Tag: rap

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QUICKSPINS: REASON – New Beginnings

If New Beginnings is like a long car ride at night, then REASON is the driver pouring his heart out while going 100 km/h on the highway

There are certain albums meant for a specific time of day. REASON’s debut album New Beginnings sounds like the beginning of an overnight drive with a friend you know, but not too well. In this hypothetical, you’re not particularly close with this person, but as the night progresses they open up to you. They trust you.

If the first track “Something More” is the first song you play in this fake car ride scenario, it’s akin to the parked-car conversation that literally every car owner knows too well. It’s almost like a church confession. It’s heavy, but it brings you closer to REASON right away. He doesn’t shy from his truths and this honesty is present all across the 14-track project.

REASON has no interest in sulking across the entirety of New Beginnings though. “Stories I Forgot” is a car-rattling banger that sees REASON trying to manipulate his voice not unlike Young Thug to create a distinct chorus, something he doesn’t try more of after. The results are muddy, but it shows the Carson-born rapper is trying to make this car ride bump after pouring out his guts on the previous track.

The album, while still very much a broody affair, maintains its high energy for the majority of its runtime. With only two features across the first seven songs, REASON has a lot to prove to keep listeners on-board, for better or for worse. “Show Stop,” backed with Kendrick Lamar ad-libs and a bouncy instrumental, is a fairly standard showcase. “Favorite Ni**a” is on the aggressive side but REASON’s raps aren’t as engaging as the instrumental.

After “Fall” and an embarrassing bar about Mac Miller, REASON seems to find his stride. With a myriad of features, he seems to be more comfortable sharing the stage than owning it by himself.

“Slow Down” is a syrupy reflective track that emphasizes on taking things in slowly instead of rushing to reach your goals. Though derivative in the message, REASON’s casual cadence and the song’s jazzy beat are worth the four minutes of reflection he offers.

The raw car ride that is New Beginnings closes with an incredible run between “SAUCE” and closing track “Windows Cry.” If the first nine tracks of the album are similar to a high-speed romp down an empty highway, then the final act is the return home, gas almost empty.

REASON’s debut album is masterfully sequenced and an insightful look into the rapper’s fears, goals, and ambitions. He doesn’t always rap as well as he could, but the pure genuineness of his raps show that he’s raw talent ready to develop. Here’s hoping his label Top Dawg Entertainment doesn’t squander his talent.

Rating: 8/10

Trial Track: SAUCE

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: 21 Savage & Metro Boomin: Savage Mode II

The Atlanta rapper and St. Louis super-producer team up once again and deliver a more-than-worthy successor to 2016’s Savage Mode.

In hip hop, the sequel album has historically been hit-or-miss. Much like in film, the sequel has a lot of pressure to live up to the legacy and quality of the original, and for every triumphant follow-up, there’s been a disappointing letdown. With Savage Mode II, 21 Savage and Metro Boomin set out to be bigger and better the second time around — and bring Morgan Freeman along for the ride.

When the rapper/producer pair teamed up for the original Savage Mode in 2016, Metro was on a sensational run and 21 was one of the exciting new faces in hip hop. The project’s eerie, ominous trap sound, paired with 21’s monotone delivery and haunting tales of street life were a match made in heaven, even with the hellish soundscape. It was massively successful, launching 21 into a new realm of stardom and further cementing Metro as one of the genre’s best producers.

With so much to live up to, it would’ve been entirely understandable for the duo to succumb to the pressures of making a sequel and fall short. Fortunately, that’s not the case, as this is a rare occurrence in which the sequel completely trumps its predecessor.

With Savage Mode II, the pair have delivered a follow-up that improves on nearly every aspect of the original, while understanding exactly what made the first so special. A lot of Metro’s production mostly maintains the dark, brooding tone of the original, though there are several moments here that   showcase his range as a producer. The biggest difference on this one is that the quality of the instrumentals has improved tenfold and they’re extremely dynamic and cinematic. His work here feels less like he’s producing an album and more like he’s scoring a film.

Another aspect of this album that gives it that movie-like feeling is the narration that appears throughout, courtesy of Morgan Freeman. From his opening monologue to his final words on the closing track “Said N Done,” Freeman has moments peppered throughout the project in which he delivers words of wisdom to the listener. He immediately sets the tone for the album and his appearances throughout perfectly emphasize the album’s lyrics and themes.

