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Megan Thee Stallion “Megan” Review

July 2, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Megan Thee Stallion is a prime example of an artist propelled quickly into mainstream consciousness. For years, she gained a reputation for her formidable lyricism through freestyles that helped her develop a cult-like following in a post-Cardi B era of rap music. 2018’s Tina Snow and 2019’s Fever confirmed what all her day-one fans knew from the jump: she’s a star. However, her approach to mainstream success felt contrived, especially after the release of “Hot Girl Summer.” The charm of Houston’s Southern belle seemed watered down to appeal to a broader audience.

The whirlwind journey she experienced in the past few years has raised questions about the sustainability of her career. Despite becoming a critical darling, Good News and Traumazine, were easily overlooked. In many ways, they showcased Megan’s strengths, but external factors, including her legal battle with 1501 Certified Entertainment and the Tory Lanez trial, eclipsed her accomplishments to the point where her music became secondary. Her presence felt more prominent in corporate sponsorships than as an MC, as seen in her collaborations with Nike and Planet Fitness.

Megan Thee Stallion Returns With Vengeance

This brings us to Megan, her third studio album and, more importantly, her first as an independent artist. For the first time, it doesn’t feel like there’s any added weight on Megan outside of finding her own comfort as an artist. In fact, this feels like Megan’s most realized vision on wax. She’s unapologetic, confrontational, sexy, and dominant all at once, even during a few missteps on the project.

“HISS” encapsulates her attitude in its brief intro. The diss song itself undoubtedly set the tone for the resurgence of rap beef in 2024. “I just want to kick this shit off by saying, Fuck y’all! I ain’t gotta clear my name on a motherfuckin’ thang,” she declares. “I’m finna get this shit off my chest and lay it to rest.” While everyone from Drake and Nicki Minaj to Tory Lanez and Akademiks catch strays (as well as her ex Pardison Fontaine), she persists on subsequent records like “Rattle” and “Figueroa” (“I’m a mothaf*ckin’ Brat, not a Barbie”). It’s on these three songs that Megan sounds the most invigorated as an MC – her refined flows and electrifying deliveries immediately command attention, but that momentum quickly dies down in subsequent efforts.

“Where Them Girls At,” equipped with trunk-rattling bass and a Memphis-esque vocal sample on the hook, is anthemic and likely to dominate the summer (perhaps with a TikTok push, it could crack the top 10 on the Hot 100). However, it sounds like something Megan’s done more effectively in the past. The tracklist suffers a bit of a decline from this point onward.

The Versatility Of Megan

Songs like “Broke His Heart,” produced by Tay Keith, take on a sample of Jeezy’s “I Luv It” but fail to do the original justice, largely because it popifies a trap classic. Though it’s one of the several efforts that affirm the message of women’s empowerment, especially in the context of her highly publicized break-up, it fails to penetrate similarly to the tracks leading up to that song. Unfortunately, the use of classic samples across this album doesn’t seem to have any point outside of familiarity. “BOA” suffers the same fate with its sample of Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For?” This issue isn’t limited to Megan Thee Stallion or her album; it’s prevalent in the music industry. At a time when it’s easy to distinguish a hit record from a TikTok record, these sorts of samples seem aimed at feeding into algorithms more than the people’s wants.

The consistency Megan initially kicks off starts to fall flat in exchange for a flagrant showing of versatility. Songs like “Otaku Hot Girl” and “Mamushi” ft. Yuki Chiba are compelling leaps into her anime fandom and attempts to help her crossover to international markets. It’s effective for what it’s worth, but without maintaining cohesion across all 18 tracks, it deviates from the essence of what she started with this project. Yuki Chiba and Megan share fantastic chemistry on “Mamushi,” which even sees the Houston star rapping in Japanese. However, it feels oddly placed in the tracklist.

Waving The Flag For The South: GloRilla, UGK, Big K.R.I.T & More

The middle chunk of the album feels like filler, especially once the back half of the project hits. Megan’s strongest points accentuate her identity as the leading lady of the South. The production, especially Juicy J’s contributions (“Paper Together” ft. UGK, alongside Go Grizzly & “Moody Girl” alongside Hitkidd), is smooth, soulful, and slightly smoky, providing equal measures of grit and seduction. These peaks on the project feel like full-circle moments for Megan, especially the UGK feature and a posthumous verse from Pimp C – Meg’s favorite rapper and the inspiration behind the Tina Snow persona. However, it’s the inclusion of UGK, GloRilla (“Accent”), Big K.R.I.T., and Buddha Bless (“Miami Blue”) that breed a comfort zone for Meg without complacency. It’s a clear display of her musical lineage, embracing peers like GloRilla while properly honoring the legends that preceded her.

Throughout the hardships Megan has faced over the years, her resilience has remained one of her most inspiring qualities. On Megan, it takes center stage in its brightest form. Despite the string of hate she faced as a shooting victim, her struggles to get out of her contract, and witnessing the tables turn against her among those who once embraced her, Megan Thee Stallion rises above the adversity and delivers an album that encompasses self-love in the face of overt — and often misguided — criticism. Sure, the tracklist could have been more succinct, and a few filler tracks could have been easily removed. But overall, Megan delivers a body of work that truly showcases her capabilities as an artist and shows some interesting signs of where she might head next.

The post Megan Thee Stallion “Megan” Review appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Summer Smash 2024: 7 Most Memorable Performances Of The Weekend

June 21, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Summer Smash 2024 was an unforgettable weekend jam-packed with explosive performances and lively crowds. Fans got the opportunity to see some of the biggest acts in hip-hop right now and to be exposed to fresh up-and-coming artists. Needless to say, the festival made for some seriously unforgettable and even historic sets. Check out some of our favorites down below.

