Kendrick Lamar is shutting up any doubters as to how great he’s been in 2024. Just several hours ago, Kung Fu Kenny put out GNX moments after dropping a one-minute teaser trailer of sorts on YouTube. Many were expecting this to just be the start of the album’s rollout. However, he fooled everyone by giving the hip-hop world 12 new cuts to dissect and salivate over. There are many who are just plain floored right now, and others who are already dubbing it the best of the year. However, you know there are bound to be a few party poopers, like one DJ Akademiks. If you have been following the controversial media pundit, you know he’s team Drizzy through and through.
He made that especially known in case some weren’t aware during Drake and Lamar’s highly public beef. However, Ak has recently come forward with a fairly positive review of GNX. He even did the unthinkable by defending the project after a group of folks tuning into his livestream claimed it was a “3/12” listen. He did say that it showed similarities to Lamar’s most accessible tape, DAMN., which has received some criticisms for being too safe.
But DJ Akademiks came clean and said that “we have to be fair… it’s a dope tape.” He thinks Lamar also made a smart move dropping at a time where many were clamoring for a new LP. However, he surmises that this isn’t the album that’s been hinted at for months. Despite the fact that every publication has called it his sixth studio album, Akademiks believes that Lamar is up to something.
“We don’t know what his next album is gonna be. Now I get it. It’s on Spotify and you’re gonna be like ‘no this is his next album,’ this ain’t his next album, right. This is a tape.” It’s an interesting take for sure, however, Kendrick is not one to drop multiple times a year. Overall, it’s rare that we get a single every 12 months from the Compton creative. Then again, K. Dot hoodwinked everyone today, so who really knows if this is just another type of untitled unmastered. situation.
“Rap game’s OGs about to remind us what greatness sounds like! ” That is one fan’s reaction to some recent teasers of Missionary, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s second album together. It’s the long-awaited follow-up to their first effort Doggystyle. Overall, it’s definitely been a long time coming. But these two legends reuniting for another project this deep into the careers is extremely worth wait. Speaking of which, that’s the current mood surrounding it, with many already anticipating this to be one of the best of the year.
It’s pretty incredible how much positive reception it’s getting, especially since it’s still weeks away from dropping. To remind everyone, Missionary will arrive on streaming on December 13. We can attribute the early buzz to Snoop sharing some sneak peeks of the record on Instagram (via AllHipHop). They come from the duo’s recent appearance on Drink Champs. There are some crazy samples that people are discovering from the clips, but you really can’t expect anything less from Dr. Dre. Some include Sly & the Family Stone’s “Thank You” and The Police’s “Message in a Bottle.”
Several rappers and celebrities are in Snoop’s comments hyping up the snippets, like Russ who says, “” Jamie Foxx is also loving what he’s hearing so far, writing, “Crazy!!!!!!! ” Travis Kelce also popped in to support with more “” LeBron James showed love to his Cali brethren, ecstatically replying, “LFG Unk!! ”
As it stands, the unofficial tandem has put out one single. That was “Gorgeous” featuring Jhene Aiko which dropped on the first day of November. She’s one of many A-listers on this album, with others being Sting, Method Man, 50 Cent, Eminem, Tom Petty, and more. The guardians of the West Coast have a lot of buzz around them, and it’s looking like it’s going to be an amazing December.
With a breakout hit as massive as “F.N.F.,” it would’ve been easy for GloRilla to just stick to that sound and appeal to get her bag as hip-hop’s most beloved new femcee of that year. To be fair, that’s kind of what she did in the following months, giving us single after single of some dirty Memphis bangers that she earned her fair share of hate for, along with every other woman rapper being just as hedonistic as the guys without that patriarchal benefit of the doubt. However, the Tennessee native clearly didn’t want to rush her studio debut, and now that GLORIOUS is here, we can easily see why.
On this new album, GloRilla amps up the regionality of her artistry with no need for excessive bells and whistles, makes the most out of her various flows and deliveries, and adds compelling flashes of topical focus that put the rest of her discography under a different context. Of course, it’s not all a hit, and there’s still some room for her to grow as an artist, lyricist, and performer. But Big Glo doesn’t just acknowledge this humbly on GLORIOUS. She also adds other sonic influences to emphasize and diversify her perspective in more explicit and consistent ways than many rap stars today tend to champion. Glo’s still the same person she’s always been, but pulling the veil back in this way results in more relatable and captivating affirmations on love, independence, faith, and conscientious identity that still go absurdly hard.
Starting with the beats, the most obvious auditory arsenal within GLORIOUS is two-fold: some orchestral and gospel-inspired instrumentals on one hand, and hard-hitting Memphis trap rhythms on the other. Mash them together and you have GloRilla’s catchy and to-the-point debut, at least holistically. The “INTRO” outlines this quite well with faint organs, warm bass, homages to T.I., and sharp snares. Overall, the drama and gravitas behind both of these styles inform and reinforce each other, so even string hits on singles like “HOLLON” come off as grand musical performances despite them landing on a club-ready track. GloRilla doesn’t consistently pick the most original beats, but even mild instrumentals on records like “STEP” with BossMan Dlow contain some interesting embellishments. In this case, it’s a slinky bassline and some stankface-inducing stomps.
