Migos - Culture II

Georgia Trap group, Migos, dropped their new album “Culture II” recently. This is their third studio album from one of the most influential groups in trap genre. This is a follow up on their previous project “Culture” This album holds an impressive 24 songs that have a run time of almost 2 hours. This album is way too long to go through song by song so I’ll only highlight the strongest and weakest in my opinion.

“NARCOS” is definitely one of my favorite tracks on this album. The Spanish guitar sample in the background is a little soft and is kinda awkwardly sitting in the back but it makes me just want to keep listening to it. However, the group really run with the Spanish motifs and the flows are actually pretty addicting. The song talks about drugs and how they move it. Mention of Pablo Escobar, the infamous drug lord is present. Just pretty much a straight banger.

“Walk It Talk It” is the only song I’ve actually had to skip while listening to an album. It’s almost like a parody of Migos. The redundant chorus is Gucci Gang level of repetitive. Except I’d rather listen to Gucci Gang. Just the staccato and the kind of annoying synth in the back only makes me want to press the skip button more. This song drives me insane. Only good thing is maybe the Drake verse but that’s pushing it.

“Stir Fry” is another single from the album. The only thing I like is the first half of Quavo’s chorus. The lyrics are so smooth even with the autotune. The sample in the back is actually great. Pharrell Williams did a pretty good job producing this track actually.  But for the most part, I don’t feel any of the flows really fit the sample sadly.

“Gang Gang” starts off with some actual things going inside of Takeoff’s head. Some doubts he has, wanting his colleagues to know that he feels the same about them even though they have a lot of money now. It’s a nice and welcome change of pace for the group as they’re usually rapping about something else. Nice to see their sentimental side a little.

“White Sand” has the biggest names all in one song. Travis Scott, Ty Dolla $ign, and Big Sean. However, the song kinda fails to keep my attention. The verses are fine but the chorus lacks the umph the song needs to make it really stick in my mind.

“Flooded & Beast” both have an amazing, minimalist beat which really fits the Migos style. They’re almost haunting and scary. There are some clever lyrics to back up both the songs although they sound a little similar.

“MotorSport” is alright. The girl’s steal the show entirely. After hearing the whole album full of autotune dudes singing in my ear, a natural voice really cuts through. And to be honest, both Cardi B’s and Nicki’s verses are pretty darn good. Cardi disses haters in a pretty good way and Nicki does too. A little vulgar but that’s to be expected.

“Notice Me” features Post Malone who is an extremely popular artist now. He’s been able to cross borders and mix genres like crazy. He’s actually really talented and his voice for the chorus really sets the atmosphere for the song and makes it more enjoyable. Post also brings the producer that made his hit single “White Iverson” to produce. I think it fits really well this Migos style.

“Too Playa” features 2 Chainz. I love 2 Chainz but I’m not big on his verse here. I feel like his style of rapping is exactly the opposite of Migos. 2 Chainz needs a lot of production to back his vocals while Migos don’t. 

“Made Men” is different. Here there’s an R&B beat with some warm synth chords and some altered choral singing almost. Takeoff’s whole beginning actually fits it so well. His smooth voice really shows off lyrical conscious and a good ear for what’s needed. Quavo doesn’t really get it due the autotune he uses which ruins the vibe of the whole song. Offset does the same thing. But it doesn’t completely ruin the song.

“Top Down On Da NAWF” is another rather introspective track that talks about growing up in the “nawf” and what they went through to get here. It’s actually a pretty heartfelt song and shows the members in a pretty vulnerable state. They expose the things they did in and learned growing up. But not that memorable overall.

“Culture National Anthem” has a beautiful piano sample has the group make a political statement with this song. They support the taking the knee during the national anthem. But that’s all they really say about it. In my opinion, they also talk about what I think is the fear that white people are trying to steal or become apart of the black culture. It’s either that or people just copying their style. Either or they take a stand.

