Alex The Large: “Backwoods” Single Review

By Owen Tait

I’ll admit, despite all the time extra COVID has given me to discover new artists this year, I’ve found it difficult to reach out and explore unknown territory. Whether I’ve been trapped in the same playlist for days or being home in Illinois has given me reason to get nostalgic with my listening habits, I haven’t found much in the way of underground hip-hop (and I mean underground) that has stood out to me. But perhaps it was this same sense of nostalgia that sucked me into “Backwoods,” a recent single from Alex The Large, founder and member of the World Wide Native label and collective. Released in October of 2020, “Backwoods” laments about old memories, as well as both hope and confidence for the future —sentiments I believe young listeners can all get behind in this stage of our lives.

The track takes its time to get started, leading with soft, reverb-heavy guitars and sentimental lines that allude to old remedies and friends. Alex references “throwing stones up at your window,” followed by a repetition of the line “is there anybody home,” and we quickly get a sense that things aren’t how they used to be. Immediately after, his flow picks up, and the same emotion lingers as he weaves some pretty introspective lyrics around gentle percussion and a sea of strummed ambience. Relationships, expectations, and his current mental state are all subjects on the itinerary, but one line that stuck with me in particular was when Alex confessed “In your eyes I’m nothing, but I know what I’ma be one day,” a mindset that most artists, dreamers, and underdogs can relate to.

As the track progresses, Alex seems to grow more into his voice, finding more charismatic melodies and vocal inflections to build his verses upon, and the steady, subtle changes in the instrumental compliment these transitions extremely well. Alex also seems to grow into his skin in terms of attitude, tuning to the perspective that old relationships pale in comparison to the confidence a person can give themself; he doesn’t need validation from people in his past to know where he’ll end up, and he seems comforted by that. He finds his self-assurance in how far he’s come at this point in his journey, and as he does so, the peaceful instrumental fades into a voicemail, likely from a friend or mentor. “Stick to it… definitely daunting and scary, but keep breathing, keep moving,” the voice says. “You can do this.”

And having heard the song, I completely agree with the voice on the phone. Despite a few lines that could be considered cliché and a couple minor hiccups in his flow, Alex delivers a track that’s fit to be any introspective rapper/singer’s streaming debut. I enjoyed the gentle, relaxed tone of the record, and Alex’s bars come off as organic, almost like a stream of consciousness. It manages to feel both nostalgic and forward-thinking at the same time, and if you need a track to relax or reflect to, I’d highly recommend it. If you liked the track, be sure to keep up with future releases from World Wide Native, as I’ve heard they have big plans for 2021. 

Listen to “Backwoods” here:

Listen to Backwoods on Spotify. Alex The Large · Song · 2020.

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The 63rd Annual Grammys: Top 10 Snubs & Disappointments

By Owen Tait

As many of you have likely read, the nominees for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday, and in a not-so-shocking turn of events, music listeners everywhere were disappointed. I’ll admit, there were a few choices I was pleasantly surprised with this year: Freddie Gibbs was nominated for Best Rap Album, Phoebe Bridgers and Fiona Apple both received recognition in the Best Alternative Music Album category, and Thundercat & Jhené Aiko were submitted for Best Progressive R&B Album. Regardless, in the grander scheme of things, I would argue that this was a weaker year for the already out-of-touch award show. Almost instantly, I came up with a long list of artists that could’ve been rewarded over the current nominees, so without further ado, here are my top 10 snubs of the 63rd Annual Grammy’s (in alphabetical order), along with their best performances.

1. Aminé  

With the recent release of Limbo fresh in everyone’s minds, I was fairly surprised Aminé didn’t snag any nominations this year. Not only was his most recent project his most sonically diverse and simultaneously most cohesive, but I also felt that it was a project that contained his strongest and most mature performances. Songs such as “Roots” and “Mama” showed us a softer, more introspective side of Aminé I felt I was missing on his previous releases, yet hits such as “Shimmy” and “Compensating (feat. Young Thug)” ensured a mainstream appeal that the Grammy’s tend to gush over. Add Amine’s endless charisma and energetic pen game to the mix, and it’s almost baffling how this project received no recognition.  

Best Performance: “Pressure In My Palms”

2. Charli XCX

While Charli XCX does tend to stray into the experimental every now and then, her albums feature all the qualities of what someone should expect from an outstanding pop project. The personality, catchy lyrics, ear-worm melodies, and clean production were all there in her most recent project how i’m feeling now, and let’s not forget that she released yet another critically acclaimed album last year with Charli. That’s right: not one, but two outstanding and extremely creative pop records in the span of one Grammy cycle, yet no awards to show for it. Utterly disappointing.  

Best Performance: “Thoughts”  

3. Denzel Curry

Yes, it’s true that Denzel Curry’s recent projects haven’t pushed the same numbers that many recently nominated artists have. However, in a year where the nominees for Best Rap Album include less popularized artists such as Freddie Gibbs and D Smoke, I don’t think the idea of Curry being nominated should be contained to wishful thinking. And even if UNLOCKED was not enough to warrant a nomination for this category—it was a shorter project, around 20 minutes long—I could’ve easily seen Denzel taking home Best Rap Performance for tracks such as “‘ Cosmic ’ .m4a” or “DIET_.” He simply brought an energy and hunger this year that has yet to have been paralleled.  

Best Performance: “‘ Cosmic ’ .m4a”

4. FKA Twigs

Once again, aside from the gorgeous track “cellophane” and a short feature on Ty Dolla Sign’s “Ego Death,” FKA Twigs is an artist who hasn’t boasted numbers in recent years.  However, she has received Grammy nominations in the past, and the almost ethereal quality of last year’s Magdalene landed her an interview in Rolling Stone’s 2021 Grammy Preview, a series in which the publication highlighted artists likely to sweep the show. Despite all the hype, Twigs received a whopping zero nominations, a revelation that left me almost as sad as her album did. Perhaps Magdalene delved a tad too far into the strange or simply didn’t sell enough to make  waves at the Grammys, but this only demonstrates the award show’s misdirected prioritization of accessibility over quality.  

Best Performance: “sad day”  

5. Lil Baby

I know what you might be thinking: “Isn’t Lil Baby already nominated for multiple Grammys?” Yes, he is, and rightfully so. His track “The Bigger Picture” is—in my opinion—one of the better tracks that was nominated for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance, and I look forward to seeing if he’ll take the trophies for those categories home. However, I’d like to argue that he got snubbed for Best Rap Album on the criterion of sheer numbers. I’m admittedly not the biggest fan of Lil Baby, but given that My Turn is one of the top selling rap albums of 2020 and has remained in the top 10 on the Billboard Rap Charts for 38 weeks, I believe some credit is  due.  

