Where Astrology Meets Artistry: FKA Twigs ‘CAPRISONGS’ Review

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FKA Twigs is and has been that girl to many within her dedicated fan base since she released her debut studio album LP1 in 2014. With her dramatic twriled baby hairs, long black braids, and tiny gold nose piercing, FKA Twigs easily became a Tumblr darling with photos of her to be found on every fashion and music blog imaginable. One could not log onto the platform without seeing the tracks “Two Weeks” and “Video Girl” at least once on their timeline. FKA Twigs soon became known for her brooding electronic sound and striking falsetto voice as she sang about love, lust, and insecurity over avant-garde distorted instrumentals. The music of FKA Twigs is undeniably ethereal. It has the ability to capture the listener’s ear as well as their heart simultaneously and with ease. This is why Twigs’ fan base stuck by her, even during her four-year-long hiatus from music. 

In 2019, fans' need for the otherworldly sounds of FKA Twigs was satisfied with the release of her second studio album Magdalene. A deeply emotional allegory of the breakdown of her own relationship through the story of biblical figure Mary Magdalene, the project was generally well-received. Some saw Magdalene as a dreary diversion from her eclectic mid-2010’s sound, while others saw it as the maturation of both her music and her storytelling ability as an artist. Regardless, the question on every FKA Twigs listener’s mind after Magdalene was this: Will Twigs go on another hiatus? When is the next time we’ll hear from her? Luckily, fans did not have to wait as long as before for new music. On January 14th, FKA Twigs released her second mixtape (the first being  M3LL155X in 2015) entitled Caprisongs. In an Instagram post describing the project in the lead-up to its release, Twigs describes Caprisongs as “...my journey back to myself through my amazing collaborators and friends.” The title, as well as the flow and themes of the project, are inspired by astrology. She is a Capricorn Sun and plays on the closeness of the words “sun” and “song” to create Caprisongs. 

Although the sound of the album is much more grounded than her previous works, Caprisongs can be argued to be her most eclectic piece of work to date. With instrumentals ranging from commercial pop to reggaeton to electronic ballad, Caprisongs truly explores the vastness of FKA Twigs’ self. The project gives us a glimpse into the unpredictable nature of the album with the intro track “ride the dragon.” The track opens with a soft slow piano melody as FKA Twigs whispers to the listener, “Hey, I made you a mixtape.” Then, a deep distorted voice comes into the fray. Throughout the intro to the track, the regular and distorted voices play off of each other, each expressing forms of desire. Carried by Twigs’ voice as she sings the lyric, “So if you…” the beat drops, the rhythm picks up, the melody becomes plucky, and the line finishes with “Really wanna kiss me, kiss me (Do it quickly).” After the chorus, Twigs goes into a verse where she, in her regular voice, sings the nearly indistinguishable lyrics the distorted voice sang in the intro. She says, “You wanna get a bit of my mystique? / Ooh Play ooh-là-là, très chic (Get you a ticket)/ Get lonely in a studio week.” This lyric aligns with the three aspects of her astrology that she explores throughout the project. Her Capricorn sun, as she described it, tells her to “...just go to the studio and create.” Her Sagittarius moon is “the enigmatic [or “mystique”] temptress craving the club,” and her Pisces venus “...hot mess disastrous heart falling in love all over again.” 

As the album progresses, certain songs correlate with one of the three facets of her astrology. The fifth track on the album entitled “oh my love” speaks to her Pisces venus. The planet Venus describes how one interacts with love. The sign of Pisces is known for being emotional, aloof, and deeply introspective. In “oh my love” Twigs about her desire for her lover to love her the way she loves him. The track opens and closes with spoken word segments from two different women. The first woman describes how she had a relationship with a man but he thinks they are just “hanging out.” On a smooth classic R&B style track, FKA Twigs sings and raps about the games her lover is playing and how they affect her. In the end, another woman speaks on the importance of self-love. She urges Twigs to “see in herself what she sees in her.” As both a Pisces sun and a Pisces venus, these sentiments on love, in addition to the old school style of the track, resonated with my sensibilities. 

Outside of the astrological aspects of the Caprisongs, the EP also has a variety of genres jam-packed within it. “meta angels” is a ballad in the purest sense of the word, with Twigs’ voice immediately capturing the ear with a haunting melody of “oohhs” before she launches into a moving account of her insecurities. It is an incredibly vulnerable track that also weaves in the electronic aspects of her music she is known for, alla M3LL155X era. On the other end of the spectrum, Twigs experiments with dancehall on the track “papi bones” featuring Shygirl. The EP was recorded in several cities and countries around the world, including Jamaica. This Caribbean sound also finds itself elsewhere on the album such as on “honda” featuring Pa Salieu and “jealousy” featuring Rema. Lastly, FKA Twigs with a more commercial sound on the tracks “tears in the club” featuring The Weekend, and “darjeeling” featuring Jorja Smith and Unknown T. “Tears in the club” is Twigs’ foray into radio pop/R&B and “darjeeling” is like if grime was made angelic. Both are successful dips into different genres and are both refreshing and satisfying for longtime FKA Twigs fans. 

Caprisongs overall is another great album from FKA Twigs. Although some tracks in the last third of the project leave much more to be desired (Not even FKA Twigs could uncancel Daniel Caesar), the experimental singer’s second EP and 4th studio release is just the start to 2022 that many of us needed. Just as I had when I was fourteen years old, I’ll be eagerly watching to see what else FKA Twigs may have in store in the near future. Until then, I will be listening to Caprisongs as a constant reminder to have fun, love deeply, reflect, and strive towards growth as opposed to stagnancy. 

Favorite Tracks:

jealousy (Feat. Rema)

oh my love

ride the dragon

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Pi’erre Bourne: The Life of Pi’erre 5 Review

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Photos by Cara Robbins

Photos by Cara Robbins

Within the landscape of rap music over the last four years, few names are more prolific in their influence on the culture than Pi’erre Bourne. After the young art school graduate broke out in 2017 with producer credits on the massively popular tracks “Magnolia” by Playboi Carti and “Gummo” by Tekahsi 6ix9ine, Bourne has gone on to produce tracks featuring artists such as Young Nudy, Lil Uzi Vert and Kanye West. Although he was known at the start of his career for his dreamy beats with spacey melodies over straightforward and satisfying trap beats, Pi’erre Bourne knew that he wanted to traverse production and expand into rapping as well.

Inspired by artists such as his own uncle and Kanye West, he released his first solo studio album, Life of Pi’erre 4 in June of 2019. On this project, Pi’erre introduces himself as a collection of dualities. He is humble yet prideful, a player yet a hopeless romantic. Sex and love is a strong theme throughout The Life of Pi’erre 4 with songs such as “Poof, “Guillotine,” and “Ballad” being the most played tracks on the album. He blurs the lines between singing and rapping for most of the album, his mellow voice accentuated by autotune. The production is light and airy in order to give the spotlight to Pi’erre’s bars and vocals. Here, we are introduced to Pi’erre Bourne’s love of similes and copious pop culture references in his writing. Some were clever and others were unhinged. No matter what came out of his mouth, however, there was no denying that Pi’erre Bourne was a talent with major potential to succeed as a solo artist and not just a producer. He had the beats, he had the voice, and he had a strong following that only grew after The Life of Pi’erre 4. 

Almost two years exactly to the release of his first album, Pi’erre Bourne released his second project The Life of Pi’erre 5 on June 11th. The release of this album was teased with the release of the single “4U” some months prior with a music video attached as well. Despite Bourne’s rollout of the single being arguably overshadowed by Playboi Carti’s release of his music video for “Sky’ off of his album Whole Lotta Red, “4U'' was still able to reach many fans who enjoyed the bouncy sexy summer track and were eager to hear more from him. With The Life of Pi’erre 5, that is exactly what they got. TLOP5 has the familiar production that made Bourne famous, the entrancing rap cadence, and the creative lyrics fans have come to love even if they sound like they were written by someone in the middle of watching Hulu’s WuTang: An American Saga while hotboxing their room. However, what sets The Life of Pi’erre 5 apart from its predecessor is the inclusion of features from Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, and Sharc, higher intensity production, and a more diverse range of themes communicated over the course of the album. 

Pi’erre knew we needed music for vaxxed summer 2021 and he delivered. The tracks are vibrant and exciting, filled with the energy and fun we are hoping to embody as the world finally opens back up to us. 

The Life of Pi’erre 5 opens with a phone call with Bourne and his grandmother, who he made mentions of in his first album. She asks him when he is going to come visit her in South Carolina and asks him to help her get a car. “Not no new car” she says, “Something that costs maybe twenty-five, twenty-seven hundred dollars.” She then says that she just needs something to ride. Throughout their conversation, Pi’erre (aka Jordan as his grandmother calls him) talks about where he’s traveling, when he’s going to come see her, and then tells her he has to go but promises he’ll call her back. Although this intro is short and doesn’t feature any rapping, it works tremendously as a tool to establish the major theme of this album: The effects of fame on his relationships with others and his perception of himself. The tension between his nomadic life as a musician and his ties to his home, and in turn his past, are prevalent throughout the album. 

Tracks that especially work to communicate Pi’erre Bourne reconciling with where he is now versus where he was are “YNS” and “Amen.“YNS” displays Pi’erre Bourne’s capacity for empathy as he raps about his life growing up in the hood and his formative experiences. He calls for the freedom of his friends who got caught up in the hustle and are now incarcerated. Bourne also takes a candid moment for self-reflection on the track as he talks of his success in comparison with his emotional pain and trauma from his upbringing. This self-reflection continues near the end of the album on the track “Amen.” On the somber track, Pierre raps about the pitfalls of his lifestyle. He raps that he is living “too fast and furious.” Although his money affords him many luxuries, it does not offer him peace of mind. Bourne describes stacks of money like a weight on his shoulders and hopes that no one hits his Achilles as he “runs up his bag.” It is clear that Bourne is afraid of losing what he has. This is emphasized by the usage of samples from his uncle’s own music on the track, a massive influence on Bourne’s artistry who passed away just weeks before TLOP5’s release. “Amen” is the most vulnerable track on what is otherwise a very “no thoughts just vibes” sort of project. 

On the production side of things, Pi’erre Bourne experiments with a more intense and brooding sound than he did on the Life of Pi’erre 4. With TLOP4, the production was very formulaic: trap drums, distorted guitar or piano melody, and Pierre Bourne sing-rapping with moderate autotune. Although it was predictable, Bourne was able to captivate audiences by varying the style just enough with each track to make the album land as seamless instead of mind-numbing. On The Life of Pi’erre 5, however, Bourne allowed himself to expand on his sound with the inclusion of heavier bass and synths. The standout example of this “new sound” is found halfway through the album on track 8 “Sossboy 2.” The track opens with cacophonous bass under quick modulating electric drums and a Nosferatu-esque keyboard melody. The intro features Bourne’s uncle, his voice deep and heavily reverbed. Once the chorus hits, Bourne layers on one more sound: a spacey synth melody. This is the perfect lead-in to the verse of rap’s favorite extraterrestrial: Lil Uzi Vert. They are a truly dynamic pairing on this track. Pi’erre Bourne raps exclusively on this track in order to match the energy of Uzi. Even though Uzi does in fact wash Bourne rap-wise, the duo still created a track that I need to hear at a party as soon as possible.  

Ladies, don’t worry, Pi’erre Bourne still wants to have sex with us. He makes sure to tell us with the tracks “Retroville'' and “Drunk and Nasty.” They follow each other in order on the album, which is fitting because they are both extremely horny, which is what the girls who loved TLOP4 came for. Although they both incorporate some of the heavier production aspects indicative of the midpoint of the album, they are airy enough to remind us of his work from 2019 that helped us girls romanticize then get over our toxic partners. “Retroville” is the more upbeat of the two, with the vampy keyboard on full display. Lyrically, the content of the chorus gives very much “Wet Dreamz” by J Cole energy but instead of going into detail about his lover from high school Pi’erre Bourne repeats the sound “Skrt” for sixteen bars before, in a moment of poignant wordplay, changing it to “Skirt” as indicated by the lyrics “Panties, bra/She takes it off.” “Drunk and Nasty” is a track that has been circulating the internet in its incomplete form for a year or two. As it was made around the same time as TLOP4, it sounds the most like a song that could have been on that project. However, he varies the final product from the draft by adding more verses, overlaid vocals, a feature from Sharc, and not one, but two pauses throughout the song. “Retroville” and “Drunk and Nasty” are just two examples of how Pi’erre Bourne was able to successfully merge the old with the new on TLOP5 in order to both appease current fans and help bring in new ones. 

The Life of Pi’erre 5 is the first album to truly excite me this year. Pi’erre Bourne always produces hit after hit, whether he is doing it for himself or for someone else. Instead of backsliding after his first album like some rappers tend to do, Bourne was able to successfully grow his musical style and come back with a project that is undoubtedly better than the first. I believe that Pi’erre Bourne is often not afforded his flowers because his collaborators are more often than not more famous than he is, causing him to get outshined by the spotlight of others. However, I am certain that sooner rather than later, Pi’erre Bourne will get the acclaim he deserves. The Life of Pi’erre 5 is going to be my album for the summer, and if you like Trippie Redd, Young Nudy, or Playboi Carti, it should be yours, too.

Favorite Tracks 

Sossboy 2 (feat. Lil Uzi Vert)

40 Clip 

Drunk and Nasty (feat. Sharc)

Rating: 8

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Playboi Carti: Whole Lotta Red Review

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If there is one thing Playboi Carti knows how to do, it’s build suspense. In 2018, he gave every man I have ever dated something to live for with the release of his debut studio album Die Lit. The project came in at #3 on the US Billboard 200 and was loved for its abrasiveness, ferocity, and dynamism. It was on Die Lit in which Playboi Carti’s most notable tropes; The baby voice and his eclectic adlibs, fully came into themselves. This solidified his image in pop culture as rap’s newest darling. Plucked straight from the r/RickOwens subreddit and launched into the spotlight, fans were eager to hear more from him as soon as possible. What they got instead was a nearly two-year hiatus with Sir Cartier only doing the occasional feature with artists such as Lil Yatchy, A$AP Mob, and Solange among others. Fans were so rabid for new Carti music that several leaks made their rounds around the internet. The hunger of fans was not helped by speculation that his second studio album would drop by certain dates or times, only for us to go on Apple Music or Spotify to no new music and broken dreams. In April of this year, Playboi Carti began posting on Twitter for the first time in nearly a year to promote the release of his single “@ Meh.” Although reviews were mixed, fans were still excited for the single as it meant that maybe, just maybe, there was an album that would come with it. 

