End of July 2018 Write-Up

Boy, was this month a downgrade in comparison to May and June.  It felt very quiet.  There were fewer albums I had to review and the rankings were actually pretty easy.  Next month seems like it's gonna be packed with upcoming releases from Travis Scott, Trippie Redd, Lil Pump, Nicki Minaj, and Ariana Grande among others.  For now, let's just take a look back at the best and worst of July.

Every Album Ranked From Worst to Best

6) Wiz Khalifa - Rolling Papers 2

Release Date: July 13

Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/07/review-wiz-khalifa-rolling-papers-2.html

Score: 2/10

This album was not a fun listen AT ALL.  I don't know who actually had the desire to listen to a 90 minute Wiz Khalifa album in the year of our Lord 2018 but I did and I regretted every minute of it.  This album is filled to the brim with awful hooks, generic beats, shitty lyrics, and 170 (I counted) total weed references.  I'm not rooting for Wiz Khalifa to fail because between the last few albums and being dumped by Amber Rose, I actually feel bad for him.  However, I think it's best if Wiz took a break for a very long time if he really wants to make more music after this (He probably does since this album actually sold very well first week...).  But seriously, I could have spent 90 minutes doing anything else.  I could have watched TV, I could have taken another walk outside, I could have called my grandmother to have a boring conversation with her about going to Church and tending to her garden (No disrespect because I always love my grandmother but it's hard to hold a conversation with her), or I could have done absolutely nothing, and yet I chose to give this album my time.  I'm a fucking idiot.

Singles

Real Rich - feat. Gucci Mane [Tay Keith's weakest beat.  He didn't even screw these ni**as up.]

Hopeless Romantic - feat. Swae Lee [Would have been the best track on Swaecation.]

Gin and Drugs - feat. Problem [One of the better tracks but seriously forgettable.]

420 Freestyle [BLAZE IT]

Something New - feat. Ty Dolla $ign [A very anti-climactic closing track.]

Best Tracks

Rolling Papers 2

Penthouse - feat. Snoop Dogg

B Ok

Worst Track

Very Special

5) Future - Beastmode 2

Release Date: July 6

Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/07/double-review-meek-mill-legends-of.html

Score: 6/10

Revised Score: 4/10

In 2017, Future released 3 albums, each with quite a lot to offer and plenty of good tracks.  In 2018, Future has released 3 albums so far and each one can be described like this: Disappointing (Kolorblind), Good But Only For One Listen (SUPERFLY Soundtrack), and Forgettable (Beastmode 2).  Future used to be one of my favorite artists and now it seems like he isn't even trying.  I've enjoyed (or at least felt like replaying) a grand total of like 5 songs from Future's 3 albums this year.  That's a pretty low percentage.  This album is by far the worst of the three because a) it was extremely forgettable, b) it was painfully average, c) it fell out of my rotation the fastest, and d) did I mention it was forgettable?  Zaytoven's production was the only interesting aspect, and I don't really remember what most of these beats sound like.

Best Tracks

Wifi Lit

Cuddle My Wrist

Doh Doh - feat. Young Scooter

Worst Track

31 Days [The one where he fucked that girl and then she peed...]

4) G Herbo x Southside - Swervo

Release Date: July 27

Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/07/review-g-herbo-x-southside-swervo.html

Score: 5/10

For the record, I don't hate this album.  It's got some bangers on it.  But I can't deny that this project is pretty one-dimensional and not very replayable since these songs tend to blend together a little too well.  Southside isn't one of my favorite producers so I wasn't excited about a project produced entirely by him.  I thought that this album was just okay.

Singles

Swervo [My favorite track.  It goes the hardest.]

That's How I Grew Up - feat. 21 Savage [Pretty good song with a nice 21 Savage verse.]

Focused [Is okay.]

Who Run It [He should have put the version with Lil Uzi on.  Still a great song either way.]

Best Tracks

FoReal

Catch Up - feat. Chief Keef

100 Sticks - feat. Young Thug

Honestly - feat. Juice WRLD

Worst Track

Tweakin (Head)

3) Chief Keef - Mansion Musick

Release Date: July 13

Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/07/review-chief-keef-mansion-musick.html

Score: 7/10

Revised Score: 6/10

It speaks volumes about a month's quality when a mixtape as decent as this one is in the better half of this list.  It's not great, but it's certainly interesting, and if there's anything this month's releases were lacking, it was interesting stuff.  Sosa actually uses several sounds from trap to drill to straight up piano ballads.  Even on his 30th project, Chief Keef is still delivering quality and has stayed consistent.  There were so many funny lyrics, banging beats, and catchy hooks throughout this project.

Singles

Part Ways [Is okay]

Best Tracks

Rawlings

Uh Uh - feat. Playboi Carti

Get This Money

Worst Track

Belieber

2) 88rising - Head In the Clouds

Release Date: July 20

Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/07/review-88rising-head-in-clouds.html

Score: 8/10

Revised Score: 7/10

I know this has barely anything to do with the album, but I just wanted to say that one of my favorite albums of last year was Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 by Calvin Harris.  That project was filled to the brim with summer jams and beautiful production.  As someone who has been a fan of Calvin Harris ever since he blew up from that Rihanna song (We Found Love), it broke my heart when I found out that he was going to move away from that sound.  I certainly didn't expect an Asian-based label compilation to be the one to fill that void but it did.  This album, like Funk Wav 1, is filled to the brim with summer jams, beautiful production, catchy hooks, and some great guest appearances.  88rising has become one of my favorite labels and I feel like the talent they've been working with is immensely underrated.  There is so much to enjoy about it and I certainly believe that this is the album of the summer.

Singles

Peach Jam - feat. Joji x BlocBoy JB [Was okay but felt like BlocBoy was out of place.]

Midsummer Madness - feat. Joji x Rich Brian x AUGUST 08 x Higher Brothers [Very catchy]

History - feat. Rich Brian [A very heartfelt track.]

Let It Go - feat. Higher Brothers x BlocBoy JB [Is a banger.]

Warpaint - feat. NIKI [Kinda corny but also kinda motivating.]

Best Tracks

Red Rubies - feat. Rich Brian x Yung Bans x Yung Pinch x Higher Brothers x Don Krez

Disrespectin - feat. Rich Brian x AUGUST 08 x Higher Brothers

I Want In - feat. AUGUST 08 x NIKI

Japan 88 - feat. Famous Dex x Keith Ape x Verbal

Worst Track

Plans - feat. NIKI x Vory

1) Denzel Curry - TA13OO

Release Date: July 27

Review: https://timetofacethemusic.blogspot.com/2018/07/review-denzel-curry-ta13oo.html

Score: Strong 8/10 [Average score of all 3 parts was 8.67]

There is no question when it comes to who released the best album this month.  Denzel Curry did everything right and more.  I loved how this album started so light and mellow and then descended into madness as it went on.  It was the perfect blend of conscious rap and hype rap.  In my opinion, Denzel Curry is the perfect modern rapper and it's a shame he isn't nearly as popular as it seems.

Singles

Sumo [Such a banger.]

Clout Cobain [Denzel's best melodic track.]

Percs [It's not my favorite of the three but it's still really fucking good.]

Best Tracks

Cash Maniac

Super Saiyan Superman

Switch It Up

All of Dark [Especially Black Metal Terrorist]

Worst Track

Taboo [There's apparently a line about him being in love with an underage girl and I have no idea if it's true but if so what the actual fuck and how the actual fuck did I miss this?]

Worst Song of the Month

I've decided to add this section to my month-end write-ups because I don't usually highlight the worst song to come out.  This month's pick was a little difficult but it ended up being a no brainer.