Chief Keef

Chief Keef’s set needs little to no explanation. It was the first time he performed in his hometown of Chicago in over a decade, and as a result, there was a great deal of hype leading up to the show. Throughout the entire weekend, it felt as though one couldn’t make it 15 minutes without hearing a Chief Keef song, so the bar was certainly set high. The hitmaker managed to strike a solid balance of fresh material and old hits, keeping attendees of all generations more than entertained. His stage presence and energy were infectious, making it one of the most exciting and memorable sets of the fest. It also featured guest appearances from G Herbo, Chief Keef’s eldest daughter, and more.

Flo Milli

Flo Milli at Summer Smash this weekend pic.twitter.com/m5K5A0fdxr

— FloMilliAccess (@FloMilli_Access) June 17, 2024

It’s no secret that Flo Milli has found a great deal of success with her viral hits over the past couple of years, earning herself a fiercely loyal fanbase. Regardless, her set felt like one of the most intimate of the entire weekend. Early on, the femcee started to mingle with the crowd, taking photos, signing autographs, and more. Her fun and energetic stage presence was also unmatched, and she managed to seamlessly breeze through old and new material without losing any steam. As one of the few female artists on the lineup, she clearly had big shoes to fill. Fortunately, she did so without missing a beat.

Ken Carson

Ken Carson managed to rally a strong crowd at Summer Smash, and he definitely didn’t disappoint. The Atlanta-born artist performed some of his biggest hits, sprinkled in a fair amount of new material, and did so with some serious energy. His memorable stage presence was only compounded by his audience’s dedication, making for a fun and impressive set.

Bktherula

Bktherula’s performance on day one of Summer Smash was nothing short of impressive. Her stage presence was explosive, and within minutes, she had the entire crowd wrapped around her finger. The Atlanta-born artist delivered banger after banger, putting both her rapping and singing skills on full display. Attendees certainly didn’t fail to match her energy, making for one of the most fun sets of the weekend.

Lucki

Lucki took the stage on the final day of Summer Smash 2024, and was quickly greeted by a great deal of hometown love. His command of the crowd was a sight to be seen as he rolled through hit after hit. He opened with a couple of tracks from Flawless Like Me, and the moshing was immediate. As he moved through his discography, neither him or the crowd lost any steam. This made for one of the most lively shows of the weekend.

Cactus Jack

Cactus Jack headlined the first day of Summer Smash 2024 and set the tone for the entire weekend with their electric performance. SoFaygo kicked things off, followed by Sheck Wes, Don Toliver, and finally Travis Scott. Having such an impressive lineup of artists grace the stage back-to-back made for an amped crowd, and each of them surely did their part to keep everyone engaged. Again, they managed to seamlessly weave in both old and new material throughout the set, and fittingly closed the show with a fireworks display.

Playboi Carti

Playboi Carti drew a feral crowd at Summer Smash 2024, and understandably so. The hitmaker’s energy was on ten throughout the entire set, and his audience certainly didn’t disappoint. He premiered unreleased music, brought out the rest of his Opium crew, and more. This was perhaps the most lively performance of the whole festival and was only made more memorable by onstage theatrics, pyrotechnics, and more.

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Kendrick Lamar Really Popped Out: The West Coast Is Back On Top

June 20, 2024 by newhiphopnews

It’s officially Juneteenth in Los Angeles, and there was only one place to be: Kendrick Lamar’s show at the Kia Forum. This was Kendrick Lamar’s The Pop Out – Ken & Friends concert, and the Compton native capitalized on the moment by allowing fans across the world to tune in. The show was live-streamed on Prime Video and Amazon Music‘s Twitch Channel, courtesy of pgLang (Kendrick and Dave Free’s media company) and Free Lunch.

Pulling up to the venue in Inglewood, California, it was immediately apparent what fans were waiting for: Kendrick Lamar to perform his viral smash “Not Like Us,” which instantly solidified the victor in the Drake vs. Kendrick beef. When the song dropped toward the end of the show, Kendrick had the entire West Coast lit, screaming in unison, “Ayy, Mustard on the beat ho!”

DJ Mustard’s Los Angeles All-Stars

With “Not Like Us” produced by Mustard himself, it was only right to have him open right before Kendrick. But we didn’t expect the all-star roster of artists he was about to bring out. First up with rookie 310Babii who has the summer smash “Soak City.” Then came LA favorites BLXST, Ty Dolla $ign, Dom Kennedy, Steve Lacy, Tyler The Creator, Roddy Ricch, and YG in that order.

With everyone on a high from YG’s “BPT,” it was finally time for Kendrick to take the stage. The beauty in attending this concert in person is witnessing Kendrick Lamar make history in real time while feeling the camaraderie in the entire stadium. People of all ages and ethnicities were gathered here, all purchasing a ticket to support one the greatest artists to ever do it.

Soon, the impatience kicked in as fans started cheering “O-V-Ho!” There are so many quotable lyrics in “Not Like Us,” and Kendrick made a point to give everyone their money’s worth. He ascended from underneath the stage, emerging from the floor in a squatting pose.

Sometimes You Gotta Pop Out

Kendrick Lamar’s entire “euphoria” performance at #ThePopOut show pic.twitter.com/8KLHwUZ88w

— HotNewHipHop (@HotNewHipHop) June 20, 2024

He kicked off with “Euphoria,” the fiery response to Drake’s “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle.” And while the die-hard fans were screaming the lyrics verbatim, a noticeable lyric change may have gone over some people’s heads at first. “Give me Tupac’s ring back and I might give you a little respect,” he rapped, referencing a ring owned by the late great Tupac Shakur that Drake purchased at an auction. Drake confirmed he bought this ring in a social media post before seemingly alluding to the purchase in Travis Scott’s “Meltdown”: “I pull out a million to stare at this shit.”

