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Tems “Born In The Wild” Review

June 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

After a long wait, Tems finally delivered in style with her debut album. The songstress initially gained recognition in 2019 when her song “Try Me” became a hit, and she became a ubiquitous force across the global music scene. The release of For Broken Ears in September 2020 and If Orange Was A Place in 2021 helped set the stage while her appearance on Wizkid’s “Essence” took her to new heights, earning her a Grammy nomination and a platinum plaque.

That undoubtedly jumpstarted a fruitful run, leading to her credited appearance on Future and Drake’s “Wait For U” and her first Grammy win. Then, her contributions to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack — a cover of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” and co-writing Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” — earned Golden Globe Award and Oscar nominations for Best Original Song — Motion Picture. Despite these and many more achievements, some considered Tems’s success a fluke due to her collaboration with WizKid. On her debut album, Born In The Wild, she proved her critics and doubters wrong and sealed her status as a global superstar.

Tems’ Debut Album Theme

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One thing to note in Tem’s debut album is that she did it on her terms. The 18-track album tells the story of personal growth and rise to stardom through impressive and emotionally driven songwriting. In the titular track, “Born In The Wild,” Tems sings, “I grew up in the wilderness/I didn’t know much about openness.” Then, on “Wickedest,” she reflects on her success in singing, “Yeah, I’m the one got the scene banging/And I go hard that’s why they keep talking/Three years and I’m only just getting started.“

Tems’ quest for true and long-lasting love is seen in the previously released “Me & U” and “Love Me Jeje.” Although she admits to longing for that kind of love, she draws a line regarding toxic relationships. We see this in “Boy O Boy,” a potential heartbreak anthem, where Tems calmly sings of her desire to hurt the man who broke her heart. Some of the lyrics include “Sometimes I want to strangle you,” “You are a pain in my brain,” and “I wonder how I love a thing like you.” Meanwhile, in “Unfortunate,” Tems belts out about detaching from a lover she can no longer trust. Born In The Wild is thus themed around mental and self-growth, love, and heartbreak. Through her vulnerability, her debut album resulted in a perfect victory in her career.

Features

Versatility was a theme throughout the 54-minute album. Tems surprised people with her collaboration with Asake on “Get It Right.” It wasn’t a collaboration many saw coming, but both artists showed they could handle any musical challenge. Tems’ vocals excelled in the Fuji-infused Amapiano sound, while Asake’s lyrics blended excellently with the song’s cool vibe.

Tems features J. Cole on “Free Fall.” The Fayetteville rapper has been maligned lately amid the Kendrick Lamar-Drake beef, but he showed he remains one of the best rappers alive with his superb wordplay on the track. Backed by Tems’ majestic vocals and a gentle beat, J. Cole belted out lyrics about the topsy-turvy nature of relationships. Born In The Wild has just two features, but they are so perfect that you could wish for more.

However, the depth of her musicality extends beyond her direct collaborators. Throughout the project, she samples classic songs; complementing the groundwork created by the artists before while innovating these sounds for a modern era. We already saw her majestic creativity when she sampled Seyi Sodimu’s “Love Me Jeje,” but there was more to come in Born In The Wild. The 28-year-old took the sampling game a notch higher on “Wickedest,” which began with Ivorian band Magic System’s “1er Gaou.” You won’t also miss Tems’ expert sampling of Diana King’s “L-L-Lies” in “Gangsta.”

Wrapping It All Up

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Tems’ Born In The Wild is not an album where she introduces herself. Instead, she climbed to new heights and solidified her status as a global superstar who is here to stay. Tems won more people to her corner with her incredulous show of versatility. The GuiltyBeatz-produced “Burning” is a soothing song that has all the powers to brighten your day. “Turn Me Up” has the makings of a summer jam. Tems outdid herself on the up-tempo banger produced by London. She infused reggae adlibs that ensure you are vibed up from the beginning to the end.

The singer showed her greatness as an R&B artist but wasn’t scared to explore, as she ventured into dancehall, amapiano, afro-pop, and some reggae. She even tested her rap skills on “T-Unit,” where she nodded to 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop.” She stayed true to her sound and never left people questioning her intentions. The album’s production is top-notch. Most of the songs were produced by Tems and her longtime collaborator, GuiltyBeatz. Sarz produced “Get It Right,” P2J produced “Free Fall,” and London produced “Turn Me Up.” Other producers who contributed to the album include Nsikak David, DameDame, and Spax.

Tems’ Born In The Wild album is a project for those who strive to win. It is for those who go against all odds to find their true selves and enjoy the success that comes with victory. Like she sings in “Hold On,” just hold on, and that which you seek will find you. Tems has found herself and showed us what more she can do, but that is not where it stops — there is so much more to come.

The post Tems “Born In The Wild” Review appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Conway The Machine “Slant Face Killah” Album Review

May 17, 2024 by newhiphopnews

What happens when great isn’t good enough anymore? That’s what every Griselda affiliate has asked themself for the past few years, as the collective’s consistent releases and knack for lyricism and gritty production resulted in lots of acclaim and some mild reception. Conway The Machine might be the most salient example of this right now, who followed up the excellent God Don’t Make Mistakes in 2022 with the expectedly solid WON’T HE DO IT in 2023. With Slant Face Killah, he continues to suffer a similar fate.

Conway The Machine is combating his own prime: even meeting half of that quality would still overshadow many pens, production aesthetics, and artistic approaches in the rap game today. On this album, the Buffalo MC retreads old territory to the point of exhaustion, and also, backtracks on the skill that we expect across the board. It puts pressure on the next move to show a bit of evolution or quality control.

Slant Face Killah‘s Production

After a dramatic, short intro (“Despertar”), “Mutty” kicks things off with a dusty Conductor Williams beat, of which there are two more on Slant Face Killah. Other production mainstays include Daringer, Camoflauge Monk, Beat Butcha, and legends like Cool & Dre and Swizz Beatz, along with more potentially surprising names like Cardo, Don Cannon, and Cubeatz. In the record’s first half, Conway The Machine showcases grimy and piano-heavy boom-bap that he murders with such conviction. “Give & Give” brings more luxury with a complex rhyme scheme and soulful vocal samples, whereas “Karimi” shifts the album’s closing moments to a woozy and chunky place with mechanical percussion and synth pads.