The instrumentals and narration do a fantastic job of setting the framework for 21 to succeed, and he does not let that foundation go to waste. This may very well be the best he has ever sounded in his career. Lyrically, he’s sharper than ever and while he’s still quite monotone, his flows and delivery have drastically improved and have given his lyrics more punch.

The diversity that Metro Boomin brings to this album’s soundscape also pushes 21 to be more adventurous, both in terms of style and content. With some more introspective moments, a couple of relationship tracks, the lavish “Rich N**** Shit” and the seemingly N.W.A.-inspired “Steppin on N****s,” he seems comfortable on almost any instrumental Metro throws his way.

Savage Mode II is a blockbuster sequel that shines in its cinematic approach thanks to incredible instrumentals, a much more refined 21 Savage and guest narration from Morgan Freeman himself. It’s a testament to the improvement that 21 and Metro have shown over the years, honing their respective crafts since their first collaborative effort. Ultimately, this sequel will stand as a benchmark in both of their catalogues.

 

Rating: 9/10

Trial Track: “Many Men”

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QUICKSPINS: Kamaiyah & Capolow – Oakland Nights

Kamaiyah and Capolow keep each other on their toes on Oakland Nights, a tribute to their hometown.

Kamaiyah knew we were deprived. Before the start of 2020, she’d been fairly quiet since her 2017 mixtape Before I Wake, a short but cutthroat display of the Oakland sound she grew up with. This year alone, she returned with another small mixtape back in February titled Got It Made. On that project, “Digits” was a standout track featuring Capolow, another Bay Area native. The chemistry between the two rappers was so immaculate that they agreed to team up on Oakland Nights, a 10-track EP that sees both artists trading bars and creating sticky hooks across its brief 25-minute runtime.

Capolow sounds right at home rapping alongside Kamaiyah. On “Gimme Dat,” he tries his hand at making a pop-crossover, with a sing-songy hook that has a bounce that would sound as great in the car speakers as it would at 1 a.m. at the club. Their addictive writing is also apparent on “Undercover,” a sensual late-night jam that has Kamaiyah singing an R&B-like hook that must have existed on some early 2000s MTV compilation.

Despite having several tracks that feel like an attempt at crossover success, Kamaiyah and Capolow also indulge in harder-hitting, aggressive rap songs. On “How I Move,” Capolow raps like he’s on a mission. Backed only by an isolated guitar-chord progression and without the help of Kamaiyah, the track is a showcase for Capolow. His flow sounds angry and his lyrics are punchy.

The lyricism, while fine, isn’t what makes the mixtape so addictive. Kamaiyah’s charm and wit are an indication that she can be both a serious rapper and a jokester at once. Some bars might not land the way she might’ve wanted them to, but it’s not even that much of a deterrent because of how confident she sounds while rapping them.

Although this a collaborative tape between two Oakland rappers, it feels both have their own unique conclusions. For Kamaiyah, this is more a victory lap following Got It Made. For Capolow, this is his opportunity to direct more ears to his solo work as a joint-album with an established Oakland rapper will likely turn some heads.

Trial Track: Gimme Dat

Rating: 8/10

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QUICKSPINS: YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Top

YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s latest album proves that his momentum has yet to reach its peak.

YoungBoy Never Broke Again continues his incredible streak with his newest album Top. The Youtube king stayed in his bag and did what he does best by staying true to the YoungBoy brand with his hard-hitting aggressive style, coupled with his melodic flow. The Baton Rouge-born rapper worked with his regular producers, including Hitman Audio and DrumDummie, delivering a sound that makes his music so addictive he’s the most listened-to Youtube artist in the world.

On Top, YoungBoy proves he can rap on one of the world’s hottest producers’ beats on the Wheezy collaboration “I’m Up” by owning the beat from start to finish.  As far as sequencing goes, the transition from “The Last Backyard…” to “Right Foot Creep” and then to “Dirty Stick” is vintage YoungBoy that delivers his well-known compelling sound made of his punchy flow and sticky hooks. These songs flow so well together that it’s not hard to figure out why YoungBoy’s Youtube numbers are second to none.

Lil Wayne finally gave YoungBoy a blessing in the form of a verse on “My Window,” where YoungBoy taps into his emotional side — reflecting on his past and subsequent growth, which is a common theme of the album. He also rapped on Mike Laury’s beat on “Off Season” after originally collaborating for their smash hit “Through The Storm” in 2018. This time, YoungBoy talks about his love life.

