Weekly Fix #31 ('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.

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Man there was a lot of content this week… the crazy part is that it was ALL artists that I just had to listen to (in a good way), so it just ended up as a massive listening session last Friday and Saturday. Big Ghost makes multiple appearances, M.A.V. makes multiple appearances, and Delaware as a scene makes multiple appearances.

Despite the amazing amount of music, it’s been crushing to listen to go through the process of listening to all of these projects and singles enough to be able to make coherent thoughts like I do here every week, and I’m looking for ways to make the burden a little less going forward. I have some ideas in my head of breaking the singles into its own content or something of the sort, but nothing is set in stone yet. You’ll see soon if I decide to switch up anything.

Next week we’re gonna have another great week if the forecast is correct: Lil Keed and NLE Choppa are both dropping albums that will shake up the youth, and Amine has got some fire for us I’m sure. We did also get a ton of announcements this week for projects like Conway the Machine, Boldy James (who recently became an official member of Griselda, big ups), Flee Lord (again), Dave East, and Bodega Bamz. Go to my Upcoming Heat page to keep up with all of this and more; this is a very useful tool folks, one that I use myself and I created the shit. Go get learned.

Anyways, thank all of you for reading, putting up with my procrastinating ass, listening to the playlists, and following the artists that I highlight every week. Keep up the good work, and keep listening to fire music. Peace.

Here’s a link to the Week #31 Playlist (’20) for y’all

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Here’s a link to the Week #31 (’20) Art Appreciation post

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Big Ghost, M.A.V., & Rob Gates – The Dark Side of Nature

Sorry for being a bit late on this one, completely slipped my mind to include it last week. Anyway, this is one of the darkest albums that Big Ghost has ever scored; a couple of his records like The Only Way Out and No One Mourns the Wicked have dark undertones, but this one keeps the oppressive nature of the beats going for pretty much the entire record. The drums have a brutal punch, but more than that the instrumentals are dominated by grungy and ragged guitar leads, almost on some hard rock shit like an album made from Black Sabbath guitar solos. In terms of darkness, I don’t think there’s an album I’ve heard this year that is blacker and more despaired than this one. Next to getting Rigz and Mooch back to do another record, I think getting fellow Da Cloth members Rob Gates and Maverick Montana to lay verses down over this was an amazing move, because, while Rigz and Mooch are grimy motherfuckers…. hooooooo boy Gates and M.A.V. give those two a run for their money. M.A.V. is a bit more level-headed than anyone else in the collective, but there is a cunning to him that is more evil than any of the other members. If M.A.V. is reservedly evil, then Rob Gates is like fucking demon, cutting through the instrumental chaos with a loud and explosive threats of murder, very similar to Philly’s Dark Lo. The two together provide a great dynamic, similar to Rigz and Mooch with a bit more of a polarized dichotomy, and all of the elements together with Big Ghost on down make an album that sticks to its guns and never lets up on the tone. Da Cloth is a collective that everyone needs to have their eyes on, being another in a long line of modern Underground prodigies coming out of Rochester right now. Griselda lovers need to get behind this one.

Spotify/Apple Music/Bandcamp

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M.A.V. & Giallo Point – Hoodlum

M.A.V. was two for two in July, acing the collaboration with Big Ghost and Rob Gates with flying colors, and then completely disregarding the break pedal in favor of accelerating straight into an entire collaborative album with one of the United Kingdom’s premier beatmakers Giallo Point. Going to this project from The Dark Side of Nature is like night and day, with the tone of this album being so much more chill and understated than he Big Ghost project. This is entirely to do with Giallo Point as a producer, who has always used samples that don’t take up too much room in the mix, focusing on how minimal sounds can make a lot of noise when used correctly, and highlighting his rapper guests and collaborators more than himself. It leads to some cool moments like Hand in Hand with Asun Eastwood and Ty Farris, where the spacy and detached beat make it feel like the three men are in your room rapping this shit to you. You also get a lot more nuanced street tales and emotion with this project; where the Big Ghost project was pretty much all about smoking your enemies and being a general badass, you get quite a few reflective moments that really build out M.A.V. as a person rather than a caricature of evil. Y’all are going to have to go to YouTube to listen to this right now (or go and support those artists over on Bandcamp), but I promise it’s well worth the effort. Again, Griselda fans will find this to speak to their souls. Other artists like Eto, Rigz & Mooch, and Daniel Son are great places to continue after this one. On the production front, The Alchemist or Daringer are great comparisons, and anyone who values those producers will love Giallo Point.