“I Don’t Do It From The ‘Gram, I Do It For Compton!“

Kendrick Lamar performing “ELEMENT” at #ThePopOut concert pic.twitter.com/lX0bQm8wN9

— HotNewHipHop (@HotNewHipHop) June 20, 2024

When the lights came on, you could finally see Kendrick’s fit: a red hoodie, red cap, jeans, black glasses, and a huge chain around his neck. A few chains actually, with one being a huge cross pendant. Fans speculate this paid homage to Tupac’s iconic red fit at The Source Awards in 1994. It’s the details for us!

Regardless if you’re from L.A. or not, you were proud as f*ck to be in the building tonight. It became even more clear as the Compton star ran through hit records from To Pimp A Butterfly and DAMN. Kendrick proceeded to perform catalog staples like “DNA.”, “Alright,” and “ELEMENT” — in which fans screamed, “I don’t do it for the ‘Gram, I do it for Compton!”

The Long-Awaited Black Hippy Reunion

Kendrick Lamar performs “6:16 in LA” with Ab-Soul on stage at #ThePopOut concert pic.twitter.com/Rxzj5LrYgy

— HotNewHipHop (@HotNewHipHop) June 20, 2024

At this point, it was time for Kendrick to bring out his TDE family. Jay Rock was first up, as fans were reminded of their standout collaboration on “Money Trees.” But it was Jay Rock’s “WIN” that stole the show. Ab-Soul was next, joining Kendrick Lamar on stage to perform “6:16 In L.A.” and giving a shout-out to Carson. ScHoolboy Q followed for “Collard Greens” and “THat Part,” before Black Hippy stuck around on stage to dance along to “King Kunta.” From there, Kendrick led into an arsenal of bangers including “m.A.A.d. city,” “HUMBLE.”, and his explosive verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That.” There was definitely a moment of wondering: is Future or Metro going to pop out, too?! Especially since Metro was just in Los Angeles for his comic book pop-up less than a week ago.

California Love, For Real

Dr. Dre introducing “not like us” is crazy

— Andrew Barber (@fakeshoredrive) June 20, 2024

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any more lit, Kendrick brought out the one and only Dr. Dre. The moment the piano-laden intro for “Still D.R.E.” begins, the entire Kia Form erupted with cheer as Dr. Dre emerged from the stage’s floor. “You know I had to come back and do this kinda sh*t in my hometown. Especially, one of the greatest to ever did it! Can y’all make some noise for Kendrick f**king Lamar?” Dr. Dre told the crowd. Kendrick then asks the crowd to make noise for Compton, California, before performing “California Love” by Tupac. Iconic is an understatement!

But, my personal favorite part of the show happened right before Dr. Dre was about to leave the stage. The N.W.A legend began making his exit, and Kendrick convinced him to make one last statement to the crowd. Dr. Dre then kneeled down and whispered: “Psst, I see dead people,” before the infectious production of “Not Like Us” dropped. You can’t make this shit up.

“Why you trollin’ like a b**ch? Ain’t you tired?/ Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minorrrrr.” Kendrick held this note and did his little dance move in the air, only to run back “Not Like Us” from the top. He ended up playing it a total of seven times for the evening, and we were all here for it.

Popping Out 7 More Times

History was made tonight. Kendrick united all the gangs and hoods in the building, from Bloods to Crips to everything in between. And he made a point to stand on two important values: peace and love. “We done lost a lot of homies to this music shit, lotta homies to the street sh*t,” he said.

The grand finale brought Mustard back on stage to run back “Not Like Us” for the fourth time, before eventually bringing out all the artists in the building. From the new generation to the OGs, K. Dot highlighted the city in the most beautiful way possible. “We’ve been f*cked up since Nipsey died, hold up. We’ve been f*cked up since Kobe died, hold up!”

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Chief Keef’s Explosive Summer Smash Performance Was The Homecoming Fans Were Begging For: Review

June 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Tensions were high on the third day of Summer Smash 2024. Ahead of sets from the likes of Waka Flocka Flame, Ken Carson, and, of course, Chief Keef himself, the festival had to be evacuated due to “high winds.” This left eager attendees concerned, angry, and confused — factors perhaps exacerbated by intense heat, a myriad of whichever substances may have allegedly snuck their way in past lovely venue security staff, and a heavy police presence. The looming threat of the whole fest getting shut down for good only made matters more serious for those who had waited all weekend for Chief Keef’s set. Luckily, the gates reopened after roughly an hour of crowds lingering just outside the festival grounds. As fans rushed to reclaim their spots, assess the now-reconfigured lineup, and get back to the action, a collective sense of relief swept the festival grounds.

In just minutes, performances had resumed. Most seemed to have been re-energized by the impromptu intermission, as well as the much-needed temperature drop caused by a brief downpour. Due to the evacuation, each artist’s set had to be pushed back, meaning there were shorter breaks between them. Now-back-to-back performances left little to no opportunity for a lull in the crowd’s energy. However, as the clock struck 9 p.m., Chief Keef was nowhere in sight. After a few minutes, people became antsy, rubber-necking the stage as mumblings of what was taking so long moved through the sea of people. Unfortunately, this would continue for quite some time. Sosa didn’t make it onto the stage until over half an hour after he was scheduled to begin.

Chief Keef Performs In Chicago For The First Time In Over A Decade

Once he finally did make his entrance, he was welcomed by a greeting best described as thunderous. Fans knew they were witnessing history in the making, and after a day plagued by uncertainty, they were grateful that the most eagerly anticipated moment of the weekend was finally underway. This was the first time the drill pioneer performed in his hometown of Chicago in over a decade. It felt like the peak of the tremendous hometown pride on display all weekend. He opened with the intro from his latest release, Almighty So 2, and the crowd went wild. “I’m back motherf*cker,” he declared, marking the start of something no less than explosive.

Chief Keef rolled right into “Treat Myself,” another fan-favorite from his new album, before diving into some older material. This is when things became truly electric. He moved through cuts like “B*tch Where,” “Kay Kay,” and more in a celebration of the decade-plus-long discography that brought him to the top. He even brought out fellow Chicago MC G Herbo for a performance of “Who Run It,” his eldest daughter, and more.