The most consistently impressive production element here, though, is the brass. You already knew that thanks to GloRilla’s explosive lead single, “TGIF,” but there are plenty of examples of simple but effective uses of these timbres throughout GLORIOUS. One standout song is “LET HER COOK” and its contrast with light pianos, and “I AIN’T GOING” mixes those horns with an abundance of atmosphere and a more simple trap beat to create an almost rage-like feel. Still, almost everything on this album is distinctly Memphis despite its other employed styles. A lot of that is thanks to the 25-year-old’s delivery and lingo, but the percussion also carries heavily even in more poppy cuts like “I LUV HER” with T-Pain. Some choruses don’t ring as intoxicatingly as others, but with beats as impactful and larger-than-life as these, pretty much any refrain can become an anthem.
As for GloRilla herself on GLORIOUS, she remains as charismatic and confident as ever throughout almost every verse here. But the most interesting elements are when she deviates from that bravado, at least in part. Throughout this album, there are two main thematic focuses: the Memphis artist’s newfound fame and massive success in the hip-hop industry and her issues with toxic relationships with other men. “STOP PLAYING” switches things up with a soft drill tune, but more importantly, it assures her self-confidence regarding her journey to success and her self-respect regarding relationships. On “DON’T DESERVE,” Glo and Muni Long explicitly speak on wanting to see a friend leave an abusive relationship, an angle that you won’t find as directly in today’s rap landscape. But songs like “GLO’S PRAYER” show more vulnerability by admitting that she can’t bring herself to fall out of love with a problematic partner.
As such, many songs on here might share similar subject matter. Yet GloRilla is almost always diving into a particular aspect between these themes in a way that makes GLORIOUS feel more cohesive, carefully structured, and thematically progressive. By the time we reach more triumphant fare, such as the Megan Thee Stallion-assisted anti-drama anthem “HOW I LOOK” or the closer “QUEEN OF MEMPHIS” with Fridayy, we have a better understanding of her desires and what the next step in this journey is for her. What’s more, is that Glo relays this through a relatively small but, nonetheless, well-delivered set of flows. She sometimes sounds menacing, often fiery, occasionally conflicted, but always sharp and focused. Even though the album can feel like she’s spinning her pen’s wheels in place sometimes, these retreads don’t take away from the overall album experience.
Furthermore, you will still laugh at lines like “I’m half celibate, you can’t f**k, but you can eat this p***y” and be moved by confessions like “Got me feeling like a dummy when I know I’m smarter / The only man that showed me love correctly was my father.” GloRilla balances these moods out with grace, and if you need proof of that, listen to how passionately the album’s centerpiece, “RAIN DOWN ON ME,” with Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music, Kierra Sheard, and Chandler Moore turned out. Speaking of guests, Latto and Sexyy Red both bring boisterous chemistry to “PROCEDURE” and “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME,” respectively. However, the featured artists never overshadow or outshine Glo’s vision on GLORIOUS, and she’s the one that links all its disparate elements together for a thematically well-realized experience.
Still, there are a few notes for improvement here and there, such as some generic instrumentals, non-rhymes, similar tempos and song structures, and some deja vu here and there. Fortunately, all that becomes moot by the time you finish GLORIOUS, as you have a hefty collection of grimy, bombastic, and raw trunk-knockers that don’t overstay their welcome, plus plenty of direct and fearless food for thought. With all this in mind, it’s not hard to see why GloRilla wanted to take her time with her debut album, both to mull over her own romantic struggles and to respond to the behavioral and industry-set expectations that her fame pinned onto her. It doesn’t feel forced, desperate, haphazard, or like it could’ve come from anyone else other than her. The Queen of Memphis now has her throne, and we hope that her next effort doubles down on her ideas here.
Fortunately for us, MIXTAPE PLUTO‘s title does most of the talking when discussing Future’s new project. Occasionally sharp street odes, brazenly warped and sleek flows, and drowsily self-confident vocal tones? Check. Psychedelic pads, brutal bass, and insistently intoxicating instrumentals? Check. Classic cuts that define the Atlanta legend’s discography? We’ll see a few years down the road… All in all, this is probably the most straightforward, simple, and easily definable hip-hop record to drop in 2024, which also makes it a bit of a tough cookie to review.
After all, much of the new and notable discussion around MIXTAPE PLUTO revolves around comparisons to Future’s two 2024 studio collabs with Metro Boomin. This actually benefits this new tape’s place in his discography, as the raw, woozy, yet still grounded trap here earns its worth when contrasted with the high-budget presentation and melodic compromises of those LPs. Pluto instead focuses on what most of his hardcore fanbase loves from him. He sounds like the coolest and highest man on the planet over the sonic equivalent of sitting in the middle of a club, a smoke session, or both and not being able to fully make out what you’re listening to.
Let’s start strong first: Future’s a bullet train on “SKI,” he switches between melodic accents on “OATH,” and he stretches himself out on “SOUTH OF FRANCE” without losing control of the wheel. However, sleepy deliveries and stagnant schemes on “MJ” force the production to carry the weight on occasion, whereas the opposite is true on “BRAZZIER.” On the other hand, “TEFLON DON” stuns with its in-and-out operatic samples (plus a dynamic vocal delivery), and the woodwinds on “PRESS THE BUTTON” make magic with a fantastic Fewtch onslaught.
