#hip hop review

[kaknewsdotcom]

Quavo Previews New Single “Trappa Rappa” with Exclusive Instagram Performance

The wait is nearly over as Quavo teases his highly anticipated single “Trappa Rappa” with a tantalizing sneak peek on his Instagram. The video showcases Quavo in full swagger mode, performing the song while squatting in front of a stunning luxurious car. As he holds a hefty stack of dollars, several bills are carelessly scattered on the floor, adding a raw and authentic touch to the…

[idiotcoward]

Noname - Sundial

Holy shit. I didn’t really think we’d ever get another Noname album. From her saying straight up she doesn’t want to make music anymore, to her butting heads with the music industry, it seemed like she had other things on her mind. Like political or community organizing! Noname has taken a really big role in helping inform and radicalize people all over the country, but especially poor and black communities in the Chicago area by creating book readings of leftist and civil rights theory and all different kind of shit. She’s basically doing legitimate political activism now so I thought that would be her only focus.

The album itself is incredibly powerful. Her lyrics are so fucking pointed. Tearing down the fans of rap music, the rappers, the industry around the music, and capitalism and the system itself. All of this going over the top of some genuinely beautiful jazz production with some really great features. Just genuinely a terrific album. So happy Noname is making more music. Genuinely an amazing artist who has made now three fucking beautiful records.

[ani-n-snips]

Playboi Carti "MUSIC" review. MY GLORIOUS KING CARTI HOLY SHIT 1000000/10 MY KING COULD DO NO WRONG, AOTY, ALBUM OF THE CENTURY, MY GOAT IS ABOVE MOZART RN aight no more glazing fr Overall Score: 7/10 Song Ranking Average: 6.4/10 Well uh. He dropped. Was this worth 5 years? Hell tf no bruh. Was it good? HELL THE FUCK YES. The opening song is ass and the first few tracks are mid (Except EVILJORDAN. That song is REALLY fucking good, and I honestly thought it couldn't get better but this is one of the greatest drops in rap. Like holy shit that was cinematic). Rest of the first 7 tracks are mid icl, with MOJO JOJO and CRUSH being okay but not really anything TOO crazy. Then we hit RATHER BE with The Weeknd and.... All I can say is that tracks 8-21 are.... an experience. A soul lifting one. Some of the hardest trap beats, best features, and insane song runs Carti has ever done, and honestly probably my current favorite thing to come out of this Opium/Yeat era of rap music. MUNYUN and I SEEEEE YOU BABY BOI are not very good at all, but the rest.... holy shit. Kendrick really locks in with BACKD00R and GOOD CREDIT, Skepta destroys TOXIC, CRANK is probably my favorite Carti song now, and COCAINE NOSE is almost there as well, with this devious ass guitar. I genuinely thought Carti just dropped an rap AOTY contender. There are some situations where I would rather listen to that run over the entirety Chromakopia and gnx.... together. That's how good this was. And then comes the final part. TWIN TRIM, WALK, and HBA are tough. The rest is some of the worst music I've ever heard. More disappointing than than EA2, More ear grating than that one Kid Cudi album I cant remember the name of, and more lifeless than 142 (or wtv the name is) by Katy Perry. OPM BABI is quite literally nothing more than garbage. Oh my GOD it is so bad. Like.... it sounded like they just bass boosted nails on a chalkboard for some of these. The reason It's a 7/10 and not a 6.4 is just because of how good that middle of the album is. Could even boost it to a 7.5 tbh. Lastly, Swamp Izzo, respectfully shut the fuck up. We know who you are. I'm from ATL. But please. Be quiet bro. DJ Khaled sounding ass. TBH just listen to EVILJORDAN and then 8-21 and then leave

[anarchic-miscellany]

Review to follow, but: Rather than giving money to Hollywood, give your money to "Kneecap": the anarchic, debauched, drug fuelled punk ode to rebellion, independence, anti-authoritarianism, pushing back against gate keepers of culture, and fucking mayhem. All told through Irish hip hop. I'm a proud patriotic Irishman now. I have never been to Ireland.

[patricksmusicblog]

2Pac-Me Against The World(Review){30 Year Anniversary Addition}

Released in March of 1995 Tupac Shakur was in prison in Rikers Island serving time while Me Against The World was being released. The album is the beginning of one of the greatest if not the greatest three album runs in hip-hop history. Where Thug Life Vol.1 started the bend toward a more personal and confessional style of music, this is complete with Me Against The World, Tupac's most personal album, in his catalog.