YouTube/Bandcamp

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Black Soprano Family – Benny the Butcher & DJ Drama Presents Black Soprano Family

It’s been a minute since Benny went full late-2000’s mixtape on us and gave us some classic bangers, but this time he’s decided to put on his whole Black Soprano Family in the process, offering up some great talent that the Butcher has recruited in his climb to the top. I assume all of these cats are from Buffalo given that Rick Hyde and Loveboat Luciano hail from the city, but I’m not 100% sure about Jonsey or Heem; regardless of where they are all from, the crew assembled here covers a lot of bases in the underground gritty soundscape. Luciano and Jonsey are slower more outwardly harsh and brutal emcees, Heem’s got a grimy flow and a very loud delivery, but it’s Rick Hyde that had really grown into an incredibly competent rapper over these past few years. His Plates LP is still one of my favorites, and since that record the man has lost none of his hunger and drive to conquer the game on this new mixtape, and I sincerely believe that his skill and attitude will bring him the recognition he deserves one day. But the star of the show is Benny, who mostly takes a backseat on the lot of the more traditional album-building aspects aside from a killer intro and a couple touchdowns on verses, but he leaves a lot of the heavy-lifting from hooks on down to his cohorts. You may think this is a bad thing, but hearing “THE BUTCHER COMIN’ on multiple tracks is also fantastic. The beats fit similar molds as modern Griselda production on one hand, but more modern 2000’s New York sound on the other, with intense synths and detailed production; the beats at the very least make this feel like a true-to-form mixtape experience, like a Lloyd Banks or Jadakiss endeavor. This project is for fans of an older Benny the Butcher, like the Benny just before he blew up with Griselda, and for anyone who’s looking for new talent among the underground.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Jay NiCE & Ru$h – FLY ART

This is the most luxurious album I’ve heard this year, there is no doubt about that. From the lyrical topics of high-class dining, cavorting with nothing less than runway models, and murdering you in only the most sophisticated of fashions, this album would give people like Roc Marciano and Wille the Kid a run for their money in creating fly raps. To make sure that they aren’t one-upped in this regard, both Marci AND Willie lend their voices to multiple tracks here, with Roc checking in on two tracks and Willie being on all tracks but one. Instead of trying to top those two men (which they would have come close with just the beats alone if I’m being honest), they are all combining forces into one outstandingly smooth statement in underground hip-hop. I love how these beats are slower, with a lot of saxophone-backed instrumentals that sound like lounge music repurposed to fit stories of the high-life and pimping. With so many characters on this rather short project (it’s only six tracks), I love how the beats sort of extend themselves out to the 4-5 minute range to accommodate; normally I wouldn’t fuck with long tracks like this, but the beats are so amazing that I just can’t get enough at how well they are structured and how well they loop. Honestly, I feel like I can’t listen to this project without a bottle of champagne on standby and a flight to Milan booked. Any of the mafioso rap aficionados out there will love this project; think Jay-Z, Raekwon, Biggie Smalls. These beats are pretty unique, so I guess if you like… Lionel Ritchie or Barry White? you’ll like what’s going on here.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music/Bandcamp

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Left Lane Didon – Go LEFT!

Lefty is one of my favorite rappers right now because not only is he entertaining and easy to passively listen to, but if you actually sit down and listen to what this man is saying the wordplay is absolutely top notch. Some of the lines he says can go right over your head with this relative monotone and steady delivery, but there are so many moments while listening to him where you’ll stop and say “noooooo, how did he do that?” Anyone looking for quality wordplay absolutely needs to check this guy out; like a lot of other rappers from Deleware (like Jay NiCE and Ru$h, see above), Didon takes a lot of cues from Roc Marciano, leading to lines that can be both hilarious and hard as fuck. The beats are another source of joy whenever it comes to Didon; some of my favorite material from Left Lane this year comes from his short little Tha Shoulder EPs that he’s releasing with JLVSN, and, while there is no production from that phenomenal producer, the project hits a lot of the same vibes as those projects. The wholesome soul samples, the strong vocal and instrumental loops, throw in some quieter more spacious tracks to give Didon some room to breathe every now and again, and you have a release that gives you a great varied body of work. I love the whole “left” theme that he has going on here too; it’s tongue-in-cheek with the corniness, knowing they can be a silly as they want with the presentation, but whenever the lyrics start IT’S ON. Short and effective, the way I like it. I would have liked to have seen some features on here, but Didon can hold his own better than 90% of rappers for sure. I highly recommend this project to anyone who likes smart and intelligent rap; take a chance and go buy this shit on Bandcamp, this dude deserves all of his flowers.