As such, there are many caveats to consider. MIXTAPE PLUTO‘s biggest flaw is definitely its sequencing, as the first five tracks sound so similar that so-so records like “LIL DEMON” and “READY TO COOK UP” lose their value when stacked up against better cuts in that same section. It’s not until “TOO FAST” and its admittedly basic presentation that we get a change. As cringe as many find Future’s chorus on “PLUTOSKI,” and as much as that instrumental deserved better, it’s actually one of the most fun parts of the mixtape, thanks to ditching the self-serious attitude. On the topic of ditches…
It’s called MIXTAPE PLUTO: no one really cares about subpar mixing on occasion here. But, for example, “OCEAN” could’ve been a more outstanding highlight if it wasn’t for the overwhelming bass tone. Elsewhere on this tape, Future does shift sub-genres to break up the vibe, even if the results are mixed. “MADE MY H*E FAINT” is almost rage-like but doesn’t land too hard, whereas “SURFING A TSUNAMI” has a surprising synth swell bolstered by a strong chorus. “TOLD MY” contains two welcome Koopsta Knicca samples produced by DJ Paul, calling back to his Southern roots, which are also referenced in the project’s cover art. It depicts his late and legendary cousin Rico Wade’s Dungeon bathed in pink light.
Many have speculated on whether the disappointingly messy “LOST MY DOG” tributes Rico, but it’s actually about a friend that Future lost to fentanyl. It’s probably the most overt exploration of the pain on the other side of his hedonistic exploits. Otherwise, his lines are up to standard, but they’ll only stand out when they’re particularly funny or, frankly, petty. “No, I didn’t birth you, but I designed you” and “Counting up so much dog s**t, it look like cow s**t” are right out of this catalog’s playbook.
Speaking of the catalog, where does MIXTAPE PLUTO fall within it? Is it really reminiscent of Future’s early 2010s dominance, or does it feel like a step back from his global superstardom? For our money, it’s firmly on the former. A confident carelessness here resulted in plenty of bangers like the nasty closer “AYE SAY GANG.” The 40-year-old also feels right at home with Southside, Wheezy, and more of his iconic producers, plus new names like BROCKHAMPTON’s Romil Hemnani. But it mostly fits among the Monsters and Beast Modes by checking off a list, not for being a front-to-back thrill ride.
Most cuts here would sound much better in isolation, not in quick succession. Isn’t that a betrayal of the mixtape and long-form album format? If so, why are we willing to give MIXTAPE PLUTO the benefit of the doubt? As we alluded to, part of it is precedent, another part of it is the context of 2024, and, honestly, it’s just a really easy project to enjoy. Future might be missing some of the more formal and sophisticated draws of his later career highs, yet we haven’t felt this intoxicated by his roots in a tracklist of his in a while. So, our rating is contingent on this: play this on shuffle, listen to it with a friend or two or fifty at a house party, and let it compliment another, more engaging experience to worm itself into your brain.
Opium is all the rage these days, and Destroy Lonely is one of the reasons why this movement became much more than a passing fad. He’s defined a corner of the contemporary rap world for better or worse thanks to his obvious inspirations from Playboi Carti’s artistry and how he fuses those creatively with the melodic and woozy aesthetics of a Lil Uzi Vert. But much like the rest of the label’s output, the Atlanta native faces a lot of criticism for the perceived staleness and lack of substance around the sound of rage. To give credit where it’s due, LOVE LASTS FOREVER is his best work yet that displays more unique tones, dynamic vocal performances, and distinguishable stylistic influences than what many give him credit for. But sadly, it’s not enough of a forward push to fully break it out of its repetitive spell.
Furthermore, there’s a strong percussive formula for most of LOVE LASTS FOREVER: shuttering and crisp hi-hats, reverb-heavy snares or claps, and buzzing bass and kicks. It works well sometimes – the dreamy “LOVE HURTS” with Uzi (who does their thing quite well), the frantic psychedelia on “BABY MONEY,” or the welcome timbre changes on “SYRUP SIPPIN” that sound more laser-y than murderous. The problem arises when you’ve heard your fourth or fifth Destroy Lonely track in a row where the trap drums take up most of the mix instrumentally. There are some legitimately cool alternative melodic influences here such as “WISH YOU WELL” and sung samples on “AMERIKA,” but from the very beginning of the album, generic vocal melodies plus washed-out mixing and synth layering taint them alongside unfulfilling structures.
For example, “FOREVER” kicks LOVE LASTS FOREVER off oddly with dramatic opening vocals from Melanie Blatt and All Saints that give more EDM drop than psych-trap. Still, it’s one of the few modular tracks here that goes through significant changes, so we have to give props for how its stark and icy snares eventually transition into a trap rhythm pretty effectively. The other structural features of Destroy Lonely’s latest album rest mostly on spacey outros with various interchangeable synth layers, which are a bare minimum at this point within the mainstream trap lane. Throughout its runtime, it mostly depends on tempo changes and switching up distinct and distorted melodic tones to provide variety. It certainly succeeds at this more than If Looks Could Kill, but not by much. Vocally, Lone still has a long way to go.
