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Album of the Year #24: Nav and Metro Boomin - Perfect Timing - HipHop

Album of the Year #24: Nav and Metro Boomin - Perfect Timing - HipHop

Album of the Year #24: Nav and Metro Boomin - Perfect Timing

Posted: 24 Dec 2017 07:07 AM PST

Artists: Nav and Metro Boomin

Album: Perfect Timing

Label: Boominati Worldwide/XO Records/Republic Records

Release Date: July 21, 2017

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Background

A Kylie Jenner snapchat. A Meek Mill diss track. An OVO Sound Radio placement. A fake Post Malone song. An eighth in a liter. Regardless of how you found out about the self-proclaimed "first brown boy to get it poppin'", odds are you know about him now. As one of the industry's most enigmatic characters, from a distance it seems as if Nav blew up overnight; however, with a more careful examination, Nav's success is a culmination of consistently putting out quality work on Soundcloud until he was noticed by XO label-head Amir "Cash" Esmailian. With the release of songs like "Take Me Simple", "The Man" and "TTD", Nav grew in popularity and started to build a fan base. Deemed an offspring of the "Toronto OVO Sound" wave, Nav is heavily influenced by Toronto superstars Drake and label mate The Weeknd. With curiosity mounting about the new XO signee, fans demanded a full-length project from Nav. He responded by releasing his self-titled debut album, an eleven-track project filled with previously released singles and lackluster production. The project was not well-received, with many people voicing adamant disapproval of Nav's usage of the n-word throughout the album. Following this release, the promotion and hype for Perfect Timing began to start almost instantaneously.

Perfect Timing is not only about Nav though. Joining him on the project is superstar producer Metro Boomin, one of the rap games most coveted beat makers. With an extensive catalogue of hits, working with the likes of Kanye West, Future, Travis Scott, Drake and countless others, this was not Metro's first full-length collaborative effort with a single artist. In March of 2014, Metro Boomin and Young Thug announced a collaborative project titled Metro Thuggin, which unfortunately was never released. 2 and a half years later, Metro released a collaborative project with one of rap's budding stars at the time, 21 Savage. Savage Mode, along with a XXL Freshmen placement, helped launch 21 into the mainstream, propelling him into to one of the industry's biggest names today. Going into Perfect Timing, many wondered whether we would see the same results with Nav.

Review

It is no secret how people viewed this project. From a critical perspective, the album received extremely poor reviews, with writers criticizing Nav's lack of depth, repetitiveness, and robotic sounding voice. On hip-hop forums, users simply view Nav as a meme. While it seems that at the surface level, Nav's work seems pointless, I think his music deserves a deeper analysis. In the beginning, I was attracted to this album because of the sound and production. Much to people's dismay, from a strictly musical perspective, I enjoyed listening to this project. I thought the production was extremely fitting for Nav's delivery and almost all the features worked well. Repetitiveness is something that does not stymie my enjoyment for a project, in fact I found different parts of his songs consistently getting stuck in my head. As a result, I revisited this collabtape several times in the first few days of its release, mainly focusing on the 70% of songs on there that I enjoyed.

A few days after the July 21st release, in some random girl's bed who I had gotten with the night before, I stumbled across Nav's first ever interview on Twitter. In the discussion with Complex, he talks about his upbringing, his rise to fame and his decision to not use the n-word in Perfect Timing. One quote in particular really stood out to me though. In the interview, there is a paragraph that states:

"I was more hard-headed, I guess," Nav says, assessing his personality from before the Drake co-sign and deal with XO. "I was more, like, wild; I wanted to go out. I really wanted attention. I really liked attention. But now that I got all the attention I find myself just, like, chilling by myself or going to lowkey places." He readjusts his watch. "Before, I would walk outside with my XO jacket on and just pray that someone would notice me. But they wouldn't even look at me." The photographer starts to disassemble his equipment, satisfied. "Literally, last year, no one would look at me twice."

This quote screams insecurity and if you really think about it, is pretty saddening. Someone so desperately wanting to be noticed and simply not receiving the recognition. We've all been there though – watching your incompetent co-worker get a promotion over you, seeing the girl you like with some obnoxious guy, being signed to a major label and no one knowing – the list goes on and on. As someone who was previously so closed-off and had no published interviews (excluding whatever this is lol), getting insight into Nav's thoughts and behavior really helped elucidate the true meaning behind his work.