On Me Against The World 2Pac takes you through 14 tracks of the chaos, pain, and paranoia his life has dissolved into through 93-94 while also giving you reminisce, reflective, thoughtful, and incisive commentary on both his life and life in general but particularly the ghetto and inner city life in the mid-90s. Where I thought the sound on Thug Life Vol.1 leaned westward Me Against The World is an even swamp with production coming from the likes of Shock G(So Many Tears, Fuck The World) to Easy Mo Bee(If I Die Tonight, Temptations). You can hear the influence of both coasts prominently on this album.

The album's opener sets the tone perfectly with news reports of all the issues he'd gotten into from the cops shooting to him being shot at quad, and is a nice reflection of how constant he was in the news at the time. Then "If I Die Tonight" comes on and you immediately know you're in for a hell of an album. The Easy Mo Bee beat is hard and I love the Dr. Dre vocal sample interwoven into the beat "Tonights the night I get in some sh*t" 2Pac showcases a higher skill level and lyrical level he's wrongly maligned for till this day as he organizes his verses through alliteration "They say Pussy and Paper is Poetry, Power and Pistols" playing on the Ps and the 3 P's in Pussy and Paper that stand for Poetry Power and Pistols, great wordplay. I also like how even though he's rapping on an East Coast style beat he's speaking more to a West Coast lifestyle "Evading the player hatin tricks while hitting switches". More than that though, the track captures the claustrophobic feeling of being in the mix of action and the lifestyle and feeling of someone who's done one too many things to avoid retribution or someone who's living so fast and wild that anything can happen at any night. Pac's passion and energy are intense, it's an excellent start to the album. The title cut follows that up and it's another classic, the beat sounds like a mix of East Coast drums with some West Coast synths on top of it giving it an interesting sound. Pac's first verse finds him being descriptive on the most decrepit and poverty-stricken neighborhoods at the time "witnessing killings leaving dead bodies in abandoned buildings, can't reach the children cause they addicted to o killing and the appeal of the cap peeling." Tupac's vivid description, worry and frustration makes it one of my favorite verses of his. Pac's last verse is great as well, he speaks to solutions and is more of a motivational speaker, speaking to youth and things they can do to make a change.

"So Many Tears" is special, from the beat, the hook the verses, the Stevie Wonder harmonica sample, everything. 2Pac lets his heart out as Tupac reflects on those he's lost to death and contemplates on own life, his transgressions, and the haunting fact he might not be here much longer "My every move is calculated step to bring me closer to embrace a early death" is a jarringly raw line even now. The song is filled with self-doubt, regret, and, a bleak outlook on his life and the world. The last verse on the track is the best, it may be the best 2Pac song in this vain. Other tracks within this depressive bluesy vein include the melancholic "Lord Knows" where Tupac speaks to depression, suicidal tendencies, and desperation. It's a great track that's vivid, and motivational but also sees violence as a means of self-defense. "It Ain't Easy" is a rather chill track that finds Pac just weary of the fact he'll likely go to jail, the paranoia that comes from being in certain environments "Lookin out for these killin kids, cause they wild" as Pac reminisces on his youth and speaks to the situations that made him who he is.

There are highlights all over the album, but none shine brighter than "Dear Mama" a track that's an ode to his now late mother Afeni Shakur a former black panther who raised Tupac and his sister largely as a single mother with those principals during his upbringing it digs into a lot of Tupac's past their falling out and reconciliation with his mother who at some point in Tupac's teens fell victim to a serious crack addiction leading her to be nearly and absentee mother by her admission, Afeni would then enter rehab and their relationship would repair itself. The track is in a similar vein as "Brenda's Got a Baby" and "Keep Ya Head Up", it's about women and, its slow paced but this is as personal as it gets as it is an ode to his mother. It's one of the most beautiful and well-written songs in hip-hop history and arguably Tupac Shakur's greatest musical work. It's extremely moving and eternally relatable in some sense. Everyone's got a mom no matter at point you're in the relationship with her. Tupac speaks to not always being the best teenager or being on the best terms with his mom, and touches on the death of his father. Tupac's biological father(who is still alive) was never a part of his life throughout his upbringing, his stepfather Mutulu Shakur was in prison most of it and the only father in Tupac's life that he knew was "Legs" who died of a crack overdose in 86'(something he references elsewhere on the album "when daddy died that's when my mama started gettin high"). Tupac also references being out on the streets alone befriending the local street dudes and selling drugs for time, this being confirmed by his friends/ group members Ray Luv/Ryan D who both spoke on how Tupac tried selling drugs for one or two weeks out of desperation and was terrible at it and left it alone after that. The details of the song give a glimpse of what made Tupac, 2PAC.