DJ Khaled feat. Justin Bieber x Quavo x Chance the Rapper - No Brainer

I haven't reviewed this track until now because DJ Khaled decided to release this like right after I posted my latest Single Reviews.  Anyone else find it kind of weird that DJ Khaled's rollout for Father of Asahd has been almost identical to his rollout for Grateful?  He started off with a track with Beyonce and Jay-Z (Shining/Top Off) and now has a track with JB, Quavo, and Chance (I'm the One/No Brainer).  "I'm the One" was one of my favorite tracks from Grateful because it had such a feel-good summer vibe to it.  DJ Khaled realized that people loved that song so much that he shamelessly decided to rehash it and create...this.  The beat on this track is a massive downgrade and it's not even the worst part about it.  Let's start with Justin Bieber.  He carried this song so hard he might need to visit a chiropractor.  He was legitimately the only enjoyable aspect.  When I watched the music video for this song, I saw that the Biebs hasn't particularly aged well.  He looks like a mechanic.  Or even worse, a male pornstar playing a mechanic.  It's amazing how Justin Timberlake has been in the business way longer than Bieber and has somehow aged better.  Then we get Quavo's verse, which is about 30 seconds long and is pretty terrible.  Just look this line:

"I blow the brains outta your mind / And I ain't talkin' 'bout physically / I'm talkin' 'bout mentally"

I'm pretty sure we know that you mean it figuratively.  This is Quavo's worst lyric since "I'll eat a ni**a ass like an Almond Joy."  Chano's verse wasn't much better.  It even ends with such a stupid moment where he wants to see that booty applaud, but the word "booty" is censored for some arbitrary reason.  This song blows and so did DJ Khaled's "performance" at the Overwatch League Grand Final.

Top 10 Songs

10) 6ix9ine feat. Nicki Minaj x Murda Beatz - FEFE

I've been seeing critics trash this song quite a lot and I can see why.  6ix9ine is an arrogant shithead who likes to spew a ton of shit and most of his music is pretty annoying.  I'm not a fan of the guy myself but I actually really like this song a lot more than most of his discography.  The production from Murda Beatz was nice, Nicki killed it, and 6ix9ine's melodies sounded more tolerable in comparison to "GOTTI."  This is going to be 6ix9ine's first top 10 hit and I actually don't mind since it's one of the two good songs in his small discography (the other is GUMMO by the way).

9) Chance the Rapper - I Might Need Security

From my review of this single:

"He mentions Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, the death of Verne Troyer, requests investigations into police murders, and announces that he bought the Chicagoist blog.  The instrumental samples 'I Might Need Security' by Jamie Foxx as the vocals that constantly sing 'fuck you' are present throughout the track.  One thing that bothered me was that Chance was still getting hate online for his music or "corny" personality despite all the good he's done for his community.  He touches on that in this song and even talks shit about the people who troll him online."

It is the best of Chano's 4 new singles by far because of how provocative it is.

8) Chief Keef - Rawlings

From my Mansion Musick review:

"This was probably my favorite song on the project.  The production from DP Beats is amazing and I love the piano.  I thought the spoken word intro from Ballout was a little weird but this song is perfect otherwise.  Sosa doesn't normally do drill-rap anymore, but he brings back that style for this track and it sounds amazing."

I also thought the chanting in the background sounded incredible.

7) Lil Yachty feat. Cardi B x Offset - Who Want the Smoke?

Lil Yachty has been killing it after Teenage Emotions and continues his winning streak with this song.  While his verse was a little weak, it doesn't take away from the fact that this song absolutely SLAPS.  Tay Keith delivered on production, Yachty's hook was catchy, Cardi did a good job, and Offset snapped at the end.

6) Denzel Curry - Super Saiyan Superman

From my TA13OO review:

"Denzel Curry compares himself to Goku and takes his Super Saiyan form.  The beat on this track goes insanely hard and Denzel hits us with some more fantastic flows.  This song has one of the best hooks on the album and ends with an eerie outro.  This is one of the best tracks on the entire album and the only flaw here is that it's way too short."

And it's not the only Denzel Curry song on this list.

5) 88rising feat. Rich Brian x AUGUST 08 x Higher Brothers - Disrespectin

From my Head In the Clouds review:

"This was my favorite track on this album by far.  Falcons' production, especially the bass, was very hard.  I also loved AUGUST 08's hook and the verses from Rich Brian and the Higher Brothers were pretty good."

4) BROCKHAMPTON - 1999 WILDFIRE

From my review of this track:

"The production on this track is very smooth and every member did a great job throughout the song.  Kevin Abstract's hook is catchy, Matt Champion's first verse is short and sweet, Joba shows off some great flows on the second verse, and Bearface's singing sounded great on the fourth."

This song is my favorite of BH's 2018 singles because of the vibe it brings.  It's a great summer anthem.

3) Denzel Curry - Black Metal Terrorist

From my TA13OO review:

"What an amazing way to end the album.  In this song, Denzel takes on the personality of Zel, who is basically a more aggressive version of himself.  Denzel Curry oozes confidence in a song where he says he's basically the GOAT and those other rappers are basic in comparison.  This is one of the hardest songs on the album because FNZ and Ronny J absolutely kill it on production.  I also love how the album ends on a creepy note with that outro."

And it's not the last Denzel Curry song on this list either.

2) Drake - In My Feelings

I'm well aware that this song was released in June, but I'm pretty lax when it comes to my monthly top 10 criteria.  As long as I added it to my playlist during that specific month and the song was released sometime in 2018, it's eligible.  I can't believe how much I slept on this song when I first heard Scorpion.  I barely mentioned it in my review outside of the fact that it had "cool sample usage."  This song is the sequel to "Nice For What" that I never knew I needed.  This track is just so much fun to listen to and sing along with.  Without fail, I will always belt out "KIKI, DO YOU LOVE ME?!" even at the mere mention of it.  The only thing I don't like about this song is the challenge that came with it.  I don't mind it as a dance move but I'm seriously worried about the safety of it.  Like people are getting out of moving cars and dancing to it.  In the original #InMyFeelingsChallenge video on Instagram, the guy didn't get out of a moving car to do it.  Regardless of that, this song is amazing and it will be a very long time before I get tired of it.

1) Denzel Curry - Clout Cobain

Yes, I do believe that this is the best single from Taboo and that it's the best song I discovered this month.  Here are some things I had to say about it when I reviewed this single and reviewed it again after I listened to the album:

"This song is about the lengths that people go for clout, as described by the line 'I just wanna feel myself, you want me to kill myself.'"

"The third single for this album was probably my favorite."

"...the hook on this track is so good."

It's amazing how much this song is true to real life and because it does a great job at delivering a great message AND being catchy, it's my #1 for July.

REVIEW: Denzel Curry - TA13OO

TA13OO is the third full-length project from South Florida rapper Denzel Curry.  Denzel isn't really one of the biggest rappers right now, but he has a very loyal, niche fanbase thanks to his appearance on the 2016 XXL Freshman Class and his association with Members Only, which features other South Florida rappers like the late XXXTentacion, Ski Mask The Slump God, and Wifisfuneral.  I am very much a fan of Denzel mostly because he knows how to blend lyrical music and hype music so damn well and was very excited for this project.  Since this album was basically released in 3 EPs, I'll review each act individually, track by track, and average the scores of each one.

Act 1: LIGHT | L1GHT

1) TABOO | TA13OO - For the light side, Denzel is going for a more mellow angle.  The intro track has a more soulful and melodic tone.  The lyrics focus on molestation and abuse as Denzel sing-raps about a relationship with a young woman with a history of abuse.  Denzel demonstrates great storytelling through his melodies.

2) BLACK BALLOONS | 13LACK 13ALLOONZ (feat. Twelve'len x GoldLink) - This song features parallels with the movie IT and the Black Balloons represent pain.  The hook was shared by Twelve'len and Denzel and they both sound great together.  The first verse starts with a light tone and gets darker as it goes on, which I thought was very interesting.  GoldLink's verse was pretty nice.  The outro is a skit which features a radio interview.  It ends with a dark question that says "What exactly are you trying to hide, Mr. Curry?"