All in all, the album doesn’t stand out. Some similar problems that occur are just some of the choruses are just too repetitive to listen to. It makes me want to blow my brains out sometimes. That and their voices. It’s usually the same flow with the same monotone voices over and over again for 24 songs. Although there are some shining moments on the album, none of them really feature the actual group. 5/10

NEW Migos Single

The trap trio Migos has released a new single titled, “Supastars”

The production matches the title favorably. It looks like they chose a lot of celestial voices instead of traditional trap instruments. The synth leads mixed with dreamy bell pads fluttering in the background really set up a beautiful mix meant for some spacey vibes. Not to mention the almost digital and thumpy 808′s.  However, the trio doesn’t really change their style accordingly. It just seems like they were rapping any other one of their beats. That definitely isn’t a deal-breaker for this song. Definitely still a banger. Sadly, the song doesn’t really go anywhere. Dynamically it stays the same. The only difference is maybe the chorus and the adding of the traditional hip-hop cowbell noise. The ending is a little awkward for a single. But it’ll probably lead into some sort of interlude or maybe another song. Lyrical content is about on par with the rest of their projects. All around a solid song. Excited for Culture II

NEW Kendrick Lamar and SZA Single

Top Dawg Entertainment’s Kendrick Lamar and SZA team up to drop a lead single for the upcoming Marvel movie, “Black Panther.” Kendrick is the movie’s music curator. The single was released Jan. 4th and the movie is expected to be released on Feb. 16th of this year.

The beat is very minimalistic, featuring pounding beats and wavering and jabby synths. It’s really pop-driven as it is part of a movie soundtrack. Therefore a lot of the lyrical content is based on the movie and hints the struggles within the characters. But both of artists characteristic shine through the entire track. In the beginning, when Kendrick is singing his little chorus thingy his moany singing sound like it could fit right into an album. SZA follows up with a catchy pop chorus that shows off the clarity of her voice. I think all around it’s a solid track for a movie soundtrack and SZA and Kendrick definitely have some musical chemistry that I would love to see more of in the future. And I will definitely be seeing the movie.

Nick Drake - Bryter Layter

Nick Drake was an undiscovered talent in the early 1970′s. He’s compared to the likes of Donovan and Van Morrisons who are champions in the Folk-Rock genre. He released 3 albums over the course of 4 years. However, I would assume his easy-going folk music was drowned out by the increasing popularity of Rock throughout the world. He passed away on November 25th, 1974 from an overdose of antidepressants. His family and friends say it wasn’t suicide but all the evidence says otherwise. Bryter Layter was the 2nd album of the trilogy he released. 

The intro track appropriately titled, “Introduction”, is an acoustic driven song with an orchestral melody which is happy yet incredibly mystifying. It creates a great atmosphere which accurately foretells how the rest of the album is going to layout. 

The next song, “Hazey Jane II”, opens with another feel-good folky intro. Plenty of acoustic guitars strumming. Then, Nick Drake enters with a very sing-song voice which plays well with the vibe set by the instrumental behind him. Nick talks about seemingly depressing moments in his life. “And all the friends you once knew, Are left behind, they kept you safe and so secure Amongst the books and all the records of your lifetime,” That’s some pretty heavy stuff. Clearly, he’s battling something in his mind in the last verse stating that Hazey Jane is back in his mind. 

The next cut, “At the Chime of a City Clock”, is a bit more gloomy and in my opinion an extension of the first lyric of the previous track. This sense of how overcrowded a place can be, yet feel so alone. The need to pray for money and warmth are two things people need most yet elsewhere don’t need as much. The song is lyrically complex and vague on purpose as a life of isolation has little to no direction. The desolate City only appears amicable while being just the opposite. 

The next track, “One of These Things First”, is another example of upbeat music and a major key being the host for some fairly depressing lyrics. Nick is either talking about himself or someone else who lived their life through a cycle of inaction. The verses state all the things he could have been, which changes from verse to verse. This indicates how frequently he wanted to do this or be this. While the chorus always reaffirmed his doubts, saying “could”, “would”, and “how.” Despite the frequent changes in lyrics, the chorus always remained the same to show how much of a vicious cycle it was. 