Best Performance: “The Bigger Picture”  

6. Mac Miller

I’m typically hesitant when awards shows nominate or tease wins from artists who have passed away for the sake of views and clicks (see Mac Miller’s last project, Swimming). However, I’ll be damned if Circles wasn’t the best posthumous album I've heard from any artist in the past ten years. As opposed to the way other artists’ posthumous releases have been handled (see Juice WRLD’s Legends Never Die), Circles felt as if it was crafted with care from start to finish, and a handful of the tracks on it still make me emotional to this day. It’s a beautiful and heavy album that I can see people genuinely struggling to come back to, but it's this raw emotion the project evokes that makes it all the more worthy of praise.  

Best Performance: “Good News” 

7. Pop Smoke

Yes, his hit “Dior” got him a nomination for Best Rap Performance, but how could I mention the late Mac Miller without bringing up Pop Smoke, an artist who gained massive momentum and captivated listeners just prior to an all-too-soon passing. I was skeptical going into his posthumous project Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon, but upon listening, I was met with a consistent ensemble of drill & pop rap anthems set for anyone’s gym playlist or a drive down the PCH. For an artist who was still on his way up, Pop Smoke demonstrated impressive range and an early mastery of his sound, and the fact that Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon remains one of the highest selling rap albums of 2020 shows how appreciated he was by the hip-hop community.  

Best Performance: Make It Rain (feat. Rowdy Rebel)  

8. Run The Jewels

Killer Mike and El-P, the masterminds behind the groundbreaking Run The Jewels series, are no strangers to addressing politics in their music. With 2020 quickly establishing itself as a heated, year-round fight for the presidency, the duo chose not to hold back artistically and politically, and it’s safe to say they delivered. RTJ4 saw Killer Mike and El-P delivering some of their most politically charged verses to date over trunk-knocking production, and this amalgamation of sounds perfectly embodied the passion behind various sociopolitical movements we’ve witnessed this year; if there’s one album to represent the social and political climate of the 2020, it’s this one.  

Best Performance: “a few words for the firing squad (radiation)”  

9. Tkay Maidza

If there’s one artist this year who I would have personally nominated for Best New Artist, it would have to be Australian singer & rapper Tkay Maidza. Her most recent project, Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2, was a short yet eclectic group of tracks that blew me away upon my first listen, and it currently sits as one of my favorite albums of 2020. A handful of cute, R&B flavored tracks somehow transition perfectly into grimy, dark bangers such as “Awake” and “Grasshopper”—which in turn transition back into floaty, breezy alternative pop records. It’s a feat that I’ve seen few other artists pull off to the extent Maidza does, and I would say her range and songwriting skills make her an artist to watch.  

Best Performance: “Awake (feat. JPEGMAFIA)”  

10. The Weeknd

I’m just going to state it plainly: what the fuck happened here? Not only did Canadian R&B artist Abel Tesfaye (as if he needs an introduction) come out with one of the most commercially successful albums of the year that gave birth to some of the biggest hits of the year, but After Hours was a complete critical success as well. The project had everything: a unique blend of genres that had rarely been explored in R&B past the 2000s, stunning vocal performances, tight & transformative production, a highly consistent narrative arc, stellar pacing, dark & haunting lyrics characteristic of The Weeknd’s signature style… the list goes on and on. To top it off, the Grammys couldn’t even be bothered to nominate Tesfaye for one of the highly conceptual music videos he’s released over the past year. Nearly every instinct within me expected this album to not only be nominated for Album of the Year, but to win it as well. Unfortunately, I was wrong in what was easily my biggest Grammy upset of the year.

Best Performance: “Scared To Live”

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Keem Ain’t Done: “Hooligan / Sons & Critics Freestyle” Single Review

By Owen Tait

Upon realizing Keem was going to be absent in the 2020 XXL Cypher performances, I was pretty disappointed. After all, Die For My Bitch stood out to me as one of the most unique, left-field trap albums of 2019, and I was anxious to hear more from Keem as a growing artist. Well, we may not have gotten a cypher verse, but the two singles we received in return were more than enough to demonstrate Keem’s staying power in the industry. Released under Sony Music Records, “hooligan” and “sons & critics freestyle” both feature everything one could want from a standout Baby Keem track. Catchy hooks, bouncy beats, memorable quotables, and a long list of amusing ad-libs can all be found in these singles, all in a matter of six minutes and change of runtime.

“Hooligan,” a sleek banger led by dramatic keys and a whistle sample that gave me stank face, sees Baby Keem boasting his status as an up-and-coming star in the industry. From a production standpoint, it’s nothing unusual for a nocturnal trap song; however, Keem’s delivery on this track unlocks a potential that I believe few other artists could unlock over a beat like this. He flows effortlessly across the verses, finding time to add charismatic ad-libs in between hilarious lines such as “dripped in all black like an emo bitch” and the already-infamous “I ain’t done / Bitch, go to your room.” To top it all off, Keem delivers a refrain so ridiculous that only he could pull it off, with the triumphant “Fa fa fa, fa fa fa” he sings in between each bar growing so infectious that you just have to sing along.

The following track, “sons & critics freestyle,” is one that I unfortunately think will be overshadowed by its predecessor. It’s a much stranger experience, but that doesn’t mean it won’t get stuck in your head just as easily. The hook on this single is truly different, as Keem combines an almost unnatural flow with a repeated ad-lib he delicately sprinkles over the beat (which is also strange as hell). The 808 pattern ramps up over and over throughout the track, ducking out in the first half of every measure to let the instrumental breathe. As one would imagine, this creates a really bouncy rhythm for Keem to weave his punchlines over, which he succeeds at yet again. And while I would argue that Keem’s lyrics here are not on par with the rest of his discography—if this really is a freestyle, you can tell—his charisma still carries him leagues ahead of his competitors. 

As I said, these singles have nearly everything a person could ask for in a Baby Keem track, and even better, the replay value on them is through the roof. I’ve likely listened to “hooligan” well over 30 times as of writing this review, and rather than growing sick of it, I’ve only found myself wanting more. If these singles are truly our first look into his next project, then Baby Keem’s sophomore studio album can’t arrive soon enough.

Listen to “Hooligan / Sons & Critics Freestyle” here:

Listen to hooligan / sons & critics on Spotify. Baby Keem · Single · 2020 · 2 songs.

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Crafting an Introspective Sugar Rush: 'how i’m feeling now' Album Review

By Owen Tait

Charli XCX is no stranger to the experimental. Her 2017 project Pop 2 boasted numerous tracks that ventured into glitchy, noisy territory, and last year’s Charli certainly had its weird side, with cuts such as “Click” and “Thoughts” providing plenty of crushed drums and overblown climaxes for fans to chew on. When Charli announced an upcoming record made entirely in isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was expecting pretty much just more of the same (which, keep in mind, wasn’t necessarily a bad thing). However, as Charli began to release singles through a collaborative process that kept her fans involved, I was blown away by what I was hearing. 