3) CASH MANIAC | CAZH MAN1AC (feat. Nyyjerya) - Nyyjerya's hook has just the right amount of arrogance to it and Denzel kills it in the verses.  The second verse features a Family Guy reference:

"That's me at my lowest, no Peter Griffin"

4) SUMO | ZUMO - This was released as a single back in April and I've played it a bunch ever since.  In the context of this album, it seems a little out of place, but this song is so good.  Charlie Heat brings the heat on production as he mixes bells and heavy bass.  "Sumo" has one of the hardest hooks in Denzel's discography.  In my opinion, this song is the best example of Denzel's technical ability as he lays down so many insane flows, references, and hard-hitting one-liners.  It's a shame that Ski Mask The Slump God was too lazy to record a verse for this song.  Without exaggeration, this is one of the hardest tracks of all time.

Act 2: GRAY | GRAY

1) SUPER SAIYAN SUPERMAN | ZUPER ZA1YAN ZUPERMAN - Denzel Curry compares himself to Goku and takes his Super Saiyan form.  The beat on this track goes insanely hard and Denzel hits us with some more fantastic flows.  This song has one of the best hooks on the album and ends with an eerie outro.  This is one of the best tracks on the entire album and the only flaw here is that it's way too short.

2) SWITCH IT UP | ZW1TCH 1T UP - Ronny J on production is guaranteed to slap and this song is no different.  On this track, Denzel focuses on paranoia and bipolar disorder and expresses these traits very well through his voice and flow.  I also loved this line in particular:

"They only know Denzel Curry, but they really don't know Denzel"

He's basically saying that people love his music but they don't know much about the personality behind it.  This song is so dark but it also slaps.

3) MAD I GOT IT | MAD 1 GOT 1T - This song has some nice melodies.  I also liked this line that pays homage to the late XXXTentacion:

"Still in the hood and I still sip tea"

The beat switch and transition into the third verse is amazing.  That part, in my opinion, is where the song picks up.  I also thought the warbly outro was pretty dope.

4) SIRENS | Z1RENZ (feat. J.I.D) - Billie Eilish is an uncredited vocalist who shares the hook with Denzel.  This is one of the most powerful tracks on here because Denzel raps about his views on the state of America and the constant struggles he has with his faith.  He highlights police brutality, gun violence, the media, and terrorism.  The sirens represent the US justice system.  J.I.D is one of the best young rappers right now and he stole the show with his verse.

5) CLOUT COBAIN | CLOUT CO13A1N - The third single for this album was probably my favorite.  I had already reviewed this track a few weeks back but I love how Denzel raps about the lengths that people would go to gain clout.  Also, the hook on this track is so good.

Act 3: DARK | DARK

1) THE BLACKEST BALLOON | THE 13ACKEZT 13ALLOON - This song focuses more on family issues.  This track was an amazing way to start the final act.  This song has one of the best hooks on here, Denzel's flow sounds amazing, and the production is hard as bricks.  I also like that Denzel can make anti-drug statements without sounding like a pretentious asshole unlike the fake woke pseudo-intellectuals clogging rap at the moment.

2) PERCS | PERCZ - This was my least favorite of the three singles, but this song is still amazing.  The subject matter can best be described in the hook, where Denzel loudly claims that he does not fuck with pills or the current state of the hip-hop industry.

3) VENGEANCE | VENGEANCE (feat. JPEGMafia x Zillakami) - On the hook, Denzel is doused in distortion and it sounds amazing.  There isn't a single bad verse on this track either.  Denzel brings the energy and sounds like he's ready to fuck someone up, Peggy brings his edgy style onto the track so well, and Zillakami brings his aggression too.  I've never really heard much of Zillakami but he sounds super similar to Denzel.  Like, I wouldn't be able to tell it was him if I wasn't reading the lyrics while listening.

4) BLACK METAL TERRORIST | 13 M T - What an amazing way to end the album.  In this song, Denzel takes on the personality of Zel, who is basically a more aggressive version of himself.  Denzel Curry oozes confidence in a song where he says he's basically the GOAT and those other rappers are basic in comparison.  This is one of the hardest songs on the album because FNZ and Ronny J absolutely kill it on production.  I also love how the album ends on a creepy note with that outro.

CONCLUSION | CONCLUZ1ON

This album is amazing in every way.  Denzel is the perfect blend of conscious and he delivers his rhymes with such aggression and energy.  This was an enjoyable ride all the way through and I will definitely listen to this again someday.

Best Tracks

Sumo

Super Sayian Superman

Switch It Up

Clout Cobain

The Blackest Balloon

Black Metal Terrorist

Worst Track ("Least Good")

Mad I Got It

Act 1 Score: 7/10

Act 2 Score: 9/10

Act 3 Score: 10/10

Final Score: 8.67/10

REVIEW: G Herbo x Southside - Swervo

Swervo is the 6th full-length project from Chicago drill rapper G Herbo.  This is a collaboration with producer Southside, a man who Herbo is so close with he compares their friendship to Tupac and Dr. Dre's.  G Herbo was named a XXL Freshman in 2016 but hasn't really gained too much mainstream success since them.  Regardless of how successful he is, I think Herbo is a very interesting artist and was looking forward to this project.

Positives

I'm very glad that Herbo is keeping the drill scene alive.  While Chief Keef's music is still enjoyable (I reviewed his latest pretty favorably), it makes me sad that he abandoned drill.  Also, Montana of 300, one of my favorite Chiraq drill rappers, can't put out a consistent project to save his life, so I'm glad that Herbo is there to fill that gap.  The production, while a bit flawed, is very good and Southside clearly knows Herbo's sound best.  I also think Herbo is a very good rapper from a lyrical perspective.  He's a great storyteller and his hard-hitting, aggressive delivery is what makes him stand out.

Negatives

I can appreciate consistency but this project is just TOO consistent.  The subject matter is the same and the songs sound the same.  This isn't too much of an issue since this album isn't too long but I would love it if Herbo branched out every once in a while.  While his music is certainly enjoyable and listenable, G Herbo isn't a versatile rapper.  He uses the same flows throughout this album.  The fact that he doesn't even switch things up during each song is what brings the quality of the album down.  Also, this is a bit of a nitpick but I hate Southside's drums.  It sounds like they struggle to stay on the beat.

Features

1) 21 Savage (That's How I Grew Up) - Savage's cold, numb delivery is my favorite aspect of his music and this song is no exception.  He delivers a great flow and a nice verse overall.

2) Chief Keef (Catch Up) - He delivered his signature Keef sound.  His verses sounded good but were a little hard to understand sometimes.  I loved that he went back and forth with Herbo throughout this track and thought his contribution was pretty solid.

3) Young Thug (100 Sticks) - His contribution to that song was a bit of a rollercoaster for me, meaning that there were parts of his feature that I loved and parts that I hated.  I thought his hook was solid, but it's brought down by his screeched ad-libs and devolves into complete nonsense at the end of it.  What was also mind-boggling was that he shouted out Lil Uzi Vert in the intro but he isn't on the track.  His verse was okay but was also brought down by screechy ad-libs.  He also flubbed quite a few rhymes but I'll let it slide since Free Verse is a form of poetry.

4) Juice WRLD (Honestly) - This collaboration is very puzzling, to say the least.  However, this wasn't too bad.  Juice's hook is nice but also sounds a bit whiny.  I liked his verse a lot better.  He was definitely the highlight of this track.

Singles

1) Swervo - This might be my favorite overall track on the project.  TM88 and Southside provide some heat on production, the hook is just the right amount of repetitive, and Herbo's delivery and storytelling make this track.

2) That's How I Grew Up (feat. 21 Savage) - This is another example of where Herbo's delivery shines.  The emotion he puts into telling us about his tough past is incredible.  We also get some great production and a solid 21 Savage verse.

3) Focused - This was one of the better tracks on here.  Herbo's aggressive rapping makes a nice contrast to the mellow production.

