Lil Wayne Makes a Great Addition to His Legendary Discography With His New Album “Funeral”

By Spencer Lobdell

Few names carry the same weight in the rap game as Dwayne Carter. From potentially the best mixtape catalog of all time, to his classic Carter album series, there isn’t much that Weezy F. Baby hasn’t done in his 20+ year career. Everybody and their grandmother has at least one Lil Wayne song they can rap in its entirety. Not only did Weezy have one of the most dominant solo careers of all-time but the prolific rapper also launched the career of other rap legends like Drake and Nicki Minaj. With all these lofty accolades and legendary achievements, fans shared common concerns going into a 2020 Lil Wayne album: What else can Wayne even do? Do we really need more music from him, and more importantly, do we want it?

The rollout to Lil Wayne’s newest offering Funeral was low-key, quick, and in sharp contrast to the drawn-out release of his last album The Carter V. Where The Carter V was delayed for months as hype rose to a near unobtainable level, many Wayne fans woke up on January 31st, 2020 without even knowing that Weezy dropped an album the night prior. This isn’t to say he kept it a secret, the New Orleans emcee posted about it on social media and mentioned it in multiple interviews prior to its release, the album really just flew under the radar.

Funeral, Lil Wayne’s 13th solo album, came out on January 31st, 2020. The project runs for an hour and 16 minutes and showcases features from Big Sean, Lil Baby, XXXTENTACION, Jay Rock, Takeoff, and more. The album was put out by Cash Money Records, a subdivision of Universal Music Group. 

The album’s intro “Funeral” is cinematic, epic, and does its job of getting you excited for the album. The song is at its best when Wayne is looping the same four bars while switching the flow making the same lines sound totally different. Wayne’s ability to switch flow while staying in the same rhyme scheme really gives this track the X-factor that Wayne has historically been known to provide. The vivid imagery and storytelling on the intro is also an exciting sign for the rest of the album (“My lil nigga just caught a body, he ecsatic/He cried tears of joy them got ‘em tatted”).

The flows continue on the second song “Mahogany”, an early standout on Funeral. On the track, Wayne locks into a hypnotic flow that doesn’t stop for three minutes. The song works so well thanks to the insanely smooth sampled instrumental that creates a perfect pocket for Weezy. The tempo switch at the end is a nice touch that is the cherry on top of this awesome track.

The fourth song on the album “I Do It” is definitely the focus track off of Funeral as it features both Big Sean and Lil Baby. Sean Don kicks the song off and wow is it good to hear his voice. His hook is classic Big Sean and we can only hope for an album sometime this year. Lil Baby sounds good on every instrumental he touches, but hearing him with Sean and Wayne elevates his status and makes his attention-demanding vocals sound that much better. With that being said, Wayne bodies both artists on this track which feels like the most important moment on this album. Weezy sounds so comfortable, authentic, and powerful on this verse showing doubters he is anything but washed.

The middle of the album falters a little bit and songs like “Stop Playin With Me”, “Clap For Em”, and “Not Me” could’ve easily been cut to make the album more concise and memorable. 

The album really gets going again once we hit the soulful “Harden”. The instrumental sounds like something Wayne would’ve rapped over in the Carter III era and it feels so good. What elevates the feeling is Wayne’s sharp bars that really make this song feel like a throwback.

“I Don’t Sleep” immediately follows and stunts one of my favorite verses on the album which comes from the most talented of the Migos, Takeoff. The best moment on the song is when Takeoff explains that he just isn’t himself without his massive wealth (“Me without the paper just like Tune without the lean/Or Phil without the rings, Snoop without the weed/AI without the sleeve, IG without the memes”).

While the song with XXXTENTACION falls extremely flat (Is X even on this song???), the following cut “Piano Trap” might just be the best track on the album. “Piano Trap” is a triumphant cut where Wayne reflects on his successes. Mannie Fresh handles the production and gifts us with an absolutely epic brass chorus featuring blaring horns and trumpets that scream victory lap. Halfway through the beat switches and Wayne snaps, turning back the clock and delivering a classic Weezy verse.

Lil Wayne is back and with 24 songs he answered all the concerns fans had going into this project. What else can Wayne even do? He can add to his already massive catalogue of hits and maybe even introduce himself to a younger generation of fans by collaborating with artists like Lil Baby and Takeoff. Do we really need more music from him, and more importantly, do we want it? Yes, and yes, Funeral proved that we always want new music from one of the best to ever do it.

While the album was a little too long and fell flat in the middle, the strong start and finish combined with numerous moments where Wayne sounds better than he has in years is enough for me to recommend this album to any and every rap fan in 2020 whether or not Lil Wayne is your cup of tea. If there’s anything the past couple years has taught us, it’s that we need to appreciate our legends while they’re still here. Join me in celebrating one of the most gifted rappers to ever grace a mic and stream Funeral.