While her music still definitely falls under the pop umbrella, Charli delivered singles pitched through a lens of noise, distortion, and electronic music. “Forever” and “claws” featured lyrics about both the melancholy and blissful moments within romantic relationships, while “i finally understand” focused on Charli’s battle with her own mental health and self-doubts. Very quickly, I felt as if I was getting a good picture of what the album was going to be about and sound like, and for the most part, Charli delivered as expected—all while exceeding my every expectation. Perhaps her most intimate and close-quarters project yet, how i’m feeling now is an air-tight sugar rush consisting of songs about love, isolation, and the desire to live one’s best life.

Considering that Charli wrote the majority of this album while quarantined with her long-time boyfriend, it’s no surprise that many of the tracks here revolve around their relationship, and some even comment on the way social distancing has impacted their understanding of each other. For example, the song “7 years” looks at how far Charli and her boyfriend have come and the emotional progress they’ve made with each other. Lyrics such as “I used to live inside a lie with you / And now we’re honest and it feels so good” demonstrate Charli’s honesty with herself about how her relationship has evolved, and it’s a refreshing moment that made me genuinely happy for her. Meanwhile, the songs “detonate” and “enemy,” analyze Charli’s struggle with her emotional and physical proximity to her significant other with the latter serving as a definitive high point on the tracklist.

“enemy,” a track led by a nostalgic synth bass and an arsenal of soaring, fleeting synths, plays on the saying “keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” Lyrically, Charli realizes that her emotional vulnerability with her boyfriend could become her downfall should their relationship ever turn hostile, implying that he’s so close to her that he could do serious damage to her heart. She spends the rest of the song exorcising these anxieties, and the closing lyric “Can you reach me?” beautifully sums up her dilemma; on one hand, she wants someone close enough to count on and love, but on the other, she worries they might get too close and break down the emotional barrier she’s put up. 

It’s introspective moments such as these that make the album so emotionally captivating, but that doesn’t mean the project is without its bangers. The intro track “pink diamond” is a hard-as-nails, nocturnal cut that pulls no punches and reflects the nightlife that people enjoyed prior to the pandemic. Screaming synth chords and lasers fill the back half of the instrumental, and a crushed-to-hell drum breakdown closes it out in style. “c2.0,” a wonky reimagining of 2019’s “Click,” sees head producer A.G. Cook chopping singer Kim Petras’ contribution to the original track into a cute, dreamy set of background vocals. Meanwhile, Charli laments about missing her friends and the memories they have together—a sentiment that plays into how most people are feeling right about now. 

As yet another track containing elements of noise and EDM, “anthems” easily lives up to its name, sounding like something out of a college party movie or a promotional video for a music festival. Charli once again reminisces about the way life used to be, comparing it to the mundane nature of quarantine and how it has affected her personal drive. She also shares hope that her friendships will benefit from the time apart, arguing that “when it’s over / we might be even closer.” It’s a reassuring thought, and the high-stakes nature of the track left me in a state of euphoria (which was only heightened by the surreal trip presented by “visions,” the following and final track).

To be honest, there aren’t any major problems I have with this album. In my opinion, there is one minor dud in the tracklist that never quite reaches a satisfying climax (I’ll let you figure out which track I’m referring to, considering it’s the only one I haven’t mentioned so far). Regardless, the project as a whole is super tight and flows really well, the lyrics are catchy and carried by earworm melodies, and the production fully embraces the strange, pushing Charli’s pop songwriting towards pure innovation. It’s a truly inventive, one-of-a-kind project, written from physical isolation yet engineered digitally by a powerhouse team. The emotional moments hit, the bangers certainly don’t miss either, and Charli seems to be as vulnerable as ever, making how i’m feeling now my current frontrunner for album of the year. I can only hope that the future of pop music is this imaginative, forward-thinking, and downright fun.

Favorite Tracks:

forever

enemy

anthems

Rating: 9

Listen to how i’m feeling now here:

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Albums To Ride Out the Quarantine To

By StereoVision Staff

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

Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return (2013)

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

Jay Electronica - A Written Testimony (2020)

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

G Herbo - PTSD (2020)

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

Mac Miller - Circles (2020)

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

Sevdaliza - Ison (2017)

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

REASON - There You Have It (2018)

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

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

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

Isaiah Rashad - The Sun’s Tirade (2016)

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

Rich Gang - Tha Tour Pt. 1 (2014)

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

The Internet - Ego Death (2015)

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

Grimes - Art Angels (2015)

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

Action Bronson - Mr. Wonderful (2015)

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

EARTHGANG - Torba (2015)

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

NxWorries - Yes Lawd! (2016)

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

KAYTRANADA - 99.9% (2016)

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

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

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

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment - Surf (2015)

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

Baby Keem - DIE FOR MY BITCH (2019)

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

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

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  Apr 15, 2020, 5:59 PM
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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

Lil Uzi Vert Goes Two For Two with LUV vs. The World 2

By Owen Tait

Just over a couple weeks ago, trap phenomenon Lil Uzi Vert released his highly anticipated album Eternal Atake, with the phrase “highly anticipated” being a complete and utter understatement. Fans waited nearly two years from the project’s announcement to hear the final version, and by then, the hype surrounding it was as astronomical as the project’s narrative. For the most part, Uzi delivered, as the album was filled with melodic bangers such as “Baby Pluto,” “Celebration Station,” “Prices,” “Venetia,” and a sadder rendition of his biggest hit ever with “P2.” However, Eternal Atake did come with some glaring flaws: it was bloated, featured little variety in the instrumentals and lyrical content, and contained some verses from Uzi that didn’t even follow the beat.

But overall, the album was still a massive hit, and Uzi almost instantly announced that the deluxe version wouldn’t just be a throwaway set of bonus tracks. He was going to release a whole second album, a sequel to his 2016 mixtape LUV vs. The World. Fans were ecstatic— myself included—but I also went into the project wondering if the same issues with Eternal Atake would persist on the deluxe cut.

LUV vs. The World 2, which is packed in with Eternal Atake and consists of 14 tracks, kicks off on a high note with “Myron,” a song that plays out very similarly to “Baby Pluto,” the opening track from the project’s initial release. It’s a melodic cut that sees Uzi experimenting with his delivery and song structure, culminating in a glorious refrain where he triumphantly boasts about “running up all his bands.” In this short but amplified section of the track, he hits a vocal inflection that truly sticks, and I found myself replaying this passage of the song in my head long after I had finished listening.

The next track, “Lotus,” is somewhat of a roadblock in the album’s momentum, as the beat is one of the less inspired instrumentals on the project, and the hook is one of the rare cases where Uzi’s higher register doesn’t really work. However, the project’s speed quickly starts back up with the next two tracks, both expertly produced by trap extraordinaire Pierre Bourne. “Bean (Kobe)” features some of Lil Uzi Vert’s more memorable melodies on the album—not to mention one of his most quotable refrains—and even though Chief Keef isn’t necessarily at peak performance on his feature, his verse still contributes to the care-free tone of the track

The equally bouncy “Yessirskiii” contains a massive feature from Atlanta rapper 21 Savage—in fact, he practically dominates the track, as Uzi only appears on approximately one minute of the song’s three and a half minute runtime. Regardless, the track is a hit with tons of replay value, and it’s one of the songs I’ve come back to the most. Meanwhile, the melodic trap banger “Wassup” features a monstrous two-part hook from Uzi that I can’t help but smile along with whenever it plays. In addition, Future’s feature sees the Atlanta pioneer maneuvering around the beat as effortlessly as ever.

