

Rating: 8

Listen to Man on the Moon III: The Chosen here:

Listen to Man On The Moon III: The Chosen on Spotify. Kid Cudi · Album · 2020 · 18 songs.

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Mario Judah has Grown Impatient with Playboi Carti, and has Dropped his own 'Whole Lotta Red' Single

By Carter Fife

Tired of waiting for Playboi Carti, Mario Judah has just released ‘Bih Yah’, a self-proclaimed single to his own upcoming record Whole Lotta Red. After warning Carti and giving him a “grace period”, Judah dropped the track today after Carti failed to meet his demands. “Today is December 6th, and you have still not dropped Whole Lotta Red”, he said on Instagram. “I warned you…You have until 6pm today to drop Whole Lotta Red…. I will drop exactly one-minute later…if you do not drop [Whole Lotta Red] by 6pm.”

You may recognize Judah from his track ‘Die Very Rough’, which went viral following its release in September. Ubiquitous both as a meme and as an interesting character synthesizing elements of prog-rock, punk and hip-hop, Judah has been making waves the past week for his impassioned pleas directed towards Carti. A man of the people, Judah has expressed to Playboi Carti how he is letting his fans down by delaying the release of his long-awaited record. It seems, however, that Judah has had enough and is now entering his endgame. ‘Bih Yah’ marks the first of (potentially) several tracks made to emulate Carti, making up for his absence to the delight of fans of both artists.

The track itself is solid, though to what extent Judah intended ‘Bih Yah’ to be satire is still is yet to be seen. Judah emulates Carti’s high-pitched and abrupt vocal register well, and he flows well over an aggressive beat decorated with booming bass signals and oscillating synth beeps. Judah’s lyrics range towards being indecipherable, like many of Playboi Carti’s own tracks, but nevertheless his vocal performance is entertaining - meme or not.

Like many watching this feud unfold, I am excited to see how things escalate before the release of Whole Lotta Red. Will Judah help catalyze its release, or will be a force contributing to another delay? Many things still remain unknown. Though many of his tracks begin with “Who the fuck is Mario Judah”, it seems like it is not long until we all know his name.

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Performing in a Parking Lot: Thundercat and Hannibal Buress Live in Los Angeles

By Carter Fife

Last weekend in Pasadena, fans of comedy and music flocked to the suburbs to watch Thundercat and comedian Hannibal Buress play a drive-in show in the Rose Bowl Stadium parking lot. Though this was certainly not the ideal way to see the two performers, attendees were respectful and responsible - following the COVID guidelines and mask requirement. As the LA sun set on the large patch of grass, a stage was illuminated while guests did their best to hide their drinks under their blankets and LA Dodgers afghans. 

Taking the stage first was Thundercat, whose performance was lively and upbeat - definitely a much-needed dose of fun for fans during the pandemic. Wielding a massive bass guitar, the LA musician offered fans a heartfelt ‘thanks for coming’ before playing a litany of tracks from his newest record It Is What It Is. To fans’ surprise, Thundercat even brought out Ty Dolla $ign to perform their track ‘Fair Chance’ - a chill moment that was far from a harbinger of what was to come. As quickly as it started, Thundercat ended his set with ‘Funny Thing’, and fans were treated to a brief pre-recorded video of the two discussing topics like video games, Cowboy Bebop, to backstage fights at music festivals. After about 30 minutes, Hannibal graced the stage.

Hannibal’s set was not as straightforward. Though it is unclear whether or not he was unprepared, or under the influence, or both, the Chicago comedian stumbled through a mixture of old bits, awkward banter, and personal songs. It wasn’t all bad - at one point he brought out Open Mike Eagle, and it was fun watching the band members behind him cringe as he tried to play off poorly timed jokes about Chadwick Boseman. While it would have been more enjoyable if his set was better, or if he bombed harder, attendees seemed to be having a good time, if not a little confused as to what was going on. Selena Kuikahi, an attendee at Saturday’s show, noted that Hannibal looked like he “didn’t try”, but the performance was not without its moments. Another highlight was when Hannibal made his way through the parking lot in a UFO, asking fans what their biggest regrets in life were. Though the bit didn’t last long, it was still great to watch a grown man talk about VR porn for an hour. 

Though the pandemic has hit the live performance industry hard, and many fans are ravenous to go out and live their lives again, shows like these are a solid way to get out of the house safely, and to forget about present anxieties for a few hours. The audio quality was surprisingly good, especially compared to when I watched Tenet in Sparks Nevada at another drive-in. Unlike that one, the audio did not sound like it was being played through a walkie-talkie, and we did not hear gunshots within 15 minutes of the performance. Parking was easy and it didn’t take long to leave the stadium, so I would highly recommend performances like these as a great way to revitalize both your mental health and a suffering industry right now. Thundercat and Hannibal put on a great show, given the circumstances, and I look forward to eventually seeing the two of them at a show in the future. 

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Can Lightning Strike Twice? 'Savage Mode 2' Album Review

By Carter Fife

Four Years ago 21 Savage and Metro Boomin released Savage Mode, a dejected and hyper-violent mixtape that helped elevate the two young trap artists into hip-hop stardom. The record was a dejected and bleak portrayal of poverty, betrayal, and gang violence - so miserable and grim that it was almost indulgent in the exploration of its own suffering. Metro’s innovative production and 21 Savage’s signature vocal tone and thematic register would work in tandem to create ubiquitous and universally-known tracks like ‘X’ with Future and ‘No Heart’ that still resonate in hip-hop’s canon today. After several months of rumors and cryptic hints, Metro Boomin and 21 Savage finally released the long-awaited sequel Savage Mode 2, sporting a nostalgic bling-rap cover with a knife separating the two icons. The record is six tracks longer than the original, and this time around Metro Boomin’s production is not only decorated with a host of new guests, but also a more developed 21 Savage. Thankfully many of the tracks were worth the wait, but whether or not it will stand the test of time like the first Savage Mode did is yet to be seen.

One of the first things one hears listening to Savage Mode 2 is not 21 Savage or one of Metro Boomin’s notorious production tags. The first voice on the record is instead, Morgan Freeman, who narrates over half of the songs on this record. Occasionally he will gracefully make an appearance to offer some wisdom on the nature of violence, snitching, or what Savage Mode means. While some found this to be corny, Freeman’s narration actually has two purposes - the first is to obviously flex on the audience with a star actor delivering ideas that you would never expect to hear come out of Morgan Freeman’s mouth, but the other is to add a sense of levity to the record. Since the release of Savage Mode, 21 Savage has gradually incorporated his subtle sense of humor into his music, perceivable only to those that keep a close eye on what Savage is putting down, which admittedly is easier said than done. Though the first track is entirely Freeman’s musings, the album wastes no time getting to the music.

Savage Mode 2 sees 21 Savage and Metro Boomin at arguably the prime of their careers. Though Metro frequently takes time off to ‘retire’, 21 Savage has spent the past 4 years consistently developing as an artist with each release. It is rather strange to think about how the original Savage Mode came out right after 21’s placement on the XXL freshman list in 2016, and now we see him 5 platinum singles later, with placements from artists like Travis Scott, Post Malone, Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Offset under his belt. On Savage Mode 2 he shines, delivering hard-hitting raps that no longer need to rely on meme-esque threatening or overly-violent one-liners. 21 Savage demonstrates a versatility that is uncommon to see in an artist his age, flowing effortlessly on desolate bangers like ‘Glock In My Lap’, pop-rap hybrids like ‘Mr. Right Now’ with Drake, and even more laid back and vintage sounding cuts like ‘RIP Luv’, ‘Said N Done’ and ‘Rich N**** Shit’ with Young Thug. Where there used to stand an indulgent one-dimensional rapper, today exists a multifaceted and skilled artist who can hold his own when working with even the most commercially-successful industry heavyweights.

This time around Metro Boomin’s production does not seem as game-changing or innovative, which is not entirely his fault. Over the past few years, Metro has seen his production methods and styles become the industry norm, so much so that at this point songs like this rarely are classified as trap music. A negative side effect to Metro Boomin not being one of the only ones in his lane anymore is that now his style sounds generic - like commercial hip hop. Despite this, Metro Boomin still works against the trends to deliver some hard-hitting and incredibly well-composed mixes, even if seconds after their release he inspires a whole new wave of ‘type beats’ to drop on YouTube.

Album cuts like ‘Glock In My Lap’ and ‘Brand New Draco’ are spacious and cinematic - a surprising departure away from the ambient and dangerous beats that he used to compliment 21 Savage’s style so many years ago. The record’s first half is full of great beats, ‘Runnin’ and ‘Slidin’ both capture the energy of the first Savage Mode, albeit a bit more moderate. Though some of Metro’s mixes may appear as less lustrous as they would have 4 years ago, like ‘Snitches and Rats’ with Young Nudy and the first half of ‘My Dawg’, others are hard not to praise despite not being incredibly enjoyable. The first that comes to mind is ‘Steppin on N****s’, a percussion-heavy beat that sounds like it was ripped straight out of the ’80s, and the klaxons used on the chorus with 21 Savage’s monotone evoke almost Planet Rock-type vibes. It is easy to wish that Savage Mode 2 sounded more like the first, filled with haunting minimalism and low-key instrumentals that help capture 21 Savage’s misery and struggle, but the choice to include a more dynamic array of beats was likely the right one as 4 years later, neither Metro nor 21 are the same artist that they used to be. This may be a good thing, no matter how much love Savage Mode receives.