Still, Slant Face Killah often stays in the same place production-wise for any given track’s entire runtime. Other times, the instrumental rewinds the clock in less flattering ways, such as the trite keys, lyrics, refrains, and trap hi-hats on “Dasani” that not even a solid Conway The Machine flow could save. The very next track, “Raw!,” ironically tributes Big Daddy Kane while almost venturing into rage territory. While La Máquina flows well on it, it feels like a translation of a boom-bap beat to a trap one rather than fully embracing some of the latter style’s more distinct qualities.

Conway The Machine’s Lyricism

“Griselda Records, I should be the logo,” Conway The Machine raps on “Kin Xpress” with Larry June. On Slant Face Killah, the 42-year-old’s pen remains sharp, vivid, confident, boisterous, murderous, self-aware, and focused. “Milano Nights, Pt. 1” easily has the best quotable on the LP with “I’ll do a drive-by to André 3000’s flute album,” a distilled duality that oddly speaks to the appeal of his music. Much of the rest, such as, “You writing sixteens, I’m like JK Rowling’s four-hundred eighty-eight page novel” on “Surf & Turf,” is as hard as it is indicative of his talents.

Alas, Conway The Machine can’t escape some cringe bars here and there: Twitch and Adin Ross on “Ninja Man” and how his girl’s fancy whip makes her feel like Khloe “Car-That-She-In.” Actually, there’s a specific inflection point that makes this more obvious. By the time we hit “Ten” with Key Glock, not only does Conway’s flow get washed by Glizock on a trap instrumental, but his wordplay and topical focuses just either recycle or become less captivating on impact. It’s hard to keep up a high level across the board here, especially when featured guests break up the pattern.

Where Does SFK Succeed & Fail?

Unsurprisingly great features from Method Man on “Meth Back!,” Joey Bada$$ on “Vertino,” and others like Ab-Soul, Jay Worthy, and Stove God Cooks really match him on the passion, the hunger, and the effort. Regardless, it would’ve been nice to see some more overt chemistry between them and Conway The Machine. For example, Tech N9ne underwhelms on Slant Face Killah beyond intricate rhymes, and Rya Maxwell’s bizarre cadence and boring beat selection make it feel like you put on a completely different album.

Some tracks overstay their welcome, such as the overlong intro to the “Rya Interlude” and extended outros on multiple cuts across Slant Face Killah‘s tracklist. The attempts to switch styles or stretch out some beats weren’t polished or intent-driven like previous albums in his discography. That being said, since the verses and instrumentals are mostly impressive, this is more of a retrospective issue, not something that incessantly interrupts the album experience.

Where Should La Máquina Go From Here?

For the most part, Slant Face Killah is still a very worthy album in Conway’s catalog; it’s just in some small but important Griselda details that it falters. When there’s so much quality to go through, it makes these crevices look like caverns. Whereas other Griselda affiliates or “type artists” like Boldy James benefit from knowing their lane and quality standard, Conway The Machine’s capable of doing everything under the sun from lyrical onslaughts to commercial crossovers and topical depth, so why wouldn’t he want to push himself beyond this lane?

Fortunately, the closing track on here stuns. While “The Red Moon In Osaka” is not necessarily a perfect pen performance, The Alchemist’s evolutionary and layered sample flip, plus Raekwon’s monologued advice to “stay on the come-up,” provides the most emotionally distinct, compelling, and unique track on Slant Face Killah. You don’t read the bars: you feel them. That’s the secret sauce that this album didn’t spread evenly, and one that’s hard to impress fans with at this point. So shock us on the next LP, Conway: you earned our undivided attention long ago.

The post Conway The Machine “Slant Face Killah” Album Review appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Chief Keef “Almighty So 2” Album Review

May 14, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Chief Keef may be the youngest legend in hip-hop history. After his first mixtape at 14 and becoming a Chicago superstar by 16, the breadth and weight of his influence and impact became immediately clear by the time Almighty So dropped in 2013. Few rappers can claim this achievement in such a short amount of time, and with a lot of legal controversy and trouble along the way, this pioneer spirit only became more apparent over time. While this run didn’t result in the strongest string of projects due to its prolific nature, it kept Keef’s identity at the forefront, birthed classic full-lengths, and inspired realms beyond just drill, trap, and rage. Now that he’s as reflective on his legacy as he is committed to further planting it, this unique and youthful position made a diamond out of the rough.

Moreover, Almighty So 2‘s been in the works for years, and with delay after delay, many fans held it in the mythical regard of a Whole Lotta Red or ASTROWORLD. Fortunately, it was so worth the wait. This is Chief Keef’s most upfront, immediate, and instantly gratifying album in a long time, and revamps the original installment’s often woozy and genre-fusing formulas with a more direct, boisterous, and consistent approach. Despite that, reflections on loyalty, partnership, family, and self-worth don’t take the bite out of its relentless runtime and still fit well. Overall, it feels like we’re right back in 2012 with today’s knowledge, even before the first Almighty So, and we say that in the best way possible.

Almighty So 2‘s Production

The most apparent way in which Chief Keef achieves this throwback reimagining is through the aggressive, layered, well-structured, and expansive beats on Almighty So 2. Snares and kicks don’t just hit; they drill… pardon the pun. On the opening tracks alone, “Almighty (Intro)” and “Neph Nem” with Ballout and G Herbo, their triplet sequencing beats the instrumentals into the ground, paired with dramatic and grandiose samples like “O Fortuna.” Rather than sticking to a particular style of drill or trap, he mixes them together and focuses on developing sample usage to its fullest potential for maximum enjoyment. For example, multiple elements of Nancy Wilson’s “Streetrunner” on “Runner” provide an anticipatory intro, a catchy refrain, and orchestral instrumentation throughout the cut.

