"Lifestyle" by George Ryan

"Live It Up" by George Ryan

"Plata O Plomo" by Fat Joe & Remy Ma

March 24, 2017, Toronto, ON -- Fat Joe & Remy Ma. Really, Fat Joe? The Terror Squad is back? That's pretty dope. For you young tweens who don't know who that is, that's Big Pun's main homie (who used to be a lot fatter). You know, one of the greatest rappers to ever live? Released on February 17th, 2017, the 12-track album "Plata o Plomo" is short but sweet.

It's not the best album I've ever heard but it's actually a surprisingly strong effort from this duo. Joe has been gone for so long that it's just nice to hear him back on the mic again. He does a great job of bringing that energy and delivers some pretty strong bars. Alongside Remy, they are a good team. Constant contributor Kent Jones was a standout on the album and delivers some catchy, well sung hooks that bring the album some much needed melodic breaks. Although there are some good songs on the project that definitely deserve a download/stream (see below), I would not recommend the album to anyone other than hardcore T.S fans.

If you aren't up-to-speed yet on our review process, at first we listen to the entire album in one sitting and make notes on each song as they play. Then, at the end we do our final review of the album which is always found first in the blog post. A lot of our readers will turn on the album and read through our reviews as the songs are played, while others read the article on its own in order to determine whether its worth a listen.

Standout Tracks: "Warning", "Spaghetti", "How Can I Forget?", "How Long" & "Heartbreak".

TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEW:
 

1. Warning ft. Kat Dahlia - The album starts off with a trippy, reversed style beat that sketches in and out. It's really dope actually. The drums are infectious. Kat comes in with the hook and it sounds kind of Rihanna-esque in a good way. She's got a raspy, caribbean-style flow that really brings the listener in. This hook is really dope, damn girl. It's crazy to hear Fat Joe again. I know he's been around a bit but to hear him in album form? It's pretty dope. Joe's coming in. Kat comes in again with the hook and then Remy get's the second verse and comes hard like she always does. She's rapping about old friends it seems and sounds like she's about to cut someone's neck. The hook is the best part by a landslide and carries the essence of the song. I can't knock the Rihanna resemblances but its great.

2. Swear To God ft. Kent Jones - Kent Jones starts this one off. He's putting money on the competitions head. Fat Joe is still dope. You can tell he's an old school cat though which isn't bad necessarily. I thought he might come with a more modern flow but that would ruin his brand I guess. I'm happy with the bars so far. Remy's verse is more engaging than Joe's on this one. The beat is pretty 90's as well.

3. Spaghetti - Kent Jones starts off the song and he kills it. It's a slurry delivery thats intentionally meant to sound lazy. Then Joe comes in with what we are used to from him. He comes hard and carries the beat really well. Shouting out Pun obviously. He just made me remember his style of taking peoples rhymes and flipping them. He takes Dr. Dre's old bars and flips them; "It ain't a fluke, it's been tried, I'm the proof, so turn out the lights from the world class wrecking crew". He spits some more trafficking bars which is his staple. Kent Jones's hook is dope and gives the listener some song recall potential. Remy comes in again with a sick verse. She's still got it. "The crown's coming back to New York". The hook this time isn't as impressive. Ken't sing-rap verse is really sick and gives it some contemporary flavour. I'm not familiar with this artist but I'm looking forward to hearing more from him.

4. All The Way Up ft. French Montana - This is such an old song. Weird that it's on here. I'm wondering if they put it on here because they needed something familiar for fans (and so that they might buy it). French's verse remains unchanged but it sets the tone for the record. It sounds like a new verse from Joe but I might be wrong. I haven't heard every remix yet. There's a lot of them. Remy's verse is dope, probably her best so far on the album. French comes back in again with the same verse as previously released. It's a good song. Most of us know it so there's not much to say. The beat is dope and featured some sick horns. Moving on.

5. How Can I Forget ft. Kent Jones - That sample at the start was dope. Where's this beat going? I love the choir. It's sounds cinematic and the drums just add more intensity. Kent Jones again. Sick. Remy's killing this one, talking about her time in jail and plotting her exit. Call me Remy Rodeo Drive! I really like Kent Jones, he's got infectious hooks. His voice is hard to pin down. The way he says "How Can I Forget" is interesting and what keeps the listen tweaking their ear. Fat Joe's verse is really sick. The best one from him so far. I fuck with it heavy. The boy's back. I gotta see who produced this record because the instrumental is dope as fuck. The songs theme is basically telling the fans how much they appreciate what they have and that they will never forget where they came from.

6. How Long - Fat Joe tells us how long he's been getting this rap money for just to remind us about his long reign in the game. I think this is the best song concept on the album so far. Joe comes back telling us about his coke dealing days and then Remy takes over with some sick bars. A new flow from here thats pretty addictive. She went in. They shortened up their verses on this one and keeps the listener engaged better because the melody returns faster but is still broken up with some good rap.

7. Go Crazy ft. Sevyn Streeter & BJ The Chicago Kid - Here's that Spanish flavor from Fat Joe that has helped define his brand. Joe tells us that no girl should have to work and that a man's job is to provide for her in life so that she can enjoy it and be happy. The first verse from Joe lists all the things that he would do for a woman and then we hear a woman (Sevyn Streeter) come in and serenade us for the hook. She'll go crazy for you. I love a girl who will go crazy for me. Remy comes in with verse 2 and gets a little naughty while also telling us how much stuff she's bought herself (or Pap bought her). I like Sevyn's voice, it's nice but a little harsh at times. It's covered up by some additional vocal layering which helps to soften it a bit.

8. Heartbreak ft. The Dream & Vindata - This is a banger. Super catchy and melodic hook. If this is Remy, it sounds like a man is rapping. I really had to put my ear right to the speaker and try to figure out who it was. It some parts you can tell its Remy but most of the time its really deep for a woman. Maybe done on purpose, I'm not sure. It doesn't make it worse and in fact makes the listener tune in more like I did. The beat has a lot of positive energy and has a clubby feel to it. This could be a good summer jam.

9. Cookin ft. French Montana - French starts it off with a dope hook. This is that old school Joe that we've all found so dope in the past. He even says "This is..." at the start. Like he's about to say "Cook, Coke!". He's coming with those drug trafficking bars that made him famous. Apparently they're making so much money it looks like they've been cooking. Then Remy reassures her that she's whipping up the coke in the apartment with Joe right by his side. I wonder what Papoose thinks of that. Pretty good song but I wouldn't put it in my playlist I don't think.