Favorite Tracks:

Mahogany

I Don’t Sleep (Feat. Big Sean & Lil Baby)

Piano Trap

Rating: 7.5

Listen to Funeral here:

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Mississippi Emcee Big K.R.I.T Returns with His New 19-Track Album, “K.R.I.T IZ HERE”

The Mississippi M.C. Returns With 19 Tracks 

By Carter Fife

Last week, Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T released K.R.I.T Iz Here, his newest album since 2017’s 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time, which was independently released off his own label Multi Alumni. The title serves as a reference to his 2010 mixtape K.R.I.T Wuz Here, reminding listeners that despite his relatively underground following, he still remains an important figure in hip-hop today. Over the past year, K.R.I.T has released various EP’s and singles that led many to begin anticipating a new album, and fan’s hopes came true in June when K.R.I.T took to Instagram to announce his newest album coming the next month. 

K.R.I.T is very rarely given the attention he deserves, but following the release of 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time, many music publications praised the album’s unique synthesis of jazz, soul, gospel and hip-hop, in addition to its masterful use of electronic elements and storytelling. The album remains a hidden gem of 2017, full of harmonious and melodic soul-trap songs that do well to show how far K.R.I.T (né Justin Scott) has come. Gone are the days of gracing the cover of 2011’s XXL class alongside artists like Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar, and Meek Mill; Today K.R.I.T exists as his own artist. Many hip-hop fans (myself included) have been keeping K.R.I.T’s 2017 effort in rotation all these months later, and K.R.I.T Iz Here finally arriving is sure to add some new tracks into the mix.

4eva Is A Mighty Long Time, an album by Big K.R.I.T. on Spotify

K.R.I.T Iz Here sits at just under an hour long, and although it isn’t a double-album like Scott’s 2017 record, the album boasts 19 mostly-new tracks. Though songs like “Energy” and “Learned From Texas” were released over the past year, both appear on the album in addition to the record’s two leading singles “Addiction” featuring Lil Wayne and Saweetie, and “K.R.I.T Here”. Altogether K.R.I.T Iz Here’s 19 tracks carry a significant departure away from Scott’s 2017 sound. K.R.I.T Iz Here strays slightly away from the gospel and trap inspired tracks, instead favoring an aural register that aligns much more closely with triumph, victory, and nostalgia. The single “K.R.I.T Here” leads the album in a victorious flurry of soul samples, horns and percussion where he makes the user fully aware of the present: K.R.I.T is here right now. His lyrics simultaneously respect the past and his journey while looking forward in an optimistic and energetic performance. 

Scott acknowledges the wait that he has experienced in the music industry on the next two tracks, and on “I Been Waitin” K.R.I.T reaps the benefits of his patience. Obscure string instrument samples and trap percussion dominate this track where K.R.I.T details how he had “..been waiting just to talk that shit”. Scott’s journey and wait in the music industry in many ways mirrors his fan’s waiting for new content, and now that K.R.I.T has arrived, it makes sense that both parties are happy. Feelings of overjoyed euphoria are seen in the next track “Make It Easy” where an old Burt Bacharach string and chorus sample softly sways in the background while K.R.I.T reflects on his life over a punchy drum track.

The following song “Addiction” is a notable moment on the album where we receive performances from Saweetie and Lil Wayne. Sweetie seductively says “Dive in, this shit feel like water” on the chorus, and K.R.I.T and Wayne both rap about the affordances of fame and money. There is a dualism in the song’s theme as addictive things like fame and substances come with both their moments of victory and loss. The track features some ominous vocals in the background with a drum track and an infectiously bouncy bass-line. “Energy” and “Obvious” featuring Rico Love are where we see the album take a more tender turn inwards. Now that K.R.I.T is on top socially and economically, his pursuits exist largely within the romantic realm, and both songs are catchy and unique to the point where they resonate with the listener well without being too shallow or basic. 

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There are many moments on this album that stand out, but unfortunately the tail-end of the album fails to stay consistent with the first half. Though tracks like “Prove It” featuring J. Cole contain thought provoking bars that both offer external views of the life that both K.R.I.T and Cole live, while also containing elements of introspection, the album fails to consistently provide beats or instrumentals that pair well with K.R.I.T’s rapping abilities. “High Beams” doesn’t really even sound like Big K.R.I.T song, as the guitar that plagues the track is more frequently perceived as annoying and distracting than beneficial to the track. “Life In The Sun” sounds like it should be on the tail end of a Zacari or Tory Lanez album, and K.R.I.T’s rapping is wasted on such a bland piano-stricken beat. 

It is because of these tracks that is so bizarre to hear tracks like “Blue Flame Ballet”, “Outer Space”, or “M.I.S.S.I.S.S.I.P.P.I”  placed in-between them. ‘Blue Flame Ballet’ carries a Thundercat-level amount of infectious and dense funk, “Outer Space” carries a unique Rhodes-esque piano track with really intense drums that could have made this a cut off of Cadillactica, and the record’s closing track ‘M.I.S.S.I.S.S.I.P.P.I’ is an introspective anthem into K.R.I.T’s inner monologue, where the listener can hear clear and apparent influences of Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest, Andre 3000, and UGK. These tracks are high-caliber, exactly what one would expect from a rapper like K.R.I.T, but it is hard to enjoy them when they are sandwiched in-between tracks that frankly sound unfinished.

