Weekly Fix #22 ('20)

Welcome to the Weekly Fix, where I go over everything that I’ve listened to that has come out within the past week. I’ll give a little blurb about the project/single with my feelings on it thrown in there, throw some descriptors and other artists names to give you an idea what the project/single is like, and link to all applicable streaming services/online stores where you can find the music. Click here to see a list of previous Fixes.

“I am still committed to militant, powerful, massive, non­-violence as the most potent weapon in grappling with the problem from a direct action point of view. I'm absolutely convinced that a riot merely intensifies the fears of the white community while relieving the guilt. And I feel that we must always work with an effective, powerful weapon and method that brings about tangible results. But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity.

Now every year about this time, our newspapers and our televisions and people generally start talking about the long hot summer ahead. What always bothers me is that the long hot summer has always been preceded by a long cold winter.  And the great problem is that the nation has not used its winters creatively enough to develop the program, to develop the kind of massive acts of concern that will bring about a solution to the problem. And so we must still face the fact that our nation's summers of riots are caused by our nations winters of delay. As long as justice is postponed we always stand on the verge of these darker nights of social disruption. The question now, is whether America is prepared to do something massively, affirmatively and forthrightly about the great problem we face in the area of race and the problem which can bring the curtain of doom down on American civilization if it is not solved.”

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here’s a link to the Week #22 Playlist (’20) for y’all

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Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo

I just can’t even begin to detail my excitement with both of these two men right here: Freddie Gibbs has been an unstoppable force for years now, and The Alchemist is dropping his 7th project in the past year, the 3rd in 2020 alone. Freddie Gibbs is one of the best rappers alive; period. He can flow over any beat available, and his coke raps are up there with the likes of Clipse and Raekwon (with a lot more humor and irreverence). Hell, even his singing, which was up until the past few years a sort of joke, continue to take on a more soulful and professional air about them. That’s the thing about Gangsta Gibbs: he may be a goofball and rap about over-the-top violence and drug dealing, but everything he touches is so professional and precise that there is no filler on this project. He brings in guests that can match his grind (and Rick Ross to match his drug raps) like Griselda’s Conway and Benny, along with a *very* surprising feature from Tyler, The Creator, who’s lyrics are pretty deep, while switching his rhyme schemes so creatively that I yearn for more of this kind of Ace in the future. What else to I even need to say about the Alchemist in 2020? His beats can be both cold and passionate, slightly minimal (with a lot more of a soul and funk influence on this record), and the variety of sound mixed with the expertly placed film samples make the instrumental backdrops much more than a canvas for Freddie to paint over; they are their own show. I love this record, and anyone who values underground hip-hop, top-tier rapping, and flawless sample-based instrumentals needs to listen to this.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Preservation – Eastern Medicine, Western Illness

I’ve always heard the name Preservation around the Ka/Roc Marciano circles of underground hip-hop, but I’ve never heard a full project from him until now. It’s great shame for me to say that I haven’t listened to his last album, the 2015 collaborative tape Days With Dr. Yen Lo with Ka, and most of the context I have surrounding Preservation are with his instrumental placements on cats like Your Old Droog and billy wood’s projects. All of these aforementioned emcees have come together to deliver a compilation album that exists as so much more than a cavalcade of rappers dropping verses, but it somehow comes together as statements on isolation, cultural values, and wealth disparity. Despite 12 different emcees this clarity of purpose takes shape, with every guest in-tune with the ultimate themes and motifs of the project, showing a deep respect for the puppet-master, Preservation. But it goes deeper than this, because Preservation himself has done so much work to bring this album together, living for three years in the city of Hong Kong, taking in it’s unique culture through its record stores. The instrumentals reflect the work that he’s done overseas, taking in the mystical, obscure, and antique samples dug directly from the crates of local Hong Kong vinyls. This is a rare album, maybe even a one of a kind experience, where a compilatory experience is as guided and pointed as a traditional album from a single artist or group. If you like albums with a who’s-who of underground emcees, instrumental projects with Asian spins, and albums with thematic and sonic cohesiveness, then this is a must-listen.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Aitch – Polaris