10. Money Showers ft. Ty Dolla $ign - Ty Dolla $ign is literally everywhere right now it's crazy. He's been on almost every album we've reviewed this month or so. This one seems like it's geared towards women - Joe's spitting directly to them while delivering some dope lines and not missing a step. The hook is about money being showered on them! Remy comes in with some dirty bars about her sexual experiences and how nasty she can be. Her dirty mouth is not something I find attractive in a woman but to each her own. I guess it's hard to rap from a good girl perspective on second thought so it's understandable. Maybe we'll have a female Drake one day...or Drake will get a sex change and make the exact same music in a female voice.

11. Too Quick ft. Kingston - Starts off with some smooth, sexy synths. Then Kingston comes in with a heavy hook. It's engaging and delivered really well. Remy Ma comes in with the first and it's a different flow than the other tracks. It's slowed down and rides the beat as it builds towards the hook again. It's a good verse. Kingston comes back with the hook and I'm expecting Joe to come in. Here he is. Another slow verse to compliment the leisurely beat. He raps some inspirational rhymes about getting money and women. The hook is about being too quick, it's catchy. The best line is "These women want commitment too quick". I fuck with it.

12. Dreamin' ft. Stephanie Mills - I love the sax that starts this record off. Stephanie Mills comes in singing the intro measures and it's not very well sung. Her voice is not complimenting this record well. This could have been delivered a lot better...or even better mixed for that matter. It doesn't touch the soul thats for sure. I hope this record gets better with Joe's verse. Which it does. I like Joe's verse. Then Stephanie Mills comes back in and its pitchy and harsh on the ears. Remy's verse is the best on this record although I probably wouldn't be spinning it again.

"HNDRXX" by Future

March 19, 2017, Toronto, ON -- With an impressive 2-album drops last month ("HNDRXX" & "Future"), Future has just released a bunch of content for his fans to consume. We had to split up the listening sessions to give projects a fair and separate evaluation. Released on February 24, 2017. Peaked at #1 on Canadian & US Billboard charts.

Overall, Future isn't offering up anything new per se but gives his fans some new content to absorb and that's good enough. My favourite song is "Sorry" by a landslide and one you should definitely check out if you wanted to hear a more personal side of Future. It's a long ass song but it's worth listening the whole way through. In terms of the album its a good effort from the Atlanta native. The only two contributions are from The Weeknd and Rihanna - well worth the feature money. They are both great songs.

Standout Tracks: "I Thank You", "New Illuminati", "Turn On Me", "Selfish", "Solo" & "Sorry".

TRACK-BY-REVIEW

1. My Collection - The reduction mixing on this first record is the contemporary style these days it seems - very little reverbs and delays and very faint punches if any at all. This style makes it easy for Future to release material at an alarming rate - it's just the beat and some auto tuned vocals on top, nothing special.

2. Coming Out Strong ft. The Weeknd - Toronto native Abel Tesfaye starts this record off with his beautiful voice that we've all become familiar over the past few years. He reminisces about his old life and compares that to the one he is living now. Future comes in with this drugged-out, auto-tune flow that we are probably getting a little tired of now. It's a good song overall. Pretty simple beat with some ambience in the background and some trappy drums with relentless hi-hats. I'm not sure exactly what Future is talking about sometimes. Abel saves the day with his hook. The trippy vocal chopped mix at the bridge is sick - whoever mixed that had some fun in the lab.

3. Lookin Exotic - I'm assuming young Metro was involved in this project - it sounds like his beats. The vocals ride really low in the track on this one which hides the lyrics - I think on purpose. It's a decent flow and lyrical content I guess. Future does a great job of securing his brand by writing very similar songs each time. Then again, people aren't always looking for hits and are satisfied with additional content from their favorite artists that may not be their best work to date. At least there's some new Future to listen to right?

4. Damage - I like the start of this one. The vocal treatment is cool. Then Future comes in with the auto-tune again but it's a dope verse. The hook is catchy and vibed out. The beat is nothing spectacular but it's still sick because Metro did it. This track has a lot more mixing effects and it seems like they spent some more time on this one over track one, for example. I think Future is questioning if money has changed him and whether it has "fucked his life up".

5. Use Me - T. Pain would be proud...or he's turning over in his grave. I can't keep up with every beef in the industry so I'll have to look more into what Pain thinks of our boy Mr. Hendrixx. It's cool how Future channels his emotions into his trap lyrics - when he is sad he sings with the emotion that is required but the lyrics are still up beat, positive and engaging. What I mean by this is he doesn't really let his personal life seep into his music really much at all other than little stories here and there. I like to know what an artist has been through and enjoy hearing their stories - both positive and negative. I've heard Future before. We all have. But after listening to the first 5 songs there is nothing new to learn and although his brand is solidified with these records, it's nothing special. This record is one of the better ones.

6. Incredible - I can actually here his voice a little more on this track. I love the beat. It's different from his other stuff. This is a cool song, I like it. Pretty catchy lyrics and melody. He hits that hook too many times though. I guess that drives the listener to put it on repeat though. The sheep will love this one. Does that make me a sheep? People will get hooked into this one from the repetition and also the fact that people like dumbed down music for a reason. Not everything needs to be so serious.

7. Testify - I wonder what would happen if Future took singing lessons! His flow is dope as always. I'm bored again though. Be nice to hear something that makes you think or reflect about anything, anything at all. Maybe we can hear about your struggles before fame? I'm not even half way in and I'm a little nervous about hearing the rest of the album because I was hoping to find some songs to add to my playlist. There's a few decent ones, but I'm still waiting for that ONE.

8. Fresh Air - Is this the same song? He's not saying much on this first verse. Those mumbles are dope! Just kidding. He needs fresh air apparently. That makes sense because breathing into that auto-tune for years must be bad for the respiratory system. I bet he doesn't even know what his own voice sounds like anymore. Another repetitive joint for people who can't add 2 + 2 together, or lift the spoon to their mouth to feed themselves. This ones not making the list. He sounds like he has peanut butter on the roof of his mouth on this one.