Ultimately there is not too much to criticize about this record. Like most records of its type, it is a lot to digest while listening to the entirety in one sitting, but this mixtape has many positives that its predecessor didn’t. Savage Mode 2 is far more versatile than the first, and though it may not have its euphoric highs, it makes up for this with consistency, talent, and versatility. 21 Savage’s departure from his reliance on extremely sinister lyrics signals a substantial change, and despite the fact that his writing is still far more melancholic and violent than the average rapper, he now has many more skills and tricks at his disposal this time around. Hearing 50 Cent on ‘Many Men’ was an incredible moment that wouldn’t have fit the monolithic register of the first Savage Mode, and this record certainly makes a strong argument towards investing in a new artistic direction. It is not easy to make lightning strike twice, and perhaps it did not with Savage Mode 2, but maybe that is a good thing. Metro Boomin and 21 Savage’s turn towards a more dynamic and insightful aesthetic will likely pay off in the long run, but only time will tell. If you haven’t checked out this album yet, you owe it to yourself to do so - it is streaming everywhere and best believe if they decide to tour once the pandemic is over, you’ll have to bite and claw to get a ticket.

Favorite tracks

Glock In My Lap

Said N Done

Many Men

Rating: 8

Listen to Savage Mode 2 here:

Listen to SAVAGE MODE II on Spotify. 21 Savage · Album · 2020 · 15 songs.

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A$AP Twelvyy and Sam Silver cross unlikely paths on ‘New Beginnings’

By Carter Fife

2020 certainly seems to be A$AP Twelvyy’s year. Though it has only been a few months since the A$AB Mob member released Before Noon, Twelvyy’s first studio record since his 2017 debut 12, this week the Harlem icon returns with a collaboration with producer Sam Silver. While Before Noon was an exercise in Twelvyy doing what he does best, synthesizing intricate wordplay and melodic delivery over hard-hitting mixes - as seen on tracks like ‘Daytona’ and ‘Baby Driver’ featuring A$AP Ant - this week fans are treated to an innovative and subversive track from one of A$AP Mob’s lesser-known members.

‘New Beginnings’ is a rare moment of introspection from Twelvyy. On this track he delivers lines like “Had to make it happen, took the whole day. Tryna make it home, I took the wrong way“ over Sam Silver’s lurching electronic bass patterns and ethereal and ambient melodies. This style of music is not what you may think of when you think about A$AP Mob, but A$AP Twelvyy does a phenomenal job of lending his efforts to Silver’s production in order to create a chill yet energizing track.  If you’re unfamiliar with producer Sam Silver, he’s a 17-year old powerhouse that has spent the past few months pushing out releases after his 2017 project DIRECTORS CHOICE. Some of his tracks have reached six-figure streaming numbers on Spotify, and it’s not hard to see why. After a brief verse where A$AP Twelvyy dwells on fame, luxury, and personal growth, the vocals contort and speed up as the track transforms into a thundering house instrumental contrasted with aggressive kick drums. ‘New Beginnings’ is just that for both Twelvyy and Silver. It is an embrace of change and success, working past prior personal frustrations in favor of a life of glamour, art, and paparazzi. It is hard to deny the talent of either Twelvyy or Silver, and given both of the artists’ demonstrated versatility on this track, weaving together hip-hop and electronic music styles, it may be fair to say this will not be their last collaboration.

You can stream the track on Spotify and Soundcloud now using the link below. Hopefully, this means we’re poised to get more music from the two artists soon, but if not, ‘New Beginnings’ will surely hold fans over until then.

Listen to New Beginnings on Spotify. Sam Silver · Single · 2020 · 1 songs.

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Jaden Smith, Sunset Sovereign - CTV3 Album Review

By Carter Fife

We all have guilty pleasure artists that we like to put on when nobody’s around, right? Maybe if you’re a guy, you like to throw some Ariana Grande into your workout mix so nobody at the gym can tell you’re listening to Sweetener when you’re doing crunches in a pool of your own sweat. If you’re a girl maybe you like to put on the occasional Toby Keith song driving home from work - and you know your friends would roast you if they knew but in a way, it makes the experience that much better. A little secret between you and your choice of music streaming service. For a long time I thought that for me, this was my affinity for Jaden Smith’s music (but now he just goes by Jaden). I knew he wasn’t the most innovative or original artist out there, but I couldn’t help but enjoy his laid-back flow and his ear for a good instrumental. I was first put-on to his music back when Syre came out in 2017, and I remember feeling amazed that this was the same Jaden that released the poorly-aged hip-hop remix to Foster The People’s “Pumped Up Kicks”. 

Years later Jaden has only grown as an artist, trying out new sounds with every project while honing his craft in the process. He’s been featured on tracks with Young Thug, Brockhampton, and A$AP Mob, and has explored genres like punk, pop, alternative, rock, industrial, and trap in the process. His newest record, Cool Tape Volume 3 (stylized as CTV3), is the third installment in a series that hasn’t had a new release since 2014, despite Jaden’s consistent release schedule always keeping fans well-fed. The project is much more laid-back than his 2019 release Erys, with acoustic-heavy mixes that occupy an aural register closer to an alternative or indie-rock album, despite hip-hop’s influence still being heavily present throughout. It is on CTV3 that Jaden’s expertise in melody writing proliferates to a point where almost every track, while admittedly formulaic, is incredibly catchy and inoffensive. While he may play this record a little too safe, writing new tracks that parallel some of his most memorable moments over the past few years, he is still able to deliver a solid record occupying a space that few other rappers are able to exist in. 

Like I said previously, it is easy to clown on Jaden for being occasionally derivative of his peers, or for writing bars that could only sound great on paper, as fans may recall his anti-choking pun from the opening tracks of Syre. With that being said, it is hard to deny Jaden’s talent, candor, and consistency when it comes to songwriting and delivering projects that come close to being universally enjoyable. In many ways this is one of my favorite things about Jaden’s music - that despite persisting in an industry that rewards emulating whatever is the newest trend, there are still elements in his tracks that are unapologetically him. I mean, who else would try to emulate the Beatles’ genre-defying Sgt. Pepper’s 50 years later?

CTV3 itself is full of many high-points that capitalize well on Jaden’s melancholic aesthetic of perpetual euphoria and heartbreak. The record’s leading single “Cabin Fever” is an ambient metaphor for quarantine’s romantic frustrations, with hard-hitting percussion and a infectious bass-line. It is a difficult song to describe - it’s something that you would play with a special someone driving at sunset, but you also wouldn’t mind hearing it at a house party. “Bad Connection” is similar in this respect with a more low-fi mix and less-indie rock, more-hip-hop vibe. “Deep End” features watery guitar chords that sound like they could have been taken from the Tame Impala chopping block, with Jaden’s faded vocals starting out soft before erupting “LET’S NOT WAIT UNTIL THE WEEK-END” on the chorus. If you thought I was exaggerating about the Beatles’ inspiration before, cuts like “LUCY!”, “Muted Sunrise”, and “Drops of Sun” are just a few tracks that definitely try to capture the same magic of an endless summer like the Beatles did a lifetime ago.

Fans may be disappointed over the lack of harder-hitting tracks on CTV3, as the track-list definitely hangs on the softer side of Jaden’s repertoire, but this shouldn’t be too shocking as much of his discography, especially the Cool Tapes that preceded this one, shares similar vibes to this one. Frankly, all you have to do is look at the album cover to know what this record is about. While I would have enjoyed Jaden to take a few more risks on this album, like he did with his last few projects, I’m not complaining about new music of his anytime soon. His consistent work ethic makes me feel bad that I ever felt self-conscious for liking his music. In 2018 I saw Jaden’s performance at Camp Flog Gnaw, and while my friends didn’t seem to enjoy it much, I pretended like I didn’t like it either - though I had gone to Jaden’s tour months prior. Hopefully we’ll all be able to hear these songs live sooner rather than later, but until then this is a solid project that will be sure to keep fans at bay. Here’s to then!

Favorite Tracks

Cabin Fever

Bad Connection

Deep End

Rating: 7

Listen to CTV3 here:

Listen to CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3 on Spotify. Jaden · Album · 2020 · 17 songs.

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Community Is Care - Detroit 2 Album Review

By Carter Fife

Earlier this September Detroit rapper Big Sean released his fifth solo studio record Detroit 2. This album follows his last project, a collaborative record with Atlanta super-producer Metro Boomin titled Double or Nothing, by almost 3 years, and we haven’t heard much from Sean Don since. A handful of loose tracks were released in 2019, but luckily fans were treated to a full-length project this year, with two of the album’s 21 tracks teased on Travis Scott’s .WAV radio in the late summer. After a long wait, the album dropped, and as fans had their first listen of Detroit 2 it became apparent that Big Sean made a few noteworthy changes to his formula this time around.

Compared to Sean’s last solo studio record, 2017’s I Decided, this record is a lot less personal with a heavier focus on performance and production. This is a good thing, as I’ve always admired Big Sean’s sincerity in spite of how lackluster and inconsistent some of his writing and mixes have been in the past. The themes on this tape revolve around success, power, battling demons while at the top of your game, and perhaps unsurprisingly - community. In many ways, this is something that is woven into every song and every feature, of which there are many; the idea of cultivating energy and wellbeing through personal spaces and family. This is at first apparent when looking at the title and cover of the project, which features Sean literally placing Detroit street performers above him, but this is also seen in the camaraderie of the people involved with the project. Behind the scenes, producers like Hit-Boy, Boi-1da, Travis Scott, No I.D., Mike Will Made-It, and even Take a Daytrip are all over this thing. On the surface, Sean pulls out all the stops to get guests like Dwele, Diddy, Jhené Aiko, Lil Wayne, Anderson .Paak, Ty Dolla $ign, Post Malone, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Eminem, and even the late Nipsey Hussle on the record. There are even little interludes from people like Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu and Dave Chapelle peppered throughout Detroit 2 as well. While I was worried that they would collectively overshadow Big Sean on an album that clearly has been a long time coming, each one does a great job at not overstaying its welcome, and lending its energy to help amplify Big Sean’s. This time around, Big Sean also seems to be doing a lot better than we last heard in 2017, as his self-doubt has seemingly turned into a sage kindness despite the fact that we’re all trapped in quarantine for the foreseeable future. 