I’ve been following this kid for a minute, and while I think his image can be odd and conflicting, I think he’s really put out a mature and hard-hitting EP here, full of nocturnal energy and a spread of speaker-knockers that are uncharacteristically bumpin’ for a UK Hip-Hop project. Usually these kinds of projects (think Stormzy or Dave) have a bit more of a subdued nature, at worst a sinister undertone; but Polaris is Aitch embracing a more American brand of pop-rap, with the subs and crisp percussion evoking some trap and Chicago Drill influence. There’s even some production from Kenny Beats on here, giving a more kooky and left-field spin to the brand of hardness presented here. The only thing that isn’t hard as nails might be Aitch himself, but that’s not for a lack of trying; he still feels like a 20 year old white Mancunian, but he’s posturing himself more into a slick and lethal rapper, which there’s nothing inherently wrong with, but it can be off-putting. I loved this project for its short length, air-tight tracklist, and amazing production, with Aitch’s performance and AJ Tracey’s great appearance on Rain being cherries on top of an already solid project.

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Flee Lord & Buckwild – Hand Me My Flowers

Buckwild brings a much more traditional approach to making beats, being that’s he’s 90’s royalty as a member of D.I.T.C., with relatively simple sample chops and loops having this nostalgic and warm feel to them. There’s really no darkness on this record, at most reflectivenesss, which is very refreshing to hear in a Flee Lord project, which usually banks heavily upon dark and menacing instrumentals. The beats are so great that I’m mostly disappointed that these tracks aren’t longer given that they’re so high quality (and Flee goes so well over them). I think in a lot of ways, this project sounds very similar to Flee’s collab with 38 Spesh from last year Loyalty & Trust; just listening to these two projects back to back and I can hear a lot of similarities between Buckwild and Spesh’s production style. The lone feature on here from T.F. was a great surprise given his west-coast affiliation, and he kills it on the guest spot here. I don’t think Flee Lord could have gone wrong with a Buckwild-produced project; add another one onto the pile of crazy-good Loyalty or Death projects. If you like 90’s boom-bap, maybe some jazzy flair, give this a try.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Lil Wayne – Funeral (Deluxe)

Funeral is underrated (and overhated) as hell across the internet in my opinion; but despite loving the original project so much for its embracement of the more modern trends of rap culture and Wayne’s adaptation to said culture, I think these new tracks spend too much time dwelling on the melodic side of Tunechi. The tracks that don’t have features on them I’m disregarding because I think they’re truly filler material, but Tory Lanez, Doja Cat, and Jessie Reyez bring spice to tracks that otherwise should have been left on the cutting room floor. But the real meat of this deluxe edition comes in the tracks Multiple Flows and Russian Roulette, with the former being a clear Lil Uzi leftover with Wayne on the feature, and the latter being a VERY welcome collaboration between Weezy and two of the Griselda boys: Conway and Benny. Those two tracks right there make this entire addition worth it in my opinion. If you haven’t given Funeral a listen yet (or maybe didn’t give it the chance it deserves), go back and give it a try, because it really is a lot better than people give it credit for.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Fly Anakin – The 8’s (2015-2018)

I wish I had more to say about these tracks, but suffice it to say that, despite these being leftover from other bigger projects that Anakin has put out these past few years, they come together as a satisfying compilation. The mixing is all over the place, showing his changes in engineering preference throughout the years (It seems like these tracks come from a three year period, hence the album’s title containing “2015-2018”), but Anakin is always coming with the aggression even when you can’t hear him that well. The beats are also par for the course, with a mix of light-hearted hip-hop and some more left-field droning and ethereal cuts to break up the tracklist. There are also two great appearances from Big Kahuna OG and Henny L.O., frequent collaborators that always feel like a natural complement to Anakin’s style. I would recommend this project to anyone with a love of low-fi hip-hop, with animated and passionate emcees.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Joell Ortiz & KXNG Crooked – H.A.R.D.