After April, Playboi Carti did not post on Twitter again until November. At first, it was thought his tweets were about an album, but in actuality, he was promoting a track from Future that he dropped a verse on. It wasn’t until December that Carti began dropping direct hints that his second album would be coming. Repeating the words “red,” tagging specific artists in tweets, and posting pictures with Kid Cudi and Kanye West, it was clear that something substantial was on its way and very soon. Finally, on Christmas Day, Playboi Carti released his second studio album Whole Lotta Red. Despite it being a day to commemorate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, many traded in the godly sentiment of the holiday for the satanic energy of Playboi Carti’s newest release. The project was immediately met with passionate reactions. Some raved over Whole Lotta Red while others deemed it #WholeLottaTrash. The fact is this: If you expected to hear a Carti leaks compilation album, this project will disappoint you. If you expected to hear Die Lit 2, this album will devastate you. However, if your favorite thing about Playboi Carti is his alternative musical style, pseudo-punk aesthetic, and general unhinged belligerence, Whole Lotta Red is the project you have been waiting for. 

Whole Lotta Red opens with a bang. The first track “Rockstar Made” sets the precedent for the album instantly and tells us that we are in store for a new Playboi Carti. Produced by F1lthy and Jonah Abraham, “Rockstar Made” is a cacophony of heavy bass and spacey synths supplemented by Carti’s ablibs that become a part of the beat in it of themselves. Carti experiments with his vocals on this track as well, restricting his vocal cords throughout most of the song to add extra rasp to his performance. Unlike other Playboi Carti songs in which his voice is more aligned with the production of the track, on “Rockstar Made” his voice is extremely prominent and forces us to pay attention to Carti himself instead of letting him fall to the wayside on his own song. As suggested by the title, the song commits to the idea that rappers, Carti specifically, are “new age rockstars.” The concept of rappers being the new rockstars is not new, but Playboi Carti is perhaps the first rapper to embrace this title to the fullest. When listening to the track, it is clear that it was made for the mosh pit. And not one of these little baby mosh pits every rapper tries to do at their shows, but one where elbows are being thrown and someone may end up in the hospital just as God intended. 

In terms of the general musical style of Whole Lotta Red, the tracks can be grouped into two main categories: Brash rap-punk and light bouncy internet hip hop reminiscent of his earlier work. The strongest tracks falling into the former category are “Stop Breathing,” “No Sl33p,” and “On That Time.” “Stop Breathing” and “No Sl33p” both express Playboi Carti’s deep seeded inkling to commit murder. He communicates these desires very bluntly, with the lyrics “Ever since my brother died/ I’ve been thinking about homicide” in “Stop Breathing” and “When I go to sleep I dream about murder” as the chorus in “No Sl33p.” It is not an exaggeration to say that “No Sl33p” is one minute and thirty second ode to Playboi Carti’s gun, his beloved Draco. Complemented by adlibs meant to emulate gun sounds, one could argue that, based on the amount of airtime given on Whole Lotta Red to his Draco specifically, that Playboi Carti may pay more attention to his gun than to the mother of his child. “On That Time” further proves this point as the chorus is simply “Ride around town with the Draco, bitch/ D-R-A-C-O.” Sonically, “Stop Breathing” and “On That Time” lean the most heavily into the rap-punk aesthetic and align themselves with the sound presented on “Rockstar Made.” While “No Sl33p” is more subdued instrumentally, it makes up for it in the extreme boldness of the lyrics in which Carti was so open about wanting to kill someone that the Atlanta and Los Angeles Police Departments have probably printed out the lyrics and added them to his file. 

The latter catagory, light bouncy internet hip hop, is something that will satisfy fans of the “Old Carti.” Three tracks that speak to this vibe are “Beno!,” “New N3on,” and “ILoveUIHateU.” “Beno!” is the third song on the album, coming in as an open and airy refresher to the first two intense production heavy tracks. The melody is bright and plucky, like the sound effects in a video game. Carti’s flow is flawless and the track is an instant hit with it’s easy to follow and rhythmic chorus. The production of “New N3on” is eerily similar to that of a Lil Uzi Vert track. This suspicion was confirmed upon learning that it was worked on with Philly-based producer and frequent Uzi collaborator Maaly Raw. As enjoyable as “New N3on” is with just Carti alone, one can only imagine how the track could have been elevated with an Uzi feature. “ILoveUIHateU” enlists the efforts of P’ierre Bourne, so you already know it is going to be good. Rapping about drugs and women with a hint of nihilism over a spacey beat, Carti and P’ierre come together to create a track that could have easily fit on Die Lit and will bring comfort to those put off by his new sound. For those of us who love both the new and the old, “IHateUILoveU” is sure to trigger nostalgia for that iconic 2018 summer. 

Although Whole Lotta Red is very strong in terms of solidifying Carti’s rockstar persona while keeping true to his roots that got him to where he is today, one cannot overlook the album’s biggest weakness that can be seen the minute one sees the tracklist: It’s way too many songs. I love Playboi Carti. I really do. But I did not need 24 songs on a single project. He is already tweeting about the delux album and I am already tired just at the throught of there being any more songs added to an already lengthy project. To make matters worse, a good quarter of the songs are just ok, not terrible but not amazing either. The most glaring disappointment on the album is “M3tamorphasis” featuring Kid Cudi. On a project where most of the songs are 2-3 ½ minutes long, “M3tamorphasis” comes in at whopping 5 minutes and 12 seconds. The fact that Carti gave the track so much airtime is suprising seeing as it is by far the most boring and uneventful track on the album. There’s not a ton going on lyrically, it is not very catchy, Carti’s vocal inflections fall flat, and Cudi’s verse adds nothing to elevate an already weak song. Had Playboi Carti cut this track along with about five others, Whole Lotta Red would have easily been his best, most holistic, and most fully realized project yet. 

Despite the strong mixed reactions Whole Lotta Red has received in the days since it’s release, it is far from the “trash” many are saying it is. Personally, I love the new direction Playboi Carti is going in with his music. I love the fact that he is fully indulging in his long held interests in alternative culture and not letting societal expectations keep him from expressing himself in whatever ways he wants to. Whole Lotta Red was the next logical leap for someone who loves the movie Gummo, has the anarchy symbol tattooed on his neck, and dresses like a new age Nosferatu. Whole Lotta Red is one of those projects that filters out those who actually understand and ride for Carti’s artistic vision versus those who are stuck in 2017. I’m on the wave. Are you? 

Favorite Tracks

Stop Breathing 

Teen X 

ILoveUIHateU 

Rating: 7

Listen to Whole Lotta Red here:

Listen to Whole Lotta Red on Spotify. Playboi Carti · Album · 2020 · 24 songs.

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Rico Nasty: Nightmare Vacation Album Review

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For the past year, Rico Nasty has continued to build upon her outrageous, punk, and off-the-wall brand and strengthened her cult following along the way. Anticipation for her next drop was building since November 2019 when she shared a snippet of a then-unreleased hyper pop track produced by Dylan Brady of the experimental pop group 100 gecs that fans raved over. In February of this year, Rico Nasty was on the remix of the song “Ringtone” by 100 gecs, featuring other experimental pop artists Kero Kero Bonito and Charli XCX. These features from Rico Nasty led fans to believe that she was headed in a more gitchy and electronic direction for her next album. And they were right. In early December, after several single and music video drops, Rico Nasty released her debut studio album Nightmare Vacation to an audience who was starving for a full length project from her. Ever since then, Rico Nasty stans and casual listeners alike have been fed. One could even say they were treated to a wonderful meal that, while it may have been a little unusual, maybe even out of their comfort zone, it was absolutely satisfying and one that they will remember for years to come. 

Nightmare Vacation opens with the track “Candy.” “Candy” shows Rico Nasty in her element as she brags over a bass boosted beat with a quirky melody that ties everything together. The first line of the track opens the album in a simple but effective narrative fashion. She says, “On a dark and stormy night I don't blend in, bitch I shine bright.” With this lyric alone, Rico Nasty tells us that she stands out in every sense. She is a star no one can tell her otherwise. The project then moves into the next track, “Don’t Like Me.” “Don’t Like Me” utilizes the first two of several features on the album, Gucci Mane and Don Toliver. The song is light, bubbly, and highly addictive. “Don’t Like Me” is another foray of Rico Nasty into the world of pop. Although she does her fair share of rapping throughout the track, the melody during the chorus is so smooth and fun it will only take a couple of listens before you are singing along with them. The features from Gucci Mane and Don Toliver balance out the track nicely, providing a sense of grounding for the delightfully aloof track. If I had long blonde hair, I would absolutely twirl it around my finger while listening to “Don’t Like Me.” 

If there is one thing Rico Nasty is going to do, it’s make an amped up track that makes you want to fight the next person you see for no reason. Nightmare Vacation does not disappoint with two songs that undeniably embody that sort of energy: “STFU” and “Let It Out.” Even the music video for “STFU” is a play on the idea of an underground fighting ring with Rico’s gang challenging another to a brawl that dissolves into a mosh-filled rave. Both tracks show Rico spitting her most aggressive bars, putting the most rasp on her voice, and screaming her loudest screams. “Let It Out” in particular is extremely cathartic, with her, as the title suggests, holding nothing back in her performance. The ad libs are a character in it of themselves on the song and add another layer of attitude to a track that was already powerful in its own right. The production of “Let It Out” is as eclectic as ever and fully leans into the chaos with no reservations. “Let It Out” is the perfect punk/rap fusion and will be blasting in my ears at full volume the next time someone tries me (I feel bad for them in advance :)).

Perhaps you’re not in the mood to fight but you are in the mood. Nightmare Vacation has you covered on that front, too. “Back and Forth” featuring Amine and “Pussy Poppin” are both sensual tracks that speak to demon time like no other. The chemistry on “Back and Forth” between Rico and Amine is effortless. It also helps to have a man with a sexy voice on a song about sex and Amine fits the bill quite well. “Back and Forth” is much more subdued than it’s counterpart “Pussy Poppin.” Gitchy and cute, “Pussy Poppin” is one of four songs produced by 100 gecs and/or member Dylan Brady. On the track, Rico Nasty plays up a bimbo-esque trope with the lyric “I don’t really talk like this/I know/ But the nigga got a real big “wooo” fasho” said with her voice nasally and words drawn out like an airhead. Of course, this is all apart of the performance, as Rico raps explicitly about being in control of her sexuality throughout the song. 

One cannot talk about Nightmare Vacation without talking about the track that began the hype: “IPHONE.” “IPHONE” is what became of the teaser Rico Nasty played on Instagram Live on the faithful day in November of last year. This song is without a doubt the most experimental of all the songs on the album. The influence of Dylan Brady and 100 gecs can be heard as soon as the beat drops. Rico Nasty’s vocals are pitched up extremely high, comparable to the signature vocal style of 100 gecs lead singer Laura Les. The production style is extremely abrasive but controlled, creating a listening experience that is both frenzied and streamlined simultaneously. It is a paradox only 100 gecs and Rico Nasty can master with flying colors. In a Genuis Verified interview, Rico Nasty states that “IPHONE” is about relationships and how they can become toxic. This is demonstrated in the track as the song begins with the depiction of a couple infatuated with each other leading to a break up in which the man become obsessed with his now former love. A track that was already contemporary with it’s concept, “IPHONE” became even more telling of the times with the lyric “Smoking so much gas I forgot to put my mask on.” Originally a play on the term “gas mask,” now the line is something I’m sure many of us can relate to. 

Nightmare Vacation is the debut album of every fan’s dreams. The project is wholly Rico Nasty’s own, with all kinds of sounds and influences that she has explored throughout the course of her career all rolled up into one cohesive collection. With another winner on her hands, Rico Nasty continues to have me in the palm of her hand as she solidifies herself as one of my favorite artists out right now. Her work never ceases to amaze me and she truly is one of a kind. If you still haven’t hopped on the Rico Nasty train, now is your time before it leaves the station. Nightmare Vacation is just the beginning for Rico Nasty and from the way her career has progressed so far, it can only get better from here. 

Favorite Tracks

Let It Out 

OHFR? 

Pussy Poppin

Rating: 8

Listen to Nightmare Vacation here:

Listen to Nightmare Vacation on Spotify. Rico Nasty · Album · 2020 · 16 songs.

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KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

Father: ‘Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You’ Album Review

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Father is probably the best rapper that you’ve never heard of. Or maybe you are familiar with his breakout single from 2014 called “Look at Wrist” featuring rising OVO Sounds star iLoveMakkonen. A pharmaceutical student turned college drop out, Father left traditional education for art school in his early 20s. Through his involvement in the Atlanta underground alternative rap scene, Father began building his own independent collective and recording label Awful Records. Prior to the release of “Look at Wrist,” Father had several EPs under his belt with collaborations with his peers Archibald Slim, KeithCharles Spacebar, and Slug Christ. He has worked with prominent artists before they became known in the mainstream such as Tommy Genesis, ABRA, and even Playboi Carti. After the release of “Look at Wrist” Father has put out a solid stream of albums including his debut project Young Hot Ebony (2014), Who’s Gonna Get Fucked First (2015), I’m a Piece of Shit (2016), and Awful Swim (2018). Over time, Father has become known for the sexually charged, drugged out, and ironic nature of his discography. His most recent release Come Outside We Not Gone Jump You sees Father tackle his signature subject matter with a new sound. Instead of leaning more into the heavy bass and synths of true Atlanta trap as he has done for most of his career, Father indulges fully in what some have called “Trap R&B.” Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You, in contrast to what the title might suggest, is Father’s most welcoming project yet. 

Consisting of nine songs and only being 22 minutes in length, Father has the perfect balance of sultry slow jams and bass boosted bangers with each one being more addictive than the last. The first track “9 Lives” pulls the listener right into the project with little hesitation. After twelve seconds of lead in, the beat drops and Father hits the ground running with his fast paced flow and range of vocal inflections. Using the common myth about cats having nine lives as a simile for all the bodies he has, the song is more aggressive in tone and rhythm but far from abrasive. The high energy yet subdued nature of “9 Lives” leads effortlessly into the second track “Risotto.” Here, the energy is still high but the tone goes from aggressive to dreamy. With the aid of Father leaning heavily into his singing and a piano melody comparable to a lullaby, “Risotto” is a prime example of the concept of “Trap R&B” in practice. The track details the crime spree of Father and his “crew of rag tag niggas” who will steal your jewels and your bitch with .38 caliber pistols on their hips. The irony of the production versus the content of the track is one of the many novelties about Father’s music that never fails to impress. The clever belligerence of “Risotto” culminates in what may be my favorite lyric on the album: “Shake yo ass damn/ Like I’m the last man/ Like I’m the last nigga on earth and I’m your last fan.” (Get it? Last fan? Only fan? ;))

Another track on Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You that mashes up trap lyrics with an R&B sound is the slow and meditative song “Fist of the North Star.” This song is indicative of Father’s progressive experimentation with singing on his tracks. He moderately utilizes a sung chorus on the song “Lanes” from his second album. In 2019, Father committed much harder to a sung melody on the track “Iceman” from his EP “Hu$band.” “Fist of the North Star” marks the first time Father did not rap on a track at all. He can carry a tune fairly well and with the addition of a little bit of autotune, the result is something unconventional for him, yet grounded in familiarity. Although the mood of “Fist of the North Star” is very stripped down and emotive, the lyrics are just as explicit as any other Father song with talk of guns, sex, money and drugs. No matter how NSFW the lyrics may be, the melody is so smooth that you won’t be able to help but sing along. Be careful before someone hears you harmonize about wanting to start a turf war. 