9. Never Missa Lost - He says the songs title 4 times then goes into verse one. At least I can hear his voice on this one...and the lyrics. He's going to buy his girl a car from the dealership. Great new concept. I actually like the lyrics on this one, its dope. He often just ends bars with mumbles and its hard to hear complete sentences, let a lone a cohesive lyric or story which isn't here to look for anyways. It's a decent effort. It feels like he really is not trying whatsoever. I picture him on the couch smoking blunts with a mic on the coffee table in front of him, beats on repeat. When he freestyles something he likes he keeps it. I bet he did this project, written and recorded in like 2 weeks.

10. Keep Quiet - Again with the heavy repetition. His formula is heavily repetitive hook to start the track. Minimal melody and instrumentation in the beats with some hats and some hard snares. After the hook he comes in with some freestyle like flows that he does with his eyes closed now. Repetitive hook again. Similar second verse as first verse. Hook then out. There you go. You're welcome. With a steady stream of Metro beats its easy to see why he can churn out this type of music on a regular basis. I'm past the halfway point and I'm getting seriously bored. Even a bit rambunctious because I want to get up and do something else for a bit.

11. Hallucinating - Oh great, another one. I need more weed. Time for a break. Ok, I'm back. Another catchy hook, Future's M.O. The beats dope again but very simplistic at the same time. There's not much to say about this one. It's nothing revolutionary. Future fans will like it because it's similar to all of his other joints. The beats pretty cool though still.

12. I Thank You - All of the beats on this album are pretty dope. This one is no different. Future's thanking someone, maybe his Mom or an ex girlfriend?, for making him hustle. It's a short song but catchy nonetheless. The electric guitar carries the beat - that would be cool if Future played it, right?. I'm almost sure he didn't though. I hope it's a Jimi Hendrixx sample.

13. New Illuminati - This one's pretty catchy. Top down in the winter time. That must be nice! Same Future flow as we're used to and nothing really new is introduced here again. He's sexing out loud and flexing right now. It's a good song though. I could see this being a good summer banger. Drop tops in the winter time, we're the new Illuminati. He says at the end "They don't know our secrets" and plays off the common theme that all celebrities are somehow in a secret group who run the world.

14. Turn On Me - This is one of the more infectious songs.  Really catchy bars off the rip. This one's going on the playlist for sure. I'm not going to lie though I'm anxiously waiting for the next Rihanna track now. The catchiest line is "I seen a good girl turn on me". I like this record a lot still. It's really catchy again which is what makes Future so appealing right now. The horns that come in at the hook are dope and I like how the hats and cymbals compliment each other and switch places from verses to hook. At 2:45 Future goes in with a really sick third verse. "Had weak Tim's on when I came to ya".

15. Selfish ft. Rihanna - The first album single and with Rihanna's marketability it's an easy choice. The Sexy Rihanna coming with her strong voice. I wonder who wrote this one. Rihanna's part is gorgeous, she's killing it. Future comes in for the second half of her verse for the complimentary duet. They exchange and share lines and it's really smooth. It definitely works well. They are singing about and admitting that they are selfish. It seems that artists have to be selfish in order to reach their dreams which is unfortunate but also a result of the competitive nature of the business. Cool concept and a little weird at the same time. I think this record will get big.

16. Solo - This is one of my favourite song on the album by far. This inspirational style beat is crazy and Future goes in for the distance. His flow is super dope. It's that choppy flow that rides the drums and builds momentum the whole time. The hook is sick too. "I won't let you down". I'm sure people will be banging this one this summer. I just added this to my personal playlist too (a collection of my favourite songs recently released for Spring 2017, see below).

17. Sorry - Future is apologizing to a woman for hurting her. The beats dope again. It's pretty simplistic with some deep, dark pianos, schizophrenic hi-hats and a hard snare. This is what I was waiting for from Future. A personal cut about his actual lie and struggles. He is talking about his past and how sorry he is to people that he has hurt in the past. The lyrics are deep, emotional and certainly pull on heart strings. For example, "I sold crack to a pregnant lady, sorry for making a crack baby". He's talking about how fame has changed him and his closest relationships. The last verse is the best one. He raps a bunch of Spanish words together then says "I don't know Spanish, I barely talk proper". This is another playlist add for sure (Listen to the "Spring Equinox" playlist RIGHT HERE).

"Future" by Future

March 18, 2017, Toronto, ON -- The new Jimi Hendrix minus the guitar! The project was released February 24, 2017 and is the artists 5th studio album. It sounds like the B side or vault cuts from the "HNDRXX" effort - other than songs like "I'm So Groovy" (which is my favourite track) and a few other standout tracks that is. This project has less radio-friendly selections on it and is meant for the true Future fans that wanted a bunch more content. If you want to learn how to be infectious and addictive in music, refer to Future. He always has catchy, entertaining bars that can easily be sung along to and memorized. For that, he deserves a lot of credit. His consistent releases has built a strong buzz over the past few years that will last for at least the near future. In terms of making a splash, the two albums released in February both charted on Billboard Top 100 which made him the first artist to ever do so in the same month. There's a reason he sells so well and these two projects prove that notion. Many people will do what I did and take the best songs from both projects to add to their playlists instead of playing them all the way through.

Standout Tracks: "Poppin Tags", "Mask Off", "I'm So Groovy", "Might Aswell" & "Incredible".

TRACK-BY-REVIEW

1. Rent Money - I love beats like this - dark age choir sounds over trap beats. Sounds like a Zaytoven style beat but its made by Beat Bully, Chef Tate and the god DJ Khaled. Future comes in and its pretty hard. He's boasting about the money's he's making and claims that the rent money is not an issue anymore. It's very braggadocios and confident. I like it.

2. Good Dope - The song starts with a weed customer trying to buy a gram of weed from Future who roasts him and says he can't give him such a small amount. I already listen to Futures other album "HENDRXX" that was released a week later and it's not much different which is sort of expected. This songs good but its not catching my ear. Its just another Future cut.

3. Zoom - This one's got some more tempo and appeal. He's very repetitive like always but what can I expect? I can see why his music has been so popular. Sometimes the flows are genius. Future definitely has a great understanding of his sound and brand and consistently delivers similar songs that people seem to be addicted to. Again, this song has some good elements but falls into the "nothing new" category. This one will be good for late night drives. The last minute of the song is a spoken outro by a fictional podcast host offering a ridiculous record deal to his listeners. A group of rappers call in and are yelling how much they want the deal in between blasting gun shot sounds. It's pretty funny.

