Here’s the second part of the grab bag, which will be much grabbier than the first part. That means it won’t be as formal. Or as long. It’s finals week!
Also, no numerical scores this time around.
Summertime ’06 by Vince Staples
Vince Staples is a realist, and a very, very good rapper. Staples grew up gang-banging in California, and although he does not paint himself as a villain over the course of Summertime ’06, he stops well short of adopting a Kendrick Lamar ‘good kid’ image.
Also, no numerical scores this time around.
Summertime ’06 by Vince Staples
Vince Staples is a realist, and a very, very good rapper. Staples grew up gang-banging in California, and although he does not paint himself as a villain over the course of Summertime ’06, he stops well short of adopting a Kendrick Lamar ‘good kid’ image.
“I never vote for presidents, the presidents that change the hood/Is dead and green,” he tells us matter-of-factly on “Lift Me Up,” which reads as an extended cry for help. The past is the past, but Staples doesn’t pull any punches when he takes the listener back.
The production here, led by No I.D. but assisted frequently by DJ Dahi and more notably Clams Casino, paints a suitably dire picture.
“You’re out of your goddamn mind if you think I’m going to be doing this music s**t for more than two more years,” Staples said in early December. Someone change his mind.
Standouts: “Lift Me Up,” “Norf Norf,” “Like It Is”
DS2 by Future (album cover shown above)
First of all, I could look at the album cover for hours. Second, it couldn’t be farther from the feeling of the album itself. The cover is white, bright, and colorful; Dirty Sprite 2 is a dark trip into Future’s damaged mind.
The album is paranoid, regretful and features A LOT of prescription drug usage. And lean. There’s a lot of lean.
And it’s a diverse affair, one where “F**k Up Some Commas” is relegated to bonus track status amidst tales of romance and fame. If you’re looking to understand Future, this is a good place to start.
Standouts: “Thought It Was a Drought,” “Where Ya At,” “Blow a Bag”
Compton by Dr. Dre
(review available exclusively on Apple Music)
Rodeo by Travi$ Scott
By all accounts, Travi$ Scott is a horrendous person. He treats concert security poorly, has homophobic slurs to throw at his own fans, and really hates when you call him A$AP Rocky. There are many more stories like these floating around the Internet, if you care to look.
But he makes tremendous hip-hop music, and that’s in spite of his pedestrian rapping abilities. His dark, detailed aesthetic is realized fully on the excellent Rodeo, an album that sounds incredible from start to finish. Each guest serves his or her purpose, while Scott masterfully orchestrates it all. You don’t have to root for him, but it’s hard not to like his music.
Standouts: “Oh My Dis Side,” “90210,” “Pray 4 Love,” “Nightcrawler,” “Antidote”
GO:OD AM by Mac Miller
From a review I wrote for the October 9 issue of The Daily Campus:
[“They saying that I’m sober, I’m just in a better place,” Mac Miller happily admits in the first song on his new album “GO:OD AM,” which was released on Sept. 18.
This quote serves as an effective mission statement for his project. Marijuana is still an influence, judging from the occasionally cloudy aesthetic, but the psychedelics have been phased out. As a result, Miller sounds much more engaged as a rapper on “GO:OD AM,” recalling his turn-of-the-decade stint as hip-hop’s preeminent frat anthem leader. Oddly enough, his 2011 smash single “Donald Trump” now looks more prescient than ever.]
Miller’s album never quite hits his previous highs, however, as it is very inconsistent. It is a solid effort, but I’ve forgotten it quickly.
Standouts: “Weekend,” “Perfect Circle / God Speed,” “When in Rome”
What a Time to Be Alive by Drake & Future
From a review I wrote for the September 25 issue of The Daily Campus:
[Not that “What a Time” is bad. It’s quite competent for something recorded in only six days – these two could churn out good music in their sleep. Here, however, they’ve played it safe when they had the talent and opportunity to do something bigger. The final product is what sounds like B-sides from Future’s recent album “Dirty Sprite 2,” only with Drake features included.
Although, who could blame them? Why risk your winning streak on a secondary release? “Let’s drop a tape … then we’ll see what’s up,” Drake said in the closing statement of his February album “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.” We got this tape, and not much is up, but we’re still happy to have it.]
This mixtape has actually grown on me, as I started to appreciate the songs that I wasn’t a fan of at first. The wait for Views From The 6 is a tough one.
Standouts: “Diamonds Dancing,” “Scholarships,” “Plastic Bag,” “Jumpman”
The Incredible True Story by Logic
Incredible, this story is not. True, this story is definitely not. Why is this album a story anyway? That was a decision clearly dictated by Logic, but not by logic.
Bad jokes aside, this was a poor attempt at a concept album. Logic remains a stunning technical rapper, deftly accelerating and de-accelerating while flipping rhymes atop each other without breaking a sweat. There are moments of great production here too, but not enough to leave a lasting impression. This album is like a plain bagel with butter.
Standouts: “Young Jesus,” “Innermission,” “Lord Willin”
Speedin’ Bullet to Heaven by Kid Cudi
OK, so you’re Kid Cudi. You’ve won over legions of fans for your introspective, emotional hip-hop with a distinctly spacey flavor.
So what do you do next? Clearly, you make a grunge rock album.