That’s not to say that he hasn’t separated himself further from his Opium counterparts, who previously exhibited much more performance crossover with each other. “THRILL” with Ken Carson sees Destroy Lonely contrast Ken’s nasal growl with a more high-pitched and airy tone. But without many direct vocal contrasts even with himself, he ends up sounding the same over a lot of these instrumentals. D.L. uses his entire arsenal on every single song, switching from more aggressive triplet flows to stretched-out crooning, lower-register embellishments, and soaring vocal leads… Sometimes all within a minute. It makes for a compellingly dynamic performance if you’re listening to any one song individually. But when you’re spinning 20+ tracks consecutively, that variety really loses its luster fast, especially when you don’t have the crutch of lyricism to fall back on.
Of course, no one wants LOVE LASTS FOREVER to get in its Nas bag. What matters to Destroy Lonely is the energy and the atmosphere, but even then, this only works up to a certain point. While some funny or ridiculous lines stand out here and there (“These n***as keep dropping trash, boy, stop littering” on “SHIP HER OFF” or “She trying to skate all on my ice, she think she Frozone” on “LOCK IN,” for example), there’s also a good chance you’ve heard them before or that you literally don’t care. The vibe is what matters. It contributes to this album’s biggest misstep: there’s very little to take away from it once it ends. No matter what version you listen to, the lack of standout hooks, memorable verses, tightly defined melodies, and interesting song structures leaves you feeling quite vapid by the end.
To reiterate, this is more of a numbing effect than the straight-up boring effort on If Looks Could Kill. Destroy Lonely does define himself more as an artist here, making rage-adjacent trap that is uniquely atmospheric and layered without depending on exaggerated aggression to do so. There’s also nothing wrong with a more amorphous, vibe-centric, and repetitive album experience, except that’s what we’ve already gotten in the past to a tee. Long story short, LOVE LASTS FOREVER is the kind of album that isn’t very nice to new people it meets on the street. Those who love this style will find much more quality and catharsis within it than we did, and they are probably more correct in their assessment as a result. But if you’re not content with reheated leftovers of your drunk-at-3AM go-to, this album will not convince you otherwise.
LL COOL J’s new album THE FORCE closes a 40-year loop with Def Jam Recordings, through which he released his and the label’s first song “I Need A Beat” in 1984. While this isn’t the end of his career, it does feel like a last hurrah of sorts. After all, hip-hop recently turned half a century old, it’s LL’s first album in 11 years, and the rap game definitely looks unrecognizable compared to when he first entered. But even with all this in mind, what makes this new project particularly compelling is that it still sounds fresh, hungry, grounded, and above all, passionate. With Q-Tip at the production helm and so much perspective to reflect on through his pen, Mr. “Ladies Love Cool James” successfully translates his dominance of fundamental skills into the contemporary era.
Rather than sticking to a traditionally conservative idea of boom-bap, Q-Tip mixes in many different styles and sonic moods through his instrumentals as THE FORCE‘s main beatsmith. The opening track “Spirit Of Cyrus” featuring Snoop Dogg is an immediate example: ambient sounds of nature at night add vivid atmosphere to LL’s condemnation of police brutality, contrasted by a crisp drum pattern, warm wah guitars, eerie synthesizers, and haunting vocal samples. In addition, the modern mixes on these songs make them fully come alive more so than his typical material. The modular progression on “Black Code Suite” with Sona Jobarteh is a captivating mix of timbres, “Proclivities” with Saweetie is one of the Queens MC’s most dreamy and woozy beats to date, and “30 Decembers” dazzles with a surprisingly psychedelic guitar line.
As for lyricism, it’s very simple: LL COOL J’s still got it. He delivers single-issue odes, paralleling religion and culture, like “For the sake of equality, I’m fathering the song/ Spirit of God, bring he and her along” on “Praise Him” featuring Nas. LL sharpens his rhyme schemes and double entendres for more aggressive onslaughts, such as “This Halloween: them candy bars’ll get you killed in the forest” off of “Murdergram Deux” with Eminem. James Todd Smith doesn’t stray far from his typical wheelhouse, exploring generational changes, decades-long luxurious success, Black empowerment and solidarity, youthful memories, and fulfilling his family’s lifelong goals. For the most part, he also frames his bars within a focused linear structure that nurtures his streams of consciousness. One example is “Saturday Night Special” with Rick Ross and Fat Joe thanks to its piece-by-piece character portrait of an insecure gangster.
On that note, LL Cool J’s decades of lived experience make these topics much more nuanced than his past material. However, they are still retreads at the end of the day. One of THE FORCE‘s biggest flaws is its sense of repetition to varying degrees, whether it’s a relatively mid-tempo journey for most of the LP or its recycled themes or flows. Even though the production is always quality and does bring some variety to the table (see the resuscitated and warped ’80s drum machine worship on “Post Modern”), tracks like “Runnit Back” don’t revisit the themes of wealth and competition in notably fresh ways. But all in all, these are minimal missteps across this album’s runtime. The quality standard is consistent, even if the ceiling isn’t the highest among “old-school” hip-hop releases this year.
That ceiling is lower because, well, LL COOL J is a legend. You can’t hear a classically funky cut like “Basquiat Energy” or the title track and act particularly surprised; he’s always made these gems. The deliciously jazzy keys and bass on “Passion” are beloved Q-Tip-style production, of which there are a hundred other stunning examples. But throughout THE FORCE, there are amazing and cathartic instrumental moments, killer features, and standout bars such as “King of the Jungle, but still humble at the Panther Party” on “Huey In The Chair” with Busta Rhymes. Finally, the closer “The Vow” is a very fitting end to this story. LL narrates his birth as the first GOAT MC with revolutionary rhetoric and then hands the mic over to younger MCs: Mad Squablz, J-S.A.N.D., and Don Pablito.