Elsewhere on the album, 2Pac shows his player side on tracks like "Temptations" and "Can U Get Away". The best of which being "Temptations" produced by Easy Mo Bee. The track is fun and the Computer Love sample and Redman sample are great production choices from Mo Bee who goes in with the vocals on the track it features great production as Tupac speaks to the temptations and pressures he faces on the road as a star rapper. 2Pac's flow and charisma dominate the track, in some ways, it's the "I Get Around" of World.

At other times he's abrasive and aggressive, there's the West Coast, funk of "Heavy In The Game" ft Richie Rich they both take terms spitting game about how to survive on the streets and game/life rules "What about the niggas I despise loud talking cowards shootin' guns crowd jeopardizing lives, shoot em right between them niggas eyes, follow the rules or follow them fools that die…quit trying to be an OG and pay your dues." The track is a banger. "F*ck the World" is Pac at his most defiant as he speaks to the sodomy allegations off top on the song, dealing with jealousy, haters, followers, and the system that's against him, his affiliation with gangs at the time, it's another great track produced by Shock G. Still the ruggedest, nihilistic and death foreseeing track on the album is "Death Around the Corner", as Pac demeanor is menacing, paranoid and depressed. Each verse is more intense and serious than the previous one with the last being truly gripping. Pac's intensity and vocals throttle the beat on that last verse, not to mention the rhyme scheme on is great from the beginning of the verse.

Many people consider Me Against The World to be 2Pac's greatest album and there's something to that. It's his most personal release a clear picture of Tupac Shakur the man. His societal views, his care for the black community, and how those views clashed with his reckless tendencies at times. His sense of how systematic oppression has affected his life but also his sense of his behaviors have made the situation dire. It's an album of internal conflict(as much him vs himself as it is him vs the world) and at every turn, there is no positive resolution only death, jail…or death. He's powerfully emotive on Me Against The World, the album is packed with depth and top-tier writing, and improved MC skill. It's easily one of the greatest rap albums ever.

10/10

Favorite Tracks: If I Die Tonight, Me Against The World, So Many Tears, Temptations, Heavy In the Game, Lord Knows, Dear Mama, It Ain't Easy, Old School, F*ck The World, Death Around the Corner

Sidenotes: The album Me Against The World debut at #1 and would stay at #1 for a month. 2Pac was the only rapper to have a rap album go #1 while in prison.

The title cut while not a single was featured on the Bad Boys Soundtrack released the same year.

Other 1995 Singles/Features: E40-Dusted N Disgusted ft 2Pac, Spice 1, Mac Mall and Levitti, Smooth-PYT ft 2Pac, 2Pac-My Block(The Show Soundtrack), Too Short-This is How we do this ft MC Breed Father Dom, The Govenor, The House of Reps-Po Nigga Blues, 2Pac-Throw Ya Hands Up(Pump Ya Fist compilation)

[13lizardsinatrenchcoat]

Nothing I can say about Dunya has not already been said better by Hanif Abdurraqib in this article .

I highly recommend reading it in full, even if the Mustafa is unfamiliar to you. The mastery that both he and Mr. Abdurraqib have over language makes the interview itself a poignant mediation on art and class and race and music and war and and and and.

Dunya is probably my album of the year, and I'll steal a quote from the article here to tell you why:

"Perhaps the miracle of Dunya is how it moves with a spirit of vibrant protection, the miraculous ability to hold, in your palm, an entire city and everyone you have ever loved and who has poured into it – to draw people close and say can you believe THIS?"

I'll end this with a reminder that the proceeds from Mustafa's music video for Gaza Is Calling go to the PCRF and that the song is an excellent entry point for his music.

[freshthoughts2020]

MY DEEPEST DISCOVERY TEE- limited edition + digital album

2 Store Reviews

from $50.00

👕 Wear the Art. Live the Story. 👕

The MY DEEPEST DISCOVERY TEE is more than just merch—it’s a collector’s item for hip-hop lovers, art enthusiasts, and streetwear fans who live and breathe culture. Inspired by the themes of struggle, ambition, and freedom, this premium heavyweight tee is designed to make a statement.

🖼️ DESIGN & CONCEPT:

Front: Features the My Deepest Discovery album cover, a striking image of handcuffed hands gripping money, wrapped in the American flag—symbolizing the tension between success and oppression.