Following these cuts, the album hits the listener with a trilogy of trunk-knockers fit for any live venue. “Strawberry Peels” features pounding, fuzzy 808s that back a couple of high- octane verses from Young Thug and Gunna; my only complaint with this track is that the duo easily outshines Uzi, who contributes a lower-energy verse on the back half of the track. Luckily, he makes up for it on the anthemic “Moon Relate,” which arguably features his best performance on the entire project. Uzi’s delivery here mostly floats within his higher register, but during certain sections of the track, his voice takes on a growly, guttural quality that elevates the song’s energy to the next level. It’s truly a testament to how much life Uzi can bring to a track, and the off-kilter drum patterns ensure that this track is a memorable thrill.

Personally, I found the second half of the project to slow down a bit, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t without its highlights. “Come This Way” and “Trap This Way (This Way)” carry some of the grooviest hooks on the album, and “Come This Way” in particular demonstrates Uzi’s versatility as a singer. He croons on both ends of his range, and he exercises a high variety of flows as well, making the track breeze by and giving it high replay value. “Got The Guap” also features a really subtle, sticky pluck melody that gives the track a unique sound, and a second Young Thug feature is always a welcome sight.

Clearly, there are quite a lot of highlights on the project, and I believe that generally, LUV vs. The World 2 has a tighter, more memorable tracklist than that of Eternal Atake, but there are still a couple of issues that the album faces. For starters, the mixing issues that were apparent on Eternal Atake are still present here, even if they aren’t as extreme. Earlier, I expressed a particular distaste for “Lotus,” the second track on the project. While I think Uzi’s inflections here could have been improved upon, I also think that better mixing would have added a pop to the instrumental that just isn’t there as the track stands. Furthermore, aside from being poorly mixed, I think some of the percussion on this album is lazily done. Most of the hats and snares utilized sound incredibly cheap, and in cases such as “I Can Show You,” the assembly of said percussion makes the beat sound as if Uzi’s team found it on an amateur’s YouTube channel for $50.

On the bright side, I don’t have any other major complaints with the project. Uzi occasionally slips off beat to the point where it’s distracting, and his subject matter is nothing new—take a shot every time Uzi alludes to diamonds or sex with your girlfriend—but I found his charisma and energetic vocal inflections to make up for most of the damage done there. If you like enjoyed Eternal Take, I would highly recommend this project, and I can officially report that the two-year wait was worth it.

Favorite Tracks:

Yessirskiii (feat. 21 Savage)

Moon Relate

Come This Way

Rating: 8

Listen to LUV vs. the World 2 here:

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“UNLOCKED” Dishes out an Air-Tight Blend of Boom-Bap and Experimental Hip-Hop Featuring Some of Kenny Beats’ and Denzel Curry’s Most Daring Performances

By Owen Tait

Ever since the exponential growth of the underground hip-hop scene on streaming platforms such as SoundCloud, many rappers have struggled to maintain a reliable, consistent run in the limelight. Not the case for Floridian artist Denzel Curry. Ever since his breakout single “Ultimate” took the internet by storm in 2015, the Carol City native has seemingly perfected and reinvented his sound multiple times. His 2018 release Ta13oo spiraled into the dark depths of Curry’s persona, boasting sinister, unrelenting tracks such as “Clout Cobain,” “Percs,” and “Vengeance,” featuring experimental rapper JPEGMAFIA and City Morgue member Zillakami. 2019’s Zuu was a triumphant ode to his city, and 2020’s 13lood In + 13lood Out reinforced the darker themes he explored in previous projects. 

Now, not even a month later, Curry has teamed up with underground producer Kenny Beats, whose collaborations range from 03 Greedo to Rico Nasty to Dominic Fike, to release an eight track EP titled “UNLOCKED.” The project marks the duo’s first official collaboration over streaming services, but the two had worked together on Kenny Beats’ signature YouTube series “The Cave” the previous year. In addition to the EP, the two released a highly entertaining animated film to accompany the project. The short was visually thrilling and absolutely hilarious, but luckily, the album functions just as well without it.

The project’s opening track is mainly instrumental, featuring an unsettling, vintage vocal sample that narrates over the majority of the cut. However, in the last leg of the track, the beat switches to a villainous boom-bap anthem, and glitchy vocal samples introduce Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats as the main antagonists. Kenny Beats keeps his mean streak hot on “Take_it_Back_v2,” a clunky, hard as nails cut on which Denzel reveals his true motives: to finish his competition. Lines such as “I don't got candy but I'll turn your head to Gushers, sucka / When you see the barrel better pucker” allow him to perfectly balance his goofier persona with darker content. Furthermore, the choppy flows and heavy percussion serve as an ode to old school boom-bap, an aesthetic that remains prevalent throughout the rest of the record.

One particular method Kenny uses to pull off this aesthetic is by making many of instrumentals’ melodies very subtle, putting emphasis on the thumping percussion and creating more rigid, brash drumlines similar to the ones present in much of old-school hip-hop. Additionally, the abundance of chopped interludes and pitched vocals call back to old methods of sampling found in projects such as Madvillainy; however, Kenny Beats manages to throw experimental twists into the equation, making every unexpected quirk and sample a welcome surprise. Tracks such as “‘Cosmic’.m4a” and “So.Incredible.pkg” exemplify this spectacularly and carry a super fresh sound as a result. And Kenny isn’t the only one making callbacks on this project: tracks such as “DIET_” and the aforementioned “‘Cosmic’.m4a” feature Denzel sporting boisterous inflections reminiscent of rappers such as DMX and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and aside from the obvious comparisons, he’s the most animated he’s sounded in a long time.

Occasionally, Kenny and Denzel return to the current wave of underground rap, crafting minimalist, nocturnal bangers with in-your-face bass and and haunting melodies. The track “Lay_Up.m4a” incorporates a chunky west coast bassline and some of Denzel’s hardest bars on the project. It’s certainly a good detour from the rest of the album’s sound, and the same goes for the penultimate interlude, a trippy instrumental with numerous beat switches and a funky bassline throughout. On the track, Kenny combines elements of acid jazz with chopped versions of Denzel’s vocals from other cuts on the project. Overall, it makes for a tight, satisfying journey, and it perfectly transitions into the anthemic final track, “‘Cosmic’.m4a.”

With UNLOCKED, Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats come through with an EP that has very few flaws. Its tracklist is airtight at just under 18 minutes, the instrumentals are a near-perfect blend of modern experimental hip-hop and old-school boom-bap, and Denzel’s vocal deliveries are as dynamic as ever. However, as I experienced multiple times during my first listen, listeners may scoff at some of Denzel’s punchlines or find them extremely corny. While bars such as “Harry Potter clip filled with deadly ass hollows” are certainly clever, lines such as “Doctor buggin out like Flick versus Hopper” don’t hold up as well, and others such as “Captain Planet / I'm on my packin' cannons to crack Atlantis” don’t even make much sense to begin with. Hell, even the line about Gushers mentioned earlier could be seen as too goofy to take seriously.