In two of his most candid songs of the project, Held Me Down and Call Me, Nav talks about the struggles of how fame makes it difficult to discern the difference between whether girls like him for just his money or for his personality. He struggles with issues of trust and wonders whether things would be better off if he still was in Rexdale living modestly. I think Perfect Timing is such an interesting project because it displays the duality of fame so well. On certain songs, Nav seems at the top of the world, making repeated braggadocious claims of being able to take your girl, wearing the newest designer clothing and doing countless drugs recreationally. But his boasting feels empty. Rappers for decades have been known to brag about the cars, money and clothes they have in order to demonstrate their wealth and success to others. When you hear an artist like Cam'ron or Fabolous deliver a line about being the best or getting money, it exudes confidence. Their cadence, flow and delivery help bring credibility to the claims that they're making. On the contrary, with Nav, it almost feels as if he's saying stuff just to impress people. His subject matter and delivery makes you take a step back sometimes and wonder, "Did this guy really just brag about spending $200 on his nails?" It seems as if Nav constantly talks about his material possessions as a way to confirm to himself that he has made the right choice to pursue rap and is happy. In addition, it also serves as a cry for attention. Insecure people are known to boast in front of others for acknowledgement. Even though it's the subject matter of most jokes about him, the sheer frequency in which Nav mentions how well he is doing is almost alarming. It seems that Nav uses his songs as a defense mechanism to create this alternative reality in which he really is a rapper who is happy with where he's at and what he's doing. But, as we've seen with countless other artists, fame sometimes only makes you lonelier.

The frustrating part for me about this project is that I truly believe that Nav has a lot of potential. Yes, you read that correctly, I legitimately believe that. We do not know anything about this guy. We have a very surface-level understanding of one of, I think, rap's most complex characters. What if Nav started releasing songs discussing his true reality, not this glorified story he fabricates through social media and his lyrics? I think Nav has a really interesting story to tell, but is afraid to discuss it because he thinks he will receive backlash from deviating from the traditional subjects of rap music. If you asked someone who knows nothing about hip-hop to describe the genre, odds are they would be unintentionally describing Nav's music. From just reading his lyrics, it almost seems as if he is a parody of what a rapper says, so much so that you can create a Nav song in a few minutes. I dug up what I believe to be Nav's earliest released song. It's a feature on Harvey Stripes' song "Jokers". Even at this point in time, when we definitively know Nav is not successful, he claims he's living like a king and that you better hide your girl because he'll take her from you. This proves that Nav has always rapped about living an ostentatious lifestyle, regardless of his actual reality.

But why? I think all of this ultimately boils down to wanting acceptance in a community that he views himself as an outsider to. Insecurity is quelled by acceptance. Nav talks about all of these common-place rap hobbies and behaviors in his music because, in my opinion, he wants to fit in. If the guy so desperately wants you to know he's a rapper in XO, don't you think he wants you to have a cool impression of him once you finally figure out who he is? The thing is though, I don't think Nav should feel pressure to conform because nowadays, there is no prototypical "rapper." Who is the stereotypical rapper right now? Is it the 17-year old kid from South Florida whose song in which he says the phrase 'Gucci Gang" 53 times is a top 10 hit? Is it the 5'4" artist from Philadelphia whose biggest musical influence is Marilyn Manson? Is it whatever tf this is? My point is that, overall, the hip-hop community is accepting. Nav, an overweight Punjabi from Canada, should not feel like an outsider because nowadays, anyone can be a star! I think that truly is the beauty of rap music – that most of the time it's so open-minded and changes styles so frequently. People hated on Kanye when he wore the pink polo, now look at them. I think Nav has a really incredible opportunity to help eradicate the stigma of openly addressing problems like loneliness, the need for acceptance and other mental issues people might be dealing with. Whether he chooses to address those problems is completely up to him, but I think from a musical standpoint that subject matter would fit his spacey and ethereal production better than saying he's rich now so he doesn't need abs. In a genre where one of the biggest players made fun of another artist's mental health issues, I can see why the task can be daunting. But hey, maybe Nav will eventually find his true voice.

Favorite Lyrics

Me and Metro don't need help

Mail a pint to myself

Flew a pornstar to ATL

Louis Goyard belt

5 star hotels

Buy everything on the rack (cash)

Buy everything on the shelf (cash)

I make you mad, I can tell

  • "Perfect Timing (Intro)"

Yeah, I'ma put the money up for broski's bail, yeah

I just spent $200 on my nails, yeah

  • "I Don't Care"

My shooter gave me a promise, said he won't miss.