Back: The official tracklist printed in gold gothic lettering, solidifying this as a true album collector’s piece.

🔥 KEY FEATURES:

✔ Premium heavyweight cotton – Soft, breathable, and built to last. ✔ Vibrant high-definition print – Ensuring the artwork stays fresh over time. ✔ Limited Release – No Restocks – Once it’s gone, it’s gone. ✔ Unisex fit – Designed for both men & women, available in S to 3XL (Extended sizes slightly higher).

[omegaremix]

Favorites For 2019.

Boy Harsher “Face The Fire”

KVB, The “Afterglow”

Silent Servant Shadows Of Death And Desire

Void Vision “The Source”

Lebanon Hanover “Babes Of The ‘80’s” (Tobias Bernstrup RMX)

Ron Morelli Disappearer

Daylyt Let There B Light

Kanga self-titled

Nas “Simple Things”

Masta Killa & Inspectah Deck & GZA “Silverbacks”

Schwefelgelb Dahinter Das Gesich

Cash McCall “Omega Man”

Wild Man Fischer “I’m Working For The Federal Bureau Of Narcotics”

Dick Walter “The Fat Man”

Firefall “Strange Way”

Ice Cube “Arrest The President”

Figure Study “Wait”

Fontaines D.C. “Too Real”

Adrian Belew “Big Electric Cat”

Azar Swan Savage Exile

Primitive Weapons “Keep The Lights On”

ChandraTransportation

End Of A Year / Self Defense Family “Alleta”

Mirrors For Psychic Warfare “Tomb Puncher”

Body Of Light “Holding You”

Vatican Shadow “Tonight Saddam Walks Amidst Ruins”

Adult. “Lick Out The Content”

Molly Nilsson “A Slice Of Lemon”

Broken English Club “Channel 83”

Urochromes “Night Bully” (Boy Harsher RMX)

Strahinja Arbutina “You Don’t Need This In Your Life”

White Ring “Leprosy”

Cabaret Nocturne “Blind Trust”

Natural Assembly “She Walks In Beauty”

Drvg Cvltvre “I Look For Your Face In The Neon Lights”

Soft Moon “Like A Father”

Primitive Weapons “Negative Mass”

Drvg Cvltvre “Blood Eagle Brigade”

Soma Sema “Artificial Heart”

Grun Wasser “Limits For Limits”

Undertheskin “Cold”

Emptyset “Dissolve”

Pink Turns Blue “I Coldly Stare Out”

Soko “Ocean Of Tears”

Annabel Lee “Hi Hi Hi”

Exasperation “Full Story”

Bangzz “Your Boyfriend Is Really Bringing You Down”

Lost Under Heaven “Black Sun Rising”

Fa-5 “El Blue”

Clear Soul Forces “Get No Better”

Meyhem Lauren & DJ Muggs “Hashashin” (ft. Conway)

Feel, The “You’re Not Around”

Doe “Team Spirit”

Sky H1 “Huit”

Tera Melos “Men’s Shirt”

Earth “Cats On The Briar”

Thanks For Coming     ”Underboxesbehinddoorsinsidepocketswithindrawers”

Evidence “10,000 Hours”

Priests “The Seduction Of Kansas”

GFXR & Alchemist “Ajax”

BadBadNotGood “In Your Eyes” (ft. Charlotte Wilson)

Hookworms “Negative Space”

Joe Moks self-titled

Billy Cobham “Tenth Pinn” (live)

Iodi “Sonrie”

White Mystery “White Mystery”

Kruangbin “August 10”

Marcio Montarroyos “Pedra Bonita”

Midnight Oil “Nothing Lost, Nothing Gained”

Thanks For Coming “Five And A Half Feet Under”

Ripped Jeans “Afraid”

America Fuck Fertility Clown

Trouble Knows Me “Trouble Knows Me”

S. English “Sanctuary”

Free Time “All Four Seasons”

Sky Ferreira “Down Lullabye”

Terekke “Closer”

Boulders self-titled

Tony Williams drum solo

Drift “Say It Right”

Water From Your Eyes “You Never Admit You Could Be Better”

GG Allin & The Holy Men “Tough Fuckin’ Shit”

Anderson .Paak “Come Home” (f. Andre 3000)

HTRK “Summer Rain”

Priests “Jesus’ Son”

WGSC “Ajax”

Model/Actriz “New Face”

Kedr Livanskiy “Kiska”

DJ Premier “Headlines” (f. Westside Gunn & Conway)

