End of June 2018 Write-Up

June 2018 may go down as one of the greatest, most eventful months in hip-hop history.  We got new albums from Kanye West and Drake.  G.O.O.D. Music saw five straight releases.  XXXTentacion was shot and killed, which shook the hip-hop world.  Pusha T and Drake had beef.  Needless to say, this was the most entertaining month of the year.  Today, I'm gonna rank all 10 albums I listened to as well as my 10 favorite songs of the month.  By the way, any albums that have either gotten better or worse with further listening will have a revised score to ease the confusion of albums that may have lower scores and are ranked higher than albums with higher scores.

Albums

10) Jay Rock - Redemption

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/reveiw-jay-rock-redemption.html

Score: 5/10

Revised Score: 3/10

Man, was this album disappointing.  The fact that Jay Rock was trying to go for mainstream appeal wasn't what made this album bad.  It was the fact that he wasn't being subtle and that it seemed like he wasn't having fun with it.  "King's Dead," one of my favorite tracks on the Black Panther Soundtrack, was stripped of everything that was enjoyable.  Even the good tracks have no replayability value.  It's not even close to the worst album of 2018 but is certainly the worst in a month where we got good, quality albums.

Singles

King's Dead - feat. Future [Not as good as the original]

WIN [Not great but phenomenal in comparison to the trap songs here]

The Bloodiest [An actually great single]

Best Tracks

ES Tales

OSOM - feat. J. Cole

Broke +-

Worst Track

Tap Out - feat. Jeremih

9) The Carters - EVERYTHING IS LOVE

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-carters-beyonce-x-jay-z.html

Score: 4/10

I don't hate this album because it still has some redeemable aspects, but a Beyonce and Jay-Z album has the potential to be way better than this.  Most of the album was very forgettable and aggressively average.  The only times this album shined was on the Pharrell-produced tracks (Apeshit, Nice).  Another reason why I wasn't a fan of this album was that I felt like the tracks weren't shared evenly between the two.  It's especially disappointing when you look at how great their last albums were.

Best Tracks

APESHIT

NICE - feat. Pharrell Williams

FRIENDS

Worst Track

HEARD ABOUT US

8) Kanye West - ye

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-kanye-west-ye.html

Score: 3/10

Revised Score: 5/10

There were many mistakes I made in my initial review and opinions that are different now.  I didn't like this album on my first listen and I still think this is Kanye's weakest record.  However, this isn't a terrible album.  As much of an inconsistent and rushed mess as this album is, I can appreciate that Kanye was trying to go for something different and go at a more personal angle.  The problem is that if Kanye actually took his time with this album, it would have been amazing.  This is the only one of these G.O.O.D. Music albums that should be longer than 7 tracks.

Best Tracks

Yikes

Ghost Town - feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR x Kid Cudi x 070 Shake

Violent Crimes - feat. 070 Shake x Ty Dolla $ign

Worst Track

All Mine - feat. Ant Clemons x Ty Dolla $ign

7) Wifisfuneral - Ethernet

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-wifisfuneral-ethernet.html

Score: 6/10

I didn't hate this album, but it just felt so average and could have been much better given previous efforts.  Releasing almost half the project as singles beforehand didn't really help either.  Wifi can rap, but he needs to pick better beats.  There weren't many replayable tracks and there weren't as many standouts as his previous project Boy Who Cried Wolf.

Singles

25 Lighters [is okay]

Genesis [pretty good]

Knots - feat. Jay Critch [it's decent]

LilSkiesFuneral - feat. Lil Skies [meh]

Juveniles - feat. YBN Nahmir [something different, which is always great]

Best Tracks

IMVU

Every Fucking Pill In the World - feat. UnoTheActivist

Connection

Worst Track

Don't Touch Me - feat. KEY

6) Freddie Gibbs - Freddie

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-freddie-gibbs-freddie.html

Score: 7/10

Revised Score: 6/10

This album was a short, fun listen.  However, the songs themselves aren't songs that I would consider anywhere near my favorites and songs that I don't see myself replaying for long.  I do love Freddie Gibbs' energy and I think his lyrics are above average.  I also liked the production from Kenny Beats throughout the album.  However, It's really not great or anywhere near Gibbs' best.

Best Tracks

Weight

Automatic

Death Row - feat. 03 Greedo

Set Set

Worst Track

2 Legit

5) Future (& Various Artists) - SUPERFLY (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-future-and-various-artists.html

Score: 7/10

This is basically a Future album but it doesn't feel like one.  That's not a bad thing because it does something different and executes it very well.  It felt like there was more soul being put into it.  It may not have as many standout tracks as Future's previous works but it's still an interesting listen that I would recommend to others.

Singles

Future feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR - No Shame [not good]

Future - Walk On Minks [Future and Zaytoven always produce heat together]

Khalid feat. H.E.R. - This Way [Always love hearing Khalid sing]

Future feat. Yung Bans - Bag [Love this song]

Best Tracks

Future feat. 21 Savage - What's Up With That

Future feat. Young Thug - Tie My Shoes

Miguel - R.A.N.

Worst Track

Future feat. Young Thug - Show My Chain Some Love

4) Teyana Taylor - K.T.S.E.

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-teyana-taylor-ktse.html

Score: 6/10

Revised Score: 7/10

I didn't have much to take away from my first listen, but it does get way better with further listens.  Teyana Taylor clearly pours her heart into the mic as she belts out every note on this album.  Her voice is a joy to listen to and it goes perfectly with Kanye's production.  I was wrong with it being nothing more than an above average R&B record.  It's one of the best R&B records of 2018.

Best Tracks

Hurry - feat. Kanye West

3Way - feat. Ty Dolla $ign

Rose In Harlem

Worst Track

WTP - feat. Mykki Blanco

3) Nas - NASIR

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-nas-nasir.html

Score: 9/10

Revised Score: 7 or 8/10

I don't like this album as much with further listening but that doesn't mean it's a bad or even average album.  It's a great album with some great messages.  Yes, Nas did lose a step when it comes to his lyrics and is now spreading anti-vaccination messages but this album still had some great tracks and some phenomenal Kanye production.  Also, "Cops Shot the Kid" is one of the most important tracks of this year.

Best Tracks

Cops Shot the Kid - feat. Kanye West

everything - feat. The-Dream x Kanye West

Simple Things

Worst Track

Not For Radio - feat. 070 Shake x Puff Daddy

2) Drake - Scorpion

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-drake-scorpion.html

Score: 8/10

I've been seeing a lot of criticism for this album and I get it.  It's pretty long and does have flaws.  However, I love this album.  It felt more consistent than Drake's previous two releases and felt more like it had a purpose.  Sure, the standout tracks on this album may not be as good as the standout tracks on Views and More Life, but those two albums have more low points.  It's one of my favorites this year.

Singles

God's Plan [Great song, very catchy]

I'm Upset [Mediocre]

Nice For What [Amazing]

Best Tracks

Nonstop

Emotionless

Talk Up - feat. Jay-Z

Summer Games

Jaded

Blue Tint

Worst Track

Ratchet Happy Birthday

1) Kids See Ghosts - KIDS SEE GHOSTS

My Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-kanye-west-x-kid-cudi-kids-see.html

Score: 8/10

Revised Score: Maybe a 9

This album is fantastic.  If I were to describe it, it's like a feeling.  Kanye West and Kid Cudi take us on a psychedelic trip into their minds and get personal over some stellar production.  This album is such a vibe all the way through.  This project has some of Kid Cudi's best rapping in years.  It's easily my favorite of the G.O.O.D. Music summer albums.