Despite this issue that may turn some listeners off, I found the EP as a whole very enjoyable. The off-the-wall production, flighty interludes, and aggressive flows and vocal performances from Denzel Curry make for an entertaining ride. Furthermore, at under 20 minutes, the project flies by with no problem, increasing replay value and giving fans a set of enticing tracks to hold them over until Denzel’s next full length project. Earlier, I discussed the longevity problem that many new artists face in today’s industry, but if Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats continue to put out work this consistent, I can’t see them fading out anytime soon.

Favorite Tracks

Take_it_Back_v2

DIET_

‘Cosmic’.m4a

Rating: 8

Listen to UNLOCKED here:

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  Apr 15, 2020, 5:59 PM
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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

Mick Jenkins’ Flows & Attitude Take the Spotlight on His Transitional EP “The Circus”

By Owen Tait

Over the past few years, Chicago native Mick Jenkins has made a successful lane for himself in the underground hip-hop scene, fusing spacey, lo-fi instrumentals with elements of jazz and introspective lyrics. With mellow hits like “Jazz” and “Vibe” leading his repertoire since 2014, longtime fans may have been pleasantly surprised to hear the tonal switch-up he executes on his most recent EP, “The Circus,” released under Cinematic Music Group.

Across the breezy nineteen minute runtime, Jenkins takes on a slightly harder-hitting set of instrumentals, delivering countless attitude-filled bars about the current state of the rap industry (likely the inspiration for the project’s title) and the expectations people hold him to—none of which he intends on meeting. With only seven tracks, minimal hooks, and a lone feature from Atlanta duo EarthGang, Jenkins’ flows and smooth rhyme schemes truly get a chance to shine. 

The intro track, ironically titled “Same Ol,’” opens with a rusty, filtered lead that sounds rundown and sinister, much like a twisted circus after sundown. Soon after, Jenkins aims intimidating lines about his status and power at his adversaries and doubters, dropping shots such as “Couldn't hold me back if they tried, I'm six-five / Steppin' twice your stride if I marched in place.” Jenkins understands his security in his lane, and uses it as power to silence those who question his permanence. As we get closer to the hook, Jenkins sounds hungrier than ever, and his deep, growled delivery compliments the freaky instrumental extremely well.

Veteran fans get a more recognizable sound on the tracks “Carefree” and “The Light,” the latter of which features EarthGang fresh off of their successful record Mirrorland. The former sounds exactly as the title implies, with reverberated keys and atmospheric guitars laid over a super chill drum beat. However, the lyrics seem to go in a different direction. The hook sees Jenkins reminiscing on the times he actually was carefree, contrasting them with his struggles with police violence and social pressure in the verses. It makes for an interesting dynamic, even if it does revert to the sound of his earlier material.

“The Light” is an interesting track in that it seems more like an EarthGang ballad than a Mick Jenkins cut, given that the duo takes not only the hook, but also two out of the track’s three verses. Both Doctor Dot and Johnny Venus give great poetic performances on both of their respective verses, but the airy hook carries an odd rhythm that doesn’t quite stick the landing, and it comes off as clunky and awkward. Jenkins also gives a decent performance on his verse, but overall, the chorus made this track a difficult one to come back to.

Luckily, the project’s pace picks right back up with a round of three subtle bangers titled “Flaunt,” “The Fit,” and “I’m Convinced.” All three of these tracks back Jenkins’ hungry, fed-up attitude from the opener, with “I’m Convinced” and “The Fit” making a point to feature more “in-your-face” production. Even more shots are thrown, and Jenkins manages to come across sounding more angry than bitter, which is to his benefit. Furthermore, these tracks all feature immaculate flows and hooks, making them the most well-rounded songs on the project. The spoken/sung hook on “The Fit” is likely the catchiest and most charismatic on the record, with Jenkins dropping asides such as “Needed paper, I got paper, need a stapler / I got habits, I got problems, got enablers” in between his more aggressive jabs. Meanwhile, “I’m Convinced” features some of Jenkins’ best wordplay on the project, with the second verse in particular being quite striking.

The final track, titled “Different Scales,” serves less as a traditionally-structured cut and more as a closing cypher, with Jenkins exposing betrayal and people who aren’t real with him over a laid-back, nocturnal, lo-fi beat. The narrative he tells on this track is certainly loose—meaning that there isn’t necessarily a definite “story” at all—but as Jenkins bounces from one topic to another via word association, it’s just as compelling as if there was one. It’s a fitting tonal end to the record and expertly combines Jenkins’ classic sound with the more aggressive mood found throughout the rest of the EP.

All in all, “The Circus” is an interesting piece of material from Mick Jenkins, to say the least. The production is less lush than that in his previous outings, and while it is certainly an intentional push for Jenkins to sound more hostile, it’s nothing to write home about. With that said, those who come into projects primarily for the production might be turned off by the instrumentals on here; it doesn’t sound too far off from the production found on most other independent rap albums.

However, those who are looking to hear Jenkins’ technical skills and charisma on the mic will certainly have a field day here: what personality many of the beats lack, Jenkins definitely makes up for. Long time fans will love bobbing their heads to the sleek flows and unpredictable rhyme schemes Jenkins brings to the table. In addition, new fans may enjoy the more aggressive sound that Jenkins embodies and even find these tracks more accessible than his previous, jazz-fused works (proving that the more mainstream instrumentals are not entirely a bad thing). 

This means that, even though this might not be the most conceptually or sonically thrilling project of the year, it serves as a great bridge between Jenkins’ older works and whatever he has planned next. Furthermore, I think there is an argument that there is something here for everyone, and if Jenkins is able to maintain this insistent and assertive on future projects, then I look forward to hearing them.

Favorite Tracks:

Same Ol’

The Fit

I’m Convinced

Rating: 7

Listen to The Circus here:

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  Apr 15, 2020, 5:59 PM
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  Apr 15, 2020, 12:07 PM

On Their Fifth Studio Album “Ginger,” Brockhampton Presents a Sobering Catharsis Cloaked in Clean Production and Memorable Performances

By Owen Tait

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

From the moment boyband BROCKHAMPTON dropped their debut album SATURATION during the summer of 2017, they became notorious for their infectious hooks, bouncy production, and an extremely versatile roster of performers. Online critics showered the album with favorable reviews, and standout singles such as “GOLD” and “STAR” invaded the underground hip-hop scene, giving the boys a diehard fan base instantaneously. 

Despite the success of their first project, the budding crew, led by Houston-native Kevin Abstract, was hardly done for the summer. Just over two months later, they released their second studio album, SATURATION II, which received just as much praise as the first (if not more). Giving their fans no time to breathe, they rounded out the year with the trilogy’s finale, which saw the group diving into pop-rap and experimental territory.