Bandcamp

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Eto – Eto Brigante

So I’ve never seen Carlito’s Way, the movie that this project seeks to recreate and present it’s own spin upon, but I can say from simply a musical perspective that Eto has come through with some of his most compelling work here. Maybe it’s the focused nature of trying to speak a specific story, maybe it’s the lack of features, maybe it’s the short length, or maybe it’s even the excellent beats combined with all of these things, but there’s something about this project that makes it one of my favorites from Eto. I’m sure having watched the movie will make the “story” here fall into place better, but there is a clear narrative, broken up by tracks like “Lalin Scene” and “Ending Scene” pacing the project in a way that feels natural. I will say that the front half of the project is a much more explosive and exciting experience than the second half, sliding into more mellow and smoky boom-bap as the runtime rides. Speaking from a specific perspective on the project has Eto spitting some of the best bars I think I’ve heard from him, being very cold-blooded and bloodthirsty in a way that coincidentally reminds me of Pacino’s Scarface. His voice is raspy, a very sandpapery rap flow that gives his voice a lot of wisdom and weight, playing perfectly into the vision of Pacino I have for him. Anyone looking for some cinematic, raw hip-hop from one of Rochester’s finest, come tap into this short project. As always, consider dropping some bread over on Bandcamp for this gem.

Spotify/Apple Music/Bandcamp

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38 Spesh – 6 Shots: Overkill

We’ve been waiting for some new Spesh for a long minute; the last full solo project we got from 38 was the Big Ghost produced A Bullet For Every Heathen, which was over a year ago at this point. That’s not to say that the man has been quiet, FAR from it in fact, producing records in their entirety for rappers like Flee Lord, Elcamino, Planet Asia, and Che Noir, showing that his talents as a beatmaker are quickly catching up to skills on the microphone. This new EP is also entirely self-produced, featuring tight, raw beat-loops that have an older and “lived-in” quality to them. Spesh usually goes for a single, prominent instrument like a horn or a string and loops it very sharply, and low-fi mixing quality you get a pretty unique sound to his beats that sound more than anything like something ripped out of the 90’s, not as dynamic as Premier or cinematic as RZA; maybe some Havoc influence? This doesn’t even touch the rapping, which is as sharp and witty as ever. Spesh’s pen game is one of the best in hip-hop, with the shit he comes up with to compare to cooking dope or serving fiends never getting old with how unbearable hard it all is. His flow can be a little predicable, but it gives you that much more time to just listen to the crazy shit he’s saying whenever you don’t have to anticipate a different flow. The EP is only 13 minutes, but Spesh has some time to get in a killer verse from Ransom, as well as a sharp verse from Eto (which based on the title of the song sounds like it should have placed on one of Eto’s albums). You’re going to want to hear these lyrics from one of underground hip-hops best coke rappers; Raekwon and Pusha T are the obvious go-to’s here, with any fan of those gentlemen being required readers here.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Flee Lord & Pete Rock – The People’s Champ

One of hip-hop’s most prolific emcees links up with one of hip-hop’s most legendary producers of all time; how do you THINK the shit turned out? It’s fantastic, arguably one of Flee’s beat produced projects to date, featuring a spread of muddy 90’s beats that bring those beautiful boom-bap drums to the forefront. But the thing about PR is that he doesn’t follow the boom-bap formula exactly like someone like DJ Premier would: there’s a lot of odd sampling choices and instrumental detours on this album, like the crispness of the Job Done instrumental, that is a strange but not unwelcome sound from the legend, but stuns whenever it changes up the tempo mid-song to a more calculated and speedier drum-pattern. Anyone who’s heard a Flee Lord project will know what they’re getting into on this project; it’s a little disappointing there’s not a single feature on here, but Flee Lord is as sharp as ever with the gangsta bars and solid hooks, and there is an average track length of about two minutes here so it speeds by quickly. Nothing groundbreaking on the microphone, but the consistency here and among his other projects is something to marvel for sure. Fans of older 90’s hip-hop will like this, as the name Pete Rock alone should have all of you running to listen to this. As for rapping, rappers like Eto and Nems come to mind, so tap in if you want energetic and mob-centric lyrics.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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RJmrLA – Let Me Talk My Shit