Sosa Comes Home

Chief Keef Returns To Chicago For Summer Smash 2024: Review — Chief Keef performs during the Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash Festival at SeatGeek Stadium on June 16, 2024 in Bridgeview, Illinois. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images)

Chief Keef took a momentary pause before crashing into “Faneto,” and for obvious reasons, the crowd lit up. This was the first time ever that Chicago fans saw a live rendition of the hit. It was followed by even more classics before the show ended with a fireworks display. Attendees were amped as ever after songs like “Love Sosa” and “I Don’t Like.” Then, the show was cut off. It seemed as though things ended sooner than anyone involved would have liked. It left no time for other major hits, though this was clearly out of Chief Keef’s control. Unfortunately, it managed to dull the shine of the finale and led to some confusion onstage.

This confusion wasn’t exclusive to the finale either, as it was prevalent at other points in the show. For instance, while the crowd swelled with excitement during the intro to “Love Sosa,” Rara ran out to give fans a live version of his infamous rant. In a bizarre turn of events, he was promptly thrown to the ground by security and escorted off the stage. The worrisome mix-up took away from the powerful moment and left some questioning if it could have been avoided. Overall, the performance left little to be desired. Chief Keef and his crew’s energy was on ten, and his historic return certainly lived up to fans’ high expectations.

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Don Toliver “HARDSTONE PSYCHO” Album Review

June 18, 2024 by newhiphopnews

An artist who gets to play a show the day that their album comes out might feel like a superstar athlete entering their first game of the season. There’s been a lot of build-up beforehand, there’s a lot of pressure to deliver, and you get to give fans a taste of what’s to come in the following weeks and months. When Don Toliver joined the rest of Cactus Jack for their Summer Smash set this past weekend, it became immediately clear that his new album, HARDSTONE PSYCHO, is a picture-perfect crowd-pleaser in the live setting. Bolstered by fiery singles like “BANDIT” and more vibe-inclined teasers, the project made impact as his most comprehensive, versatile, and well-rounded artistic picture up to this point. The live guitar for the Chicago festival represents just one of the various elements that make this record a pretty gratifying experience.

Whether you’re a longtime Don Toliver fan or a skeptical newcomer, HARDSTONE PSYCHO is well aware of the expectation to engage, captivate, and entrance on a sonic level. The production is almost always layered and balanced, the Houston native’s performances are as sticky as ever, and it’s all brought together by an aesthetic consistency that’s never appeared on a Don album to this level. It feels like a true sequel to the regal grittiness 2021’s LIFE OF A DON following the more sweet, soothing, and sluggish Love Sick in 2023. However, some empty spaces in the songwriting, plus slightly hollow lyrical and melodic retreads, threaten to take away from H.P.‘s cohesion. Luckily, no bump in the road fully stops this roaring Harley from throttling forward.

HARDSTONE PSYCHO Roars Behind The Board

From the very first track “KRYPTONITE,” motors rev and a whistling synth lingers wistfully before the trap beat comes in with airy but distorted electric guitar chords. This, plus a longing plea for love and weakness in the face of chaotic and high-speed vices, set the stage for what Don Toliver does most successfully and consistently on HARDSTONE PSYCHO. The production is consistently layered, and main producers like 206Derek plus big names like BNYX make sure to give these instrumentals a lot of detail and make them atmospheric yet vivid enough to feel like a motorcycle ride. “TORE UP” is a hard-rocking adrenaline rush of boisterous riffs and chants, the lush strings breathe unexpected life into the drill chiller “GLOCK,” and “HARDSTONE NATIONAL ANTHEM,” with its stadium-inspired drums and rising synthesizers make for a dramatic closing response to the album’s opener. Overall, it’s always some potent ear candy.

Nevertheless, the comparison game between some of Don Toliver’s similar ideas does drag down the tracklist flow on repeat listens. Despite the creative drill flip of Pharrell’s hook on Snoop Dogg’s “Beautiful” and earworms on “ATTITUDE,” short appearances from Cash Cobain and Charlie Wilson aren’t enough to flesh out the minimal soundscape into something more wholly present rather than a mood-setter. Meanwhile, “LAST LAUGH” loses its soul-sampling luster by the midway point.

As far as the presentation from a beat-making standpoint, there are very few lowlights here that will disengage you from the push-and-pull of the 30-year-old’s contrasting talents, regardless of a few missteps. Still, there are more compromised and melancholy moments here than scorching ones, and the tracklist could’ve benefitted from a more energetic cut toward the end.

Don Toliver Shines Bright

What keeps the energy up all the way through is Don Toliver himself, whose mastery of his idiosyncratic vocal tone, infectious flow switches, and catchy hooks pushes his ceiling further up. “4X4” is a standout performance here thanks to his dynamic delivery and being the last true-blue banger moment on HARDSTONE PSYCHO. He and Kodak Black flow like volatile but relentless gas leaks on “BROTHER STONE,” and his control of both clubby choruses and chopped-and-screwed-adjacent Southern rap on “NEW DROP” offers inescapable refrains. There’s also some great vocal chemistry with Future on the Metro-produced and psych-driven “PURPLE RAIN,” and even “DEEP IN THE WATER” has some addictive tones despite it being the most measured and tranquil performance on the album. Toliver’s most important growth here, as far as what this represents in his career, is his vocal experimentation and evolution of different “voices.”

Yet the lyrical content can be summed up with just two lines: “Lifestyle full of sin, but you heaven-sent,” and “Turn those tears into wine.” Don Toliver keeps the emphasis on the dreaminess and enjoyability of the listening experience, but there’s not much expansive food for thought when it comes to light themes of lust, hedonism, trust, and adventure. There’s a similar repetitiveness to some of the melodies here, such as a “Cardigan”-resembling “5 TO 10” hook, that empty spaces in verses, bridges, and songwriting certainly don’t help. Some more unexpected sounds and invitees could’ve mitigated this, such as an expansion of the charismatic and personality-filled Teezo Touchdown feature on “BACKSTREETS” and leaving Travis Scott’s “INSIDE” croons alone in place of doubling down with a more meager “ICE AGE” guest slot.