Still, some moments here take more of a breather, such as the breezy “Drifting Away” with a West Coast/Midwest-inspired bounce, and the piano worship with a similar rhythmic treatment on “Prince Charming.” The sheer aggression throughout most of the tracklist doesn’t lose its luster because of how uncompromised yet controlled it comes across. 16 tracks add up to an hour of runtime thanks to Chief Keef’s hard work at giving songs proper transitions, movements, and third verses, and the vividness of the punchy production keeps you engaged all throughout. There are even some slight dips into rage on “Never Fly Here” with Quavo and mixes between guitar-backed calmness and operatic moshpits on “Jesus” with Lil Gnar, meaning that the volatile peaks always have earned and fulfilling build-up. Above all, this will hook you the most with Almighty So 2 on the first listen.

Chief Keef Controls The Chaos

But if the production hooks you, Chief Keef is the reason you stick around. In a rap world full of hedonistic writing, flexing, and evocative phrasing, Sosa is able to make the best out of his production with lines that are equally in-your-face while still feeling grounded. He calls himself a wolf howling at the moon on “Grape Trees,” flaunts “blue cheese” and a “thousand islands” on “Tony Montana Flow,” and is able to perfectly mix the glamorous with the gritty (or even the mundane) through his bars. “Six hundred for the shoes that’s on top of my bunions, n***a / Yellow truck, it’s Funyuns, n***a, it just smell like onions, n***a,” the Chicago icon raps on “Banded Up.” The lyricism is often confrontational, almost always funny, sometimes clever, but most importantly, never boring.

While the flows lock you in, Chief Keef is also able to provide a lot of variety through his deliveries on equally combative instrumentals. In other words, even if a song is going hard, there are many deliberate choices to either scream alongside it or balance it out with a calmer tone, such as most of “Too Trim.” But there is also some topical balance here, even if it mostly appears towards the end of Almighty So 2. The track “Treat Myself,” for example, is all about the Glo Gang boss’ self-worth, and how he evades roads to self-deprecation by wanting to push himself to his fullest potential. “Take a look up in the mirror, I just wanna squeeze myself / I done been through so much smoke to where I couldn’t even see myself / I’ll never need a b***h, but I’ma always need mysеlf.”

AS2 Has No Brakes

Elsewhere, Chief Keef equally reflects on the hard times it took for him to get here and remarks on his current success and what’s next for him. “Believe” has a killer and nostalgic sample flip, honors his late grandmother, processes the horrible exposures and actions that he experienced and perpetrated as a young man due to his circumstances, and even promises himself to be a better father to his daughter. While much of Almighty So 2 delivers these themes as a staunch retort against these evils, there’s plenty of levity and blunt honesty throughout, no matter how it’s delivered. The fact that each song is relatively long makes the rollercoaster ride much more enjoyable from track to track than most “one-note” albums. It’s up to you to live in the moment and then look back on what deeper truths the album holds.

What’s more, is that Chief Keef does most of this solo. He handles almost every song’s production except one; additional production assistants include Mike WiLL Made-It, Young Malcolm, SantanaStar Beats, and more. On the other hand, features from Sexyy Red, Tierra Whack, and the like match Sosa’s energy like a glove, whether for their unbridled bravado, fiery performances, or unflinching confidence. Yet they don’t overwhelm him at any point, and their inclusions don’t bloat Almighty So 2. Other inclusions like Michael Blackson on the “Jesus Skit” provide a lot of life and character to the album, whereas more traditional cuts like “1,2,3” continue the prominent horn picks and overall larger-than-life persona that this record paints. There’s just enough novelty sprinkled between what we love Chief the most for, and few full-lengths in his catalog achieve that balance as well as this.

How Is Sosa Not Even 30 Yet?

That push-and-pull is perhaps best exemplified on the closing track, “I’m Tryna Sleep.” Tender pianos and vocal samples, a combative delivery, hard-hitting percussion, and themes of partnership and fearless street confrontation are a microcosm of what Chief Keef was able to achieve on Almighty So 2. It’s a classic all the way for Sosa fans with its dramatic and magnanimous presentation. He taps into what he influenced in contemporary hip-hop and contains the maturely simple and hedonistically loyal reflections of a man who did not seem to change at all with the fame. The prolific catalog will prove that in one way, but it’s only through meeting Keef on his own terms with his writing that you’ll see this God-fearing, authentic, and unstoppable drive for yourself.

The 28-year-old’s been off the lean for a couple of months now, and there’s definitely a clarity to the production, songwriting, and rapping performance here that could reinforce that personal achievement. But more importantly, it speaks to his self-consciousness and evolution as an artist: how he sees his legacy, his talents, and the authenticity of his perspective. It’s not about loving being high, hating being sober, or the other way around. Like many amazing MCs before and after him, Chief Keef recaptured what made him so special before the first Almighty So with all the experience and lessons that he’s collected since. Almighty So 2 is a true return to form in that regard and one that you might not like if you didn’t like Sosa to begin with. But he’s a Chicago champion who’s stuck to his guns and continues to evolve and influence the game; why wouldn’t you?

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Future & Metro Boomin “WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU” Album Review

April 16, 2024 by newhiphopnews

History doesn’t just repeat itself, but also repurposes itself for new contexts. Last decade, Future dropped his trap-centric self-titled album and the more R&B-inspired Hndrxx a week apart. With WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU achieving this pattern three weeks after its predecessor, that seven-year-old novelty now characterizes Metro Boomin. However, the elephant in the room back then was the divisive response, and inconsistent execution, of this sugary approach.

Sadly, while this album boasts hits across all metrics, the sheer tracklist length (and the still-fresh seventeen tracks before them) exposes the cracks in Future and Metro Boomin’s trajectory. If you loved Hndrxx, you’ll probably enjoy this. If you don’t like their R&B stuff at all, you’re just hating. But if you want balance and more fresh ideas than tried-and-true ones, then WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU might not earn your confidence.

Metro Boomin: The Bigger They Are…

All that said, Metro Boomin really showcases evolution here, tackling his work with artists like Don Toliver for almost a whole LP. Cuts like “Out Of My Hands” and “Came To The Party” could fit as a cool-down point on WE DON’T TRUST YOU, and we’ll get to Disc 2 later. Where the St. Louis beatsmith’s grandiose direction falters is in reiterating his multi-layered production with hollow structures and so-so Future efforts, dampening the ear candy’s impact. “Drink N Dance,” “Jealous,” and “Overload” lose their luster well before ending.

Yet these issues don’t affect production quality — everything sounds crisp. Entrancing instrumentals remain like “Nights Like This,” despite this example’s melodic similarity to last year’s “Calling.” Instead, the weaknesses concern how melodic leanings don’t lend themselves to less eventful beats. Sometimes, individual elements help, like the ’80s-style drums on “Luv Bad B***hes.” But when you’re trying to build out an epic beat often, whenever you do fall short, you really fall short, unless Future gifts the assist.

Future Is Ol’ Reliable On WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU

The Atlanta titan’s performance across the board is what we expected considering his dexterity on WE DON’T TRUST YOU. By comparison, he shows off his dynamism, expressive tone, quirky deliveries, and shifty, smoky flows even more here, such as strained choruses on “Always Be My Fault” and “Right 4 You.” Even though his rapping excelled more on WDTY, he tries his best on STILL to do right by sometimes slightly overproduced beats like the two examples above (although the first is a gold standard here).

Lyrically, it’s a well-worn, more emotional Hendrix you’re likely familiar with, although his pen isn’t always melancholically or toxically relationship-driven. Also, hilariously self-aggrandizing bars here like “You can f**k on him as long as you think about me” are staples in his catalog. But this is all true until it isn’t. For example, Future’s intro/title track performance is meager, and a bare cut that should’ve lasted half its actual runtime. Others like “Gracious” and “One Big Family” are average, but this is Pluto: you’re bound to take away bangers here, as few or numerous as they may be on any given project.

What Are The Highlights?

WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU works best by simply distilling what these artists have built over their careers, not by over-dramatizing established approaches. “This Sunday” has a calming, addictive synth line and Future is intoxicatingly ethereal. Speaking of this possible “Feel No Ways” reference track, a brief Drake mention: despite some subs, the beef feels less prominent here due to moodier energies. Moving on, “All To Myself” is a great duet with The Weeknd that contrasts their performances in empowering ways, and “Beat It” is one of the few exceptions that structurally and execution-wise live up to the larger-than-life presentation that Metro Boomin champions.

In addition, “Mile High Memories” throws it back to earlier Fewtch croons with spotlit vocal melodies and perfectly measured atmosphere, and the same goes for the “Amazing” interlude, but with rap flows. The features mixed the bag, though. Ty Dolla $ign and Chris Brown provide minimal but welcome background singing, and as for designated solo spots, Abel gives multiple standouts, but J. Cole can’t maximize his sleepy surprise appearance on the already languid “Red Leather.” That almost summarizes WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU. Future and Metro Boomin can no longer avoid a quantity-over-quality predicament. Most importantly, they try to evolve the former’s soulful approaches and the latter’s auditory theatricality while forgetting what makes their creativity special.

The Duo’s Current Paradox

Here’s the album’s biggest holistic detriment. If Future and Metro Boomin fixed the bloat and backpedaling, WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU still would’ve felt redundant. Disc 2 is an OG-sounding mixtape for their styles that is more compelling and goes harder than Disc 1 on average, thanks to more engaging beats, fiery performances, and solid features. If they had cut the filler and diversified the tracklist flow more, then we’d be talking about a much more solid album… that would’ve achieved the exact same as WE DON’T TRUST YOU.

All things considered, this series is nonetheless a dub for Future and Metro Boomin. They fed the fans with their trademark styles and are still dominating charts, music discussion, and the aux. Unfortunately, this also ends the producer’s air-tight studio album run this decade, and the “Solo” MC doesn’t fully capitalize on the moment. Nevertheless, WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU contains peaks worthy of this legendary duo’s history, which they repurpose here to occasionally perfect effect. While we still trust them, they just surprisingly spend a little too much time repeating or forgetting that history here.

The post Future & Metro Boomin “WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU” Album Review appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Future & Metro Boomin “WE DON’T TRUST YOU” Album Review

March 26, 2024 by newhiphopnews

In December 2023, Metro Boomin expressed dissatisfaction with how the 2024 awards show season dismissed his HEROES & VILLAINS LP as the best hip-hop full-length of that timespan. While this relates to his current Drake beef, it displays an important principle. People need to push for quality and quantity, earned success, and a genuine approach to making resonant art. It’s this philosophy that Metro Boomin and Future’s new collaborative album WE DON’T TRUST YOU champions above all else.

Here, the iconic trap duo reunites for a whole project for the first time… at least officially. They’ve both been instrumental to each other’s rise in rap’s top tier, and few pairings are as revered, complimentary, or rewarding in the genre’s mainstream today. While this first of two albums from them is not a perfect attempt, it does showcase a lot of focus, new approaches, intent-driven artistry, and most importantly, a lot of bangers.

Do We Trust Future?

For the most part, Future is carrying the lyrical load and largely lives up to that responsibility. His vocal tone and inflections are as buttery and rich as the sensational cheesecake he loves, and the infectiousness of this delivery hasn’t lost its luster over his legendary decade-plus-long run. Whether it’s menacing croons on “GTA,” aggressive barks on “WTFYM,” or the heartfelt and dynamic melancholy on the bonus cut “Where My Twin @,” the Atlanta MC’s able to highlight his versatility here.

Future offers some great switch-ups in his flow to keep his verses riveting. WE DON’T TRUST YOU find him skating over the title track, “Young Metro,” “Runnin Outta Time,” “Fiend (She A Vibe),” and many more. Sadly, on other songs, the 40-year-old fails to keep up these acrobatics. While passionate and fast verses carry “Ain’t No Love,” despite stagnant flows, these repetitive lyrical performance patterns can’t bring “Slimed In” above a background mood listen.

Do We Trust Metro Boomin?

But every single beat on here ends better than how it started, and that’s meant as high praise. Through a lot of well-balanced and progressive structural arrangements, Metro Boomin continues his penchant for making simple yet subtly evolutionary records. There’s the chilling calmness of “Cinderella,” the bombastic and expertly put-together Eazy-E and Rodney O homages on “Like That,” the incredible beat switch and sample flips on “Everyday Hustle“… the list goes on. With woodwinds, horns, strings, electric guitar solos, organs, vocal samples, and probably a lot more, he makes unassuming pianos, synths, and drum patterns loom large.

However, Metro Boomin’s beats can sometimes have a hollow impact on arrival. Take “Ice Attack,” a song whose familiar piano beat becomes all but forgotten once the second (and much better) instrumental sampling La Chat’s “Yeah, I Rob” switches in. There are only so many melodic layers you can pile up song after song before you start noticing a pattern, albeit a very well-executed one that often reaches Metro’s past highs. There are also some small mixing miscalculations like Future’s muffled vocals kickstarting “Magic Don Juan (Princess Diana)” and the overpowering hi-hats in its second half.

Why Are Future & Metro Boomin Distrusting On Here?

Those are just small details in the face of the thematic focuses of WE DON’T TRUST YOU, but let’s make one thing clear: this isn’t revolutionary Future writing. Success, loyalty, the streets, lack of romantic satisfaction, wealth, weapons, and the weary reflections of a women-and-party-loving lifestyle of a global superstar surround the “Ridin Strikers” spitter. Regardless, his high-quality performances make this well-treaded ground grow gardens of standout bars throughout, despite some dead-on-arrival moments.

WE DON’T TRUST YOU narrates an unquenchable ambition and luxury fueled by paranoia on “Claustrophobic,” odes to hard work and pain on “Seen It All,” and so much more. But these themes seem more deliberate than ever, emphasizing distrust in the rap game at large. They’re losing faith in its authenticity, skill level, work ethic, loyalty, and significantly, the competition. Of course, there are a few other people on this project that cemented this idea.

Who Do Future & Metro Boomin Trust On This Album?

The Weeknd’s background vocals stun, Travis Scott moves through “Cinderella” like smoke with earworm flows, and he and Playboi Carti are a fantastic tag team on “Type S**t.” Some short vocals from Young Thug appear, and Rick Ross asserts his way through impressive rhyme schemes. Perhaps the most significant guest to name is Prodigy, the late Mobb Deep legend whose “corny rappers” rant from decades ago narrates many songs here through vocal samples (plus sampling Mobb’s “Quiet Storm”).

P’s words, plus Kendrick Lamar’s earth-shattering feature on “Like That,” represent the narrative of beef that currently dominates much of WE DON’T TRUST YOU‘s reception. This album never lets you forget its pressure-stressing theme and provides amazing hip-hop to represent two collaborators who’ve built a strong trust through a decade-plus run of consistency. Hendrix is as consumed by his vices as he is compelled to seek them out to authentically live the lifestyle that lyrically leads to both pain and prosperity.

How Does WE DON’T TRUST YOU Flow Together?

Like every great trap album that came before WE DON’T TRUST YOU, this makes for a fulfilling push and pull. A few smooth transitions between distinct and unique songs make this album flow quite seamlessly. Southside, Boi-1da, Mike Dean, Wheezy, Alan Ritter, Honorable C.N.O.T.E., Zaytoven, and more help shape this run behind the board. It’s not quite varied or thematically versatile enough to escape occasional fatigue and recycling, but for its contemporary appeal, it certainly succeeds.

To no one’s surprise, the sheer chemistry between Future and Metro Boomin defines WE DON’T TRUST YOU. There is always something up to standard, and maybe even exceeding it, to latch onto with each new cut, whether beat or verse-wise. In addition, this project still retains the darkness, ethereal intoxication, and grittiness associated with their collaborative history. For classic and newer fans, there’s a lot to love.

Metro & Pluto Pick A Side

WE DON’T TRUST YOU is, in many ways, exactly what we expected. It feels like a throwback to 2014-2016 on many occasions in the best way, although some beats evoke past projects like HEROES & VILLAINS almost too much. The album falters in its artists’ occasional lack of consistency or idiosyncrasy, and in being what we predicted and have heard for years. This aside, their loyalty to their sound does not replace their will to make it the best it can be, every single time.

This resulted in rap’s next big beef, one that WE DON’T TRUST YOU might not outshine right now, but will likely outlast due to its many highlights and the overall album experience. But what Metro Boomin and Future want is for the genre’s mainstream to take itself seriously among the best that the culture has to offer. On that metric, there are a few areas in which this project could’ve done better. Yet based on these songs, its upcoming sequel will not fall victim to complacency.

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Ka$hdami “oasis” Review

February 27, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Ka$hdami is an up-and-coming rapper born in Las Vegas, Nevada and raised primarily in the DMV. He first started writing and developing his music skills between the ages of 8 and 13, before dropping several singles and projects from 2018 to the present day. The rapper, who is currently 19 years old, just dropped the latest in a long line of projects, titled oasis. Despite his young age, Dami has amassed a loyal following of over 1.1 million monthly Spotify listeners and even managed to pull in over 500,000 streams on oasis in less than 24 hours, showcasing his high-profile viral output.

Like many modern young artists, Ka$hdami broke into the industry by blowing up on social media apps such as TikTok, with a viral pop-rap sound that spread as the backing music for a number of highly-proliferated videos. Like many TikTok-era rappers, Dami has tailored his music to cater to the platform’s algorithm, which seems to remain the case with his latest album. In fact, the longest song on oasis clocks in at just barely over 2 minutes. The full project touts 12 tracks at a full length of 18 minutes. Here’s a brief look at the project and a review of the material therein.

Drowning In His Influences

Despite having spent years tinkering with music behind the scenes, Ka$hdami is still a relative newcomer to the hip-hop landscape. As a result, it becomes rapidly clear on oasis that he is still developing his own sound, and remains in the shadows of his favorite artists sonically. The opening track to the project, “Ain’t Me – Intro” sees the rapper doing a semi-decent Juice WRLD impression, with emo crooning vocal passages leading into a break-up voicemail from an unnamed female love interest.

Despite touting his namesake, the track “Kount Kash” sounds like the young MC’s best attempt at performing a Young Thug track at karaoke night, with high-pitched vocal inflections contrasting against the low-end 808s. Subsequent songs on oasis borrow flow patterns, melodies, and rhyme schemes from the likes of Playboi Carti, Trey Songz, Trippie Redd, and other hip-hop & R&B acts who have taken the time to carve out unique sounds within the industry. While Ka$hdami’s take on these sounds is perfectly acceptable and sonically enjoyable, it’s hard not to see that the 19-year-old has a lot of growing to do before he can deliver a unique classic all his own.

Ka$hdami’s Age Shows

Some of the best songs on oasis, such as “Loyalty,” offer interesting production choices which should, in theory, provide the record with an identity of its own. Unfortunately, the hyper-brief run-time of the record, at just one minute and 16 seconds, leaves little to no time to get invested in the musical themes or concepts at play. Furthermore, comparing Ka$hdami to his contemporaries, such as 19-year-old Redveil, displays how shallow and empty Dami’s lyrical content can be. Most tracks on the recent project have very little to say beyond the run-of-the-mill references to partying, being gangster, and stealing girls from uncool peers.

The only track on the album that is truly terrible is the penultimate song, “UshyGushy.” “UshyGushy” is nearly unlistenable, with jarring and unpleasant vocal tenors, disgusting juvenile references to female anatomy, and lyrics that reference the video game Minecraft, truly making the song sound like an anthem for a 10-year-old’s Twitch stream.

oasis Shows Promise For The Future

Despite the clear and present issues plaguing the release, oasis still displays a good deal of musical talent. Ka$hdami is obviously more than capable of delivering smooth lyrics and carrying a tune, and his ear for production is genuinely quite refined. Even though this project is unlikely to wow new listeners, Ka$hdami seems to have what it takes to become a formidable force in the rap industry, as long as he continues to refine his sound.

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Yeat “2093” Album Review

February 20, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Music fans are always looking for the new wave to hop on, and with so much amazing material dropping every day, these trends could dominate and vanish within months. Many folks out there thought Yeat would suffer this fate. His arrival on the scene, paired with the wider emergence of rage, brought a lot of buzz, an instant cult fanbase, and even a Minions collab. But with four albums under the Portland MC’s belt now, plus a wealth of mixtapes, he’s had plenty of time to capitalize on this hype. However, this didn’t answer the question that many fans still have: is he here to stay? Will this sound and approach age like fine wine or is it just a passing fad while we wait on the real future? Well, speaking of the future, the AftërLyfe visionary is here to take us to 2093.

This new album aims to provide a forward-thinking, fresh, unique, and alien artistic statement. Its 24 tracks (including the two “Phase 2” extras “As We Speak” with Drake and “Never quit”) are defined by buzzing and soaring synths, distorted percussion, a lot of reverb atmosphere, and a slew of verses, ad-libs, and vocal effects battling each other for your ear. Unlike past material, the lyrics here are actually highlighted quite intently, and this overall sets 2093 up as the most idiosyncratic release in this catalog. Fortunately for fans and new listeners alike, it’s also its best project yet. Although it’s not perfect, this is a truly definitive, impactful, and above all needle-pushing record that will probably join the likes of Whole Lotta Red, Yeezus, and even Exmilitary as aggressive and industrial benchmarks in hip-hop. But it’s clear that Yeat is in a class of his own.

Yeat’s Performance

If you want proof of that, look no further than his performance on the mic here -– and behind the board. If you recall last week, we published a list of five “wants” from this album, one of which was that Yeat would prioritize and focus on his best weapon in his arsenal: his voice and his delivery. We’re glad to say that he’s still got it. Through a lot of vocal layering, woozy effects, energetic ad-libs, and switches between slurred deliveries and clearer high notes, the 23-year-old maintains what makes him such a memorable and captivating artist. He switches between frantic flows, measured croons, and passionate screams with ease on any given track. The “Nun id change” creative feels so comfortable and seamlessly integrated into his sonic vision, which is the second-most important achievement of 2093. We’ll mention the top priority later.

He also takes over most of the production here, with credits on 13 tracks of its 24 offerings. In fact, one of the best songs here, “Riot & Set it off,” is produced entirely by the California native, and that speaks for itself. His vision is able to meld a lot of different influences together and make something new out of them. There’s a lot of Travis Scott and Kanye West worship here, distorted vocal treatments akin to Sematary, industrial tones and timbres that you might catch on material from Death Grips or HEALTH, and sci-fi soundscapes that seem more like scores than streaming success stories. But they all fit under 2093‘s universe like a glove, and have Yeat’s special touch all over them. It’s the most impressive part of this album.

Read More: Yeat Receives 10 RIAA Plaques

The Future Is Here: 2093‘s Production

This high praise is thanks to the cavalcade of producers here, of which there are too many to shout out individually. Key players, though, include Synthetic (7 credits), Dulio (5), GeoGotBands and Perdu (4 each), and LRBG, Radiate, and WhoIce (3 each). Together, they all execute Yeat’s vision in a cohesive way that also leads to another big strength on 2093: its engaging and well-paced flow. The dreamy and atmospheric outro on “Bought The Earth,” which is a nice cool-down moment on the LP, leads right into the rambunctious trap on “Nothing Changë.” Clubby rhythms and dance inspiration take center stage on “Breathe” (another absolute standout), “Shade,” “Keep Pushin,” and the title track. Most importantly, the distortion, synth variety, noisy mixes, and string embellishments all fuse in an epic and entrancing way.

Still, not every beat is a hitter. 2093‘s length means that cuts like “Tell më,” “Stand On It,” and “Psychocainë” feel repetitive. Regardless, this isn’t a sign of the album taking significant quality dips, as there are amazing records all the way to the last song. Also, there is so much quality behind Yeat’s production choices that, even if they sit in the same space, they don’t feel diluted in their impact. “U Should Know,” “ILUV,” “Mr. Inbetweenit,” and “If We Being Rëal” are just a handful of progressive, crunchy, well-structured, and thoroughly immersive beats. “Familia” is one of the most overtly psychedelic moments here, and “Never quit” ingeniously flips a guitar-driven beat into something more than a rock-rap fusion. Overall, this album is a true auditory treat, and likely a very influential one. The cherry on top? How they effortlessly set up his verses.

The Portland MC Reaches New Lyrical Highs

Lyrics never define any Yeat album, but this album takes his success and paints a dark picture with it. “I’ma cut you off, cut you off when you talkin’ to me,” he raps on the opener “Psycho CEO.” “I’m in 2093, where your life at?” The now-established Drake collaborator focuses a lot on financial success, loyalty, material wealth, substance use, and not feeling human. But he contrasts this with murderous thoughts, admissions of his own dishonesty, his apathy, and nihilistic remarks on what all this money and status even means. Through jumbled trains of thought, loose verses, and consistently catchy refrains, these themes become almost contradictory, yet never inauthentic. There’s a lot of CEO talk on 2093, and it seems like hedonism eats at its own tail here. The salient point is that these pleasures make this darkness worse, but also give it the freedom to roam freely.

Particularly sharp meta bars on “Run Thëy Mouth,” like, “I got four rings, four albums, b***h, I’m out / I was alivе for 4L, but it’s up to me for after now,” embody this theme well. It’s a scary picture, and one that Yeat paints with a “less is more” brush. While these topics and expressions are always compelling, they can feel like retreads.

2093‘s Less Futuristic Moments

Similarly, there are a few moments in 2093 that don’t match up to its futuristic vision. For example, the features are 50/50. Lil Wayne drops a good verse on “LyfeStylë,” but it feels a bit mismatched from the album’s established energy. Future’s appearance on “Stand On It” is mixed way too low, but he does his thing. More impressively, “As We Speak” is probably the wildest beat Drake’s ever been on, and he’s much more charismatic and well-presented here than on their previous collab, “IDGAF.” Childish Gambino’s uncredited vocals on the outro of “Power Trip,” though, are the only guest contributions that truly feel futuristic and wholly connected to this project. Since Yeat is so standoffish, homicidal, and downright misanthropic from a lyrical standpoint, this makes these inclusions a bit more out of place. That being said, it’s still a small blemish.

Otherwise, what keeps 2093 out of the higher echelons of hip-hop albums in their respective eras is its consistency. The aforementioned reruns of aesthetics and song structures, plus static lyrical focuses and underwhelming feature verses, bring things down a bit. But we want to emphasize that it’s only a bit. An overwhelming majority of this LP took Yeat to the next level in our eyes. In particular, his character portrait here is the most understandable, clear, and un-replicable. It seems like the Gen Z leader is embracing the villain role here, and his contradictions and extraterrestrial imagination -– or rather, reality -– seem just like they were there before the fame. Power is another central idea, one that seems just as indebted to physical possessions as it is to primal proclivities. Bloodlust and existentialism are palpable, and don’t aim for anything else but to shock, inspire, and evoke.

Conclusion

So, how exactly does 2093 shock, inspire, and evoke indescribable feelings of ambition and dominance in its listeners? Much like its creator, the album shrouds itself in a lot of mystery, both through its muddy and aggressive production and the varied rhythms and sonic worlds that it cycles through. The beats here progress, evolve, and keep ears locked in from song to song, and don’t allow for even a second to free you from its spell. Yeat is right at the center of the chaos, and gives up control to tap into his demons and desires as a dead man walking. He doesn’t mind calling others out for being dead too, as long as they know who is on top of the graveyard. The totality of these elements achieved the most important thing this record had to represent: evolution. Progress. The next step. The future.

The artist’s unique musical identity preserves and develops itself further into idiosyncrasy; the consistency and intent make this a fully satisfying listen; the rap styles of tread, witch house, rage, and more push forward; he might see his first No. 1 album of his career with a watershed moment of an LP; and the features… at least Donald Glover killed it. Jokes aside, they still played their role well and allowed Tonka’s biggest fan to take the whole spotlight. With all this in mind, did 2093 take us to 2093? Absolutely. It’s so exciting to see an album this mainstream be so challenging, so masterful with its influences, and so fun all throughout. Yeat’s come a long way, and he fully cemented himself as a legitimate mainstay and leading face of hip-hop today. Well, 70 years from now, anyway.

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Jaden Smith And His Girlfriend Have Fans Cracking Jokes Over Their New Selfie

February 19, 2024 by newhiphopnews

A new selfie Jaden Smith shared of himself and his girlfriend has fans serving up their best jokes in the replies. He’s reportedly been dating model Seb Zara for years now. Rumors of the pair being a couple date back to 2020 and they shared a new picture together earlier this week. Though the shot looks pretty normal at first fans couldn’t help but make some jokes about both of their appearances.

Firstly came Jaden. In the pic he’s doing one of his trademark poses staring into space looking incredibly contemplative. “He always looks like he’s pondering the complexities of existence” one of the most liked replies reads. “Why are we here, what are the inner machinations of the universe, when I finally shed this corporeal form I will flow through the heavens like stardust, I will become the very atoms that make up the palm of my dad’s slapping hand,” another fan’s high-effort post reads. Check out the picture and the fan reactions to it below.

Jaden Smith And His Model Girlfriend In A New Selfie

Jaden Smith and his new girlfriend. pic.twitter.com/gXrH3jn0Yd

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) February 18, 2024

Fans couldn’t help but also point out how mysterious Zara looks in the image. “She looks like a mermaid I can’t explain it, is this a real person?” one comment reads. “Not the Queen of the Iron Throne, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons….lol,” and “She looks AI generated,” two other comments read.