Two more stand out songs on the album are “Spell Book” and “Backbreaker.” “Spell Book” is a seductive song filled to the brim with references to magic and the divine. Always one to go against the grain, Father depicts himself as a Black magic practitioner who can, with a simple flip of his spellbook, some hexes, a bit of magic, and a love spell or two, manifest a drop top car, the woman of his dreams, and wealth beyond his wildest dreams. The mystical aspect of the track revolves heavily around his lover, leading one to think that he too is perhaps under a trance. “Backbreaker” appears two tracks later. Coming in at one minute and thirty two seconds, it is the shortest song on the album. However, Father is no stranger to short but sweet tracks. The booming bass is complimented nicely by a staccato guitar melody that sounds like if the Spanish guitarist from Cheetah Girls 2 and Metro Boomin had a baby. Because it is so short, “Backbreaker” is very straightforward lyrically. This leaves room for the production and Father’s quick rhythmic flow to shine. There is an effortlessness to “Backbreaker” that makes it easy to listen to over and over again without getting tired of it. It is one of those songs that you wish was longer. Sometimes, less is more. This is something Father knows very well and uses to his advantage time and time again throughout his discography. “Backbreaker” is no different.

Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You is undoubtedly one of the most fun albums of the year. Father’s music is entertaining but not mind numbing. There is a lot of artistry behind his work that some try to downplay due to it’s wildy explicit content. Just because Father does not take himself too seriously does not mean that there is not merit to the music he creates. On this album, just like all of the ones that came before, Father is expanding the scope of Atlanta trap to encompass different styles and aesthetics that are not seen often within the genre. Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You is a must listen for all the sensitive thugs out there. Even if you’re neither of those things, there is still so much to enjoy about Father’s newest album. Perhaps this will be the project that will finally lead rap fans to give his flowers. They are well overdue.

Favorite tracks

Backbreaker

Spellbook

Risotto

Rating: 8

Listen to Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You here:

Listen to Come Outside, We Not Gone Jump You on Spotify. Father · Album · 2020 · 9 songs.

Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter to get updated whenever we post:

KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

Small: “SMALL World” Single Review

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By: Kaila Cherry

SMALL world is the debut single by 18 year old Bay Area graphic designer, photographer, and video artist Jamahl Edwards. Under the alias Small, Edwards wrote, performed and co-produced the track. Coming in at 2 minutes and 25 seconds long, Small succinctly tells a story of personal and cultural insecurity as he struggles to navigate the environments he has been made privy to without his control. “SMALL world” is a pensive track that encourages reflection as we are let into the intimate mental space of the artist who spills his soul out to us like we are his journal. With the pure authenticity of Small’s lyricism and delivery, we are able to easily open ourselves up to him and eagerly give him the space he needs to speak his truth. 

The track opens with a flash forward to a later part of the song. Slowed and pitched down over a droning guitar melody that carries throughout the track, Small recounts an account of theft enforced by the immaculate lyric “reaving spirits Keanu sees when it drops.” Once the song transitions from the intro into the main track, Small keeps his voice deep and grainy as he raps “It’s a small world we live in/It’s a small hurl to fit in.” As the narrative of “SMALL world” unfolds, what reveals itself are the lamentations of someone who has been forced into conformity and yearns to be free of such constrictions on their personhood. Lost in a world of pills, spirits, and hitting licks, the narrator cannot distinguish the real from the fake or the good from the evil. Through confusion, however, there is hope (or desperation) for salvation. Maybe a Hail Mary or a prayer will allow Small to transcend their material condition. Or perhaps it is this very faith that further plunges him into uncertainty. 

A very moody track, “SMALL world” employs fairly bare bones yet emotive production. The guitar is the most tangible aspect of the instrumental, bright against the brooding sound of the percussion. A subtle synth adds an element of dreaminess to the song, further enforcing the bittersweet energy of SMALL world. One could easily compare Small’s musical style to that of Earl Sweatshirt, the king of solemn and introspective rap music today. Both dare to explore their dark emotions with the utmost care for themselves and the listener, creating something that is undeniably moving without being wholly triggering. To see this vulnerability, especially from Black men who are hypermasculinized by society, is not only incredible, but revolutionary. 

“SMALL world” may be Small’s first song but it is not amateur by any means. He has hit the ground running with what has quickly become one of my favorite singles of the year. It is easy to look at what is trending on Spotify or Apple Music and add that to your music library. However, more often than not, some of the best music out there is being made by unknowns. Their work is hiding in plain sight. As music fans, it is imperative that we stay curious and receptive to new sounds, new styles, and new artists. The work of Small is the perfect place to start. 

Listen to “SMALL world” here: 

Listen to SMALL world on Spotify. Small · Single · 2020 · 1 songs.

Follow Small on Instagram: @jamahl_edwards

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KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

TiaCorine "34Corine" EP Review

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TiaCorine’s path to where she is now was slow, steady, and calculated. Although Corine had been making music since she was in the third grade, it was not until 2018 that the 27 year old rapper would release her breakout single. Her infectiously catchy track “Lotto” took over Tik Tok and Instagram throughout 2019 and garnered praise from big names like SZA, A$AP Rocky, and Drake. However, TiaCorine was not ready to release a full project at the height of her virality. This is an unprecedented and bold move for her. In our current zeitgeist, immediacy has become the norm for everything from album drops to Amazon package deliveries. Yet TiaCorine decided not to ride on the hype and to instead build a solid fan base before putting out her first project. The wait was worth it. At the start of September, TiaCorine released her debut EP 34Corine. Punchy, bubbly, and fun, TiaCorine undoubtly leans into the niche she has created for herself (which she calls “Anime Rap”) and makes it clear to anyone listening that she is worthy of our respect. 

34Corine derives it’s name from the rapper’s hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Referred to as the tre-fo by locals, TiaCorine’s proximity to the Dirty South, Trap, and East coast hip hop/R&B scenes meld together on the production of her debut project. TiaCorine plays with flow, pitch, and inflecction all throughout the EP. On tracks such as “IYKYK” and “In My Room” she utilizes autotune as a character to accent her “girliness” while subverting what exactly that “girliness” is supposed to encompass. In her sweet pitched up voice, Corine makes it clear that men shouldn’t touch her if they can’t afford her, that she is not here for the “stupid fuck niggas” because she is too “awesome.” Along with being girly and bragadocious, TiaCorine can also be sensual and alluring. The track “34 Faucet” is enchanting with it’s 2000s-esque R&B sound, sweet melodies, and sexually charged lyrics are sure to attract any man she sets her sights on. 

Where TiaCorine shines the brightest, however, is on the tracks where she shows us she can truly rap her ass off. On “30” and “Mine,” Corine flexs her ability to rap fast, coherently, and with vibrant rhymes and clever wordplay. Her humor comes out on lines like “Damn, I just popped a bean/Damn, what’s a bean?” and “Booty too bad, Nickelodeon slime/Got spare change but still look like I’m a dime.” These tracks are the most high energy of the bunch and with them they bring so much carefree fun to the project. “30” and “Mine” are the ideal songs for recording yourself throwing it back in your bedroom, which is perfect for these quarantine times. (PSA from Kaila: Wear you masks and keep 6 feet from others! Damn!) 

34Corine is one of the most refreshing, lighthearted, and addicting EPs to come from an up and coming artists this year. TiaCorine’s name is getting murmurs when it needs to be getting shouts. Don’t be that person who, in a year or two one she blows up, will be thinking “Wasn’t that the girl who made that Tik Tok song?” Instead, be the one who has been there from the start, has followed her growth, and can say “I’m proud to see that TiaCorine is finally getting the recognition she deserves.” That all starts with giving her latest EP a listen. You won’t regret it. 

Favorite Tracks

Mine

30

34 Faucet

Rating: 7

Listen to 34Corine here:

Listen to 34Corine on Spotify. TiaCorine · Album · 2020 · 8 songs.

Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter to get updated whenever we post:

KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

645AR and FKA Twigs' “Sum Bout U” Track Review

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Have you ever wondered what Elmo from Sesame Street would sound like if he became a Soundcloud rapper? That is how the internet has described Southern rapper 645AR. 645AR took Twitter by storm in January with his track “4 Da Trap.” Speaking of his experience selling drugs and gangbanging with a cartoonishly high autotuned voice akin to T-Pain on uppers, 645AR quickly became the subject of jokes and memes by many while simultaneously gaining a dedicated cult fanbase (the homies and I included). On Tuesday, 645AR put out a new track that once again became the talk of the internet. Not only due to the oddity of the rapper’s vocal style, but because of who was featured on the track with him. Experimental high profile singer FKA Twigs joined forces with 645AR on arguably the best love song of 2020 so far: “Sum Bout U.”

Released with a music video involving 645AR, who, after meeting Twigs on a cam girl website, falls into a rabbit hole of upgrades to get closer to her, “Sum Bout U” is a novelty like no other. 645AR and Twigs switch off in the chorus and verses, their voices so high pitched it can be hard to distinguish between the two. The interplay between the artists both vocally and lyrically adds to the overall sweetness of the tracks. They echo their affection for each other, express gratitude for each other’s presence in their lives, and state their intentions to grow as people together. Many were shocked to see FKA twigs, a beloved and established musical artist known for her ethereal image to collaborate with 645AR, who is largely taken as a joke by rap fans. Despite sounding like Playboi Carti’s baby voice gone Super Saiyan, 645AR’s vocal style is not a bit. And with tracks like “Sum Bout U,” he utilizes his style in the best way possible. Topped off with the dreamy 2000s style R&B production from SenseiATL & El Guincho, “Sum Bout U” is the perfect track to dedicate to the love of your life. It’s also a great song to walk down the aisle to on your wedding day. The lyrics even make tear-jerking vows. Name a track with more range. It’s impossible.

Listen to “Sum Bout U” here:

Listen to Sum Bout U (feat. FKA twigs) on Spotify. 645AR · Single · 2020 · 1 songs.

Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter to get updated whenever we post:

KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

It's Flo Milli Season: Ho, Why Is You Here? Album Review

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If you have been on Twitter anytime between last summer and now, you have undoubtedly heard of Flo Milli. The twenty year old Alabama rapper blew up last year when she released her remix of the song “Beef” by Playboi Carti produced by Etheral. On the original track, Carti drones over the beat for two minutes in classic Atlanta Soundcloud rapper fashion. Flo Milli takes the track and turns it on it’s head. Her voice is bratty and demanding. Her attitude is on 110%. And her lyrics? Iconic. The opening line “I like cash and my hair to my ass” still lives rent free in my head to this day. The “Beef FloMix” and her following single “In the Party” saw massive success not only on Twitter, but Tik Tok as well. 

Flo Milli has continued to sustain her momentum over the past year, her efforts culminating in her first mixtape Ho, why is you here? released in July. Flo Milli’s debut project is a catchy, sassy, and bold introduction into the rap scene. On the tape, Flo Milli is not afraid to brag about her high standards for men, immense popularity at such a young age, her love of parties, and her willingness to step to any ho that tries her. Ho, why is you here? is without a doubt one of the best releases of the summer. Flo Milli shows everyone that she is not just a one hit wonder who will fade into obscurity. She is here to stay, and will talk her shit as she does it. 

The mixtape opens with the short intro track “Mood Everyday.” Clocking in at around 50 seconds, Flo Milli spits over a Dirty South inspired beat heavy with piano and bass eight bragadocious bars about how much confidence she has in herself. In classic rap fashion she acknowledges her haters, shrugging them off because, as she says, “When you shine like I shine you get a whole lotta hate.” She also takes a jab at clout chasers who just wanna befriend her for her fame, telling them that “it’s a little too late.” Although the abrasiveness of “Mood Everyday” is not indicative throughout Ho, why is you here? the sentiment is. If you don’t vibe with the introductory track, it’s likely you won’t be a fan of Flo Milli’s image in general. If you do, however, you are in for a treat for the rest of the mixtape. 

Ho, why is you here? includes the tracks “Beef FloMix” and “In the Party” that initially shot her into stardom. However, these aren’t even the strongest songs on the project. In fact, they may even be the weakest. This is a testament to Flo Milli’s musical growth over such a short period of time. On her mixtape, she explores a range of different flows and vocal styles. On “Like That Bitch,” Flo Milli goes from spitting like a based Southern gangsta to her adaption of the rapid fire rap style popularized by artists like Busta Rhymes. Flo Milli further experiments with her sound on the chorus of “Pockets Bigger.” She constricts her vocal cords in order to give her voice a gritter, grimier quality. This pairs perfectly with the abrasiveness of the bass boosted track. 

Flo Milli is not the only stand out aspect of Ho, why is you here? The production of the project from hip hop legends FATBOI, J-Bo, and J. White Did It, among others, give the mixtape its undeniably Southern sound. The beats ebb and flow between classic R&B stylings of songs like “Weak”  and modern mainstream sound of songs like “Not Friendly” with Flo Milli able to adapt to anything thrown at her. And just like with the “Beef FloMix,” Flo Milli makes every beat and every style her own. 

Ho, why is you here? is a strong introductory project for Flo Milli. On the mixtape she shows that she is not afraid to experiment with production, vocal inflections, and flows. As someone who stated in an interview with Genius that her main goal with her songs is to have fun, Flo Milli truly sees rap as a blank canvas for her to go buckwild on. This is only the beginning for Flo Milli. With all eyes on her, I can’t wait to see what she puts out next.