What’s Left On The Highway

Despite moments when HARDSTONE PSYCHO spins its wheels in the mud, it definitely triumphs in taking you on this sonic ride alongside Don Toliver and boasts plenty of highlights for the rest of your 2024 journey. While he built this new era with few new elements, his rock focus and vocal innovations pave a path forward for his artistry and hint at what’s to come. For the kind of album that the “Flocky Flocky” creative tends to make, this is likely his most skillful LP to date and the best display of his toolbox, even with its shortcomings. Fans found that the tendency to box artists into a specific niche became an easy challenge when it came to Don. Fortunately, this album left wiggle room to sustain himself and capitalize on the changes in his life and career.

Furthermore, the new father perhaps chose to split HARDSTONE PSYCHO into four evenly distributed discs for that very reason. It doesn’t work out to its fullest potential, since the album falls ever-so-slightly short of providing a seamless flow to distract from these sections’ overlap. But the strategy does lend itself to an explicit and, for the most part, fully realized vision to mark a distinct change from his earlier sounds and leanings. After all, one of the cuts on here features a vocal outro reportedly from Don Toliver’s late uncle Carl, who supported him heavily and inspired the motorcycle homages on this project. Don’s influences fall more clearly into place here, developing a unique identity despite years of opportunities for complacency. While there’s still a long road ahead in this regard, he’s keeping his foot on the gas to get there.

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Hunxho “Before The Album” Review

June 12, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Hunxho first rose to prominence in 2021 by releasing tracks such as “Let’s Get It.” Since then, the young up-and-comer has been steadily dropping albums, mixtapes, and singles to further his buzz. His latest effort, Before the Album, serves as a brief EP to tide over his fans until his next full-length project. This brief release touts nine tracks that play out over the course of 23 minutes, offering some deep insight into the state of Hunxo’s current musical trajectory. Let’s examine the tracklist and material and see what the Atlanta native has in store.

The Project Has Some Serious Vocal Mixing Issues

Despite Hunxho’s talented lyric-writing abilities, Before the Album is a tough listen. The beats range from solid to exceptional, the lyrics are intriguing and autobiographical, and the pacing is varied, but every single track on this project is mixed with a billion layers of poorly-mixed autotune, buried under a mountain of reverb. As a result, Before the Album sounds like it’s being played from an iPhone speaker on the other side of an empty gymnasium, even when listening with high-quality speakers.

This vocal mixing is evident across every track and is most jarring on the intro record “Ups & Downs.” If you can get past the thick layer of unlistenable autotune, the song delivers on its title by examining some of the major highs and lows that Hunxho has experienced in recent years. This includes crashing out in his romantic relationships, losing friends to street violence, and struggling to feed his kids while his rap career hits monumental highs.

Hunxho Gets Introspective

Once you get past the massive barrier of entry, which is atrocious vocal engineering, Hunxho gets pretty deep into Before the Album. Tracks such as “Do This For Me” offer a man-in-the-mirror moment, with the Atlanta rapper examining his own actions and the trauma he has experienced while meditating on forgiveness and the prospect of healing. Likewise, “Can’t Fall Off” sees Hunxo pondering on his contemporaries who lack his hustling mindset while arguing that falling off musically would be akin to taking food off his children’s plates. The spacey, soul-chopped instrumental on “Can’t Fall Off” is the best on the project.

“Y’all Get It” should be an emotional high point for the EP, as Hunxho croons about losing his loved ones, missing his children, and experiencing feelings of loneliness. Unfortunately, the track opens with some Kid Cudi-inspired humming that sounds positively comical under the layers of grating autotune. It feels disrespectful to catch your breath from laughter while Hunxho waxes poetic about his friends dying in the streets, but that’s the cost of admission on a song mixed this poorly.

Some Songs Manage To Rise Above The Mix

Foul mixing positively ruins a few records on Before the Album, while others just barely manage to overcome this significant obstacle. “Closer To Over” is handily the best-mixed track on the entire project, which makes sense as it’s far and away the most popular song present. The Genius lyric page counts over 20K pageviews for this track alone, proving that Hunxho’s fans are tuning in far and wide. The song is an anthem about betrayal and taking the high road, and it shows Hunxho refusing to backstab people even after they show their true colors. A few well-placed glockenspiel bells and bumping bass notes make this track an easy winner. The song almost sounds like it could score a scene from a mob movie.

“How It Feel” is another highlight, which contains an ultra-hard gospel sample that bolsters the themes of counting your blessings and following your grind. Still, the structure of this track is incredibly bizarre, as it touts a single incredibly short verse sandwiched between an extra-long hook. It’s a bite-sized joint, but it’s effective in delivering its message. The final track, aptly titled “Last Song,” touts some emotional piano melodies, which give way to bars about Hunxho’s growth and accomplishments. The song is a brief one-verse with no chorus, a track that leaves fans wanting more, and it has us primed for the upcoming album.

Not to harp too much on this point, but Hunxho desperately needs to fire his engineer on his next project. Beyond that, the fans will surely look forward to the record that follows Before the Album.

[Via]

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Tha Dogg Pound “W.A.W.G. (We All We Got)” Review

June 12, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Tha Dogg Pound is best known as the rap supergroup who made landmark appearances on such West Coast classics as Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle back in the 1990s. Kurupt and Daz Dillinger, who comprise the group, signed with Death Row Records in the early stages of their career before branching out into more independent solo work. Though Tha Dogg Pound has remained somewhat active in recent years, the duo are best known for their 1995 debut Dogg Food. Now, the pair have linked with West Coast legend Snoop Dogg, for a full-length collab album titled W.A.G.W. (We All We Got). Snoop is an early pioneer of Tha Dogg Pound’s sound and a cousin to Daz Dillinger. Now that the gang is all back together, let’s dive into the tracklist of this exciting new album and see what exactly the trio has cooked up.

The Album Contains The Rawest West Coast Sound In Years

W.A.G.W. (We All We Got) opens strong, with tracks such as “Smoke Up,” “We All We Got,” and “Imma Dog.” The Dogg Pound released “Smoke Up” ahead of time as a teaser to the album, and it still holds up after numerous listens. The track delivers on the old-school West Coast style, instantly transporting listeners back to the mid 1990s. The song is quite brief, serving as an easily-digestible opener. It also proves that Tha Dogg Pound have not missed a step in over 30 years behind the mic.

Likewise, “Imma Dog” serves as a major stand-out on the album, with a bouncing bass sample and thick, snappy synths. DJ Battlecat went absolutely haywire producing this cut, with some kooky sound effects that make you feel like you’re being abducted by an alien spacecraft that landed in Long Beach. There’s even a moment where the instrumental interpolates some hood-style circus music, which shouldn’t go hard on paper, but absolutely slaps.

There Are A Few Duds In The Mix

Despite the many prevalent highlights in the album, Tha Dogg Pound has given us a few ill-advised misses as well. One such track includes the vulgar sex jam “Inside Of Her,” which offers tactless lyrics describing the female anatomy in painstaking detail. Many old-school rappers created joints like this, but they need to leave them in the past unless these OGs can find a way to speak with more nuance. “LA Kind Of Love” is another hard skip, with a nearly unlistenable instrumental that sounds like a Katy Perry B-side from 2010. While we can certainly appreciate the Doggs for trying to diversify their sound, this is not a step in the right direction.

The Album Shows Great Artistic And Personal Growth

Despite a few minor missteps, Tha Dogg Pound mostly delivers a powerful, mature meditation on their decades-long careers on W.A.G.W. Tracks like “Grown Up” offer something of an OG anthem, with lyrics such as “I’m looking at things a little different/ I got grandchildren, self-resilient/ This is how I’m living.” These bars help to demonstrate that these OGs have moved away from the street and started diversifying their financial portfolio with safer long-term investments, to give back to their families.

The penultimate track on the record, “Always On My Mind,” opens with some positively murderous piano stabs, as Tha Dogg Pound shoutout their lost loved ones, including Nate Dogg, BadAzz, Nipsey Hussle, and others. The track also interpolates vocal rhythms from Tupac Shakur and the Outlawz’ classic track “Homeboyz.” This song brings a lot of heart and touts the best Daz Dillinger verse on the project. On “Always On My Mind,” Daz raps “They say, put it on the dead homies, it’s just an everyday hood slang/ Sleep is the cousin of death, we in our last days/ I lost my mother, lost my daddy, lost my brother/ It’s Heaven or Earth, do you know just where you’re going?“

W.A.W.G. Concludes On A High Note

With only 14 tracks spanning 47 minutes of run time, W.A.G.W. (We All We Got) manages to be incredibly concise and surprisingly versatile. The album closes out with a DJ Premier-produced posse cut titled “Who Da Hardest?” This track features vocals from DGPC affiliates RBX and The Lady of Rage. Rage opens the track with some incredibly hard lyricism, further cementing how powerful her career could and should have been when she first came out in the late 90s. This track also has Kurupt’s best verse on the album, which opens with the bars “Tyrannosaurus Rex, complex the octagon/ Eight sides to this genetic aquatic Pteranodon/ The template has been set, this when the sharks hit/ Composin’ words of wizardry cold as the artic.“

Tha Dogg Pound has proven with this record that they’re more than just a legacy act surviving on old classics. This album might not top anyone’s album of the year list, but it will certainly get heavy rotation. Especially from fans of that long-lost authentic West Coast sound.

[Via]

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KAYTRANADA “TIMELESS” Album Review

June 11, 2024 by newhiphopnews

It’s impossible to divorce music from the social, cultural, and physical spaces that it was born out of and exists in, and when it comes to musicians perfectly evoking a particular location, KAYTRANADA is one of the industry’s most accomplished magicians. His production, songwriting, and groove-driven sensibilities allow him to turn any set of headphones or festival crowd into a 5AM nightclub propelled by killer house beats and even better melodies. It’s a staple of his career that brought vivid and lively projects in 99.9%, BUBBA, and the collab album KAYTRAMINÉ. But the question is, does TIMELESS allow us to immerse into that party or are we back to checking our phones?

If you’re at all a fan of the Haitian-Canadian creative, it’s no surprise that the latter option, albeit a big risk on this new hour-long album, is practically impossible. Compared to previous work, KAYTRANADA built something a little more consistent groove-wise, a little less exploratory in its genre fusions, but even more focused on crisp production, engaging songwriting, and keeping your mellowed attention with few breaks in mood or rhythm. It doesn’t always result in a winning formula, but it’s very compelling to hear these inspirations from so many genres coalesce into some of his best pop-adjacent material yet. If nothing else, it’s proof that the “#RICHAXXHAITIAN” musician can still have tricks up his sleeve even if the goal this time around is constance.

TIMELESS Sounds… You Know

“Pressure” is a perfect preview of this, as the rubbery kicks, chopped Lupe and Hov sample, and staccato keys let listeners know that this will go down as one of the funkiest albums of 2024. TIMELESS is a very fitting title, as the album’s main strengths are the cleanliness of the production and the cohesion and catchiness that the songwriting offers, aspects that KAYTRANADA owes most deeply to classic house and disco production plus its soul and funk roots. Other instrumental moments like “Dance Dance Dance Dance,” “Seemingly,” and “Please Babe” are impressive isolations of the beat-making’s prowess, whereas cuts like “Witchy” with Childish Gambino, “More Than A Little Bit” with Tinashe, and “Video” with Ravyn Lenae showcase bubbly, buttery, and satisfying interplay between verse melodies, instrumental embellishments, soaring choruses, and tension-building bridges.