After getting emotional for a few songs in a row, he goes back to his gangster roots after all, with bangers like “Murder Business” and “Sticks with Me.”

If anyone still doesn’t understand the appeal of YoungBoy Never Broke Again, this album is a perfect introduction to the 20-year-old. He rides on every beat Hitman Audio throws his way and his flow is infectious, which is simply pleasant to hear over and over again.

Even The Shade Room, a widely popular gossip page on Instagram, has trouble keeping up with YoungBoy’s trials and tribulations of his love life and legal problems, but he really seems to be that dude living the life that most rappers simply rap about. He is doing so by documenting it in his music and that seems to be the key to his unstoppable momentum. Most importantly, his music on this album feels real.

If you compare him to other rappers of his age, YoungBoy is just head and shoulders above everyone else and looks to be embracing the role of the leading trailblazer of this generation.

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QUICKSPIN: Conway The Machine – From King to A GOD

The Buffalo MC comes through with his third release of the year, and his best solo work to date

Throughout the last few years, the Griselda crew have solidified themselves as one of hip hop’s most highly regarded acts. With multiple high-quality projects released every year and a consistent signature sound, the group has set a high standard for their releases. On his latest release, founding member Conway The Machine continues the tradition, with yet another gem being added to the crew’s catalogue.

On From King To A GOD, Conway’s mastery of his craft is apparent, and though he was already elite, he is in rare form on this LP. He spends the album’s runtime spitting verses like a seasoned veteran in the genre, even going bar-for-bar with legends like Method Man and Lloyd Banks. His unique drawl — the result of his Bell’s Palsy — paired with his fiery flow and distinct delivery make him completely captivating on every instrumental his voice touches.

Lyrically, the album contains a good balance of Griselda’s signature gritty street raps, and more intimate moments of introspection, grieving and reflection on society’s ills. On “Front Lines,” we see Conway delivering an extremely potent verse responding to the murder of George Floyd, over a grimy, sinister Beat Butcha instrumental that perfectly captures the horror, pain and aggression in Conway’s lyrics.

On the emotional, Erick Sermon-produced “Forever Droppin Tears,” Conway reminisces about close friends that he’s lost over the years, including Griselda producer DJ Shay, who passed away earlier this year. His reflections on losing some of those closest to him and the trauma attached to it are felt through the pain in his voice. It’s a touching moment on the album, and one of the most personal songs in Conway’s entire catalogue.

There are several soundbites peppered throughout the album of DJ Shay being interviewed regarding the Griselda crew, and Conway specifically. It’s clear that Shay had a deep admiration for Conway and his craft, and vice versa, and Conway misses him dearly. These interview clips serve as a fitting tribute for DJ Shay, while showcasing just how highly Conway’s peers think of his abilities.

With From King To A GOD, Conway reminds us how elite of a lyricist he is, while also showcasing sides of himself that fans may not be familiar with. Striking that balance between the street raps, and the new, more personal content, he shows growth while keeping the album’s sound familiar. This project is his most well-rounded work to date, and with it being billed as the prelude to his Shady Records debut, it looks like Conway is gearing up for something special.

 

8.5/10

Trial Track: Forever Dropping Tears

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Music

Dope.Gng, brotherhood, and their latest album, Drogue Maison

The Montreal rap duo details their symbiotic relationship while making their latest full-length project

Dope.Gng is for the ragers. The Montreal-based hip hop duo, made up of rappers Zilla and Yabock, isn’t here to reinvent the rap wheel. What they are here for, however, is to obliterate your speaker system with booming bass and a smorgasbord of creative melodies that’ll stay stuck in your head for days.

Though they haven’t been around for a long time, Dope.Gng understands the importance of identity. They originally started out as Dopamine, a harmless musical project with the intent of just dropping bangers on Soundcloud. The more they continued to drop music, the more they started to take it seriously.

“We wanted to make [Dopamine] serious and a central part of our lives,” Zilla told me over a Zoom call. “We wanted to put our all into it and rebrand.”

With that, Dopamine died and Dope.Gng was born.

In 2019, Dope.Gng unveiled their first mixtape, Fiend, a low-stakes project that would showcase the young duo’s ability to rap, and more importantly, create hits. In that rookie effort, you could hear glimpses of Kanye, Kid Cudi, and Travis Scott, but really, the comparisons are surface level.