I'm rich, I'm just being honest, look at my wrist

  • "Hit"

I get the bag it's automatic, she on the Addy'

I got some cash inside the mattress, I got more in the attic

I'm high fashion like I imagined, look at my status

Look at the mathematics, look at the baddies

  • Offset on "Minute"

Is he really from the Rex?

Is he really from the trap?

Is he really living all the things that he says in his tracks

I just saw Nav, in the no smoking zone rolling up dank

I just saw Nav and Bucks in the Ghost pouring up drank

  • "Did You See Nav?"

Discussion Points

  • Are you a fan of rapper-producer collaboration projects? Who should Metro Boomin work with next on a full-length?

  • Do you think Nav has staying power?

  • How much do you pay for your sneakers?

  • Why are people so quick to dismiss Nav?

  • What are your thoughts on rappers addressing deep, personal issues on projects?

While I don't think displaying the duality of fame was Nav's intention whatsoever with this project, I suggest you revisit it with this piece in mind. Take a look for yourself at what message you think Nav is trying to convey through his work. Who knows, maybe I am completely reaching here and this guy just loves Off White and drinking lean. I know this is not how these reviews conventionally go, but I figured I would use this platform to discuss what I felt was important about this album. Sure, I could have sat here and went song by song, talking about the album in a more straightforward manner, but how much discussion does "Codeine when I piss, got pills in my sh*t" really warrant?

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A discussion of hip hop's forgotten hits

Posted: 24 Dec 2017 11:48 AM PST

There are a lot of great artists out there who have amazing catalogues of work, yet the rest of their music gets overlooked because their smash single overshadows everything else. I have managed to find some tracks that prominent hip hop acts released to a muted reception, despite their undeniable excellence. Join me in a journey through the history of hip hop's forgotten hits.

Let's start off with Craig Mack. Known best for Flava In Ya Ear (and its legendary posse-cut remix), Craig has another song out there that is arguably even better. At least lyrically, anyway. Frustrated with the state of the hip hop industry, the Bad Boy rapper put out When God Comes, a scathing attack on the community that he felt had lost touch with its largely positive and Afrocentric roots. The opening bars set the scene for a four-minute assault on his colleagues, unleashing a critical sentiment that he maintains for the full length of the song.

"What da fuck's going on inside the biz?/Shit ain't raw no more/Fake is how it is/I hear brothers talking 'bout shooting and killing/Then going home and chilling/Frontin' like a villain"

This fragment of When God Comes' authoritative lyrics feels like it could have been the inspiration behind Andre 3000's verse on Return Of The "G"1, released four years later.

Although evidence of their mutual animosity has largely been lost to the sands of time, there is some basis for the rumour that Craig Mack and Biggie really didn't get along.2 Diddy managed to make a lot happen within the Bad Boy empire, but getting the two to stop publicly sending shots at each other was beyond even Brother Love's precocious influence.

Within the chaotic clutter that is my mother's house before Sunday dinner, you'll find her darting in and out of the kitchen. If you're lucky, you'll also catch a glimpse of her unashamedly singing along to the sounds of the 80s. One lazy Sunday, I heard her playing Try Love Again by The Natural Four, and couldn't believe my ears. That song, when sampled by Pete Rock in his inimitable style, and laced with CL Smooth's lyrical mastery, was reinvented to become It's A Love Thing.3 And, well, an excuse to listen to the hip hop version together.

I've always been inextricably linked to brass instruments; the first instrument I took formal lessons with was the trumpet. My younger brother followed my footsteps, and so did my little sister after that. It's rare that I agree with my parents about anything hip hop related, but They Reminisce Over You is one of the only exceptions - a saxophone-driven, commercially viable song that managed get the three of us moving on the dancefloor.4 Not only did TROY give me a track that I can enjoy with my family, it also gave us a bonding experience that I'll never forget.

"The question is can you top that homie/You can probably pull something close but stop that homie/Not even, could have that even if I stopped breathin'"

Even though he's likely talking about the John and Jane Does this verse is written for, it's hard to overlook how accurate those lines are when redressed to be a reference to CL Smooth's reign on the mic.

Did you know that Pete Rock is Heavy D's cousin?5 There must be something in the water.