Next up we have “Hazey Jane I”, which most likely takes place before the events or thoughts of the 2nd Hazey Jane. My theory as to who Hazey Jane is either a girl, depression, or both. Looking at this song alone says more. The ending to each verse places Jane through a new phase. In the end of the first verse, he says, “Cross the fence”, at the end of the 2nd verse it’s, “we’re on the move”, and the at the end of the last verse “it’s fly on by.” So during the song, something or someone was introduced and the lyrics illustrated the time passing, as a result so does “Hazey Jane.” 

Following this is another instrumental track titled as the album, “Bryter Layter.” The track more acoustic driven as it is a folk staple. This time a flute joins the orchestra in the melody which could represent a change in something. More than likely a change within the person of Nick Drake. 

The next cut is “Fly” which like many of the other tracks of this album, feature an orchestral and acoustic guitar backing track. So this allows the lyrics to take over as the main focus of the song. Nick talks about some sort of love he’s failed and he’s admitting it. He’s fallen down and messed up his relationship but he wants to make up for it. He wants to sit in the sun and watch the clouds go by and all that stuff. Pretty corny song if you ask me. 

Next up is, “Poor Boy” which is different. By far my favorite instrumental as Nick strays away from traditional folk and experiments with an almost Latin-Jazz fusion which is surprisingly tasteful with the lyrics he’s providing. The Alto-Sax really plays well with Nick’s voice. The song deals with themes about growing up poor and how you might be perceived as different and have a different way of conducting yourself under a stressful economic background. The Poor Boy is concerned about things happening all the time that he might not be ready for.

As soon as Nick comes up with an interesting song that I kind of like musically, he follows it up with one of the most boring songs on the album. “Northern Sky” is just a cheesy love song with no actual meaning. Although it’s quite beautiful in that respect, it just comes to me as straight up boring. This album could be done without this song. 

Nick Drake end’s his album with an instrumental track. No surprise there. “Sunday” is actually quite a beautiful song. It features acoustic guitar, flute, orchestral, some drums and bass. The flute drives the melody while the orchestra provides a countermelody sometimes while other times bringing a darkness to the piece. It’s a very nice arrangement. 

All in all, I am not a fan of folk music or folk rock or whatever Nick Drake would classify himself as. This album has not made me like it anymore sadly. The Folk genre is lost on me, however this does not decrease the merit of his art. I see how artisitc and forward thinking it is. Since I don’t have a frame of reference for many folk albums I won’t give it a score. But if I had one word I would say meh. 

XXXTENTACION: An Opinion Piece

By now, everyone has heard his name. XXXTENTACION, otherwise known as “X”, is a polarizing topic for sure. Love him or hate him, you have to admit that he has been making waves in the rap game for a while now. He’s led a new era, featuring obscure soundcloud rappers becoming mainstream. I personally find his music to not be that lyrically complex but his productions of bangers are pretty strong. Sadly, I’m not here to talk about his art but rather his actions and how that affects how his art should be viewed. That is the subject. For those who are unfamiliar with his accusations, here’s a link: https://www.spin.com/2017/12/xxxtentacion-accusations-timeline/

No matter how far we go back in our time, people have made many mistakes or have had flaws in their character. To make an extreme example, FDR. Noted as possibly one of the greatest presidents to have served, he created many social programs to aid the economically depressed in the 1930′s. He led the US through the majority of WWII. However, during this time, a group of Jewish refugees were refused to find safe haven in American during these times. 

Now this is an extreme example and X has never denied Jewish people a safe haven to my knowledge, but clearly, he has some issues. Whether he is mentally sick or just has lack of empathy is not for me to decide, but I can weight my opinion in as to if all of his art should be discredited or not. 

When thinking about this question, I instantly said yes. But upon further pondering, I changed my answer completely. His art, if we like it or not, is his voice. His artistic mind brings us into the way he thinks and how he wants to create something. Yes, his actions were beyond messed up and if he’s found guilty he should definitely serve time for what he was accused of. However, does that make his art inherently invalid? People tend to forget malicious deeds that others have done. If it’s they want to stay ignorant of that or they don’t believe it is up to the person. However, if it’s the truth does our human nature make us hate their art and the empire they created? Does the bad outweigh the good? For the most part, probably not. 