After dropping Fiend, Dope.Gng refused to stop. They followed it up with countless singles, videos, and live performances, all of which helped fuel the creation of their second full-length project Drogue Maison.

Zilla and Yabock treat Drogue Maison like their firstborn. While they still love Fiend, they went into it knowing it was just a mixtape. This new project, a much more dense and focused one, sounds like the two young Montrealers know exactly where they’re headed.

Despite a drug-heavy allusion on the album’s title, drugs weren’t actually the central theme to the project itself.

“[Drogue Maison] is actually a reference to our apartment,” Zilla continued. “That’s where everything went down. We have a home studio and everything was actually made in the house.”

With both rappers living together and creating in the same space, it was vital for Zilla and Yabock to not only be coworkers and roommates but to be brothers too. Their duality on Drogue Maison is the driving force behind the album’s cohesiveness and the chemistry they show when rapping back and forth on the album.

“When I’m making music alone, sometimes I think I need [Zilla] to come and complement it with his sauce,” Yabock added. “I make better music when he’s around.”

Dope.Gng’s symbiotic relationship is, on its own, proof that Drogue Maison is the floor and not the ceiling when it comes to their potential. They both repeatedly claim that the quality of their music stems from trust and teamwork.

“If I’m stuck with a verse or if I need a rhyme, I’m gonna ask [Yabock]. We’re a team, we’re not gonna be fighting over intellectual property,” concluded Zilla.

 

Photo Credit: Béatrice Félixe

 

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Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Aminé – Limbo

Aminé refines his sound and raises the bar for himself on Limbo

Since the 2016 release of his now multi-platinum breakthrough single “Caroline,” Aminé has shown consistent growth and improvement with every release. Limbo continues this trend for the Portland rapper, combining and refining the best aspects of his previous two releases, resulting in his best and most mature work to date.

Aminé’s biggest strength is the individuality that has been present in his music since he first jumped onto the scene. His versatile and bouncy flow mixed with his trademark wit and humour have been staples of his work thus far. On this album, we see him successfully blend these aspects with more pungent, mature and introspective lyrics and topics, giving his music more depth while maintaining its distinct personality.

This personality is present regardless of the sound or content that a given song is going for. As varied as Limbo’s instrumentals are, including everything from bass-heavy bangers to more melodic R&B-leaning tracks, his unique voice and style manage to make these tracks unmistakably Aminé.

That’s not to say that he feels out of place in the modern hip hop landscape, more that he manages to stand out, even when incorporating more trendy, contemporary sounds. Limbo features an extremely diverse guest list that backs this up. The album contains features from Young Thug, Charlie Wilson, Vince Staples and Slowthai, the latter two appearing on “Pressure in My Palms” together, and all of them feel right at home in Aminé’s world.

The only song that feels like it’s out of place on this project is “Easy,” featuring Summer Walker. That’s not to say that the song is inherently bad, it’s actually quite good, it just feels like a standard fare Summer Walker song that Aminé is featuring on. Still, it’s not enough to break up the flow of the album or take away from its highs, which there are plenty of.

The biggest highlight and takeaway from Limbo is Aminé’s growth both as an artist and as a man. On songs like “Mama” and “Fetus,” he manages to showcase more depth and introspection than on previous releases, all while maintaining the humorous charm he’s become known for.

Overall, Aminé shows that he’s improved in nearly every facet on Limbo. He manages to strike a near-perfect balance between the aspects of his music that thrive in their uniqueness and contemporary hip hop conventions. With two solid projects already under his belt, Aminé has delivered once again and has proven to be one of the most exciting young acts in the genre.

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QUICKSPINS: Radamiz – Synonyms of Strength

Radamiz’s new EP is a brief but colourful look into the artist’s aspirations as a rising New York rapper

Radamiz wants more than respect. He wants to live comfortably, he wants to end world hunger and stop the destruction of rainforests. He says all this without skipping a beat on “Brodies, Wodies,” the opening track of his 24-minute EP Synonyms of Strength.

The Brooklyn-born rapper demonstrates across the project just how good he is at rapping. The beats are clearly influenced by the city’s boom-bap history. However, he adds his Dominican twist as he raps the chorus of “Bendiciones” in Spanish, while also denying common Latino stereotypes, like the copying of characters on the Netflix show Narcos, and telling others he doesn’t want them pretending like they sell cocaine.