Joell and Crook are two of the best lyricists living today, always showing up correct and never seeming to lose their wit or sharp natures despite their careers reaching up into the decades now. They both have their own brands of genius to love about them, with Crook being clearly more inspired by the brutality and bravado of west-coast emcees (going as far as to have a solo G-Funk cut on this project), while Ortiz seems more located in the mid-west with his flow and east-coast with the deeply thought-out wordplay he comes with. They both are hitting you constantly with bars that will make you laugh, cheer, and drop your jaw with their intelligence, with a seemingly endless bank of metaphors and turns of phrase that never cease to amaze me. You should listen to this project if you like very sharp and thought-provoking hip-hop; I wouldn’t call it technical or fast-rap like Eminem dips into, but if people like Royce da 5’9”, Big L, and Pharaoh Monche are in your rotation, then H.A.R.D. absolutely should be too.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Lil Yachty – Lil Boat 3

It’s been a long ride through the ups and downs of Lil Yachty’s career, and while maybe I’m glad that the Lil Boat series is finally over, I’ve gotta say this is a decent entry. It’s overlong, has a few snoozers in the tracklist, and contains more of the croaking hard-rapper persona that I would have liked, but there are some great cuts on here that remind me of some of Yachty’s older material. Tracks like Split/Whole Time, Black Jesus, Lemon Head, and Concrete Boys are much more in line with the kind of material I want from Yachty: simple, positive vibes, heavy-handed on the melody and autotune, and just an overall fun experience to listen to. Besides the couple return to forms found on the record, Yachty makes a great effort to get names and collaborators on here that will make your listen worth the while: we’ve heard Drake and DaBaby on the lead single Oprah’s Bank Account, but deeper in the list you get verses from Young Thug, A$AP Rocky, Tyler, The Creator, Tierra Whack, and Lil Keed, all of whom (and more) contribute great material. I may have deleted a couple of tracks, but I’m more invested in this project than I’ve been for a Yachty album since Summer Songs 2.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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-------SINGLES-------

SAINt JHN (Feat. Future) – Roses (Remix)

I’ve been a fan of SAINt JHN since I listened to his Ghetto Lenny Tape about a year ago now, falling in love with his Cudi-ish brand of crooning and vibe-setting. It might not be the best voice that has ever graced my ears, but the conviction and passion in the delivery (as well as the very faint auto-tune to give the vocals a little extra punch) sold me on him immediately. He’s also a great rapper, both when using a traditional voice and when melodically hitting the pocket, and all of his skills and strengths come into play on this new single here. There is an instant earworm of a hook, great memorable beat, and serviceable verses. Something that I love in particular about this track are JHN’s vocals, which are mixed just fuzzily enough to give you this disorienting vibe, like a hearing his voice on a HAM radio while on a subterranean acid trip. I would have liked for Future to tap into that same vibe, but the energy here and gives me everything I would expect from a Future feature these days. Like I mentioned earlier, Kid Cudi is a big influence here, and if you like Cudder or Travis Scott then you will be right at home here.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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ROSALIA & Travis Scott – TKN

I thought ROSALIA on Travis’ remix of HIGHEST IN THE ROOM was a really cool choice, bringing nice spin on the traditional Travis guests. So It only seems natural that Scott would return the favor with a feature of his own, jumping out of his comfort zone entirely to vibe out to some Latin Pop. Over this wavy Reggae tune, ROSELIA fits like a glove, but is still able to bring a brand of progressive and left-field energy to it in her delivery. But Travis is the one who really surprised me here, coming with a sobered and clear delivery (but with the adlibs of course), and even trying his hand at Spanish on the lyrical end. That being said, I have no idea what he said for the most part, but the attempt (and pretty outstanding success) is something to admire, and is something I love listening to. Artists challenging themselves and entering the arenas of other successful artists is always a treat. If you like artists like Anuel AA, Bad Bunny, or Ozuna, with more of a grassroots traditional flavor, then give this track a shot.

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Gucci Mane (Feat. Lil Baby) – Both Sides

You can clearly hear the respect that Lil Baby has for Gucci, because every time these two link up Baby always comes hard as a motherfucker. He lays down a contentious and line-in-the-sand-drawing hook about where your loyalty in the hood lies, and his verse is unusually intricate with a couple of significant flow switches for someone who usually sticks to a formula. Gucci does a great job on this track as well, playing a lot more into his killer flow on this cut, but that’s not to say he doesn’t come with some great one liners: his line where he says “a real dope boy I make it flood in any season / while rappers goin’ broke and blame Corona as the reason” had me cracking up. The beat is hard, with acending xylophone notes and scattered synths, but it doesn’t distract from the fire being spit by the two emcees. The track seems more inspired by modern trap, specifically a Meek Mill or Lil Baby solo material, so if you like your street music hard as nails then this will be for you.