Planit Hank “Life In Crooklyn” (ft. Jeru The Damaja & Buckshot & AZ)

Gnarcissists “Models”

Promiseland “Take Down The House”

Will Haven “When The Walls Close In”

Aurat “Dhokebaaz”

Raekwon “Silk”

Walt Barr “Creepin’”

DJ Muggs “Day Of The Dead” (f. Kool G Rap)

Jeru The Damaja “Harriet Tubman”

*unknown artist “Anastenaria” (Pete Swanson RMX)

Miss Red “Loco”

Deep Red / Canal Street Electronics “Pig And Beast”

Uniform & The Body “Penance”

Preoccupations “Espionage”

Percee P “Put It On The Line (BX)”

JK Flesh “Rub Me Out”

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib “Crime Pays”

Kate Tempest “Holy Elixir”

Big Brave “Holding Pattern”

Rong “Cup”

Chris Connelly & William Tucker Songs For Swingin’ Junkies

Model/Actriz “Matador”

Cave In “Winter Window”

Furbie “Skiball”

Your Old Droog “Bubble Hill”

Teddy Lasry “Riverhead”

Nite Jewel “Real High”

Mike (Bonema) “Ipari”

Heavy Metal Kings “Merciful Fate” (f. Goretex)

Ill Bill “Awaiting The Hour” (f. Killah Priest)

Remote Viewing “Whitney Houston, We Have A Problem”

Ayya “Second Mistake”

Adrenochrome The Buzz Or Howl Sessions

Les Rallizes Denudes “The Last One” (soundboard)

Blonde Tongues “Hey Good Lookin’”

Daniel Avery “Stereo L”

Sleazy “Cauchemar Administratif”

Chastity Belt “Ann’s Jam”

False Figure “Exhale”

Zotz “Vacio”

Gong Gong Gong “Siren”

Weeping Icon “Teeth (& A Handbag)”

Copper Sounds & Franco Franco “Accelerazione Generale”

Free Time “Esoteric Tizz”

CRVEL Sombras.

Preoccupations “Pontiac 87”

Cruz De Navajas “Imperialismo”

Palm “Forced Hand”

False Figure “Cardinal Cross”

Strobobean “When You Won’t Look”

Phil Upchurch “Black Gold”

My Brightest Diamond “Quiet Loud”

Lungbutter “Vile”

Silversun Pickups “It Doesn’t Matter Why”

Bad Tracking “Generic Music”

Strobobean “Keep It Together”

Thanks For Coming “That Way”

Diat Positive Energy

Zotz “Fatal”

Dry Cleaning “Magic Of Meghan”

Tropical Fuck Storm “Can’t Stop”

Temples “You’re Either On Something”

Dude York “Falling”

Halshug Drom

Ing “Closet”

Gong Gong Gong “Down Quantity Road”

Taiwan Housing Project “Buy Buy Buy”

Pure Bathing Culture “All Night”

Dry Cleaning “Phone Scam”

Spirits Having Fun “Auto-Portrait”

Zotz Ultima Noche

Stonefield “Dog Eat Dog”

Kurraka Otra Dimension

Gong Gong Gong “Notes Underground”

N0V3L “To Whom It May Concern”

Necking “Big Mouth”

Pllush “Soft In The Dark” (1st VER)

Lunch Lady “Sweet One”

Sub Dio “Peachy Keen”

Dumb “Club Nites”

Second Still “You Two So Alike”

Mystique 2019 demo

Mock Identity “Where You Live”

Patio “Legacy Continued”

Necking “Spare Me”

Otzi 2014 demo

Kitten Forever “Hell Hole”

Sneaks “Tough Luck”

Duckis “Ohio”

Thanks For Coming “We Can’t Both Be Crazy”

M.A.Z.E. “Human Brain” (re-recording)

Duckis “Issue”

Jeanines “Is It Real”

C.H.E.W. “Bread And Circus”

Knife Wife “Every Living Thing”

Pure Pressure Relampago De Furia

Les Rallizes DenudesHeavier Than A Death In The Family

Pasteur Lappe “Na Real Sekele Fo Ya”

[artpicsrare]

Halloween (1978)

[manysmallhands]

Top Albums of 2024: #8 - 'Alligator Bites Never Heal' by Doechii

I find a lot of rap quite grim and hard to embrace these days, so the appeal of Doechii’s breakout mixtape for me is in the way it references a lot of retro focused Hip Hop and RnB but in a way that still feels relatively fresh. There are some very familiar sounds on here - the menacing sax on "Boiled Peanuts" has a distinct ring of Cyprus Hill about it - but because it never allows itself to get stuck in one mode, Alligator Bites doesn’t end up coming off like a tired retread. Tho the more explicitly 90s focused hip hop is a key element, the floating, modern underground style beats on tracks like "Boom Bap" recall the likes of Westside Gunn or Mike more than any older artists. There’s also a drift thru various styles of RnB, so the woozy "Hide N Seek" feels like a trippier version of Erykah Badu, while "Slide" has a more explicitly up to date vibe that fits in comfortably on daytime radio. 