4. Draco - This beat is pretty sick and Future comes in hard again. Seth Firkins is the credited engineer for this album. The mixing is done well. It's simplistic to allow Future to ride on top of the beats and stand out in front of them. Future uses lots of ad libs and likes reverb on his leads but there aren't much delay on this one specifically. It's very well mixed overall. The song is really repetitive and is catchy as a result. It's crazy how repeating a few words over and over again can be so much fun to listen to. And that's the point. It's intentionally easy to listen to and sing along with. If you're high or drunk (which is me most of the time) I can see this being a great soundtrack to life. Sometimes people just want to hear something fun and easy to listen to. It doesn't always have to be inventive and overly musical. Future proves this. The beats are dope and Future rides all of them well.

5. Super Trapper - He always really knows his audience and demographic. He wrote a song called Super Trapper after all! So far I like "HENDRXX" a lot more than this project. Maybe the latter was released to build hype for the next project release which was Hendrix (similar to Drogas Light by Lupe Fiasco). Lines like "911 Porsche cuz I'm a Super Trapper!" reaffirm the songs theme and drill the song's title into your mind so you remember what it's called when people as you "Yo what's that Future song about super trapping?". I think Future is the superman of trap. Both the music style and the occupation. That's what he's saying. Definitely.

6. POA - Future knows his consistency with the same sound is what consumers need these days. Lots of music to keep you relevant. The formula he has come up with allows him to create songs really quickly which supports this need by the consumers. He won't let anyone get in his way. "I don't care if you were my Daddy, bitch I'm a cut off your neck". He goes hard with the same flow for over a minute then switches it once, and again around the 1.5 minute mark at which point it gets pretty diverse (every few bars he switches it up a bit). One of the rare times he's not being overly repetitive and comes with some heavy bars. He mumbles just enough to make you want to listen to it a few times over and learn what he's saying so you can sing it yourself. The hook is where it gets repetitive and thats what hooks are meant to be. At this point its nice to hear a little different sound because I was getting a little lost.

7. Mask Off - This one's the one I think! The beat is so addictive. I'm in love with it despite it being pretty simplistic and repetitive. The sample keeps you interested and Future comes in with some dope bars. I think this will be my favourite so far and it's just been added to my Spotify playlist (Listen to the "Spring Equinox" playlist).

8. High Demand - The song is just catchy enough for me to like it. The hook is memorable but I wouldn't play this on repeat. "Future High Demand, I don't walk on land". You don't need to know Future's music to see why he's working even at first glance. From a critical standpoint almost everything that has already been said about Future's music is accurate. He says "who knew I'd get this much attention" which indicates that he struck gold unexpectedly despite being in the game for years before his mainstream success. Being out on is one thing. Doing Future's current numbers is another. It's impressive, even for himself. No matter how much you think you're going to be successful, it's different when it actually happens. Especially when it's bigger than you expected. Future's bars bring us to the next record.

9. Outta Time - I can almost hear a melody in his cadence on this one. Almost. It's hidden behind the autotune. Then again he's "getting that Monica Lewinski" who am I to hate on that. I'm glad this song was under 3 minutes I'm not going to lie. It's not that I don't think Future is dope (I do). It's that my brain can't tell the different between the songs at time because of how similar they are. This makes the project beautiful genius in ways. It really is a playlist all in itself. You could leave the whole thing on and you will let it play through because you can't tell when the songs change. Very smart. Good song sequencing and selections.

10. Scrape - The dark piano sets a night time vibe and puts you in a bank robbing mood. The "skirt, skirt, skirt" adlib is cool at first but it get's tired after a few bars. It would have been better to use this for build up parts instead of the entire verse. It's too repetitive for me. The content on this one isn't crazy by any standards. This one sounds like a B-side for sure.

11. I'm So Groovy - The beat was produced by Tarentino and Tre Pounds and has some really addictive qualities to it. I really think people are going to love this one because it's so fun. The "mmm mmm" part is fucking hilarious and genius. The ad libs that continue that theme throughout the first part of the verse is dope too. The them for this song is obviously how groovy Future and it's really dope. The verse that comes in at 2 minutes is one of the best on the albums. The song is mixed really well and sits a little higher than the other records in terms of vocal clarity. This is getting an add. It's going to be a fun one to sing with the homies when we have some drinks in us, that's for sure. You'll probably agree. I need a little quick smoke break so my ears don't melt into my brain.

12. Might As Well - OK. I'm back. With a fresh ear, this one sounds pretty dope. I'm feeling it. The hook is infectious and not as repetitive as previous ones on the album. With lines like "I was selling crack when Snoop dropped Juice and Gin, ran a one room shack with a million in the den" he tells about his come up and an entrepreneurial spirit. I like the line "Started off on a mission, I got real niggas still pimpin" too.

13. Poppin' Tags - Damn. Another one. Was I not feelings some of the records earlier because I was tired? Either way, the synths on this beat are crazy. And so are the trap drums. Future's going in again. There's some melodies in the raps too which is always dope. Although the Future flow is similar to his other records it sort of stands out by being slightly new sounding.

14. Massage In My Room - I fuck with this one too. He's rapping about 20 women being in his hotel room while waiting for them to give him a massage. Dope bars like "I just went skiing with a bad bitch" and "I just pissed on a 100 g's" are materialistic but sick nonetheless. All these Franklin's have him trappin'. There's some really strong lyrics in this one. I might just be listening more attentively to the bars now that I've given my ears some time. Either that or this half of the album is better than the first half. One of the two.

15. Flip - The line "Flip, Flip, Flip, Game Over" is my favourite bar on the album. Lil' Flip was one of my favourite rappers growing up. I wish he would come back in a big way. You can hear the Flip sample playing throughout and its really dope. I miss that dude. Other than that, the song kind of falls into similar flows that we're used to. The beat by Southside & DJ Spinz is pretty cool too. The outro on this one hilarious. It's a dude selling to a woman a lifetime supply of condoms that are guaranteed to pop and a tracking device to find her man. She ends up pluggin her social media to us while the dude tries to get her number. It's dope. On to the next one.

