Month: November 2018

This week was a relatively big one for the rap industry, with two major releases: J.I.D’s DiCaprio 2 and 6ix9ine’s Dummy Boy. For both, these are their major debut albums, a huge landmark in the industry. However, that’s where the similarities end for the two artists. J.I.D is a very energetic, lyrical MC with wordplay and mentor-ship from J Cole, while 6ix9ine is, as his name would suggest, a fairly crude, abrasive rapper with gang-laced shouts in his verses. How are the two projects, though? Let’s dive in.

J.I.D – DiCaprio 2

The project overall builds on J.I.D’s mixtape last year, The Never Story, in that it keeps the same style of hard-hitting flows and quirky instrumentals but with a tighter focus for a debut commercial release. He’s been frequently compared to Kendrick Lamar and for good reason, as J.I.D’s nasally, machine-gun flow often harkens back to the great rapper. While at times it may seem like he’s wearing his influences too hard on his sleeve, J.I.D manages to distance himself as a unique artist through his great singing ability throughout the project on cuts that feature other current R&B artists such as 6lack, Ella Mai, and BJ the Chicago Kid. In all, I enjoyed DiCaprio 2 quite a bit and felt like it delivered on all fronts of expectations. Anyone who has interest in rap or is a fan of the genre should definitely check out this LP.

Favorite Tracks: Off Deez, Off da Zoinkys, Workin Out, Hot Box, Skrawberries

6ix9ine – DUMMY BOY

While 6ix9ine is definitely not a lyrical or very talented rapper by any means, I was very pleasantly surprised by some aspects of his debut album. With assists from major producers Murda Beatz and Scott Storch, as well as Kanye West, 6ix9ine’s LP actually has a fair amount of cuts on it that sound great and really improve the style he was going for on his lackluster mixtape earlier this year, Day 69. The production is fantastic and the features from Kanye, Tory Lanez, and Nicki Minaj add a lot of flavor and help break up would could easily end up a very monotonous sound. While still a very loud, in-you-face rapper, 6ix9ine dials it back on this project into a very structured form that works well on an album release. While 6ix9ine’s style is very hit or miss, as displayed even on this LP, I think it’s unfair to completely disregard his music due to controversy (including one which landed him jail time currently) as he is still able to put out some pretty catchy tracks every once in a while. If you feel curious, I’d say have a listen at your own risk.

Favorite Tracks: MAMA feat. Nicki Minaj, Kanye West; KANGA feat. Kanye West; KIKA feat. Tory Lanez

Although it may be hard to believe, the end of 2018 is only a few months away. Despite this, there’s still a good handful of albums to look forward to before the end of the year. A lot of these projects have actually been highly anticipated and will most likely end as year-defining records. Here’s a selective list of some of the biggest names yet to come:

Kanye West – Yhandi

The supposed sequel to 2013’s Yeezus, West’s upcoming project Yhandi has had multiple pushbacks already, originally billed at releasing Sept. 29, then Nov. 27, and now unknown. This has become a common theme for much of Kanye’s discography. However, the controversial artist has already been having a hugely successful year; he released the solo project Ye and collaboration project Kids See Ghosts with Kid Cudi in June, and he also produced albums for Pusha T and Nas. With such a busy early half of 2018, it’s understandable for Ye to be taking some time off to reflect and relax a little before finishing up Yhandi. All that’s left to do is wait as the hype builds for one of the year’s most successful artists’ next move.

J.I.D – DiCaprio 2

J.I.D has remained pretty unknown to the general public thus far in his career, but in the opinion of most rap/hip-hop critics, his upcoming project just might be his blow-up album. J.I.D came onto the scene as a signee to J Cole’s label Dreamville, and ever since he’s been making waves in the rap scene. His 2017 mixtape The Never Story gave him notability among critics as a highly lyrical and rhythmic MC, with quirky and nasally delivered flows in his back pocket. Due to his favor among rap media, he was invited to be a member of the 2018 XXL Freshman List, a group of rappers sponsored by XXL Magazine to be the next stars through interviews, freestyles, and more. J.I.D was quickly realized as one of the best rappers lyrically of his class, and ever since the XXL list he’s been growing in hype. DiCaprio 2 will be his first project since the XXL feature, and this along with support from J Cole have made J.I.D one of the most anticipated artists of the year. Will he live up to the hype on this next album? Only time will tell.