Going from RJ’s last album, the varied and well-constructed On God from 2019, to this new mixtape that’s slightly more one-note (ok maybe two-note) is a little jarring; I thought that that his last album was one of the best albums of last year, showcasing a west-coast artist that knows the roots of both the subgenre and the trends of mainstream rap. This newer mixtape on the other hand, while still maintaining the consistency in terms of killer collaborations and solid track concepts, doesn’t feel like it’s as much of a statement. You will find both melodic autotuned ballads and hard-nosed but goofy street trap, with little middle ground between the two extremes that is a more straightforwardly enjoyable experience to On God’s more nuanced and better written songs. Despite operating in a very modern lane of L.A. hip-hop, you still can get flashes of older influences like DJ Quik and Snoop Dogg, as well as heavy note-taking of artists like The Game and YG. While On God had a lot of influence from the styles of Atlanta trap, I think Let Me Talk My Shit keeps to the west-coast more than anything, with the hard-hitting sub-bass and warbly synths hitting the same tones as artists like Shoreline Mafia and Blueface (albeit with a much more focused approach of making quality music). There are also a TON of great features on here from great staples of the genre like Joe Moses, 1TakeJay, and even an feature from TeeCee4800 who I haven’t seen an appearance from in a long time let alone his own project. Anyone looking for some Meek Mill-esque L.A. mixtape material need look no further.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Big Ghost LTD. & K.A.A.N. – All Praise Is Due

For those of you who might be listening to K.A.A.N. for the first time, I think you all are blessed with listening to probably his best project right off the jump. I’m not saying that I don’t like K.A.A.N., and I’m also not saying that the person we see on this album wasn’t forged over the process of years of development, but you’re getting a distilled artist that finally seems to understand what people want to hear. People want to hear an artist that is legible; back in the day, K.A.A.N.’s thing was rapping so fast you couldn’t keep up with the motherfucker, which was super cool in it’s own right, but the spread of flows we see here on this album, while still being able to flout the intricate flows throughout the tracks, and while still being able to pen a great song with strong verses and hooks, shows the man as a true artists more than any other album I’ve heard from him. He can be as topical as someone like Kendrick or J. Cole, and sometimes a more proficient spitter than either of them to boot, and his song-writing when looking at hooks and song-structures are a massive level up from his earlier material. All of this is to say that I’m finally seeing what K.A.A.N. has to offer to hip-hop at large, and I don’t know why I’m so surprised that all it took was Big-fucking-Ghost to change my mind. I’ll be real, if you’ve listened to other Big Ghost releases (even the other project that is in this very Weekly Fix), you might not recognize his handiwork outside of a couple of tracks here. He’s adapted to the flows that K.A.A.N. is able to produce, the heavier modern influence on the emcee shaping the way that Ghost creates a beat that is prime material to really pick apart with detailed flows. What that means is that the emcee is the focus here, and the words spoken are more important to the album process than the showmanship Big Ghost can show behind the boards, leading to a decrease in sampled material and older 90’s vibes and an increase in mid 2010’s TDE and Dreamville vibes. It’s definitely a standout in both artists discographies, both in quality and uniqueness, and deserves a listen from anyone who values faster and more technical rapping with good messages.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music/Bandcamp

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Shoreline Mafia – Mafia Bidness

The debut album from the L.A. rap outfit sees the boys dropping a massive album populated by two different categories: stellar collaborations/occasionally engaging beats and derivative solo tracks. The main issue, and my only real problem here, is the length being entirely too long, and it’s mostly due to some tracks that simply should have been left on the cutting room floor. But I get it, it’s the modern era, and these longer albums (especially as a debut) will get them the most streams, so more power to Shoreline and I hope they get some serious exposure nationally with this one. The real gems on the tracklist are whenever we can get the whole crew together (well, at least most of them; it seems like a lot of tracks on here only feature one or two members at a time, especially on the tracks with features) and pair them with a guest that brings out the best in them. Their pimping and sipping lyrics are at all-time highs on the tracks with Future, 1TakeJay, and Duke Deuce, and there’s a super cool moment where they go back to like early 90’s Eazy-E party rap with Wiz Khalifa that seems so strangely natural. The rapping is a little amateur, but for a group that takes a lot of their steez from the bay area I don’t expect them to be master lyricists, and in fact the humor and irreverence of the lyrics hit a lot harder knowing it’s really just a bunch of young dudes just trying to make music they want to hear. Anyone who fucks with Oakland/Vallejo/Sacramento rappers like E-40, ALLBLACK, and especially SOBxRBE need to give this album a listen, and people who like the L.A. flavors from the likes of 03 Greedo and YG will like this too.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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