16. When I Was Broke - Here's the personal side of Future. It has melody and harmony. It has deeper, honest lyrics that we don't get to hear often from him. He's reflecting on his come up and his past while comparing that to his current situation. "He had to climb out the sewer" which is nice comparative imagery. The heartfelt bars like "I saw you was given up and that killed me the most" is nice to hear. This one's of the better records on the album that's for sure. She never left when he was broke. That's a good girl. I hope she's being rewarded for her loyalty now that he's getting it.

17. Feds Did A Sweep - He lost a bunch of boys to streets because the feds did a sweep and they got locked up. That sucks yo. He sounds pretty upset about it. Just after a minute, Future has his best bars on the song. I'm really feeling the last half of this album. This record kinds of caps it all for me and saved the album from getting a mediocre review. Now I think that its a pretty good effort, especially with another project available for his fans. I could see why he wanted to let these loose. Sometimes songs sit in the vault for too long and end up missing their chance (see Dr. Dre's "Detox"). Food for thought for up-and-comers like myself.

"Rather You than Me" by Rick Ross

March 18, 2017, Toronto, ON -- Yesterday Rick Ross delivered his 9th studio album to the public called "Rather You Than Me". For a 41 year old rapper from Miami it's a good effort overall. Although it's not his best album to date (I'm sure he would admit that himself), it's got some good records on it. At times, its very creative but at others its lacklustre and familiar. Despite many of the records being trappy, Jazz is the dominant backbone and is the sonic foundation for the album. There are trap tracks for the trap music fans and a few more creative records as well such as the more honest, personal offerings. The album helps maintain Rick's brand and adds more similar songs to his catalogue. Fans that wanted to hear more of the same from Ross will be satisfied with the content. Fans seeking progression and more mature growth (artistically and personally) will find solace in a couple of the albums selections but will not be overwhelmed. It's a nice balance for all music fans.

Hearing someone rap about the drug trafficking life when they are a former corrections officer turned mainstream rapper isn't authentic to me. The real Rick Ross is a legend and doesn't deserve to be smeared. I guess if it wasn't a rapper from Miami then someone else would've eventually stole his name anyways (like all other drug kingpins before him). For example, think of the fictional Tony Montana (French Montana, Scarface) or John Gotti (Irv Gotti, Young Gotti, Yo Gotti Kim).

Standout Tracks: "I Think She Like Me", "Powers That Be", "Santorini Greece", "Idols Become Rivals", "Triple Platinum".

TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEW:

1. Apple of My Eye Ft. Raphael Saadiq - The record starts off with some jazzy instrumentation. I hear some nice saxophone and a slowed-down, transposed female voice looping in the background. Rick Ross is going in with a nice, smooth flow that anyone can follow. He's rapping some personal bars about his current lifestyle and struggles. Raphael Saadiq enters the scene with the hook. It's sung pretty well. I'm not overly impressed though. Ross comes back with a similar flow and content. It's a good record overall. It's an inspirational style track meant to build anticipation for the rest of the album. Good choice for the first selection. Seems like Ross is really growing as a human and it's nice to be a part of it. The classic "Maybach Music" tag kicks in at the end before the female feature (uncredited?) sends us out.

2. Santorini Greece - Another transposed female voice kicks this one off. Rick gives us a little introduction and then comes in with some drug trafficking bars. His cadence is very relaxed and boisterous. He sounds more in the pocket than some of his previous offerings. The jazz theme continues with more saxophones and a nice smooth beat. The female sample is chopped and flipped throughout to give the record more melody and glue all of the complimentary elements together. The lyrical content is juxtaposed between rapping about being successful and also the limitations the rapper sees in the industry as a result of this success, including being held down by the man. "Blatant double standards because I'm a nigga...when you black, lips chapped cuz the game cold". The verses are deadly, I really enjoyed this one. Apparently he's got money hidden in his walls.

3. Idols Become Rivals Ft. Chris Rock - Chris Rock is on this one? I hope we hear some bars from him. I'm sure we won't! Yep, he's doing the intro. He's acting like he's drunk and talking shit. Strong song identifier so people recognize the record right away when it plays. This one's got a much darker, street feel. He says its so hard to stay rich in this competitive environment which is a very honest bar that I didn't expect. He's talking about the celebrities that he's met recently and that he was disappointed when he did. He claims that most of them have leased cars and are fronting to live the lifestyle. The second verse is really strong. He's criticizing the industry and letting young rappers know the difficulties that come with the industry and inevitable fame. The third verse is just as good. I would definitely recommend checking this one out. In the outro we hear Ross going in on an old friend that fucked over Khaled and sets the record straight for him.

4. Trap Trap Trap Ft. Young Thug & Wale - The album's first promotional single released on March 9, 2017. Seeing the features, I'm assuming this is a single. Rick starts the record off with a repetitive hook and then comes in for verse one. I don't like the flow really although I could see other people finding it appealing. I'm waiting for the features to come in now. I feel an inclination to hit next but I'll let it ride out. Thug comes in with a lot of energy and spits some quicker bars to build the energy but it's not great. I still don't like this record. Ross's hook is unoriginal and dumbed down for a specific audience that I'm not a part of. Wale has the best verse because he actually critiques the theme of the song and says that he's "not a trap nigga". He acts as the devil's advocate and it's cool to see. I wouldn't play this one again I don't think.

5. Dead Presidents Ft. Future, Jeezy & Yo Gotti - The album is picking up speed now and building momentum. The energy on this one equals "Trap Trap Trap" and the content is very similar to. This is Rick Ross solidifying his brand. The features are pretty dope and help add dimension to the record which is a very standard coke dealing song. It's very materialistic but that doesn't necessarily means it's bad. It's just nothing new. It certainly supports the rappers brands and fits well in the catalogue because it is so similar to previous offerings. Another one I probably wouldn't play again but would recommend it to the Jeezy and Ross fans, I'm sure they'll love it.

6. She on My Dick Ft. Gucci Mane - Released on March 13, 2017, "She On My Dick" is the album's second promotional single. I feel like I've heard this record before it even starts just by the song title. I bet he repeats it 4 times for the hook. Ross first verse is good and energetic. The trap beat is hungry. It's mostly street content that we're very familiar with from Ross. Not a lot to say about this one. But it does have Gucci on it! It's not a bad flow. Still, not much to say about it. The hook was really predictable. I was right about it. Written to be catchy and repetitive for the mass consumer audience.