Favorite tracks

Pockets Bigger 

In the Party 

Send the Addy 

Rating: 7 

Listen to Ho, why is you here? here: 

Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter to get updated whenever we post:

KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

Hook Gets Hyphy on Sophomore Album 'Crashed My Car'

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Taken from Hook’s Twitter, @ilyhook

Taken from Hook’s Twitter, @ilyhook

My admiration for Hook began on Twitter. In late September, a video circulated of a girl with braided buns all over her head, a grey windbreaker,  dark sunglasses, and tennis shoes holding a mic as she stood in front of a green screen. The beat dropped and the scene shifted. Directed and edited by the photographer Hassan, Hook is multiplied, flipped around, and transported to all kinds of places through the magic of editing. All of this occurs while Hooks indignantly raps, “Get yo mans, sis/ He a fan sis/ I’m out of hand, sis/ Get my bands rich.” I was watching the music video for the song “Stand It” the single from the rapper’s then-upcoming EP entitled I Love You, Hook. Her deep voice, repetitive flow, and boisterous lyrics enthralled me. I knew immediately that I loved Hook. 

Music video for “Stand It” Produced by 2thousan9 x swvsh

Hook reached two significant milestones recently. On January 23rd, the young rapper turned 21 years old. On the same day she dropped her second album, Crashed My Car. Crashed My Car is the follow up to Hook’s first album Bully, released in the middle of 2019. Bully showcases Hook as the boss that you don’t want to mess with. She asserts herself as the most powerful entity on the playground, not afraid to get into a fight or like multiple boys at once. On the album, the listener is to leave with the idea that life is a game and Hook is winning. 

Hook maintains the same braggadocious energy on her sophomore project. Crashed My Car is a collaborative album with lyrics by Hook and production from Los Angeles based producer Nedarb. The power of this duo presents itself right from the beginning. The first song on Crashed My Car, “Wanna Be,” sets the chaotic and psychedelic soundscape for the entire album. “Wanna Be” opens with Hook hyperventilating and sniffling as car horns blare. She dials a phone number while cursing. A 911 dispatcher dryly asks Hook what her emergency is. In no time she responds “I fucking just crashed my car!” She mumbles more expletives before the dispatcher asks her where she is located. “Riverside, California” she stutters. The dispatcher asks for her name. “I’m Hook, bitch!” she replies, then laughs in a very kitschy, animated way. The beat trickles in, building on itself slowly. 

The beat does not drop until 50 seconds into the track. After this, the bass gets boosted, the ad libs are everywhere, and punchy, lasar-like sound effects are littered throughout. Hook spits bars about how girls want to be her and men want to date her. In this sense, everyone seems to want a piece of Hook; whether it be her fashion sense, her rap ability, her money, or a combination of all three. Nedarb’s spacey production on the track “Wanna Be” overwhelms the ears with sound. This auditory clustering, however, does not lead to sloppiness or headaches. Instead, the cacophony that Hook and Nedarb create on “Wanna Be” reinforces their experimental take on rap music. In what is perceived to be a very male dominated profession, Hook, not only as a woman but also a performer and a young person, is unlike anyone in the industry today. It is only fitting that she reflects her refreshing uniqueness not only socially but sonically as well. 

Cover art and tracklist for Crashed My Car

Cover art and tracklist for Crashed My Car

What follows “Wanna Be” is an exciting collection of catchy, clever, and hyphy songs that can turn even the most boring of places into a party. Hook’s bashful attitude shines through on the rowdy tracks “Fall in Luh” and “Wcgaf.” “Fall in Luh” creates its chaos less from the beat but from Hook’s own voice. Hook layers her verses over each other coupled with adlibs and  heavy breathing. She embraces her allure on the chorus with the lyrics, “He still fall in love/He still fall in love/I see him every month/But he still fall in love.” In this way, Hook tells us that no one can tie her down, that she is not afraid to play the field just like the boys do. “Wcgaf” is an abbreviation for the phrase “We could give a fuck,” which dominates the chorus. The beat is classically west coast, perfect for the proud Inland Empire native. Hook’s verses are bold. At one point in the track she declares her talent with the lines “You don’t like Hook? Bitch I’m curious/ You don’t like Hook? Bitch are you delirious?” And she’s right. 

Tracks like “Fall in Luh” and “Wcgaf” are supplemented by songs that are more subdued but just as vibrant. “Yes Man” has a melody that sounds like it should be coming out of an ice cream truck. It is sweet and jaunty and pairs well with Hook’s straightforward flow. Even on her calmer tracks Hook does not skimp on the boisterous lyricism, spitting lines like “I think I love my hubby and his best man” and “You a slut too, who you shaming?” In the outro to “Yes Man,” the beat fades out, leaving only the ice cream melody and Hook’s vocals for consumption. In this outro, Hook allows herself to be vulnerable even if just for a single minute. She reflects on a past love, calling him “best friend” and expressing her inability to let him go, to tell him “no.” Amidst all the chaos on Crashed My Car, “Yes Man,” especially during the outro, provides grounding to a project that can at times feel overwhelming and all over the place. 

Crashed My Car is not only strong in regards to Hook’s rap prowess and Nedarb’s slick production but in regards to the features as well. Rappers Almighty Suspect, Lerado, and most notably Zack Fox all lend a verse on tracks across the album. Almighty Suspect matches Hook’s blowhard energy on “Onion,” Lerado keeps it smooth on the spooky track “Awesome,” and Zack Fox brings absolute absurdity to the title track “Crashed My Car.” These features compliment Hook but do not overpower her, a testament to her ability to command the attention of anyone who comes across her music. It is hard not to let a lyric like  “I just sent a dick pic to his main lady/She left me on read now Imma kill myself (fuck!)” (said by Zack Fox, obviously) to outshine you, but Hook doesn't. No matter who else is on her projects, they are her projects. That sort of control of not only an album, but one’s image and artistry, is seldom found in the music industry today. Yet, Hook embodies such capability. 

To begin both a new year and a new decade with an album as fun as Crashed My Car has been absolutely delightful. Hook is such an important emerging artist. She is confident, she speaks her mind, and she talks her shit. She does not care what you think of her. She likes smoking weed and flirting with every cute boy she sees. Hook rejects being put into a box. Hook is not the “female” version of xyz. Hook is the female Hook. Crashed My Car is a reclamation of rap music as a form of expression for female confidence and desire in a time where the role of women in the development of hip hop has been unacknowledged by contemporary rappers and fans alike. Hook is altering the modern image of rap music one crazy, bass boosted, off the wall  track at a time. 

Favorite Tracks:

Wanna Be

Fall in Luh

Boohoo

Rating: 8

Listen to Crashed My Car here:

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KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
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Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
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The Top 25 Hip-Hop/R&B Songs of 2019

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Top 25 Songs Twitter.jpg

With so much great music released this year it’s nearly impossible to pick just 25 songs to call the year’s best, but we tried anyway. Our team of writers and critics here at StereoVision spent the last two weeks of the year revisiting the years deep discography to make sure every song got it’s chance and we can put out a list we can feel confident in. All 25 songs were also compiled into a Spotify and Apple Music playlist which can be found here:

Listen along as you read and get a taste of any song you might have not tapped into in 2019. Now without further ado, the top 25 hip-hop/r&b songs of 2019:

“Ballin” by mustard & roddy ricch

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Simply put, this was the song of the summer. It was everywhere, and I can say with the utmost confidence it still HITS every time. Roddy delivers in every way on this track. His flows and melodies go perfectly over Mustards beat. Anyone can get behind the songs message of celebrating your come up and basking in your glory after. “Ballin’” is the definition of a feel good song and will not only be on my summer playlist this year, but for many years to come. -Miles Hagan

“Are we still friends?” by tyler, the creator

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“ARE WE STILL FRIENDS” may be the best song on the best album of this year. It encompasses everything that Tyler is trying to say and do on IGOR. He comes to terms with the tragic love story that has unfolded right in front of him and in the end, the only thing he has left to say is “Are we still friends?”. Tyler calls upon All Green and Pharell Williams and integrates them into the track masterfully. No one overstays their welcome, and it may even be such subtle contributions that on first listen some may not pick up on all the nuances that not only make this song a masterpiece, but the entire album. -Miles Hagan

“Intro” by dababy

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There is a case to be made that no one had a better 2019 then DaBaby and although some may say his smash hit “Suge” was his climax, I believe “INTRO” was undoubtably his finest moment of the year. While most everybody enjoyed Baby On Baby, there was a common concern among rap fans that DaBaby was one dimensional and that his follow up would bring Baby hitting the same flows over the same type of beats rapping about the same subjects. Enter “INTRO”, a hard-hitting yet introspective cut where DaBaby juxtaposes his poor upbringing with his newfound success while simultaneously paying tribute to his deceased father and grandmother that passed during the rappers come up. With “INTRO” DaBaby doesn’t only perfectly introduce us to Kirk, the man who inspired his most recent album, he also shows that he is more than a rap super-star, he’s a multidimensional artist. -Spencer Lobdell

“Binz” by solange

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When I Get Home is my favorite album of the year. With so many phenomenal tracks, it was difficult to choose just one to add to this list. Once giving the project another listen, however,  I found myself utterly in love with “Binz.” “Binz” is an aspirational song. Solange dreams of luxury, but not in a way that is obnoxious or braggadocios. Her desire for opulence is driven by her socioeconomic context and the socioeconomic context of blackness in America. With clever lines like “Dollars never show up on CP time,” Solange subverts the narrative that blackness and poverty are a given all while rap-singing over a simple and melodic instrumental carried by groovy bass riffs and snares. -Kaila Cherry

“Racks in the middle” by nipsey hussle (Feat. Roddy Ricch & Hit-boy)

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Released just over a month before the prolific LA rapper’s murder, “Racks In The Middle” is an extension of Nipsey Hussle’s excellent 2018 album Victory Lap and shows how happy Nip was during the last year of his life. On the track, Hussle raps about how good it feels to finally reap the benefits of years and years of hard work. Fellow Los Angeles native Roddy Ricch is featured and delivers one of the best hooks of the year that’ll having you hitting repeat over and over again if Nipsey’s motivational bars didn’t already do the trick. Rest in paradise Nipsey, the entire West Coast is still mourning your passing. -Spencer Lobdell

“Orange soda”

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There seemed to be a shortage of A-list rap projects released in 2019, which gave talented underground artists a chance to shine through; Baby Keem was one of these artists, and he did not disappoint. “ORANGE SODA,” a single for his album DIE FOR MY BITCH, was one of the catchiest songs of the year, and it only foreshadowed how great the rest of his project would turn out to be. -Owen Tait

“Down Bad” by Dreamville

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J. Cole, the mastermind behind Dreamville’s ROTD3 project, decided to organize one of the most collaborative hip hop albums of all time. No song represents that album like “Down Bad”, a track with an original hard-hitting beat that features hot takes from many popular and up-and-coming artists such as JID, Bas, EarthGang, and Young Nudy. When you hear the song come on, you have no choice but to go crazy. -Colson O’Connor

“Make it better” by anderson .paak (feat. smokey robinson)

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While there were multiple songs off Anderson .Paak’s excellent 2019 offering Ventura that could’ve been selected, “Make It Better” edged out the others simply because of how good it feels. On this beautiful love song the soulful rapper recruits music legend Smokey Robinson to help him craft a track about lovers who have fallen out of love but are determined to reignite the spark they once shared. Anderson’s vocals are absolutely to die for as he rides one feel-good melody after another on the way to a musical masterpiece. The instrumental, which was aided by legendary producer The Alchemist, is just as impressive as the production team uses a stringed orchestra beautifully to create a modern symphony that is equal parts fun and brilliant. If you haven’t already, you need to hear this cut. -Spencer Lobdell

“Proud of u” by earthgang (feat. young thug)

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“Proud Of U” is with out a doubt one of the most fun songs to drop in 2019. On the upbeat cut the three Atlanta MCs profess their gratitude for the women in their lives that make everything work. All three artists bring an unparalleled energy to this track and Doctur Dot’s third verse breakdown is one of my favorite moments in hip-hop this year. If you didn’t listen to this song in 2019, start the decade off right with this banger. -Spencer Lobdell

“off my feet / westside rider anthem” by Matt Martians

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Definitely a tough call, but I think this track has to be my favorite of the year. Matt Martians is an industry staple - he is a famed hip-hop producer, songwriter, and has been a member of groups like Odd Future and The Internet. “Off My Feet” begins as an off-kilter descent into classic keyboard heaven, complete with pounding vintage drums and Martian’s soulful and alien vocals. The track evolves into “Westside Rider Anthem”, a much shorter and almost self-aware tangent from the original track. It is almost as if the first half is like a blissful dream, and the other is the process of waking up and rejoining reality. This track has been the soundtrack to my summer and fall this year, and I will be sure to keep it in heavy rotation for years to come. -Carter Fife

“Crime Pays” by freddie gibbs & madlib

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On the third single for their excellent 2019 collab album Bandana, Freddie Gibbs spits his classic cocaine bars over a soulful Madlib beat that tastefully samples “Free Spirits” a 1979 song by Walt Barr. It is impossible to listen to this track and not be catapulted back to 2014 when the duo released their fantastic album Piñata. With a number of smart callbacks by Gibbs, the song seems to exist in its own world that we are allowed to visit for just over three minutes. Freddie ending the song with an A$AP Rocky and Jeezy diss is really the cherry on top of an excellent song. -Spencer Lobdell

“holy terrain” by fka twigs (Feat. future)

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After four years of absence from the music scene, FKA twigs came back swinging with her second studio album MAGDALENE, released in November. In the weeks leading up to the release of the project, twigs dropped holy terrain as a single in conjunction with a music video. The video to the track is as mystical as it is demanding, the perfect companion piece to a song that exemplifies these same qualities. On holy terrain, twigs sings beautifully about wanting a man who will be able to take her in all her glory without feeling scared or threatened by her power. The addition of Future as the male voice makes the track all the more fascinating. Known for his trippy drug-induced raps, twigs encourages Future to delve into himself for a rare moment of self reflection. -Kaila Cherry

“sugar” by brockhampton

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A soft guitar ballad with a melancholy twist. Throw on expertly-layered vocals, infectious refrains, and the boyband’s trademark vocal-pitching—this track was guaranteed to be a hit. “GINGER,” the titular track of their most recent album, was also a contender for this spot. -Owen Tait

“That’s life” by 88-keys (Feat. Mac miller & sia)

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No song has impacted me on an emotional level this year quite like “That’s Life” by 88-Keys. This song was released under a year after Mac’s tragic death and he seems to offer us words of closure on both verses. Sia sings the beautiful bridge and 88-Keys responsible for the tear-jerking, piano-anchored instrumental. Mac uses the first verse to tell us about the struggles that he faced with his mom and drugs while growing up while on the second verse he offers advice to anyone going through something similar. This song seemed to be a message from Mac telling us to move on, he’s alright now and we should be to. -Spencer Lobdell

“Save Room for us” by tinashe (Feat. makj)