Synonyms of Strength is a lyrically dense project that focuses on Radamiz’s lyrical ability rather than flashy flows and expensive beats. He raps about peace, acceptance, and the pursuit of happiness, but his messages aren’t preachy to a fault. In fact, they inspire hope rather than make your eyes roll. There’s a positivity that echoes from the 27-year-old rapper’s voice that makes you want to listen over and over to decipher his messages.

At seven songs, Synonyms of Strength also captures the essence of Radamiz’s lyrics by not overcrowding the tracklist with filler and useless features. Instead, he only has two features: AMYRA on “Brodies, Wodies” and Kota the Friend on “Goya.” Their presence doesn’t deter you from Radamiz, but complements his relaxed flows.

Radamiz is on his way to making a masterpiece. The foundation set by Synonyms of Strength proves that the Brooklyn rapper has a high ceiling and could very well spell the future of New York rap, a city that is looking for its claim to the rap throne once again.

Rating: 7.5/10

Trial Track: “Goya”

 

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QUICKSPINS: Lil Wayne – Funeral

On his latest release, a potentially amazing album is bogged down by bloated sections of boring filler.

Lil Wayne is an anomaly. With a career spanning over 20 years, his continued relevance is a rarity in hip hop. His longevity lies in his willingness to evolve as an artist, as his ability to adapt has led to him amassing several styles throughout his career.

On Funeral, Wayne showcases these various styles, from auto-tuned crooning to high energy, multi-syllabic rhyming. Though the lines might not always be great, Wayne’s ridiculous level of charisma can make even his most absurd lyrics entertaining.

Wayne is in rare form on a few cuts on here. The initial three-track run from “Funeral” to “Mama Mia” displays his technical abilities at their best. The album peaks with “Harden,” a reflection on past relationships set over a gorgeous soul-sampled instrumental.

While there are some brilliant highs, there are also some horrible lows. However, nothing is as bad as the absolutely abysmal “Get Outta My Head.” This song would’ve been bad had it been just Wayne, but XXXTentacion’s screaming vocals make for an especially excruciating listen.

All in all, Funeral would have benefitted from some serious quality control. For every two or three good tracks, we get one that ranges from forgettable to outright bad. It’s frustrating because there is a great album in Funeral, it’s just hiding in a mess of horrible filler.

Rating: 5.5/10

Trial Track: “Harden”

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Music

The death of rap punchlines

A talent that was once renowned is now deemed corny–what happened?

Punchlines once ruled hip hop. In the ‘90s and 2000s, rappers like Big L, Lil Wayne and Eminem dominated the genre by rapping some of the most clever lines imaginable. Then, towards the end of the decade and at the beginning of the 2010s, it seemed hip hop began to turn its back on punchlines.

Rappers like Childish Gambino and Drake have coasted on barely passable punchlines that are more cringe than clever. Drake infamously rapped “Got so many chains they call me Chaining Tatum” on the egregious Views track “Pop Style.” Gambino’s 2011 track “Freaks and Geeks” was a haven for corny punchlines that, to a teenage version of myself, sounded astoundingly clever but in reality, are lazy and frankly gross (“An elephant never forgets/ That’s why my dick remembers everything”).

In fact, Childish Gambino, an artist who essentially blew up because of his punchlines, has never really been good at them. The entirety of his debut album, Camp, was based on them. On “Bonfire,” he raps “Okay, it’s Childish Gambino, homegirl drop it like the NASDAQ / Move white girls like there’s coke up my ass crack.” While those lyrics may have been clever for a young audience, they’ve aged like milk.

The juvenile lyrics were a foundation for Pitchfork’s devastating 1.6/10 rating that baffled all his fans. I asked myself: “How could something so clever and funny be so bad to them?” TheNeedleDrop also infamously gave him a 2/10 after primarily critiquing the weak bars. He followed with the album, Because the Internet, which fared better with critics but was still largely criticized for Gambino’s poor punchlines; he raps “Got no patience, cause I’m not a doctor,” on hit single “3005.”

While Gambino isn’t solely responsible for the steady decline of punchlines in rap during the 2010s, he was certainly a catalyst. But what made Lil Wayne, Big L and Eminem’s punchlines from hip hop’s rise to prominence so incredible?