Anderson .Paak – Oxnard

Anderson .Paak has always been a unique voice in rap with his very diverse style; while he can freestyle over a trap beat like no other, he also has the vocals to sing a ballad, pop track, or most anything else. Currently, he’s been working in a lot of funk and soul type feels, and his singles Tints and Who R U? have been some of my favorite of 2018. It seems as if Anderson .Paak is finally beginning to find his style and niche in the industry this year, and if Oxnard is what it’s hyped up to be, he could land himself a few Grammys and radio hits. With a refreshing sound and overall energetic personality, it’ll be exciting to see what Anderson .Paak pulls together on this upcoming record.

As of recent, there hasn’t been many notable singles or albums to come out that I felt like talking about. Instead I’m going to recommend some 90s-early 2000s records that I’d recommend to the non-rap fan. All of these albums are essentially classics, and they carried a lot of influence on rappers to come in the future. So without further ado, here’s the list I came up with:

Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

When this LP dropped in November of 1993, it was one of the most groundbreaking projects in hip-hop history. It featured a cast of upwards to 10 rappers, something that had never been done before on a single album and is still rarely seen. Despite this, the chemistry between all the members was solid, with each having their own distinct sound, style, and personality. Among the group, the standouts were the RZA, the lead producer/beat-maker; Method Man, a gruff-voiced lyricist with quirky humor; ODB, a zany and wild character with strong flow; and a few others, such as Raekwon, GZA, Ghostface Killah, etc. I could really go into full detail about each one as they are all great individual rappers on their own, (as proven by their successful solo careers) but it could fill an article on its own. Just know that if you’re looking for a gritty, entertaining crew of rappers all popping in and out on one project together, this is a great start.

Favorite tracks: C.R.E.A.M., Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin’ to F’ Wit, Method Man, Da Mystery of Chessboxin’

Nas – Illmatic

There’s no album mentioned more frequently as ‘the greatest rap album of all time’ than 1994’s Illmatic. Once you hear it, it’s pretty difficult to dispute. Across 10 tracks and 40 minutes Nas crafts his debut project with in-depth stories of the streets, contagious flow, and earworm beats that sound great even in 2018. Not to mention, the song “NY State of Mind” instantly became one of the decades defining anthems, a tribute to the ghettos of Brooklyn and Queens. Others, like Life’s a Bitch, detail the sorrows and worries of coming up in poverty. Overall this LP is one of New York’s music treasures, fully immersing the listener into the city through Nas’s eyes.

Favorite tracks: NY State of Mind, Life’s a Bitch, Halftime, The World Is Yours, It Ain’t Hard To Tell

Kanye West – The College Dropout

Released in 2004, The College Dropout was Kanye’s debut into the industry as a rapper and not a producer. Famously known as Jay-Z’s beatmaker, West’s first album displayed his original style, lyricism, personality, and emotions. It utilizes skits to its advantage, humorously poking fun at the stigmas around college and its effect on the youth in current society. Spanning over an 75 minutes, no song is filler as every track hits just as hard as the last. There’s introspective songs (“Through the Wire”, “Jesus Walks”), fun songs (“We Don’t Care”, “The New Workout Plan”), slow songs (“Slow Jamz”), and hard-hitters (“Get Em High”, “Breathe In Breathe Out”). Clearly there’s something for anyone to enjoy, and if you’re looking to get into some of Kanye’s older material, this is a great place to start.

Favorite tracks: All Falls Down, The New Workout Plan, Two Words, We Don’t Care, Slow Jamz, Never Let Me Down