4) Who Run It (Remix) - This is a remix of Three 6 Mafia's "Who Run It."  The remix featured Lil Uzi Vert, who I felt was the best part of the track.  However, he was left off, which made me a little sad.  When G Herbo initially remixed this song, it shook the hip-hop world.  All of a sudden, every rapper and their mother was spitting verses on this beat including Lil Yachty & Trippie Redd, Juicy J (again), A$AP Rocky, 21 Savage, Dave East, Wiz Khalifa, and so many more.  Herbo does the beat justice and spits a couple of hard verses.  My only gripe with this song is Southside adding his drums to the beat.  I didn't think that was necessary.

Best Tracks

1) Catch Up (feat. Chief Keef) - This song is a banger with Chief Keef and Herbo going back and forth.  They have great chemistry.

2) Huh - Another banger where Herbo is in his element.  He continues to provide his hard delivery and sounds very confident on this track.

3) 100 Sticks (feat. Young Thug) - I liked the piano usage in this beat.  Thugger's contribution was a bit inconsistent but was okay overall.  Herbo's verse was pretty good too.  This was a solid song overall.

4) Honestly (feat. Juice WRLD) - I thought Herbo's verse wasn't great, but the rest of this track is pretty good.  This song is more mellow than the rest of the tracklist, which was a nice change of pace.  I thought Juice WRLD's hook was a little whiny but his verse was pretty good.  I thought Juice was the highlight of this track.

Worst Track

Tweakin (Head) - The hook on this song is pretty weak.  This was the song that I felt was the most boring and redundant.

Conclusion

This album was okay but also very one-dimensional.  There are certainly some standouts but a good portion of this project doesn't feel replayable.

Score: 5/10

I liked Humble Beast better.

Single Reviews 7/27/2018

Upcoming Post Schedule
Saturday 7/28: G Herbo x Southside - Swervo [Review]
Sunday 7/29: Denzel Curry - TA13OO [Review]
Monday 7/30: End of July 2018 Write-Up
Tuesday 7/31: Soundtrack (New series where I come up with a best-of album for certain artists)
Wednesday 8/1: July Listening Report
Thursday 8/2: Travis Scott - Rodeo [Revisit]
Friday 8/3: Reviews and stuff

This week's releases aren't as exciting as other weeks but there's still plenty to look forward to.  Denzel Curry's TA13OO finally dropped as well as a collaborative project between G Herbo and producer Southside called Swervo.  We also got a bunch of singles.  Here are my thoughts on 10 singles from Smokepurpp, Mac Miller, Logic, and more.

Smokepurpp feat. Lil Pump - Nephew

This is the first single for Smokepurpp's next project Deadstar 2.  Or it may be the lead single for his upcoming collab with Lil Pump called Gucci Gang.  Doesn't matter.  Smokepurpp and Lil Pump have great chemistry and this song is no exception.  Smokepurpp interpolates Valee's "Womp Womp" and sounds really good using that flow.  The hook sounds really nice but the verse from Purpp was underwhelming, not because I was expecting some mind-blowing lyrics, but because Purpp uses the same flow and it gets really boring after a while.  Lil Pump's verse was the brightest spot in the song as he once again demonstrates how much he's improved this year.  He's getting more versatile and using different flows.  I've never heard him use this flow before.

Verdict: It's a banger and nothing more.

Mac Miller - What's the Use?

This is the third official single for SWIMMING.  His last single, "Self Care," was a great song, so I was looking forward to what Mac had in store next.  The production from Pomo is very smooth.  Thundercat was on the bass guitar and provides a nice groove.  Mac's singing has gotten so much better and sounds amazing on the hook.  Snoop Dogg makes a cameo on the hook and the outro of this track.  You can barely hear him on the hook and he isn't credited.  The groove makes a nice contrast to Mac's numb and melancholic tone.

Verdict: Another great single from Mac Miller.

Tyga - SWISH

This is the follow-up to his comeback hit song "Taste."  The beat is incredibly similar to "Taste" and was made by the same producer, D.A. Doman.  The beat was the brightest spot of "Taste" and is also the highlight of this song.  D.A. Doman's production samples "Play" by David Banner.  The hook is a little weak but the verses aren't too bad.  There weren't any awful lines unlike on Taste.

Verdict: This song is way better than Taste.

BROCKHAMPTON - 1997 DIANA

This is the third single for the upcoming album THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.  The title references the year where Princess Diana suffered a tragic death.  The beat of this song sounds awesome and certainly will keep you from sitting still.  I love the high-pitched vocal effects on Kevin Abstract and thought there wasn't a single bad verse on here.  I'm very thankful that Joba's one-dimensional fast rapping and Bearface's needless singing on a beat switch wasn't present.  The only problem I have with the song is that it ends too quickly.  Its runtime is just over 2 minutes but it seems like, with the amount of members on this song, it should at least be a minute longer.  It felt like they were rushing to finish this song so they could make the next one.

Verdict: My favorite of the three singles but it feels very rushed.

6ix9ine feat. Nicki Minaj x Murda Beatz - FEFE

Why does 6ix9ine release his new singles on Sundays?  If he's trying to get all of his singles to chart, wouldn't Friday be the best time to release new music so he could get a full tracking week?  And why does it seem like 6ix9ine gets his inspiration for his song titles from baby talk?  Regardless of that, this song is projected to debut in the top 10 of next week's chart.  This was released just a few hours before 6ix9ine got jumped and got hit for talking loads of shit.  I think he's okay and it's possible that he could have exaggerated the details to gain publicity for this song.  He's also an opener for Nicki Minaj and Future's upcoming tour.  As for the song itself, I didn't have any hopes for it being good whatsoever.  His debut project, DAY69, demonstrated that Tekashi is a one trick pony who might lose his voice from screaming so much.  You might as well call every track he's released GUMMO, GUMMO 2, GUMMO 3, etc.  On the bonus track for his album, GOTTI, he tried his hand at melodic rap and that turned out horribly.  Then we got TATI with DJ SpinKing, which was very forgettable, and now we're here.  Surprisingly, this song is...actually not bad.  6ix9ine's melodic rapping sounds much better on here than on GOTTI, which I cannot stress enough is hot fucking trash and might be his worst song.  I like his flow on here although it's rumored that he's biting Valee on "Two 16's."  However, I'm pretty lenient on biting so this won't have an effect on how good the song is.  The best part of this song is Nicki Minaj, who unfortunately had to collaborate with the SoundCloud Circus Clown to gain relevance.  I thought it was pretty weird that Nicki, a 35-year-old woman, referred to 6ix9ine, a 22-year-old goblin, as Papi but the rest of her part was great.  This was also one of Murda's best beats in recent memory.

Verdict: The best 6ix9ine single since "GUMMO."

Logic feat. Ryan Tedder - One Day

This is Logic's first single since Bobby Tarantino II, which I thought was a bit of a return to form after the absolute disaster that was Everybody.  I was very skeptical of how this song would turn out because when I saw the title and feature from OneRepublic's lead singer Ryan Tedder, I thought this would be one of those uber positive corn-fests.  However, this was anything but that.  I usually hate when rappers recruit pop singers for hooks but Ryan Tedder sang with such passion that I was able to love it.  The production from Kevin Randolph and 6ix is incredible and I loved the piano.  Logic flowed very well on his verses as he raps about realizing that his dreams have come true and that he's at the peak of his career.

Verdict: The Biracial Man delivered.

Vic Mensa - Metaphysical

So this is the second single since Vic Mensa released The Autobiography, which was a very mediocre project.  The first single, "Reverse" with G-Eazy, was not good.  It had Vic Mensa imitating Quavo and G-Eazy stinking up the joint like he usually does.  For this song, Vic Mensa decided to do a shitty imitation of a different artist: Drake.  His singing style sounds exactly like Drake.  I said before that I'm very tolerant of rappers biting other rappers and taking too much influence from contemporaries, but what makes Vic Mensa stand out from other rappers?  I feel like Vic Mensa is squandering his potential because he doesn't know what his sound is.  In my opinion, Vic peaked when he released "U Mad" with Kanye West.  Anyway, it sounds like Vic is trying his hand at Dancehall, a subgenre that Drake had already abandoned.  I like Vic's singing, but I think this song is very forgettable.