Doechii has a masterful range of vocal styles in the Doja Cat mode, able to move easily between hard aggressive rhymes and something more charmingly conversational, as well as having a melodic RnB singing voice that she can twist and bend into all sorts of odd permutations. And while there’s plenty of snappier material (as befits an alligator bite), the LP occasionally moves into more experimental areas too, making for dreamlike zones which feel semi-detached from the harder edged tracks. The hazier focus of songs like "Bloom" and "Fireflies" is not so immediately gratifying but these respites work better with repeated listening, forming islands in the sound that let you drift away a little.

Day to day concerns are central to the lyrics throughout: Alligator Bites is primarily diaristic, a record about the hustle of the modern music industry, trying to become a star without losing yr integrity or even just trying to keep a basic grip, as on the hilarious therapyspeak pastiche "Denial Is a River". An idea that returns several times is the frustration of being unable to feel like yr across everything: this is best heard on "Wait", a mix of gorgeously melancholy RnB and pointed, technical rapping where Doechii seems at once resigned to and exasperated by the stuff she’s being forced to let go of. "Profit" and "Boom Bap" look more closely at her place in the rap world, with the latter especially going off hard at people who try to pigeonhole her. It’s as close to a definitional moment as you could get on Alligator Bites, a record that refuses to stay in one place and where that restless energy constantly channels itself into more than the sum of its parts.

[trapmetalblog]

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I had to take a mental health break so i have no posted in a while!!!! But im back! Ready to catch up on work....

1st up I present to you this new EP by @jayfive666 titled Arsenal. This EP is SOLID! What a great way to kick the new wave into gear. This 4 piece weapon of mass destruction is so refreshing. A genuine take what Trap Metal really is. First off the beats on this EP all feature Trap elements PLUS Metal elements. If there is no metal in there, and its just someone screaming over a beat, its not really Trap Metal, but this release by JayFive 6 stands true to the Trap Metal wave. His lyrics are heavy and fast with a very “hood” tone to his lyricisms. Boasting a distinct style of Drill energy complimented by classic trap samples in between. Every sound, loud and up front, scratching every itch I have as a mutli genre listener. All 4 tracks on this EP are solid, none of theme slacking in the slightest. Id be keen to hear a full EP of these sounds specifically. I’d also like to add that every feature on this release matched his energy and nobody fell behind or threw off the flow of the record. I give this EP a perfect 10 out of 10. Watch out, you better have JayFive 6 on your radar. He’s clearly a force to be reckoned with. Arsenal, out now on all platforms! Check it out. Add it to your playlists. Leave him a comment and let him know what you think!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDzPUzsJHWk/?img_index=1

. . . Review by Heartless Fendi aka Brett Deadly . . . #TrapMetal#AlternativeHipHop#UndergroundHipHop#IndieHipHop#AlternativeRap#MusicDiscovery#NewMusic#HiddenGems#MusicNerd#MusicLover#MusicAddict#TrapMusic#TrapNation#TrapBeats#TrapLife#TrapMetalKings#AlternativeMusic#IndieMusic#AlternativeCulture#AlternativeLifestyle#AltMusic

[gxbtx]

The CHROMAKOPIA Album Review

The project begins with the track “St. Chroma,” laying foundations of his ingenuity by marching along to his whispered anthem of vanity. Like soldiers, he’s leading us into the unknown as a sergeant character using Daniel Ceaser’s returned angelic vocals to lure us into CHROMAKOPIA. Tyler (T) reels us in with the fire, getting us ready for what is to come; the metaphorical light instilled from what seems to be his mother shows us the sprightly source of creativity continuing to fuel him. The bridge ascends to a drop, and T explodes all expectations of what we think this album will be. He sets out the idea of the doubts that begs him the question of: “Do I keep the light on or do I gracefully bow out?” Introducing the term “CHROMAKOPIA,” it seems to me that the album is to dive into all the new challenges in his life, using the lessons from back home to put into perspective what his mother would say. To me, CHROMAKOPIA is the name of a thematic representation of where the chromatic roots of T’s musicianship began: his mother. 