Lil Wayne is constantly debated as one of the best rappers of all time for his smart play on words and unique ability to create punchlines. On “6 Foot 7 Foot,” Wayne raps “Real G’s move in silence like lasagna,” a bar that might seem like nonsense on first listen, but a quick backtrack will show how sneaky the pun in the bar is. True, the song is one of Wayne’s more recent songs, but the punchline is a reflection of how clever Wayne was in his prime.

Big L was also as iconic before his untimely death in 1999. Known to be a master of punchlines, some of his bars are truly hilarious, like on “98 Freestyle” where he raps “Before I buck lead and make a lot of bloodshed/ Turn your tux red, I’m far from broke, got enough bread/ And mad hoes, ask Beavis I get nothing Butthead.”

Punchlines haven’t exactly left; Eminem is still writing some, as can be found on his newest album Music to be Murdered By. However, the bars are substantially weaker than the rhymes back on his earlier works like The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP, both of which remain some of the best-written hip hop albums of all time.

Music to be Murdered By featured lyrics like “How can I have all these fans and perspire?/ Like a liar’s pants, I’m on fire.” It’s evident that Eminem has become lazy. It’s no secret that his lyricism has been questioned all decade.

Lil Wayne has also toned down the number of punchlines he’s rapped since Tha Carter IV. In 2020, punchlines seem to have become a thing of the past; no one particularly likes them anymore.

The most popular songs from the latter half of the 2010s offer less on the rapping front and more on melodies and captivating instrumentals. Rappers like Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, and Roddy Ricch have written songs with fun, albeit simple lyrics about their lives that are ultimately more compelling than a forced joke that tries to act as proof that the rapper is sharp with their pen.

Lyricism has been about more than just wordplay. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly is lauded for its smart lyrics and substantive subject matter. While certainly not everyone’s favourite album from the Compton rapper, it’s a hallmark of lyricism with raps that tackle complex themes without breaking them down into cheap one-liners.

Hip hop fans at the end of the 2010s couldn’t care less about punchlines. They’ve become an important piece of history within hip hop but the genre has moved past them. Rest in peace to rap punchlines—it’s been real.

 

 

Graphic by @justineprovost.design

 

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Mac Miller, Circles, and the art of the posthumous release

The late rapper’s estate successfully delivers a carefully crafted and complete posthumous effort.

The posthumous album is one of the most conflicting listening experiences any music fan can have. The motive behind the release isn’t always clear: the music might be unfinished, the quality may be lacking, and you can’t help but think about whether the artist would have wanted it released. Musicians put their life into their work, and in the unfortunate event that they pass, who their music is left to can majorly affect their legacy––either positively or poorly.

In September 2018, Mac Miller tragically passed away at the age of 26, leaving the music world in shock. His impact on hip hop was enormous, as he played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of the genre through the 2010s. In using his platform to bring light to many up-and-coming artists, Miller played a major part in the budding careers of Vince Staples, Earl Sweatshirt, and many more.

While his platform helped to give these artists exposure, they also helped him find himself musically––throughout his career, Miller showed an astonishing level of growth. With each project released, he moved further and further from being the youthful stoner that was trying to fit into archetypal hip hop traditions laid out by his influences. Towards the end, Miller was working towards creating a sound and style that was entirely his own.

With 2016’s The Divine Feminine he took a chance, releasing a full-length project that relied on his singing as much as his rapping. Infusing neo-soul instrumentation with modern hip hop, the release’s sound was fresh for Miller and showed his desire to evolve as an artist. This was doubled down on with the release of 2018’s Swimming, leaving behind his neo-soul influences for a more varied and eclectic soundscape. These two projects showed Miller heading in a direction less concerned with fitting in, and more concerned with personal and artistic growth.

Circles builds off of the foundation laid out by these two albums and on Miller’s legacy while taking his music in a slightly different direction. Serving as a companion album to the aforementioned Swimming, producer and multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion worked to complete what he and Miller had started. The result is a mesmerizing album, that is extremely melancholic, yet instrumentally lush and gorgeous, and features some of Miller’s most personal writing and best singing.

While Miller isn’t a classically trained vocalist, that had always been a part of his charm. His ability to capture the emotions present in his lyrics through his limited vocal range humanized him as a singer and makes him more relatable. It’s less a spectacle of ability and more about being able to feel what he conveys vocally.

