Link to read my collaborative event review of Injury Reserve, Armand Hammer & AKAI SOLO at RadioUTD.com! (ca. 5/30/22)
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Though not exactly a hint of the tone or production of the record to come, opener “private island” does preview what the listener should expect in terms of the uninteresting lyrics and even more uninteresting beats on this album. The track attempts to take a spin on some of Young Thug’s vibes on Beautiful Thugger Girls (because what else does Gunna know better than biting Young Thug?), with one lighthearted guitar section that grows old even with the song’s 2-minute run time. Gunna takes a stab at provoking deeper thought here as well by reflecting on how far he’s made it, but fails to tackle the concept as he returns to his typically insipid bars. Lyrics such as “I used to sell narcotics” become even more ridiculous, however, in the context of Gunna’s “beef” with Freddie Gibbs, incited by Freddie’s posting of Gunna being a rat for snitching on the show Crime Stoppers. “private island” is a good representation of the uninspired, stereotypical trap rap ahead on DS4EVER.
“pushin P” manages to be slightly interesting, gathering a few alliterations throughout the track. Again, though, the instrumental and Gunna’s vocals are bland, with Future’s delivery and Young Thug’s foul imagery of “I just fucked a cup of water” being the few beneficial qualities of the track. Again, Young Thug steals the show on “mop,” with the best parts of the song having nothing at all to do with Gunna. It takes four tracks for the production to not put me to sleep, as the beat here returns to the ordinary. The record takes another step up with “thought i was playing,” where Gunna links with 21 Savage to finally deliver a memorable performance riding on a glimmering beat. The production finally reaches its potential, leaving a distinctive impression in a way that, sadly, is done nowhere else on the record. Kodak Black makes a surprisingly welcome appearance on “how you did that;” this performance, along with the one on Roddy Ricch’s recent album, makes me wonder if I’m coming around to Kodak. He’s two for two in his last couple of appearances for me. The beat selection is okay here, but once again nothing to write home about. “alotta cake” sort of bites off of Gunna’s own sound on WUNNA (see “COOLER THAN A BITCH”), failing to stand out from this previous sound. There’s a pair of bars on this song about Biggie Smalls that made me think of Biggie’s reference to a Richard Pryor joke: Gunna raps “Bitch call me daddy-o / Feel like Biggie, I’m going back to Cali-o.” This just shows another example of the missed opportunity of DS4EVER, however, as this isn’t referenced in any way. A sort of interesting instrumental direction is taken on “livin wild,” with what sounds to be a soul sample pasted on the beat. Unfortunately, some of Gunna’s corniest and worst bars on the album make it on to this cut: “I’m tryna stack it like layers and keep it extra cheesy;” “Codeine all in your colon, you got that shit and squeeze;” “Judging me for trying the whippets…” The next track “you & me” does give a necessary change of pace though, deriving inspiration from artists like Ty Dolla $ign and PARTYNEXTDOOR. We also get a great performance of an artist I’ve never heard before, named Chloé. However, there’s yet another “unfortunately” thrown into the works here: the song builds up steam but ends too soon. It’s not saying much exactly, but we get Gunna’s most memorable performance on “south to west,” where he allows the listener to feed off of his energy while riding the beat. You can feel Gunna’s hunger here through his flow and delivery, something that doesn’t crop up anywhere else on the project. Another thing that works in the track’s favor is that the beat goes hard, harder than any other on the record. I’m soon let down by “25k jacket” and “idk that bitch,” which return the album to second-rate trap raps and beats. The next cut “flooded” is trash, but in a “Way 2 Sexy” kind of way; it is dumb, but it goes dumb too. That being said, I do enjoy it more than I should. We get another R&B-paced cut similar to “you & me” on “die alone,” where Gunna teams up with Chris Brown and Yung Bleu. This one’s just okay, not good. I can understand this though, as this direction is something Gunna isn’t too experienced in; I can appreciate this on an artistic evolution and exploration level, as he finally branches out to something different from his norm; it’s an admirable endeavor. Gunna picks up the pace a bit on “missing me,” where the lyrics level up to an introspective standard worth listening to. Speaking on something relatable to many, Gunna captures something concrete, expressing ideas of not feeling appreciated and being in denial. The proclaimed “biggest moment of Freddie Gibbs’ career” comes on “poochie gown,” where Gunna drops two bars referencing the rapper and then forgets about him for the entire project. Aside from the absurdity of the tweet Gunna sent, what made him think that these two lines would do anything at all to impact the career of Freddie Gibbs? I mean, the tweet did more for both of them than this weak reference ever would. I guess this goes to show how much impact Gunna thinks “disses” have. Aside from this, the track itself is more of the same uneventful trap Gunna gives out on the rest of the album. I personally have no problem with generally vapid lyrics; I’m a huge Playboi Carti fan, and he has some of the most unintelligible and meaningless lyrics of any trap rapper (save for some exceptions). Where it becomes a problem is when no personal unique spice or twist is thrown on the scheme, tone, or delivery of the words. Gunna also manages to overuse this type of rap, failing to deviate from what he always does. All in all, Gunna fails to capitalize off of the momentum from WUNNA, instead reverting to boring music. SUMMARY: Gunna expels another forgettable project in DS4EVER, a record that manages to devolve back to the unattractively vapid raps and stale production of his music before WUNNA. RiYL: Lil Baby, Young Thug, Migos Recommended tracks: “south to west,” “thought i was playing”
A bit of a step down from 2020’s Angelic Hoodrat, this “supercut” version loses some of the voracity and vitality that appealed to me in its predecessor. Nonetheless, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut delivers on its promise of painting a picture of the struggles of coming up in the trenches; this record provides several Kenny Mason moments that have me excited for the next steps in his career.
Hailing from Atlanta, Kenny has made sure to never pull punches when it comes to discussing his origins and representing his hometown. This is seen in a highlight cut from the record “Pup,” where the hook sees Kenny proclaim “Shawty wanna rock with a n**** from the three, three,” meaning Atlanta’s zone 3. With the way Kenny rides the almost 8-bit crunch sounding beat, the grit in this track is substantial. The rapper’s love for dogs is perhaps no more apparent than on this track as well, with the title along with many of the lyrics referencing canines. I especially love the entrance of the guitar in this track, with the way it kicks in the door over the chorus. My favorite moment on the project comes in the form of “Play Ball,” where compact drum sections clash with hard guitar chords. This cut is both an allusion to playing fetch with dogs and questioning whether an opp is up to Kenny’s standards of living, as he asks “Do you really want to play ball?” The track reminds me of “PTSD,” a cut from his previous record, in that “Play Ball” demonstrates the confidence (and perhaps even cockiness) delivered on this prior song. More hometown shoutouts come with “43,” the starter for the record. The chorus here demonstrates that Kenny doesn’t need to yell to create hype on a track; the winding cadence and perfect timing of the drum kick complete the assignment before Kenny actually begins to yell halfway into his verse, a welcome delivery. Some of the best bars and rhyme schemes on the project are seen on “Rih” (“Thinking we ain’t eating, gotta say, even for KD / That’s a stretch, making it seem like it’s eight feet, but this shit really ain’t deep”). Also, the spine-chilling chorus chant of “Ain’t scared of hell no more, we already here” simultaneously frightens and provokes me. The production here is somewhat bland in consideration with the rest of Kenny’s beat selections, but still does the job. A more fun tone comes with the Denzel Curry-featuring “A+,” a bouncy-rhythm song that is likely the most accessible on the album. Kenny flexes his strength in writing once again with the chorus here, where he reflects on the normalization of quick lifespans in the hood. Denzel Curry’s appearance here is amazing, as is the standard for his features; dipping into several pockets and flows in his verse, Curry references the passing of his close friend XXXTENTACION in building off of Kenny’s lyrical themes. A soulful approach is taken on “Much Money,” where Freddie Gibbs battles Kenny for the best verse on the track. The slightly menacing vocal sample comes from The Mystics’ “I Really Do,” which, when I listen back to the moment that is sampled, has me questioning “Damn, how does a human ear pick up on things like that?” “Titan” and “Breathe Again” bring back some of the more slow-paced, introspective cuts that we received a taste of with tracks like “Handles” and “Pretty Thoughts” on Angelic Hoodrat. Though “Titan” is a good track given Kenny’s lyrics detailing his desire to succeed, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table that these previous tracks hadn’t. The record takes a bit of a turn downhill after this track, as “Breathe Again” comes off messy and demo-ish. In the following “Partments,” Kenny describes his love and support for his friends. Another slower contemplative cut, this is the most I’ve seen that Kenny has dedicated to this sound. Perhaps this has more to do with tracklist sequencing, since the album is already coming off of two more down-tempo songs, but this track never clicked or stuck with me in any way. Similarly, “Fasho” failed to make an impression on me due to lazy songwriting and uneventful production. A saving grace comes with the penultimate song, “4ever.” Oddly, this one reminds me of King Krule’s “Theme for the Cross” due to the ethereal vanishing synths to open up the track and included throughout. Kenny’s drowned out but emotional vocals and the stuttering drum pattern here play well with this, making for what could have been a great emotional closer for the record. The lyrics here describe exactly how much Kenny Mason desires to strive and triumph in rap, singing “I want this shit forever and now.” The awkward “Storm” sadly ends the record on a sour note; some of the more annoying cadences crop up here, especially in the end of Kenny’s verse. The production leaves quite a bit to be desired from this finisher as well, as it’s not a tone that represents or summarizes the sound of the record at all. Despite these shortcomings, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut does occasionally manage to invigorate me in the same way the previous project did. If this album is to be taken as more of a mixtape or B-sides to Angelic Hoodrat, I would understand some of the odd decisions made on this record. All in all, this record contains nearly as many misses as hits. SUMMARY: With slightly worse production and songwriting than his 2020 record, Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut only sporadically provides moments that can stand in comparison to his prior album. This project makes the most sense as a group of tracks that were cut from the original work. RiYL: Paris Texas, redveil, Injury Reserve Recommended tracks: “Play Ball,” “Much Money,” “Pup”
Roddy Ricch broke through to the mainstream hip-hop scene in late 2019, when the record shattering track “The Box” took hold of every radio station, aux cord, and meme well into 2020. In addition to this, the project that featured the song, the aptly titled Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, charted at #1 on the Billboard 200. As one of my favorite trap records of the year, the project served as a great introduction to Roddy, exciting by virtue of Roddy’s unique vocal deliveries and the energy supplied in his music. The undeniable impact of “The Box” left many fans wondering how Roddy would top this, given how rapid his ascent to fame was due to the track. Now, nearly two years to the day since Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, Roddy Ricch announced the forthcoming release of a new album, LIVE LIFE FAST. Sadly, this project fails to adequately address the thematic promises of its premise, leaving much to be desired in several aspects come the end of the record.
Examples of this are pinpointed throughout the first leg of the record. Following the project’s self-titled prelude “llf,” opener “thailand” gives a taste of both what I appreciate about the project and what I feel it is deficient in. Potent in its catchiness and lyrical flash, the cut lacks a certain punch in terms of production and its ability to communicate the theme or message of the album prompted by “llf.” In “llf,” Roddy describes the nature of fast living and how one’s lifestyle will catch up to them eventually. Although some could argue that “thailand” is the “before” image, prior to these consequences of living life fast, there is no foreboding notion or sense of future accountability given by the track. This is further exemplified by the fact that we never hear Roddy explain these “consequences” or that he’s even experienced them. Moments at which Roddy attempts to confront these themes are in “crash the party” and “more than a trend.” “crash the party” is beaming with good ideas and inspiration, but falls short of its potential in terms of execution for me. Aside from its hurried feel, Roddy doesn’t prompt deeper thought or stimulation as to the types of problems he faces. Similarly, “more than a trend” takes another stab at a soulful and emotional tone, but again falls flat due to its brevity and lack of impact. One place where the project consistently shines is in the use of features to back specific tracks. Although Roddy’s vocals come off a bit lazy in “all good” due to the overly vapid and basic lyrics, we do get an excellent verse from Future, who sounds as if he was made to float on this type of beat; this makes more sense in the context of Future’s 2020 project High Off Life, which has production very similar to that of “all good.” Likewise, “hibachi” fails to impress aside from the feature appearances from Kodak Black and 21 Savage. Kodak surprised me here with his verse; though his nasally delivery and typically deplorable lyrics are almost always an immediate turn off, he sounds great on this track due to the choral effect on his voice and how well the verse fits the beat. Though Kodak’s verse is good here, it’s 21 Savage that steals the show; like Future on “all good,” 21 Savage sounds destined to rap over “hibachi,” executing his verse sounding as hungry as ever. “paid my