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Landon Cube (Feat. Lil Keed) – Groceries

Well this is a collaboration I never expected to see. Landon has worked with Lil Skies heavily across their respective careers, but I always saw him as more of a loner type, content on making his extremely sanitized pop-rap/R&B within his own means, but this collaboration with YSL’s Lil Keed shows me that Cube is trying to push himself into some new scenes and new listener bases. It’s stylistically similar to other music from Landon, but special attention has clearly been paid to the structure, melody, and the stickiness of the hook on this cut, with everything seemingly laid out to capture the most attention; maybe this will be a TikTok hit? Despite the focused-group vibe I get from the song, I still love all of those things I described as strengths the track has going for it, and going even farther by including a very good appearance from Lil Keed. Keed fits a lot better over a track like this than I expected, with the sunny frivolity of the track being a long shot from the progressive trap drip-laden tracks he’s used to rapping over. I’d say if you like traditional vocalists like Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown, then this will be for you.

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RMR – I’M NOT OVER YOU

Maybe I’m putting too much stock into it, but I heavily feel like Old Town Road walked so that tracks like this could run. I mean, this shit sounds straight up like a country-trap banger, but with RMR’s vocals giving me like an Eddie Vedder/Dave Grohl vibe? It has country in the banjo twangs, trap and mainstream R&B with the subs and snares, and like 2000’s rock and roll on the vocals. Such an odd pairing of influences and sounds make this an incredibly unique listen, possibly even an indication of where mainstream hip-hop is going in the future. If you’ve ever liked country music, enjoy expressive singers with a warbled range, and are tolerant of genre-crossovers, then I think you’d be doing yourself a favor listening to this.

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6LACK – ATL Freestyle

I think the hook was made really well, strangely well for something called a freestyle, but the verses and vibes presented here are very chill and relaxing. I like his flow on the hook in particular, and, while subdued and sleepy at times, I think the melody can be catchy at a few moments. Some of lyrics can be corny, but there are a few funny and witty moments from 6LACK, who’s always been a competent rapper in addition to being a solid vocalist. This track is all about the vibe, from the tone of his voice on down to the intoxicating beat; it’s got crisp trap drums, slurred guitar chords, and this wispy female vocal samples looping in the background, coming together for an above-par R&B track. If Bryson Tiller, Ty Dolla $ign, or Boogie are artists you fuck with, you’ll fuck with this too.

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Gunplay (Feat. Rick Ross) – Pyrex Poppin

This track sound like it came straight out of 2010, from the obnoxious church organ keys, rolling and heavily structured drums, and a shouted and aggressive delivery that rides the beat like a jockey. Gunplay has always taken his cues from the Ross playbook, but this track feels like Rick Ross worship, making a song that sounds like Ross himself made the shit a decade ago. I say all of this in a very good light, however, with the throwback being more than just tasteless revitalization of an old sound, but an homage to what made the sound so great. The energy is high, the mantric hook, and doggedness of the verses create a banger that is still top-tier by today’s standards, despite the old foundations of a tried and true formula. I would listen to this is you like old-school Gucci Mane, Jeezy, T.I., Trick Daddy, etc. Pretty much if you liked old trap music, get on this track immediately.

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Flatbush ZOMBiES – iamlegend

Meechy is a monster (probably the most repeated praise of this group I swear), and his performance is a presence of darkness and evil that seems to show up in the ZOMBiES music less and less often as time goes on. Erick is also solid, with a technical rhyme scheme and some good bars about the music industry and society. I’d say something about Juice, but he really just shows up on a super subdued whispered hook; it’s honestly pretty underwhelming, and I’d love to have heard him on an actual verse. The beat, while not being the sampled material of their past, is enough to get my attention with the eerie trap vibes. Lots of weird rubbery synths and reverbed keyboards, not very prominent but still giving the track a little more character than any other non-descript trap beat. If you like the newer brand of the ZOMBiES music, then I think you’ll fuck with this, but all of you older fan will probably be disappointed.