Unfortunately, the recognition that came with releasing three phenomenal projects in the span of six months also brought turmoil to the rising stars. Rapper Ameer Vann was exiled from the group following accusations of sexual assault that surfaced prior to the summer of 2018. Fans and journalists alike were torn on the group’s future, as the young ensemble was clearly shaken; not only had they lost a key member of their group, but they had also lost a close friend. 

Fans’ questions were answered the following fall with iridescence, a complete detour from the catchy, playful melodies that carried the SATURATION trilogy. Elastic leads and percussion were replaced with buzzing synths, aggressive percussion, and elegant strings, and the project dove deeper into each member’s mental health than any outing before it. Iridescence was brutal, bleak, and volatile as ever—characteristics that wouldn’t prepare even the most intense Brockhampton fans for their fifth studio album: GINGER.

Stream 'No Halo'": https://smarturl.it/XNXH Dir. Spencer Ford Prod. Weston Freas + Jon Nunes + Kevin Doan DP: Jake Wolfert Edit & Color: Henock Sileshi Gaffer: Jakob Longcob Grip: Jack Fahey & Jordan Rodriguez Wardrobe: Nick Lenzini & Weston Freas thank you to our cast & crew

The album’s rollout was fairly standard for a Brockhampton project. The boys released four singles, all accompanied by stylized music videos, prior to the August 23rd release date. The first three were oddball combinations of the experimental aspects of iridescence and the melodic production from the SATURATION era. However, the final single “NO HALO,” a sobering investigation on the realities of self-fulfillment, explored a new sound for the group entirely, and was far more telling of what GINGER would entail.

The track features solemn acoustic guitar riffs that layer on top of each other as the song progresses and a plethora of elusive, atmospheric synths; the production is subtle in contrast to their previous singles, but it works in a beautiful way. On the lyrical front, each members dishes out a verse that challenges their respective demons head-on. Joba masterfully confesses his struggles with religion & faith, while Merlyn Wood relays his anxieties about “running out of options.” The track has an aura of uncertainty about it, and the result is soul-stirring.

On August 23rd, BROCKHAMPTON released the entirety of GINGER under RCA Records. At 12 tracks and 44 minutes, one could easily argue that it’s the group’s tightest album yet. Better yet, the album also features performances from a whole new cast of characters—joining frequent collaborator Ryan Beatty are singer-songwriter Deb Never, UK rapper slowthai, and newcomer Victor Roberts, who pours his heart out during a moving anecdote on the album’s closing track.

As stated before, this record is unlike anything BROCKHAMPTON has put out in the past; while iridescence was certainly a darker moment in the group’s discography, GINGER gives listeners a project that is somber from start to finish, save for a handful of funky bangers in the front half of the tracklist. “BOY BYE” sees producers Jabari Manwa, Romil Hemnani, and Kiko Merley returning to their SATURATION era tendencies, arranging ricocheting plucks and buoyant 808s under a series of rapid-fire verses from each member. 

“ST. PERCY,” easily the hardest & most chaotic song on the tracklist, features extremely confident verses from each member featured. Rappers Matt Champion & Dom McClennon flow effortlessly over a super distorted bassline, while Bearface, who typically croons over the more melodic elements of a beat, lands one of his most charismatic verses yet. Finally, Wood closes out the track with a charged, yelpy outro—one of his zaniest performances to date.

Now, aside from these tracks and a couple of mid-tempo cyphers, GINGER is an austere look into the group’s struggles with fame, self-acceptance, and the trust issues they’ve faced since their parting with Ameer Vann. Anything that wasn’t addressed on iridescence finds its way onto this record, and the entire runtime is extremely grounded in reality, as even the highs of the album have their dark sides (I didn’t even bring up the lyrics on “BOY BYE”).

Stream 'If You Pray Right': https://smarturl.it/IYPR Dir. Spencer Ford DP: Adrian Nieto Prod: Jack Fahey Production Design: Wyatt Webb & Nick Lenzini Wardrobe: Nick Lenzini & Weston Freas First AC: Jake Wolfert Grip: Jakob Longcob & Spencer Middleton Steadycam: Thomas Taugher Editor: Spencer Ford Color: Henock Sileshi Thank you to our cast & crew!

For example, “SUGAR” is every bit as sweet as its title would imply, as Ryan Beatty supplies one of the most contagious hooks on the album; however, it’s also a track littered with melancholy references to old memories and relationship insecurities. Beatty’s line “tell me what I’m waiting for” is reminiscent of Joba’s hook on the SATURATION cut “FACE”—a gloomy number in its own right—and Bearface’s refrain “So do you love me?” sounds more like a plea than casual reassuring question.. The track sounds more bittersweet than anything, but you’ll find yourself singing along nonetheless.

The title track strikes a similar chord in that it contains extremely catchy performances, yet also feels forlorn in its lonely synths and timid vocal melodies. Kevin Abstract’s hook references moving on from a crucial relationship with someone you once loved, but acknowledges the feeling of wanting them to have a place in your home despite the heartbreak. Champion delivers his most emotional verse on the project, lamenting “I don’t even love no more, I don’t even trust no more” over a sea of gentle background vocals.

Even more emotional, however, is the climactic track “DEARLY DEPARTED,” which sees four out of the six members of the group reflecting on their betrayal by former member Ameer Vann. Abstract settles into an off-kilter flow for an extremely poetic verse, and Joba’s wailing vocals on the chorus are sure to give most listeners chills, but the pivotal moment on the track stems from an outraged McLennon, who commands full attention in an intense account of the trauma Vann put the group through. It’s one of the many raw, cathartic moments on the album, as members seem to be casting their burdens out left and right. 

Tracks such as “BIG BOY” and “VICTOR ROBERTS” fall under this umbrella, the former featuring a standout verse from Joba, who delves into his experiences with toxic relationships, unstable mental health, and simply wanting to be better. His desperate cries for those around him to “Patch me up, and stitch it / make me better” are absolutely gut-wrenching, and his abandoned vocal delivery only stirs more emotion.

As I’ve mentioned numerous times, GINGER is a bleak, downbeat album that carries a similar tone to 2018’s iridescence; however, unlike its experimental predecessor, GINGER is littered with significant, catchy hooks and verses. While not much from iridescence stuck with me like the group’s earlier material, GINGER already has me singing along with the hooks and memorizing lines from verses across the record. Also, the minimalist instrumentals that riddle the project make it easy to latch onto the more subtle melodies and groovy rhythms. It feels as if the band is continuing on a more experimental and intimate path, but their songwriting abilities are returning to peak form as well. 

Stream 'Boy Bye': https://smarturl.it/xBB Dir. Spencer Ford Prod. Jon Nunes, Weston Freas & Kevin Doan DP: Ashlan Grey VFX: Kevin Doan Edit & Color: Henock Sileshi Grip: Jakob Longcob Wardrobe: Nick Lenzini & Weston Freas thank you to our cast & crew!