Best Tracks

Fire

4th Dimension - feat. Louis Prima

Reborn

Worst Track

Feel the Love - feat. Pusha T

Songs

10) Kids See Ghosts - Fire

I'm not a fan of Kid Cudi doing rock music.  If you haven't heard Speeding Bullet 2 Heaven, I'd suggest you keep it that way.  However, Kid Cudi meshes well with the production and performs one of his best verses on this project.  My favorite part was Cudi's hook, which should have been in the song more often.

9) Kanye West feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR x Kid Cudi x 070 Shake - Ghost Town

As hard as it was for me to get into this album, one of the tracks that I found myself liking more and more was this one.  I was a little iffy on this song at first but it ended up growing on me.  Kid Cudi's short chorus went from annoying to endearing.  070 Shake's outro went from long and tacky to surreal and beautiful.  One thing I haven't changed my opinion on is Kanye's singing, which is the best it ever sounded on this track.

8) 88rising feat. Joji x Rich Brian x AUGUST 08 x Higher Brothers - Midsummer Madness

This song is an absolute summer jam.  Rich Brian and AUGUST 08 provide great production and verses.  Joji belts out an incredible chorus and steals the show.  Higher Brothers also made a great contribution.  This song is heavily underrated as a "Song of the Summer" contender.

7) Mac Miller - Programs

It's unfortunate that this song dropped at the same time as Pusha T's diss track.  This is one of my favorite Mac Miller songs in a while.  On this song, Mac Miller raps over trap production, and what makes this song so great is that Mac doesn't sacrifice any of his qualities to go for a modern approach.

6) Nas - Simple Things

This song was an amazing way to close NASIR.  Kanye West and Mike Dean lay down a fantastic beat and Nas raps about being grateful for the little things in life.  It's not as powerful as "Cops Shot the Kid," but this track is just so wholesome that I can't help but love this more.

5) The Carters - APESHIT

I've explained at length why I love this track so much.  The production from Pharrell, the lavish aesthetic, Beyonce having fun with some triplet flows, and Jay spitting some heat are the elements that make this song so great,

4) Future feat. Yung Bans - Bag

This song is amazing.  The production is beautiful.  Yung Bans provides a catchy hook and delivers a solid verse.  He and Future have some great chemistry on this track.  Honestly, this is one of my favorite Future tracks in recent memory.

3) Drake - Nonstop

This was my favorite track on Scorpion.  No ID and Tay Keith provide one of the best beats Drake has ever rapped over.  The sample used for the hook is very hard and exciting.  Drake oozed confidence in his verses.  This is a certified banger and one of my favorite recent Drake tracks.

2) The Carters feat. Pharrell Williams - NICE

This was my favorite track on EVERYTHING IS LOVE.  Pharrell's production is incredible and he also provides a short, solid verse.  This was one of the few times I found Beyonce's rapping tolerable and Jay opened up with a great verse of his own.  The hook, which is sung by both Beyonce and Pharrell, is also amazing even with its simplicity.  Why didn't Pharrell just produce the whole album?

1) Kids See Ghosts - Reborn

This track is absolutely beautiful.  The song reminds me of one of my favorite Cudi tracks, "Pursuit of Happiness."  Kanye and Cudi both get personal in their verses and come to terms with themselves and find their inner peace.  This is the "Get Your Shit Together" anthem of 2018 and is by far the best track on any G.O.O.D. Music album this summer.

Well, that's a wrap for June.  To start July, I will be putting out my lists of the best and worst albums and songs halfway through the year.  I'll start it off with my Worst Songs list tomorrow.

REVIEW: Drake - Scorpion

Before we begin today's review, I would like to address the post schedule for next week.  I will not be doing a Single Reviews post this week.  However, I will be busy getting my half-year lists ready.  Here's what this week is looking like:

Today: Scorpion Review
Tomorrow (or possibly later tonight): End of June write-up
Sunday: 5 Worst Songs of 2018 (so far)
Monday: 5 Worst Albums of 2018 (so far)
Tuesday: 10 Best Albums of 2018 (so far)
Wednesday: 50 Best Songs of 2018 (so far)
Thursday: I'll listen to an older album (don't know which one)

And now, let's begin...

Scorpion is the tenth full-length project from Drake.  2018 was off to a great start and was shaping up to be his best year.  He took the world by storm with not one, but two chart-topping singles (God's Plan, Nice For What).  He put two rising artists on the map (BlocBoy JB, Lil Baby).  And then Pusha T happened.  His direct shots on the closer of his latest album Daytona (Infrared) made Drake tick.  He responded with "Duppy Freestyle," which was a good diss track, but little did Drake know, he fucked up big time.  Pusha T responded with "The Story of Adidon," a track which exposes Drake as not a perfect figure and reveals that he has a son we don't know about.  Drake didn't respond with another diss track but was still hard at work on his new album.  I've always been a huge fan of Drake.  He was one of the first hip-hop artists I discovered and has always provided music that I love, even on his weaker projects.  Even with Pusha T's diss, I was still looking forward to what he had in store for this album.  Since this album is two discs, I will be reviewing both parts individually.



Side A

Positives

The production on this album, like Drake's other albums, is phenomenal.  His go-tos, Noah "40" Shebib and Boi-1da, continue to provide great beats, along with some great production from No ID throughout.  The production also includes some great sampling, such as the use of "Emotions" by Mariah Carey on the song "Emotionless."  Drake's versatility and flows continue to shine throughout this part of the album as the harder side mixes melodies and raps quite nicely.  It feels more consistent and cohesive than his previous two albums.  Now, I don't consider Drake to be a lyrical rapper, but he provides some great quotables on his albums.  Here are some of my favorite lines from Side A:

"Yeah I'm light skinned, but I'm still a dark ni**a" - Verse 1 of "Nonstop"

"I know the truth is you won't love me until I'm gone" - Verse 1 of "Emotionless"

"I take this shit too serious, you ni**as my comic relief" - Verse 2 of "Sandra's Rose"

Negatives

The fact that "I'm Upset" made the album but "Diplomatic Immunity" didn't is just stupid.  I get that it's a better move for sales to put the more popular singles on, but the latter would have fit much better.  I also thought that this part of the album, as consistent as it is, was very samey in terms of flow.  It doesn't really bother me that much since the beats are at least different, but I still felt the need to point it out.  Also, when I say that Drake isn't a lyrical rapper despite having some good lines every now and again, it's because he sometimes provides some questionable/corny lines such as:

"I wanna thank God for workin' harder than Satan" - The lone verse of "Elevate"

"When I say that they cursin' me it ain't dirty words" - Verse 2 of "Sandra's Rose"

"Too many Walt Disney characters, mouses and goofs" - Verse 2 of "Is There More"

Features

Jay-Z (Talk Up) - Like usual, Jay-Z provides some interesting brag bars and delivers some solid flows.  The end of his verse is very interesting because he mentions the recent death of XXXTentacion:

"Y'all killed X, let Zimmerman live, streets is done"

Singles

1) God's Plan - Everyone and their mother has probably heard this song by now.  This song was and still is EVERYWHERE.  It broke streaming records.  It debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 11 weeks.  It's still in the Top 10 right now.  As of May, this song is 7 times Platinum.  As for the song itself, it's catchy as fuck and includes one of my favorite lines of 2018:

"She said 'Do you love me? I tell her, 'Only partly' / I only love my bed and my momma, I'm sorry"

The production is absolutely beautiful as well.  This song has been out for half a year, but I still listen to and love this song.  It's one of the best songs of 2018 by far.

