An unexpected reunion, high profile disappointments, and an assortment of fire singles. Let’s get into the details.
Here’s a link to the Week #11 Playlist for y’all
-----PROJECTS-----
Little Brother – May the Lord Watch
Despite a 9 year hiatus (and losing the production backbone in the form of 9th Wonder), Phonte and Pooh return, having lost none of the charm and wit they had cultivated 15 years ago. It doesn’t have the highs of their classics (nor the lows, for some good news); it’s just… good. It checks all the boxes; excellent rhymes, soulful R&B tinged beats, and hilarious interludes and skits. Hip-hop/neo-soul/R&B
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to May the Lord Watch:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
BROCKHAMPTON – GINGER
Unfortunately, this isn’t the return to form I was looking for. The singles had some SATURATION II/III vibes to them, but many of the deeper cuts are dreadfully boring, *especially* the last 4 tracks. Iridescence is a better album in my opinion, with many more high points. Pop-rap, boyband stuff
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to GINGER:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
Rapsody – Eve
I appreciate the women-power themes that pervade the album, and the beats across this thing range from hard-hitting to hella soulful, but I just *can’t* for the life of me get behind Rapsody as a rapper. There is improvement here in terms of wordplay and flow over Laila’s Wisdom, but not enough for me to consider her in the same light as some of y’all out there. Like I said tho, the beats are where this album shines through; with contributions from 9th Wonder, Khrysis, Eric G, and Nottz, you really can’t go wrong. Old school, punchy hip-hop
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Eve:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
SAINt JHN – Ghetto Lenny’s Love Songs
JHN has a good voice for this sort of melodic trap, and this project has a ton of sticky hooks. I wish there were more featured artists on here, cause the tracks with Meek, Baby, and Lenny Kravitz of all people are fire. It reaches basic status at times, but it’s worth a listen if you appreciate mindless pop-trap. Also one of the best album covers this year? Melodic pop-trap
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Ghetto Lenny’s Love Songs:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
Powers Pleasant – Life Is Beautiful
If you haven’t listened to this, give it a chance. It has some of the best bangers… of last year. Pull Up and Please Forgive deserve every listen because they knock like a motherfucker, but there are only 8 tracks here, 4 of which have already been released, and 1 is just an intro skit. Waiting a year for 3 new tracks, only 1 of which is as good as the singles, is plain disappointing.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Life Is Beautiful:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
Headie One – Music x Road
Very one dimensional in flow and lyrics, but some of the beats here deserve a listen, along with a couple of the features. His London accent is heavy as fuck, but I never had any issue understanding. If you remember the Krept and Konan single from a few weeks ago, this project is basically that for 45 minutes. British pop-rap
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Music x Road:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
RJ Payne – Square Root of a Kilo
Debut album from Philly MC (and recent Black Soprano Family inductee) RJ Payne, who turned heads a couple months ago with his verse on Benny the Butcher’s EP. This shit is grimy, this shit is bloodthirsty, this shit is killer. RJ is a great emcee, but, like 38 Spesh, he’s a little one dimensional with his flows and rhyme schemes. He makes up for these shortcomings with a monstrous presence and sharp, ultra-violent wordplay. A good list of features paired with a nice spread of beats make this an effective debut project from an incredibly promising talent.
Here’s the link to RJ Payne’s website, the only place I was able to find where one can listen to Square Root of a Kilo:
iamrjpayne.com
————————————————
-------SINGLES-------
Skippa Da Flippa (Feat. Young Thug) – Move
Lots of aggression from Skippa, as he normally brings. Hard-hitting fast flows. Thug’s first verse is awful, but the third verse of the song has a much better Thugger appearance. Cute little trap beat.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Move:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
Mozzy (Feat. Gunplay) – Bail Bond
I’m loving the synths on this; it’s got an ultra-swaggy west coast drone to it that demands head-bopping. I’m not normally the biggest Mozzy fan, but he comes correct here in true L.A. fashion. Gunplay is a dude that I’m unfamiliar with (besides being on Ross’s last album), but need to stop sleeping because his verse here is fire.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Bail Bond:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
Yung Mal & Pi’erre Bourne (Feat. Lil Gotit) – Action
The beat *really* sells this track, with a slapper that incorporates an off-kilter sitar/guitar? Yung Mal and Lil Gotit are replaceable with any other young trap rapper, but it has that repetitive energy that old Soundcloud rap had.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Action:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
Yo Gotti (Feat. Lil Uzi Vert) – Pose
This track is an absolute knocker, that would be barebones beat-wise if it wasn’t for the massive distorted bass that beats the listener into submission. Gotti and Uzi have confidence here that really sells the “I don’t give a fuck” attitude they’re going for. Yo Gotti is 2 for 2 this year after that track with Lil Baby.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Pose:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
Yung Gravy (Feat. Chief Keef & Y2K) – Tampa Bay Bustdown
Just recently got put on to this dude, and I have to say I’ve been sleeping. This dude is hilarious, and he somehow gets banger beats by the truckload. This one (which is lowkey trying to ride on the coattails of Lil Nas but whatever) is a country trap banger with a catchy hook and a good performance from Chi-town royalty Chief Keef.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Tampa Bay Bustdown:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
Guapdad 4000 (Feat. 6LACK) – Prada Process
Nice moody trap/R&B song, with 6LACK stealing the show with ther backend of the track. Guap is good for sure, but I don’t know if he really fits on this track that is so melodramatic; I feel like his lane is more weird and humorous.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music link to listen to Prada Process:
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
————————————————
Ed Sheeran (Feat. Stormzy, Jaykae, & Aitch) – Take Me Back To London (Remix)
Additions Jaykae and Aitch do well to justify their place on the remix to one of favorite songs off of Ed’s last project. I especially appreciate how they go back and forth on their verse, some fire for sure. Also need to say that there is also a remix that is not only additional verses but a new beat from Sir Spyro; not a fan to say the least.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Take Me Back To London:
Spotify/YouTube
————————————————