If you've been to alive in the past twenty years, you've undoubtedly heard groups, from all backgrounds, singing along to Regulate by Nate Dogg & Warren G. This wasn't just a nice song, this was an era-defining record6 that found its way to every radio in the land, leaving a generation pining for a return to the golden years of g-funk. Not content with their success, the pairing kept pushing envelope with Nobody Does It Better - an overlooked triumph in their quest to build on the unique chemistry that made them famous.

"No one can do it better like this two man crew/They say we're one hitter quitters/Now what y'all gonna do?"

You're damned right, Warren.

You may have noticed how squeaky clean Regulate's lyrics are, especially when compared to the rest of the subgenre. That's not an accident; the version we know and love is actually not the original. Initially, it was conceived to be a lot more explicit. When it started creating a buzz, Chris Lighty asked them to go back and clean it up to ensure that it wouldn't spend half of the running time censored by radio DJs, stunting its projected commercial success. 7

This list wouldn't be complete without Smoothe Da Hustler. Since not everyone is familiar with the name, it's worth mentioning that his debut album stormed to the cusp of Billboard's coveted hip hop album top ten, peaking in the 11th place slot.8 The most successful track from his album Once Upon a Time in America, and his career in totality, was Broken Language with Trigga the Gambler. If you haven't listened to that yet, it's a great primer that will put his best work into context.

Make Or Take is my go-to song when someone asks for something good that they haven't heard before. Something fresh, yet old enough to not fit the status quo. While conceding that it's actually a Nine song with Smoothe Da Hustler rapping the hook, Make Or Take made the final cut by virtue of possibly being 1996's best underground song. Even the people getting ready to downvote this post after that last sentence are guaranteed to love this song. Before long, you'll have watched the video enough times in a row to able synchronise your blinking with the people on screen.

"There's six million ways to die but only one to live/I need enough money to spend enough money to give/Cause I love my peeps and my peeps love me/And I refuse to see them living in poverty"

What a beautiful expression of hood love.

Smoothe has rubbed shoulders with a lot of New York's hip hop royalty (Busta Rhymes, Onyx, and Public Enemy to name a few),9 but it's interesting to know that he got his start by opening for Biggie on the Ready To Die tour.10 This was before he'd even dropped his debut album and its hit single. Not a bad cosign.

As a child, there came a moment where I was overwhelmed by the urge to seek out black, British artists. I was yearning for proof that people from my background could fit into rap's burgeoning bourgeoisie. A colourful man by the name of Mark Morrison was enough to sate my young mind. Following in the path of Slick Rick the ruler, Mark is as flamboyant as he is talented. He rocked a fresh cut, flashy jewellery, and an unshakeably badass attitude to match. Return Of The Mack constantly finds itself near the very top of my perpetually shifting favourites list. One of those reliable songs that saves me whenever the aux cord falls into my lap.

While reflecting on his run-ins with law enforcement, the German-born singer recruited DMX to join him in speaking on the perceived injustices they were rising up against. Whether track title was accurate or not is a discussion for another time, but the trouble artists teamed up on Mark's sophomoric outing to make the case that they were each an Innocent Man persecuted by society. Although it's a Mark Morrison song, including a snippet of an embittered DMX's poignant performance should, hopefully, give more context to the duo's struggles.

"Did my time in a county jail/Just when things started going well/And I paid the price for the crimes I did/Wanna change my life/Wanna raise my kids"

"You say I'm rehabilitated, but I still can't vote/You say I paid my debt but I still can't vote/Gotta pay taxes but I still can't vote/Come on dawg y'all stay trying to keep a nigga broke"

Eleven years on, their dissatisfaction with America's legal system, and the way felons are routinely stripped of their basic human rights, is still a contentious point of discussion.11 12 13

Although his other charges were endlessly debated in the court of public opinion, Mark Morrison was conclusively found guilty of employing a body double to complete his court-ordered community service.14 Full points for creativity...

TL;DR: these underappreciated songs are really good. You won't regret checking them out, and they are probably bigger hits in a parallel universe.