2) I'm Upset - This song, on the other hand, is not great.  Sure, the beat is smooth, but Drake sounds bored and doesn't switch his flow at all.  It feels out of place on this album and is just aggressively mediocre.  In my opinion, this is Drake's worst song.  Again, why did this song make the tracklist and not "Diplomatic Immunity?"

Best Tracks

1) Nonstop - This song is an absolute fucking banger.  No ID and Tay Keith are both credited as producers which is such a weird combo considering the type of music they both make.  This shit still bangs though.  Just about everything is on point.  Drake's flow, confidence, the sample used in the hook, all make such a great song.

2) Emotionless - I love how the song title is the opposite of the song sampled ("Emotions" by Mariah Carey).  This song sounds like a combination of "Do Not Disturb" and "30 For 30 Freestyle."  On this song, Drake addresses Pusha's diss by admitting that the child mentioned is his child:

"I wasn't hidin' my kid from the world / I was hidin' the world from my kid"

It shows that Drake knows he took a huge loss and he is owning up to it and really makes us think about it from his perspective.

3) Talk Up (feat. Jay-Z) - TWhy and DJ Paul provide a nice beat on this track.  I love Drake's confidence in this track, but Jay steals the show with his feature.  As I mentioned before, the end of his verse mentions XXXTentacion's death and George Zimmerman.

Worst Track

There really isn't a single track on this album nearly as bad as I'm Upset, but I already mentioned at length why I hate that song.

Side B

Positives

The production continues to shine as 40, No ID, Noel Cadastre, and Boi-1da provide some more great instrumentals.  We also get more samples like the use of "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne in "In My Feelings" and the use of "Boss Ass Bitch" by Nicki Minaj in "That's How You Feel."  This is the softer side of the album, and his singing sounds amazing.  I also love the choruses and hooks throughout this part of the album.  Just like Side A, this part is very consistent and cohesive, maybe even more so.  While Side A was rapping with melodies mixed in, Side B is melodies with rapping mixed in.  I also really like this line from "Peak":

"People are only as tough as they phone allows them to be?"

Negatives

Although the melodic side is more consistent than Views and More Life, I felt like there weren't as many standouts as the melodic tracks on those albums.  However, I really liked how well this side of the album blended together without sounding the same.  I honestly like Side B more than Side A.

Features

1) Michael Jackson (Don't Matter to Me) - According to Genius, these were unreleased vocals and weren't sampled from another song.  His pre-chorus and chorus are amazing and a Drake/Michael Jackson collaboration is legendary.

2) Ty Dolla $ign (After Dark) - He provides some nice melodies in his verse and meshes with Drake very well.

3) Static Major (After Dark) - He provides some nice background vocals.

Singles

Nice For What - I like this song even more than "God's Plan."  This was the song that took "God's Plan" out of the #1 spot after all.  It's produced by 40 and Murda Beatz and samples "Ex-Factor" by Lauryn Hill.  As well as being catchy and infectious, it also has some messages about female empowerment.  While I feel like it's out of place in Side B, I still think this is a fantastic song.

Best Tracks

1) Summer Games - 40 and No ID provide a cool beat that sounds like a retro video game.  Drake's melodies sound infectious.  The chorus and outro sound beautiful.  The only flaw of this track is the second verse, but it doesn't drag down the quality too much.

2) Jaded - I love the production from Noel Cadastre and the background vocals from Ty Dolla $ign.  The chorus is the best part of the song as Drake continues to provide infectious melodies.

3) Blue Tint - I love how Drake's soft melodies play a foil to the hard production.  I also liked Future's contribution, which went uncredited.

Worst Track

Ratchet Happy Birthday - This song is unintentional comedy with its stupid lyrics like:

"I know you're soft like buttercups / Reese's, Reese's"

I died laughing at the part where Drake screams "IT'S YOUR BRRRRR," a line that is just so out of place.

Conclusion

I love this album.  Drake continues to provide solid rapping and singing and puts out yet another album of the year contender.

Side A Score: 7/10

Side B Score: 9/10

Final Score: 8/10

I'm gonna rank this album between Thank Me Later and Nothing Was the Same.  In other words, it's my fourth favorite Drake album.

That's the end of the review and I'll be back tomorrow (or maybe even tonight) with my end of June write-up.

REVISIT: Drake - More Life

Drake has one of the most polished careers of any artist.  Every project he has released has generated at least one hit.  Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Drake has dominated both hip-hop and pop music and has an incredibly broad appeal.  He can make just about any kind of music that anyone could enjoy.  In my opinion, Drake is the antithesis of the belief that by trying to appeal to everyone, you basically appeal to no one.  Whether it's rap, R&B, or pop, Drake can nail any type of sound.  I don't consider More Life to be my favorite Drake album by any means (I rated it as second worst when I ranked Drake's discography) but the day this project came out was one of my favorite days of 2017.  There was snow on the ground even though it was late March and the NCAA Basketball Tournament was in full swing.  I originally didn't anticipate this album releasing on Spotify when this album premiered on OVO Sound Radio because he put Views on there a couple weeks after its release date.  I had missed the premiere intentionally because I wasn't trying to hear the clean version first.  A few minutes after it ended, I saw the album on Drake's page.  I lowered the volume of my TV, turned on my Bluetooth speaker, and got ready to experience the album.  And then I began what would be a listening experience I would never forget.  There was a smorgasbord of sounds in play like rap, pop, dancehall, R&B, and grime.  It was some of the most fun I've had listening to an album in a while.  Because Scorpion is slated to release tomorrow, I decided to go back to this album.

Positives

Despite the lengthy tracklist and runtime (22 tracks, 81 minutes), there are so many different sounds and influences going on that keeps it interesting.  It isn't experimental, but it certainly is unique.  The production throughout this album is phenomenal.  I consider Drake's rapping to be one of the numerous elements that brought Views down, and the rap tracks on More Life are a step forward.  I consider the hip-hop tracks to be more memorable on this album than Views.  I also thought that some of Drake's best singing tracks were on this album like "Passionfruit" and "Blem."  I also thought he made pretty good use of the all-star features aside from Kanye.

Negatives

Having many sounds doesn't excuse the fact that this album is very long.  Like Views, More Life has no idea when to stop and gets carried away all for the precious streams.  It was fun to listen to all the way through the first time, but it really isn't meant to be ingested more than once.  While there were many R&B songs from Views that I love, I felt like the singing tracks on More Life seemed like a downgrade from the previous album.  Also, I hated that Drake called this album a "playlist."  I get why since there are many sounds present and that it's longer than a typical album, it's barely any different.  I feel like calling this a playlist seems pretentious and makes it out to be more than what it is.

Features

1) Giggs (No Long Talk/KMT) - He was terrible.  A lot of people hated the grime rappers on here, but the only one that I hated was Giggs.  "No Long Talk" is a bad song, to begin with, but his awful verse on "KMT" straight up ruined the song.  How can you compete with these unintentionally hilarious lines about perky breasts that are Christmas gift-wrapped and looking like turkeys or randomly shouting out Batman at the end (DA-NA-NA-DA-NA!).

2) Black Coffee (Get It Together) - His song was sampled and he is credited as a feature.  There were no lines from them.

3) Jorja Smith (Jorja Interlude/Get It Together) - I like her voice.  She made both of those tracks much better if we're being honest.