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Young Dolph (Feat. Megan Thee Stallion) – RNB

Being that Dolph is based out of Memphis, Three Six influence in this new track shouldn’t be a surprise. Anyone who’s listened to Juicy J’s recent material can see a clear parallel with the heavy, deep subs, detailed hi-hats, and the old-school claps. It sounds like Juicy J produced it… because he did, which is always nice to see him collaborating with other Memphis talent. Dolph has always been amongst the better rappers in the wave of late-2000’s/early 2010’s trappers, who has clearly studied those legends from his city before him: Juicy himself, DJ Paul, Lord Infamous, etc. All of that shows up in his performance here, maybe throw in some ATL influence from Gucci and Jeezy and you have a pretty complete picture. His hook on here is refreshingly catchy, definitely has this street chorus appeal to it. Finally we have Megan The Stallion, dropping an admittedly short verse, but that doesn’t stop her from dropping fire. Energized, sexually charged, and blunt in her delivery, she’s a perfect pair for Dolph’s attitude and voice. If you like Trap music, Three Six Mafia, Chief Keef, or newer guys like Sauce Walka, then give this a shot.

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Shoreline Mafia (Feat. Lil Yachty) – Ride Out

The Shoreline boys come together with a pretty solid collaboration with the Atlanta’s Yachty in a way that seems more natural than I would have expected. I wouldn’t fault you for thinking people like Lil Baby and Gucci wouldn’t have fit well over this Bay Area atmosphere, but Yachty does better than most by being a drawling and croaking emcee, a lot like the other members of Shoreline Mafia at it’s core. I feel like the flow is loose enough, the beat is subliminal enough, and the number of emcees is high enough that the track feels like a party of a lot of the coolest cats in that scene today. The beat is strangely catchy in a weird hypnotic sort of way, with the synth tones and relative simplicity of it catching my ear more than a lot of beats in this style. Overall, I think Yachty walks away from this track with the most to gain, with his performance being a clear example of when his whiny gangster persona is done right. Listen to this is you like modern West-Coast music, maybe not riding music but more dark and edgy music.

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Aminé – RiRi

While I don’t think there’s anything too incredibly catchy about this track that shouts out to me “I’M A SINGLE” like some of his older popular material, I think this is a step in a good direction of getting the steam going behind this guy again. I think there’s some feature space on this cut; I would have liked to have seen another artist like 6LACK to really beef up the track, but as it stands, I think it’s a solid effort. It has this laziness to it, not like a uncaring vibe but like a sleepy and lethargic drawl to it, cute in it’s own way. Amine has a great spirit to him, sarcastic and pseudo-apathetic, but I would be lying if I said that character and cheekiness of the track hasn’t been shown better on his other singles like Caroline and Heebiejeebies. Still, if you’re invested in the left-field weird hip-hop, R&B with a bit of a quirky twist, then this track will be for you.

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Smokepurpp & Ronny J – I’m Whatever

A south Florida banger that remains very faithful to the original distorted soundcloud roots coming from one of it’s pioneers. There’s isn’t much meat on these bones in terms of strong verses, but Purpp’s presence is a cutthroat and menacing as ever, and the hook is a solid gang-chant that beats you over the head with it’s bluntness (a hallmark of a solid Soundcloud track). Ronny J, being one of the first producers to really make a name for himself in this style, is all over the place on this beat, with blown out bass notes and just general hellish soundscapes. This track works through its simplicity, so really what you see if what you get with this one. If you like Lil Pump, Ski Mask the Slump God, XXXTENTACION, or any of those other Florida artists with a lot of fire or aggression, then this track will be your cup of tea.

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JuiceWRLD & Trippie Redd – Tell Me U Luv Me

I think all of my love for this track lies in the beat: I don’t know why I’m thinking of the Prog Rock outfit Rush whenever I hear these guitar chords (or maybe it’s the specific chord progression?), but I love how fun the instrumental is and how hale and sunny it can get (especially near the end with the string section). All of this over the slightly danceable claps and hi-hats, and you have a great pop-rap instrumental. I’m not Trippie Redd’s biggest fan, but I think his work on the hook here isn’t obnoxious at all, has a decent melody, and the pitch is actually somewhat admirable. I also wasn’t a JuiceWRLD superfan while he was alive (Rest in Peace to the young man), and while I wish his first verse was a little tighter, I think his flow and cadence is fire on the second. Honestly with how catchy this track is I wouldn’t be surprised to see it get some traction. All of that being said, this is just barely hip-hop, reaching into the world of mainstream pop more than anything. Listen if you can throw on the top 40 and be OK.

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