Furthermore, LL COOL J knows his place in the game. He has the power and knowledge to follow his own intuition and ideology regarding hip-hop and is excited about tomorrow’s rap music. It’s part of what comprises the “Frequencies of Real Creative Energy”: you have your message, you honor your traditions, and you find a way to preserve and adapt them to a new dawn. LL doesn’t come across as an old-head pining for his prime, or that of the art form. He’s leading by example, joining forces with Q-Tip to present a distilled, cohesive, and refined image of classic hip-hop that appeals to and connects with current musical standards. In that way, THE FORCE is the perfect palate cleanser for rap music in 2024. If you ever get lost while exploring the culture’s ecosystem, just come back to these roots and you’ll feel that spark again.
Music industry pundits have long lamented that artist development has become a lost cause. The era of the overnight celebrity is the status quo when social media has cut out the middleman between art and the consumer. But for Latto, archival footage of her come-up dates back to when she was 13 years old with the bubblegum swag. Then came her appearance on The Rap Game, where she competed against other teenagers for a deal with Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def. In the years that followed, she grew into her own as an artist and an adult, sharing her wins and losses on a highly publicized stage.
The release of her latest album, Sugar Honey Iced Tea, proves how critical albums like Queen Of Da Souf and 777 were for shaping her trajectory. The former proved that she could make her mark as one of rap’s leading ladies. Add to the fact that earned a platinum and gold plaque off that album, she also had bragging rights as the first woman in hip-hop from Atlanta to reach such a feat. The arrival of 777 proved how well she could overcome the sophomore slump while facing pressure to rebrand in the face of controversy. Through this, she earned her first #1 hit with “Big Energy” and expanded her base through more pop-friendly bops, such as Jung Kook’s “Seven.”
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – AUGUST 19: Latto performs onstage during Day 1 of the Afro Nation Detroit Festival on August 19, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
On Sugar Honey Iced Tea, there’s a newfound sense of confidence in her sound and assurance of her spot in rap. Perhaps, it’s partially because the work she’s released over the past few years has seen her digging deeper into her potential. Her rapping abilities are unquestionable; songs like “Big Energy” showed her pop prowess; and recent releases, such as “Sunday Service” and “Put It On Da Floor” had the type of Southern swag to dominate the clubs and TikTok without feeling contrived.
Ultimately, Sugar Honey Iced Tea finds all of these elements of her artistry form into one, to various results. In many instances, the outcome leans into a Drake-esque sound, where the rap-sing delivery meets plaintive and icy trap production that opens up moments of surface-level introspection. Frankly, it seems less coincidental considering just days before, she appeared on Drake’s “Housekeeping Knows” records from the 100 Gigs leak. But, paired with her rendition of T.I.’s “24’s” on “Chicken Grease,” the same interpolation that Drake used on “Rich Flex,” it speaks to the undeniable musical lineage that’s been carried through decades and how Latto embodies these influences authentically.
More importantly, this album provides a vivid portrait of Latto as a woman, one who embodies the “Big Mama” persona to a tee. She can bring aggression on songs like the infectious bell-laden “Brokey” and “There You Go,” where she places a bullseye on her detractors. Then, she slips into decadent R&B vibes on records like “Copper Cove” ft. Hunxho and “Ear Candy” ft. Coco Jones, where embraces her femininity and shines as a vocalist. However, the moments where her bravado and feminity clash yield uneven results, such as “H&M” or the Playboi Carti-inspired, “Blicky.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 10: Latto attends Latto “Sugar Honey Iced Tea” Album Release Party on August 10, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)
But for an album with as much ambition as Sugar Honey Iced Tea, it does sometimes feel like there’s more fluff than needed. The pressure to follow up the success of “Big Energy” results in a string of comparative sleepers in “Liquor,” the Megan Thee Stallion-assisted “Squeeze,” and “Good 2 You” ft. Ciara. Though both features are solid, with Megan delivering a particularly great verse, they sound less organic and break the fluidity of the sequence. However, these are simply a few flubs in an otherwise properly curated album that sees her reconnecting with Young Nudy on the uber-nasty “Shrimp & Grits” and showcasing her vocal range alongside Mariah The Scientist on “Look What You Did.”
Sugar Honey Iced Tea is an excellent display of Latto’s artistic prowess, from production choices to the vocal inflections that bring character to each record. But, she holds off the vulnerability for the closing record, “S/O To Me.” While the album as a whole feels like a celebration of everything Latto’s accomplished, the final song highlights her resilience, from manifesting her rap dreams as a young girl to navigating the predatory behavior of the music industry and knocking off her competitors in the rap game in a way that’s reminiscent of Drake’s timestamp records. “S/O To Me” is a reflection of her journey to date, the highs and lows, and the long road she took to claim her spot in hip-hop.