4) Sampha (4422) - His vocals sounded pretty good although I found that track to be pretty forgettable.

5) Skepta (Skepta Interlude) - I've been loving Skepta a lot recently based on his features on Playboi Carti's and A$AP Rocky's latest albums and almost forgot he had a track on here.  He killed it.

6) Quavo (Portland) - Before Quavo became known as "The Guy Who Will Do Any Verse or Hook As Long As He Gets a Paycheck," he had some fire hooks and verses.  "Portland" has one of my favorite Quavo hooks and verses ever.  I can't decide whether he or Travis had the better feature.  Speaking of which...

7) Travis Scott (Portland) - His contribution was amazing as well.  I don't know what it is but he had such great delivery on this verse that even the line "Out in Portland tryna get in her organs" gets me hyped up.

8) 2 Chainz (Sacrifices) - I have yet to hear a bad 2 Chainz feature.  He wasn't the best part of this track but he still killed it with his stellar flow.

9) Young Thug (Sacrifices/Ice Melts) - His verse on "Sacrifices" is probably the best Young Thug verse I've ever heard.  It sounded different.  He didn't go for the usual autotune crooning and used his regular voice instead.  It sounded beautiful.  His contribution on "Ice Melts" was obviously the weaker one but it's still a good song where Thugger shines.

10) Kanye West (Glow) - Good god, that track was so disappointing.  Kanye's singing had improved a lot in recent years, but it sounded obnoxious on this track.  He could do so much better.

11) PARTYNEXTDOOR (Since Way Back) - I usually love their songs together, but I wasn't feeling this one as much.  For some reason, I love the PND/Drake tracks on Party's albums more than on Drake's.

Singles

There were 3 singles with the More Life cover, but only one made the album.  It's a shame that "Sneakin" with 21 Savage didn't make the tracklist.  That one was great.

Fake Love - This song kind of feels like "Hotline Bling Part 2" because it sounds so similar, but I don't hate it.  I love Drake's melodies and as a Giants fan, I appreciated this line:

"Just when shit look out of reach / I reach back like one, three"

Best Tracks

This section was really hard because I liked so many tracks on this album.

1) Passionfruit - This song is absolutely beautiful.  The production on this track is trance-worthy.  It feels like I'm being taken to the beach (or a Hollister depending on the day).  Drake's melodies on this song are infectious.  I just wish the part where the guy says he's gonna "start this muthafuckin record over" wasn't on there.  This is, without a doubt, one of Drake's best R&B tracks.

2) Portland (feat. Quavo x Travis Scott) - An absolute banger.  I don't consider myself a fan of Murda Beatz's production, but this is one of my favorite beats from him.  I think the flutes and the trap drums and bass mix very well.  I love Drake's delivery on the first verse even though the way he started it was kind of corny.  Quavo's hook and verse are some of his best contributions ever and Travis killed it with his aggressive melodies.

3) Sacrifices (feat. 2 Chainz x Young Thug) - One of my favorite hooks from Drake.  2 Chainz and Young Thug spit some stellar verses, too.  Although it's five minutes long, the song is interesting enough that it goes by quickly and it doesn't feel long.

Worst Track

No Long Talk (feat. Giggs) - This song was just bad.  The beat is boring, Drake's hook and delivery sounded annoying, and Giggs was just as bad.  "Glow" was disappointing but it wasn't as bad as this song.

Conclusion

This isn't anywhere close to Drake's best album, but I enjoy it nonetheless.  However, my second full listen was not nearly as fun as the first.

This weekend will include my reviews of the latest music, including Scorpion.  Next weekend I will be making and posting my half-year-end lists.

XXL, GOOD Music, and More: A Triple Post

I didn't know what to do for my next rankings post.  I was stuck between ranking the 2018 XXL Freshman Class from worst to best and ranking every G.O.O.D. Music project that came out this summer.  I decided, why not both?  Also, I'll be making a seven-song compilation of the best tracks from these projects.

Part 1: Every Member of the 2018 XXL Freshman Class Ranked

9) Stefflon Don

Please don't call me a sexist for putting the lone female rapper at the bottom of this list.  I've heard many of her songs and her sound is just not for me.  Her music has more of a Jamaican dancehall influence.  I don't really enjoy most of that subsection of hip-hop, but I understand her appeal.  I do like a couple of her songs but out of all the artists in this list, she's the one I will go back to the least.

Favorite Songs

Real Ting

Favorite Guest Verse: MC Fioti - Bum Bum Tam Tam

8) BlocBoy JB

I like his music and his energy, but I would rather listen to all of the other artists on this list, other than Stefflon Don, than BlocBoy.  Even though I enjoyed SIMI, I will admit that most of the songs blended together and sounded the same.  I think he could use more variation in his beat selection, even though I do enjoy the beats from Tay Keith.  I don't hate him as much as most people do, but I enjoy the rest of this ranking more than him.

Favorite Songs

Look Alive

Nun of Dat

Rover 2.0

Mamacita

Favorite Guest Verse: A$AP Rocky - Bad Company

7) Lil Pump

He has improved a lot in 2018, but I enjoy everyone else a bit more than Pump.  His music is less repetitive, but also doesn't hit as hard.  His guest verses in 2018 have been on point, but we haven't heard much solo music from the Harvard Dropout other than "Esskeetit."  I'm looking forward to what he will do on The Harvard Dropout, which is slated to drop in July.  Also, his freestyle was a shitty acapella version of the second verse of "Esskeetit."  I wasn't expecting much for it but anything else would have been better.

Favorite Songs

Esskeetit

Smoke My Dope

Boss

Flex Like Ouu

Favorite Guest Verse: Tee Grizzley - Jettski Grizzley

6) Smokepurpp

Smokepurpp's music is the equivalent of junk food.  You know it's not great and you could benefit from something else, but you want to listen to Smokepurpp instead.  I enjoy a lot of what he has to offer, but he's not doing anything special.  In short, I don't think Smokepurpp is a great artist, but he isn't necessarily terrible either.  He's just okay.  However, I used to not like his melodic music that much, but I love it the more I listen to it.

Favorite Songs

Fingers Blue

Do Not Disturb

Krispy Kreme

To the Moon

Favorite Guest Verse: PnB Rock - 3X

5) YBN Nahmir

The only reason he's not any higher is that he doesn't have an official full-length project yet.  I also think his verses are pretty interchangeable and can be average at times.  However, I see a lot of potential in Nahmir.  I think he is better than plenty of SoundCloud rappers from a lyrical and flow standpoint.  He's also not just relying on the triplet flows like many new rappers today.  He has a unique personality, but his lyrics need to grow into more than just the life of a GTA character.

Favorite Songs

Rubbin Off the Paint

Bounce Out With That

Glizzy Hella Geekin

No Hook

Favorite Guest Verse: G-Eazy - 1942

4) Trippie Redd

When I listened to more of his music, I went from liking Trippie Redd to loving Trippie Redd.  Seriously, I don't know what it is about his raspy vocals that draw me in, but I find them to be really infectious.  There are so many songs I found across his two mixtapes that I just love.  I really wish that he'd stay out of trouble so he could build a bigger fanbase and generate more positive hype.

Favorite Songs

Dark Knight Dummo

Poles 1469

Bust Down

Today

Favorite Guest Verse: Lil Yachty - 66

3) Wifisfuneral

I wouldn't say that Wifisfuneral is amazing, but he is certainly a great artist.  I enjoy most of his music and his latest projects were very solid.  However, I find it very hard to find songs that stand out and there aren't too many songs that are replayable.  The reason why he is so high on this list is that I enjoy his flows and I think he is better lyrically than many of his South Florida peers.  I think he needs to pick better beats.