Verdict: Vic Mensa could do so much better.

YG feat. A$AP Rocky - Handgun

When I searched for this song on Spotify, I thought he and Rocky released two songs and the other was called "Band Drum."  It turns out that "Band Drum" is actually the clean version of this song and I am very unobservant.  This is the third single for his upcoming album Stay Dangerous, which has had a very shaky rollout.  This is supposed to be the cover of the album and it looks horrendous.  YG looks like the guy in the iconic tweet that says "You know I had to do it to em."  Why is the dragon making the okay sign above the waist instead of below?  The dragon isn't even meming correctly.  The cover would at least look better if YG wasn't on it.  I should probably get to the song itself, which was very disappointing.  TM88 was on production and he kills it like always, but YG shat the bed here.  The flow on the hook is okay, but YG's voice ruins it.  Also, there are way too many instances of "uh" and each one sounds worse than the last.  YG's verse was terrible and it was especially evident when he started playing duck, duck, goose in the middle of it.  A$AP Rocky was okay but he could not save this mess.  Also, A$AP Rocky's "uh's" sounded much better.  And why did YG feel the need to put a 30-second spoken word outro at the end?  This should be a separate skit on the album.  It feels so out of place on the song.

Verdict: YG's worst Stay Dangerous single.

DJ Durel feat. Migos - Hot Summer

DJ Durel is one of Migos' go-to producers and he generally does a good job at nailing their sound.  His production on this song sounds like it fits the summer vibe.  However, the Migos themselves were not great.  Quavo's hook is very weak and belongs on one of those pop songs that he usually phones in.  His verse was okay but was also generic autotune Quavo.  Takeoff continues to kill it.  I seriously haven't heard a bad verse from him.  Takeoff is the best Migo.  Offset was okay and oddly enough, there isn't a single mention of his Patek watch.  All in all, this song just wasn't good.

Verdict: This belongs on the boring second half of Culture II.

Russ - Tell Me Why

More like "Tell Me Why I Take So Many L's."  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Verdict: Another L for Russ.

Best Single: BROCKHAMPTON - 1997 DIANA

Honorable Mention: Mac Miller - What's the Use?

Worst Single: Vic Mensa - Metaphysical

Dishonorable Mention: YG feat. A$AP Rocky - Handgun

Denzel Curry - 13 (Revisit) and Other Ramblings

Before we begin, I just wanted to say that I am a piece of shit who makes too many promises that he can't keep.  I promised and didn't deliver on not one, but TWO posts this week.  I'm not gonna make the "I'm busy" excuse that I've always resorted to.  The reason why I didn't make my Murda Beatz and Fetty Wap posts were simply because I didn't have enough material to make them.  I've decided to cancel my Best Beats series because I realized that I know jack shit about music production and have to come up with so many ways to say "This beat gives off an [adjective] vibe and fits [rapper]'s style so well" without it sounding redundant.  It just gets boring for me.  I know I can come up with a suitable replacement for that series because I basically come up with new ones every week.  To make up for that, I've decided to just talk about some random stuff in addition to my 13 revisit.  Not all of them are about music but I just wanted to get them out there.  Anyway, here's the actual post:

13 is Denzel Curry's 2017 EP that was released as a teaser for TABOO | TA13OO.  Denzel Curry has always been known for his lyrical prowess and experimentation with distorted trap production.  I love Denzel because he's a great middle ground when it comes to hype and lyrical music.  Since this is an EP, I'm doing a track-by-track review and then giving my total score at the end.

1) Bloodshed - This is Denzel Curry's first song with producer Eric Dingus.  His production gives off an eerie vibe.  Denzel interpolates his hit song "Ultimate" and hits us with fast-paced flows and some great lines such as "You don't want beef, might as well play possum, dead."  It's a pretty good way to start the EP.

2) Hate Government - This track, along with two others, were released as demos on SoundCloud.  This track features a robotic flow over a distorted instrumental.  The lyrics, as predicted, are very edgy and anti-government.  This song is so hard and I wish it wasn't so short.

3) Equalizer (feat. Ronny J) - Ronny J's production always slaps, and this song is no exception.  I'm always a fan of the distortion and tractor bass in his beats.  Denzel is very quiet on this track, and the reason why is this:

"I freestyled all this shit, on Garageband, at 1 o'clock in the morning in Baltimore. Top of the head. And the reason why it sounds like that is because I had no microphone, and we tried to mix it to the best of its abilities.”

Microphone or no microphone, Denzel's quiet voice makes his delivery all the more menacing.  In addition to production, Ronny J also has a verse.  His melodic rapping is always hit or miss.  Personally, I think this verse would sound much better over a different beat.  He sounds a little out of place but he doesn't totally ruin the song.  Even though this song has some problems, they are very easy to overlook because this song slaps.

4) Heartless - On this song, Denzel proves that he isn't a perfect artist, starting his verse in the worst way possible:

"My gun got diarrhea when it boop boop boop boop boop"

Lines referencing fecal matter are awful no matter how good the delivery.  Starting off your song with one makes it even worse.  I also hate Denzel's vocals on this.  They sound really funny but also really annoying.  The hook that ends this song sounds very annoying and repetitive.  This is the only bad song on the EP.

5) Zeltron 6 Billion (feat. Lil Ugly Mane) - This song sounds like distorted boom bap.  Denzel delivers some great bars in his verse such as this one:

"Pardon me, ni**as be, Madison Square guardin' me"

Lil Ugly Mane was okay.  He wasn't as good as Denzel but his verse wasn't bad either.  This song is okay.


Overall, this was a pretty great EP that I enjoyed listening to.  I can't wait to listen to all three parts of his new album when it comes.  I'm feeling a 7/10 on this one.


And now, some random crap that I've been thinking about.

1) First off, I don't have much to say but I guess since I had notes on my Murda Beatz post, here are my 10 favorite beats and least favorite:

Worst Beat: Travis Scott - Butterfly Effect - Astroworld (Unreleased)
Best Beats

1. Drake feat. Quavo x Travis Scott - Portland - More Life
2. Migos - Get Right Witcha - Culture
3. Murda Beatz feat. Swae Lee x 2 Chainz - Yacht Master - Keep God First
4. French Montana feat. Drake - No Shopping - MC4
5. Smokepurpp x Murda Beatz - 123 - Bless Yo Trap
6. Ski Mask The Slump God feat. SahBabii - Coolest Monkey In the Jungle - Beware the Book of Eli
7. 6ix9ine feat. Nicki Minaj x Murda Beatz - FEFE - N/A
8. Drake - Nice For What - Scorpion
9. 2 Chainz feat. Travis Scott - 4AM - Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
10. Huncho Jack (Travis Scott x Quavo) - Saint - Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho

2) I know the World Cup Final was a long time ago and people are no longer delivering their takes and such, I want to get mine out in the open.  People are getting mad at Antoine Griezmann using Fortnite emotes as goal celebrations for some reason.  The same people giving Griezmann shit for using the "Take the L" emote also like to whine about sports going soft because "there's not as much grit as there used to be."  If the celebration wasn't a fucking Fortnite emote, you wouldn't be giving Griezmann shit at all.