And not just any grunge rock album. You can’t play the guitar very well, nor can you sing, so you resort to prolonged periods of moaning and yelling over shallow, muffled instrumentals. When there are words to be said, you imbue each one with more angst than Simple Plan’s entire discography.
Seriously, how did the guy that made “Soundtrack 2 My Life” go and make this thing, lovingly titled “Judgmental C**t?”
Cudi, if you are out there somewhere, please come back. We miss you.
Standouts: “Wedding Tux,” “Speedin’ Bullet to Heaven”
The production here, led by No I.D. but assisted frequently by DJ Dahi and more notably Clams Casino, paints a suitably dire picture.
“You’re out of your goddamn mind if you think I’m going to be doing this music s**t for more than two more years,” Staples said in early December. Someone change his mind.
Standouts: “Lift Me Up,” “Norf Norf,” “Like It Is”
DS2 by Future (album cover shown above)
First of all, I could look at the album cover for hours. Second, it couldn’t be farther from the feeling of the album itself. The cover is white, bright, and colorful; Dirty Sprite 2 is a dark trip into Future’s damaged mind.
The album is paranoid, regretful and features A LOT of prescription drug usage. And lean. There’s a lot of lean.
And it’s a diverse affair, one where “F**k Up Some Commas” is relegated to bonus track status amidst tales of romance and fame. If you’re looking to understand Future, this is a good place to start.
Standouts: “Thought It Was a Drought,” “Where Ya At,” “Blow a Bag”
Compton by Dr. Dre
(review available exclusively on Apple Music)
Rodeo by Travi$ Scott
By all accounts, Travi$ Scott is a horrendous person. He treats concert security poorly, has homophobic slurs to throw at his own fans, and really hates when you call him A$AP Rocky. There are many more stories like these floating around the Internet, if you care to look.
But he makes tremendous hip-hop music, and that’s in spite of his pedestrian rapping abilities. His dark, detailed aesthetic is realized fully on the excellent Rodeo, an album that sounds incredible from start to finish. Each guest serves his or her purpose, while Scott masterfully orchestrates it all. You don’t have to root for him, but it’s hard not to like his music.
Standouts: “Oh My Dis Side,” “90210,” “Pray 4 Love,” “Nightcrawler,” “Antidote”
GO:OD AM by Mac Miller
From a review I wrote for the October 9 issue of The Daily Campus:
[“They saying that I’m sober, I’m just in a better place,” Mac Miller happily admits in the first song on his new album “GO:OD AM,” which was released on Sept. 18.
This quote serves as an effective mission statement for his project. Marijuana is still an influence, judging from the occasionally cloudy aesthetic, but the psychedelics have been phased out. As a result, Miller sounds much more engaged as a rapper on “GO:OD AM,” recalling his turn-of-the-decade stint as hip-hop’s preeminent frat anthem leader. Oddly enough, his 2011 smash single “Donald Trump” now looks more prescient than ever.]
Miller’s album never quite hits his previous highs, however, as it is very inconsistent. It is a solid effort, but I’ve forgotten it quickly.
Standouts: “Weekend,” “Perfect Circle / God Speed,” “When in Rome”
What a Time to Be Alive by Drake & Future
From a review I wrote for the September 25 issue of The Daily Campus:
[Not that “What a Time” is bad. It’s quite competent for something recorded in only six days – these two could churn out good music in their sleep. Here, however, they’ve played it safe when they had the talent and opportunity to do something bigger. The final product is what sounds like B-sides from Future’s recent album “Dirty Sprite 2,” only with Drake features included.
Although, who could blame them? Why risk your winning streak on a secondary release? “Let’s drop a tape … then we’ll see what’s up,” Drake said in the closing statement of his February album “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.” We got this tape, and not much is up, but we’re still happy to have it.]
This mixtape has actually grown on me, as I started to appreciate the songs that I wasn’t a fan of at first. The wait for Views From The 6 is a tough one.
Standouts: “Diamonds Dancing,” “Scholarships,” “Plastic Bag,” “Jumpman”
The Incredible True Story by Logic
Incredible, this story is not. True, this story is definitely not. Why is this album a story anyway? That was a decision clearly dictated by Logic, but not by logic.
Bad jokes aside, this was a poor attempt at a concept album. Logic remains a stunning technical rapper, deftly accelerating and de-accelerating while flipping rhymes atop each other without breaking a sweat. There are moments of great production here too, but not enough to leave a lasting impression. This album is like a plain bagel with butter.
Standouts: “Young Jesus,” “Innermission,” “Lord Willin”
Speedin’ Bullet to Heaven by Kid Cudi
OK, so you’re Kid Cudi. You’ve won over legions of fans for your introspective, emotional hip-hop with a distinctly spacey flavor.
So what do you do next? Clearly, you make a grunge rock album.
And not just any grunge rock album. You can’t play the guitar very well, nor can you sing, so you resort to prolonged periods of moaning and yelling over shallow, muffled instrumentals. When there are words to be said, you imbue each one with more angst than Simple Plan’s entire discography.
Seriously, how did the guy that made “Soundtrack 2 My Life” go and make this thing, lovingly titled “Judgmental C**t?”
Cudi, if you are out there somewhere, please come back. We miss you.
Standouts: “Wedding Tux,” “Speedin’ Bullet to Heaven”