Favorite Songs

lil jeff hardy

Aw Shit

Grim Pt. 2

Every Fucking Pill In the World

Favorite Guest Verse: Ronny J - Snakes

2) J.I.D

From a lyrical standpoint, he is the best rapper on this list.  He hasn't put out too much music, but I do believe that XXL is just what he needs to gain the popularity and respect he deserves.  I think he is very talented and that he can make some great music, but I want to hear more.

Favorite Songs

Never

Hasta Luego

Underwear

8701

1) Ski Mask The Slump God

Ski is definitely my favorite new school rapper.  He's become one of my favorite artists and there's so much to enjoy from him.  I love his fast-paced flows, his whimsical lyrics, and wacky beats.  It's a shame that his projects aren't selling that much because I feel like more people need to hear his talent.  I think if he had better promotion and management, he could truly turn into something great.

Favorite Songs

Take a Step Back

Catch Me Outside

Child's Play

BabyWipe

Favorite Guest Verse: XXXTentacion - RIP Roach

Part 2: Every G.O.O.D. Music 2018 Album Ranked

5) Kanye West - ye

I originally thought this was the worst G.O.O.D. Music album after my first listen, but I can see why it's been given so much praise.  I don't think it's above average, but I can appreciate the fact that Kanye wanted to do something more different and personal than his previous works.  My biggest issue, other than the fact that it's a rushed inconsistent mess, is that it's too short.  It's the only one of these projects that would benefit from being longer.  It could have used like 3 or 4 more tracks.

Best Tracks

Yikes

Ghost Town - feat. Kid Cudi x 070 Shake x PARTYNEXTDOOR

Violent Crimes - feat. 070 Shake x Ty Dolla $ign

Worst Track

All Mine - feat. Ant Clemons x Ty Dolla $ign

4) Teyana Taylor - KTSE

This one just had to break the flow of the albums and be 8 songs instead of 7.  But seriously, I do think this is an above average R&B record.  Her singing and Kanye's production go very well together.  It was very consistent in tone and did its job.  I don't see myself going back to most of these tracks, but I didn't hate this album.

Best Tracks

Hurry - feat. Kanye West

3Way - feat. Ty Dolla $ign

Rose In Harlem

Worst Track

WTP - feat. Mykki Blanco

3) Nas - NASIR

I can see why plenty of people don't like this album.  There's a lot of weird lines about being against vaccinations and Fox News being started by a black guy and what not, but I found much of this project to be very enjoyable.  Although this album is carried by Kanye's production, I really thought Nas spread some powerful messages in songs like "Cops Shot the Kid" and "Simple Things."  I'll admit that I was too positive in my review.  It's more of a 7 or 8 than a 9.

Best Tracks

Cops Shot the Kid - feat. Kanye West

everything - feat. Kanye West x The-Dream

Simple Things

Worst Track

Not For Radio - feat. 070 Shake x Puff Daddy

2) Kids See Ghosts (Kanye West x Kid Cudi) - KIDS SEE GHOSTS

I'm ranking these albums based on quality, but if I were to pick a personal favorite from the Kanye onslaught, it would be this one.  The production from Kanye was just beautiful and Kid Cudi spat some of his best verses in years.  I felt like the personal issues that Kanye tried to address in ye were more fleshed out in KSG.  Also, "Reborn" is the best song on any of these albums, don't @ me.

Best Tracks

Fire

4th Dimension (feat. Louis Prima)

Reborn

Worst Track

Feel the Love (feat. Pusha T)

1) Pusha T - DAYTONA

I love this cover.  It's the image that I think portrays Pusha's famous "YEUGH" ad-lib best.  This album may not have as much replayability value as KSG, but it's a perfect album.  Pusha hits his listeners with some hard-hitting bars and flows throughout.  Kanye brought out the best in Pusha as he provided some stellar beats.  Also, if it weren't for Pusha sending shots at Drake on "Infrared," we wouldn't have gotten one of the best diss tracks in the history of the genre.

Best Tracks

If You Know You Know

Santeria - feat. 070 Shake

What Would Meek Do? - feat. Kanye West

Worst Track [or in this case "least good track"]

Hard Piano - feat. Rick Ross x The World Famous Tony Williams

Part 3: Making the Perfect 7-Song Compilation for G.O.O.D. Music

I feel like Kanye started a trend.  Most of the albums I've been listening to besides the G.O.O.D. Music stuff lately have been pretty short.  Anyway, I always love making best of playlists so I will be putting together a seven-song compilation of the very best G.O.O.D. Music had to offer in 2018.

The Title

Coming up with a title for this playlist was pretty tough.  What do I call it?  Best of G.O.O.D. Music 2018?  Too boring.  Wyoming?  Not every album was made in Wyoming.  Surgical Summer?  No, that's only a term that Pusha T used because he wanted to pick Drake apart.  Cruel Winter?  It's summer and that album is probably never going to come out.  Cruel Summer 2: Electric Boogaloo?  Too silly.  How about G.O.O.D. Fridays 2018?  G.O.O.D. enough.

The Cover

Finding a photo online to portray the compilation was tough.  It took me a while but ultimately, I decided to go with this:

Special shoutout to the KTT user who made this (It said NO USERNAME on the website and I have no idea if that's a joke or not).  This is dope.

The Tracklist

This was the hardest part of the process.  I have to pick from 36 songs and narrow them down to 7.  I wanted to make sure I implemented at least 1 song from every album.  Here are the magnificent 7:

1. Pusha T - If You Know You Know (from Daytona)
2. Kanye West - Yikes (from ye)
3. Kids See Ghosts - Fire (from Kids See Ghosts)
4. Teyana Taylor - Rose In Harlem (from KTSE)
5. Kanye West - Ghost Town (from ye)
6. Kids See Ghosts - Reborn (from Kids See Ghosts)
7. Nas - Simple Things (from Nasir)

I mainly just grabbed my favorites from each album and threw them together but I think this tracklist may have a consistent theme.  Aside from the opening track, you could argue that this album could be a story about a man who is losing himself but picks the pieces back up in the end and values his life more and more with each passing day.

1) If You Know You Know - It doesn't fit the theme but I find that track to be a stellar intro and attention grabber.

2) Yikes - This is the part where the man loses himself.

3) Fire - He starts to evaluate himself and goes on the journey to find his inner peace.

4) Rose In Harlem - He finds out that he won't have help because the people closest to him abandoned him.  He has hit rock bottom.

5) Ghost Town - All of a sudden, he feels the pain starting to go away.  All he really needed was the space and a break from the stressful outside world to bring himself back together.

6) Reborn - He truly feels at peace with himself and is ready to progress to the next chapter of his life.

7) Simple Things - He takes his lesson about not taking things for granted to heart.  He starts to enjoy the little things every day.  Sure, they aren't that special, but they're special to him and make him happy.  In the end, that's what really matters.

Where to Listen

You can find it on my Spotify page.

Here's the link: https://open.spotify.com/user/rjona97/playlist/6zUKaiHNHyxMTg8Ltow0Wu?si=N82mOWFvThS7JPB5KwW-RQ

Sorry for the lengthy post.  I had so many ideas that I wanted to do and they would have taken forever to spread out because of my upcoming half-year lists next week.  Tomorrow, I will be revisiting Drake's 2017 project More Life ahead of his new album coming on Friday.