Additionally, this album brings the best out of members that had previously been underutilized or pushed to the back of the ensemble. Most notably, Bearface shines through on this record like never before; on almost every track here, his versatile vocal capabilities and irresistible refrains provide a serene contrast from the other member’s harder verses. Meanwhile, Matt Champion evolves as a rapper and performer, supplying multifaceted verses and entrancing hooks throughout the project.

Even the members that take more of a backseat on the record are still in peak condition. Merlyn still delivers energetic, hard-hitting verses in his trademark patois, and Joba still acts as the group’s wildcard, switching effortlessly between his gorgeous falsetto on some cuts and an intense spoken delivery on others. Dom is still pens lyrical verses in top condition, and Kevin’s hooks have returned to their former excellence

Overall, GINGER is a phenomenal effort from BROCKHAMPTON. The boyband manages to carry over the experimental tone and themes from iridescence and expand on them, all while fixing any misfires they may have had with that record. The songwriting is brilliant, and each member continues to bring out each other’s strengths; the entire record feels like a crucial statement that the group needed to make, and despite the somber presence that permeates the project, I only have hope that things will improve for the BROCKHAMPTON boys.

Favorite Tracks:

SUGAR (feat. Ryan Beatty)

DEARLY DEPARTED

GINGER

Rating: 9

Listen to GINGER here:

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Miami Tycoon Rick Ross Sticks to His Guns on the Ostentatious “Port of Miami 2”

By Owen Tait

Whether you consider yourself an avid fan or not, chances are, if you’ve paid even the slightest attention to the hip-hop scene over the past fifteen years or so, you’ve heard the name Rick Ross tossed around on multiple occasions. The Carol City mogul has been an entrepreneur in the music industry for at least the past decade, founding his label Maybach Music in the final months of the 2000s. Since then, he has collaborated with everyone from Kanye West to Skrillex, and has recently performed guest verses on songs from rising stars and industry frontrunners alike (Denzel Curry and Drake, respectively). Needless to say, he’s a man of many connections.

While I hadn’t listened to his 2017 record Better You Than Me upon its initial release, I went back to see if I could summarize the album’s sound in a few thoughts. Overall, the project contained heavy influences from jazz music, featuring opulent brass instruments, loose percussion, and flashy piano riffs throughout the album’s runtime. Ross’s signature 3-to-8-count flow was prevalent throughout, and the album’s themes ranged from the luxuries of fame to Ross’s stature in Miami’s criminal underground. To describe it in one word, Better You Than Me was ostentatious, and I expected nothing less going into his most recent release.

Considering that Port of Miami 2 released a whole thirteen years after the original, I wondered whether the sequel would be a throwback to Ross’s beginnings in the mid-2000s or progress towards more modern hip-hop trends. In an odd twist of events, the album gave me neither. 

Released under Epic Records and Maybach Music, the long-awaited sequel delivers 15 tracks and 66 minutes of what I would essentially consider to be more of the same from Ross’s previous releases. While this doesn’t necessarily hinder the record’s quality in itself—Ross’s past efforts have been more successful with critics than not—it stops the project from being anything more than “just another Rick Ross album.” As there are many things that work in the album’s favor, there are just as many things that work against it, all of which would be easier to explain upon analyzing the project’s flaws individually.

Luckily, the album kicks off on a high note with the rambunctious anthem “Act a Fool,” which features chopped-up synths, monstrous 808s, and a welcome feature from labelmate Wale. Ross’s confidence shines through on this track better than any other on the record, and while he reserves himself to using the same flow for a majority of the track, his assertive delivery ensures that his bars about general grandeur still pack a massive punch.

The following track “Turnpike Ike” is less admirable, as it features a handful of unbearably painful interludes where an unnamed woman is asked by Ross to remind the listeners of just how rich he is. The dialogue is stilted and completely distracted me from what would’ve otherwise been a mediocre song to begin with—not to mention that the entire concept of said interludes felt outdated and tacky.

In fact, coming off as outdated or tacky is one of the biggest struggles that Port of Miami 2 faces. Many of the sung hooks on the album fall completely flat, whether it’s due to awkward writing or melodies that feel cheap or uncalculated. 

For example, the hook sung by Sam Harvey on “Bogus Charms” has a nice sentiment to it, but the lyrics are extremely generic, and the lone piano/falsetto combination sounds as if it was ripped directly from a rejected Charlie Puth demo. Drake’s verse on the closing track “Gold Roses” is phenomenal, featuring some of his most intricate wordplay since his 2018 single “Diplomatic Immunity;” however, his hook has very little structure in regards to flow, and the tune he sings is an utterly pathetic excuse for a melody. Immensely talented vocalists like Summer Walker, Teyana Taylor, and John Legend also make guest appearances, but the songwriting gives them very little to do. 

The production across the record is also something I’m torn on. On one hand, the instrumentation is lush, monumental, and extravagant—such is the case on the flashy victory lap “BIG TYME,” which features cascading pianos and larger-than-life drum fills. On the other hand, it would’ve sounded better had this album dropped in the early 2010s. It may sound odd, but I feel that the production on most of these tracks would have fared better in another era of hip-hop music. This is especially reinforced by the fact that Ross hasn’t switched up his sound since his previous record; he doesn’t seem to be progressing forward in the same way that other rappers from his generation are.

I could go on about the record’s numerous issues, such as Ross’s famously repetitive flow (he always starts a line on the third beat of one measure and ends it on the fourth beat of the next) or the endless Maybach Music tags he forces into the production, but that would take away from the fact that this project contains some genuinely kickass moments. 

The track “Nobody’s Favorite” is one of the most menacing bits on the tracklist, and Ross sounds colder than ever as his detached inflections drift over sparse church bells and bare-bones percussion. He describes the Grim Reaper wearing a pair of black Dickies and stacking bodies, but as he does so, it’s not too difficult to imagine Ross himself as the Angel of Death. 

The track “Born To Kill” carries the album’s sound into spacier territory: sleek, layered synths build on top of one another as Ross paints a portrait of himself as a crime lord in Miami’s narcotics underground. He’s a cold-blooded figure fueled by adrenaline and notoriety, backed by bars such as “Kilo in the mornin’, skip the cappuccino / Bomb under my car like I was Al Pacino.” Ross also manages to get trap pioneer Jeezy on the cut, and the Carolina veteran delivers a verse full of cheeky quotables in his signature Southern style. 

Ross switches up the pace on “I Still Pray,” an introspective cut that was inspired by the sudden heart attack he suffered in the spring of 2018. On the track, he laments about his own personal greed, the projects of Miami, and those he has lost over the years. It’s an intriguing contrast from the rest of the record’s subject matter, and it sheds a little more vulnerability on Ross than most would expect from him. Ball Greezy delivers one of the better hooks on the project (even if it contradicts the message presented in Ross’s verse), and YFN Lucci steps up with some interesting vocals in his verse.