3) PewDiePie has shit taste in memes.  I don't like to get elitist about stuff but some people who meme just don't know how to meme.  I've been following his *CLAP CLAP* MEME REVIEW series for a long time now, and I honestly can't stand some of his opinions.  He gave the Ugandan Knuckles meme, which is just some random shit about knowing the way that isn't funny whatsoever and also a little racist, a 7 (or 8 I don't feel like looking it up) yet gives some seriously good memes low scores because they were run into the ground.  The truth is that PewDiePie doesn't kill memes, he waits until they're already bordering or beyond dead to review them.  There isn't any different reason why he gives genuinely good memes that unfortunately got overused, such as the car salesman meme, unfairly low scores.  Also, while we're at it, his subreddit, /r/PewdiepieSubmissions, is hot garbage.  LWIAY (Last Week I Asked You) started as a joking ripoff of Jacksfilms' YIAY (Yesterday I Asked You) but now Pewdiepie isn't asking any questions.  The subreddit has become 90% reposts and stolen memes from other meme subreddits.  Thankfully, Pewds focuses on the more creative efforts on his show.  But if you ask me, LWIAY shouldn't have existed in the first place if the show was just gonna turn into another subreddit review.

4) Nicki Minaj has 6ix9ine as one of the openers on her and Future's tour and I think it's such a stupid move.  6ix9ine's fans have no crossover with Nicki's.  Is she being generous because 6ix9ine let her do a verse on her new song?

5) I heard that DJ Khaled is performing at the Overwatch League Grand Final tomorrow and this is another move that I think is really stupid.  First of all, people who listen to DJ Khaled's music barely have any crossover with Overwatch players (as far as I know).  Second of all, DJ Khaled is TERRIBLE live.  He's supposed to be a DJ and is a shitty DJ.  He constantly shouts random tags, gives Miami and other cities more shoutouts than need be, constantly restarts songs, and dances until he sweats profusely (which is usually a few seconds in).  He was booed off his set at Electric Daisy Carnival last year because he kept doing this shit.  His set at the 2017 NBA All-Star Saturday Night was awful because he kept shouting out Miami despite performing in New fucking Orleans.  His OWL performance will be a disaster and I cannot wait to see it.

Playlist Additions 7/23/2018

This week didn't have too much new music, but I did a lot of discovering and was definitely active.

1. Phony Ppl - Why iii Love the Moon
2. Berhana - Janet
3. Gucci Mane feat. Young Dolph - Bling Blaww Burr
4. 21 Savage - Whole Lot
5. Meek Mill feat. Future - Jump Out the Face
6. Future - Photo Copied
7. Travis Scott feat. Swae Lee x Chief Keef - Nightcrawler
8. Caleborate - Soul
9. Kaiydo - Fruit Punch
10. Deem Spencer - Soap
11. Jack Harlow - Ice Cream
12. Cautious Clay - Cold War
13. Danger Incorporated - Diamonds
14. Shonen Swamp feat. Ugly God - Megazord Remix
15. Ho99o9 - Bone Collector
16. Shakewell - Leglock
17. Two-9 - World Go Crazy
18. Lil Uzi Vert - Hi Roller
19. Lil Uzi Vert - Money Longer
20. Lil Uzi Vert - You Was Right
21. Lil Uzi Vert - Baby Are You Home
22. Lil Uzi Vert - Team Rocket
23. PnB Rock - ABCD (Friend Zone)
24. Chance the Rapper - Wala Cam
25. Chance the Rapper - Work Out
26. Young Nudy - Sherbert
27. BROCKHAMPTON - 1998 TRUMAN
28. G Herbo feat. 21 Savage - How I Grew Up
29. 88rising feat. Rich Brian x Yung Bans x Yung Pinch x Higher Brothers x Don Krez - Red Rubies
30. 88rising feat. Rich Brian x Higher Brothers x AUGUST 08 - Disrespectin
31. 88rising feat. AUGUST 08 x NIKI - I Want In
32. 88rising feat. Famous Dex x Keith Ape x Verbal - Japan 88
33. 6ix9ine feat. Nicki Minaj x Murda Beatz - FEFE
34. Z Money feat. Valee - Two 16's

1 & 2, 8-17) I frequently browse Reddit's hip-hop and rap community /r/hiphopheads.  Last week was their annual "Hype Week."  Instead of posting tracks the community knows and loves, posters were only allowed to highlight underground artists who got less than 75 upvotes or have never been posted in their community.  There was so much good music I found this past week and it encouraged me to broaden my horizons and try listening to new things.

3-7) When I was making my Best Beats post on Metro Boomin, I listened to the Metro Boomin playlist on Spotify for inspiration.  I ended up finding some great songs that I've slept on.

18-22) I added these while giving Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World a relisten.

23-28) Some of the newest singles from this past Friday.

29-32) My favorite tracks from 88risng's Head In the Clouds album.

33) I might be giving this track a full review on Friday but I'll give some thoughts.  I actually love this song.  I didn't know if I wanted to hear 6ix9ine do anything other than scream after hearing that godawful "GOTTI" track.  His crooning actually sounded tolerable on this track.  However, the reason why this track is so great is because of Nicki Minaj.  She slaughtered this beat with some nice flows.  Also, Murda Beatz provided some great production.  This is the second best 6ix9ine track, right behind "GUMMO."

34) When I saw people reacting to "FEFE" saying that 6ix9ine bit Valee on "Two 16's," I had to give this track a listen.  I'd argue that it's way better than "FEFE."  The production on this track is so hard.

Anyway, that's the end of this post.  Here's the upcoming schedule.

Tuesday 7/24: Murda Beatz (Best Beats #3)

Wednesday 7/25: The Summer of Fetty Wap (Story Time #3)

Thursday 7/26: Denzel Curry - 13 (Revisit)

Friday 7/27-Sunday 7/29: The usual reviews and stuff

Sunday 7/29: End of July 2018 write-up

REVIEW: 88rising - Head In the Clouds

88rising is an Asian-based label that has been showcasing a ton of talent from Asians and Asian Americans.  There's the Indonesian Rich Brian, who started out as a meme who made "Dat $tick" as a joke.  Joji, from Japan, made his claim to fame on YouTube as Filthy Frank and did shock value comedy rap as Pink Guy.  He is now making lo-fi hip-hop.  The Higher Brothers, hailing from China, got famous doing songs with Ski Mask The Slump God like "Flo Rida."  They are basically the Chinese Migos.  All three of those artists and many more are featured on the label's first compilation album.

Positives

I've been following some of the artists on 88rising and I absolutely love their music.  There is so much talent on this label and there isn't a single artist I dislike.  My favorites are Rich Brian because he's a great producer who has used his meme status to make a name for himself and make some seriously great music, and Higher Brothers because they remind me a lot of Migos and I love the way they integrate Chinese and English into their music.  They all have great chemistry throughout this album even though they all seem to make different types of music.  I also thought that integrating American artists like BlocBoy JB, Famous Dex, and Playboi Carti was a smart move on the label's part.  It's a great way to gain more American listeners and their features don't feel forced because much of 88rising's artists make music with American influences.  The production throughout this album is phenomenal.  Many of the 88rising artists, like Rich Brian and NIKI, produce their own music, and they all do a great job.  Other producers, such as CashMoneyAP, Frank Dukes, Southside, and Murda Beatz, all made some great beats as well.  I also love the summer vibes throughout this album.  It feels a lot like a cohesive project as opposed to a label project which just has a bunch of stuff thrown together to promote certain artists.

Negatives

I don't have too much to complain about when it comes to the music, but the rollout for this album was a little sloppy.  This album was 17 tracks long, and I had already heard 7 of them heading into it.  There were 5 singles released before this album, 2 of them released the week of the album.  The remix to "Japan" by Famous Dex was released as a music video on 88rising's channel and the Playboi Carti track, "Beam," was leaked.  I feel like they could have revealed less of the album and released 3 singles starting 3 weeks prior.  While I felt like every artist did a good job, I felt like Higher Brothers and Joji were hit or miss.  While I love Higher Brothers and I think their rapping in Chinese sounds great, they start to fall apart when they do mostly English or entirely English verses.  It's really obvious that English wasn't their first language and it's hard to understand them most of the time.  On the other hand, Joji is my least favorite artist on 88rising.  His problem is that most of his music is really low-key and boring.  His singing is good, but his tracks weren't very enjoyable or worth replaying.  I also think that Keith Ape was heavily underutilized.  He's one of the best artists on the label and his only contribution was a verse on the Japan remix.  BlocBoy JB had more verses than him for fuck's sake.