One of my favorite things about this record is how well Big Sean seems to adapt to this new energy - new energy that is reflected in both the album’s themes as well as its writing and mixes. On a boisterous and victorious album opener “Why Would I Stop?”, Sean says “I don’t complain about life, I adapt” after delivering my personal favorite line of the record, “I don’t jump, I dive in it”. With this new energy, Sean’s raps are more aggressive, more well-thought-out, and composed, carrying a confidence not before seen from the Michigan native. The following track “Lucky Me” has Sean casually flowing over a classic sample before the beat dramatically changes into a fast-paced trap banger akin to Huncho Jack’s Black and Chinese. The intriguing and uncommon nature of many of the mixes is what makes me enjoy this record, mostly because Big Sean makes his job look so easy as we’re being introduced to these tracks for the first time. Something must also be said about the variety of tracks on Detroit 2 as well, as one moment Sean’s steady flow is accompanied by thundering 808s on “ZTFO”, and then the next he’s confidently spitting game with Travis Scott over desolate and metallic guitar and lurching bass signals. Though there are too many tracks to write about each individually, the album has its softer moments on “Body Language” and “Guard Your Heart” that offer a nice contrast against tracks like the nine-minute “Friday Night Cypher” which features a host of Detroit natives trading bars over different beats.

Detroit 2 was a welcome surprise from the GOOD Music rapper, as I honestly did not think that Sean would come as hard as he did on this tape. Between the long list of guests and the overall positive themes of community and love for Detroit throughout the record, this was a welcome change following his last projects. Though it is admittedly easy to criticize Sean for the chronic oversharing and pseudo-intimate moments that have plagued earlier entries in his discography, this time around there really isn’t too much to pick apart with this project. Detroit 2 features Big Sean at his best, or at least the strongest he’s been since his reign in 2015 following the release of Dark Sky Paradise, and with 21 tracks there is certainly something here for everyone. Though the album could have benefitted from being half as long and more consistently subversive with its mixes, I’m glad that we were able to get some new music from Sean before the year was up.

Favorite tracks

Why Would I Stop?

ZTFO

Lithuania (ft. Travis Scott)

Rating: 7

Listen to Detroit 2 here:

Listen to Detroit 2 on Spotify. Big Sean · Album · 2020 · 21 songs.

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Consider the Cactus - A Retrospective on 'Rodeo' 5 Years Later

By Carter Fife

In the early fall of my senior year of high-school, I loaded up my car full of camping gear and close friends, and set off one Friday afternoon to go on a last-minute camping trip. It was a small group, and I had recently broken up with my then-girlfriend (a break-up that had left me plagued with confusion, guilt, and emotional insecurity) so they knew the weekend was going to be out of the ordinary. Hours later on a chilly California night, we arrived at our campground, made a fire in the dust and settled in to what was about to be one of the most formative experiences of my life. One of my friends asked to be put on aux so he could play Travis Scott’s Rodeo, an album that had been leaked earlier that week much to his dismay. I didn’t object, as I didn’t know much about the relatively unknown rapper besides his legendary mixtape Days Before Rodeo, and the fact that Upper Echelon was one of my favorite tracks on GTA Radio. As T.I.’s narrative on Pornography began to fill the arid mountain campgrounds, I could tell that I was in for something special. A Complex article accompanying the record’s release would describe Travis as the “head of a snake governed by a primordial instinct leading a winding body behind”, and it wasn’t until many years later that I understood what this quote meant despite it sticking with me for so long.

I mention this trip and the break-up that inspired it because I think that in a weird way, this formative outing happening at the same time as Rodeo dropping is a rare moment of stars aligning. I was in an emotional space that, depending on how I pushed through, would pave the way to my future relationships and the way that I would later conceive what a relationship actually was. I was also in the final year of high-school, and felt haunted by the sobering reality of all my friendships and relationships being merely provisional and a product of fortunate space and time. Hip-Hop music was on the brink of great upheaval, as bling-rap has overstayed its welcome and it felt like recent hip-hop that was on the charts wasn’t doing enough to sonically push the landscape of music further. Future’s DS2 and Young Thug’s Barter 6 were newly-released harbingers of what was to come, a new take on Atlanta-trap that artists like Gucci Mane and T.I. helped usher-in, though it wasn’t going to be for a while that these records would get the respect they deserved. The person to do it would debatably be Travis Scott - and by releasing what many would consider to be his finest work, and a time-tested opus of the genre that it helped define and innovate, Rodeo would pave the way for hip-hop music for years to come.

Five years later and this album still holds the same charm and wonder that it did on that cold night at the Juniper Campground. A charisma yet-unseen from a young and hopeful Kanye West protegée, and star-potential that was waiting to be tapped into. Though a rising star at the time of Rodeo’s release, Travis Scott would be propelled into super-stardom with his conceptually striking and musically innovative debut record. Since its release, I have gone through different phases falling in love with each different track upwards of 100 times, and it is clear that I am not the only one. To this day Rodeo still remains in the conversation surrounding Travis Scott and what is influencing hip-hop music today. Tracks like “Maria I’m Drunk”, “Oh My Dis Side” and “90210” are seen as having a near mythical-status, and would later help establish artists like Young Thug, Quavo, and Kacy Hill as industry heavyweights. Radio hits like “Antidote” and “3500” with Future and 2 Chainz still command sweaty fans that know every word to the center of every party that they’re played at. Lesser-known hits like “Impossible” and “Piss On Your Grave” with Kanye West are still put in heavy rotation by hip-hop fans today, and it is partially because of tracks like these that a culture of gatekeeping Travis Scott has developed in the wake of his commercial success following 2018’s ASTROWORLD. Everybody wants to raise their hand and say that they were there in 2015 when Diamond Supply Co and Travis Scott made a collaboration parka, and nobody wants to feel like they were left out of an era where you could pull up to a house party blasting “Flying High” featuring the Bay Area’s own Toro Y Moi.

Like how my senior year was my indoctrination into a new era of my life, Rodeo was a sort of indoctrination for hip-hop music and Travis Scott himself. When he would later produce tracks on Rihanna’s 2016 record ANTI, less than a year prior he was a relatively unknown blip that managed to be featured on Drake’s 2015 mixtape If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late. The trap artists that would go on to borrow from the Houston rapper/producer include names like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, 21 Savage, and countless others. Everybody wanted to make tracks with an ambiance like “Pornography”, with beat-switches like “Oh My Dis Side” or “90210”, with drums like “Nightcrawler” or with an abrasive rawness like “Piss On Your Grave” or “Ok Alright”. I personally used to mix his songs into live sets, then into radio shows in Portland, and eventually would do the same thing when I transferred to LA. Today Travis Scott has multiple collaborations with Nike, sold out arenas on multiple different tour stretches, gotten a Kardashian pregnant, and even acquired the holy grail of brand partnerships; his own McDonalds burger. Five years later many things have changed because of Rodeo, so it is important that we look backwards so we can be more informed when we ask: What’s next?

I remember watching an interview with Travis Scott before Rodeo was released, and it it he described hearing Kanye West’s 2013 record Yeezus, and said noted how it was the first time he had ever heard “god-level music” (makes sense). While I’m sure Travis Scott has no intentions of retiring anytime soon, I can’t help but be curious as to who/where the next artist is that will change the landscape of modern hip-hop music. Somewhere out there someone listened to Rodeo and thought the same thing, and now it is just a matter of time until they surface, if they haven’t already. People write about albums coincidentally finding them at the right time, or discovering artists in moments where they need them most, and an album like Rodeo is sure to be just that for countless fans, just like it was for me. Though the five years since Rodeo has passed more quickly than I’m sure any of us have anticipated, there is no denying the insurmountable personal and cultural value that this album holds. Personally - I would place it as one of my favorite records of all time, and I’m really just excited for whatever comes next from the Houston extroardinaire. The Rodeo era may have came and gone, but it was sure to influence the genre of hip-hop as we know it in its wake. Who knows - maybe its full impact hasn’t been seen just yet. This album, like that camping trip changed my life for the better, and I hope that this record continues to move and inspire others like it did for me. La Flame says, “Let your ambition carry you”, so here’s to five more. 

Listen to Rodeo here:

Listen to Rodeo (Expanded Edition) on Spotify. Travis Scott · Album · 2015 · 16 songs.

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From The Underbelly - What To (Hopefully) Expect From DONDA: WITH CHILD

By Carter Fife

It has been about a month since Kanye West announced (and didn’t release) his potential upcoming record DONDA, or as it was later called, DONDA: WITH CHILD. This album will be his tenth solo studio project, and if it hits streaming services soon, it will have been released less than a year since his last record Jesus Is King, which received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. 

Though the past few years have seen a relatively secretive Kanye West rarely communicating with fans outside of interviews and Twitter rants, the past summer has seen the Chicago rapper more active on twitter showcasing everything from shoe designs, blueprints for his YEEZY domes, cool chairs, and even getting Chick-Fil-A with Steve Harvey. Announced at the end of July on his Twitter, Kanye West let fans in on his recent creative ventures - an album and a movie titled DONDA: WITH CHILD, as well as repeatedly changing the tracklist in cryptic and vowel-absent pictures. As many Kanye West fans could probably tell you, the chance of this record being released seems like kind of a toss-up, as West is no stranger to announcing projects that never seem to materialize, but given his recent leaks and studio presence, we’re hoping DWC’s release is on the way.