Artist Signature Track Underrated Track
Craig Mack Flava In Ya Ear When God Comes
Nate Dogg & Warren G Regulate Nobody Does It Better
Smoothe Da Hustler Broken Language Make Or Take
Mark Morrison Return Of The Mack Innocent Man
Pete Rock & CL Smooth They Reminisce Over You It's A Love Thing
  1. Genius. OutKast – Return of the "G" Lyrics. https://genius.com/Outkast-return-of-the-g-lyrics#note-134976.
  2. YouTube. Did Biggie smalls and Craig mack had beef before he died? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJcR9M4lbEM.
  3. Rolling Stone. The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-50-greatest-hip-hop-songs-of-all-time-20121205/pete-rock-and-c-l-smooth-they-reminisce-over-you-t-r-o-y-19691231.
  4. WhoSampled. Pete Rock feat. C.L. Smooth and Denosh's 'It's a Love Thing' sample of The Natural Four's 'Try Love Again'. https://www.whosampled.com/sample/80330/Pete-Rock-C.L.-Smooth-Denosh-It%27s-a-Love-Thing-The-Natural-Four-Try-Love-Again/.
  5. Biography.com. Pete Rock Biography. https://www.biography.com/people/pete-rock-5112017.
  6. Billboard. 'Regulate' At 20: Warren G & Michael McDonald Discuss the G-Funk Jam. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6070114/regulate-at-20-warren-g-michael-mcdonald-discuss-the-g-funk-jam.
  7. Rolling Stone. Warren G and Nate Dogg's 'Regulate': The Oral History of a Hip-Hop Classic. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/warren-g-and-nate-doggs-regulate-the-oral-history-of-a-hip-hop-classic-20141219
  8. Billboard. Smoothe Da Hustler Once Upon A Time In America Chart History. https://www.billboard.com/music/smoothe-da-hustler/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-albums/song/176271.
  9. Ambrosia For Heads. Smoothe Da Hustler & Trigger Had An Unbreakable Lyrical Bond In Broken Language (Video). http://ambrosiaforheads.com/2016/04/smoothe-da-hustler-trigger-had-an-unbreakable-lyrical-bond-in-broken-language-video/.
  10. Wazzup Tonight. Smoothe Da Hustler | Legend Who's Worked Alongside THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G., ICE-T, KRS-ONE, PUBLIC ENEMY And More | Makes A Comeback. http://wazzuptonight.com/smoothe-da-hustler-comeback/
  11. NAACP. Criminal Justice Fact Sheet. http://www.naacp.org/criminal-justice-fact-sheet/.
  12. Washington Post. Give felons and prisoners the right to vote. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/let-felons-and-prisoners-vote/2016/07/26/f2da2d64-4947-11e6-acbc-4d4870a079da_story.html?utm_term=.d9ddf788ece6.
  13. Human Rights Watch. Bail and Pretrial Detention of Low Income Nonfelony Defendants in New York City. https://www.hrw.org/report/2010/12/02/price-freedom/bail-and-pretrial-detention-low-income-nonfelony-defendants-new-york.
  14. NME. GRIM MORRISON: THE MACK IN TROUBLE AGAIN. http://www.nme.com/news/music/mark-morrison-10-1392631.

Edit: fixed inline citations. Thanks, /u/i_hate_shitposting

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http://www.kanyetothe.com/forum/index.php?topic=7319418.0

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submitted by /u/days-b4-rodeo
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at

Album of the Year #23: Smino - blkswn - HipHop

Album of the Year #23: Smino - blkswn - HipHop

Album of the Year #23: Smino - blkswn

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 07:34 AM PST

ARTIST: SMINO

PROJECT: blkswn

LISTEN

SPOTIFY

SOUNDCLOUD

APPLE MUSIC

BACKGROUND

Christopher Smith Jr., from St. Louis, Missouri, first made his way into the local music scene in 2012 under the name C. Smi, which he later changed to Smino in 2015 with the release of his debut EP, 'S!Ck S!Ck S!Ck'. This EP was produced exclusively by Monte Booker, a member of Smino's collective 'Zero Fatigue'. Only two months after its release, Smino then went on to put out a second EP, also produced by Monte Booker, titled blkjuptr. Blkjuptr was met with generally positive feedback, propelling Smino's musical career forwards and helping him find himself in the eyes of critics and bloggers.

After this second EP, it would be a little over a year before the world heard from Smino again, however, needless to say, it wasn't prepared in the least for what was to come.

REVIEW

Blkswn.

In this full length debut album, with 18 songs spread over an hour and three minutes, Smino puts on display a sonic spectacle as he effortlessly weaves through musical genres, fusing hip hop with elements of funk, soul, and RnB.

The project kicks off with what is probably its smoothest track. Entitled 'Wild Irish Roses', Monte Booker instantly sets a funky tone for the track with a bubbly synth accompanied by some hi hats. This tone is carried through the rest of the album as well and plays a huge role in binding the album together. Smino is quick to jump in with a catchy, yet calm flow which helps convey a relaxed atmosphere as he tells a story of himself inviting a girl to ride around town with him in search of 'Wild Irish Roses' (a brand of wine) - a thinly-veiled sexual proposition. All in all, 'Wild Irish Roses', perhaps my favourite track off the album, is a very strong opener that sets both the sonic and thematic tone for the rest of the project.

