Future & Lil Uzi Vert - Pluto x Baby Pluto Reaction/Review

In today's video, Miles and Spencer listen to Featuring Pluto x Baby Pluto for the first time and give their initial reactions

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Sin, Salvation, and Sacrilege: Jesus Is King Album Review

By Carter Fife

Photo from shoot with GQ

Yeezy season is upon us once again, as last Friday Kanye West finally released his greatly-anticipated ninth solo studio album, Jesus is King. After numerous delays, tracklist changes, leaks, and radio silence from the Chicago rapper, the album finally hit streaming services to mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. 

Initially announced as YANDHI in the Fall of 2018, West’s newest record has gone through a multitude of extreme changes since its earliest inception. When YANDHI failed to release after several missed release dates in September and November, it seemed as if the album was scrapped entirely for reasons outside of fans’ control. In January of 2019, West began arranging exclusive events called ‘Sunday Service’, which featured a mix of church music, sermons, and acoustic gospel interpolations of tracks spanning the past fifteen years of West’s discography. Every Sunday, West would invite a small handful of Hollywood’s elite to witness a relaxed performance by him and an ever-growing choir directed by James White, until he brought the event to Coachella in April. Dressed in faded earth tones and accompanied by artists like DMX, Kid Cudi, and Ty Dolla $ign, Kanye performed at Coachella on top of a large grassy mountain that invoked themes of nature and grace (like YANDHI).

In the months that followed, YANDHI in its entirety leaked online in various forums that made users participate in a “group-buy”, a process that would lead to the well-known leaks of songs like “New Body” and “The Storm”. Despite this, in September West tweeted a new tracklist and a new release date for his ninth album, which had been renamed to Jesus is King. After another failed release date, radio silence and Sunday Service events in New York, Chicago, Detroit, Salt Lake City, and even Kingston Jamaica, Kanye West reappeared to finally release the album coinciding with the release of his newest IMAX film Jesus is King: A Kanye West Film at the end of October. 

Jesus is King clocks in at just-over 27 minutes across the record’s eleven tracks, and features what many outlets are describing as the most dramatic Kanye change yet. While Kanye West has always been a very religion-oriented rapper, this is his first record that is absent of profanity. While some argue that this is the next step in the rapper’s career, it seems much more likely that this album is simply reactive to the past 1-2 years of Kanye’s life. Between West’s mental illness diagnosis and increased presence in “church”, Jesus is King is a love-letter to the force that West attributes his ‘saving’ to: God. In interviews with Zane Lowe and Big Boy, West notes constantly about how he feels like he has been a slave to hip-hop culture, and this record is a catharsis from the person he was a year ago, attending the Pornhub awards and rapping with Lil Pump about sex on the track “I Love It”. Today, West stands liberated from the culture that he has been consistently redefining for the entirety of his career, though whether or not Jesus is King will withstand the test of time is yet to be seen.

The album begins with “Every Hour” featuring the Sunday Service choir. While the track is a beautiful gospel arrangement with bright and powerful piano melodies, it seems to begin out of nowhere, abruptly beginning the album by dropping us into the middle of church. This is a small complaint however, as the track is enjoyable while it’s on, though the chance it will see play at the next party you attend is probably unlikely. The track precedes “Selah”, an ambient and cinematic track with ominous pad harmonies and West both rapping and citing Bible verses. The citations paired with West’s line “If you woke don’t wake up” may roll eyes, but this track has a very strong emotional register that persists throughout the album as a whole. There is a religious message here that wasn’t present on the version of Selah that leaked online weeks prior, one that is almost critical of the fans and culture that he perceives as limiting to his own growth. 

Though there is a seed of truth in this observation, West is trying to send a well-intentioned personal message using a comically poor universal metaphor of religion. This is not the first time he has fallen victim to putting his foot in his mouth like this, as he has been guilty of this exact sentiment numerous times whether it arises from supporting a poor political candidate in order to preach tolerance, or by drawing parallels between the behavioral limitations of the status quo and *actual* slavery. It is important in these instances that we go beyond the initial shock of these poorly phrased statements in order to extract a deeper message for several reasons, most notably to gain some insight inside West’s commentary that the media may not provide. 