Features

For this review, I will only include the American artists in this section.

1) Yung Bans (Red Rubies) - I've been warming up to Yung Bans lately and I thought he made a nice contribution to this song.  I liked his hook and I thought his verse was decent, although it's nothing special lyrically.

2) Yung Pinch (Red Rubies) - I thought he sounded good, but it would have been better if they toned down on the autotune and vocal effects.

3) Don Krez (Red Rubies) - He didn't do much.  He only had four lines at the end of Rich Brian's verse.

4) 03 Greedo (Swimming Pool) - I don't like Greedo's melodic stuff but he sounded tolerable on this track.  He was okay.

5) BlocBoy JB (Peach Jam/Let It Go) - On "Peach Jam," he sounded really out of place.  I always appreciate when one trick pony artists like BlocBoy try different things, but his singing at the start of the verse was horrible.  I know he's not a great rapper, but he blatantly reused a line from "Mamacita" from his album and didn't even try to change it:

"Got her on her knees like she prayin' to Jesus"

The verse got better when he started rapping but he still stuck out like a sore thumb on that track.  However, he was much better on "Let It Go."  He actually fits the song, his ad-libs were on point, and his hook was great.  His verse on that song might be the best rapping he's ever done because there were no stutter effects to be found.

6) Vory (Plans) - I didn't like "Plans" all that much but I thought his part was alright.  His melodies sounded listenable and he wasn't bad at all.

7) Playboi Carti (Beam) - I thought "Beam" was a pretty average track, but I didn't hate what Carti did here.  Although his verse was a bit repetitive, more repetitive than the hook, his flow still sounded great.  I think he sounds like a different artist on beats that weren't produced by Pi'erre Bourne but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

8) Famous Dex (Japan 88) - I don't like that they only kept his hook for the remix.  Although it is one of my favorite tracks on this album, I think that including one of his verses would have made it a little better.

9) GoldLink (Nothing Wrong) - I thought he was the best part of that track.  He delivered some decent melodies and sounded pretty good overall.

Singles

There were 5 official singles, 2 of them being released the week of the album.

1) Peach Jam (feat. Joji x BlocBoy JB) - This was my least favorite of the singles.  The one highlight of the song would be Joji's chorus, but there wasn't anything else in this song that I liked.  The verses were very lacking, especially BlocBoy JB's because he sounded out of place.  It could be a nice summer vibe but I'm not into this track.

2) Midsummer Madness (feat. Joji x Rich Brian x Higher Brothers x AUGUST 08) - This is one of my favorite songs of 2018 so far (I included it at #46 on my half-year list).  Joji's singing is amazing on this track.  AUGUST 08, Rich Brian, and DZ of Higher Brothers all did a great job on their verses.  This is an underrated song of the summer contender.

3) History (feat. Rich Brian) - This is such a heartfelt song where Brian reminisces about an ex.  He remembers bittersweet moments and recognizes that there's a deep history between them.  He is struggling to let go of the past.  The production samples the menu of a mobile game called Ski Safari.  It was an interesting move that paid off because it sounds amazing.  I also really liked the music video for this song, which has clips of romantic moments from shows and movies like Up, The Simpsons, The Office, Shrek, Naruto, and countless others.

4) Let It Go (feat. Higher Brothers x BlocBoy JB) - This song is such a banger.  The production from Falcons is insane.  Every Higher Brothers member kills it and BlocBoy JB's contribution was great.

5) Warpaint (feat. NIKI) - This song sounds like a less corny version of "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten.  NIKI's singing sounds great and I love the guitar that backs her up.  This is a song about dealing with a bad breakup and moving on by having a warrior mentality.

Best Tracks

1) Red Rubies (feat. Rich Brian x Yung Bans x Yung Pinch x Higher Brothers x Don Krez) - The beat on this song goes insanely hard.  I thought Yung Bans' hook was the glue that kept this song together.  Rich Brian's verse had some good flow even though he was barely rhyming in it.  MaSiWei, my favorite member of Higher Brothers, did his verse entirely in English.  I thought it was alright, but it was a little hard to understand.  Yung Pinch's verse was pretty good aside from the excessive effects on his voice.  I still love this song since the flaws are very easy to overlook.  It's a banger, don't overthink it.

2) Disrespectin (feat. AUGUST 08 x Higher Brothers x Rich Brian) - This was my favorite track on this album by far.  Falcons' production, especially the bass, was very hard.  I also loved AUGUST 08's hook and the verses from Rich Brian and the Higher Brothers were pretty good.

3) I Want In (feat. AUGUST 08 x NIKI) - Both of their voices are amazing and they have great chemistry on this track.  This is a beautiful song about secrets and mistrust in relationships.  The production is amazing and I love the hook, especially when both NIKI and AUGUST 08 sing it together at the end.

4) Japan 88 (feat. Famous Dex x Keith Ape x Verbal) - "Japan" is Famous Dex's biggest hit and I thought it was a smart move to feature Asian artists on the remix.  I don't think this is a better song than the original, but I think it's just as good.  Although I wish they kept one of Dex's verses in, I thought Keith Ape and Verbal's verses were nice additions to it.

Worst Track

Plans (feat. NIKI x Vory) - I don't think there were any terrible songs on this album.  However, I felt like this song could have been way better.  It's way too short at just over 2 minutes.  I thought Vory and NIKI delivered some nice melodies, but the hook is a little weak and repetitive.  The verses felt very short and undercooked.  I feel like this song would be way better if it was fleshed out a little more.

Conclusion

This is the album of the summer.  Every member of the 88rising label made some good contributions and there were very few things to complain about.

Score: 8/10

If you are looking for new artists to listen to, I would highly recommend this album.  There is so much talent on the 88rising label and I fell like there's something for everyone on here.

Single Reviews 7/20/2018

Upcoming Post Schedule
Saturday 7/21: Single Reviews
Sunday 7/22: [REVIEW] 88rising - Head In the Clouds
Monday 7/23: Playlist Additions
Tuesday 7/24: Murda Beatz (Best Beats #3)
Wednesday 7/25: The Summer of Fetty Wap (Story Time #3)
Thursday 7/26: Revisit Possibilities - Birds In the Trap Sing McKnight by Travis Scott, JEFFERY by Young Thug, Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper, Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper
Friday 7/27: Single Reviews and Other Stuff

I meant to post this yesterday but I was too busy to do it.  This week was not the week I expected.  Many were speculating that we could be getting new albums from Travis Scott, Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, or all three (Astroworld, Slime Language, Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World 2 respectively).  None of those dropped.  Here are my thoughts on 12 new songs, including 4 from Chance the Rapper.


Let's start with 2 new singles from PnB Rock:

1) PnB Rock - ABCD (Friend Zone)

PnB Rock announced that his next album will be half rap and half pop, like Drake's Scorpion.  The album will be called TrapStar Turnt PopStar and this week featured 2 singles, one representing each side.  The first one I listened to was the first single for the Pop Star side.  I thought that I would hate this song just looking at the title.  "Oh look, some douche made a song about being in the friend zone and is mad that he can't fuck this girl."  Needless to say, this song barely mentions the friend zone, as its only appearance is in the chorus when PnB sings "Miss me with the friend zone."  This song is really about a one night stand.  In fact, this girl in the song isn't even trying to put him in the friend zone.  He mentions in the chorus that she does want the D.  Why is he worried about getting in the friend zone when this girl clearly wants to have sex with him?  Aside from PnB Rock's inability to stay on topic, this song is alright.  The production is nice, the verses are okay even though the second is a bit mumbly, and it's easily the better of the two singles.

Verdict: Is okay.