7. I Think She Like Me Ft. Ty Dolla $ign - The lead single released on January 17, 2017. An old school looped sample kicks it off and then drops off for the beat drop. It's accents prevail throughout the verse but is set back in the mix to allow for the drums and horns to punch through. While I'm not completely engaged in the record I might as well mention that the mixing throughout the album so far is pretty minimalistic but puts Ross in the forefront to be on display. The vocals are very soft and clean. Ty Dolla $ign again? Holy shit. He's everywhere. I like this hook again. He's got a nice complimentary voice and his content always fits well with the theme of the song. This record is one to smoke or chill to this spring and summer. I'm not overly excited about it though and am contemplating adding this to my playlist.

8. Powers That Be Ft. Nas - Fucking right. Some Nas! I miss him. Chris Rock is back with the intro talking about O.J and God. The beat starts of ambient and begins to build quickly. It has some twangy guitars that are really dope. It's a sick production for sure. Ross is coming in on this one. This is my favorite so far and I haven't even heard Nas yet. I'm going to add this one just because the beat is so dope and I know it's going to hold up with these rappers. Instant quality. Nas has still got it for SURE. This is such a sick verse, I love it. Nas is one of the greatest to ever do it and it's nice to know he can still come in as strong as he used to (or close at least). He's certainly grown up. Who is the female feature singing the hook? No credit given unfortunately, I'll have to look at the album release details and figure it out because she was good.

9. Game Ain’t Based On Sympathy - Now past the halfway point I would say it's a good album but certainly not his best. Just another one for your catalogue and his discography. Ross tells us about his come up and how hard it is. He tells us about his hunger to make it in the game and some of the struggles he's seen as a result. There's no hook. It just rides out until the second verse which I thought was nice and original from Ross. The sirens come in and kick off verse two as Ross comes in speaking to a girl initially and then changes his focus to the streets while still talking about the distant past, the moments at the start of his career leading up his fame.

10. Scientology - He uses Scientology as a comparison to the music game and shows us the similarities (being locked in to an ideology and having to be part of the "in-crowd"). At the end of the verse he tells us he needs some weed to calm himself and I'm sure we can all relate to that. From a songwriting standpoint, the lyrics are well written and interesting. This song is much deeper and personal than most of other selections on the album. Another good record from Ross but not something I would play in consistent rotation.

11. Lamborghini Doors Ft. Meek Mill & Anthony Hamilton - Ross claims he distanced himself from Meek Mill after trying to tell him not to trust Nicki and not getting a good reaction from it. But they're still homies so its obvious that Meek would be featured on the album. Ross's verse is slow and predictable. Meek comes in with his hunger that we're used to. His bars and flow is alright but I'm not with it really. The hook isn't good either. I think it could have been sung much better by Anthony Hamilton. It might grow on me though, we'll see. Ross again with similar bars. It's alright but I'm not loving this one either.

12. Triple Platinum Ft. Scrilla - Now he's gloating about living like he's gone triple platinum and I like it a lot. This has some old school flavor to it. This might be one of the best ones. The beat is pretty cool and I dig what Ross is saying here. I'm pretty sure the line "More money than them niggas that went triple platinum" is a Drake reference. I'm not sure how accurate that one is though. According to Forbes, Drizzy has more money. Scrilla comes in with some dope bars too and I see why he was featured. I fuck with it. I'm gonna add it to my playlist.

13. Maybach Music Ft. DeJ Loaf - A couple UK girls comment on the Maybach Music tag and then the beat comes in. Dej Loaf comes in first talking about a thug that she fell in love with. It's a strong verse. The hook is decent. It's got some soul to it. I could roll something up to this. Ross hasn't even made an appearance yet. Oh, never mind there he is. It's a love song for the ladies. The second is stronger. I like the first part the best. It's not a bad song overall. I'm not really very engaged though because I guess I'm not the right audience. There are some cool, addictive parts to it. For example, "Used to ride Chevy's only now we in the Maybachs".

14. Summer Seventeen Feat. Yo Gotti - Another Drake reference in the song title (he released a song called Summer Sixteen last summer). This is a heavy trap song with some hard snares and frantic hi hats. "I want all my niggas rich by summer seventeen" he claims. I could see people fucking with this one. Again, I won't be playing this myself. I'm not a Ross hater but I don't like when he does the same song over and over again. I like when musicality and originality is at the forefront and that only happens a few times on the album. Definitely not on this one though.
 

"Drogas Light" by Lupe Fiasco

Stream "Drogas Light" on Spotify.

March 14, 2017, Toronto, ON -- "Drogas Light" by Lupe Fiasco is the 6th studio album that was released on February 10th, 2017. Overall, the album has pretty diverse song selections and styles. It is a prequel to his upcoming project titled "Drogas" and is a comprised of a few new songs and several older songs from the vault. No record sounds like another and the Chicago native meshes several different genres that are blended together seamlessly to provide a nice, concise project despite it basically being a mixtape.  This is exactly what hip hop needed right now - something to bring all of our musical preferences together into one. It's a great warm-up to his next project. The genres that I hear influencing the albums sound are Hip Hop, Rap, RnB, German Rock (Neue Deutsche Welle) and American Pop. In some songs, its only one genre that prevails but there are other records that blend 2 or more together which gives the album some nice diversity. The mockery song "Promise" is a fun take on the mumble, repetitive style that has prevailed in rap in the past couple of years (think Young Thug, Future, etc.). We would definitely recommend checking out this album, the lead up to his full-length of similar title "Drogas".

Standout Tracks: "NGL", "Pick Up the Phone", "It's Not Design". Honourable Mention: "Promise".

TRACK-BY-TRACK REVIEW:

1. Dopamine (Intro) - Really tight flow right off the bat. Lupe's definitely coming hard. The trap-style beat is pretty dope. The intro flow is pretty funny. Now he's going in though. This is really dope. The verses ride out over the beat with an energetic, boastful cadence that catches the listeners ear and pulls them in right away. He switches flow several times through the track and showcases his lyrical prowess that has defined his career to-date. Very good start to the project.

2. NGL ft. Ty Dolla $ign - This one is fire. Some deep lyrics on display. Questioning rappers intentions in the game and some of societies recent evolutions, such as the legalization of weed. I had to spin this line back: "If they legalize that whole thang, they doin weed, next cocaine, nigga's ain't gon have no jobs and wallstreets gonna run the dope game". Ty Dolla $ign backs up the lyrics with some melodic punches that sounds really sick, it's a really nice blend - I think it was necessary to keep the song from getting lost in obscurity because for some reason the mass hip hop consumer isn't supporting hard lyrics these days (which is a shame).