The physical editions of Everybody, Logic’s 2017 third album, came with a hidden message: “For the real fans reading this hidden message, my next album will be called Ultra 85, and it will be the conclusion to this saga.” The space Western-inspired story, started by Logic on The Incredible True Story in 2015 and brought to life by Steve Blum (Cowboy Bebop’s Spike Spiegel) and Kevin Randolph (of Cocaine 80s fame), was set to be put to rest. He also intended to retire upon the album’s release. Nearly nine years removed from The Incredible True Story and seven years on from the first time he announced Ultra 85, a lot has happened in Logic’s life. The Gaithersburg MC had his run with superstardom, becoming the hottest act signed to Def Jam for a time. He’s soon to be a father of two. He did actually retire… for a year. Ultra 85does not really end the saga he started years ago. However, Logic’s flows, beat selection, and cohesive, topical verses lead to one of the strongest rap albums of the year so far.
Logic Is As Self-Assured As Ever, Continues To Develop
Ultra 85 begins with “Paul Rodriguez,” featuring a story from Paul “P-Rod” Rodriguez, a legendary street skateboarder, about the first time Logic heard the song’s beat. The production across the album, handled primarily by 6ix and Logic, is outstanding. 6ix somehow continues to get better, often feeling inspired by Madlib and J Dilla these days.
P-Rod’s brief story gives way to nearly seven uninterrupted minutes of rapping. It revisits familiar subjects, including his troubled upbringing, the hip-hop legends that inspired him, and how his come up shaped him. In between are witty lines where Logic is in his element as a rapper (“we takin’ it back on these hip-hop heads like fitteds”). It is an excellent opener, with Logic’s confidence shining through on a lengthy “lyrical exercise” track.
The third track, “Deja Vu,” featuring additional talk from DJ Drama, is a redux of “Fade Away.” The beat is almost the exact same as the original track, but the main vocal sample is reversed. His lone verse deals with the pitfalls of stardom, but also acknowledges that his rise helped inspire people. “What can I say? I guess I won’t fade away,” the verse ends. It’s a very good song that effectively calls back to The Incredible True Story, while his bars illustrate how he and his career have changed since then.
Logic Brings In The Right Features At The Halfway Point
“Ghost In The Machine” features singer Robert Ivory and fellow Maryland native ADÉ. ADÉ steals the show, penning an introspective and heartfelt verse. He recalls how proud it made him to provide for his mother after she worked hard to provide for him, adding his own perspective to one of the album’s overarching themes of family.
“Interstellar,” featuring frequent collaborator Lucy Rose, is a standout. Rose is a wonderful vocalist, whose more subdued (but still powerful) vocals always work on a Logic song. They make the songs Eminem and Skylar Grey could make if they had musical chemistry. “Interstellar” also features one of Logic’s best performances on the album. His flow feels old-school, and he delivers a tightly written verse about mortality, passion, and self-care. Logic has often excelled at writing therapeutic tracks that detail his mental health. His vulnerability is a strength of his latest music.
Despite there being no bad tracks, one thing on Ultra 85 that does not always land is the skits. In isolation, they’re fine and they all move the story along. Though, at times, it feels like there are too many of them. At this point in his career, he has more interest in telling the story he wants to tell than chasing radio hits or playlist placements. Ultimately, the skits are not egregious enough to affect the overall quality of the album.
Track 16, “ANTIDOTE,” features ZelooperZ, who delivers a fun verse. Logic’s own verse is adequate, though it’s his weakest on Ultra 85. It’s a hollow verse on a bland trap beat after the introspection on many of the previous tracks. He talks about the problems that come with having money and also makes a generic “women love me” statement. Such a braggadocious song feels better suited for a Bobby Tarantinomixtape.
The next track, “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” touches on how film shaped his life. Logic talks about how Kill Bill led to him discovering RZA. Those RZA-led soundtracks directly contributed to him discovering hip-hop, and eventually becoming a rapper himself. Early RZA-produced albums sound more like RZA-directed films, with skits and movie samples that turned those albums into cinematic experiences. It’s clear Logic took inspiration from RZA’s approach to album making, writing scripts and building narratives that hold his albums together almost as much as the rapping and beats do.
The final track, “Thank You For Believing In Me,” is a pleasant closer. Every Logic album has a track where he shows gratitude to his fans for their continued support, and this is among the better ones. He sing-raps over an indie rock-inspired beat, discussing how content he is with his life and thanking his fans for being there even when he doubted himself and his work. After Supermarket, he’s made progress as a singer. He’s still not the most technically impressive vocalist, but he’s a capable one. “See you on the next one, cowboy,” says Steve Blum’s character as the album concludes.
Ultra 85 is the most uniquely “Logic” album to date. This does still mean that it is prone to some of those “Logic-isms,” as every idea and every bar doesn’t land. However, there is so much to like about the album that harping on any negatives would be more like nitpicking. It is his most impressive individual effort in years. “How you follow up a classic? What’s the outcome?” Logic asks on the opening track. Based on the result, he was more than able to answer his own question.
Kanye West’s art is impossible to engage with solely at face value, something that his collaborative album series with Ty Dolla $ign, VULTURES, proves in a pretty ugly way. Their latest release, VULTURES 2, is drawing conversation online for reasons related only tangentially to the music it contains. Uncleared samples, verses allegedly generated by artificial intelligence (Ye-I?), unfulfilled release dates followed by surprise launches, and absolutely abysmal mixing on this LP are taking precedence over any considerations of songwriting, creativity, performance, or any other elements you would look for in a new body of work. Of course, that’s not counting all the politically and socially abhorrent narratives that Ty and Ye (mostly and especially Ye) have been involved in or propagated since… well, we’ll let you pick your starting point. After all, even TLOP’s “new Kanye” is old Kanye by today’s standards.