Next on the record is “Follow God”, a formulaic Kanye West banger that synthesizes soul samples and hip-hop percussion. West criticizes his relationship to hip-hop culture with the lines “Only ever seeing me / Only when they needed me ... Searching for a deity / Now you wanna see a freak”, and in doing so provides an interesting look at what it is like to be the person that has been the centerpiece of hip-hop for over a decade. Though this may seem like an exaggeration to the listener, it forces a kind of mindfulness into the relationship between consumer and artist, as the song title perhaps mirrors West’s desire for the consumer to follow God instead of a celebrity. There are a few glaring shortcomings with this track: the tone and delivery of West’s rapping does not deviate too much throughout the track, and the mixing seems to be fairly poor as the 808s and kicks get drowned out by the soul sample. Despite this, “Follow God” is an energetic and fun track that features West doing what he does best.

Very few tracks on the record have received criticism like “Closed On Sunday”, a beautifully composed track whose Achilles heel is found in the pseudo-humorous lyricism. The fated chorus “Closed on Sunday / You my Chick Fil-A” attracted a huge amount of attention during the public listening events held before the album’s release, and though many reduce the song to that one irony, there is something about this track that reads as entirely new. While it could be the dramatic aural profile bestowed upon the song by its haunting gospel choirs, acoustic guitar, and synthesizers, it could also simply be the Jezebel and Chick Fil-A references in tandem. Though West is almost certainly being tongue-in-cheek with this one, it is strange to hear “No more living for the culture / We nobody’s slave” in one moment, and “You my number one / With the lemonade” together. The impressive production features guest efforts from legend Timbaland, and the track ends as quickly as it began with A$AP Bari yelling “Chick Fil-A!”.

The fifth track on Jesus is King is “On God”, a futuristic and sleek track produced by none other than Pi’erre Bourne. The song features rapid arpeggiated synths and chiptune melodies existing in harmony alongside sparse percussion and West’s rapping, as he begins the track by rapping "‘How you get so much favor on your side?’ / ‘Accept Him as your Lord and Savior’ I replied”. The track is a fairly straightforward, and though West’s verses feature clever one liners, like “Follow God” the flow rarely features any variation.

“Everything We Need” follows, featuring Ant Clemons, Ty Dolla $ign, and even production from Ronny J. Though the track was leaked long ago as “The Storm” which also featured a verse from the late XXXTentacion, this version feels much more coherent. West has an additional verse, the lyrics seem much more consistent, and though Kanye’s vocals come off as a little rough, the track is much more consonant with the theme of Jesus is King. 

The following track, “Water” featuring Ant Clemons, was first debuted at Coachella, and though many fans were worried, it managed to make the final cut of the record. Ant Clemons’ vocals sound amazing, the instrumental and gospel harmonies are beautiful, and the track’s unique vintage feel gives Jesus is King some much-needed variety. For whatever reason, it seems like West and camp decided to squeeze in a new verse last-minute which sits on the track unmixed, poorly written, and monotonous on an otherwise powerful emotional track. West’s begging to Jesus for strength and wealth makes their relationship seem much more toxic and overly dependent, and stands at odds with the message of their mutualistic relationship that is found in so many other moments on the record. Though this new verse is as unwelcome as it is confusing, a CDQ version “Water” was worth the wait.

“God Is” is a bouncy and upbeat track laden with Pharrell-esque 808s and heavy choir usage. There is not too much to note about this song, as West’s line “I know Christ is the fountain that fills my cup” encapsulates the entire theme of praise on this three and a half minute performance. While enjoyable, “God Is” feels like filler because there is not too much on this track that is not able to be found elsewhere, and the timbre of West’s vocals feels rough and poorly-executed. “Hands On” featuring Fred Hammond and Francis and the Lights is similar in this respect because though the track helps provide a window into West’s mind, it does little more than highlight West’s messiah/victim complex. The track features vocoder vocals and lurching synth melodies, both of which serve to convey a dejected and menacing emotional tone. Neither of these two tracks take away from the record, but neither of them contribute too much to Jesus is King either. 

The penultimate track “Use This Gospel” is one of the highlights of the album for many. The song is a handful of random elements: Kanye sings about God on the hook, Clipse reunites with both Pusha T and No Malice delivering great verses, Kenny G has his own saxophone solo, and the instrumental even samples a car chime sound with West’s classic transposed vocoder-esque vocals along with it. Despite this, the track actually comes together pretty well, though the weak link is definitely West’s unmixed hook about gospel music. This track initially leaked as “Chakras / Law of Attraction”, and featured a much stronger hook by Ty Dolla $ign. Though Clipse did not appear on that earlier YANDHI demo, West did have an erratic and hype verse where he yells about “Grand Theft Auto, Grand Theft Auto! / We in the game, we in the game!... / Money ain’t real! / Time aint real!”. Though some prefer the older version, the updated vocals during No Malice’s verse were beautiful and the additional drums on the closing moments of the track gave the song a much more enjoyable feel to it. 

The album ends with “Jesus is Lord”, a brass heavy track where Kanye sings about Jesus and how he is lord. At under a minute, it ends quickly, and Jesus is King is over. 

Many of the complaints of this album stem from it feeling ‘unfinished’ (an intentionally vague term that I hate to use), but there is truth to this judgement. Some of the verses are unmixed, and feature weak writing full of religious platitudes and moments that feel dissonant with the album’s coherent message. It seems obvious that this record went through a strong period of rushing to get it finished on time, and because of that many fans are left unsatisfied wishing that they had received YANDHI, and tracks like the leaked “New Body” (featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Nicki Minaj) instead. While those criticisms are all valid, it seems apparent as well that many of the negative judgements surrounding this album exist in the realm of comparison and hypotheticals. It does not take a Kanye West apologist to stand back and appreciate the album for what it is, as many of the tracks on this album are still largely enjoyable despite having glaring flaws. Overall, this record marks what could be a strong turning point in Kanye’s career, and though this album will likely receive mixing updates (it has already received one, mere days after its release), many tracks still stand strong and leave many optimistic for what Kanye has in store for the future.

Favorite Tracks:

On God

Everything We Need (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Ant Clemons)

Water (Feat. Ant Clemons)

Rating: 7

Listen to Jesus Is King here:

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RJMrLA Stays True to His West Coast Roots on His New Album “On God”

By Spencer Lobdell

Since 2013, RJMrLA has been on the fringe of the LA rap scene that birthed artists like Kendrick Lamar, YG, Nipsey Hussle, and many many others. The Los Angeles spitter has flirted with stardom multiple times without ever being able to smash through the wall of mediocracy to capture a smash hit. Due to his reputation in LA, his personal relationships with artists like Mustard, Ty Dolla $ign, and YG, and his innate ability to rap, RJMrLA has maintained relevance in Los Angeles for years. With a string of impressive singles, 2019 is starting to look like the year RJ might finally break out of The City Of Angels and infect the rest of the country with his cool SoCal swagger.

Stream "Apartment": https://EMPIRE.lnk.to/ApartmentYo Official Video by RJmrLA - Apartment (Official Video) © 2019 OMMIO LLC / EMPIRE

The rollout for RJ’s new album On God began in early June with the single “Apartment”, his first release since his 2017 Mustard collab, The Ghetto. Two weeks later he followed up the release with his smooth single “Rat Race”. With his momentum at an all-time high, the LA artist dropped the Young Thug assisted single “Time” which was received warmly and secured some major playlist placements. 

On August 9th, 2019, RJMrLA independently released his album On God. The 20-track album runs for just under an hour and boasts features from Young Thug, ScHoolboy Q, Snoop Dogg, Rich The Kid, and many other A-List artists.

The album opens with an anecdote from RJ where he explains that the phrase “On God” can basically be defined as a step up from the truth. After the first 20 seconds of this album it’s obvious that unquestionable authenticity is a clear theme that RJ wants to portray on this new album. The LA rapper introduces himself on the intro (which hosts the same name as the album) by giving new fans a glimpse into his life and his personal philosophy.

“On One” is the third song on the album and is undeniably smooth and entertaining. The hook is infectious and gives us our first look at RJ’s dangerously contagious defiance as he continuously repeats “I jumped out the bed on one.” ScHoolboy Q continues his hot streak on this track providing us with an excellent collab that I had no idea I even wanted.

No momentum from “On One” is lost as the album quickly flows into the lead single, “Time”, which features Young Thug. “Time” fits perfectly into RJ’s discography with a DJ Swish instrumental that screams West Coast and one of his classic melodic hooks. The chorus in this song is equal parts motivational and honest as RJ raps about how he has no time to waste because he is a visionary, hard worker, and a man of action. This lack of time isn’t all good though, as he lets it be known that it hinders his relationship with his family even though they are the ones he’s working for. I couldn’t help but think of Jamie (Ghost) St. Patrick from Star’s TV show Power when listening to this conflicting hook.

The sixth song on the project is called “Rat Race” and was the second pre-release from On God. “Rat Race” is one of the slickest songs I’ve heard in 2019 and is soaked in suave swagger. This song could make me feel like a big baller when I have eleven dollars in my bank account and that’s all you can ever ask of a track.

The next six songs are all good, but seem to blend together. There are clever quotables scattered throughout all six tracks but at the end of the day, I find them ultimately forgettable.

The album picks back up with one of it’s strongest tracks, “No Face, No Case”. RJ snaps on the first verse and showcases some of the best rapping we’ve ever heard from him. The song is a badass story about RJ hitting licks and getting away with them. There is something so satisfying about hearing the west coast rapper yell at agents over the phone and tell them to “call my laywerrrrrr.”

One of the albums greatest strengths is it’s genius sequencing and the transition from “No Face, No Case” to “Randel Cunningham” is one of the best examples. Where “No Face, No Case” is about hitting the lick and getting away with it, “Randel Cunningham” is about the rest of his years ducking cops and how his criminal record only adds to his ability to pull girls. While I think Rich The Kid sounds somewhat out of place on On God, he delivers a solid verse and I wouldn’t be surprised if his presence on this track grows on me.

“Randel Cunningham” is followed by every weekend’s anthem “Friday Night”. Ty Dolla $ign pulls through for excellent feature (like always) and makes cut this undeniably fun and sexy. 

The album concludes with the inspirational “Growing”. The track features a soothing lo-fi sax that was present on the song that preceded it. On “Growing” RJMrLA reminds us that there is nothing as rewarding as being able to point to clear examples of personal growth and self improvement. I get chills when RJ repeats “I’m slowly reaching the heights that these niggas expected from me” on the hook. It’s a common misconception to believe that popping rappers got lucky with a catchy hit and are now living lives of luxury. Fans often forget that emcees like RJ have been honing their craft in the rap game for nearly ten years, fully expecting to receive the acclaim that they know they deserve. “Growing” is a refreshing perspective and an excellent outro.

RJmrLA Freestyle with Bootleg Kev & DJ Hed STAY CONNECTED!!! ► Listen Live: https://real923la.iheart.com/listen ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/REAL923LA/ ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/real923la ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/real923la/

It’s clear that On God is far from RJMrLA’s first rodeo. He masterfully crafted this album with a clear message and used intentional sequencing and storytelling to hit the mark. Every track perfectly flows into the next making On God flow better than almost any other album I’ve heard this year. Along with the excellent flow of the project, every song is sonically similar leading to the creation of a mini-universe inside this project that can only be described as RJ’s LA. The entire album definitely falls into a common mood making this the perfect album to loop in your car during a day of errands or a relaxed night out.

While the cohesion of this project makes it an incredibly smooth listen, it also puts a ceiling atop the album’s potential. RJ’s lack of deviations and risks makes this album incredibly safe thus eliminating any chance of this being a classic record for anyone. With this being said, I think RJ’s decision to keep the entire album in one mood was a good creative choice and added more than it took away from On God.

Although his name might not carry the same weight as some of his heavy-hitting peers like YG and Ty Dolla $ign, RJMrLA is an essential piece to the Los Angeles rap renaissance and On God is potentially his best work to date. The project is unified, entertaining, groovy, and substance-rich. RJ’s pen game is as sharp as ever giving us many memorable verses and quotable bars. Mr. LA gets the best out of all of his high-level features leaving us with some bangers that hopefully outlive the summer. On God is a very good album and should be bumped by everyone whether or not you reside in The Golden State.