3. Promise - Lupe continues the critique of society in this one but its so much more catchy because of the repetition and the triplet-style flow. Is he mocking Future? I can't tell if he's making fun of the style just yet but I can almost guarantee he is. Well, there it is! He just admitted that's what he's doing for anyone who wasn't sure. It's early man, give me a break. The song is hilarious but its actually really dope. It's a mockery of modern day rap tracks that are breaking through these days. The second verse he throws some more knives and lets us know that he can flow better than these weak rappers out today...and without even trying. It's a chin check to young rappers - don't come in here with that weak shit because there's rapper that will tear you up without trying...and with your own flow. The beat is really dope too, I can't forget to mention that.

4. Made In the USA - This starts sounding similar to Schoolboy Q's fast, energetic, choppy style. He's definitely going in. The beats pretty crazy and a nice fresh sound. I don't mind this record although it's not hitting me right now. It's a turn up joint for sure. While I'm lying stoned in bed it's certainly waking me up but that's not something I'm looking for right now! I have a few other albums to go through still. I'm going to skip ahead and will come back to it later to see if I would add it to my playlist.

5. Jump ft. Gizzle - Another fast flow. No flow has been the same yet from record to record. I would say that's good from an artistic perspective but may not lend well to selling to consumers. I don't think Lupe cares anyways. I'm not feeling this one. It's a story-telling record but I'm not engaged. I don't really like the beat that much, its really repetitive and not melodic enough. Just a flipped sampled, and not the best one at that. Gizzle has a decent verse in it. I don't know anything about him but I'm assuming he's an up-and-comer.

6. City of The Year ft. Rondo - I like the start. It's catchy and Rondo's got a cool hook. It's a pretty dope spacy beat that starts to evolve over time. I fuck with this one. Lupe kills the verses and provides a really fresh sounding song. The album so far has been engaging for sure with a lot of versatility and diversity from song to song.

7. High (Interlude) ft. Simon Sayz - Starts off with a transposed high-pitched voice who hits us with some catchy bars as the beat builds towards the bass drop. The vocals are chopped up and sketchy then Lupe comes in as the beat changes. Get it wet like 'Training Day'. Ha ha dope. I fuck with this one hard. It's perfect for right now. I think this is one of those records that speaks to his versatility as an artist. It's addictive and switches up on a regular basis. Very fresh. The production is impressive. I think Lupe purposely called this an interlude but knew full well it was way more than that - sort of a way to hide a dope track (how many people skip over interludes these days?). The answer is lots.

8. Tranquillo ft. Rick Ross & Big K.R.I.T - I fuck with this positive shit. Lupe sets the tone by telling us how rich he is, and not money rich but emotionally rich. A refreshing theme in rap. The melodic hook is fresh and fun too - "Tranquillo by the Kilo". Rick Ross was a sick transition and has much needed verse on this one (that he kills btw). K.R.I.T goes in with that southern flow that I've missed in mainstream rap these days. Another sick verse. Reminds me of Three 6 Mafia in a certain way while still maintaining his uniqueness as an artist. Great collaboration between 3 of rap heavyweights.

9. Kill ft. Ty Dolla $ign & Victoria Monet - I'm wondering what the conversation was like to release this album. So far, I haven't heard any heavy singles yet and am questioning if its more like a mixtape than an album. In it's defence, there is still lots of album to go and I've already heard some pretty sick content. I just don't know if it's competitive enough of an effort (so far). I'm not feeling this record to this point. It's got a lot of emotion and melody which I normally love but it's just a bit boring and nothing new. I have a feeling I will like this record a lot more if I play it a few times and get familiar with it. It's getting more catchy now and I'm starting to vibe with it more at around 2.5 minutes. I like the Lupe verse at the 3 minute mark. The catchiest part is "I want you to stay, I need you to stay" by Ty $. Victoria Monet comes in and she's really dope. I love her part. She's got such a sexy voice and she's dripping in swag. Her lyrics are nothing short of greatness. Excited to hear more from her. I'd love to do a song with her. The end is fucking sick too with a banging live band.

10. Law ft. Simon Sayz - It's a trippy, auto-tuned hook. I'm not loving it but it's not terrible. Lupe comes in. Sounds like he's talking to a girl here. I like the flow although I'm not completely engaged in this one. Something's not pulling me in. As the hook get's more familiar it's a nice break from the rap. Couple decent verses from Lupe but nothing revolutionary. I was about to hit next but I'll let it ride out and listen to this last verse which is better than the others by a margin. I think this record is for late night drives and I would like it more in the whip.

11. Pick Up The Phone - Sick beat coming in. This is an inspirational start. I really like this flow from Lupe, its nice, clear and slow enough for everyone to flow with. The hook is dope. This is what rap needs. The infusion of different styles together. Surprisingly no feature credit is given - it makes me think its a sample rather than a feature. This is my favourite song on the album by a hundred miles. I'm gonna have to put this one aside and come back to it. It's progressive and very catchy. It reminds me of the indie music from the late 90's and has touches of 99 "Luftballons by Nena" with obvious differences in lyrical content (it's not an anti-war protest song but the melodic similarities are there). This is going to be a big record if they move forward with promoting this as a single. I would HIGHLY recommend that.

12. It's Not Design ft. Salim - I'm hearing Daft Punk influences at the start there! Woah!! Lupe Fiasco! Congratulations sir. This song is fucking amazing too. Crazy flow. Crazy bars. Crazy hook with lots of feels. I can feel the energy and love in this one. It's got some pop feel to it too. I didn't know what to think of the Starship verse at the start but it's actually so sick. This record is dynamite. Again, got to be one of the singles.

13. Wild Child ft. Jake Torrey - This ones cool too. Positive vibes again. The features on this album have been so surprising - this one included. Lupe seems to understand where hip hop is going and how much global exposure is possible if the message and delivery is correct. Jake Torrey does a great job on this one. The acoustic guitar blends both genres together well. He's got a nice voice to compliment the other songs elements. It's almost as if its two different songs blended together - a rock/pop jam with hip hop/rap. Clap! Clap! Clap! Great job Lupe.