Credit; St. Chroma music video by Tyler, The Creator

Projects prior to the 2024 release brought decade-defining sounds to and throughout the years of the pandemic. Tyler’s chutzpah has brought him up to continuously get better and better with each release, developing a new thematic persona for each new project. Flower Boy in 2017 reversed his offensive nature (prevalent in his early upbringings on the adolescent internet), transforming people’s perceptions of his capabilities to prove what he set out to accomplish years in advance. IGOR in 2019 was an experimental mix of R&B, soul, and some rap, using chords to amplify the sounds of Flower Boy that turned out to become a Grammy-winning success. Call Me If You Get Lost was the braggadocious Gangsta Grillz mixtape that Tyler had mentioned wanting to do since childhood, introducing the elements of hip-hop that heavily inspired him to his large audience. Tyler was on top of the world after COVID, and has not seen any decline since.

So to no surprise, teasers of CHROMAKOPIA brought a climactic moment of pure-excitement, one that fans had been building up for years. The unexpected timing and punctual nature of Tyler's album cycle this time around created a buzz around the Halloween season release, with teasers revealing a sergeant costume and a mask. T then reversed the expectation and overall theme of his album in espionage, however, using his masterful ability to get the listeners to hear what he actually wanted to say. T uses the demanding spotlight to show the consequences of fame in this hyper-digitalized age of the internet. Seen in the clever pick of the single, “Noid,” T introduces the distressing paranoia that his level of fame has induced. To an extent, his experience as one of the biggest stars of this decade has left him with a decommitment to his fans as he is left paranoid living in his home of Los Angeles. The mask seemingly represents his public persona from his music, which is so closely tied to him as an individual to the point that he is recognized anywhere he goes. T’s impressive abilities to demand the attention of the listeners seems to be a double-edged sword, with it also being the biggest drawback of his fame. 

Credit; Noid music video by Tyler, The Creator

Although Tyler begins to become more candid, this does not slow down his ability to RAP. He follows “St. Chroma” with “Rah Tah Tah,” bringing new confidence to the playlists in 2024. Tyler adds his classic dawg growls with these clicking sounds that make me think of shells, bringing us back to his early Odd Future era of music. Shouting out Kenny at the end of the track, T shows the LA love by sharing the energy of the spirited revival of hip hop in his city over the summer. He extends this wave of tenacity with features of GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne on “Sticky,” displaying the dexterity of his production skills. T borrows elements explored this year by Pharrell Williams with drill team instruments, like the loud trumpets heard after Wayne’s verse–Tyler compliments the best features of each artist using the production to bring weight to each of the brief verses. “Thought I Was Dead” supplemented a great showcase of SchoolBoyQ, and served as a notable teaser to the album days prior to show the rap-heavy album this was going to be. “Balloon” features the new and breathtaking talent, Doechii, with a prolonged verse stimulating an impressive word play and animated personality. Even in all of these features, T is rapping his ass off to remind you whose project these tracks belong to.

This project’s capabilities are not limited to just his hyped-up raps and sounds of driller beats; more so than his previous projects, CHROMAKOPIA dives into themes of vulnerability and introspection. Sitting at age 30, time has become a struggle that is glaringly applicable to many of the topics Tyler dives into. In “Hey Jane,” T reveals a surprising mistake, leading to a conversation with a woman about an unplanned pregnancy. T’s worries and thoughts about becoming a father, especially so soon in his career, sheds light on the sides of his life that he deems unfit for a child to see. It seems that the relationship between the two is relatively healthy, as T’s lyrics in both parts of the conversation pose a mutual understanding and respect for each others’ emotions. It’s later revealed that Tyler’s mother is very keen on the thought of a grandchild, seen in the apprehensive, string-heavy “Tomorrow.” The pressure regarding the topic of fatherhood is represented through the repeated phrase “Give it up!” when his mother is talking about her desires for a grandchild, showing us the role Time plays on the other side of parenthood. This same phrase is found in the track that follows “Hey Jane,” named “I Killed You,” a continued display of the pressure T feels: his apprehensiveness towards parenthood seems to come from the feeling of obligation to have a child, but the unfit environment that makes it a difficult reality to imagine. The crass nature of the song in the beginning is reminiscent of some of his earlier projects from Goblin and WOLF, bringing a dark and twisted tone to the topic of abortion. His justifications align with the aforementioned negative side effects of fame—like his paranoia—and T’s overall self-proclaimed “selfish” lifestyle. The bridge, however, falls into a more Flower Boy-esque sound, as T touches on the inherently pure, innocent form of beauty that the child would represent; the delicate nature of the child is at such a high risk thanks to the drawbacks of his fame. His tug-o-war between the life and the endangered innocence of the child represents the surface level justifications towards an abortion, but perhaps this talk of fatherhood displays a larger reflection of T’s character.