dues” has the best production up to this point in the record, with the slight synth runs spiraling upwards through the track. This time, the feature honor goes to Migos member Takeoff, who murders the chorus. Speaking on the trust issues he has both with his accountant and with women, his tone matches the eerie timbre of these synth runs layed down. We see similar cases with Fivio Foreign on “murda one” and Gunna on “don’t i.” “murda one” sees Roddy rapping over a classic Brooklyn drill beat, which is likely a homage to the late great Pop Smoke. Though it stagnates a bit with Roddy’s vocals on the track, Fivio Foreign does his part justice, continuing his hot streak from his appearances on Kanye West’s Donda. Slick melodies and deliveries throughout “man made,” along with beautiful piano chords and drum patterns, help make the track among the few all-around decent tracks on the record. The track also has some of the better lyrics on the project; I especially enjoyed the line where Roddy says he works from “Monday to Monday.” We get a Drake-inspired take in “everything you need,” which is another prominently beautiful cut. Production wise, the song is perfect; with the sped-up soul sample and piano chords harmonizing with the sample, this one’s hard not to love. Although the lyrics in the chorus are passable at best, it’s easy to overlook due to the rest of the spectacular elements of the track: Roddy’s melody over the entire song, the sample, and the subtle ambient synths setting the mood for the song. Following this, we get “moved to miami.” This track starts out as an unexpected jazz excursion, smoothly transitioning into a bustling trap song. The introduction doesn’t even feel out of place, despite the fact that nothing like it is heard at any other point on the album; it’s the one time where I look at my phone and go “Damn, that’s a Roddy Ricch song?,” in a good way of course. Lil Baby is in his bag with his verse on the back end, amusing listeners by finding several rhymes with “Roddy Ricch.” Roddy seals off a great three-track run with standout banger “don’t i.” On this cut, Roddy employs a take on a typical Gunna flow with the way he rides the beat. Though this will undoubtedly come off as “biting” to some, I see it more as paying respect; besides, Roddy’s crooning vocal delivery is unique enough to get away with it. Gunna follows Roddy’s lead, giving a flavorful follow up to Roddy’s chorus. There are also a few takes that either entirely or almost entirely hit wide of the mark, however. “rollercoastin” strikes lows that are, thankfully, seen nowhere else on the record. The awful chorus feels far longer than it is, with Roddy dragging his voice over the floor at an unbearably sluggish pace. Likely one of the worst songs I’ve heard all year, it’s a wonder how this track didn’t come off as utterly annoying to everyone on the executive production board that had ears. The track is marred by an equally-as-bad instrumental, which reminds me of the ASMR-inducing “lost souls” on Baby Keem’s newest album. Though I was still relatively excited to hear new music from Roddy, the lead single from LIVE LIFE FAST, “late at night,” failed to excite me in any way for the project. In order to spot bad writing and lazy, derivative production, look no further than this track. Another anomale from my point of view, this track debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 and still receives quite a bit of radio play 6 months after its release. I guess this is an echoed sentiment of his similar 2019 track “High Fashion,” which I was never particularly a fan of either. The somewhat mild closer “25 million” isn’t necessarily a bad track, but fails to positively stand out in any notable aspect. Roddy Ricch is outshined time and time again by his contemporaries on LIVE LIFE FAST, indicating that many of the things that are enjoyable about this project don’t have anything to do with Roddy at all. Very few tracks stand out as great all around, with most individual cuts usually missing one or two things that would vastly improve the track (harder hitting beats in “thailand” and “no way,” more focused thematic concepts in “crash the party” and “more than a trend”). The largest challenge posed to the record is the absence of the direct and visceral moments seen on Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial. Even on the tracks I consider good or great (“moved to miami”, “paid my dues”), faint remnants of this same quality haunt the song. Moving forward, Roddy will need more of a thematic focus and better beat selection, tailored to fitting more of his own style. SUMMARY: Largely lacking in impactful songwriting and hard-hitting production, LIVE LIFE FAST sees Roddy Ricch fade between one of the few unique voices in hip-hop and commonplace trap rapper. RiYL: Young Thug, Gunna, Polo G, Lil Durk Recommended tracks: “everything you need,” “don’t i,” “man made”
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AuthorEnrique Cardenas III Archives
November 2021
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