14. More Than My Heart ft. RXMN & Salim - Lupe coming hard off the jump. Probably a good record to end the album with. It's a slower, melodic joint that showcases Lupe's raps and sort of frames the project. It's certainly not a single but it has emotion and is a nice positive ending to a pretty solid project overall.

"Awaken My Love" by Childish Gambino

December 24, 2016, Toronto, ON --- Childish Gambino experiments with many different song styles and genres throughout the new "Awaken My Love" album released on December 2nd, 2016. Its an interesting change of gears from his previous work that I'm familiar with. I thought the album was pretty dope overall and would recommend it to people who are open to hearing something fresh and unique.

I don't claim to be a Childish Gambino historian and although I have heard his previous work, was pretty surprised at the sonic direction of this project. Then again, Childish has a reputation for re-invention, so it's probably not a huge surprise. I suppose it's necessary survival tactics in the modern music environment. After a full listen through, the songs "Redbone" & "Zombies" stood out the most for me. The albums concept is heavily live-band oriented with several genres as influences (primarily rock, jazz and blues). It's filled with distorted electric guitars, bells, whistles, flutes and jazz wind instruments. There is absolutely no rap on it whatsoever, so be warned.

Some people listen as they read along and some read it before/after they have listened themselves to either decide on whether or not to buy it, or to see if their opinion matches ours. It's all up to you. It's a great way to talk music with people who love it as much as we do so make sure to leave your comments or mention us on socials (@VinylandGold).

1. Me and Your Momma - Such a sick beat right out the gate. Those choir vocals are entrancing. WOAH! What the hell happened? What is this?! Now Childish is yelling on some rock and roll tip, I'm really confused. There's some cool parts to it, but definitely not what I expected at all. I have a deep urge to hit 'next' right now on VLC. This rock screaming isn't cool right now, I hate screamo. Okay, now it's calm again...it's all slowing down (thank god). *Stretches and YAWNS! Can I hit next yet? Artist's and their experiments! Is this how the whole album is going to be?

2. Have Some Love - Good message for the kids in the title. Yep, some weird shit again from Childish. I'm not sure what to think of this. He's doing some weird, groovy flow in a new voice. The hook is catchy and reminds me of 80's afro-pop in some respects. Do I hear a pimp in the background there? Can't really tell because it was so quick. The full band feel of this record (without knowing anything about its production) is neat and very old school-esque.

3. Boogieman - Okay, again with the band. I kind of hear some Son Ra influences here in terms of the content. I can't really explain what's going on or where Childish fits into this whole band - it's hard to hear where he even is. This is definitely not what I'm used to from him. From a production perspective, its actually pretty cool. The guitars are dope - smooth at times and choppy in others. The live drums are a nice change from current popular music. This has an old movie soundtrack feel to it, I wonder what his artistic direction is at this point. Where is it all going?

4. Zombies - Childish is singing over distorted electric guitar and a nice, smooth drum line. It's pretty dope so far. Creepy and chilled out at the same time. All of these records are made for TV and would be well served with visuals - perhaps on purpose! I actually really like this record. My favourite so far. It's going to be a great record for Halloween from now on! I could see this being picked up by zombie lovers everywhere. He's got some female vocalist assistance in some parts which is dope. It feels like its getting a little long now though at around 3:45. It finally ended at 4:41.

5. Riot - Okay, so at this point I've realized the whole album is going to be band driven and experimental. Will it have ANY rap on it? I was really hoping to hear some Gambino bars. This song is annoying. I'm not feeling the screams and high pitched fuckery. Turn this off. Please.

6. Redbone - Trap kicks? Really? Nope. Nevermind. It turned into some smooth drums. Now Childish (with his heavily distorted voice) is singing for us...but it's really dope actually! This is addictive. His voice is transposed higher so he sounds kind of tonally like Michael Jackson or Prince, its mainly from the vocal distortion done in the mix but he's also singing in a nasally, higher octave. I like this one ALOT. I could see people of all ages liking this one. Now a pop synth is kicking in and its hard too.

7. California - Some island vibes to this one. What has Childish been doing with his life?! I'm being facetious. But seriously, what the hell is this? This is too hard to describe. Childish is singing in some weird voice over some reggae-style keys, bells and percussion. Is that a bone flute at the end? I have no words for this!

8. Terrified - Terrified is right. I'm actually frightened to finish this album because I have no clue what to take away from it. Childish has a great singing voice and vocal melodies. When the drums fully kick in, he is going at full force and singing deep from within his soul. It's positive, soulful and fun. The beat is really dope, especially the instrumental part after the bridge. Guitars and drums are well mixed and give a sort of 80's rock feel. That high pitched singing came from out of nowhere there. Transposed Childish? or a female feature? Hard to tell. I'm leaning towards a female or young male contributor. Good song.

9. Baby Boy - Another jam! Again with the guitars and drums. Very good for live performance opportunities. Another voice/character from Childish. His voice sounds a lot like Macy Gray. Pretty simplistic in nature compared to the other records, but its another cool one. I probably wouldn't play it a thousand times, but I wouldn't turn it off if I was driving or doing something that required relaxation. It has a certain time and place to be heard- and it's probably not when you're working out or doing something high energy. Finally, at over 5 minutes we hear Gambino's real voice and have a chance to compare the rest of the albums vocals to it - much different.

10. The Night Me and Your Momma Met - From the start, its mostly heavily distorted electric guitar over an acoustic rhythm guitar. It's basically an instrumental song so far. Will this be the whole thing? Knowing Donald, its probably not. Okay, never mind, it was! Not much to see here. Moving on.

11. Stand Tall - This is a panty dropper. Straight up. Girls will dig the start for sure. Okay, now its no so exciting. Seems very personal to Childish. It's a very poetic effort with little background instrumentation (save for a soft, bubbly guitar). Some help from a choir really adds to this records strength or impact. A jazz flute bridge slows us down and builds anticipation as Donald's heavily autotuned vocals cut through. The song seems to stop abruptly, then start again with the choir or sample. Another big switch up. Now we're in video game land. Okay, were back to the choir! What an interesting arrangement. I've heard several switch ups that don't really have any similarities. But somehow the choir keeps bringing it back. This is a long song, we're going on 6 minutes now. It sounds like Glover is about to start going in again, and then he's abruptly cut off and the album ends. That's it.