If you subscribe to the idea that Kanye West is working on his tenth record and that it is indeed coming soon, the next question is obvious: What can we expect, and am I ready to be hurt again? The answer sadly is not as apparent, as West’s demos and musical efforts these days can be as mercurial as the man himself. Many fans are convinced that Kanye West’s “2020 Vision” presidential run is nothing short of a way to gain press for the record, while others speculate that it is the other way around. While it is true that West has voiced his passion for being president in the past, the timing of his publicity and political efforts, combined with his lack of both policy and reasons for running besides not liking Joe Biden (which sadly, same here), makes me skeptical that WEST 2020 is anything more than a publicity stunt. An annoying one to be sure, but it certainly did make a big impact musically, with artists like 2 Chainz tweeting his support for his label-mate. But all this stands as merely theoretical ideas circling the big picture: What can we reasonably expect from this DONDA: WITH CHILD?

As it stands there are around half a dozen leaked demos or reference tracks that have seemingly emerged from the DONDA era. There are also two tracks that Kanye himself released - “DONDA” (marked as DND on the twitter tracklist) and “Wash Us In The Blood” featuring Travis Scott. The former features West’s mother reciting KRS-1 lyrics over a classic soul-sample beat with a short verse from West at the end, and the latter is a more intense banger that sounds like a drum kit and Yeezus had a child together. Both are miles ahead of what was given to fans in 2019’s Jesus Is King, and the demos additionally give a reason for fans to be hopeful. While they are unfinished, cuts like the track “By Your Side” are ambient, melodic, and transcendent in a way that makes me anxious to have the album released. The recently leaked “Future Sounds” featuring Travis Scott and Victory Boyd makes use of the same TNGHT sample from West’s 2013 hit “Blood On The Leaves”, and with an infectious and dramatically grand-scale melody, it is hard not to get too hyped up for this record. The track almost sounds like a synthesis of every era of Kanye from 2010 to 2016, so hopefully, it makes the final cut of the record. The tracklist from Ye’s twitter also includes tracks like “Alien” (also known as “SpaceX”), “Hurricane”, and the hotly-anticipated “New Body”, all of which were cut from the scrapped project YANDHI which I will never stop begging Kanye for. “Alien” is an interesting addition considering it is notorious for having so many versions - some include Ant Clemons or Young Thug, others include Migos, and one is even a longer version with only Kid Cudi on it. Though my excitement for “New Body” has waned since the release of the religion-appropriate clean version sans Nicki Minaj, “Hurricane” is a track that I have been anxiously awaiting since it’s teasing in Fall 2018 and inevitable leak in Summer 2019.

But who can we expect to be involved with the album? Not much is known about the record’s guests yet, but both Dr. Dre and Rick Rubin have been working recently with Kanye, with Rubin actually being spotted at Kanye’s ranch in Cody, Wyoming. Galaxy-brained sleuthing fans also have been speculating about a Lil Baby feature after Kanye tweeted support for the rapper, and a private jet was chartered from Atlanta to Wyoming shortly thereafter. Snoop Dogg was also seen in the studio with Dre and Kanye, though that session was likely related to Ye’s “upcoming” release Jesus Is King II, produced by Dr. Dre. Whether or not that project will ever come to fruition and see the light of day is truly a mystery, though a leaked track, “Up From The Ashes”, certainly shows promise as it displays a more cohesive blend of hip-hop percussion, powerful vocal performances and choral arrangements than West’s 2019 effort. Scrapped or not, the track certainly shows great promise for DONDA: WITH CHILD, though it is hard to bye certain judging off of leaked tracks that are mostly unfinished.

I know what you may be thinking and yes, there is a high chance the album will probably not come out, and this will be yet another project that turns to a pipe dream for us Kanye fans to speculate about. With that being said. new tracks and snippets from Kanye West’s camp are leaked every week so it will be interesting to see how the record evolves, and hopefully we will see the release of a new project soon from Yeezy himself. Though I respect the album-making process as one that cannot be rushed, this is me crossing my fingers that DONDA: WITH CHILD sees release by the end of 2020.

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27 Summers Later: King’s Disease Album Review

By Carter Fife

This week Brooklyn MC and hip-hop legend Nas returned to release his twelfth solo studio record King’s Disease, following the release of his 2019 mixtape The Lost Tapes 2 and 2018’s NASIR, executive produced by Kanye West. Known best for his first two projects, 1994’s genre-defining Illmatic and 1996’s It Was Written, Nas has spent most of the past decade out of the limelight, returning only just a few years ago to return to rap’s center stage. While The Lost Tapes 2 wasn’t much to write home about, 2018’s NASIR was packed with hard-hitting political raps over pristine production. It was a record full of opportunities most rappers only dream of, and since then many have been wondering when Nas would return to form like that. Thankfully King’s Disease sees the NY rapper join forces with CA rapper/producer heavyweight Hit-Boy, who you likely know from his smash hits like Travis Scott’s “SICKO MODE”, Kanye West’s “Clique” or “N****s in Paris”, Kendrick Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle”, or even from older A$AP Rocky cuts like “1 Train” or “Goldie”. Together, the two journey through verse and beat alike to create one of the most memorable hip-hop albums of the year.

If you’ve heard a Nas record before then the lyrics on King’s Disease won’t come as much of a surprise to you. Nas has an exceptional affinity for the political as well as strengths in hip-hop’s usual lyrical cornerstones like braggadocios flexing and menacing narrative-weaving. This truth becomes incredibly apparent on tracks like “The Cure” and “The Definition” featuring Brucie B, the latter of which features Nas delivering powerful punches over an overstimulating but victorious instrumental. It is also on this track that Nas interestingly gets political about the threat of global warming, which came as a surprise to me because I didn’t expect him to believe in the danger of greenhouse gases after his outspoken anti-vax beliefs on NASIR. Nevertheless, Nas’s writing is effortlessly overwhelming and brilliant as usual, and the songwriting on this project is far more cohesive and logical than the projects that preceded it. On The Lost Tapes 2, many enjoyable tracks were hindered by how at times they felt like a word soup of politics, trauma, and fame, but luckily this is not the case with King’s Disease. 

Though Nas’s lyrics don’t necessarily reinvent the wheel, what he lacks in innovation he makes up for with consistency, flow, delivery, and tone. These elements paired with Hit-Boy’s incredible production ability makes for some solid tracks that immediately were replayed on my first listen. The record’s first two tracks flow from a classic and laid back composition to a beautiful and intense combination of lurching 808’s and snares that juxtapose the track’s delicate piano melodies. I remember leaning back and thinking, “How did we go from A Written Testimony (which Hit-Boy also produced for) to Port of Miami so quickly?” I didn’t really have an answer but that was beside the point. Three tracks later and “27 Summers” was probably one of my favorite mixes from Hit-Boy so far. I’m not kidding - put on the song now. Hear the punchy snares and the 80’s synthesizer that transitions into those glittering melodies? The composition and rhythm of the beat, especially towards the end, is so weird and memorable I couldn’t help but text my friend to let him know that this album already had potential- there are moments like this across the album.

King’s Disease isn’t all politics and fame though - there are intimate and tender moments that are rare for a rapper like Nas to have on his records. “Til The War Is Won” is a beautiful meditation with Lil Durk about the relationship between men and women in the face of violence. It is a somber but uplifting track about unity and strength where Nas praises the strength of single mothers. “All Bad” with Anderson .Paak is a more intimate break from the record, where Nas and .Paak trade performances about failed relationships and good memories. It’s a sweet moment that is amplified by Hit-Boy’s jazzy drum loops and nostalgic piano chords. Other moments that are worth mentioning include Charlie Wilson’s performance on “Car #85”, a cut that sounds like a more like a chill 70’s R&B classic than a Nas song, and A$AP Ferg’s verse on the bonus track “Spicy” with Five Foreign, where he closes the album and gives a little shout out to Pop Smoke in doing so.

Overall King’s Disease is a nice return to form from Nas and Hit-Boy, and though the album definitely could have taken more risks, it was still an enjoyable project from two artists I didn’t realize how much I had missed. Nas and Hit-Boy both veer across multiple styles of hip-hop on this project, from the boom-bap on “10 Points” to the raw ambience of “Full Circle” with a host of guests including The Firm, AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. The modern and the nostalgic intersect well on this project, as King’s Disease will likely remain in rotation through the coming weeks. Fans of both eras will surely find something to enjoy on this record.

Favorite Tracks

27 Summers

King’s Disease

Replace me (Feat. Big Sean and Don Toliver)

Rating: 8

Listen to King’s Disease here:

Listen to King's Disease on Spotify. Nas · Album · 2020 · 13 songs.

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Kacy Hill, Actualized: 'Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again' Album Review

By Carter Fife

The past few years have been quite strange for Kacy Hill.

Three years have passed since the release of Hill’s 2017 debut record Like A Woman, which was not only executive-produced by Kanye West but also released by his label, G.O.O.D Music. At the time of its release, Like A Woman was a lightning rod for critical acclaim as it established Kacy Hill both as a powerful force in pop music, and as a contemporary mainstay that masterfully occupied opposite emotional registers of delicacy and power. Even today, sifting through her Instagram comments always yields a few hopeful fans asking Kacy to make another “90210” with Travis Scott, or to work with Kid Cudi or Cashmere Cat again. In 2019, Kacy Hill decided to leave G.O.O.D. Music, citing a desire to regain creative control without having to be flexible to those from the label. Independent and driven, the past few years have seen Kacy starting training for Olympic weightlifting, collaborating with Cashmere Cat on his 2017 record 9, and dropping 5 singles before last week’s release of her sophomore record, Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again. 

Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again sees Kacy Hill both at her most pensive and vulnerable self, as well as her most inspired and uplifted. This is a welcome reflection of growth considering how on Like A Woman, we heard the Phoenix songwriter delve into her own desires, whether it was to be loved, to find love, to seek fairness in relationships, or to be strong, respected, and powerful. Ultimately the 2017 record was a reflection of Hill’s struggle of self-actualization in the midst of emotional and romantic turmoil. This was even reflected in the wake of the record’s release, as several headlines identified her only by her proximity to her label, or as Kanye West’s protégé. While at the time this may have seemed harmless, it seems likely that his treatment led Kacy Hill to develop a sense of Impostor Syndrome instead of earned confidence after graduating from Yeezus Tour dancer to established industry talent. Even when her label departure was covered by HotNewHipHop, the writer mistakingly included an image of a redhead woman that wasn’t even her. Thankfully years later Hill has no need to find her identity, as now she has found serenity with herself and what she wants. Both of these things are illustrated in the album’s 11 tracks, where Kacy Hill navigates self-doubt and relationship anxieties alongside her own fears of time and everything temporary.

Kacy Hill’s sophomore record completely shattered my expectations, as it is rare that a record like this balances narrative cohesion, profound writing and lyricism, and subversive musical styles that achieve soaring highs and relaxed lows at every turn. The album begins with two songs that grapple with the past, as Kacy Hill looks within and faces her own self-doubt on tracks like “To Someone Else” and “Much Higher”. The former is full of steady and rhythmic moments where Kacy is forced to bravely look to the future, before the chorus breaks through with layered vocal and little falsetto melodies that aid in transitioning to the next track. The latter song, “Much Higher”, is both catchy and glitchy, synthesizing older and newer styles of pop music as Hill looks to the past and accepts her past romances for the good, and the bad.

Hill’s narrative stays on a clear trajectory throughout the project, as the next few songs are concerned with a newer and more positive relationship. On tracks like “I Believe In You” featuring Francis and the Lights (who was a writer and producer for many of the songs on this record), Hill’s optimism and confidence shine as she sings about quelling hopelessness with positivity, love, and mindfulness. She sings “I believe in you / and you are my proof / that everything gets better and / that love can be true” over a space track whose minimal ambiance serves as a foundation to elevate the performances of Kacy and Francis. The song “Porsche” is a glittery and indie-pop banger about unlearning past behaviors and thoughts about oneself, getting a fresh start, and learning to love another person, and in the process, yourself. The whole time this is happening, Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again never comes off as indulgently saccharine or emotional, instead providing Hill’s signature touching approach to a broad emotional register.

While there is certainly much to love about Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again, the album is not without its moments of weakness. Upon seeing the brief tracklist for the first time, it was strange to see that over half of the record was made up of previously-released tracks, including Dinner that, while a great track, came out almost two years ago. This record may also be too laid-back for some people’s tastes, as many of the songs adopt a much softer aural register than Like A Woman’s, perhaps to more intimately convey their message and meaning. This, however, is done at the expense of making a more universally consumable pop record, and although I have a great deal of respect for every song the album, it is unlikely that I will play “Told Me” next time I get aux in my friend’s car. Despite the fact that these songs are much more relaxed and minimalistic than we may be used to, this is more than made up for with tracks like “Everybody’s Mother” and “Unkind” that are more intense by comparison. 

Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again is one of the strongest records of the year so far, and though the album may have benefitted from a handful of additional tracks, it was definitely worth the wait. Kacy Hill once again has established herself as a powerful force in pop music, and I sincerely look forward to what she makes in the future. 

favorite tracks

Everybody’s Mother

Palladium

Unkind

Rating: 9

Listen to Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again here:

Listen to Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again on Spotify. Kacy Hill · Album · 2020 · 11 songs.

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Return of the Jewel Runners: ‘RTJ4’ Album Review

By Carter Fife

Last week Run The Jewels surprised fans by dropping their highly-anticipated fourth record RTJ4 days before the free mixtape’s anticipated release date. The rap duo, comprised of Atlanta’s Killer Mike and Brooklyn’s El-P, announced the fourth entry in their decorated discography almost two years ago, marking this project their first in almost 4 years. 

Mike and El have not been exactly silent since the long-awaited release of Run The Jewels 3, however, as since then they embarked on the global “Run The World Tour” in addition to releasing tracks and collaborative videos for various outlets. With their fourth record, abbreviated as RTJ4 instead of ‘Run The Jewels 4’, the two rappers find themselves in the midst of perhaps one of the most divisive sociopolitical climates yet. The U.S. is four years into the Trump-era, and over the past two weeks, tensions between citizens and the police have reached a boiling point as many protest for their right to exist. In a plutocratic society full of dictator-esque authoritarians, racial discrimination, and disenfranchised citizens, RTJ4 is an incredibly passionate and righteous body of work. With a complex emotional register, every element this record has that could be interpreted as inspiring also leaves the listener melancholic about how RTJ’s pleas for justice are just as relevant as they were seven years ago.

I remember after the release of Run The Jewels 2, watching Killer Mike and El-P walk slowly on-stage at Treasure Island to Queen’s ‘We Are The Champions’. Dressed in all-black sweatsuits, it was hard for the uninitiated to decide whether or not they were actually a rap group, or instead two sound guys enjoying their brief moment of fame. As the song came to an end, Run The Jewels abandoned their humorously victorious poses, with Killer Mike powerfully telling the audience, “We about to burn this stage to the mothafuckin’ ground!’. Their tracks about racial justice, police brutality, and paranoia seemed appropriate given that at the time we were living in the wake of the Ferguson protests, and even presidential nominees like Ben Carson were calling movements like Black Lives Matter “silly”. These issues at the time were not new, but with the upcoming election and national attention these issues were receiving, we remained hopeful that tangible legislative change would come.

In many ways, this is the core of what Run The Jewels is, a rap group whose composition is just as subversive and iconoclastic at their message. Both members are now in their mid-40’s, but their devotion to political action, progressive values, and writing bangers has made them one of the most powerful hip-hop duos since Mobb Deep, UGK, or Outkast. RTJ4 continues this theme with 11 tracks of social insight, though this time around they demonstrate a versatility that when paired with their candor is almost unmatched. Mike and El have perhaps the strongest chemistry of any rap group in recent memory, and whether they’re aggressively trading bars on the disjointed ‘ooh la la’ featuring performances from Greg Nice and the legendary DJ Premier, or meditating on death and hegemony on the album’s closer ‘a few words for the firing squad (tradition)’, the two cannot seem to make a bad track between them. Even their beat switches, seen on ‘holy calamafuck’ result in no stilted awkwardness or lost energy from the two rappers. 

The majority of RTJ4 is produced by El-P as expected, and within the record’s < 40-minute runtime the duo fills up every moment with all-star guest appearances, aggressive bars, cultural references and beats that rival the most iconic cuts from their first two records. On the aforementioned ‘ooh la la’ the two rap like icons in their prime, with Killer Mike delivering lines like “First of all, fuck the fucking law, we is fucking raw. / Steak tartare, oysters on the half-shell, sushi bar / Life a bitch and the pussy fish, still fucked her raw / I’m a dog, i’m a dirty dog, hahahahaha” over an uneasy piano sample and booming snares. Moments of humor like this are emphasized and amplified when on other tracks the subject matter veers into capitalism’s valuation of money and justice. On ‘JU$T’ icons Pharrell Williams and Zack de la Rocha join the mosh to suggest that America’s condemnation of racism is shallow, as many racists are still allowed to thrive in corrupt systems that preserve their power at the expense of others’.

The seriousness of tracks like ‘pulling the pin’ and ‘walking in the snow’ - featuring the inevitable second collaboration between RTJ and Gangsta Boo - is tangible. While many artists fear speaking their mind on political issues, instead opting for platitudes and corny pseudo-political corporatized Instagram posts, Run The Jewels fulfills their civic and celebrity duty by refusing to shy away from uncomfortable topics like white supremacy and modern slavery. By pairing sobering instances of political realness with moments of humor, Mike and El show their sage grasp on humanity and the understanding that simply living is political. The two capture a profoundly dynamic human experience through the interaction between their own ideologies, references, and moments of vulnerability. Even during moments where 2Chainz makes hot-dog related puns on ‘out of sight’ when talking about trying to be “frank”, these brief sections on the album serve to unite listeners, understanding fully that specializing in what some would call ‘political rap’ is inherently alienating to many people. Killer Mike and El-P handle this issue well, as RTJ4’s carefree humor is done tastefully and intentionally.

Like the three records that precede it, RTJ4 is a progressive and defiantly anti-authoritarian masterclass in hip-hop production and songwriting. If you’re a fan of Run The Jewels, this album is definitely for you, and if you are not, then it is still worthwhile to give the record a listen. It is a rare moment when two 45-year-old musicians from different backgrounds can collaborate, knowing that they may be out of touch with their fan base, and create a universally inspiring and emotionally complex album. It was definitely worth the wait, and though it may be a while before we’re graced with a Run The Jewels 5 (if ever), I will certainly be keeping this record in my current rotation for the foreseeable future.

Favorite tracks:

JU$T (Feat. Pharrell Williams & Zack de la Rocha)

walking in the snow

holy calamafuck

Rating: 8

Listen to RTJ4 here:

RTJ4, an album by Run The Jewels on Spotify

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Master of His Craft: ‘High Off Life’ Album Review

By Carter Fife

Last week Atlanta rapper and trap icon Future announced and released his eighth studio record, High Off Life. This album follows the release of three of Future’s older mixtapes onto streaming services over the past month, making 2020 a great time to be a Freebandz fan. High Off Life is a 90 minute record that spans 21 songs, making it one of the longest Future projects in a while. Unlike last year’s Future record The WIZRD, this album sees Future adopt a more familiar sound, though there are certainly moments of greatness to be found in the record’s enormous track listing.

High Off Life follows a similar formula that many of Future’s prior records have adhered to over the past half-decade. Like 2017’s FUTURE and HNDRXX, High Off Life is an incredibly expansive catalog of Future tracks that have likely been recorded over the past year. There are definitely tracks that could have been left on the cutting room floor, but in true Future fashion he leaves nothing back as he delivers a 90 minute performance. His vocal register is consistent, his tone alternating between aggressively energetic and confidently laid back, embodying the ‘toxic masculine’ for better and for worse. It is easiest to argue that this is for the better, however, as his fans (myself included) subscribe to his music because of how consistently good it is. After arguably delivering two of the past year’s best features (“Sup Mate” with Young Thug and “Wassup” with Lil Uzi Vert), and entertaining rumors of a second collaboration with Drake - the hype was tangible going into this record. The results were less than surprising.

Most Future records, like High Off Life, seem to be structured around around approximately half a dozen tracks that are clearly meticulously crafted. These hits are then surrounded by around a dozen enjoyable but admittedly less-than-memorable moments. Think back to Migos before the release of the near-perfect Culture - with every mixtape hip-hop’s canon would be graced with a track like Versace or Pipe it Up despite their records having minimum 12 tracks each. In High Off Life, there are several tangible moments of brilliance that parallel his infamous “King’s Dead” verse, though finding them requires a fair amount of work. 

In the ~11 times I have listened to this record this week, I have managed to isolate the tracks where I feel Future to be at his best. Future’s delivery and signature vocal timbre on High Off Life is much stronger than his past few releases, so even though some of the mixes may leave you eying the ’skip’ button, they still remain ultimately enjoyable tracks that surround the hidden gems. “HiTek Tek” is a gem that sees Future’s powerful melodic delivery and “yeah yeah!” adlibs reach new heights as he effortlessly flows over ATL Jacob’s thundering 808s, mechanical hi-hats and glittering synth patterns. 

Though “Solitaires” featuring Travis Scott seems like it would be a clear standout track after the Houston rapper’s incredible verse on Future’s last record, the first 4 tracks immediately get overshadowed when playing High Off Life’s fifth track: “Ridin Strikers”. The ominous-yet-catchy banger features a unique arrangement including a Guzheng-adjascent track that artists like Future helped popularize in modern hip-hop music. After two minutes of bars about trapping and organized violence, a beat switch takes place that emphasizes and amplifies the track’s status as an eerie banger. Every instrument feels out of key, the drums off-kilter, and the 808s decelerated to a lurching slowness. Keeping it all together is Future, rapping a narrative about bank robbery where he says “Hold on, smokin' on pressure / Hold on, straight out a pound / Hold on, crazy-ass shooter / Hold on, sprayin' in the crowd”. The track ends quickly, in its wake leaving one of the most memorable Future tracks released since his career began almost a decade ago.

High Off Life features so many more memorable moments embedded in its hour and a half runtime. “Harlem Shake” sees Future link back up with fellow SUPER SLIMEY collaborator Young Thug, and unfortunately it is not a remix of Bauuer’s EDM anthem. “Too Comfortable” is a refreshing and upbeat moment where Future raps over an acoustic guitar that is vaguely reminiscent of Migos’ 2018 hit “Narcos”, and Lil Uzi Vert’s appearance on “All Bad” showcases the two rapper’s incredibly infectious chemistry. Tracks like “Accepting My Flaws” and “Last Name” with Lil Durk show rare moments of Future’s emotional complexity, making the untouchable and omnipresent rapper reflect in a rare moment of vulnerability. Though “Life is Good” has been out since last winter, it is still a solid track and ending the record with its remix (sporting additional features from Lil Baby and DaBaby) felt like a fitting way to conclude this record.

Though High Off Life is pretty consistently enjoyable with several key moments, it is not without its unfortunate flaws. Future seems to have played it safe with this one, and it is unfortunate that Future doesn’t venture outside of his wheelhouse more often like he did with 2019’s The WIZRD or the following EP SAVE ME. Some of the tracks like “Up The River” or “Hard to Choose One” do not make much of a lasting impact as their beats sound like they were made using the same soundfonts every other producer today is using trying to craft the next big trap anthem. How long will fans have to wait before another Pharrell or Zaytoven collaboration? The answer is unclear. Finally, though it is nice to see Future elevating the next generation by featuring NBA Youngboy, their lack of chemistry and dissonance of styles makes his decision seem like an odd one, though their track together could have been worse. 

Though technically High Off Life is Future’s eighth studio record, this release is just one of over 16 projects that the Atlanta rapper has released over the past 10 years. It is clear in Future’s writing and persona that he clearly understands that he is a significant cultural icon, though hopefully in upcoming years fans are graced with music with less bars about coronavirus, and more thematic risks. I had the pleasure of meeting Future at the Grammys in 2019, and the the only thing more memorable than his elegant and minimalistic suit was the aura of untouchable celebrity confidence he carried with him. High Off Life is this in musical form - highly enjoyable, but it leaves you curious about the missed potential from the routes untaken. At the end of the day, Risks or not, this album will certainly be kept on heavy rotation for the foreseeable future.

Favorite Songs:

Ridin Strikers

Too Comfortable

All Bad (ft. Lil Uzi Vert)

Rating: 8

Listen to High Off Life here:

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June and Cardo Reunite For The Project of the Summer: ‘Cruise USA’ Mixtape Review

By Carter Fife

Earlier this month San Francisco native Larry June released a mixtape with producer heavyweight Cardo titled Cruise USA. This project is just one of half a dozen records June has released over the past year, including an additional effort with Cardo on the record Game Related, which released this past January. Just in time for summer to begin, Cruise USA is a short and sweet mixtape that sees Cardo producing Bay Area flavored hits for one of the most promising artists active in the area right now. June brings his A-Game as well, providing listeners with a solid 8-tracks that feature Dom Kennedy, Black C, and even June’s own uncle.

Though only 25 minutes long, Cruise USA is a masterclass in combining A-list production and Bay Area energy. June’s charisma and humorous lyrics pair well with Cardo’s upbeat and nostalgic-sounding mixes, making listeners like myself upset that they are stuck inside instead of at a party with this playing. Every audible element oozes a laid-back confidence that is amplified by June’s own sardonic wit - as it is hard not to laugh at tracks called “Green Juice in Dallas”, “Organic Tokens” or “Rolex Truffles” that juxtapose new-era health habits with trapping. Cruise USA is a fun and summery vacation away from the quarantine that has dominated our lives for the past two months, so though it is easy to wish you were anywhere else listening to this record, it is certainly a welcome distraction.

With June and Cardo collaborating together it is hard to pinpoint Cruise USA’s many highlights. The opening song “Green Juice in Dallas” is a bouncy and spacious track with quotable lyrics like “I was just gon’ do one verse, but Cardo, this beat too clean. I got some extra house shoes baby, so take them shoes off your god damn feet (NUMBERS!)”. As of writing this I am still unsure if this project is intentionally funny, or if I am just interpreting Cardo and June’s combined swagger and confidence as some sort of political statement. Maybe the whole record is about the monotony and corniness of the upper-class gentrified suburbia that many parts of San Fransisco and Oakland have turned into over the past few years. Maybe Cruise USA is just a funny project made by two funny and talented guys. No matter their intention, one thing is for certain: this project is really fucking good. 

Another standout moment on the project is the track “Meet Me in Frisco” featuring Black C, which is currently my top contender for song of the year. Larry June meditates on a girl he used to be involved with, and Black C makes a reference to Mac Dre’s iconic track “She Neva Seen” with lyrics about smoking weed, relaxing, and “sipping champagne mimosa with that organic juice”. While they trade lines effortlessly, Cardo’s cathartic and upbeat mix provides the foundation on which June and Black C thrive. June also showcases his versatility on tracks like “Rolex Truffles” and “Organic Love” which are more laid-back and chill - while “Organic Tokens” and “Highway 5 Chronicles” provide based and hyperactive anthems that will be sure to stay in your rotation all summer long. There are even energetic and high-octane bangers like “Orange Juice wit Dom” featuring Dom Kennedy and “Still Learning” with June’s uncle Herm Lewis, both complete with string samples curated by Cardo himself. Though this project is relatively brief, Cruise USA is full of incredibly enjoyable tracks that properly showcase the immense talent of both June and Cardo.

Though it is unfortunate that it may be a while until we can all go out, socialize and blast music together again, Cruise USA will definitely be the soundtrack to my summer. Each of the project’s 8 tracks are equally gratifying and memorable during this time where it seems like every artist has a project to drop. In a perfect world, the mixtape would be a bit longer and feature additional Bay Area guests, but those are small things to criticize when presented with such a great piece of music. If you haven’t checked it out already - give Cruise USA a listen. You won’t regret it. 

Favorite Tracks

Green Juice in Dallas

Meet Me in Frisco

Organic Tokens

Rating: 9

Listen to Cruise USA here:

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Nothing In-Between Us: A Muse In Her Feelings Album Review

By Carter Fife

It has been almost three years since dvsn released their sophomore studio record Morning After. After their world tour in 2018, the OVO Sound duo comprised of vocalist Daniel Daley and producer Nineteen85 were immediately back in the studio, hard at work preparing their newest record. After releasing a few singles over the past few months and keeping details to a minimum, A Muse In Her Feelings finally released earlier this month. Unfortunately, many fans realized that this album may not have been worth the long wait they endured.

A Muse In Her Feelings sees the Canadian duo churning out sensual and glamorously-produced R&B anthems over the course of just under an hour. The record provides distinct moments that harken back to their previous projects, with many of the tracks (like the powerful opener ‘No Good’ which finds our heroes more dejected than usual) sounding like they could have been left over from early recording sessions for their 2016 debut SEPT 5th. Other tracks that carry a slower and more acoustic feeling to them (like the impressively serene ‘Pray For You’) sound like they could be B-Sides from their last record. If one were to collect all the tracks that break new ground for the group, one would be staring at only 5-6 tracks. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, as even though the majority of the album shares many sonic similarities with dvsn’s music that preceded it, the music is still made incredibly well with powerful vocal and production efforts from two of the industry’s best. Even if one were to be disappointed that this record does not have a complete musical shift, like the one seen between dvsn’s first two records, there is no denying the talent and allure of this album as a whole.

Where dvsn breaks new ground, they find themselves actually diverging into two totally separate realms within their perfected area of R&B. The first realm is admittedly the safer one, as heard on tracks like ‘Friends’ featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR., and “Flawless’ Do It Well, Pt. 3’ with Summer Walker. It is here that dvsn strays into the conventional and pop-oriented side of R&B, with powerful kicks and mechanical hi-hats dominating the percussion tracks of each song. While ‘Friends’ is more reserved and melancholic meditation on love, ‘Flawless’ is a powerful and outspoken anthem that could just as easily be a club hit as it could be a track one listens to on the way home. ‘For Us’ is another track like this, and with it comes perhaps my favorite mix that dvsn has created since I became a fan years ago. While the song starts out as soft and low-fidelity, it evolves into a 90’s-esque power-ballad with production that sounds like an insane mix between House of Balloons-era The Weeknd and The Backstreet Boys. 

The second realm they stray into is more subversive- as they borrow from reggae and dancehall styles on tracks like ‘Dangerous City’ with the legendary Buju Banton and Ty Dolla $ign, and ‘So What’ featuring Popcaan. ‘Dangerous City’ carries a unique combination of dvsn’s intoxicating heavy R&B style with Jamaican reggae, and the instrumental sounds like something one would find on a Matisyahu album, but why Ty Dolla $ign was included on the track is a bit of a mystery. His presence doesn’t detract from the song, though the choice to pair him with Banton is certainly a strange one. ‘So What’ does what many artists have tried to do: properly harness Popcaan’s incredible talent and delivery without trying to hop on a trend or a wave. This track rhythmically aligns much more closely with dancehall music than most of the other songs Popcaan has been featured on over the past several years, and his performance with dvsn was well-done with the timbre of his deep voice contrasting well with Daley’s. It would be great if fans got more tracks like this, or like ‘Keep It Going’, a song that plays with several musical styles and has one of the most unique vocal performances on the record. It should be said, however, that it is a bit odd to have 3 partly reggae/dancehall songs on a record that is majority trap-influenced R&B.

The biggest problem with this record is that the incredible 2019 single ‘In Between’ was replaced with a remix featuring Snoh Aalegra. The original was a minimalistic, and shimmering acoustic banger that sounded like the lovechild between Jodeci and N*SYNC, so it was a shame it was it was replaced by a weird radio-friendly track featuring a poor performance by a guest vocalist. This is fairly easy to forgive as dvsn was likely trying to capitalize off of the hype from that single, and it is not hard to simply delete the newer version from one’s library.

Although A Muse In Her Feelings does not musically reinvent the wheel, it is still a solid album with close to an hour’s worth of content for every dvsn and R&B fan alike. There is a little bit of something for everyone, and though I wish the OVO duo would have doubled down on their newer dancehall-inspired music, I am still satisfied with what we were given. Was it worth the 3 year wait? Maybe not, and not to sound like an apologist, but few albums are. A Muse In Her Feelings has certainly given me plenty of songs to add to my current rotation, and I am excited to see how this record grows on me in the coming months.

Favorite Tracks

No Good

Keep it Going

For Us

Rating: 7

Listen to A Muse In Her Feelings here:

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The Return of the Raf Simons Raven - Platinum Falcon Vol. 1 EP Review

By Carter Fife

Last Week Oakland’s very own Guapdad 4000 released a small collection of previously released singles into one *cohesive* package: the Platinum Falcon Vol. 1 EP. Clocking in at 18 minutes with 6 tracks (5 of which had already been released over the past few months), this short collection is the first project that Guapdad has released this year, after 2019’s long-awaited Dior Deposit, being all over Dreamville’s ROTD3, and 2017’s Scamboy Color. With his most recent singles nicely bundled together now, it seems like this is a good time to catch up on any you may have missed.

With the humor of Zack Fox / Father sense of humor and the charisma of Vince Staples / Lil B, Guapdad 4000 has quickly made a name for him himself in hip-hop. ‘Platinum Falcon’ is probably one of the best songs to listen to in order to understand what the Bay Area native is all about. Like most Guapdad songs, it is a cleverly written bop featuring an original flow and many humorous bars. While ‘Greedy’ is a bit more aggressive than most tracks on the project, it isn’t until ‘Dolce and Gabbana Dalai Lama’ that the listener is given a rare intimate view of the California M.C. The new track from the collection, ’Trade Places with Them Jeans’ is a similar emotional and slow track with a bit more of an acoustic sound. 

There is not too much to say about these tracks that already hasn’t been said seeing as 5/6 tracks have already been released, but this is truly the time to dive into Guapdad 4000’s discography if you haven’t already. Synthesizing elements of Bay Area music with contemporary trap, hip-hop, and R&B, Guapdad will definitely be a great artist to watch over the next few years. 

Favorite Tracks

Platinum Falcon

Dolce & Gabbana Dalai Lama

Embezzle (feat. Jigga Juice)

Rating: 7

Listen to Platinum Falcon Tape, Vol. 1 here:

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Songs of Solitude - ‘She Already Decided’ Mixtape Review

By Carter Fife

While fans waited patiently for the release of Smino’s third record, the St. Louis rapper decided to drop a semi-surprise mixtape on Soundcloud this week. Titled She Already Decided, this project finds Smino synthesizing neo-soul and hip-hop elements seamlessly over 40ish minutes of casually-produced tracks. It is safe to assume this is at least a partial product of Smino’s time spent in quarantine, as fans received an email from him saying, “S.A.D. MIXTAPE OUT NOW! … I made dis shit at the krib fr tryna stay sane and Inspired as much as I can mane… REAL FREE MUSIC.. AINT NUN PERFECT ALL UNMASTERED N ROUGH RAW WTF EVER for y’all…”. A blessing to be sure for those of us who are going stir-crazy ourselves- thankfully it is hard to complain while safely in quarantine with new music.

For a project whose aesthetic is intentionally casual and ‘rough around the edges’, She Already Decided is an excellent showcase of not only Smino’s versatility - but his command of multiple styles of rapping and singing. On the project’s opener, ‘Fronto Isley’, Smino starts by singing over a classic sample from The Isley Brothers. On the chorus he says “I rap good, smoke good, fuck good, Look good, shit good”, and the next minute he’s delivering lines like “I made a call to bae and told her breakfast on the way / I'm so elated, pussy bald like Charlamagne”. This is just the first of many tracks on the project that make the listener realize that even Smino’s “ROUGH RAW” tracks have an incredible amount of thought and talent poured into them. An example of this is even seen in S.A.D.’s production credits - as though there were not too many hands involved in the tape’s creation, Chicago’s L10MixedIt (Acid Rap, NØIR, Telefone) is involved with every track. 

Tracks like ‘Kotton Kandy’ with Sevyn Streeter and ‘Good Ol Julio’ are great examples of Smino thriving while singing in a variety of different styles. The former is a sultry hi-hat laden R&B track, whose rhythm and chemistry between Smino and Streeter work in tandem to make an infectiously catchy banger. The latter is a much more percussive and jazzy track that requires an insane performance from the St. Louis rapper. For almost three minutes, Smino continuously sing-raps over an intense drum and bass arrangement, and he does not disappoint. The point of these tracks, and their criticism, is not simply to show how versatile of an artist Smino is. What is present here is not just versatility, as to be versatile merely just implies a wide range of ability. What Smino shows on She Already Decided is dynamism - an adaptive mastery of multiple styles of both singing and rapping, and this is shown all throughout the project.

Some of the most stand-out moments on She Already Decided come from Smino’s remixes of other popular songs. On ‘Cabbage’, a remix of Megan Thee Stallion’s TikTok anthem ‘Savage’, Smino captures the true theme of this project while casually adlibbing “I'm having so much fun in this motherfucker right now”. ‘Blac Soda’, an interpolation of Baby Keem’s hit ‘ORANGE SODA’, has Smino delivering clever lines in a cadence that is just a touch too similar to Keem’s, though perhaps that is just a testament to Keem’s iconic flow found in the original track. Smino even gets the opportunity to remix Roddy Rich’s ‘The Box’ on ‘Jamie Boxxx’ towards the end of the project, though not before remixing his own track ‘KLINK’ with T-Pain. 

One of the most notable qualities of She Already Decided is how irregular and subversive many of the mixes and beats found on the project are. ‘2MuchFronto’, ‘Gotta List’ and ‘Chips & Juice’ all occupy opposite ends of the hip-hop instrumental spectrum, but somehow Smino is able to dominate on each one. Even on the track ‘Already’, Smino graces listeners with a strangely hypnotic banger with transposed vocals edited past the point of recognition. Despite how utterly odd many of these tracks are, I cannot help but admit that Smino’s baby-voiced “Big gyal, rock the boat, oh baby! Big gyal, rock the boat, so crazy!” is equally infectious and enjoyable.

She Already Decided is a mixtape that will likely help hold fans over until the eventual release of Smino’s third record, or at least until the quarantine is over. With sixteen tracks to highlight Smino’s own talent in both rapping and singing, it is easy to get lost in the rapper’s wordplay, humor, and sheer weirdness. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a distraction, or at least something new as spring turns to summer.