With the way they seamlessly blend into each other, the next two tracks 'Maraca' and 'Glass Flows' could easily have been passed off as one long song. Smino's versatility is blatantly apparent here as he surprises the listeners with a switch from an experimental intro verse to a very funky chorus on 'Glass Flows'. His verses have a playful vibe to them, as he isn't afraid to switch from singing lines to rapping lines to going into falsetto and then doing it over and over, all while somehow making the entire thing sound cohesive and well thought out. While the subject matter of the songs on the album revolves almost exclusively around Smino's relationships with women, he keeps the content fresh by addressing various aspects of the relationships, each with varying levels of seriousness. This can be seen as he switches from dabbling in playful lyrics with sexual connotations in 'Maraca' to highlighting the precarious nature of his relationship with a woman in 'Glass Flows'.

The song "Glass Flows" also marks the appearance of Ravyn Lenae, the first of six female features on blkswn. In this remarkably well executed track, her and Smino exchange bars, providing both Smino, and his female companion's perspective on their relationship.

The next track, Flea Flicka switches the vibe up to a funkier and happier tone. And while it plays its role in the progression of the album, I personally didn't welcome this departure from the atmosphere Smino had created thus far. This track didn't feel as if it was put together all that well, comprising only two verses - a guest feature from Bari, and a second verse from Smino - with no hook or bridge to seperate them. A filler track for me, however, that is to be expected in any full length album.

After 'Flea Flicka', the album really starts to take shape and define itself. Spitshine takes its place as the grooviest track on the album for me, with a simple yet catchy melody and Smino doing what he does best with his innovative vocal delivery

Netflix and Dusse takes its place as one of the more playful tracks on the album. As its name would suggest, it's about Smino trying to get acquainted with a girl. The lyrics on this track definitely stand out as Smino finds three different ways to describe that ass, two of them in the same verse.

1

That ass a creature

2

That ass on Sunset Hill, a beautiful view

3

That ass look like a fuckin' grapefruit

His creative way with words is also very much visible on this track with bars like

Pink Caddy, Pepto Bismol-bile

Suggesting that the colour of his caddy is similar to that of Pepto Bismol, going as far as to call it his Pepto Bismol-bile (like Batmobile).

Been on my brain, Miss Serotonin

In this line, he calls this track's girl his Miss Serotonin - Serotonin being a chemical which contributes to feelings of joy and happiness in the brain.

The next track on the album, Anita, is one of the album's defining/iconic tracks. Released as one of two singles prior to the album's release, Anita is a track involving Smino showing appreciation for all the women who've had an impact on him, using the name 'Anita' as a general name for all of them. He uses the verses on this track to talk about his city, St. Louis, his family, and his crew, tying it up at the end with a beautiful outro where he spells out the words to the sentence, "Anita, I need her" over and over.

Lobby Kall is a fun track and not much more than that. It lets the album breathe after Anita and doesn't say too much. With barely any Genius annotations to help me on this track, I'm quite lost as to what the verse was actually about. However, the track does end with a small skit which is presumably Smino turning up at his house drunk in the late of the night, with his girl who's inside refusing to open the door. This is a set up for the progression of the album as Smino addresses his problems with drinking and smoking.

Edgar Allan Poe'd Up starts with what sounds like Smino bragging about smoking, drinking, and having sex, however he is quick to admit that he's stuck in a cycle which has left him feeling mundane. Furthermore, he recounts his plans to break this cycle which unfortunately end up being ruined by a meddling shawty who sends him nudes, which then sent him spiralling back. He reverts to rapping about the girl's body and manages to find yet another way to describe a girl's head game before ending the verse. This track has a feature from TheMIND which I didn't find memorable at all, however it does add to the track as TheMIND talks about his struggles with expressing his emotions and instead choosing to get over them by drinking.

Father Son Holy Smoke was the first song I listened to on the album because I thought the name was cool, before going to the start of the album and listening to the whole thing over and over. As is tradition, Smino throws in a bar about getting head, this time getting over with it at the very start. He has wide array of flows for this song which he weaves together beautifully. What Edgar Allan Poe'd was to Smino's drinking, Father Son Holy Smoke is to Smino's smoking, however, the latter is far better executed in my opinion. Through the track, Smino speaks of how smoking weed helps cool his mind, yet still manages to acknowledge it as an addiction which he indulges in to avoid his problems.