Playlist Additions 6/26/2018

I haven't done this type of post in a couple week and I added many songs that I'd like to share with you.  Let's begin.

1. Trippie Redd feat. Travis Scott - Dark Knight Dummo
2. Ronny J feat. Wifisfuneral - Snakes
3. Smokepurpp feat. Juicy J - Streets Love Me
4. Higher Brothers feat. Ski Mask The Slump God - Flo Rida
5. Ronny J feat. Ski Mask The Slump God - Costa Rica
6. Smokepurpp - Ski Mask
7. Smokepurpp feat. Travis Scott - Fingers Blue
8. Trippie Redd feat. 6ix9ine - Poles 1469
9. Smokepurpp x Murda Beatz - 123
10. Trippie Redd feat. UnoTheActivist - Deeply Scared
11. No Jumper feat. Tay-K x BlocBoy JB - Hard
12. Wifisfuneral feat. Dirty Face Smook - Grim Pt. 2
13. Wifisfuneral - Aw Shit
14. Trippie Redd feat. UnoTheActivist - Today
15. Smokepurpp - To the Moon
16. Cuban Doll feat. Lil Yachty x Lil Baby - Bankrupt
17. Wifisfuneral - lil jeff hardy
18. Trippie Redd - Hellboy
19. Smokepurpp - Glock In My Benz
20. MC Fioti feat. J Balvin x Stefflon Don x Future x Juan Magan - Bum Bum Tam Tam
21. Trippie Redd feat. Famous Dex - Blade of Woe
22. Smokepurpp x Murda Beatz - Big Dope
23. Lil Pump feat. Lil Yachty - Back
24. Trippie Redd - Love Scars
25. Nas - N.Y. State of Mind
26. Nas feat. AZ x Olu Dara - Life's a Bitch
27. Nas - The World Is Yours
28. Nas - Represent
29. Troye Sivan feat. Ariana Grande - Dance to This
30. Martin Garrix feat. Khalid - Ocean
31. 2 Chainz feat. Drake x Quavo - Bigger Than You
32. French Montana feat. Remy Ma - New Thang
33. Jay Rock - ES Tales
34. Jay Rock feat. J. Cole - OSOM
35. Jay Rock - Broke +-
36. Joey Trap - Sesame Street (Extended Version)
37. Nas feat. Kanye West - Cops Shot the Kid
38. Nas - White Label
39. Nas feat. Tony Williams - Bonjour
40. Nas feat. The-Dream x Kanye West - everything
41. Nas - Simple Things
42. A$AP Rocky feat. Skepta - Praise the Lord (Da Shine)
43. The Carters - Apeshit
44. The Carters feat. Pharrell Williams - Nice
45. The Carters - Friends
46. Major Lazer feat. Nyla x Fuse ODG - Light It Up Remix
47. Trippie Redd - Me Likey
48. Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj - the light is coming
49. Jaden Smith x Christian Rich - Ghost
50. Juice WRLD - Rich and Blind
51. Juice WRLD - Legends
52. Wiz Khalifa feat. Swae Lee - Hopeless Romantic
53. 16yrold feat. Desiigner x Ski Mask The Slump God - Up Next
54. Lil Pump - Crazy
55. Smokepurpp feat. Chief Keef x Yo Gotti - I Don't Know You
56. Lil Skies feat. Yung Pinch - I Know You
57. Teyana Taylor - Rose In Harlem
58. Freddie Gibbs - Weight
59. Freddie Gibbs - Automatic
60. Freddie Gibbs feat. 03 Greedo - Death Row
61. Freddie Gibbs - Set Set

1-15, 17-24, 53-55) When the XXL Freshman List came out, I made a playlist of a bunch of songs from every artist.  Some of them were songs I used to listen to a lot that ended up falling out of my rotation.  Some of them were songs that I can't believe I slept on when I first listened.  Some were genuine discoveries.  I will rank every member of the 2018 Freshman Class tomorrow.

16) I'm astonished that so many female rappers have Doll as their stage name.  It's like the female version of the Lil trend.  This song is great, though.  It's the kind of song that you can listen to when you want to feel like you're hot shit.

25-28) People will think I'm weird for having Nas in the same playlist as artists like Playboi Carti and Lil Pump, but this is for songs I like from any rapper regardless of time period.  I listened to Illmatic for the first time a couple weeks back and I found some amazing songs on there, my favorite of which is currently "Represent."

29-32) From last week's batch of singles.  My favorite of the four I added is currently a tie between 2 Chainz's "Bigger Than You" and Troye Sivan's "Dance to This."

33-35) My three favorite tracks from the latest effort from Jay Rock, which I don't listen to very often.  I might take those out of my playlist soon.  What a mediocre project.

36) I am not exaggerating when I say that this song absolutely fucking bangs.  I am well aware that this Joey Trap guy is biting Ski Mask The Slump God's flow on this song and frankly, I don't care.  This song is amazing.  The best part is that it stays true to its title.  The instrumental from LucidVisionnn samples the theme song for Elmo's World and Joey Trap name-drops well-known characters like Elmo, Big Bird, Grover, and The Count.  It's such a fun song.  I find it funny that the original version is 55 seconds and the extended version falls just under 2 minutes.

37-41) Songs I added from the latest effort from Nas.  I may have been exaggerating how great it was in the review (it's more of a 7 or 8 than a 9) and missed that Nas has some bars about being an anti-vaxxer and saying something about Fox News being founded by a black guy, but there are many things to enjoy about it, like Kanye's stellar production.  My favorite song is definitely the closing track, "Simple Things."

42) I have no idea why I didn't add this song to my playlist when I first listened to Testing, but it's here now.  I originally criticized Skepta for not switching his flow after his hook, but I enjoy his part more and more with every listen.  The beat is great, too.  This song definitely became my favorite from the album.

43-45) Beyonce and Jay-Z's collab album may have been mediocre, but there were some great songs on there that I could see myself replaying.  My favorite song on the album is "Nice."

46) I have heard the instrumental of this song many times in the past couple of years.  I never bothered to look it up.  When I saw that the latest Pepsi ad, which features soccer superstar Lionel Messi, used this song, I had to find out.  When I found the answer, I immediately added it to my playlist.  The drop on this song is dope as hell, and it's such a summer vibe.  Major Lazer can make some good shit.

47-52) From this past week's batch of singles.  My favorites are Ariana Grande's "the light is coming" and Jaden Smith's "Ghost."

56) I gave this song another chance when I listened to RapCaviar this past weekend and I'm glad I did.  I take back most of what I said when I initially reviewed this song.  It's a banger and Yung Pinch killed his feature.

57) I didn't find many songs that I wanted to listen to again from Teyana Taylor's album, but I did love this song.  Kanye's production is phenomenal and I love the song's message.

58-61) The new Freddie Gibbs album was pretty solid.  My favorite from the album is either "Death Row" or "Set Set."

I will be back tomorrow with my ranking of the 2018 XXL Freshman Class.

REVIEW: Freddie Gibbs - Freddie

Shit, wrong Freddie...

Ah, there's Freddie.  Freddie is the twelfth full-length project from Freddie Gibbs.  He isn't too well known as an artist, but his 2014 collaborative project with esteemed producer Madlib, Pinata, was received very well on internet communities.  This album was dropped with little notice, as the first we've heard of it was a teaser on YouTube the day before.  I don't listen to much Freddie Gibbs, but I wanted to take a break from the Kanye onslaught for a while.