It is well documented that Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin had relations with an underage girl. More info on that subject through this link: http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/11-rock-stars-who-allegedly-slept-with-underage-girls-7980930

People just seem to forget these things happen. Whether or not X’s legacy will only build from here or it will fall is really a mystery. People seem to love his emo rap and raw feelings he puts into his music. It’s all about the willingness.

New BROCKHAMPTON album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cucHc2vef4

So! New BROCKHAMPTON album. This is the boy band’s third album in the Saturation Trilogy. 3 amazing, coherent albums in one year. The group is making a name for themselves in the rap game for sure. 

The album was preceded by a release of a single entitled, “BOOGIE”. It was also released with a music video to match the pure spazziness of the song. The track features samples of what sound like police sirens and a ripping saxophone riff repeated. All around this is an amazing intro track that gets the listener hyped up and ready to match the intensity of this album. One of my favorite lines from the songs being from Kevin Abstract, “Best Boy Band since One Direction, Makin’ n****s itch like a skin infection” Because that’s actually me. I’ve been waiting so long for this album and I’m just ecstatic that it’s here.

The next song, “ZIPPER”, includes a staccato string sample met with a Slim Shady-esque intro from the groups Joba who tells us that he probably has a dual personality. His unhinged appearance and edge in his voice reinforce that. His verse goes on to tell us about despite all his fame, it doesn’t affect who he is. The rest of the song goes into a similar theme stating that they are above all of their wealth, calling themselves Aladdin as he started from poverty and became a prince.

In “JOHNNY”, one of my favorite tracks, all the verses are beautifully accompanied by guitar chords and a muted trumpet riff. Joba’s verse steals the show for me in this song. Not to discredit the other verses, but this one stood out. Further playing his crazy personality, Joba is mellow on this track. He reflects on how immature he is. He’s quit drinking and drugs but still cannot find the happiness he wants. He goes on to talk about how life is truly unfair and this line is interesting. “I spin a little wheel when I’m feeling moody” This is either a reference to a bullet in a chamber or a fidget spinner. I’m hoping its the latter.

The next track is almost an interlude but has enough substance to stand alone. “LIQUID” illustrates the sadness that surrounded the group before they took off. The beat is certainly minimalist and contains synth jabs throughout. Kevin struggles at home. Dom talks about a troubled neighborhood and growing up in poverty, eating ramen noodles. The outro is Kevin singing about growing up with only imaginary friends and no actual friends. Not something you truly want to jam out to so-to-speak. But the track really evokes emotion with some hard-hitting lyrics in the brief time it's playing.

The Interlude “Cinema 1″ is a track continuing the ongoing story between all the albums and the music videos.

On, “STUPID”, a piano pedal note is heard before Meryln’s hard entrance. The whole gang takes on a more staccato, accented, and jagged flow which is backed up by the quarter notes. My favorite verse is CT’s own Dom McLennon. He raps about a seemingly aggressive weapon to aim at the human race but his intentions are to ease tensions and relieve stress while also calling out people who claim to be tolerant but truly are not. Kevin is a runner-up with his verse in my book, as he again speaks his mind about being gay in a community that isn’t all that accepting of homosexuality. He’s fed up with the rap game’s lack of empathy towards gays and is very vocal about it. Although at this point, he’s getting to the point of Logic saying that he’s half black. One gripe I have with this song is the chorus. I just find is droning and having no real relevance to the message of the verses.

My favorite song on the album is “BLEACH” By far the most chill cut on the entire record. The hook is addictive thanks to Ryan Beatty, who Kevin mentions he's gay in a tweet. This is another emotional song, getting into the heads of the members of the group. Certainly clashing with the upbeat single released before. My favorite verse has to go to Ameer Vann here. His monotone delivery hides truly heart-wrenching lyrics as Ameer is ashamed of what he is. He tries to drown his sorrow in materialistic things but hides in his sheets and hope he one day doesn’t have to face judgment from God. If there’s one thing I love in a rap song is a beat change. And I’m so glad BROCKHAMPTON experiments with this in this song. The outro provides us with a verse from Joba and Kevin Abstract to bring us even more emotion.