On B Role, Smino goes off with a flow that you can't help but bob your head to. That being said though, this is a song which I don't feel belongs on the album, despite liking it outside the album's context quite a bit. The track starts off with an edgy crushed guitar riff which instantly deviates from the atmosphere that had been set up till now in too abrupt a fashion. With a better intro transition, it could have found its place, especially keeping in mind that the following track has a similar style of production too, alas imperfections are bound to be found on an 18 track project.

Blkoscars is another song on this project which I'm not fond of. It feels like the production is venturing into areas of experimental music which just leave you slightly confused after listening, or maybe it's just me. Anyways tho, Jay2 starts off the song with a feature verse and he seems to be rapping like he's trying to prove something. A good verse, yet once again, out of place for me. Smino comes in towards the second half to rescue the track with his funky singing. This is one of those songs which I only listen to when I'm going through the whole project - didn't even remember what it sounded like when I started writing this.

The title track's finally upon us at this point and it does amazingly well to bring the album back to its roots. The production's free of its edginess and has reverted back to its laidback style. Smino goes Boom Boom Boom Sminoshima (as in Hiroshima) just as the kick kicks in with the bass and everything feels fine again. The singing on this song is snappy. Another interesting aspect is that Smino's devoted the track to talking about his grind and shifted the focus from girls, drinking, and smoking. He also manages to throw in the line Smi-no, more like Smi-yeah, which is nice, I guess.

Long Run's got an intro which reminds of the one on Maraca. It sets a vibe and that vibe completely changes soon as the verse starts. Once again he's talking about a topic which although he has brought up, he hasn't devoted a lot of time to on a track. Smino reflects on his childhood, where he grew up, and his community. Via Rose features on the chorus and delivers her vocals beautifully - probably my favourite feature on the album alongside Ravyn Lenae.

I feel like Innamission is one of those songs you sleep on for a long time until it comes up on shuffle one day and suddenly you open your eyes. Smino starts off by shouting out his crew, followed by a verse, which is solid. And then a prechorus, which is kind of exciting. But then the chorus comes on and without doubt, it's the dopest thing you've heard in a good minute. I played that on the bus one time, and it was a bit disappointing when no one lit up when the chorus came on. I think it takes a couple of listens before it hits you. Or maybe it was just me.

Silk Pillows sounds like it's rehashing a couple of ideas we've already heard on the album. Akenya brings a decent verse to the song, but for the most part this song felt like something I'd already heard over the last 20 minutes of listening to the album. However, we do see Smino go back to making sexual references in the track after a severe drought over the course of the last three songs. He says "D go deeper than an 808, boom boom boom". He also says "You a vet? I'm a dog", which makes me wonder what Smino thinks a vet does, but good music's meant to raise questions so in its own way, this is getting the job done.

The production on Ricky Millions is very very nice. It's something about the chords which makes it stand out. Smino's got some catchy bars and Drea Smith captures the vibe of this track perfectly. The mixing on her vocals is done really well. All in all, I rate this track. It shows that Smino still has some tricks left up his sleeves, even towards the end of this 18 track long journey.

Amphetamine. What a way to close out an album. The track starts off with a somber tone, and Smino projects his emotions beautifully through his delivery. You can hear slight breaks in his voice in the chorus which really add to the effect. He talks about his struggles with addiction, and how he realises the negative impact it has on him. Yet, he's still optimistic that he'll be alright. If he makes it through the night, that is. Part 2 of this song is titled Krash Kourse, and could easily be its own song, however, it makes sense for it to be one long track, combine with Amphetamine, because you see Smino address everything he's been talking about over the album. We see a verse from Jean Deaux, a chorus from Bari, and finally a verse from Noname to close the album. Thankyou Jesus, whoever you are are the last words you hear. It's beautiful.

Favourite Lyrics

All the lyrics about getting/giving head

1

Woo, my bad, don't gag

Although it's cute that you choosin' me over breathin'

2

Shawty sucked me, I was 9

3

Head game crackin'

She a cluck with the fuck

4

She just wanna suck somethin'

Toppy, that's the topic of discussion

5

Shawty sling head like a Greek sword

6

My dick a cheat code, I stick for the joy

She sayin' it's sweet, callin' me chico

7

But if you real then I extract my grill

And I snack on that 'til that blood sugar build

8

That clean me up, I pick you up

I pick you, gimme that spitshine

9

Shawty she be comin off the top

Like some good writtens

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What do you think is next for Smino?