Positives

And by a while, I mean 25 minutes.  The project didn't overstay its welcome as it is only 10 tracks and nothing more.  This doesn't have to do with the music, but I love the album art.  It looks like the cover of a 70s or 80s R&B/soul album.  It's kind of funny that they went with that cover, given the fact that none of the songs resemble it whatsoever.  The production was very trap-focused, with a majority of the beats coming from Kenny Beats and RichGains.  Some of these beats are incredibly hard, and Freddie makes sure to do them justice by laying down some nasty flows and hard-hitting delivery.  One of the album's strongest aspects are the hooks, as they are the highlights of songs like "Weight," "Automatic," and "Set Set."

Negatives

For an album titled Freddie, you probably could expect some personal cuts.  That's not really the case.  I'm not mad that this was the album we got, but the lyrics don't stand out and can border generic at times.  There are a few songs that fill out the trap essentials checklist: selling dope, something shiny on your wrist, and being able to slay pussy.  Sometimes he doesn't switch his flows, which can be boring on some tracks, and a lot of these songs, especially in the second half, tend to blend together and sound the same.

Features

1) 03 Greedo (Death Row) - The lone guest rapper is an up-and-comer from the west coast who may be serving a couple decades in prison.  It's a shame because his verse on "Death Row" is great.  His delivery is resemblant of Eazy-E's on his most famous song "Boyz-n-the-Hood."  He does that flow justice and delivers a great verse.

2) Cassie Jo Craig (Diamonds 2) - The first of two guest appearances on the closing track is a good singer, but I didn't care for her outro.  It's solid, but it goes on for a bit too long.

3) Irie Jane Gibbs (Diamonds 2) - She harmonizes at the very end of the song and doesn't have any lyrics.

Best Tracks

1) Weight - This track had one of the best hooks as Freddie Gibbs plays the word wait off the word weight.  He touches on dealing drugs and delivers some nice flows and interesting lyrics.

2) Automatic - We got some hard production from Kenny Beats, who is also amazing at his use of bass.  The hook is one of the strongest aspects and Freddie's verses flow very well.

3) Death Row (feat. 03 Greedo) - Kenny makes an amazing use of "Boyz-n-the-Hood" by Eazy-E for this beat.  What really stood out was 03 Greedo's verse.

4) Set Set - Another amazing Kenny beat.  The bass sounds absolutely amazing.  This was also one of the few times that Freddie switches his flows.  The second verse is just great.  I also really like the line "holes in his chest, Fruit Loops" on the pre-chorus.

Worst Track

2 Legit stood out as the worst track because it didn't feel as hard as the other songs.  It has one of the weaker hooks and Freddie's use of slang just sounds weird.  His use of "lit" on the second verse was honestly cringe-worthy.

Conclusion

It's a short, fun album.  I think it's definitely worth a listen.

Score: 7/10

This will be my last review until this coming weekend.  I'll be back tomorrow with another post.

REVIEW: Teyana Taylor - KTSE

All month long, Kanye West has been producing and releasing album after album.  The latest, and probably last as of right now, is an album from Teyana Taylor, an R&B vocalist signed to G.O.O.D. Music.  She has only released one studio album back in 2014 so this is the first time we have heard solo music from her in four years.  The title is an acronym short for Keep That Same Energy.

Positives

Kanye's production is once again phenomenal as he lays down 8 R&B/soul style beats.  Most of the album is very consistent in tone and stays true to its title as it keeps the same energy.  Teyana Taylor's singing is amazing throughout and she has some interesting subject matter.  She touches on her relationship with NBA player Iman Shumpert and exploring her sexuality.

Negatives

I don't know if this is on purpose, but every album from Kanye this June has come later than the last.  His album, ye, was released Friday morning.  Then his collaboration with Kid Cudi was released Friday afternoon.  Then his album for Nas released on Friday night.  Now this one gets released Saturday morning.  Why must he torture us like this?  I also think that many of these songs blend together and the closing track wasn't necessary.

Features

1) Kanye West (Hurry) - He delivers a short and solid verse.  I would love to hear Kanye rap over this type of production more often.

2) Ty Dolla $ign (3Way) - I loved his verse and his vocals.  He's really good at delivering sensual lyrics.

3) Mykki Blanco (WTP) - He basically plays the role of Teyana Taylor's hypeman and is the one who is shouting "work this pussy" throughout the track.  I'm indifferent to his contribution.

Best Tracks

1) Hurry (feat. Kanye West) - Kanye lays down some smooth, groovy production and delivers a solid verse.  Teyana's chorus is probably the best on this album.  I also found how the song ended to be particularly interesting.  Kanye interrupts at the last second, says "no fade outs," and then the song abruptly ends.

2) 3Way (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) - I find this song to have an interesting concept.  The song is about Teyana wanting to have a three-way with her husband.  She knows that having two women turns him on and the message implies that neither of them are actually attracted to the third party, but see the experience as a way to explore their sexuality.  Both artists deliver sweet and sensual vocals.

3) A Rose In Harlem - Sonically, this is the best song on the album.  I loved the sample used in the chorus as well as Teyana Taylor's sing-rapping.  She makes a good point that anyone can betray you and that not everyone is who they say they are.  Also, the outro to this song is just beautiful.

Worst Track

WTP (feat. Mykki Blanco) - All of the G.O.O.D. Music albums have had solid closing tracks.  This wasn't a good closing track.  The constant chanting of "work this pussy" throughout the song is annoying and ruins some solid production.  There are no verses so it's just a chorus repeated throughout the song.  If Kanye were to keep the theme of seven tracks for his albums, he could just take this song out.  It just feels incredibly out of place.

Conclusion

There isn't that much to this album.  It's nothing more than an above average R&B project.

Score: 6/10
I haven't listened to her other album, so I don't know if this is better or worse.


I will write and post another review tomorrow for the new Freddie Gibbs album.

Single Reviews 6/22/2018

In case any of you missed my last post, I've decided to spread out my album listening during the weekend of new releases.  This means that I won't be listening to or reviewing albums again until this Sunday, just like last week.

Friday has always been my favorite day of the week, but ever since I've started following music, Friday has gotten even better for me.  This week, Freddie Gibbs released an album that wasn't quite a surprise but also had some short notice.  Lecrae and Zaytoven have released their collaborative project with one of the best titles of 2018, Let the Trap Say Amen, which has a Waka Flocka feature and I'm looking forward to it.  Kanye is once again late releasing yet another 7-song album, this time for Teyana Taylor.  As of right now, that album still isn't out.  However, I will only be focusing on 12 new singles released today, including two from Trippie Redd and Juice WRLD, as well as other singles from Jaden Smith, Rick Ross, and more.  By the way, I'm gonna give my favorite and least favorite singles a best and worst of the week award.

1) Lil Skies - World Rage

I've already accepted the fact that Lil Skies will never make a song better than "Red Roses" and will probably never make anything different and continue to be one of the most generic artists in hip-hop.  That doesn't change the fact that he can create some nice melodies and make a decent song every once in a while.  Since the release of his debut, Life of a Dark Rose, Lil Skies has yet to provide anything that I can see myself listening to regularly.  This is no different.  Danny Wolf is a solid producer who can make some banging beats but doesn't provide anything noteworthy here.  Lil Skies provides some nice melodies like always but lets them do all the work and provides nothing interesting in terms of delivery and content.

