Rome Fortune – VVORLDVVIDE PIMPSTATION
Earlier this year Atlanta rapper Rome Fortune finally released his long awaited debut album, Jerome Raheem Fortune (read our review here). Since then Fortune’s been promising the third in his series of Beautiful Pimp mixtapes, but last week took a detour with VVORLDVVIDE PIMPSTATION, an 11-track collection combining the themes and concepts of his Small VVorld and Beautiful Pimp mixtape.
Fortune continues his merging of Southern hip-hop aesthetics with electronic, dance influenced productions on VVORLDVVIDE PIMPSTATION. Sometime collaborator Toro Y Moi laces Long Days with a groovy beat, Balloons has a sleazy trap feel and SEAVVORLD is a part club hit, part moody rap record.
The list of producers is long and varied, with regular Fortune beat makers Dun Deal, C4 and Richie Souf all contributing, with Souf’s icy retro work on Lit Freestyle one of the tape’s best productions. Aside from iLoveMakkonnen – who lends his off-kilter vocals to Lit Freestyle and My Boy Band Extortion – the guest verses are kept to a minimum. Candice Mims’ sensual vocals sing the hook on Trouble, Nessley’s auto-tuned delivery provides an annoying edge to the otherwise spacey My First 00,000 and Wara from the NBHD shows up on the 808 heavy Balloons.
Verdict: Good stop-gap before the next Beautiful Pimp tape.
https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/275485631
BONES – PaidProgramming2
Few underground rappers have such a cult following as Californian creative BONES. Over the past six years the rapper – formerly known as Th@ Kid – has released over 40 mixtapes and almost double the amount of music videos, yet remains unsigned (of his own volition I might add). PaidProgramming2 is BONES’ second mixtape of 2016 and another inspiring and exhilarating collection of dark and moody rap songs.
Like previous releases, the majority of tracks on PaidProgramming2 are less than three minutes long, with BONES’ unique delivery and abstract rhymes pairing with post-apocalyptic electronic beats from a host of unknown producers. Often compared to Yung Lean, there’s less of a dreamy nostalgic quality to BONES’ music. Although the auto-tuned AwayFromKeybaord and WordsCannontEncapsualte share qualities with Lean’s music, BONES’ material has much more of an undercurrent of dread and depression to it.
BONES also changes up his flow throughout PaidProgramming2. There are slow, monotone raps (MyHeadHurt,INeedToLieDown, Maggots), melodic, head bobbing flows (TheCurseOfTheGhost, LivingstonCountryLegend), right through to BONES’ frantic, rapid fire rhymes (Rocks, YourMusicSucksAndYouLookLikeADickhead).
For someone whose music doesn’t always sound positive, BONES is far from a self loathing pessimist, with his lyrics largely discussing his greatness in the game and the trust you have to have in yourself to succeed. He’s definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but BONES output is more consistent and challenging than most of today’s so-called rap stars, and for that you can not fault him.
Verdict: Another one.
https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/275254480
The Game – Block Wars
Just a month on from the release of his first soundtrack to the documentary series, Streets Of Compton, The Game returns with another soundtrack to his new mobile game Block Wars. It’s a Grand Theft Auto-esque game were players vie for control of the drug trade and the streets as they battle rival gangs, mobsters and the police.
As you’d expect, the game is heavy with violence and aspects of gang life, which is represented in Game’s lyrics across the 10 track album. While he’s always positioned himself as a West Coast gangsta rapper, Block Wars is Game’s most concise collection of tracks themed around gang banging and life on the streets of Compton. Game tackles gang violence on the self-titled opener, dope spots and the L.A. streets on Gutter, and street killings and death on Murder and Bullet With Your Name On It.
This is very much a typical Game release, with plenty of Compton references and a plethora of name drops, with the G-Funk inspired Get High mentioning the likes of Method Man, Redman, Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, B-Real and O.J. Simpson, just to name a few. There’s also only one guest featured on the album, being L.A. vocalist Lorine Chia, who provides the hook on the depressing look at life on the streets detailed in Uzis And Grenades.