Favorite Tracks:

On One (Feat. ScHoolboy Q)

Time (Feat. Young Thug)

Rat Race

Rating: 7.5

Listen to On God here:

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Ybn Cordae Paints a Self-Portrait on His Cohesive Debut Album “The Lost Boy”

The 21-year-old rapper was called “The Chosen One” and “Savior of Rap” before his debut album was even announced. Now The Lost Boy has finally arrived with hopes of validating the lofty claims.

By Spencer Lobdell

North Carolina rapper YBN Cordae has been making waves ever since he burst onto the scene in May of 2018 when he remixed J. Cole “1985”. His song, titled “Old Niggas”, responded to the veteran spitter by defending his generation of artists while simultaneously showing that his style aligned more with the emcees he was confronting rather than those he was defending.

Cordae impressed us next upon the release of his group collaborative mixtape YBN: The Mixtape. While the groups most famous rapper was the “Rubbing Off The Paint” sensation, YBN Nahmir, the mixtape rebranded the group as a three-headed-monster with Cordae leading the charge. Solo cuts like “Target”, “Alaska”, and “Kung Fu” assured us that Cordae would last for more than fifteen minutes and increased excitement for a solo project.

Cordae’s name continued to rise as he killed one radio freestyle after another, was placed on XXL’s 2019 freshman list, and received cosigns and guest appearances from industry giants like Dr. Dre, J. Cole, Anderson .Paak, and many others. Last April, to the excitement of his fans, the young rapper took to Twitter to announce his debut album as well as a summer tour that would take place prior to the albums releasee. As Cordae’s buzz got larger, so did the expectations for The Lost Boy. Excellent performances at the BET awards and on Jimmy Fallon was the cherry on top and left the entire rap community wondering a common question: “Can YBN Cordae deliver?”

Last Friday, July 26th, the young emcee finally dropped his debut album The Lost Boy. The tape has fifteen songs and runs for 45 minutes. The album was released under Atlantic Records and boasts impressive features from Chance The Rapper, Anderson .Paak, Pusha T, and Meek Mill.

The album opens with the smooth “Wintertime” which sets the tone for what to expect on The Lost Boy: clever bars, impressive flows, reflective lyrics, and soulful sampled instrumentals.

The second song on The Lost Boy is the first single Cordae released off the album, “Have Mercy”. On the upbeat bop, Cordae flexes a plethora of different flows and some of the cleverest bars we’ve heard this year (“Why cry over spilled milk if you still feel I’m the real deal?
/My bitch bad with no ill-will ‘cause she’ll murk a nigga like Kill Bill
/Loose lips sink ships, Cam’ron pink drip, that is my fashion/
I’m not really with the high flashin’, it’s no helpin’ with my braggin’”). This song also seems to act as the thesis for this album. Cordae can feel that his stock is rising and he is going to be very successful, he’s just praying he’s going about it the right way.

Don’t get fooled by the title of the third song, “Sweet Lawd - Skit” is far more than a skit. The one-minute “Have Mercy” gospel reprise is a perfect way to transition from the upbeat hit back to the soothing relaxed rap that is present on the majority of the project.

Cordae wears his influences on his sleeve with Chance The Rapper being one of the most obvious. This is why “Bad Idea” which features Chance feels so at home on this album. The instrumental is simple with a laid-back piano and some nice vocal harmonies leaving plenty of room for Cordae and Chance to spit some sunny Sunday raps. Chance steals the show with his excellent acid-rap reminiscent second verse.

Chance The Rapper’s influence on The Lost Boy might only be overshadowed by an apparent Kanye West influence that makes itself known on the fifth cut “Thanksgiving”. The song sounds like it could’ve made one of Ye’s first two albums and Cordae is so descriptive that you feel like you’re sitting at the table with YBN asking auntie Cordae to pass the honey baked ham.

The sixth track “RNP” is easily one of the most fun moments on the album. Anderson .Paak brings joy everywhere he goes with his iconic voice and infectious vocal inflections and ad-libs. Both emcees sound amazing over the wide-open instrumental crafted by J. Cole and the back and forth on the second verse is undeniably entertaining.