Do you think mainstream glory lies in Smino's future?

Who would you like to see Smino collab with?

What do you think the weak points of this album were?

Is Smino taking rap in a whole new direction?

Which head bar is your favourite?

How do you feel about the variety of lyrical content in this album?

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Ski Mask The Slump God accused of rape

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 02:44 PM PST

Lil Wayne ft. Cory Gunz - 6 Foot 7 Foot

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 06:46 PM PST

New Smino & Metro Boomin Project Coming March 14th

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 09:56 AM PST

I don't really know if theres something i can link to to prove this but yesterday Smino was on Hot 104.1 in St. Louis and he said he has a project coming with Metro Boomin for 314 day. (314 is St. Louis' area code and they're both from here)

submitted by /u/Musicmantobes
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[FRESH] Eminem - Walk On Water (Official Video) ft. Beyoncé

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 08:32 PM PST

Lil Uzi Vert and Metro Boomin are working on a collab project titled ‘Lil Uzi Vert vs. Metro Boomin’

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 02:54 AM PST

YouTube Will Stop Counting Looped Songs in Streaming Totals

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 09:17 AM PST

[FRESH] Ugly God x Jacin Trill - lettetznow (prod. 808milli)

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 03:10 PM PST

El-P and Killer Mike speak on the next RTJ album on Hannibal Buress’ Podcast 'The Handsome Rambler'

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 05:41 AM PST

My friend is an R&B singer from Toronto and recently, he released his best song yet. Would mean a lot if you had a listen! Foreign - Coco

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 02:59 PM PST

≈ https://soundcloud.com/foreignyyz/coco ≈

It's on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3NOEakU7bUe3NxuIPIbokm

As well as Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/coco/1318493827?i=1318494344

Thanks a lot, happy holidays, be blessed. I'll make sure to pass what y'all think on to him!

submitted by /u/wandreylust
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[FRESH] Travis Scott & Quavo - Where U From

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 10:19 PM PST

[FRESH]Snoop Dogg - Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto 2017 feat. Boyz II Men

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 10:52 AM PST

Lil Peep's Producer Smokesaac Confirms "Come Over When You're Sober II" Is Coming

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 08:26 PM PST

I'm honestly very curious to how this will turn out.

submitted by /u/bernieba11er
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[FRESH] Ski Mask The Slump God ft Swagge Rite & Humongous The God - DROP (Prod by. Sha Hustle)

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 08:25 AM PST

[DISCUSSION] EMINEM - REVIVAL 1 week later

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 12:49 PM PST

[FRESH] Trinidad James - Black Santa

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 06:52 AM PST

Mac Miller - Angels (prod. Clams Casino)

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 03:05 PM PST

Eminem - 3 a.m.

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 10:56 AM PST

DRAM performs "Silver Bells" with his mom on Jimmy Fallon

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 04:23 AM PST

B.o.B - Fuck The Money (feat. Asher Roth) [Prod. by Kanye West]

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 11:31 AM PST

Brockhampton, Boybands, Saturation, and the Internet

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 09:02 AM PST

Mac Dre - Not My Job

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 10:39 AM PST

Lil Uzi Vert Brings Out Meek Mill's Son To Perform Dreams & Nightmares

Posted: 22 Dec 2017 11:58 PM PST

[FRESH] Tay-K ft. SWAMP THUG x LIL GUN - i <3 MY CHOPPA (REMIX)

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 08:02 PM PST

Daily Discussion Thread 12/23/2017

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 06:22 AM PST

Welcome to the /r/hiphopheads daily discussion thread!

This thread is for:

  • objective questions with right/wrong answers (e.g. "Does anyone know what is happening with MIXTAPE?", "What is the sample in SONG?")
  • general hip-hop discussion
  • meta posts...e.g. ideas for the sub

Thread Guidelines

  • Do not create a separate self post for these types of discussions outside of this thread - if you do, your post will be removed.

  • Please be helpful and friendly.

  • If a question has been asked many times before, provide a link to a thread that contains the answer.

Other ways to interact

There are a number of other ways to interact with other members of HHH:

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Post Malone - Lil Peep Tribute At Rolling Loud (Too Young Live)

Posted: 23 Dec 2017 07:39 PM PST
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