2) PnB Rock - Nowadays

This was the first single for the Trap Star side.  It's pretty ironic since "ABCD (Friend Zone)" had better trap-style production than this song.  This is one of the most generic "I used to be broke and live in the hood but now I rap and make lots of money" songs I've ever heard.  The production is mediocre, the lyrics are nothing I haven't heard before, and this song was boring.

Verdict: The weaker of the two PnB Rock singles.

Chance the Rapper put his fans on an emotional rollercoaster this week.  He announced he was dropping an album "just in time for the Special Olympics."  Then he went on twitter and said that there's no album but he's "been in the stu tho."  And then he dropped 4 new songs, each with a cover with minimalist concept art.

3) Chance the Rapper - 65th & Ingleside

This song is about his relationship with Kirsten Corley.  On July 4th of this year, Chance announced their engagement.  It sounds like a really nice topic for a song, but this was poorly executed in terms of vocal delivery.  The refrain was sung by Peter Cottontale and it has these chipmunk-sounding vocal effects that gave me traumatic Alvin & The Chipmunks flashbacks.  To make matters worse, Chance's vocal delivery in the verses was annoying as all hell, especially in the pre-chorus where he starts singing "65th & Ingleside" in such a goofy voice that it's really hard to take seriously.  There's also this out of place Fortnite reference in the third verse:

"And skrrt, skrrt, skrrt, skrrt, skrrt, grab the gold scar."

Verdict: The worst of the four singles.

4) Chance the Rapper feat. Supa Bwe x Forever Band - Wala Cam

This song was named after a Chicago program called Wala Cam TV and is an ode to Chicago Juke Music.  The hook is a bit too repetitive for my liking since it's just the song title a bunch of times.  I wouldn't even mind that if it was a little shorter.  Aside from the hook, this song is pretty good.  Chance's rapping and the production sounds way better on this track.  It's a very fun song, and Chano specializes in making fun, light-hearted music.  Supa Bwe's verse was okay.

Verdict: It's pretty good but the hook seriously brings the quality down.

5) Chance the Rapper - Work Out

In "Work Out," Chance talks about how he misses his old life but would never leave his current one.  The cover of this song is minimalist concept art of a blue mailbox.  I have no idea what it's supposed to represent but it looks kinda cool, I guess.  The hook on here is actually great and is the highlight of this track.  Chane's verses were decent and had some nice sounding flows.  I liked the production, especially when the beat picks up in the second verse.

Verdict: Good song.

6) Chance the Rapper - I Might Need Security

The cover of this song is minimalist concept art of the Arthur Fist meme that was really big in 2015.  This track is much more political than the other three.  He mentions Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, the death of Verne Troyer, requests investigations into police murders, and announces that he bought the Chicagoist blog.  The instrumental samples "I Might Need Security" by Jamie Foxx as the vocals that constantly sing "fuck you" are present throughout the track.  One thing that bothered me was that Chance was still getting hate online for his music or "corny" personality despite all the good he's done for his community.  He touches on that in this song and even talks shit about the people who troll him online:

"My enemy lives in his mother's basement."

Verdict: The best and most interesting of the four singles.

Also, you people need to stop crying about Chance not making music like Acid Rap.  It was his best project, sure, but he's not at the point in his life where he can or wants to make music like that.  He's changed and developed into a different artist and person and you need to accept that, no matter how much Coloring Book "wasn't Acid Rap."

7) Young Nudy - Sherbert

For some reason, Genius didn't have the lyrics to this song.  Genius is basically where I get my material for reviews, so forgive me if I don't write enough since I had to improvise.  The production on this song sounds nice, although it's louder than Nudy's vocals.  The title of this song references weed.  The hook is nice and the lyrics are typical and basic subject matter.

Verdict: It's a decent song and you could eat some sherbert to it.

8) 070 Shake - Accusations

070 Shake has been getting a lot of buzz thanks to her work on the G.O.O.D. Music albums.  I really think she's talented and I'll be rooting for her to gain more success.  I don't know who produced this track but the instrumental sounds pretty good.  This song is about being wrongfully accused of being a bad partner by an ex.  The hook is a little weak but it isn't too bad.  While there isn't much substance to it, Shake makes it sounds interesting with really good vocal delivery.  She uses a bunch of different pitches throughout this track.  I don't really like her high pitch but she doesn't sound irritating.

Verdict: I don't know if 070 Shake will blow up from this track, but I'm hoping it's a start.

9) BROCKHAMPTON - 1998 TRUMAN

This is the second official single for their upcoming album THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.  The titles of these tracks reference a movie that came out that year.  This one references the 1998 Jim Carrey film The Truman Show.  The production is a lot more aggressive than on "1999 WILDFIRE," which I didn't mind even though I loved that song.  Merlyn Wood's hook is on point and I really liked Kevin Abstract's bridge.  Joba's verse uses the same fast-paced flow as on Wildfire.  I liked him on Wildfire but I was expecting something better or at least different on this song.  Matt Champion continues to kill it as he delivers another great verse.  I liked that Dom McLennon started his verse by referencing Eminem's hook on "Forgot About Dre."  The only thing I didn't like about the song is the transition into bearface's verse.  It's so abrupt and has no buildup whatsoever.  I like bearface's singing a lot on Wildfire since he fit the vibe of the track very well, but not here.

Verdict: Despite a couple of flaws, this is a great song.

10) Ski Mask The Slump God feat. Method - Nationwide

Apparently, this song isn't on Spotify anymore.  I have no idea why it was even released since it was taken away so quickly but I heard it and took notes on it so here it goes.  "Nationwide" was actually a song that I was looking forward to since it was being teased for a while.  This was one of the tracks on the leaked version of Beware the Book of Eli that didn't make the final tracklist.  The title for this song on the leaked version was "Worldwide" but was still the same song with the same instrumental.  The beat from Timbaland is really cool and sounds like something Ski Mask would rap over.  Ski continues to kill it with awesome flows.  And then there was one major change made to the song: the Method feature.  I have not heard a single song from this guy but according to his Spotify page, which has also been deleted, he is 14 years old and has collaborated with many famous modern rappers.  His feature was the hook of the track, which sounds really weird.  Method's voice is pretty low-pitched for a 14-year-old, but it didn't sound real.  It sounded like a text to speech device.  The hook isn't bad but it's hard to take seriously.

Verdict: I still fuck with it since it's Ski Mask, but this song could have been way better, and now I'm never gonna listen to it again thanks to it being taken off Spotify.

11) G Herbo feat. 21 Savage - That's How I Grew Up

So this is a remix to a song from G Herbo's mixtape that was something to tide his fans over before he released Humble Beast.  This version also appears on the deluxe edition of the SUPERFLY soundtrack, which includes 8 more songs.  As you would expect from the title, this is a song about G Herbo growing up in the ghetto.  The production from 808 Mafia is hard.  21 Savage was a nice addition to this track as he provides some amusing ad-libs in the hook and delivers a nice verse.

Verdict: It's a banger and nothing more.

12) Comethazine - Oowee

I think Comethazine is a very hit or miss artist who is basically just a carbon copy of every SoundCloud rapper who's popping right now.  He sounds like a mix between Smokepurpp and MadeinTYO and like Playboi Carti, is basically a walking ad-lib.  He has a couple songs that I enjoy like "Bands" and "Let It Eat" so I decided to check this song out.  It's bad.  Those synths are annoying and the production from Trillogy couldn't carry Comethazine at all.  The lyrics to this song are basically the same stuff about flexing, diamonds, and expensive clothing brands.  The verse is much shorter than the hook, which appears twice during its one minute and 42-second runtime.

Verdict: It's not good.

Best Single of the Week: Chance the Rapper - I Might Need Security

Honorable Mention: BROCKHAMPTON - 1998 TRUMAN

Worst Single of the Week: Comethazine - Oowee

Dishonorable Mention: Chance the Rapper - 65th & Ingleside