However, what makes VULTURES 2 such a lackluster and disappointing release, even compared to the already dull and unsatisfying first installment, is a shocking lack of effort, originality, and sense of purpose. Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign released half-baked demo editions of these songs on this album, and regardless of whether the ideas behind these mixes are satisfying or not, it contributes to this project feeling like a scam tracklist from a random YouTube page, not the result of deliberate studio time after multiple delays already. If you scrape through quietly mixed verses, muddy rhythmic tones, mid-performance audio shifts, and head-scratching panning, there is certainly some quality throughout this tracklist and even some thematic depth. Still, not only is this achievement scant, but it feels damningly derivative from past (and recent) work.
To start with VULTURES 2‘s highs, there are some engaging, vivid, and appropriately grand excursions into the dramatic, raw, and nocturnal hip-hop/R&B that Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign have championed throughout their collaborations. The big highlight is “SLIDE,” with its THX synths opening the track in an immediate and captivating fashion. The hectic and enveloping percussion makes for one of the most uniquely groovy and enjoyable bounces on the album. It also succeeds at achieving this quality standard in some softer moments on occasion, such as cohesive electronic embellishments to a vocal sample on “FOREVER.” Producers like London on da Track, Wheezy, Fred again.., James Blake, BoogzDaBeast, AyoAA, and The Legendary Traxster make up a massive list of co-producers, but this doesn’t translate into ambitious soundscapes.
Rather, the fact that Kanye West is actually absent from many beats here speaks to how thrown-together and un-curated many of these production ideas feel. For example, nothing comes of a rock sample on “ISABELLA. Cuts like “PROMOTION” and “DEAD” contain some of the most generic synth tones and drum sounds you’ll hear all year. Other Ye albums definitely felt like too many chefs were overcooking their meals in the kitchen, but this time around, we’re not comparing it to last year’s album – we’re comparing it to what we just got in February. Through that lens, there’s even less of a reason to act impressed by Donda and Jesus Is King retreads. Speaking of repetition, “FRIED” is an embarrassing attempt to copy the appeal behind “CARNIVAL” with even worse lyrics, and “TIME MOVING SLOW” sounds like an alternate demo version to the already meager “Flowers” off Donda 2.
Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign’s Pessimistic Performances
Just how VULTURES2‘s most generic missteps overshadow its sonic ambition, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s thematic goals on the album fall victim to some of their most poorly written hedonistic material about money, women, the rap game, and passing partners to their friends like a piece of meat. Similar to VULTURES 1, Ty is a more consistent and skilled performer in this second round thanks to his melodic dominance and despite Ye taking even more of a center stage. The first installment, however, Ty held higher and more dependable peaks far more consistently. The Chicago rapper has some passable verses on here like the first half of “530” and chemistry-filled trade-offs between him, Ty, and Lil Baby on “FOREVER ROLLING,” where he actually tries to engage with wordplay and provides a clear narrative. But alas, his hollow pen is mostly his least inspired and most irrelevant yet.
While guests like Lil Durk and Lil Wayne try to sharpen things up and follow Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s lead, their contributions don’t really amount to much beyond a short but solid reprieve from the monotony. Playboi Carti and Don Toliver go a bit further, providing much-needed vocal dynamism to the eerie “FIELD TRIP.” Yet no one stands out the way that guests did on albums like Donda because of how rickety the foundations for their appearances are. One definite exception is “RIVER,” with progressive production and a charismatic Young Thug verse that (if only for its inclusion) speaks to Kanye’s themes of freedom and justice on the track. Ye’s passionate vocal performance and lyricism are a rare highlight here, and Ty Dolla $ign leads the outro with heavenly vocals.
Sadly, despite occasional glimpses of loving care, VULTURES 2‘s poorly executed formulas don’t earn the benefit of the doubt sequel projects usually get. It takes two steps back from VULTURES 1, which at least had novelty and controversy at its side. Now, it feels like an easy paycheck that doesn’t entice you with its bravado: it just expects you to punch in and praise it for being the same album Kanye West’s made for half a decade. The filler is also staggering, as “HUSBAND” is an unnecessary isolation of the second half of “LIFESTYLE” and “SKY CITY” is a Yandhi-era leak whose official release absolutely guts its previous structure. At least “BOMB” provides a glimmer of West family wholesomeness, even if the discussions of family contrast lazily and messily with disgustingly indulgent misogyny.
That’s perhaps the most salient failure of VULTURES 2: it’s all of Kanye West’s expected vices with his least compelling attempts at contrasting them with his values. The album’s shoddy release, perhaps the shoddiest in Ye’s entire catalog, represents this unwell egomania. As for the moments on here that do have something to say, he and Ty Dolla $ign lack originality, notable production, and noteworthy performances. The last exception to mention is the final verse on “MY SOUL,” delivered by Ty Dolla $ign’s incarcerated brother, which most overtly embodies the album’s “theme”: freedom. But they only focus for a blink of an eye. Elsewhere, it’s a Jersey-house-trap-moody-synth corpse whose scandals, successes, and self-satisfactions not only turn the duo’s few meaningful ideas into ghosts but place shockingly little importance on the album experience that Ye was once so revered for. If they don’t care about their music, why should we?
Ice Spice is a unique victim of social media, one whose rise almost felt like someone was playing an unfunny joke on hip-hop. Before her break into the mainstream, Ice had five songs to her name. She built buzz as a New York drill artist whose soft-spoken delivery contrasted with the rest of that scene. “No Clarity,” a November 2021 track sampling Zedd’s “Clarity,” went semi-viral, and the video briefly became a meme. A few months later, On The Radar invited her to freestyle on their show. After reaching stardom, the video became one of the most viewed on their YouTube channel.
Ice released her breakout song “Munch (Feelin’ U)” in August 2022. The track trended on TikTok for the rest of the year and introduced new slang into public usage. Since “Munch,” Ice has had the success of an entire career in less than two years. She received a co-sign from Drake after one popular song. In early 2023, Nicki Minaj endorsed her. Their collaboration “Barbie World” appeared on the Barbie soundtrack and received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song. TheNew York Times dubbed her “Rap’s New Princess” after an EP. She collaborated with PinkPantheress on “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2,” a track that became one of the biggest of the year. She even became friends with Taylor Swift.
Ice Spice Fails To Show Growth As An Artist On Y2K!
All of this happened because much of the public ignored her most fatal flaw: Ice Spice is not a very good rapper. She lacks any substance as a lyricist. The beats she raps on, produced almost exclusively by former college classmate and closest collaborator RiotUSA, are virtually indistinguishable from one another. Because social media can produce a new celebrity overnight, Ice went from uploading tracks to SoundCloud to attending the Super Bowl with pop culture royalty faster than you can say “grah.” But, because social media has also made music the most accessible it’s ever been, Ice had no time to develop her sound meaningfully. Her debut album makes this abundantly clear.
Y2K! is the culmination of the last three years for Ice Spice. Itis the punchline to a joke that’s gone far too long. In her Rolling Stone cover story, she said that one of her goals was to prove that she can actually rap. Instead, her most glaring weaknesses take center stage, making for one of the most vapid, repetitive releases of 2024.
Y2K! opens with “Phat Butt,” which is the most interesting performance Ice puts forth on this album. She tries out a new flow, clearly taking inspiration from Nicki Minaj. The beat is also one that a younger Minaj would’ve flexed over. Not everything on this song lands. “Jamaican plug named Batman, pack smellin’ like trash cans / Let him beat it from the back and he eat it up like Pac-Man,” is especially clumsy. Even with that, this song is one of the rare occasions where anything on the album approaches “good.”
“Oh Shhh…” is the next track, featuring Travis Scott. Scott sounds like he has no desire to be there. Ice raps about twerking on a rival’s baby daddy out of spite. She rhymes “clappers” with “slappers,” which is not the only time she uses that scheme on the album. “B*tch I’m Packin” is another dud. She ditches her naturally subdued vocals for a raspy not-quite-whisper that sounds like it strains her to do. It sounds equally strenuous when she gets loud on “Gimmie A Light,” another song about how much money she has, her physical features, and how she’ll steal someone’s man simply because she’s better than who they’re with now. Ice must’ve written this album with a checklist next to her to make sure that she hit the same few topics.
On the topic of stealing a man, “Did It First,” the result of Ice Spice’s and Central Cee’s months-long fake relationship stunt, is not bad. It’s less than two minutes long, much to the song’s benefit. Their verses are both about infidelity and neither of them diverts from the subject. Ice raps about cheating to get revenge on a man who did it to her. Cench is more concerned about not getting caught in the act. The beat has a Clams Casino-meets-New-York-drill feel, making it one of the more unique moments on Y2K!
Unfortunately, for every moment on Y2K! that offers even a sliver of potential, there are even more moments that show there is no reason to ever expect anything more from her—the biggest example of this being the shocking amount of bars about poop on this album. Ice Spice is not the first to have lines about poop in her discography. However, she might be the worst offender.
On “BB Belt” and “Gimmie A Light,” (a track with a distracting sample of Sean Paul’s “Gimme the Light”) she calls herself “Miss Poopie.” On “Oh Shhh…” she says she’s “standin’ on sh*t like a floor mat.” “Think U The Sh*t (Fart),” the lead single and response to some shade from Latto, opens with “think you the sh*t, b*tch? You not even the fart.” Every rapper is entitled to one poop bar since rappers naturally feel like they’re “the sh*t.” But, after the fifth one, it’s time to find new material.
Overall, Y2K! is not an inspiring debut album. It does not prove that Ice Spice is a capable rapper, nor does it prove that she is here to stay, despite the accolades she’s already received. At only 23 minutes, it feels double that runtime, made worse because she just doesn’t have anything to say. Ice became famous before becoming a worthwhile artist, and she has yet to show any growth since becoming famous. Perhaps things would be different if she had time to incubate before being thrust into the spotlight, the way her predecessors did before the internet made music discovery instantaneous. Sadly, we’ll never know.
” That is one fan’s reaction to some recent teasers of Missionary, Snoop Dogg and 