With that being said, it is worth noting that despite this hiccup, the album still stands just as solid as any other album in the K.R.I.T discography. Once again Scott has been able to stick to his skillset while also venturing out into new themes, ideas, and sounds. While 2017’s emotional register and aural theme felt much more fleshed out and unique, K.R.I.T Iz Here has a little bit of something for everyone even if you’re not a fan of triumphant and energetic tracks that are laden with soul samples and trap drums. Hopefully this will be the album that pushes K.R.I.T into receiving the mainstream attention he’s deserved since 2010.

Favorite Tracks

Addiction (Feat. Lil Wayne & Saweetie)

Blue Flame Ballet

M.I.S.S.I.S.S.I.P.P.I

Rating 7

Listen to K.R.I.T IZ HERE below:

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Major Key Alert: Dj Khaled Drops 11th Studio Album, “Father of Asahd,” as a Tribute to His 2-year-old Son

By Katie Kocher

Fans have been long-awaiting the drop of Father of Asahd since the title of the album was announced in March 2019 along with the single “Top Off.” Fast forward to this March, he announced the exact release date while promoting the album throughout various social media platforms, along with a trailer for the album. As expected, it serves as a sort of dinner party for distinguished artists to show case their unique sound and talent as opposed to a complete body of work. Khaled likes to make unpredictable pairings as evidenced by songs like “Celebrate,” featuring Travis Scott and Post Malone, “No Brainer” with Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, and Quavo, and “Higher” featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend. The music video for “Higher” was shot just before the rapper’s tragic death at the end of March. Khaled’s ability to connect various artists smoothly on a single track is unmatched, which serves as the foundation of his music industry success. 

Khaled is the son of Palestinian immigrants, and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He started to learn how to Dj in his garage at the age of 13, meanwhile working in small record stores. He met Lil Wayne and Birdman in the beginning stages of their careers, and was able to network and promote himself, eventually getting a portion of a time slot on the local radio station Mixx 93. Finally he was brought on as a regular DJ and given his very own time slot and production credits. 

Some favorites on the album include “Just Us” featuring SZA, on which Khaled once again shows his love for sampling by grabbing Andre 3000’s hook from “Ms. Jackson” by Outkast. 

“Higher” gets quite a bit of attention because of it’s feature of the late rapper Nipsey Hussle and the melancholy that it is bound to evoke in its listeners. The late king of LA delivers two excellent verses in his first release since his passing. His first verse is uplifting and motivating as he raps about his grandparents and how he came to be in America. For the second verse, Khaled switches the beat to something less grand and more mischievous. Nipsey matches this instrumental perfectly and reflects on the harder parts of his life living in South Central. This verse is harder to listen to now that we know Nipsey’s tragic fate. Lines like, “Emptied out the clip, it was broad day/Fuck niggas always gotta learn the hard way” hit different when you’ve seen videos of the late rapper getting shot in the middle of the day. John Legend jumps in for the chorus, giving the track a sentimental touch. 

“Freak N You” combines the raw talent of a rap veteran Lil Wayne with Atlanta native Gunna, who made it big in 2016 from a feature on Young Thug’s track “Floyd Mayweather” and has since become a very sought after voice in the rap game. The track is infectious, catchy, and holds all the qualities of a hit.

“Top off” features the the holy trinity of Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Future and was one of the singles released last year as a prelude to the album. Although this record has gotten mixed reviews, it’s hard to deny that those three can deliver hard hitting lyrics and top notch vocals. 

Lastly, “Thank You” with Big Sean presents a classic mellow beat and smooth flow. It references Sean’s ex and one of the world’s leading artists, Ariana Grande, with the lyric “Plus I gotta thank my exes on some ‘thank u, next shit,’” stirring some questions about their relationship. 

Father of Asahd delivers a handful of radio hits (“No Brainer”), following in the footsteps of his previous albums, yet also throws in a few distinct  tracks that cut deep and are more personalized to certain audiences (“Higher”). As expected, it includes top artists across the hip-hop/rap genre, making it easy for listeners to enjoy at least one if not several tracks from this album. While the album lacks any kind of cohesion, unity, or themes, that should be expected with a DJ Khaled record and listeners should be able to take the collaborative album at face value and have fun with it.

Favorite Tracks:

Just Us (Feat. SZA)

Higher (Feat. Nipsey Hussle & John Legend)

Freak N You (Feat. Lil Wayne & Gunna)

Rating: 6

Listen to Father Of Asahd here:

Father Of Asahd, an album by DJ Khaled on Spotify

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