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Found on Songs For You (Tinashe’s long-awaited return to R&B), “Save Room For Us” is an anthem for unrequited love. The infectiously catchy harmonies pared with her vocal ability and the bouncy mixing makes this song an easy highlight on the record. The layers of vocals truly make this a return to form for Tinashe. My first experience hearing this was while whipping down the I-5 at 2 AM. The look on my face must have been priceless. -Carter Fife

“Sanguine paradise” by lil uzi vert

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After a long hiatus due to an ongoing feud with his record label, fans would’ve been happy with any music from Lil Uzi Vert. Fans didn’t just get any music from Lil Uzi Vert but rather an epic anthem that simply sounds like 2019. On “Sanguine Paradise”, we hear Uzi spit classic Uzi bars and melodies over a horn driven instrumental that is right in his wheel house. Let’s all say a quick prayer that we get Eternal Atake in 2020. -Spencer Lobdell

“WHAT to do?” by jackboys

This was a late release, but after hearing this song once, it’s clear that it’s one of the best pieces of music to be put out this calendar year. This collaboration between Travis and Don Toliver is “CAN’T SAY”, one of the standouts on ASTROWORLD, on steroids. The beat is dark and moody, and it sounds like Travis back in the same state of mind he was back on Rodeo and Days Before Rodeo. Don Toliver steals the shows with an absolutely captivating hook. While the actual lyrics have no choice but to take a backseat to the stellar production by Jenius and London Cyr there is not wasted words on the entire track. The best way to understand why this is one of the songs of the year is to do yourself a favor and play the track. -Miles Hagan

“Almeda” by solange

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Now answered is the fated question: what would a song with producer powerhouse Pharrell, R&B icons Solange and The-Dream, and rising hip-hop star Playboi Carti sound like? The track is incredible, with Solange’s lyrics about her pride in her heritage weaving in an out of Pharrell’s larger-than-life production. Playboi Carti’s baby rap vocals are also joined by the rap debut of Metro Boomin, to end the track before you know what hit you. I will never forget getting lost in the Kelso Sand Dunes with a close friend while this song blasted out of her Bluetooth speaker. -Carter Fife

“psycho” by Slowthai & denzel curry

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This track was a single that fully lived up to its name, as “Psycho” saw UK rapper slowthai and Miami native Denzel Curry team up for an absolute nightmare of a banger. The two complement each other to perfection, dishing out gruesome punchlines over hyper-aggressive flows. Meanwhile, the beat is otherworldly, featuring an off-kilter string sample and massive 808s that will surely inspire moshpits upon listening. -Owen Tait

“Jesus is the one (I got depression) by zack fox & kenny beats

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The creation of “Jesus is the One (I Got Depression)” began as a joke between comedian Zack Fox and producer Kenny Beats. Spawned on Kenny Beat’s Youtube show The Cave, the song was intended to simply be a tongue and cheek “meme” track. The song subsequently blew up on the app TikTok and spread to Twitter. Very quickly, “Jesus is the One (I Got Depression)” went from being a one off track to being one of the most popular songs Kenny Beats has ever made. On a “post 9/11 pre Whitney Houston death type beat,” Zack Fox raps about loving God, his diamonds actually being rhinestones, driving his car into white-owned businesses, mental illness, and many other things. The song is totally random, but not absurd. Fox’s delivery is strong, the production is great, and the lyrics are hilarious. “Jesus is the One (I Got Depression)” describes the zeitgeist of 2019 in such a fun way, making it a perfect track to round out the decade. -Kaila Cherry

“Monte Carlo” by toro y moi (Feat. wet)

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Toro Y Moi’s most recent LP, Outer Peace, was far more bright and funky than his work in previous years, but on “Monte Carlo” he offers a classic dreamlike and ethereal cut. Sounding both retro and futuristic at the same time, Chaz’s vocal production is unparalleled, and his lyrics about returning to a simpler time will resonate with even the most stone-hearted of listeners. It is on tracks like these that Chaz’s immense skill really shines through. I listened to this constantly during my first weeks after moving to LA, and the lines about PDX and OAK made me simultaneously homesick, and hopeful for what would be the best year of my life. -Carter Fife

“Sacrifices” by Dreamville

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The Dreamville team didn't disappoint this year with their collaborative effort Revenge of the Dreamers III. “Sacrifices” comes at the very end of the project, and no other song could have served as a more fitting conclusion. EARTHGANG and J. Cole represent Dreamville and deliver some of their most honest verse in recent memory. Each artist reflects on the sacrifices they have made in their life to get to where they are today. It is beautiful to see such talented lyricists not only paint a picture but capture the emotions of loving something or someone so much that you really might contemplate sacrificing anything. Saba and Smino come in as guest verse and seamless flow over a beat that seems like it was handmade for everyone included. This song perfectly displays what Revenge of the Dreamers was at its peak; a collection of some of the most talented rappers and producers in music right coming together to make captivating music. -Miles Hagan

“Silent Ride” by Boogie

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Boogie’s Everythings For Sale was one of the most impressive releases of 2019 and “Silent Ride” is without a doubt the best song on the album. On “Silent Ride” Boogie locks into a hypnotizing flow over one of the most interesting instrumentals of the year. The way that he draws on the emotions of listeners and uses pathos in his music is one thing that makes Boogie exceptionally unique and enjoyable to listen to. The Compton emcee shows exactly why he has cosigns from greats like Kendrick Lamar and Eminem on “Silent Ride”, simply put, he’s an excellent rapper. -Spencer Lobdell

“Racecar” by Deaton chris anthony (feat. Clairo & coco & clair clair)

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Released as one of the few singles for DCA’s debut record BO Y, “RACECAR” features an enthusiasm previously unseen from the melancholic emcee. The guest features do a great job lending their energy on DCA’s nostalgic production, and simply: the song is just a banger. The percussion and synths pair well together to make a track that is unlike anything else released this year. Whenever anyone asks for indie-pop artists to be on the lookout for, DCA is the first one I mention. -Carter Fife

“A lot on ur plate” by father

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In June, Father dropped “A lot on ur plate” on Twitter, where it remained the only place to stream the track until August. This was inconvenient for me because I was obsessed with the song. Father raps melodically over a dreamy Meltycannon beat. Father is known for his hypersexual approach to music, with many of his songs towing the line between suggestive and overly vulgar. On “A lot on ur plate,” Father is able to deliver blunt lines such as “Eat on that bitch like an edible” and “I know you got a lot on your plate but I still wanna take you to dinner and put dick in your tummy” with sensuality and sensitivity.  His flow is tighter than ever before but not difficult to follow. Not to mention the chorus is extremely catchy, too. -Kaila Cherry

 

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KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

JPEGMAFIA's “All My Heroes Are Cornballs” is Anything but a Disappointment

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JPEGMAFIA (also known as Peggy) is a man of eclectic tastes. His musical style is a hodgepodge of different genres, themes, and intentions. In 2018, JPEGMAFIA rose from the underbelly of hip hop with his breakout album Veteran, his second studio album following the release of Black Ben Carson in 2016. Veteran makes its presence known with its glitchy beats, biting lyrical content, and Peggy’s range of rap flows and vocal inflections. On tracks like “1539 N. Calvert” and “I Cannnot Fucking Wait Til Morrissey Dies,” he envokes a flow that is cool and effortless, spitting lines like “You talking shit, I'm talking shit, you catch a beat down” and “Pull up on a cracker bumping Lil Peep” with no anxiety, just straight confidence. He does not have to present himself as an aggressor in order to make you believe that he could beat your ass. JPEGMAFIA says it like it is, and if you don’t believe him, then he’ll show you in no uncertain terms. On other tracks, such as “Real Nega” and “Baby I’m Bleeding” JPEGMAFIA’s flow is as fast and erratic as the production under it. Veteran is also a showcase of Peggy’s politics, as he takes jabs at conservative figures such as Kelly Conway and Tomi Larhen, calls out the commodification of rap by privileged white people, and critiques neoliberalism on the track “Libtard Anthem.” 

When Veteran dropped, we did not know how to categorize JPEGMAFIA. Some said he was experimental, some said he was industrial, some said he was lo-fi. What was undeniable to anyone to listen to his work was that JPEGMAFIA was a different breed of rappers. Here was a man playing with sounds, lyrics, flows, and ideas in ways the hip hop community had not seen before. Here was someone with something to say, and we were going to hear it. JPEGMAFIA’s music and persona have an ineffable quality to them that commands our attention. It is hard to turn away from him once you have gotten a glimpse of what he has to offer. That is why when Peggy promoted his newest project over the course of the summer by calling it a “disappointment,” fans were doubtful that this would actually be the case. After the release of two singles and a few videos showing the behind the scenes of the album’s creation, JPEGMAFIA dropped his third LP entitled All My Heroes Are Cornballs on September 13th. 

All My Heroes are Cornballs is a clear diversion from Veteran. While Veteran is very punchy, hard hitting, and contentious, All My Heroes Are Cornballs is mellow, subdued, and self reflective. If one can argue that Veteran was intended to introduce JPEGMAFIA to a larger audience, then one can also contest that All My Heroes Are Cornballs is Peggy’s response to gaining that substantial following, to becoming a “celebrity.” The title serves to this idea by poking fun at the concept of idealization. We tend to put celebrities on a pedestal, believe them to be some kind of superior beings to us due to their talent and status. JPEGMAIFIA does not want to think of those he admires in this way and does not want his fans to do the same to him. In an interview with Billboard, JPEGMAFIA said “The idea of me being an icon or something is a very funny thing, just because of my own weird insecurities....I’ve basically been every version of a rapper you can be. I’ve been the n---a with 50 views on YouTube, I’ve been the n---a with three downloads on Bandcamp, I’ve been that n---a with two fucking plays on SoundCloud for years. That was literally my lifestyle until last year.” This sudden launch into fame and the implications of stardom are the dominant themes that carry throughout the duration of All My Heroes Are Cornballs. 

The project opens with the track “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am A Thot.” The song begins with a glitchy instrumental very much in line with his previous albums. A crowd’s cheers are distorted, followed by the voice of a woman that says “You think you know me.” The track then flips on itself, going from eclectic to melodic. Peggy raps on the verses before singing on the hook, a surprise for JPEG fans who are most familiar with his punchy rap style. This singing on the opening track is the precedent for the rest of the album, in which he busts out his vocal chops more than he has ever done on a JPEGMAFIA project. Singing, however, is nothing new for him. If one were to go back into his discography and find the projects he produced several years ago under different pseudonyms, it would become clear that Peggy is taking reference from himself on All My Heroes Are Cornballs and revisiting elements of his artistry that he had temporarily set to wayside. 

JPEGMAFIA subverts expectations on All My Heroes Are Cornballs by playing with the idea of “giving the people what they want.” On the track “Kenan vs Kel,” the first half features JPEGMAFIA spitting over a beat filled with electronic piano and soft guitar riffs. In the second half, the tone switches completely. The beat is intense and overbearing. The guitar blares, the drums make themselves present, and JPEG employs the aggressive vocal style that gained him notoriety in the first place. It is as if Peggy is telling the audience, “I know what you expect of me, and I’ll give it to you, but in the way that I want to.” If you want to hear JPEGMAFIA go berserk, you are going to have to hear him contemplate first. In this way, All Of My Heroes Are Cornballs requires more from the listener than his previous projects did. You are not being asked to simply listen, but to engage with the content on a deeper level. And if you cannot do that, then you can listen to something else. Peggy couldn't care less. 

JPEGMAFIA continues to toy with the preconceived notions of the audience on the tracks “JPEGMAFIA TYPE BEAT,” “Grimy Waifu,” and “BasicBitchTearGas.” Less than a minute long, “JPEGMAFIA TYPE BEAT” is an instrumental interlude that layers samples on top of each other and speeds them up to create something wholly overwhelming to the listener. The beat is an undeniable allusion to the production style of industrial hip hop outfit Death Grips, an act that Peggy is constantly compared to despite them only being similar to a certain extent. For those who say “JPEGMAFIA sounds like Death Grips,” here is JPEGMAFIA purposely invoking their style to poke fun at such comparisons. “Grimy Waifu” is structured as a love song. It is slow and melodic, with JPEGMAFIA rap-singing about the figure in the song taking bullets for him. On the surface, the track is romantic. The romance he has, however, is not with a woman, but with his gun. Inspired by how military general encouraged soldiers to treat their guns like their girl and keep it with them at all times (Yes, JPEGMAFIA is an actual veteran), Peggy takes the concept even further with an entire ode to his rifle. 

Photo Via “Le Guess Who”

Photo Via “Le Guess Who”

On the interlude “BasicBitchTearGas,” JPEGMAFIA covers the classic TLC track “No Scrubs.” Peggy is no stranger to flipping pop songs. Last year he released the one-off track “Millennium Freestyle,” a reinterpretation of the song “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys. Much earlier in his discography, he also covered Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” in 2013 under the name Devon Hendryx. JPEGMAFIA takes “No Scrubs” from a jaunty pop hit to a haunting R&B slow jam. His version of “No Scrubs” is completely separate from that of the source material, so much so that someone who had not heard the predecessor would not think they were even remotely the same song. JPEG’s singing on the track is impeccable, giving the song an emotional weight it did not have before. When we hear the lyric “A scrub is a guy who thinks he’s fly,” we know what we are expecting to hear. Again, Peggy turns our expectations on our heads, forcing us to adapt to his perspective. 

Thematically, All My Heroes Are Cornballs is JPEGMAFIA’s most vulnerable project to date. With fame comes insecurity, anxiety, and a pressure to preform always. These concepts are explored most explicity on the track “Free The Frail.” In the intro, Peggy sings the lyric “Don’t rely on the strength of my image.” This lines repeats later in the song, incoperating itself into the chorus. In this way, JPEGMAFIA wants his art to speak for itself, no to be conflated with or dependent on his persona in order to reach audiences. In the first verse, Peggy says that he feels “annoyed,” “strange,” “afraid,” and “framed,” he feels as if there are so many eyes on him that failure is not an option. This need to succeed is reinforced by the outro, sung by Helena Deland. The music cuts out and she sings the lines, “Quicksand's too thick to stand (Go on, then)/ Figure out now what it is that you need/I'll step out for a minute to breathe/One set of footsteps in the sand, but I'm not being carried/If it gets out of hand, you can go on without me.” These lyrics indicate that JPEGMAFIA feels as if he is being weighed down but has no one else to place this weight onto. Because of this, he beleives he must he deal with his strife on his own. 

All My Heroes Are Cornballs continues to solidify JPEGMAFIA’s status in the rap scene as revolutionary. His newest project, although different than his previous two studio albums, is refreshing. He gives us themes we had not had to deal with and sounds we had not heard before in his music. His interpretation of stardom is unique to him and it shines on the album. It is a pleasure to see JPEGMAFIA get more in touch with his artistry and to see him explore the conventions that exist within rap just to throw them back in our faces, chopped and screwed, completely distorted from what we thought they would be. One could say JPEGMAFIA is pushing boundries. I would say he is creating his own game with his own rules and his own playing field. JPEGMAFIA has undoubtley made a name for himself. It is no longer up to him, but for other rappers, to step up to the plate. 

Favorite Tracks:

All My Heroes Are Cornballs

Thot Tactics

BasicBitchTearGas

Rating: 9

Listen to All My Heroes Are Cornballs here:

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KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

Ugly God Shows He's More Than Just a Meme on "Bumps & Bruises"

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Ugly God is a true character in every sense of the word. He is an absurd and hilarious presence in the rap game today, completely unafraid of making a fool of himself. Ugly God captured the attention of the public with his breakout single “Water” in 2016. “Water” has the Southern native showcasing his smooth ad rhythmic flow over a beat comprised mainly of a spacey synth riff and repetitive hi hats. His lyrics are quirky but straight to the point. In “Water,” Ugly God tells us that although he may not be the prettiest on the block, he has an immaculate sense of style (drip), lots of money, and enough charisma to attract any girl he wants. Despite some of the tracks more questionable lyrical content, such as the use of the lesbian slur “dyke” and the sexism of the line “Your bitch is my slave,” “Water” became one of the most played songs of that summer, launching Ugly God into rap success and effectively creating himself into an online music meme. 

Since “Water,” Ugly God has gone onto to release an EP entitled The Booty Tape in 2017. Alongside “Water,” The Booty Tape has other songs with a similar level of personality to them such as “Stop Smoking Black and Milds,” “I’m Tryna Fuck,” and his own diss track to himself, “Fuck Ugly God.” If you could not tell from his stage name or song titles, Ugly God has made a name for himself by not taking himself too seriously. He knows he is funny and uses his humor to carry his music. For the most part, the public does not consider Ugly God to be an “artist” as much as he is seen as a joke. For a while, this is exactly what Ugly God wanted to be. But now, the rapper known for wanting to “pull up and fuck on your daughter” has changed directions with the release of his debut album Bumps and Bruises. 

Unlike the vast majority of Ugly God’s previous work, Bumps and Bruises has moments of legitimate introspection and reflection as the rapper navigates the landscape of fame and the pressure he fells to make it. He mentions more than once that he is a college drop out, taking a risk by dedicating himself to music and enjoying the fruits of his labor. Lyrically, the project does not divert much from what he has done before. We know Ugly God has money, we know he lives in luxury, we know he is going to find a way to have sex with all our girlfriends. Although he is an braggadocious as ever, Ugly God’s flow and the production on Bumps and Bruises does a lot to elevate his sound into something more mainstream and refined. The instrumentals are not complicated, sticking to his brand of mellow cloud rap that blew him up in the first. Although they are simple, they are not boring. Tracks like “Back to Basics,” “Right Now,” and “History” are slow and melodic, again leaning on an effortless beat coupled with a vibey synth pattern. Ugly God’s rap flow on these tracks is fairly laid back as well. He utilizes a fairly consistent “AA BB” rhyme scheme to carry him from song to song. 

There are moments on Bumps and Bruises where Ugly God explores a more aggressive style of rap and production. On tracks such as “One Two,” “What's Up” and “Batman,” Ugly God’s flow is quicker, louder, and more confrontational. On the instrumental end, the production is revved up and tense, as if the songs are trying to start a fight with the listener. We see this kind of style being embraced by several rappers within the Soundcloud subgenre today, most notably by the late artist XXXTentacion. Ugly God’s attempt to be tough on Bumps and Bruises are just ok. It is not that he completely misses the mark; songs like “One Two” and “Batman” are fun party songs with just enough energy to sustain themselves. However, they are not entirely believable. With his vocals cracking and strained during some parts of his delivery, I do not feel a sense of intimidation coming from Ugly God. Although I doubt that it was his intention to come off as an authentic gangster, he does not do enough with the sound in order to make it funny or interesting. Because of this, his more “aggressive” tracks come off as awkward instead of hard. 

Overall Bumps & Bruises is an alright project. It is clear that Ugly God no longer wants to just be a meme. Now that he is known within the music world, he is trying to be more professional with his approach to the craft. He has improved his production, his lyrics, and his flow. He is trying out different kinds of sounds and aesthetics, throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. Personally, I am most satisfied with Ugly God when he is at his most laid back. When he is not trying to be super outlandish is when he delivers his best performances. Bumps & Bruises is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for Ugly God. Always eclectic and unpredictable, he is surely an artist to keep an eye on.

Thanks Ugly God!

Favorite Tracks

Jaguar

Right Now 

Tell Me How You Feel (Feat. Wintertime) 

Rating: 6 

Listen to Bumps & Bruises here:

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KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

D Savage Embraces Cloud Rap on "Trust No One"

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Los Angeles rapper D Savage is an act that I have only become aware of within the last month or so. I was on Soundcloud listening to a “mix” entitled “Have You Been Thinking Bout Me Lately?” created by user Sadiq10k. This “mix,” which is essentially a playlist, consisted of four song, two from underground Soundcloud rappers and the other two from established artists Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti. D Savage’s track 2018 one-off track “Lately” is the second song in the mix. It is charming to discover that the name of mix is directly taken from the song’s chorus, in which D Savage laments on a lost love with the repetition of the lyric “Tell me, have you been thinking ‘bout me lately?” The track has a spacey and psychedelic element to it provided by  D Savage’s melodic auto tuned vocals and the high pitched synth riff that carries throughout the duration of the track. “Lately,” even in contention with the deep cut Uzi track “NuYork Nights at 21” and Playboi Carti’s “Home” from his debut album Die Lit (2018) became my favorite track in the entire mix. The song fascinated me. I was so drawn to D Savage’s sound that I would listen to “Lately” on repeat and not mind at all. It was as if his music put me into a trance. 

When I learned that D Savage was not just some obscure Soundcloud figure but a rapper with his foot in the door to the industry already, I became even more intrigued. D Savage first saw success at age seventeen with his song “30 Round Clip” in 2016. The Chicago trap inspired track blew up at the time and has been streamed over 10 million times to date on Soundcloud alone. In 2017, D Savage dropped his debut mixtape “D Phoenix” with features from rappers such as Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Yatchy, and Yung Bans. With endorsements from artists such as these, it is clear that D Savage has eyes on him. And he recently gave those eyes something to pay attention to with the release of his newest project, Trust No One.

With twelve songs and a forty minute runtime, Trust No One is D Savage’s most extensive project yet. Unlike “D Phoenix”, D Savage only features two other rappers on his new album (HoodRich Pablo Juan and Mpr Tito), their verses lent to a single track, “Sticks.” Other than that, D Savage is faced with the challenge of carrying the rest of Trust No One by himself. He is able to do this with a certain level of success. One could describe the overall sound and vibe of Trust No One as a product of its time. The project fits right into the ever growing subgenre of rap/trap music known as “cloud rap.” Cloud rap is characterized by lo-fi production, relaxed (and almost sleepy) rap flow, and meditations on love, sex, fame, drug use, crime, and emotional turnmoil. Although cloud rap is most heavily embraced by more fringe acts such as Yung Lean and SpaceGhostPurrp, the sound has also been embodied by mainstream rappers such as A$AP Rocky and Lil B. 

D Savage stated in an interview with HotNewHipHop that he does not consider himself a lyrical artist, but one who makes “sounds.” Although it is easy to see a comment like that and write the rapper off as ignorant to the art, there is a lot of merit to making something that simply sounds good. This is what I enjoy about D Savage the most. The production style of his songs is not heavy. Yes, he does like to use synths, high pitched galactic melodies, and hi hats in his music, but him and his producers take each element and incorporate them into tracks in a way that keeps things calm, keeps the vibes in check. The spacy production is grounded by D Savage’s clean singing and rap flow. D Savage does not let his words get lost in his beat or drowned in autotune. He always enunciates, allowing listeners the ability to fully immerse themselves in the music without feeling alienated by indescript lyrics. The tone of his voice is nice as well. He very much sounds like himself and does not push himself to put on a voice or performance that does not feel natural to him. This authenticity in his sound is clear to anyone who decides to give this project a listen. 

Trust No One is a step in the right direction for D Savage as he continues to reach for stardom. Although the project begins to lag in the second half (as many rap releases today seem to do), D Savage does not bore or disappoint. His production is clean, his flow is solid, his melodies are sweet. All three of these elements together create a vibey project that is easy on the ears without compromising quality or style. In the same HotNewHipHop interview, D Savage stated that he wants to get more into music theory and into sounds on a technical level, influenced by his friendship with “music nerd” Tyler, the Creator. With more music knowledge under his belt, D Savage can create projects that expand the scope of what “cloud rap” can be. As the decade comes to a close, the question must be asked: What does the future of internet rap look like? With some more projects under his belt and a further development of his sound, D Savage could very well have a place in that discussion. He is undoubtedly an act to watch. 

Favorite Tracks:

Wytd

Pill 

More 

Rating: 7

Listen to Trust No One here:

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Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to get notified when we post:

KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
According to our followers, the best Mac Miller song of all time is Self Care! Thanks to everyone for voting, check back tomorrow for a brand new bracket. Let us know who you wanna see next ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
Welcome To A New Party - “PARTYMOBILE” by PARTYNEXTDOOR Album Review . Favorite Tracks: . NOTHING LESS ANOTHER DAY SAVAGE ANTHEM . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! . . . #hiphop #rap #albumreview #drak

Blood Orange Masters His Artistry on His Newest Mixtape, “Angel's Pulse”

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Dev Hynes, the man behind Blood Orange

Dev Hynes, the man behind Blood Orange

Dev Hynes has truly come into himself as an artist over the past year. Known by most as “Blood Orange,” Hynes has been active in the music scene for fifteen years as a singer, songwriter, and producer. Over the length of his career, Hynes has pushed the conventions of a number of genres. In a single Blood Orange project, one can expect to hear hints of hip hop, R&B, jazz, electronica, soul, funk, pop, and alternative. Hynes blends these influences together with ease, creating tracks and projects that sound perpetually dreamy and fantastical. His voice is soft and husky, lulling the listener into an immediate state of comfort. His lyrics are poetic and personal as they connect to his experience as a queer black man learning to navigate within structures that refuse to acknowledge or validate the multiplicity of his identity. 

Although Blood Orange had several full length albums under his belt, it was not until the release of his fourth studio project Negro Swan in 2018 that Hynes started to see success outside of the scope of the alternative scene. With features from legends such as Puff Daddy and Project Pat and more contemporary artists like A$AP Rocky and Steve Lacy, Negro Swan reached the ears of many listeners who knew nothing about  Blood Orange prior to hearing “Chewing Gum” or “Characol Baby” for the first time. Hynes describes the project as “an exploration into my own and many types of black depression, an honest look at the corners of black existence, and the ongoing anxieties of queer/people of color.” This concept is reinforced through heavier tracks such as “Take Your Time” and “Dagenham Dream.” Negro Swan demonstrates Hynes’ power as a musician because he is able perfectly convey the complexity of human emotion through every facet of a song, from his artful lyrics to his seamless production.  Dev Hynes does not compromise when it comes to his art. His music does not exist simply for consumption. It exists for the purpose of interaction. 

Nearly a year after the release of Negro Swan, Blood Orange dropped his most recent project entitled Angel’s Pulse. Despite having a fourteen song tracklist and a 32 minute runtime, Hynes classifies Angel’s Pulse as a mixtape. Furthur discussing the context of the project, Hynes frames Angel’s Pulse as an “epolouge” to Negro Swan, an “almost stream-of-consciousness diary entry” of sorts. Angel’s Pulse works as confessional for Hynes as he takes the listener on a journey through his psyche. We as listeners are encouraged to navigate the landscape of love, longing, loss, and grief with Hynes throughout the duration of the tape. 

Dev Hynes opens himself up to us and invites us into his world immediately on Angel’s Pulse with the track “I Wanna C U.” It is a subdued track, only running for a little over a minute before going into the next song. Yet within that minute Hynes’ synthy guitar melody, subdued drum progression and soothing harmonies lodge themselves into the ear and refuse to leave. The track is simple and catchy but it does not lack depth. The single verse in the song describes mental anguish in a physical way, with Hynes’ brain “running” constantly. He overthinks and he ruminates on a great many things, several of which are revealed as the mixtape progresses. On “I Wanna C U,” this rumination takes on the form of repetition with the chorus “I wanna C U/ And keep it in your home.” 

The sentiment of wanting to be seen to find solace within both oneself and others is a theme that is explored throughout the course of Angel’s Pulse. On the track “Dark and Handsome” featuring synth pop artist Toro y Moi is a meditation on loss and how Hynes has chosen to grapple with it. He refers to deaths of his close friends Sam Merhan and Mac Miller that occurred the year before with the lyric “Cryin' for the ones I lost in '18 ('18)” He also sings of using luxury as a means of deflection away from the fragility of his mental state, encapsulated by the lyrics, “I've been known to hide within my own walls (Own walls)/ Jewelry in my ice so that I don't fall (Don't fall)/ Onto higher prices, and escape with (Escape with)/ All my ice intact, but who am I to kid?” Hynes blurs the line between singing and rapping with his quick delivery of the lyrics and the even quicker pace of the percussion that comes in about a third of the way throughout the track. 

The other two hip-hop tracks on Angel’s Pulse are “Gold Teeth” and “Seven Hours Part 1.” With verses from rap veterans Project Pat and Gangsta Boo, one could consider “Gold Teeth” to be abstracted and artistic interpretation of a traditional Three Six Mafia song. The refrain of “Gold Teeth” is taken from the 1999 Project Pat track “We’re Gonna Rumble.” Along with the sample, the song also utilizes the classic TR 808 drum patterns, rattling hi hats, and old school snares associated with the 90s Dirty South sound that Three Six Mafia embodied. Dev Hynes experiments with the form of a Three Six Mafia song by adding a melodic chorus sung by Tinashe and Hynes himself. He adds to the melody through his incorporation of the piano throughout the track. The piano shifts the attention away from the beat and the melody, a largely unconventional move for rap songs today. In contrast, “Seven Hours Part 1” is more overt in its hip hop basis. Performed by BennY RevivaL, “Seven Hours Part 1” draws the listener in with RevivaL’s quick, calculated flow and heavy emphasis on the snare in the instrumental. It is on tracks like these where Hynes takes a backseat vocally and lets his features shine. 

For those whose only exposure to Blood Orange is Negro Swan, the addition of indie pop and electronic tracks such as “Baby Florence (Figure)” and “Happiness” may come as a surprise. But for those who are familiar with Dev Hynes’s discography, these tracks are examples of the diversity of his musical influences and his ability to still draw inspiration for current projects from the ones he has already done. For example, the production and vocal performance on “Baby Florence (Figure)” could easily fit within the R&B and baroque pop sound of his third studio album Freetown Sound (2016). The new wave sound of “Happiness” could slip into the tracklist of Cupid Deluxe (2013). Although Hynes seems to have gotten the best public response towards his most hip hop, soul, and R&B inspired albums, this does not cause him to turn away from adding elements of electronica, pop, alternative, and rock into his music today. The use of these plethora of influences is what give Angel’s Pulse such a refreshing and unique sound unlike anything out right now. 

Left: Cupid Deluxe (2013), Right: Freetown Sound (2016)

Left: Cupid Deluxe (2013), Right: Freetown Sound (2016)

The mark of Angel’s Pulse’s genius is seen through my struggle to encapsulate all this mixtape is into a single review. Dev Hynes’ newest project is just as funky as it is self reflexive, just as much as an easy listen as it an artistic text ready for analysis. Angel’s Pulse has so much to offer the listener sonically, lyrically, and thematically. It is a cliche, but this mixtape is one of those projects that you just need to hear for yourself in order to truly get a taste of what Dev Hynes has to offer. For those who liked Negro Swan, you will likely enjoy Angel’s Pulse just as much, if not more. If you liked both Negro Swan and Angel’s Pulse, I reccomend taking a closer look into the Blood Orange discography. There is an entire microcosm within the breadth of his work, a whole world to discover within his music. Angel’s Pulse is just another addition to the ever evolving musical, artistic, and personal sphere that is Dev Hynes. And perhaps with a listen, Angel’s Pulse can become part of your sphere as well. 

Favorite Tracks: 

Benzo

Good For You (feat. Justine Skye) 

Berlin (feat. Porches & Ian Isiah) 

Rating: 9 

Listen to Angel’s Pulse below: 

Angel's Pulse, an album by Blood Orange on Spotify

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KANYE WEST ALBUM TOURNEY 🔥👊🏼 . . . Welcome to StereoVision Madness! This week we’re running a tournament to find out what our followers think is the best Kanye West album of all time. Everyday matchups will be posted on our Instagram story a
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Coronavirus won’t stop Sway from making freestyle videos 💪🏽 G Herbo and Black Thought give us some raps on Sway’s live series “Bedroom Bars”💯 . . . Who had the better freestyle? . . . #hiphop #rap #gherbo #juicewrld #ptsd #
Duality Takes Center Stage in Thundercat’s Fantastic New Record ‘It Is What It Is’ . Favorite Tracks: . Lost In Space / Great Scott / 22-26 Black Qualls (Ft. Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, & Childish Gambino) It Is What It Is (Ft.
Dr. Dre’s classic record ‘The Chronic’ will be coming to streaming services this 4/20 🔥🌴 . . . What’s the first song off the album your streaming? . . . #drdre #thechronic #snoopdogg #deathrowrecords #deathrow #weed #420 #ma
42 Dugg Shows Why He’s Detroit’s Next Big Thing on ‘Young & Turnt Vol. 2’ . Favorite Tracks: . Hard Times Turnt Bitch One of One (Ft. Babyface Ray) . Hit the link in our bio to read the full review and stream the album! .
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Top 20 Hip-Hop and R&B Albums of the First Half of 2019

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Welcome to StereoVision’s top 20 albums of the first half of 2019. It has been a great six months for Hip-Hop, R&B, and music in general making this list challenging yet insanely fun to form. The creation of this list came from compiling all of our writers personal AOTY (Album of the Year) lists as well as extensive album debate and conversation throughout the first half of the year to ensure we have the perfect list that represents exactly what we dig at StereoVision. To get this list out in time, we had to cut off all albums released after June 23rd from consideration meaning albums like “Bandana” by Freddie Gibbs that were released in the last week of June are not eligible for selection. Listen along to our top 20 albums of the first half of 2019 by tapping in to our Spotify and Apple Music playlist which contains three spotlight songs from each selection. Stream it here:

 

This platylist contains three spotlight songs off of each of our top 20 Hip-Hop/R&B albums released during the first half of 2019

 

Without further ado, our top albums of the first half of 2019:

20. Still Summer in the projects by 03 greedo

 
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Release Date: April 19th, 2019

Record Label: Alamo Records

03 Greedo is a living legend and if his face tattoo of that exact phrase doesn’t convince you, one listen through Still Summer in the Projects should do the trick. The album is Greedo’s most cohesive effort to date and plays smoothly from start to finish. Greedo raps about familiar topics such as living life in Watts (“10 purple Summers”) as well as unfamiliar ones like a new perspective he received from being in the middle of a 20-year prison sentence (“Visions”). Overall Still Summer In The Projects is another exceptional release from 03 Greedo and with news that Greedo might be able to get out after five years on good behavior, we can only prey this is the case and continue to support his truly unparalleled music. Greedo is a musical anomaly, a figurehead for his hood, an LA icon, but above all, a living legend. Free 03! -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

10 Purple Summers

Gettin’ Ready

Visions

19. Grey Area by Little Simz

 
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Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Independent

At the beginning of March majority of the United States was introduced to London-based emcee Little Simz and the pleasure was all ours. Deviating from the eccentric, dreamy, synth sounds that characterized her last album, on GREY Area, Simz opted for a blend of aggression, vulnerability, and genre-splicing to convey her experiences growing up and developing as an artist in a male-dominated industry. While following a theme of self-discovery and personal development, Simz displays true artistry through the presence of influences from a variety of musical genres that elevate her voice and message. The English artist displays great strength with hard hitting verses on cuts such as “Offence” and “Boss” but reels it back allowing us to invade her headspace on songs like the excellent “Venom”. With every bar she spits it’s clear that Simz has something to say and she demands you listen. -Izzy Stroobandt

Favorite Tracks:

Offence

Wounds

Venom

18. diaspora by goldlink

 
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Release Date: June 11th, 2019

Record Label: RCA Records

Diaspora is an ambitious project. GoldLink tasked himself with consolidating the global sounds of the black experience into a single album. And with each genre he explored, he owed it to the culture in which he drew from to do their music justice, to represent them accurately and genuinely with his audience. Diaspora is just that: the amalgamation of the black cultural experience as told through the sound we engage with in each pocket of the world we inhabit. GoldLink features afrobeat, house, Carribean dancehall, reggaeton, trap, classic hip hop, and more on his extremely diverse and funky project. Not the most lyrically strong, GoldLink nearly makes up for it with how well he executed the concept for the album. Diaspora is an accessible project for anyone, from the person who wants to globalize their ear to the person who just needs some tunes to vibe to. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Joke Ting (feat. Ari PenSmith)

Maniac

U Say (feat. Tyler the Creator and Jay Prince)

17. Baby on Baby by Dababy

 
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Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Interscope Records

DaBaby shows the world that short men do in fact have rights with his infectious breakthrough project Baby on Baby. DaBaby does not take himself too seriously in his music or his visual aesthetic. His music videos are completely kitschy and absurd. He has posed as figures such as Scarface and Suge Knight, and even filmed a video that parodied sitcom television. DaBaby’s bars are hilarious and clever. But do not get it twisted: He is not one to mess with. He is tough as hell, and, as he spits in the track “Suge,” if given any disrespect he will “... beat your ass up all in front of your partners and children.” Baby on Baby is a refreshing project that is funny, surprisingly crude, and full of dope bangers prime for all your summer antics. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Suge

Pony

Carpet Burn

16. We All shine by ynw melly

 
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Release Date: January 18th, 2019

Record Label: Independent

YNW Melly’s We All Shine is far and away the best music he has every released. The Florida rapper is packed with personality and it comes through on every track. His songs are filled with authentic emotion giving them a powerful effect on listeners. “Ingredients” is fun and infectious to the point where you can’t listen without smiling while “No More” is a passionate public service announcement where he calls out a homie on his bullshit. If it wasn’t for a timely jail sentence, We All Shine showed every sign of being Melly’s coming out party and ushering him towards being a household name. Hopefully he can get out soon and continue to make excellent music full of emotion, substance, and his unparalleled pipes. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Robbery

Mixed Personalities (Feat. Kanye West)

Ingredients (Feat. Fredo Bang)

15. Flamagrama by Flying Lotus

 
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Release Date: May 24th, 2019

Record Label: Warp Records

Very few names carry the weight that Flying Lotus’s does in music. A mysterious prodigy who masterfully meanders through genres like electronic, experimental, R&B, jazz, funk, and hip-hop, Lotus returns from a long hiatus to deliver ‘Flamagra’, a 27-track record that spends approximately an hour showcasing Lotus’s musical prowess. It is impossible to sum up this album in just one paragraph, but listening to this album is an experience very akin to Alice’s trip through Wonderland. While some tracks may not last as long as one might wish, they each leave lasting impressions that resonate within long after Flying Lotus transitions to another musical ideas. Featuring help from artists like Thundercat, Toro Y Moi, Solange, David Lynch, Denzel Curry, and Anderson .Paak (just to name a few), Flamagra was certainly worth the wait. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Post Requisite

More (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

9 Carrots (Feat. Toro Y Moi)

14. Assume form by james blake

 
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Release Date: January 18th, 2019

Record Label: Polydor Records

James Blake’s presence in contemporary music has grown heavily over the past several years. No longer is the singer-songwriter confined to the occasional appearance or feature on throwaway tracks, instead now Blake has evolved into a cultural mainstay. While previously established as an expert in the realm of laments and dejected tracks laced with heavy electronic instrumentation or glitchy production effects, Assume Form sees Blake exiting a depressive period. Blake quite literally assumes form on tracks like “I’ll Come Too” or “Power On”, where the listener can track in real time Blake shedding his reserved and destructive tendencies in the enjoyment of a new love interest. Each track is just as incredible as the last, featuring help from artists like Travis Scott, Moses Sumney, Andre 3000, Metro Boomin and ROSALÍA. Although some of the moments on this record could be explored more thoroughly, James Blake offers a precise and relatable emotional tone on this record that will not soon be forgotten. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Assume Form

I’ll Come Too

Power On

13. Foto by kota the friend

 
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Release Date: May 14th, 2019

Record Label: Independent

FOTO was the perfect album for the summer. Kota the Friend is an artist who seems to have really found a signature sound on this project. He mixes his slick flows and relatable lyrics with laid back gorgeous beats. Rather than attempting to force a message on the listener, he paints a vivid picture with each track. A stand out single from the project was “Birdie”. On the album, he added a beautiful saxophone from Hello Oshay which compliments the song perfectly. He captures what it feels like to really be in love with the girl of your dreams. He shines on this project when he is really just rapping about his thoughts and feelings because Kota is a very relatable character. “Hollywood” offers a realistic perspective on fame and all that comes with it. Kota doesn't want to be that stereotypical rapper who went “Hollywood” and forgot who he was, but rather wants to attain this success in the industry through remembering and honoring where he came from. This idea of him paying homage to the people and experiences that brought him to this point is what makes FOTO so endearing to even the most hardened of listeners. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Church 

Birdie (Feat. Hello Oshay)

Alkaline

12. Outer Peace by Toro y moi

 
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Release Date: January 18th, 2019

Record Label: Carpark records

Within the first few weeks of 2019, fans of Toro Y Moi were blessed with a new album from Chaz Bear himself. During the promotion for Outer Peace, Bear frequently mentioned how he was tired of making sad love songs, and on Outer Peace there is a clear shift from the pensive sadness of 2017’s Boo Boo into a emotional range that while being fun and optimistic, still has its moments of melancholy and doubt. At 10 tracks long, the Bay-Area native provides his fans with a diverse family of tracks, some low-fi and melodic like “New House” or “Monte Carlo” featuring Wet, others infectiously catchy and uplifting like “Freelance” and “Who Am I”. Although I wish it were longer than half an hour, this summery record has something for everyone. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Laws of the Universe

Freelance

Monte Carlo (Feat. Wet)

11. Rap or go to the league by 2chainz

 
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Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Def Jam Recordings

It seems like whenever 2 Chainz releases a project at least one song off of it is a hit single in clubs and at parties all over the country. He has made some solid projects over the years, and is an established vet in the rap game. That being said Rap or Go to the League felt different. From the lack of singles before its release, to it being executively produced by LeBron James, this had the potential to be a great album from the well-versed trapper. What we got was actually one of the most cohesive projects of his entire career. A Standout track like “I’m not Crazy Life is” shows just how good this project is when it’s at its best. 2 Chainz flows over stellar production that allows him to really get across a point to the audience. There is a constant parallel between rap music and basketball throughout the album which intentionally alludes to America’s current social climate where young African American males feel like those are their only two ways out of their current situation. While Rap or Go to the League does have a message, there are still some bangers. “Momma I Hit a Lick” may take some listeners a few times to appreciate, but eventually the hard beat and unique flows from 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar are too much to deny. Overall this project succeeds because its feels like 2 Chainz really had a goal in mind this time around, rather than aim for as many radio plays as previous works. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Forgiven (Feat. Marsha Ambrosius)

Momma I Hit a Lick (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)

I'm Not Crazy Life Is (Feat. Chance the Rapper & Kodak Black)

10. the falling man by duckwrth

 
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Release Date: May 17th, 2019

Record Label: Republic Records

For those whose know Duckwrth solely from his earlier works such as I'm Uugly (2016) and An Extra Uugly Mixtape (2017), they will be quite surprised to hear the direction the South Central rapper went for his latest EP, The Falling Man. A complete divergence from the pop influenced lo-fi aesthetic he leaned on for the first leg of his career, The Falling Man shows Duckwrth experimenting with genre, voice inflection, and lyrical depth in a way he has never done before. Duckwrth dips his toes into rock, gospel, and trap throughout the course of the album and each venture is a success. The Falling Man is, for lack of a more creative term, a very solid album. It is a reliable listen that keeps listeners engaged and intrigued. Seeing Duckwrth explore and expand the scope of his music is exciting, and I am eager to see what he has in store for us next. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Bow

King King

Nobody Falls (feat. Kiana Lede, Terrence Martin, Madasin)

9. Arizona baby by Kevin Abstract

 
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Release Date: April 25th, 2019

Record Label: Question Everything Inc/RCA Records

Kevin Abstract has managed to maintain his individual stardom while being part of the wildly successful super-group, Brockhampton. He has been able to accomplish this rare feat by always making sure his music contains emotion. Each track on ARIZONA BABY, no matter what the subject matter or actual lyrics are, is uncompromisingly honest. Sometimes this honesty is beautiful like on the track “Peach”, which features two of Kevin’s Brockhampton band mates in Joba and Bearface as well as rising star Domonik Fike. Like many of the songs on this project, it is able to mix a more sing song chorus and beautifully played guitars with some solid rap verses from Kevin. While the appeal of this track mainly stems from it just simply sounding beautiful, Kevin really shows his talent as a rapper on a track like “Use Me”. This has one of the most interesting and unique beats to be used in a rap song. Kevin experiments with different flows and tells a compelling story on this cut, but is so impressive because like most of the other tracks on ARIZONA BABY we have never heard anyone spit over sounds like this. This project shows what the bright future of rap in this generation has the potential to be. A seamless combination of rap and incredibly produced pop music. No other mind would be better equipped to spearhead this new sound than the very talented Kevin Abstract. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks: 

Baby Boy

Use Me

Peach

8. The Life of pi’erre 4 by Pi’erre bourne

 
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Release Date: June 21st, 2019

Record Label: SossHouse/Interscope Records

The return of famed rapper/producer Pi’erre Bourne has been long awaited. Since wrapping up 2018 with his collaborative record with fellow producer Cardo, many have been anxiously awaiting the fourth installment in the ‘The Life of Pi’erre’ saga. When the album finally dropped in June 2019, fans were not disappointed. TLOP 4 is a rollercoaster through contemporary hip-hop from the eyes of the man who has helped shape it. From forming the careers of artists like Young Nudy, Playboi Carti, and 6ix9ine, Pi’erre Bourne’s influence and expertise in modern hip-hop/trap synthesis cannot be understated. On his newest record Pi’erre constantly flexes his production skills and his songwriting abilities, delivering heartfelt and saccharine tracks like “Ballad” and “Racer” in one moment, and fast-paced bangers like “Routine” and “Speed Dial” the next. Each track is dense with expert engineering skills and tactics, while still being accessible enough to appeal to hip-hop fans both old and new. -Carter Fife

Favorite Tracks:

Ballad

Doublemint

Speed Dial

7. Anger Management by Rico Nasty

 
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Release Date: April 25th, 2019

Record Label: Sugar Trap Records

Rico Nasty is one of the most awesome, if not the most awesome female rappers to enter the game over the past few years. To take note of her womanhood is not to say that she does not hold her own in comparison to male rappers. It is instead to say that what Rico Nasty does as an artist and a personality is extremely revolutionary, and her gender is a large part of what makes what she is doing right now so impactful. On her newest project Anger Management, Rico Nasty does not water down the aggressive, in-your-face rap style she became known for with singles such as “Smack a Bitch” and “Key Lime OG.” Rico Nasty reclaims anger not as something inherently negative. She rejects the notion that black women are angry without cause. On Anger Management, Rico Nasty explores the various facets of aggression, frustration, and how such emotions dissolve into, or are perhaps fronts for, melancholy and exhaustion. And with the entire tape produced by the dynamic Kenny Beats, Anger Management is not a project to sleep on. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

Cheat Code (Feat. Baauer)

Hatin

Big Titties (Feat. Baauer and EarthGang)

6. Everythings for sale by boogie

 
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Release Date: January 25th, 2019

Record Label: Shady Records/Interscope Records

Compton MC Boogie made some major waves last October when he received a huge Eminem cosign and an actual record deal from Shady Records. In January, the young rapper returned with his Shady Records debut Everythings For Sale and it did not disappoint. Over the 40-minute run time, Boogies honestly reflects on a broken relationship, new fame, and his current day to day life. Throughout the tape Boogie proves why Pitchfork called him one of the best young emcees in the country. The tape is exceptionally cohesive and if you immerse yourself in Boogie’s world and experiences you should find that 40-minutes will feel more like 20. Boogie’s lyricism is a perfect mix of cool California dialect and witty lines that emphasize his smart and reflective themes. He gives us up-beat bangers like the JID assisted “Soho” as well as introspective reflections like “Lolsmh” or “Whose Fault”. This album is complete, thought-provoking, and one of the best releases of the year. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Silent Ride

Soho (Feat. JID)

Live 95

5. Crash talk by schoolboy q

 
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Release Date: April 26th, 2019

Record Label: Top Dawg Entertainment/Interscope Records

When a TDE project drops it is almost a lock that it will be one of the best of the year and CrasH Talk seems like an album that Q really made for himself. This album finds the Los Angeles artist in a vulnerable headspace as he not only was going through depression, but also dealing with the passing of two of his peers in Mac Miller and Nipsey Hussle. What came out of this tragedy was an album that really gave us an audience a look into the inner workings of Schoolboy Q’s mind. A track like “Numb Numb Juice” is still able to be one of the standouts on CrasH Talk because of just how hard hitting and quality the beat is, and the way Q is able to sound so cut throat during the duration of the song. That being said this is in stark contrast to a song like “Black Folk” which is very self deprecating. Q acknowledges his shortcomings and fears not even just as a rapper, but as a man walking through life. He no longer has the gangster exterior that audiences have grown so accustomed to, but instead is now a vulnerable man who is just trying to do right by himself and the people he loves. That is the whole theme of CrasH Talk and it can be seen even more clearly in the title track “CrasH”. Though we all may not be famous rappers or have grown up in the streets of California like Schoolboy Q, we all could “crash” at some point. No person is invincible to the struggles of life, and Schoolboy reminds us that we should embrace these difficulties and use them to make us that much better in the long run. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Numb Numb Juice 

Drunk (Feat. 6LACK)

Black Folk

4. ventura by anderson .paak

 
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Release Date: April 11th, 2019

Record Label: Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records

Anderson .Paak’s Ventura showcases everything we love about the soulful California native. Said to be a counter-part to his prior album Oxnard which was released five months earlier, Ventura showcases Paak in his ideal environment being authentically himself. It is musically unmatched and conceptually rich. It’s both sexy (“Jet Black”) and politically charged (“King James”) but always in moderation to keep it tasteful. With Ventura Anderson truly created timeless music as I foresee songs like “Make It Better” and “What Can We Do” staying in my musical rotation until I can no longer hear. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

Make It Better (Feat. Smokey Robinson)

Jet Black (Feat. Brandy)

What Can We Do (Feat. Nate Dogg)

3. When I get home by solange

 
 

Release Date: March 1st, 2019

Record Label: Columbia Records

Solange Knowles’ radical album When I Get Home is easily the most artistic project of the year so far. When I Get Home is not easy to explain, to start, what exactly is the genre? Is it hip hop, as suggested by features with prominent rap artists Playboi Carti and Gucci Mane? Is it soul? R&B? Further, what is the “home” that Solange is referring to? Is this place literal or figurative? Solange manages to answer all of these questions throughout the course of the album. When I Get Home is an iconographic representation of the black experience in the most celebratory sense. Solange embraces her black womanhood and embraces Houston, Texas. The project radiates warmth and familiarity. It creates a home within itself. When I Get Home is wholly inviting, sonically stunning, and lyrically beautiful album that I cannot help but come back to when I am in need of empathy, of comfort, of a place to call home. -Kaila Cherry

Favorite Tracks:

My Skin, My Logo (Feat. Gucci Mane)

Jerrod

Beltway

2. Zuu by denzel curry

 
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Release Date: May 31st, 2019

Record Label: Loma Vista Records

Coming off his most conceptual album to date (TA13OO), many wondered what direction Denzel would head next. The answer to that was obvious to Curry: he would go home. With ZUU, Denzel tastefully simplified his music showing us that sometimes the obvious answer can be the best answer with proper execution. ZUU is a short album with no skippable tracks. It’s abrasive and in-your-face without being inaccessible for less intense fans thanks to cuts like “WISH” and “SHAKE 88”. Songs like “BIRDZ”, “AUTOMATIC”, and “RICKY” provide long term Denzel fans with his unmatched flow and clever lyricism that they have grown to expect. All-in-all, Denzel made an excellent career decision and the result is a Miami masterpiece. -Spencer Lobdell

Favorite Tracks:

ZUU

RICKY

AUTOMATIC (Feat. Tay Keith)

1. IGOr by Tyler, the creator

 
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Release Date: May 17th, 2019

Record Label: Columbia Records

Tyler, The Creator can't be ignored any longer. It is officially his time. Gone are the days of him trying to shock the audience more and more with each track on an album. On IGOR, Tyler manages to continue his incredible growth while also remaining appealing to mainstream audience. A song like “EARFQUAKE” sounds like nothing else that has been put out this year, but is also topping the charts and is able to seamlessly utilize one of the most unique talents rapping today in Playboi Carti. Not only is IGOR sonically interesting, but it also tells a story of falling in and out of love that any listener could relate too. While a song like “A BOY IS A GUN” has some of Tyler’s best rapping on the project, what shines through is what he is saying about the dangers of falling for someone who may not feel the same way back. What makes this the album of the year thus far is that we are seeing an artist who knows his talents as a lyricist, yet still tries to make an album that is great without the traditional constraints of the rap genre. Each track is produced with great care and focus so that the beats aren't just something in the background of him rapping, but actually what helps the listener really feel what Tyler wants them to feel. The perfect example of this is the closing track of the album “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS”. This is a beautiful conclusion to the journey that Tyler just took us on. On this conclusion, Tyler doesn’t even rap but instead he once again lets his amazing production take the stage and what comes out of it one of the most heartfelt and emotional tracks on an album that deserves every bit of critical acclaim that it has received. Though clearly not a trained singer, Tyler doesn't shy away from his more melodic side and it comes across as honest and real. IGOR is one of the best albums of the year because it isn’t just a great rap album, but a great musical experience throughout. -Miles Hagan

Favorite Tracks:

Earfquake 

A Boy is a Gun

Are We Still Friends

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Lil Nas X Shows He's More Than A One Hit Wonder On New EP "7"

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The man, the myth the legend: Lil Nas X

The man, the myth the legend: Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X has been the earworm of 2019. The 20 year old rapper went from obscurity to the center of the public eye with his breakout song: The kitschy, infectious, and undeniably unique track “Old Town Road.” With its massive streaming and radio success, it is likely that you are already aware of the track. “Old Town Road,” first released in 2018, is a song that mashes up hip hop and country in a way that is funny, extremely catchy, and somehow wholly authentic to both genres. As the song gained circulation on the popular mobile video app TikTok, it began to slowly leak out of the confines of dancing preteens and into the consciousness of the greater public. By the spring of 2019, Lil Nas X and “Old Town Road” were everywhere. On the radio, on TV, and in the playlists of frat parties across the country. 

The track gained even more attention after Billboard removed Lil Nas X from the Hot Country 100 chart in March 2019. In a statement to Rolling Stone, Billboard stated,“While ‘Old Town Road’  incorporates references to country and cowboy imagery, it does not embrace enough elements of today's country music to chart in its current version.” This received backlash from the public for several reasons. Some asserted that Billboard was exhibiting racial bias based upon them not allowing a black artist with a successful song within the country community because he does not fit the “country” aesthetic. Others were angry that Billboard insinuated that “Old Town Road” was not “country enough” for the chart because it had a hip hop influence, yet many of today’s  white country artists have blatantly ripped off black R&B and rap styles yet have received no flack for it. Billboard upheld its position until country icon Billy Ray Cyrus gave his cosign on the track by lending his voice to feature on the remix. 

Since the Billboard controversy, Lil Nas X has continued to ride the “Old Town Road” wave. He released a music video for the remix in May and has performed on a myriad of awards shows and events. Despite the fun of “Old Town Road,” listeners have been wondering: Will this be Lil Nas X’s only popular track? Does Lil Nas X have any longevity in music, or is he simply just a one hit wonder? To begin to answer this question, Lil Nas X has released a new body of work entitled his first commercial EP 7. 

Beginning with the Billy Ray Cyrus remix of “Old Town Road” and ending with the original version, 7 (which actually contains eight songs overall) showcases six brand new Lil Nas X songs. Over the course of these six songs, Lil Nas X experiments with tracks that pay homage to genres other than country and hip hop. Songs like “F9mily (You and Me)” and “Bring U Down” are heavily influenced by the sounds of pop and rock, both utilizing smooth guitar licks, rhythmic bass, and catchy lyrics that, like “Old Town Road” itself, one does not expect to like but quickly grows on them. “Kick It” and “C7osure (You Like)” have a more contemporary rap/R&B sound. Lil Nas X employs some of the sing-rap style popularized by the likes of Drake in the early 2010s on both tracks. He even hits some higher notes on “C7osure (You Like)” that are a nice surprise for the listener. Lil Nas X does not confine himself musically on this project. He allows himself to explore the different conventions of music, dipping his toes into several genres and putting his own spin on each. 

Even tracks like “Panini” and “Rodeo” manage to set themselves apart from the rest of trap bangers out currently. “Panini” clearly draws on the musical style of artists like Travis Scott with the quick flow, lower vocal register, and clean, straightforward production style. Yet Lil Nas X’s lyrics are totally his own. The song’s motif of “Hey Panini, don’t you be a meanie” is both funny and hilarious, which seems to be indicative part of Lil Nas X’s brand. Yet despite how silly the lyrics may seem, it gets stuck in your head and is not long before you are singing along without reservation. 

“Rodeo” had the potential to be the strongest track on 7. “Rodeo” combines a surf rock inspired guitar riff with trap production and tops it off with a vocal style that plays up his Southern accent. “Rodeo” is the closet track stylistically to “Old Town Road,” being what I would consider to be the only other country/rap mashup on the project. The track does lose appeal due to the unexpected Cardi B feature in the last third of the track. Cardi B’s verse is short and does not add to the ambience of the track. Her vocals are not mixed in the same way Lil Nas X’s are, making her stint on the track feel wholly out of place. Her addition on the song feels more like a corporate move to keep the traction on Lil Nas X alive more so than a genuine collaborative effort. Without Cardi B’s feature, “Rodeo” would have undoubtedly been my favorite track on 7. 

Thematically, 7 does not have much of a locus. Each track deals with different combiniations of sex, relationships, newfound success, and the most recent changes to his lifestyle. He references the Billboard situation on some tracks as well. Other than that, there is not much to gleam lyrically from this EP and the subject matter is fairly generic.

Overall, Lil Nas X’s debut commercial EP 7 is a very intriguing project. There are some tracks that are super fun, catchy, and sonically interesting to listen to and others that fall flat. For the tracks that hold up, though, they are so addictive. I believe that Lil Nas X has a little more than fifteen seconds in the spotlight. He is not yesterday’s news just yet. 

Favorite Tracks:

Panini 

Kick It 

Bring U Down

Rating: 6.5

Listen to 7 here:

7 EP, an album by Lil Nas X on Spotify

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