The next song leads us to the latter half the album, “ALASKA”, which features a minimalist beat with a jabby bassline and weird vocal samples. Then the beat adjusts into staccato strings progression similar to “ZIPPER”. The boyband takes turns in stating how much hard work they’ve put in and how their new fame has affected their lives. Favorite verse goes to Kevin Abstract. He has worked restlessly, pumping out 3 solid projects in one year. He has led them to something extraordinary. His verse talks about just that. He never quits and references Mark Zuckerburg in either one of two ways. One as himself. A creative mind who worked to be successful. Or, Zuckerburg being rappers who are out to copy people like Kevin and claim it as their own.

Initially, I hated, “HOTTIE”. The frankly annoying chorus stuck out completely. But the more I listened to it, the more the production as a whole grew on me. The weird, windy, whistling sample in the back is mixed in perfectly. You hear it enough that it grabs your attention but it doesn’t overwhelm the listener with how annoying it could be. Joba shines on this track. I was very surprised to learn that the vocals were him in some of the verses. He has an incredible range and is my opinion, one of the more talented in the group. He sounds like an easier to listen to Alt-J.

“CINEMA 2″

“SISTER / NATION”. Now, this is a track. Definitely second behind “BLEACH” The immediate change in feeling is instant as the only sounds in your ears are this electronic synth-bass and Merlyn Wood repeating some words over and over again. The hard-hitting 808 and angular lyrics make me think how much Death Grips influenced this song. Again, Joba gives us an inside about his psychotic tendencies where he talks about his mental problems and going off his meds. He mentions “I juggle all my personalities” and how he hears voices. This is clearly a sign of DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). Matt Champion’s verse really resonates with me as his he matches his flow with how hard the beat is. His triplet flow only escalates the tension the beat, as if he’s feeding off it. What definitely solidifies this as one of my favorite tracks, is his call out of the people who claim to be making music for the “Culture” while making the most money out of it. I happen to agree with this sentiment. Beat switch into Dom McLennon’s verse. I dislike this verse actually because of the almost mumble-rap autotune effects on his voice. I would have much preferred to see no effects for that part and see how much he can do with his own voice. The second part of the track enters as only the black members rap. This half of the track’s theme is clearly racially driven and the negative experiences all the members have faced. Favorite verse goes to Dom McLennon who, this time, conveys his emotion of the situation through the speed of his flow. The spacey beat and echoey effect create the perfect platform for this rapid-fire section. Dom sets up a society in which there’s no skin, no heart, no face. He wonders how the world would be if existence was just that.

“RENTAL” is the next on the track list and in my opinion is lacking any lyrical genius. I like the song to listen to. But there is a lot of musical talent. This is definitely proof that BROCKHAMPTON are musicians, not just rappers. They can create a solid song without making hard-hitting lyrics. However, Don McLennon’s verse is the only solid one on the entire song. I relate a little too much to his lyrics. Solid song.

“STAINS” comes next on the list. A very modern beat with synth driving the whole song. Minimal drums and an all-around catchy background sound for the musical and rapping going on over it. At this point, I don’t know if it’s preference or just talent but Dom McLennon steals my favorite verse yet again. His relatable thoughts and emotions that were once indescribable are so easily written down in this verse it’s hard not to relate to anything the dude is saying. 

“CINEMA 3″

Finally, the album ends on a much different note. “TEAM” is completely different from all other songs. It gives way to bearface laying smooth vocals over Mac DeMarco level of distortion on the guitar. He sings about someone named Evanie. I don’t know who that is and I don’t really care because I much prefer the second half of the song. However, I do appreciate the heavy guitar strumming towards the end of the first part. It’s just a good vibe. As we enter the second half, Kevin Abstract starts backs into the rapping. Backed by some hard funky lines in the background. It’s definitely a good moment for the end of the album. Sadly, only a portion of Dom McLennon’s verse made it onto the track but he released the rest of it on his twitter. Just an amazing fact that the last track on the album leads right into the first track on the first Saturation which is a nice little easter egg which ends it perfectly. 

All in all, this was a solid album that BROCKHAMPTON created all in one year. 3 albums in one year. Each one could stand on its own. This is truly a feat and should not be taken lightly. My rating of the album is 8/10.

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