Verdict: Game continues to accumulate an impressive body of work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR8EFHTyWVA
Image: Wikipedia
This week’s round-up is headlined by Kanye West’s The Life Of Pablo, so far the best album I’ve heard all year, but I also give my two cents on BONES’ USELESS and Wiz Khalifa’s Khalifa.
Kanye West – The Life Of Pablo
After countless delays, another Taylor Swift controversy and last minute album cover and track listing changes, Kanye West’s The Life Of Pablo is finally here, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Now firmly established as a creative genius without filter, TLOP is peak Kanye, with the Chicago producer/rapper turned fashion mogul at his egotistical best. Taking inspiration from his entire career to date, TLOP is a collection of songs that don’t really mesh, but somehow fit together as an overall project. Album opener Ultralight Beam adheres to West’s claim this is a gospel album, with a soaring choir and Chance The Rapper proving once again why he should be a household name. From then on TLOP swerves through a multitude of genres and styles. Metro Boomin adds elements of trap to soul sampled Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1 & 2 and Yeezus (Feedback) and The College Dropout (Real Friends) inspired numbers appear alongside 70’s sampling No More Parties In L.A. and personal favourite 30 Hours.
Lyrically, West is at his humorous best, be it claiming he and Ray J could have been friends if not for Kim or the satirical I Love Kanye, where he claims “And I love you like Kanye loves Kanye.” Unfortunately it’s not all fun and games, as West continues his recent streak of misogyny that’s not always an easy listen, making me wonder if he really believes what he’s saying or if it’s all for show.
The roll call of producers, writers and guest is the biggest yet for a West album. Rihanna and Swizz Beatz show up for the hook on Famous, Young Thug makes no sense on Highlights, Kendrick Lamar kills it on No More Parties In L.A. while next big thing Post Malone’s auto-tuned drawl steals the show on the House sampling closer Fade.
Verdict: Until Drake drops Views From The Six, this is the best major label hip-hop album you will hear all year.
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BONES – USELESS
BONES, like his contemporary Yung Lean, is one of the few Internet rap stars who’ve managed to not only cultivate a world wide fan base off the back of an endless stream of Soundcloud mixtapes, albums and Youtube videos, but also make bank. Along with the mysterious TeamSESH (a group of producers and artists all involved with BONES and other related projects) BONES has sold out show all across the States without support from radio or having a single song on iTunes.
USELESS is the 21 one year olds best work to date, a hazy myriad of BONES lo-fi beats and goth-rap style that shows a maturity in his ever evolving sound. His change in genres is evident from the get go. The self-titled opener finds the Californian native singing over a creepy guitar lick and sedated production before taking things next level on RestInPeace, rapping over heavy distorted beats that descends into screaming chaos. His singing voice is more defined on USELESS, especially on the snare stinging RightOnSchedule, while his rapping is at its best on KeepTellingYourselfThat and GladWeHaveAnUnderstanding.
Verdict: USELESS is not only a tremendous album but the biggest step in BONES career towards breakout success.
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Wiz Khalifa – Khalifa
I’m not a Wiz Khalifa fan. It might seem strange that I’m reviewing his latest effort, Khalifa, but as someone who writes about music on the daily, you quickly discover you’re not always going to like what you hear. Now there’s nothing wrong with Khalifa’s stoner rap persona, and hey, I bumped Black & Yellow when it dropped, but I don’t find him interesting enough to give my full attention. Khalifa hasn’t done anything to change my opinion.
This album is everything you’d expect from a Wiz. The beats are tight, bouncy and trap-heavy while his lyrics are concerned with weed, girls, weed, his home town of Pittsburgh, weed, his hip-hop lifestyle and, you guessed, weed. That’s not to say there aren’t a few head turners. Khalifa gets reflective on the Metro Boomin opener BTS and displays his somewhat charming singing voice on Call Waiting, but it’s when his contemporaries show up that Khalifa excels. Travi$ Scott makes his presence felt on first single Bake Sale (basically a rip-off of his own hit Antidote), one of the albums strongest cuts, Juicy J comes through on iSay and the slept on Chevy Woods shows up Khalifa on the spacey No Permission.
Verdict: If you a Khalifa fan you’ll be all over this, for everyone else, go listen to the new Kanye.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR095BoMl_8]