Cordae turns the heat up to 100 for the seventh song “Broke As Fuck”. The North Carolina rapper opens up and speaks on his hardest days, such as the day his grandma died, the day his cousin was shot, and every day in between when he had no money. The announcement that his frequently aforementioned grandma died at 62 is shocking and hard to stomach after hearing how much she meant to Cordae on “Thanksgiving”. The first two minutes of the song showcases Cordae’s impressive flow and lyrics over a high-energy beat. After two-minutes of in-your-face energy, the beat calms down and the song dives into a melancholy interlude that then transitions into a soulful sampled instrumental that is more in-line with the rest of the album. Cordae reminiscing on listening to “No Problems” in the first verse doesn't only speak to the obvious Chance influence but also reminds us of the articulate emcee’s young age.

“Thousand Words” follows and dives into the topic of social media and its pros and cons. Naming a anti-social media song “Thousand Words” is the exact kind of clever song concepts that I was hoping for when I hit play on The Lost Boy. Cordae makes some convincing points about social media and will have most listeners rethinking how they use Instagram.

On “Way Back Home” Cordae showcases his versatility by introducing us to his smooth singing voice that is an excellent contrast to his classic style of rapping. Everything about this song is relaxing and is the kind of track I’d blast when I’m in desperate need of some de-stressing. Ty Dolla $ign pulls up for the second voice and adds to the chill energy of the ninth track.

One of the most impressive things about The Lost Boy is how Cordae was able to get the absolute best out of an elite group of features. While every single A-List emcee Cordae called upon answered and came with heat, Pusha T just might outshine all the other bright lights on this album. His second verse about his come up is laced with classic cocaine bars he’s become known for and drenched in his patented King Push swagger. Both rappers pull back the curtain on the origin of their rap career and how they developed over their younger years rapping.

Cordae spins Kanye West’s “Family Matters” for the following track with the same name and it gets personal. Cordae’s pain is palpable and you can hear how hard it is for him except the fact that these tragic family conflicts and issues are still occurring even though he is now a popping rapper chasing his dreams. 

The second to last song “We Gon Make It” features Meek Mill and is the most powerful song on the album. Meek delivers with a catchy hook and an excellent verse while validating the song's message of social reform and hope simply by rapping on it. From Cordae’s first bar (“I know how it feels in the late night/swimming with the great whites”) his tone and lyrics hold a certain weight and importance to them which is an early sign of greatness. While almost always extremely humble, Cordae isn’t oblivious to his potential greatness either. On the third verse, Cordae says he’s “Savior of this rap shit, the leader of the renaissance” and at this point in the album, it’s hard to argue with him.

YBN Cordae has finally arrived. The Lost Boy is reflective and polished and exactly the kind of debut the young emcee needed to promise longevity in the rap game. While the entire album is strong, the back half is exceptional making The Lost Boy an extremely captivating listen that only gets better over the course of the 45-minute run time.

Cordae is so impressive because even when his intention for a song is streams and radio play (Have Mercy, Broke As Fuck, etc.) he refuses to compromise his message. Every song is substance-rich and Cordae never raps without meaning behind his bars. Whether it’s asking God to lead him on the right path and referencing Mike Tyson as a symbol of resiliency on the radio-friendly “Have Mercy” or telling the most vivid and heartbreaking stories on the rap-caviar-ready “Broke As Fuck”, Cordae refuses to rap without purpose.

Another serious strength of The Lost Boy is its undeniable cohesion. The project flows beautifully and Cordae sticks to themes of coming of age, the importance of family, and a passion for rapping throughout the entire album. While the instrumentals all deviate greatly in tempo and tone, they all seem to co-exist in the same universe and have specific traits that marry them together. Keeping a narrow lens on a specific thesis throughout an entire album is an art form that is all but lost in 2019, so to hear Cordae execute this feat precisely is just another reason to buy in and ante up on the young rapper.

YBN Cordae’s debut album didn’t come without faults such as the occasional corny bar, but the bad was far overshadowed by the good. One could complain that Cordae is too obvious about his musical influences but I don’t think this is the case. Sonically, he is as Chicago as it gets and totes a heavy Chance/Kanye influence but when this mixes with his North Carolina memories and slight southern drawl it makes for a unique style that I find refreshing and unique from his contemporaries and influences. All-in-all, The Lost Boy is smoothly polished, delivered tastefully, and packed with substance making it one of the stronger releases of 2019. Wherever Cordae chooses to go next, I will happily follow.