Favorite Tracks

Gotta List

Already

2MuchFronto

Gotta List

Rating: 9

Stream She Already Decided Here:

http://www.SmiTransfer.com sumn for da ones who been holdin shit down from jump.. FREE MIXTAPE

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Albums To Ride Out the Quarantine To

By StereoVision Staff

As many of us remain isolated in our homes, resigned to living lives devoid of social interaction not involving our roommates or family members, it can feel difficult not to go a little bit stir-crazy. Whether you live totally alone, or if you came back home to help your parents only to be asked to sanitize every room of the house on a tri-weekly basis (yours truly), many of us have had to get creative when coping to this change of lifestyle. Luckily, some members of the Stereovision team decided to provide their favorite records for riding out the all the sheltering, social distancing, and quarantines that have quickly dominated our daily agendas. From recent releases to modern classics, we hope you give these records a listen.

Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return (2013)

“Speaking from my own perspective - I am so fucking anxious all the time, so naturally you can expect that the past month has not been the greatest time for me. In dire need of an outlet where I can allow myself the opportunity to *relax*, I find myself listening to this album almost constantly. Straight from the brain of one of the people who popularized the term ‘chillwave’, Toro Y Moi’s 2013 opus is packed with easily digestible indie-electronic tracks that can range from relaxing to plain fun.” -Carter Fife

Jay Electronica - A Written Testimony (2020)

“After patiently waiting many years, Jay Electronica fans rejoice now that his new album A Written Testimony has dropped. The timing of the release couldn’t have been better, considering his wisdom can provide us with a sense of clarity in this uncertain time. The best part is we all have more time now, allowing us to give he album the in-depth listen it deserves.” -Colson O’Connor

G Herbo - PTSD (2020)

“Most G Herbo projects are definitely an acquired taste for many listeners from outside his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. PTSD is slightly different. G Herbo's reflections in songs such as "Feelings" and "Intuition" are a clear indication that the rapper is transforming into a better artist and person. The most popular song named after the album features Chance the Rapper, Juice WRLD, and Lil Uzi Vert. Sitting at just around a month old, it is time to give PTSD a listen if you have not already. Check out a more in-depth review of the album here!” -Amaya Lorick

Mac Miller - Circles (2020)

Being stuck around the house all the time can put you through a lot of different moods. Mac Miller’s ingenious album Circles, consists of songs for every one of those moods. His slow-tempo, rainy day jams are perfect for staying sane at home during this crazy time.” -Colson O’Connor

Sevdaliza - Ison (2017)

“Dutch-Iranian songwriter & producer Sevdaliza delivers a dark, atmospheric, and lush blend of alternative R&B and trip-hop with her debut album Ison. Across the project’s exploration of love and what it means to be a woman in our modern world, she creates a landscape of stuttering drum loops, sinister chord progressions, and haunting vocal refrains that ultimately transcend into pure, unadulterated beauty. It’s one of my personal favorites of all time, and I would highly recommend listening to the tracklist in order, but if I had to pick and choose a few standout tracks, then “Hubris,” “Amandine Insensible,” “Hero,” and “Loves Way” would be a good place to start.” -Owen Tait

REASON - There You Have It (2018)

“Top Dawg Entertainment signee, REASON, is still early in his career but has already made a name for himself in his debut album There You Have It. The project opens with a skit, titled "Rufus Collection", and is followed by 11 vividly reflective songs. Before signing with TDE in August 2018, There You Have It was independently released in 2017. The remastered project's most popular song Better Dayz was well received by Ice Cube in a special segment posted by Genius. This album was a great introduction to where REASON came from and could possibly be key to understanding who he is as an artist.” -Amaya Lorick

Jai Paul - Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones) (2019)

“Originally leaked six years earlier by an anonymous user on Bandcamp, UK producer, singer, and songwriter Jai Paul officially released Leaked 04-13 (Bait Ones) to streaming services in 2019. The project is a collection of 16 demos Paul wrote prior to the album’s leak, but the quality of the music here wouldn’t indicate their unfinished nature in the slightest. Featuring slick vocal hooks and tons of wonky production tricks throughout, Bait Ones is a tight, feel-good alternative pop record that will be sure to keep your vibes up during social isolation. Check out tracks such as “Str8 Outta Mumbai” and “jasmine - demo” for a good taste of what this album has to offer.” -Owen Tait

Isaiah Rashad - The Sun’s Tirade (2016)

Isaiah Rashad has no problem having his fans wait for new music. This album from 2016 is what really put him on the map as the next one up out of TDE. The Sun’s Tirade is a showcase of emotional and self reflective raps, and the sounds on this range from jazzy instrumentation to more traditional trap. -Miles Hagan

Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1 (2014)

“Prior to the beef and bullshit, one duo reigned supreme, prolifically dropping music and poised to take over the rap game. In 2014, Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan might as well have been Andre 3000 and Big Boi the way they took the direction the sound was heading and forced it to turn on a dime, changing the course of hip-hop history in the process. The duo resembled Outkast in more ways than the influence though. Rich Homie Quan acted as the Big Boi to Thugger’s three stacks by anchoring the young superstar and providing constancy, allowing him to develop into one of the all-time great he was born to be. In addition, there are few tapes that show such palpable influence to today’s specific pop rap sound, just listen to “I Know It” once and tell me you don’t hear DaBaby, Gunna, and Lil Baby. Tha Tour 1 is one of the most important mixtapes of this generation and is absolutely as slimy as it gets.” - Spencer Lobdell

The Internet - Ego Death (2015)

“Lead by Odd Future vocalist Syd and assisted by artists such as Steve Lacy and Kaytranada, The Internet’s Ego Death is a fresh, charismatic fusion of R&B and neo-soul that will ease the pressure of being cooped up at home. Boasting plenty of groovy bass lines and jazz-inspired percussion, this project is simply hypnotic, a quality that is certainly aided by Syd’s infectious refrains and melodies. The standout tracks on this record include—but are not limited to—“Go With It,” “Under Control,” and ‘Special Affair.’ ” -Owen Tait

Grimes - Art Angels (2015)

“You might be thinking: What if being too relaxed is my biggest problem right now, and what if I am struggling to feel something underneath the weight of perpetual isolation’s monotony? Look no further - Art Angels is so off-the-walls and high-octane that one listen will have you sprinting around your home screaming “B-E-H-A-V-E, arrest us!” into your hairbrush. At just under 50 minutes long, it will provide you with the perfect daily workout, forgetting you are confined to your home in the first place” -Carter Fife

Action Bronson - Mr. Wonderful (2015)

In a time where our scenery may get a bit repetitive music is a way for us to still paint vivid pictures. Few are better at this than Action, who delivers slick verses over incredible and unique production. There are several standout singles from this project that still impress me till this day. -Miles Hagan

EARTHGANG - Torba (2015)

“Throw it back to 2015 in quarantine and listen to EARTHGANG’s EP “Torba”. Every track is named after each day of the week, and each cut perfectly depicts the vibe of each day. The beats on this album have such a unique bounce, and EARTHGANG comes in with a crazy flow that do the beats justice. There also happen to be smooth features from artists Mac Miller and JID that add to the greatness of this EP.” -Colson O’Connor

NxWorries - Yes Lawd! (2016)

“In 2016, NxWorries (Duo made up of singer/rapper Anderson .Paak & producer Knxledge) released their only project ever titled Yes Lawd! While Anderson .Paak music is always excellent, Knxledge’s production brought greatness out of the artist and led to him creating his best music ever. The album is one of the more cohesive hip-hop projects I’ve ever heard showcasing a similar chill vibe and cool energy that never gets old on most tracks. I don’t know if it’s Paak’s cutting vocal inflections, ultra-dynamic singing voice, or the introspective ways he writes about love, but something about his performance on this record is very special to me, solidifying Yes Lawd! as a personal top five record of all time.” - Spencer

KAYTRANADA - 99.9% (2016)

Production allows the imagination to wander. 99.9% is one of the best albums we have received from a producer in a while. Not only does he offer stellar beats from start to finish, but the list of guest features is to notch. Its upbeat tone and wild creativity draw you in from the moment you press play, and make it hard to press pause for the next hour. -Miles Hagan

Dom Kennedy - Los Angeles Is Not for Sale, Vol. 1 (2016) 

“While LA native Dom Kennedy has made some great music over the course of his career, nothing comes close to his magnum opus, Los Angeles Is Not for Sale, Vol. 1. Nobody does relaxed west coast gangsta rap like Kennedy and he is in full force throughout this entire project. On this record, Dom combines a sharp pen with a laid back SoCal delivery resulting in an hour of addicting bops to hotbox your mom’s car to.” -Spencer Lobdell

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment - Surf (2015)

“Back in 2015, Chance the Rapper, Nico Segal (formerly known as Donnie Trumpet, and their band partnered with Apple Music to release Surf for free! It's leading single "Sunday Candy" will get you in the mood to do something productive and spread love from afar. The 16-song project has features including Big Sean, J. Cole, and Quavo but these artists were purposely left unlisted. If you have not already listened to Surf, I challenge you to allow yourself to be surprised by all of its guest appearances.” -Amaya Lorick

Baby Keem - DIE FOR MY BITCH (2019)

“I really do not have too much to say about this one. Is it too late to call it a deep-cut at this point? It doesn’t matter. Fans of outrageous rap and stellar production link up and join the Baby Keem fandom before the hype-train leaves the station. Keem’s irresistibly catchy hooks on tracks like ‘BULLIES’ and ‘TOP RAMEN’ will make you an instant fan, and the possibility of an upcoming collaboration with Kendrick might give you something to look forward to this year. Whether or not you’re already a fan, it is never too early - or too late - to enjoy this record.” -Carter Fife

We hope these records help lift your spirits in such an uncertain time. Stay safe out there, and be sure to let us know what you’ve been listening to over the past few weeks.

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