Verdict: This song was boring and I already forgot about it.

2) Tory Lanez feat. Rich The Kid - Talk to Me

Smash David is the producer of this song.  Wanna know how I know that?  Because of his annoying tag and the fact that he goes on the Genius lyrics for every song he produces and highlights it saying, this is the producer tag for Smash David.  Tory once again uses his high-pitched vocals, which don't sound annoying as they usually do.  The production is boring and feels looped and lazy.  Tory uses the same flow throughout the track, which makes it boring.  Rich The Kid does Rich The Kid things, which are usually boring, and then says "She got good head and she eat her cornbread."

Verdict: Did I mention this track was boring?

3) G-Eazy feat. Blac Youngsta x BlocBoy JB - Drop [WORST OF THE WEEK]

"Drop," or as I like to call it, "No Limit 3: Because 1942 Failed to Chart," is an ass anthem, I think.  This song has some good parts, mainly the guest features, but most of this song is just bad.  The hook is mind-numbingly repetitive as it is just the word drop over and over again.  Then there's G-Eazy, who compares a woman's wet pussy to Niagra Falls, once again demonstrating that he is the rap equivalent of white bread.  The backing vocals used in the production sound absolutely awful, so I can't compliment this song from a musical standpoint.  Blac Youngsta and BlocBoy JB have some nice contributions, but this song just isn't good otherwise.

Verdict: You tried, G-Eazy.  You tried.

4) Rick Ross feat. Future - Green Gucci Suit [DISHONORABLE MENTION]

Because "Gucci Gang" wasn't enough, Rick Ross is back with his equivalent, where the hook is 90% Green Gucci Suit.  From a lyrical perspective, this song is a Shakespearean writing in comparison, but is this song good?  Not really.  Rick Ross doesn't usually speed his flows up, but he does on this track, and it's actually not that bad.  In the second verse, Future makes it his goal to mention Gucci every chance he can as the fashion brand is name-dropped in almost every line.  It's not an interesting verse at all and falls under Future's worse guest appearances for me.  The third verse is shared by both Ross and Future, and while it's probably the best part of the song, it's still not that interesting.

Verdict: Not interesting.

5) 6LACK - Switch

I don't consider myself a fan of 6LACK, but there are a few songs I like.  This falls under the middle category.  Ty Dolla $ign is a co-producer on this track and provides ad-libs throughout.  The lyrics give an interesting perspective of what it's like to be in the shoes of 6LACK, as shown in the chorus that talks about switching to someone else.  I think this song teaches a casual lesson about empathy, but I could be reaching.

Verdict: It's okay.

6) Trippie Redd - How You Feel

The first of two singles for his upcoming July album goes for a more rock approach.  It opens and closes with a guitar riff.  Over the course of his career, Trippie's singing has greatly improved, and it sounds amazing on this track.  I think he fits rock music surprisingly well.  His vocal delivery on this track is very reminiscent of many punk singers.  He only has one verse, which is four lines long and is mixed in between two choruses and a long bridge.  The bridge is very long and repetitive, and I think it brings the quality of the song down.  Other than that, I think it's good.

Verdict: Sounds like Kid Cudi's Speeding Bullet 2 Heaven, except it's actually listenable.

7) Trippie Redd - Me Likey

The second of the two singles goes more toward the kind of music we're used to getting from Trippie Redd: melodic trap.  Once again, we get some nice melodies from Trippie as well as a nice-sounding hook.  Then we get to the verse, which includes the line, "you's a poopy butt."  You can say that line is...unique.  I think this song could be a bit longer, but I don't think it's bad.

Verdict: Aside from "poopy butt," it's a good song that I can see myself replaying.

8) Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj - the light is coming [HONORABLE MENTION]

I saw that Pharrell Williams was the producer of this track and assumed this was gonna be good before I even listened.  Needless to say, I was right.  You can always guarantee Pharrell production will absolutely SLAP.  The song opens with Nicki's verse, which flows well and doesn't overstay its welcome like most Nicki guest verses nowadays.  Ariana sounds a bit like Pharrell on the hook, which makes it obvious that he wrote the song, but it's kind of endearing as weird as it is.  Despite my suspicions, Ariana's vocal delivery fits this production very well.  Her verses are only four lines long, but she makes up for it with a killer pre-chorus.

Verdict: Way better than "No Tears Left to Cry" and is different from her usual work.

9) Jaden Smith - GHOST [BEST OF THE WEEK]

Jaden has released the lead single for his upcoming sequel to SYRE: ERYS.  You're probably thinking, "lol that's just SYRE backwards," and you'd be right.  I watched the music video yesterday before the song's official release, and it was one of the funnier Jaden Smith videos I've seen.  While rappers usually flex real money in their videos, a true woke intellectual like Jaden Smith keeps his real money safe and flexes Monopoly money instead.  Jaden is just on an incomprehensible level of woke at this point.  He raps with a similar delivery to SYRE's lead single "Batman," which is my favorite Jaden Smith track by far.  The production is clean and amazing like usual.  It isn't hard for Jaden to afford quality beats since he's Will Smith's son.

Verdict: Jaden is at his best doing songs like this and not that fake woke shit on SYRE.

10) Juice WRLD - Rich and Blind

Following the death of XXXTentacion, Juice WRLD released two singles under a mini SoundCloud EP called Too Soon.  The first is Rich and Blind, which isn't the song that has to do with his death but is still a nice song that has more to do with Juice's own fate.  One thing that I love about Juice WRLD is his catchy hooks, and he delivers another one here.  His verse actually provides some decent quotables like:

"It's funny how the blessed ones had the most curses."

and

"Yeah, gotta have some crude humor / Just to keep a good vice going, keep the song grooving."

Verdict: It's a good song, better than most of his album.

11) Juice WRLD - Legends

The second song serves as a tribute to the recent deaths of XXXTentacion and Lil Peep.  Once again, Juice provides a great hook.  Throughout the verses, he highlights the effects that these deaths had on him.  He says that most legends die young and hopes not to be in that position since he is at the top of his game at the moment.

Verdict: Another great song and a beautiful tribute to X and Peep.

12) Wiz Khalifa feat. Swae Lee - Hopeless Romantic

This song is produced by Young Chop, the man behind one of my favorite producer tags.  It seems like an odd choice for the man who made beats for "I Don't Like" and "Love Sosa" to be producing a love song, but it works.  Letting Swae Lee handle the hook is a wise choice by Wiz, as Swae kills every hook.  Swae Lee provides some beautiful vocals throughout and had a solid verse.  Wiz isn't actually bad but that's mostly because Swae takes up a good portion of the song and Wiz only has one verse.  I do find him more tolerable in small doses.

Verdict: It's a great Swae Lee song that happens to feature Wiz Khalifa as its main artist.

Here's what my post schedule is looking like:

Sunday: A review of either Teyana Taylor's album or the new Lecrae/Zaytoven project

Monday: A review of either Teyana Taylor's album or the new Lecrae/Zaytoven project, with Playlist Additions post

Tuesday: A review of the new Freddie Gibbs album.

I'd also like to point out that I will be releasing my best of 2018 (halfway point) lists following next weekend.  Here's the schedule for that (may be subject to change):

Sunday 7/1 or Monday 7/2: Top 5 Worst Songs

Monday 7/2 or Tuesday 7/3: Top 5 Worst Albums

Tuesday 7/3 or Wednesday 7/4: Top 10 Best Albums

Wednesday 7/4 or Thursday 7/5: Top 50 Best Songs