All in all, Port of Miami 2 is a mixed bag. It certainly has some highlights and a few standout tracks, but your enjoyment of the project as a whole will likely be linked to how much you’ve enjoyed Ross’s work in the past. As someone who has found Ross’s past features entertaining—albeit a bit one-note—I have a similar opinion of this project, and I’m left mostly impartial to it. It’s not terrible by any means, but Ross’s lack of progression from his past records means that there isn’t much here that contributes to the future of luxury rap. Hopefully, Ross will recognize this and step up his game to leave a greater legacy for Miami hip-hop.

Favorite Tracks:

Nobody’s Favorite (feat. Gunplay)

Born To Kill (feat. Jeezy)

I Still Pray (feat. YFN Lucci & Ball Greezy)

Rating: 6

Listen to Port Of Miami 2 here:

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Rich Brian’s Unique Journey to Stardom Becomes His Greatest Strength on His Fascinating New Release, “The Sailor”

By Owen Tait

Indonesian rapper Brian Immanuel, more commonly known as Rich Brian, possesses a success story that is unique to say the least. The young sensation grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia, and, as he mentions a few times on his latest record, was home-schooled his entire childhood. In his teenage years, he became very active on social media, taking a strong interest in YouTube and rap music; astonishingly, he used these platforms to teach himself English.

Brian first made waves in 2016 with the release of his first single “Dat $tick,” which went viral on YouTube in the following months, raking in millions of views. The track, which featured monstrous 808 drums, droning plucks, and a deep, monotone vocal performance from Brian himself, was clearly influenced by trap and Chicago drill music. His following singles “Who Dat Be” and “Seventeen” only solidified this sound, and his 2018 debut Amen ventured further into trap territory, boasting nocturnal bangers such as “Chaos” and “Occupied,” as well as features from Offset and fellow 88rising signee Joji. After the release of Amen, which received generally positive reviews, Brian stepped away from recording music (apart from the handful of verses he contributed to the 88rising collaborative project Head in the Clouds).

As someone who has followed Brian’s artistic growth since the days he donned a less graceful name, even I wasn’t ready for the stunning single/music video combination he dropped in late June. “Yellow,” featuring production and additional vocals from New York producer Bēkon, was a haunting, cinematic journey into Rich Brian’s battles with self-doubt, relevancy, and most importantly, the implicit bias many people may hold against his music due to his Indonesian ethnicity. 

The track’s paranoia-consumed hook featured beautiful harmonies sung by Brian himself, a talent that he hadn’t so much as teased in his past efforts. Even more baffling was the fact that he sang his way through the majority of one of his verses as well. Drill and mainstream trap influences from Brian’s early career were replaced with lush soundscapes of elaborate pianos and sweeping strings. A second single titled “Kids” premiered a week prior to the album’s release—I skipped over it as to not spoil too much from the album.

This brings us to the release date. 12 tracks. 44 minutes on the dot. The Sailor was released under 88rising, and the majority of the album’s production was handled by Bēkon, the same producer behind “Yellow.” 

The project wastes no time getting started with the title track. The muffled vocals in the track’s intro quickly break into a chopped sample backed by a boom-bap beat. Brian destroys a cypher-style verse that introduces a plethora of new subjects on his agenda, including a line that references his year-long hiatus: “I haven't dropped a thing in months, so what does that make me?” The song then breaks into an anecdote where Rich Brian relays a fictional encounter with a philosophical young girl. It’s an intriguing story, but it reeks of “BLOOD,” the opening track off of Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. 

Luckily, Brian quickly shakes off his transparent influences with “Rapapapa,” a lowkey banger that would fit nicely into any kickback playlist. The hook is playful, and the verses are littered with cheeky bars about Brian’s sexual exploits. The RZA feature that takes up the last leg of the track is phenomenal, as it discusses the importance of cultural identity and perseverance. However, due to the rest of the song’s laid back nature, I feel that this piece would’ve been more impactful if placed at the end of a deeper cut such as “Yellow” or the title track.

“Kids” is a triumphant victory lap about success and believing in yourself. Above vibrant horns and a stadium-caliber boom-bap beat lies Brian’s most electrifying rap performance on the entire album; his flows are precise, every line is captivating, and the bar where he mentions having a “whole country of people proud” is undeniably badass.

“Drive Safe,” a serene ballad about wishing for more time with the people you love, is easily the most heartfelt moment on the project. Brian’s singing and lyrics are at their most vulnerable, and the gentle guitar that accompanies his vocals is heart-warming. Furthermore, the strings that saturate the back end of the track are absolutely stunning.

While some of the songs that permeate the middle of the record leave much to be desired (namely “Confetti” and “Vacant”), the tracklist picks back up with “100 Degrees,” a sudden detour into pop-rap, as well as an easy contender for feel-good song of the summer. Typically, a song this blatantly radio-friendly would get on my nerves, but given that you can physically hear the joy in Brian’s voice on the hook, his genuine happiness becomes contagious. It’s super fun, and it’s super catchy. 

“Curious,” the penultimate song on the record, is certainly a bold moment, as it sees Brian taking a four-minute slot to simply reflect on his life over a lone ukulele and some strings. No hook. Minimal percussion. Against all odds, it works—mainly due to Brian’s candid stream of consciousness from topic to topic. He addresses missing his family, his childhood, his social life, struggling with stardom, and even the habits he had to let go of along the way. The song manages to fulfill the criteria of a character study and a cohesive recollection of Brian’s personal history all in one go, and it made me realize something very special about the project as a whole:

If anything, The Sailor is genuine. Rich Brian’s honesty about adjusting to life & fame in the United States is his greatest strength on this album, and it’s part of the reason it's so satisfying to listen to. He certainly has social confidence (as stated on numerous tracks here), but he also admits to dealing with many insecurities about his importance, how others view him, and living in a new country, topics that many people can relate to. When he raps about inspiring people back home, it isn’t shallow or patronizing. Brian genuinely wants people to be able to do what he has done; “Everyone can make it, don't matter where you from” is only the beginning of his message.

The album does have a few faults, but none of them are consistent enough to drastically affect the album’s quality. A couple of the hooks are lackluster or awkwardly placed into the song structure, such is the case on the aforementioned “Vacant.” There are also a few cringe-worthy bars here and there, but nothing horrible enough to make you pause a track in disbelief. Bēkon’s production on the album is quality across the board, as he creates more extravagant and complex sounds than those present on Brian’s previous outings. The sudden beat switches on “No Worries” and “Slow Down Turbo” had me jumping out of my seat in exhilaration, while the more elegant cuts such as “Where Does The Time Go” would be the perfect backdrop for a breathtaking fireworks show, not to mention that Joji’s soft vocals are a beautiful finish to the album.

Overall, The Sailor is a welcome maturation of Rich Brian’s sound, and his story of success from across the sea is one that I’ll continue to root for. As of now, he’s in clear waters, and if he stays on this course, I can only imagine how much better his work will become.

Favorite Tracks:

Kids

Drive Safe

100 Degrees

Rating: 8

Listen to The Sailor here:

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