Mulatto (Feat. Gucci Mane) – Muwop

As the winner of the original run of The Rap Game on Lifetime (a show which I’ve never watched to be fair), I never thought that Mulatto was going to have a long career. I mean, most people who win competations like these and are gifted a record deal rarely ever go anywhere, but Mulatto was a little different: she immediately turned down the deal offered, rebranded and changed her name from Miss Mulatto to simply “Mulatto”, and quickly made connections all over the industry from Future to Gucci Mane. It’s that energy and co-sign that she is flaunting so hard on this new single, with a swagger and focus that rivals that of the track’s legendary guest, Guwop himself. I wouldn’t say that she’s copying him at all, and in fact I think from a purely rapping standpoint she suns the East Atlanta Santa with a charismatic and boisterous delivery and a hook that I could easily see on the radio. But I think my favorite part of this track is the beat, which has these passages of old Atlanta dramatic horns intercut by these minimal and bumping trap goodness that is much more clean and modern; it kind of reminds me of the beat drops and structure of Chris Brown’s Look At Me Now, which creates this amazing pocket that good rappers are able to take advantage of, and Mulatto definitely does. This is one of those defining singles that really creates a memory in my mind that I can come back to, a real “artists” track, and I hope that she can keep up this momentum into a solid project.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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A$AP Ferg (Feat. MadeinTYO & Nicki Minaj) – Move Ya Hips

Hands down the best Ferg song since New Level, giving me everything I could have wanted from a quality A$AP single. You get the weirdness of the bars, the goofy ad-libs that sound more like a hypeman than Ferg himself, and a banger of an instrumental that doesn’t dwell on petty details and gets into serious bass-action fast. Ferg sounds so much more in his element here than he has in years, hitting some infectious rap flows and hyped-up melodies that make his older music so much of a party to listen to, and he’s even trying to be funny as fuck with some of these bars. The beat is block-breaker, fast-paced and sharp trap music, punctuated by an icy-cold chime melody and sparing sub-bass that only hits when the track needs it. Even the features on this track bring their A-game: MadeinTYO admitted only has like 2 bar hook (which is still fire and very catchy despite it’s brevity), but Nicki Minaj destroys the beat in a way that I thought she would never be able to do again. Her verse is full of life and character, none of the cringy lyrics that usually come with one of her verses, and the way she chameleons the melody on this one gives the track a sense of being complete and total-package from all of the artists involved. I’m so glad we’ve gotten a fantastic Ferg track to jam out to again, big 2013 vibes. I hope this winning streak continues on whatever project he has coming down the pipe.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Juicy J (Feat. Wiz Khalifa) – Gah Damn High

Juicy is one of the most consistent dudes in the game, a legend amongst old Memphis hip-hop AND modern trap music. A couple dozen mixtapes and albums under his belt, and scores of singles that he’s either the main artist, produced, featured on, or put the artist in question on the map, and I don’t think his quality has dipped yet. We’ve got a new single, presumably from an album Juicy has coming out in the near future (or in 5 years knowing his dropping habits), and the song is pretty standard for one of his tracks; it’s bumping, it’s dark, the bass is deep, the hi-hats are crispy, the background vocals are made up of older Three Six material, and it’s fairly repetitive with the “I’m so gah damn high” refrain. For all intents and purposes it’s a by-the-numbers Juicy J song vocally, with funny lines, goofy threats, and copious references to weed and smoking. However, the track is turned entirely on it’s head by the appearance from Wiz Khalifa, who seems to be rapping over a different instrumental at a similar tempo, but takes a unique approach to the pocket that Juicy didn’t, bringing his own brand of repetition that is actually hard as fuck, almost whispering his verse in an uncharacteristic menace. Strangely enough, Wiz almost sounds more Triple 6 than Juicy did on his own track, but I think that just goes to show how deeply the chemistry runs between the two. Any Project Pat, Lil Pump, or Yo Gotti fans will like what’s going on here.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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billie eilish – my future