Favorite tracks:

RNP (Feat. Anderson .Paak)

Way Back Home (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)

We Gon Make It (Feat. Meek Mill)

Rating: 8

Listen to The Lost Boy here:

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Yg Tells a Story with His New Tribute Album “4REAL 4REAL”

By Miles Hagan

Some artists are in a lane of their own completely. They make music for a certain group of people and if you like it that's great, but if you don’t, thats cool because it wasn't for you anyways. This is the exact situation YG has been in since he stepped foot in the rap industry. He is as LA as it get and it comes through in his music. He honors the old G Funks sounds of California that have existed for years and reps his red flag unapologetically receiving love from many for it. He has proved that he can deliver hits for years and with the releases of My Krazy Life back in 2014 and Still Brazy in 2016 he showed that he could also make quality albums. Since then he has been trying to regain the momentum he had coming off those two projects, but it has proved to be difficult. 2018’s STAY DANGEROUS had anthems like “TOO COCKY” and “BIG BANK”, but the body of work as a whole was largely seen as a disappointment. YG will always have a loyal fan base and respect at least on the west coast, but 4REAL 4REAL is bigger than him. The album was released in memory of Nipsey Hussle whose untimely passing took a toll on many especially YG. The two had grown very close, and because of the YG made sure that his project touched on him and all that he did for the community he loved so much.

The most difficult part of the album for me as a listener was getting past the first song. “Hard Bottoms & White Socks” is one of the better tracks YG has put out in recent memory. There is sort of cut throat yet calm approach to the track that really allows YG’s storytelling ability to shine. The beat is very minimal and and the piano in the background sounds beautiful. These more thoughtful moments on the album prove to be the highlights of the project. As mentioned before this album was dedicated to Nipsey Hussle, so 4REAL 4REAL really give YG an opportunity to be more personal than he has ever been. Though he is still able to deliver incredible club bangers like “Bottle Service” and “I Was on the Block”, he lets know what going behind his braggadocios exterior. The aforementioned “I Was on the Block” shows YG teaming up with two of the more unique voices in the industry right now in Valee and Boogie. He takes this as an opportunity to get more adventurous with his flow and it works to benefit.

Something that should be noted about 4REAL 4REAL is that songs are rarely ever bad completely, but they do at times falter near the middle or just become boring at a certain point. An example of this would be the track “Go Loko”, which was released before the album came out. The Spanish guitar sounds incredible and YG and Tyga each deliver solid verses, but the track drags on for too long and the Jon Z verse isn't necessary. YG could have really taken this project as a chance to create a great concept album that not only paid tribute to the legacy of Nipsey Hussle, but also that was just an accurate depiction of what actually happens day to day in Los Angeles. A song like “Her Story” is a good example of what the whole album could have sounded like. The song shows Day Sulan discussing the struggles of a young girl living in the streets. The production is vintage with a modern twist and makes the listener feel like they are watching a movie unfold in front of them. Tracks like this are scattered throughout the album and are what give it a lot of character, but they are far from the norm. A song like “Do Not Disturb”, aside from Kamaiyah great contributions, sounds like a track YG might have done two years ago and his rapping seems almost uninspired. This is the same thing that track like “In the Dark” also suffers from. YG is still the same gangster he used to be, but now it just seems like he might have more to say and he is holding himself back.

4REAL 4REAL is an album with a lot of potential. YG is smarter than a lot of people give him credit for, and he should start showing his intelligence more in his music. When he takes the time to tell a story or paint a picture he is able to to do it vividly and with genuine emotion. There were times while listening when I really felt like I was getting a glimpse into what YG’s true inner thought and feeling were and it is what kept me interested. That is why when he deviates away from this he almost feels out of place on his own track. Whether it is the fact that he may have used a similar beat before or that he has talked about stripper hoes and money for so many years, the simple reason that these tracks won't connect like others do is that YG has matured. He hasn't lost his spark or energy, instead he is just now better when he is focused on more pressing topics. Nothing hits harder on 4REAL 4REAL than when YG talks about Nipsey. The pain, admiration, and love can all be felt at the same time and those moments are what leave me wanting more of that emotion on more songs from him. Though not his best work, the west coast legend came through with a few great songs that will echo down the streets of LA till the end of the summer and beyond.