Furthermore, as far as the production quality itself, there’s a consistent sheen to TIMELESS‘ tracks that puts it somewhere in between the brightness of 99.9% and the submerged feel of much of BUBBA. It doesn’t craft a wholly unique sonic identity, but it definitely switches things up here and there to entice and excite skeptics. There’s the melancholy “Feel A Way” with Don Toliver, the frantic and buzzy “Drip Sweat” with Channel Tres, and tender Latin percussion on cuts like “Lover/Friend” with Rochelle Jordan and “Hold On” with Dawn Richard. As for classic KAYTRANADA funk and groove, look no further than the infectious guitars on “Weird” with Durand Bernarr.

KAYTRANADA’s Curation

TIMELESS is perhaps KAYTRANADA’s most stacked and well-performing guest list to date. He himself grabs the mic on “Stepped On,” which is one of the more frustrated points in the album’s constant “highs and lows” narrative about falling in love, having fun, letting go, living in the moment, and all the things that the album doesn’t have to say for you to feel through the jams. In terms of chemistry, The collaborative highlight is easily “Do 2 Me” with Anderson .Paak and SiR, with the most progressive instrumental on the record. PinkPantheress also emerges as a no-brainer recipe for collaborative greatness on “Snap My Finger,” and we hope there’s more on the way.

However, despite the fitting but imperfect transitions and the generally cohesive aesthetics and guests, there are still some bare and stretched-out elements to TIMELESS that both casual listeners and longtime fans might dismiss. While the vocal melodies are always tight, the short runtimes on “Spit It Out” with Rochelle Jordan, “Call U Up” with Lou Phelps, and “Stuntin” with Channel Tres can’t save them from feeling disengaged loops towards the end. Still, Thundercat’s comical roasting sounds gorgeous on “Wasted Words,” and Charlotte Day Wilson’s performance is heavenly on “Still,” so it’s overall not a massive blemish.

Read More: KAYTRANADA’s Essential Tracks

What’s Next For KAYTRA?

With that in mind, the 31-year-old crafts music that is as lush, fun, catchy, intoxicating, and above all loving as it’s ever been on TIMELESS. It feels like the most amorphous, watery, and meticulous genre fusion that he’s done up to this point, even if it does sacrifice the vibrance and unpredictability of previous LPs for the consistency and wide appeal of what many might call a “pop era.” But KAYTRANADA worked too hard on this tracklist flow, the production, and the quality of the songwriting to say that as a dismissive comment. It’s just another step in his evolution, one that seems to target artistic growth in the studio over a sonic change in these sessions’ results.

Frankly, TIMELESS further defines the classic KAYTRANADA bounce as a single idea rather than the multi-faceted amalgamation of shifting focuses and appeals that albums like 99.9% are so beloved for. By the time we hit the jittery and wavy “Out Of Luck” with Mariah The Scientist, some aspects of this project might feel redundant to some listeners. But it’s primarily a house, funk, and disco record, and one that tactfully succeeds in keeping the groove alive, creating sweetly addictive songs, and immersing you in the party. Here’s hoping that KAYTRA’s next moves, no matter what direction they go in, continue to champion this timeless dedication and heartfelt passion for the joy of “Think (About It)” drum breaks and the warmth of melody.

Read More: Who Is KAYTRANADA?

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Bad Bunny Finally Comes Home & Closes His “Most Wanted” Tour With Stellar Puerto Rican Shows: Review

June 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

San Juan, Puerto Rico’s José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum had likely never seen as many cowboy hats before the night of Friday, June 7. Dozens of thousands of fans arrived at the first of three sold-out nights hosted by Bad Bunny, officially culminating his “Most Wanted” North American tour. This supported the superstar’s latest album, 2023’s nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana, and despite its distinct Western theme, it’s also clear that this is the rollout most overtly dedicated to his home since the X100PRE days, and even that’s a stretch. Sure, he always reps Boricua culture, and that obviously translates swimmingly to the most well-equipped crowd in the world to sing along with him. But PR heard nadie sabe first with a listening party, and culminating its tour by coming back home makes that pride all the more potent.

Furthermore, one of the most viral quotes from this three-night stay at “El Choli” is an accurate assessment: if you’ve seen Bad Bunny perform, but haven’t seen a Puerto Rico show, you haven’t seen him perform at all (speaking selfishly, let’s keep it that way if you’re not Boricua). With an extra hour of runtime compared to his other “Most Wanted” dates, more special guests, and PR-specific embellishments and set-ups, the leader of “La Nueva Religión” went all out… what else is new? This writer’s seen BadBo about six times, from sweaty PR high school homecoming parties in 2016 all the way to headlining Philadelphia’s Made In America festival in 2022. While a lot of what made this San Juan show on June 7 so great is par the course for him, many factors cemented this among his most successful performance runs yet.

Bad Bunny’s Evolution As A Performer

Así arrancó el Most Wanted Tour de Bad Bunny en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico pic.twitter.com/FlbcepvGWR

— NotiCel (@noticel) June 8, 2024

Bad Bunny’s growth behind the mic and amid a spotlit stage paid off in dividends with this “Most Wanted” opening show in Puerto Rico. He hits his high notes more consistently, rips through his verses with more energy, seems entirely self-aware and calm when it comes to his body language and stage awareness, and remained consistently engaged with crowd energies. Sometimes, Benito fell victim to audio syncing and mic volume issues that have plagued previous PR shows. But with each whack at this curveball throughout his career, he’s gotten better at checking himself and mitigating the situation on the spot. Most importantly, the 30-year-old gave the crowd heart-to-heart moments, albeit less than usual. He spoke on his insecurities as a global titan, thanking his day ones (or day zeros, as he often refers to Boricuas), and inspiring and supporting the youth.

Furthermore, Bad Bunny’s stage presence and set-up for this show surely captivated many first-time concert-goers in attendance. Two small stages held most of the action: one was at one extreme of the coliseum, and the other was about two-thirds of the way to the other side, leaving the general admission crowd in the middle. Above them was a massive railway that rotated so that he could walk out and be closer to many different parts of the venue. The Vega Bajeño always ensures maximum engagement across all price points and altitude levels. With fireworks, psychedelic and nimble lighting, multi-faceted choreography with around 20 dancers, Jumbotron visual effects, and live musical performance elements we’ll get to soon, you are just as prone to falling into a trance whether you’re in the front row or “cambiando bombillas” in the nosebleeds.

Benito’s Most Cohesive Setlist

Bad Bunny interpretando “LA SANTA” en su primer show en Puerto Rico pic.twitter.com/JRsiQD3lIl

— DIOS BUNNY (@diosbunnyy) June 8, 2024

Bad Bunny, the madman that he is, ran through 49 songs on June 7 and still missed so many of his biggest hits. But what felt different about this “Most Wanted” tour stop was how deliberate, cohesive, and thematically structured the run of tracks felt. First off, the Philharmonic Orchestra Project, directed by Colombian musician Carlitos Lopez, played the Puerto Rican national anthem and three other pieces before B.B. emerged with “NADIE SABE.” The nadie sabe focus persisted until these classic Latin trap-inspired cuts transitioned into… you guessed it: El Conejo Malo’s classic Latin trap.

Some more nadie sabe records followed, then an acoustic rendition of many of his sadder and more love-centric songs with pianist Tiffany Román, and finally, a collection of his reggaetón bangers and Boricua-pride-themed anthems. A “batucada” (percussive ensemble) walked out onstage and ended the night with a rendition of “El Apagón” alongside Bad Bunny, complete with “cabezudos” and a dancer waving the Puerto Rican flag with a Palestinian one painted on.

Special guests on June 7 included some of PR’s new and old leaders: Young Miko, Mora, Bryant Myers, De La Ghetto, Ñengo Flow, and Arcángel. Yet they didn’t overshadow the significance that this setlist structure offered. Rather than stick to the script and go to this album’s hits, then this one’s, and so on, Bad Bunny outlined a more nuanced and emotionally progressive view of his artistry and its many facets compared to setlists of years past. There were also particularly impressive remixes of certain tracks, such as killer bass and strings on “MR. OCTOBER,” a particularly gorgeous “Si Estuviésemos Juntos” take, and an absolutely nasty and industrial electronic outro for “BATICANO.”

“Ahora Estoy En Mi Prime”

This electric and satisfying setlist was also bolstered by some visual elements, namely two short videos. A compilation of previous concert footage, horseback riding, Boricua views and citizens, and narration from Bad Bunny himself provided a reflection on how he chose to end the “Most Wanted” tour in San Juan, Puerto Rico because this excitement to play at home was what fueled his travels in the rest of North America. This played at the beginning, and another horse-backed clip about halfway through emphasized the loneliness that his fame and status created in him, not just in relation to the wider pop culture and celebrity sphere worldwide, but in PR itself. After all, attendees were notified before the show started that they would probably appear in the concert taping that most Puerto Rican movie theaters played live on Friday and Saturday night.

With so many shows under Benito’s belt, so much global success, and such a proud Puerto Rican identity, it can feel like he’s at a disconnect with his roots, his career, and his personal life no matter what he does. It’s the celebrity machine eating away at the spirit that blew us away with “Tu No Vive Asi,” “Diles,” and many more SoundCloud standards almost a decade ago. But more so than he did overseas, Bad Bunny backed up his impassioned professions of love and gratitude for the archipelago, its people, and his loved ones with a performance worthy of that emotion, perhaps the worthiest on a technical level since his ascent. There’s a well-worn rawness and familiarity to his PR shows that wasn’t lost here, a repetitive but inexplicably special quality that his superstardom should never take for granted.

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Tems drops highly-anticipated debut album, Born in the Wild

June 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Following a long string of success with chart-topping singles, Tems’ debut album has finally dropped and does not disappoint.

Born in the Wild, which dropped June 7, showcases the artist’s lyrical genius as well as her versatility and range from the hypnotic opening track “Born in the Wild” to the dance-track beat-heavy sound of “Forever” to her own spin on hip-hop on “T-Unit.”

The artist’s eclectic musical influences are evident throughout the 18-song album, which includes previously released track “Love Me Jeje” and include R&B, African beats and rhythms, soul, hip-hop, and poetry “Burning” is reminiscent of old-school R&B sounds, but with a distinct switch up of pace that keeps the listener engaged while simultaneously being hypnotized by Tems’ voice, which is overlaid to sound almost like a duet on the track.

The Nigerian singer’s African influence is evidence with the subtle Afrobeats sound that’s infused with a classic R&B sound in the musical tracks as well as the spoken interludes. Tems’ musical ability never overshadows her talent for lyricism with her poetic capabilities shining through exceptionally well on “Ready.”

Guest artists include Asake (in the Reggae-esque “Get it Right”) and J. Cole (on “Free Fall”), demonstrating her ability to weave seamlessly between genres all on the same album.

As for the name and symbolism behind the debut album, Tems stated: “Born In The Wild is a story of transformation, from a cocoon to a butterfly,” continuing to explain that the album “speaks on surviving mental wilderness and coming to a place where one can thrive. It’s about finally accepting oneself and embodying the woman I was born to be. It shows the different dimensions of who I am, from a cub to a lioness.”

The album release coincides with Tems’ upcoming BORN IN THE WILD WORLD TOUR, which starts on June 12 in London and will continue throughout Europe and North America before heading to Africa and finally concluding in Australia on November 15. Tour information can be found at https://www.leadingvibe.com/.

The post Tems drops highly-anticipated debut album, Born in the Wild first appeared on The Source.

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