So this track is broken up into two distinct parts, the first being a sound that fans of Billie will be more accustomed to, a darkly minimal, almost acapella, moody singing section. This transitions into a much more foreign, upbeat instrumental with, like, real drums and stuff. I definitely was not expecting the shift, but I also was not expecting how positive she was going to get on the track; like she’s happy about the path of her life and the prospects of the future. Obviously this is different from a lot of her material from her come-up, but it makes sense that a growing artist reaping the benefits of fame would be happy at the idea, and I’m glad to see this kind of evolution of her music. Her voice fits into the newly positive vibes much more naturally than I would have given her credit for initially, so props to her for being able to pull off such a warm and heartfelt song believably. Like most of her other music, any one who likes Lorde or Adele will be able to get into this.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Action Bronson – Latin Grammys

It really seems like Action Bronson is more concerned with having the most fun possible rather than releasing stunning music, because while the beat is fantastic and Bronson is funny as ever with lines about not being able to touch his toes and his superhuman suplexing abilities, I do have to say that this just kind of sounds like something the boys threw together just to take the piss. Again, all of the elements are here for an enjoyable Bronson track, but it doesn’t have that same push to be great *music* that it had before. I do need to give props to this beat, with the great bassline, brash horn lines, and loud sloppy drums giving this sense of a street performance, with Action the debauched man chasing you with a microphone. It’s time to accept our new dolphin overlords and take in their majesty in rhyme form, and any dolphin lovers out there will love this too.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Travis Barker (Feat. Run the Jewels) – Forever

While I think Travis could have had a little bit more to do with the beat, being simply a marching drumline backed by melodramatic and grinding synths (lowkey kind of sounds like a car-commercial), the beat is sufficiently loud and in your face to warrant a Run the Jewels appearance. I love how, through little to no use of cursing at all, Mike and El are able to comment on the injustices of the modern day, the former being a bit more brutal about it and the latter being more wordy than usual to say simply that our rulers are spineless and cruel bastards. I wish I had more to say but we got two quality verses, impressive censorship (wait that came out wrong, I swear I’m not a fascist), and a beat that doesn’t take up to much space in your mind, favoring the fantastic bars we get. Anyone who likes more rock-centric rap, like Rage Against the Machine and whatnot, will find this track very enjoyable.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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NLE Choppa (Feat. Lil Baby) – Narrow Road

This new single leading up to Choppa’s debut solo album Top Shotta (which comes out tonight) is probably one of the most “officially” fire tracks the dude has ever dropped. I love the various Shotta Flow’s he’s put out over the years, but this track sounds so much more polished, refined, and perfectly angled to loop Choppa into the autotuned quasi-melodic trap wave without sacrificing too much about what makes him a unique emcee. The energy, blunt and violent lyricism, and the immediately identifiable accent paint this as an NLE track, but everything else about the track is elevated on some real album shit. First off is the beat, which damn near sounds like some Weeknd trap vibes are about to go down with the killer synth melody that’s so sharp and electric; this instrumental is a Back-To-The-Future-type-beat if I’ve ever heard one, sounding like something that would play during an exercise montage from the 80’s. The trap elements in the percussion weave perfectly amongst the standout instrumental to create something that sounds refreshing and new. The more processed nature of Choppa’s vocals fit the vibe well, and I think, while in another instrumental setting I may have been disappointing in the singing, the beat and the vocalist fit better than I could have hoped. Lil Baby gives us a feature on this one too, and, while it’s good, it doesn’t distract from the headline artist here, who has clearly evolved heavily in his relatively short career. I’m looking forward to seeing how NLE Choppa sets the tone for his career on his debut.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Desiigner – Diamonds Forever

I’ve never really given credence to the assertion that Desiigner sounds like Future; literally the only time I’ve thought this was the very first time I heard him on Kanye’s Life of Pablo, and once I learned who he was I could distinguish with little trouble. Since that time, Desiigner’s career has had many ups (Tiimmy Turner, Holy Ghost) and many downs (pretty much every project he’s ever released), but I have never lost faith in my man. He’s such an endearing and try-hard character that I still believe that he as a chance to make another name for himself. He just needs quality beats, a good melody to riff off of, and solid collaborations under his belt to het him back into the industry’s good graces. Everything but that final point comes true on this newest single, getting a killer beat from ATL Jacob and an unknown member of 808 Mafia, and a cool melody over the hook. There’s nothing mindblowing about it admittedly (and I’m talking about In My Ways by the way; the other one will not be in my rotation at all…), but I think it’s a great start to a new chapter in his career. I would really like to see some great features from him, as well as a more thorough exploration of Drill music that he was starting on his last single. Any fan of modern pop-trap will at least find this palatable.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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