Favorite Tracks:

Hard Bottoms & White Socks

Bottle Service

Do Yo Dance (Feat. Kamaiyah, RJ, Mitch, & Ty Dolla $ign)

Rating: 7

Listen to 4REAL 4REAL here:

4REAL 4REAL, an album by YG on Spotify

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Songs of the Week: March 24th

By Spencer Lobdell

Welcome to “Songs of the Week” a weekly segment where I highlight three of the best new songs released the week prior along with one throwback song of the week. To stay up to date on all new music, follow my Spotify playlist “What I’m Feeling” which is updated weekly to always include the freshest new music. Always 30 songs, hottest always at the top. Stream it here:

A playlist updated weekly with whatever new songs I'm feeling at the time. Always 30 songs and in order with what I'm feeling the most at the top.

New Songs of the Week:

“CAPO” by NLE Choppa

CAPO, a song by NLE Choppa on Spotify

At the beginning of the year the world was introduced to 16 year old NLE Choppa when his high energy underground hit “Shotta Flow” broke onto the charts. The Memphis rapper is back this week with a cut even more exciting than his breakout hit. On “CAPO” Choppa once again shows his ability to lock into an instrumental and snap on verses but this time it’s his menacing hook that steals the show. This is the best song we’ve heard from the promising young artist only adding to the already existing excitement surrounding his name.

“Ran down in the street, man, this nigga tried to play me

I hit one in the head but his gun was on safety

They askin’ how I been, what I been feelin’ lately

I got good aim in the pocket like I’m Brady”

— NLE Choppa "CAPO"

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“WOAH” BY RICH THE KID (FEAT. MIGUEL & TY DOLLA $IGN)

Woah (feat. Miguel & Ty Dolla $ign), a song by Rich The Kid, Miguel, Ty Dolla $ign on Spotify

This week Rich the Kid dropped The World Is Yours 2. While Rich sticks to his tested formula for most of the album, the occasional detour into a more experimental direction lead to the best moments on the album. This is the case with the slower, wavy cut “Woah” which is the best song on the album. Everything about this song is pure bliss from Miguels beautiful harmonies on the chorus to Rich’s tasteful and entertaining first verse. This song can fit many different vibes giving it serious potential when it comes to sales. Regardless of how it sells, I don’t see this song leaving my constant rotation any time soon.

“She got that woah

She got that drip slow

She got that I might pull up on her buy a Range Rove”

— Rich The Kid "Woah"

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“Jailbreak the Tesla” by Injury Reserve (Feat. Amine)

Jailbreak the Tesla (feat. Aminé), a song by Injury Reserve, Aminé on Spotify

This week, critically acclaimed rap trio Injury Reserved teamed up with Amine for their second release this year. “Jailbreak the Tesla” is a grinding cut anchored by a futuristic instrumental filled with high-tech sound effects. Injury Reserve and Amine go bar for bar throughout the song rapping about their cars and connecting it to when everyone was obsessed with jailbreaking their apple products. It appears an album is on the near horizon for Injury Reserve which is always a reason for excitement.

“Had the iPod Touch with the Redsn0w
Cydia, but you could pirate all the apps though
They would have security cams by the back doors
Nigga, this was Limewire on crack, though”

— Richie With a T "Jailbreak the Tesla"

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Throwback song of the week:

“M.F.T.R” by Pusha T (Feat. The Dream)

M.F.T.R., a song by Pusha T, The-Dream on Spotify

In 2015 Pusha T released King Push, a perfect precursor for his masterpiece that was Daytona. The third track on the album “M.F.T.R” stands for “More Famous Than Rich” and showcases King Push coming for the throat of all clout chasers in the industry. Pusha has always made a point of his authenticity and “M.F.T.R” is one of the best examples. The Dream assists on the song and sings an epic hook that sits perfectly on top of the polished instrumental. “M.F.T.R” is a sleeper in Pusha T’s excellent discography and a personal favorite.

“King Push is synonymous with kingpin
Chess moves on your checkerboard, king him”

— Pusha T "M.F.T.R"

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Check back in next week for three new hot songs and one new throwback! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to get updated when we post:

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