Lyrically, this album sees Miller painting a picture of a man who is not only dealing with his personal struggles but optimistically accepting them as part of his life and trying to move on. The theme of Circles, however, appears to be his acknowledgement of the cyclical nature of his struggles, and how they keep coming back around. At times, despite Miller’s seemingly optimistic view, he speaks on his own personal downfall as an inevitability, which is heartbreaking to hear in the wake of his passing.

It’s apparent that this was an album that was well on its way to completion when Miller passed. There is a clear vision here, a cohesive soundscape throughout, and consistent lyrical themes that bring the project together. The album plays like one last goodbye from an old friend—a long, warm and bittersweet hug from somebody that you’re not quite ready to let go of yet.

This is where this album shines; and where many posthumous albums fall short. In recent years, with the unfortunate passing of several young artists, we’ve seen a lot of posthumous releases that seem like nothing but a cash grab. XXXTentacion’s last project, Bad Vibes Forever, was a colossal mess of a project. At 25 tracks long, it was bloated with features and filled with incomplete song ideas rather than fully fleshed-out tracks. The artist’s vision and fan enjoyment were secondary, with the primary concern being maximizing streaming revenue.

In the case of Circles, Miller’s estate has given an example of how to handle the music and legacy of an artist after they’ve passed. It is an album with very little promotion, it’s free of gimmicks or radio-ready singles, has no big features, and the sound isn’t all that familiar for fans. It’s a complete, concise and focused artistic expression of a man who is seemingly learning to accept his internal struggles and grow from them. The album pulls no punches creatively, and that’s what makes it so special.

Circles feels like the full realization of the sound that Miller had been trending towards for a few years now. It’s brilliant, beautifully arranged and emotionally gripping music that gives us a glimpse into where he was mentally, prior to his passing. It’s very apparent that Jon Brion and Miller’s estate understood his vision, and they’ve clearly worked very carefully to bring it to fruition and carry on his legacy. As hard as it is to say goodbye, this is a superb send-off for one of the most important and impactful rappers of this generation.

Rating: 9/10

Trial Track: “Blue World”

Graphic by @justineprovost.design

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Music

How album sequels have changed over the years in rap

Can album sequels contribute to a greater legacy or tarnish a masterpiece?

Album sequels are often a dice-roll. Sometimes, an artist will bounce off the momentum of their previous album and deliver a worthy follow-up. Other times, though, they’ll be a lazy cash grab to capitalize on the success of the first entry just to boost first-week album sales.

The purpose of a direct sequel is to revitalize the themes explored in the first entry and create a unique body of work that both echoes its predecessor and pushes it forward in an innovative way.

JAY-Z’s classic The Blueprint became its namesake for a lengthy series in which its sequels became watered-down versions of what made the original so good. The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse was a far lengthier album than the first, while The Blueprint 3 might be one of the worst of his career. The albums came out within a few years of each other so neither of the sequels was considered to be overdue or absolutely necessary; they just came to be.

Conversely, an artist like Raekwon can drop one of the best albums of the ‘90s in Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and then drop its sequel a decade later. In this case, it can certainly be argued that the Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 was better than the first.

But what separates JAY-Z’s sequels from Raekwon’s?

Well, it depends on what the series is based on.

Cuban Linx is a mafia-inspired album, where the themes and lyrics are heavily lifted from the lifestyles of those involved in organized crime. The sequel was no different. When comparing the creative processes of both albums, they couldn’t be more different.

In the first entry, Raekwon only used RZA-produced beats while the second featured production from 15 different producers. However, when listening to them back-to-back, it’s clear that the albums are similar in concept.

These days, sequels are different. They come faster and they don’t necessarily represent the same idea they once did. Roddy Ricch’s Feed Tha Streets series came out within a year of each other. They sound similar only because Roddy’s hunger never left. His newest release, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, is a clear step away from that series in favour of sounding more like Future and Young Thug.

Kanye West is also teasing the release of Jesus is King II, the potential follow-up to his Christian-rap album from 2019, and if his statement is true, we’ll be getting it sooner rather than later.

Then there’s also Wiz Khalifa who dropped Rolling Papers 2 far too late, when no one cared about Wiz Khalifa in the same way anymore.

Rappers aren’t trying to make movies with their albums anymore. Now more than ever, the sequels feel less like a narrative follow-up and more like a successor used to bank on the momentum and popularity the first entry created. 

 

Graphic by @sundaeghost.

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