Jaden Smith has been largely out of the public spotlight in recent months. He was impressively quiet while drama ensued between his parents. Smith’s most recent music dropped back in 2020 with the third volume of his Cool Tape series. The project featured appearances from Justin Bieber and Raury but that didn’t stop it from getting some harsh treatment from various critics who reviewed the project when it was released. What do you think of Jaden Smith and his girlfriend’s new selfie? Who do you think looks more notable in the picture? Let us know in the comment section below.

[Via]

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Kid Cudi Reacts To Negative Reviews Of “Insano”: “The Music Is Forever”

January 22, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Kid Cudi says he’s not concerned about the negative reviews for his new album, Insano. When fans tagged him in a post complaining about Pitchfork’s 4.6 rating for the project, Cudi remarked that his music is everlasting. The fan had written: “Who is writing these Pitchfork reviews?? @KiDCuDi they did you dirty man. They must hand out the album review work to the biggest hater for every new album out lol.”

“Hahah I loveeee it,” Cudi replied. “When I die they’ll still have to deal [with] my awesome. I’m not goin anywhere. The music is FOREVER. The arena tours will still sell out. And I will always know that I came in the game and infected it [with] that sh*t.” He further added: “Based on their ratings of my albums, I should’ve lost my career years ago. Their opinion never holds any weight. I encourage y’all not to read reviews. It’s a waste of time. Listen for [yourself]. Same [with] movies. I never care about the rating, if it has some [of] my favorite actors in it and I like the plot, I’m watching.”

Read More: Kid Cudi “INSANO” Album Review

Kid Cudi Performs At ComplexCon

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 19: Kid Cudi performs during ComplexCon 2023 at Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center on November 19, 2023 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Kayla Oaddams/Getty Images)

While most of Cudi’s fans took his side in the discussion, some came to Pitchfork’s defense. One user defended the writer of the review, noting that they’ve put readers onto artists like Larry June, Boldy James, and Mach-Hommy, with positive write-ups over the years.

Kid Cudi Responds To Negative Reviews

Hahah I loveeee it. When I die theyll still have to deal w my awesome. Im not goin anywhere. The music is FOREVER. The arena tours will still sell out. And I will always know that I came in the game and infected it w that shit. Based on their ratings of my albums, I… https://t.co/MnlJhalNSC

— The Chosen One (@KiDCuDi) January 21, 2024

The complaints about Pitchfork come as the site’s parent company, Condé Nast, announced it will be folding the site into GQ. Anna Wintour, chief content officer for Condé Nast, said the decision is “the best path forward for the brand so that our coverage of music can continue to thrive within the company.” According to the Associated Press, at least a dozen staffers have already been laid off. This included editor-in-chief Puja Patel. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kid Cudi on HotNewHipHop.

[Via]

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21 Savage “American Dream” Review

January 16, 2024 by newhiphopnews

British-American rapper 21 Savage released his third solo studio album this week, titled American Dream. The album is his first solo venture in over five years and follows his chart-topping 2022 collaborative effort with Drake, Her Loss. The latest outing from the rapper is sure to please fans, featuring murderous lyrics, witty wordplay, and impeccable beat selection. Here’s a comprehensive guide to American Dream and a review of the material within.

The Album Connects To An Upcoming Film

American Dream isn’t just a musical outing. The album also serves as a companion piece to an upcoming feature film of the same name, starring Donald Glover and Caleb McLaughlin. The trailer for the film was released days before the album and doubles as a music video for the opening track “All of Me.” The film likely tackles 21’s early days as a street-wise youth facing criminal persecution in Atlanta. At this time, we have very little information about the film’s plot, and this is only speculation.

This is further illustrated in American Dream with narration from 21’s mother. This narration bookends the album’s intro and outro tracks with inspiring words about her dreams for her son’s success and happiness. Despite these inclusions, the album lacks a cohesive through-line that thematically ties the material back to the premise promised by the title and imagery.

Lyrical Structure & Themes

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The overall aesthetic of American Dream may lead listeners to assume that the project is a meditation on the state of poverty or immigration in 21’s life. However, these concepts are rarely addressed and never fleshed out. Instead, the album serves as a loose assortment of tracks that cover topics such as gang activity, loyalty, romantic relationships, and flexing on apps with expensive possessions.

The closing track, “dark days,” is best at synthesizing concise ideas about the experience of Black Americans facing poverty and gang violence. It features compelling lyrics such as, “You say you love your switch, but it don’t lovе you back. You can hug that block all night, it ain’t gon’ hug you back.” The track provides thought-provoking illustrations of 21’s American experience, shedding light on his growth as an artist.

Historically speaking, 21 Savage is at his best lyrically when addressing mindless topics like expensive cars and loaded weaponry. But as the artist continues to mature in his sound and reach for more serious topics, he frequently falls short of finding anything significant to say about them.

The Featured Guests Brought Their A-Game

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Though it is mildly disappointing to see no Childish Gambino inclusions on the record, American Dream touts an all-star list of guests who provide excellent contributions to the album’s overall sound. Doja Cat stuns with her trademark blend of melody and humor on the track “n.h.i.e..” There, we see her using the word “ad-lib” as an actual ad-lib. Further, Young Thug briefly but notably appears on the track “pop ur sh**.” Unfortunately, it underwent censorship due to the rapper’s ongoing RICO case. The case seeks to utilize his lyrical content as evidence of actual crimes.

Meanwhile, Travis Scott raps like his bills are due on the track “née nah,” offering a rare glimpse into his energetic lyrical capabilities in place of his usual vocal passages, which are often drowning in autotune. Similarly, Summer Walker delivers a heavenly vocal performance on the track “prove it.” Finally, Metro Boomin appears on a myriad of tracks to provide unparalleled cohesive production. This proves that Metro and 21 have some of the best collaborative chemistry in the game.

Conclusion

21 Savage may not win over any haters with his latest endeavor, but fans will surely have this LP on repeat all year long. The album features some of his most ambitious work yet, layered atop production that steals the show at every turn. Releasing the album at the top of the year was a bold choice, considering the American Dream film isn’t set to release until July. However, the timing may be a perfect way to ensure this record continues to get spins throughout Summer 2024 and beyond.

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