The irritants of Tyler’s world are brought about in “Take Your Mask Off,” dissing the fraudulence he observes in religion, family, and musicianship. Toward the end of the track, however, it seems he aims his shots towards himself after his mother’s reminded lesson of “Keep that sh*t one hundred with you, with yourself.” T then proceeds to take his own mask off, insulting his own excessive lifestyle, as well as his business endeavors that feel shallow or hypocritical—with the majority of his income coming from clothing purchases from an audience that’s not fully tapped into his music. He insinuates that he has lost touch with the mass-appeal audience he’s culminated over his career, reflecting on the fact that his musicianship is not recognized to the extent he geeks about. He also mentions his selfish nature in specific regard to his lustful desires, challenging himself with the idea of therapy, and to get to the bottom of why he really doesn’t want to be a parent. His lack of commitment in relationships is specifically showcased in “Darling, I,” with the upbeat R&B sound enhanced by Teezo’s exclusive vocals. In this song, he reveals how his lack of monogamy and greedy desires have potentially become obsolete or immature for his age, leaving him at a crossroads. Revisiting the themes of “Tomorrow,” the dissonance of the sounds come to show the uncertainty of whether it is time to change his ways, or if he should continue down the path that seems to have left him slightly unfulfilled. Similar to how Kendrick Lamar peeled the entire banana of his own discontentment and struggle in Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, it seems as so Tyler, The Creator is starting to peel back a few layers of his own.

Tyler starts to end his project with a yearning for his father who was never there. He comes to ask his mother to be honest about his father’s absence, as his aforementioned struggles with fatherhood could align with his idea of why his father wasn’t there for him. I really enjoy the falsetto melody accompanied by Lola Young over the eager guitar solos, leading up to an eargasm bridge that is a lovely, bittersweet expression of longing. The conversation leads T to wonder why he is thinking about his father when he’s received all the love, support, and accolade he could’ve ever wanted from both his mother and the world. The ending of the song is an explanation from his mother as to why his father wasn’t there, bringing a sense of closure alongside the admission of her mistakes, in a beautiful way that brings tears to the eyes. The following track, “Balloon,” goes on to be one of the most positive and uplifting songs I’ve ever heard from Tyler, easily becoming one of my top songs of the year. This track brings the album to a satisfying close, as the self-reliance and self-confidence bring a more positive perspective to the unsure, somewhat dark feelings explored prior. 

Tyler popping a balloon in the studio with Teezo Touchdown. Credit; "Mask is Off: CHROMAKOPIA" from Tyler, The Creator on Youtube

Tyler’s ending track, “I Hope You Find Your Way Home,” wraps up the project by summarizing the feelings discussed throughout all the songs. He comes to answer the questions he poses throughout the album with confidence, even if in a somewhat impermanent way. The journey back home to "CHROMAKOPIA" guided him through his strife, using lessons from his mother to prompt both the sources and solutions. This project doesn’t seem to be a representation of a thematic character he’s usually creates alongside the music, but rather is him taking off the mask to reveal his truly vulnerable self to the world. All of his struggles that coincide with being a cultural influence show that even he is not perfect; and, with coming to terms with that, Tyler culminates a musical experience that drives you throughout his own personal self-reflection. CHROMAKOPIA is the complex inner-workings and trials of not only Tyler’s sergeant character leading the listeners to the next best phenomenon in music, but of Tyler himself–listeners are shown a real reflection and assessment of his character, humanizing one of the decades’ most committed entertainers.

To see this project as part of my RadioUTD organization, visit

[ani-n-snips]

.....Its so over

[vinniedangerous]

As 2024 draws to a close, I want to highlight some of my favorite moments of the year. My album “Dream Til It’s Over” received a lot of coverage I’m thankful for but this is one of my favorites because it was a review written by Chris Buxton from my home state of NC. A big theme of this album is reflecting on my childhood & Fayetteville played a big part of shaping me as an artist & a person.

Read here: