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Album of the Year #35: Denzel Curry - TA13OO - HipHop

Album of the Year #35: Denzel Curry - TA13OO - HipHop

Album of the Year #35: Denzel Curry - TA13OO

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 10:00 AM PST

Artist: Denzel Curry

Album: TA13OO

Listen:

YouTube

Spotify

Appple Music

Background

Carol City, Florida's Denzel Curry started his musical career in 2011 at the age of 16, eventually being introduced to would-be-legendary Miami rapper/producer SpaceGhostPurrp through a mutual friend. (The mutual friend in question would, surprisingly enough, be Mike Dece, but we don't talk about him.) He put out a handful of mixtapes, earning an early co-sign from L.A.'s Odd Future, back when OF and Raider Klan were in their primes, which is to say before SGP went nuts and said "fuck everyone." After leaving Raider Klan, Curry dropped his first album Nostalgic 64 in 2013, which could easily be a modern classic if some of the production had aged a little better, and 2016's Imperial, which wasn't quite as experimental or versatile as its predecessor, but was still a very worthy follow-up.

Meanwhile, his biggest hit single, the relentless, psychedelic "Ultimate" off of his double EP 32 Zel/Planet Shrooms, became a fixture of Internet memes, and that seemed to be unfortunately where his legacy was headed. During this time, he also had the first verse in the legendary XXL Freshman 2016 Cypher, but audiences seemed to be much more focused on the new-wave SoundCloud rappers that showed up later in the video. Curry didn't quite fit the narrative of either the gatekeepers who hated all these new "MuMbLe rApPeRs" or the young hypebeasts who helped vote old-head hate figure Lil Yachty into the 10th Spot.

Since day one, Curry has occupied the same invaluable position in the rap landscape: a deft MC with endless energy, sharp lyricism, and a propensity towards adventurous, hard-hitting trap production to underscore his fireball performances. He stands in the exact crossroads between the skillful writing and delivery that old heads claim is missing in today's rap, and the innovation and raw energy that many younger fans love about today's trap music. Unfortunately, he has spent the vast majority of his career in the shadows, being a semi-regular fixture of "most underrated rapper" discussions, while the majority of even die-hard hip hop heads were barely familiar with him. But all of that is finally coming to an end, with his third album, released in July 2018, becoming a very regular talking point when discussing the best rap albums (or any albums, really) of 2018. Welcome to TA13OO.

Review

TA13OO stands alone in an era when music, especially rap, is so obsessed with keeping precise files on which subgenres are which. Denzel Curry viciously mocks the SoundCloud rappers that he helped pave the way for on "Percs," with a heavily distorted lo-fi beat and aggressive delivery that reminds the new wave rappers in question where they came from. When he says, "get it straight, I innovate, you ad-libs on an 808," it seems ironic because the song is laced with subtle ad-libs and a buzzing 808 bassline, but the implied subtext is that it was the innovations of at least a dozen underground trendsetters, including himself, that led to the very same young rappers he is taking aim at finding their style.

However, this is just one song; his overall attitude towards the new wave is demonstrated as much more accepting and even compassionate, but also cautionary: he gives us a not-so-friendly reminder that "ain't shit changed since Lil Peep died" on "The Blackest Balloon," but also interpolates many of SoundCloud rap's stylistic tics (beyond merely the production) throughout TA13OO, evident on songs from the breathless, braggadocious "Super Saiyan Superman" to the catchy, melodic hit single "Clout Cobain." This spells out what I believe is most important thing about TA13OO, beyond just its lyricism or production or even its unique structure: it is SoundCloud rap on a higher level.

Now that I have mentioned its "unique structure" in passing, I do think I should elaborate more on that, though. TA13OO is split into three acts: the Light, the Grey, and the Dark. They were released one day at a time from Wednesday through Friday of its release. I personally think this was a bad idea for an album rollout for the sole reason that it had to have subtracted from first-week sales, and it definitely deserved to chart higher than #28 on the Billboard albums chart in its opening week. That being said, he has never had an album chart on any charts in any country before, so we've all got to start somewhere, right? Releasing each act individually may not have been the best of ideas, but the actual concept behind the three acts themselves is incredibly well thought-out.

TA13OO begins with "Act I: Light," which definitely showcases a softer, more thoughtful side of Denzel Curry than any other part of the album. Despite the fact that the album ends with "Act III: Dark," the song "Taboo" kicks off "Act I: Light" with the line "welcome to the darker side of taboo" being the first line of lyrics on the album. It's confusing at first, but it all makes sense. The explanation for the line isn't even all that complex; it can be concisely summarized by saying that even when "taboo" is light, it's still pretty dark. Take that statement however you will. The song tells the tale of Curry's relationship with a girl, also named "Taboo," who is still coping with being molested as a child. There are a handful of potentially inappropriate lines, most notably "Curry killed the pussy hoping that I can kill the hate in you," but it's easy to overlook given the earnestness in his words and his voice when he says "even if it's too late for me, forever I will wait for you." The moment is made even more poignant, given that, on a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne tha God goaded Curry into admitting that the song was based on he himself being molested as a child, continuing to pester him with details even as he made it very clear that he did not want to talk about it anymore.

Appropriately, this is by far the most "taboo" subject addressed on the album, and after the deceptively funky, GoldLink-supported "Black Balloons," the section ends with the two most light-hearted songs on the record. The West Coast-influenced "Cash Maniac" is the album's closest thing to a real misstep, but one could argue that it does have its place. The electrifying trap banger "Sumo" seems out of place given the retro vibe of every other song in the act, but it does set the sonic blueprint for many of the songs to come, and that's not to say it doesn't belong. It was supposed to feature Broward County's motor-mouthed oddball Ski Mask the Slump God, whom Curry has previously collaborated with, and the mutual influence between the two is apparent. The pure ignorant bliss when Curry roars "why these niggas lookin' at me sour? Choppa eat a nigga like Chowder; rada-rada-rada-rada-rada!" is much "lighter" than the album will ever be again, with the chorus of "Mad I Got It" being the closest thing to an exception, but that will come up again later.

"Act II: Grey" is my personal favourite act, and it's probably the most pivotal in the album's structure. "Super Saiyan Superman" picks up where "Sumo" leaves off, but with a much more focused delivery than the reckless abandon of "Sumo." However, the point I mentioned earlier about TA13OO being "SoundCloud rap on a higher level" does not truly prove itself until the relentlessly consistent stream of songs that pours in afterwards. Influential producer Ronny J collaborates with !llmind on "Switch It Up," having previously produced two of the most famous singles in Curry's catalogue thus far: "Threatz" and the aforementioned "Ultimate." The beat sounds like a transcended form of the type of beats Ronny has been producing for South Florida mainstays, such as Lil Pump and the late XXXTENTACION, in recent memory. Over this production, Curry uses duality to address his come-up as well as the questionable loyalty of himself and others: "That nigga lost, he in the lead, switch it up / I'ma get money, by any means, run it up."

On the melodic follow-up "Mad I Got It," Curry sings with a seemingly positive tone: "You was glad when I never had shit, but mad I got it," exuding no shortage of confidence and pride in his accomplishments, while also acknowledging those who take advantage of his newfound success. Later on, the beat switches, and so does his perspective: the rest of the song is delivered from the standpoint of an envious criminal, who knows damn well that "life not sweet like 'suit' with an 'E'," and is all too willing to "stick a nigga up, 'cause I'm mad he got it." This track gives a solid outline of Curry's abilities as a storyteller. The next song "Sirens" is a political cut, and while Denzel's observations of "Donald Trump, Donald Duck, what the fuck is the difference?" are somewhat tiresome, his harmony with teenage misery queen Billie Eilish in the poppy but ominous chorus, and the the haunting, noisy but eerily calm production from Kendrick Lamar collaborator DJ Dahi more than makes up for his slight shortcomings. Also, according to Curry, he re-wrote both of his own verses on "Sirens" from scratch once J.I.D's monster of a feature had been recorded, with the Dreamville signee dropping off what is probably the best verse on the whole album. The act ends with "Clout Cobain," which was accompanied by a smash hit music video that currently sits at more than 47 million views on YouTube, and expands on the rock-influenced melodies and maudlin tone set by many popular "emo rappers" such as Lil Peep, Juice WRLD and Trippie Redd, covering similar themes as "Switch It Up," but also more clearly addressing the state of the music industry: "I need hella bass, I need hella pain / You gon' wanna cry, I'ma make it rain."

TA13OO culminates in "Act III: Dark," which is nothing but bangers in the vein of so-called "trap metal" artists such as $uicideboy$, Ghostemane and ZillaKami, who is actually featured here. It starts off with "The Blackest Balloon," where Curry creates a pretty haunting atmosphere, leaving plenty of here-and-gone open spaces between his lines, underscored by chilling ad-libs and minimalistic trap production. He picks up his flow a little bit towards the end, sounding more like the Denzel Curry we're all used to. Then the album transitions into "Percs," which I've already written a fair share about, so I won't go too much into it again, other than it's loud, it's distorted, it bangs, blah, blah, blah, I won't say anything about it that I haven't already said. Besides, I need the extra space to write about "Vengeance."

Holy fucking shit, "Vengeance." It probably makes whatever you thought was the hardest song of the year look like that "I Love You" song that creepy purple dinosaur sang right before he ate a bunch of innocent children. Curry distorts his voice in the repetitive chorus to echo the Memphis samples that Raider Klan used to utilize all the time, and continues to hearken back to the Raiders' glory days by lifting a number of his verse lyrics from older songs that he had featured on back in the day. Despite this, or maybe because of this, it's definitely at least one of Curry's top 5 verses on the entire album, but then it turns out to be the weakest verse on the song. Baltimore noise-rap troll JPEGMAFIA comes on, slows down the flow but doubles down on the aggression, and his lyrics are peppered with very clever references to boot, including a mocking namecheck of 6ix9ine, which will come in handy as the song progresses, as it turns out the aforementioned ZillaKami feature (ZillaKami having an established feud with 6ix9ine) in this section is still the same song that just gave us that JPEGMAFIA verse. Zilla brings his insane, high-octane hardcore punk/rap hybrid along to incredible effect. His demonic voice shrieks and growls through surprisingly catchy flows: "No nigga can take my soul / Drop dead, them heads will roll / We'll drop the corpse in the cold / Wardog, I'll stick to the code," and then the song ends with a calm, soulful outro sung by co-producer Mickey de Grand IV. Here we are, having just listened to one of the hardest songs of all time and now we're being serenaded by our future killer with sampled soul harmonies and fucking trumpets?

Oh, what's that? You thought the album was gonna end on a gentle note? Nope! The last song "Black Metal Terrorist" has probably Curry's harshest screaming to date in any of his verses, and at this point he's not even trying to address any important subjects anymore. It's just pure hatred and violence and mass destruction at this point, and the album ends with a bitcrushed voice death-growling "send them to hell!" as the already relentless beat devolves into pure chaos until it finally concludes with the same static and pure noise that showed up for a brief moment at the very beginning of the first track of the album.

It's the highest-rated album to ever be classified as "trap rap" on Rate Your Music. and it scored an 85 on Metacritic. Besides these specific examples, TA13OO has been a regular fixture of "album of the year" discussions for rap fans, and for music fans in general. For whatever any of these statements are worth, as of the time this was written, TA13OO is barely five months old, and it has already clearly made a mark. It has earned people's attention. It has earned immense acclaim. It is SoundCloud rap on a higher level. It is trap music on a higher level. Put it simply: Zel finished 'em.

Favourite Lyrics

"Shoot shit, Cole Bennett, rap game, don't get it / With these dumbass niggas, and they don't say shit / Sound like "durr, durr, durr," you like, "oh, that's lit" / With yo' boof ass hits, "I'ma fuck yo' bitch / I just popped two Xans," nigga, fuck that shit!" - Denzel Curry on "PERCS | PERCZ"

"Made it past 25, I'm set, bitch, let me die / Bet you respect me when I check in with that .45 / Slide, ride, this a homicide / Pull up to the side, let that man retire / I ain't Drake, this ain't 6ix, issa 9ine, sticky, blicky, iron" - JPEGMAFIA on "VENGEANCE | VENGEANCE"

"To be or not to be? Hamlet I'm lit / If it ain't homicide, I don't commit / Y'all throw a fit when you don't got a fit / If you put out a hit, bet you the killer ain't gon' make a cent" - Denzel Curry on "SWITCH IT UP | ZW1TCH 1T UP"

"Oh say, can you see a hundred dead bodies in the street / By the dawn's early light, double Sprite and a R.I.P. tee / So proudly, lights gleam, let the gun blaow in the night time / Of the slum house, little drum bump with the one thousand / Come, come, here they come" - J.I.D on "SIRENS | Z1RENZ"

"Welcome to the darker side of taboo / All I've got is permanent scars and tattoos / Take another step in the path that you choose / Make a bad choice in your path then you lose" - Denzel Curry on "TABOO | TA13OO"

Talking Points

  • What are your thoughts on this album? Did you think it was great? You think it was dog shit? You think it was somewhere in between?

  • With the acclaim that TA13OO has received in lots of music circles, do you think the point of Denzel Curry being "underrated" or "slept on" still stands? Do you think this is at least the first step towards Curry achieving the wide recognition he deserves?

  • Do you think TA13OO is going to end up being a rap milestone? Or will it fade into the background as time passes? How influential or important do you think it will be? Why or why not?

  • Do you think TA13OO is at least an important album for "SoundCloud rap" or new-wave trap? If not, what would you say is?

  • How does TA13OO compare with his previous output? How has Curry changed over time? Has he improved or gotten worse?

  • What do you think is next for Denzel Curry? Did he just reach his peak after a few years of making noise in the underground, or is this just the beginning of something greater? If so, what do you think is in store for Curry that could potentially top this? If not, how long do you think it will take for him to fall off?

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Sunday General Discussion - January 6th, 2019

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 11:58 AM PST

The first Sunday DD of the year!

What are your plans for the upcoming year? What artists are you looking forward to releasing the most?

submitted by /u/TheHHHRobot
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J.Cole announces new compilation album titled "Revenge of the Dreamers III"

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 04:24 PM PST

Kanye, Kid Cudi, and a choir singing Lift Yourself and other classics

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 01:19 PM PST

Soulja Boy in 'very bad' car crash after Malibu mudslides and flash floods

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 08:17 AM PST

Noname, Saba, and Smino are performing 'Ace' on Fallon tomorrow

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 09:03 AM PST

Metro Boomin - Overdue (with Travis Scott)

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 08:54 AM PST

Towkio of Save Money, Accused of Rape

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 11:15 AM PST

Here's the thread on Twitter where the alleged victim states what happened: https://twitter.com/pppermint/status/1081980980397858816?s=19

Screenshots here: https://imgur.com/a/xuYIUt9

An old tweet that's being brought up in light of the allegations: https://i.imgur.com/UnxvIur.jpg

Response from Towkio: https://twitter.com/towkio/status/1082137809446682624?s=19

submitted by /u/MyNamesE
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Battlecry-Nujabes ft. Shing02

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 12:50 PM PST

Classic indie rap cypher circa 2002 (featuring Aesop Rock, El-P, Poison Pen, Immortal Technique, and a hammered ass Slug)

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 06:22 PM PST

Lil Wayne - Family Feud (feat. Drake)

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 07:19 AM PST

What did everyone think about the R Kelly Documentary?

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 06:17 PM PST

Not sure if this is allowed, I'd like to hear peoples opinions.

submitted by /u/666545744701304
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LIL UGLY MANE - SLUGS

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 06:39 PM PST

Kanye West Sunday Service full performance with Cudi, Tony Williams, 070 Shake

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 07:40 PM PST

$UICIDEBOY$ - NEW CHAINS, SAME SHACKLES

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Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist - Saturday Night Special

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Kanye West - Wow (Freshman Adjustment)

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XXXTENTACION - Snow

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 02:06 PM PST

21 Savage - All My Friends (Official Audio)

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 06:32 AM PST

[Discussion] Which style of music would fit well if incorporated into rap and why?

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 11:38 AM PST

I was wondering about what other styles people listen to and how some of them might be incorporated more into the rap genre. It may already have been and I just haven't heard it yet.

submitted by /u/migueln1515
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King Geedorah - Krazy World

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 07:19 PM PST

Method Man - You're All I Need (feat. Mary J. Blige )

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J.Cole - 3 Wishes

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Big K.R.I.T. - American Rapstar

Posted: 06 Jan 2019 04:45 PM PST
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Album of the Year 2018 #34 Flatbush Zombies - Vacation In Hell - HipHop

Album of the Year 2018 #34 Flatbush Zombies - Vacation In Hell - HipHop

Album of the Year 2018 #34 Flatbush Zombies - Vacation In Hell

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 11:45 AM PST

Artist: Flatbush Zombies

Album: Vacation In Hell

Listen:

Youtube

Spotify

Apple Music

Tidal

Background (by /u/GameBoy09):

Flatbush Zombies is an emerging rap group originating from the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Friends since grade school, this rap group consists of Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice, and Erick Arc Elliot. In addition to rapping, Erick also produces most of the beats performed by the hip hop trio.

Coming off of their successful studio debut album, "3001: A Laced Odyssey", back in 2016. The hip hop trio announced their next projects early on in 2018 with a video uploaded to their official YouTube page titled, "A GLORIOUS DEAD DOUBLE FEATURE." The video announced Erick the Architect's solo project titled "Arcstrumentals, Vol. 2" as well as the existence and release date of Flatbush Zombie's second studio album named "Vacation In Hell" coming out April 6th.

Two singles were dropped on the road to release. In late February fans were given the absolute banger which is Headstone that was accompanied with an equally as hype Music Video. The song was an immense success, with YouTube views currently reaching over 14.3 million. Flatbush Zombies dropped their second single at the end of March titled U&I. While it did not gain as much traction as Headstone due to the lack of music video, the song did receive a lot of praise for Meechy Darko's well executed two-minute long verse.

A few days before release Flatbush Zombies appeared on Hot 97 with Funkmaster Flex to spit some freestyles. Each member of the trio has a fairly extended verse, using bars that were completely original and using some that made their way to Vacation In Hell. The night before the album dropped Flatbush Zombies uploaded a video to their YouTube that was titled, "VACATION (The-Movie)" which was a comedic take on them trying to figure out how to appeal to the masses. It has special guest appearances by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ice-T, and John Leguizamo. The video seemingly shows multiple music videos to the songs on the album, though at the moment only Vacation featuring Joey Bada$$ has had its music video uploaded in full.

Album Review (by /u/GameBoy09):

Vacation In Hell is an album I thoroughly enjoyed, as according to my Spotify's 2018 Wrapped it is the album that I've returned to the most last year. If I could describe this album in a single sentence it would be, "high variety and high quality". There is a huge range of sounds on this album, and every track is absolutely unique. It has the typical dark and vicious tracks like HELL-O, Headstone, and Facts that Flatbush Zombies are known for, but now they've really experimented with their sound this time around. On tracks like Vacation, Big Shrimp, and The Goddess they go for the more summertime vibes as sounds of seagulls and the ocean can be heard in the background. On the other hand, tracks like YouAreMySunshine, Trapped, and U&I have a more personal, almost depressing tone at times. On this album Flatbush Zombies gave everyone a little bit of everything. The only problem with this approach is that it leaves the album feel a bit in-cohesive, as there is some fairly substantial tonal whiplash going from The Goddess to Trapped to Best American. However, I do believe this tactic worked out as the high quality of the individual songs greatly outweighs the downside of the album being a bit unfocused.

I do believe that Vacation In Hell was a step-up from 3001: A Laced Odyssey in two major factors. Firstly, this album's production is above and beyond what they've done before. Erick Arc Elliot really stepped up this time around and it shows, especially considering the wide range of sounds he needed to make work. I really like how Erick used choir vocals to make a good amount of beats such as the instrumentals to U&I, Misunderstood, Trapped, and Proxies. The second factor that I find Vacation In Hell did better than 3001: A Laced Odyssey is that there is a good distribution of spotlight between the three members, and it didn't just turn into the Meechy Darko show. Don't get it twisted, Meechy Darko has outstanding performances in Facts, U&I, YouAreMySunshine. However, Erick gets the spotlight in Proxies, Misunderstood, and The Goddess in which I honestly believe he outshone Meechy on that track. Zombie Juice brought his best in Chunky, Leather Symphony, and M. Bison. Even though the album is a bit unfocused as it comes to content it showcases the strengths of each member exceptionally well.

Looking forward, I hope that Flatbush Zombies continues to release high quality music and hope they experiment even more with their sound. I believe that it would be better for them to have their next project feel a bit more focused as it comes to content without sacrificing any of the positives from Vacation In Hell. In conclusion, Damn Meech killed it, Erick on production was dope, Juice has improved so much.

Track Review (by /u/GameBoy09):

HELL-O:

Vacation In Hell starts off strong with HELL-O. What came to my mind the most when listening to this track is that it sounds like it could of been on BetterOffDead with it's eerie instrumental and the clearly threatening tone the verses create. Die hard fans of Flatbush Zombies love this track and it is easy to see why.

Standout Lyric (Meechy Darko):

Fleezus Christ, don't say my name in vain

Fire, brimstone, acid rain

Watch me turn the crowd into a Spartan scene

Mosh pit, then I'm Moses, part the sea

Chunky:

Even though HELL-O is a great opening track, I truly believe that Vacation In Hell starts at Chunky due to Erick not doing the production for HELL-O, as instead it was Tyler Dopps who did that eerie beat. Chunky is in my opinion Zombie Juice's standout track on the album. The verse Juice performs on this track is one of his very best, as he completely snaps and spits bar after bar. This does not detract from either Eric or Meechy, as Eric gives a really solid verse and Meechy comes in with a brainworm of an intro, bridge, and hook.

Standout Lyric (Zombie Juice):

Can't follow me, numero uno upon a galaxy, it's blasphemy

They talk about it, living all these fallacies

I got that cavarly, don't make me split up your anatomy

I get her sad or sappy cause they sabotage her artistry

Vacation (feat. Joey Bada$$):

A lot of die hard Flatbush Zombie fans did not like this track, as many claimed it to be too mainstream and that they were selling out with this song. While I do agree that it has a fairly mainstream appeal that diverges from FBZ's Beast Coast roots, they do have their own spin on such a summer jam. There's some good quotables on this track by Flatbush Zombies, especially Meechy's "wrestling" reference. However the standout on this track was the guest feature of Joey Bada$$ as he brought some high quality rhymes.

Standout Lyric (Joey Bada$$):

I made a milli' in the first quarter on the hush, yeah

Plus this my Jordan year, bitch I'm just warmin' up, yeah

I ain't in a rush, that's just my adrenaline flowin'

I drop the top just so they can see the melanin glowin'

M. Bison:

A track without Meechy! Must be horrible right? Far from it, as both Juice and Erick spit top of the line verses back and forth while riding a nasty trap beat. This shows that even though that Meechy Darko is the darling of Flatbush Zombies, do not sleep on Zombie Juice or Erick Arc Elliot.

Standout Lyric (Zombie Juice):

Hollywood blonde, Yves Saint Laurent

Dior I'm fleeior, I'm smoking a bong

Re-stash the jar I got pounds in the trunk

They thought I was done but I can't get enough

Headstone:

The lead single off the album is the lead single for a reason. Similar to HELL-O, it captures that Flatbush Zombies we know and love with a dark and grimy beat accompanied with technical bars and a catchy hook. I personally like Headstone over HELL-O due to the insane amount of musical references strewn throughout the entire track, especially in Erick's verse.

Standout Lyric (Erick):

It Was Written in the Children's Story, that Life's a Bitch

So What'cha Want? Everyday I Struggle with it

Only God Can Judge Me slippin', I'm infinitely Big Pimpin'

Though The Genesis, Dead Presidents, Drop a Gem on 'Em

Big Shrimp:

This song sits in a weird place with me. I really like Meechy Darko's verses in the beginning with the "limp, limp" flow he keeps out through the entire verse. However, the hook and the verses done by Erick and Juice don't grab my attention. I do like the beat, which was actually done by Kirk Knight.

Standout Lyric (Meechy Darko):

Sold my soul and bought it back for cheaper thats a flip, flip

Ole English, Hennessey, watch me mix, mix (drink up bitch)

Roll Gelato in Fronto then dickmatize a bitch, bitch

Her legs don't work no more, had to crawl up out the crib, crib

Leather Symphony (feat. A$AP Twelvyy):

Zombie Juice pairs up with Twelvyy of A$AP Mob on this track. I believe it turned out pretty damn good! I really liked Juice's hook on this track, but what I thought was especially cool was how Juice and Twelvyy traded bars during the third verse. Very solid track!

Standout Lyrics (Zombie Juice, Twelvyy, Both):

Mecca like Malcolm (and Biggie Medina)

A$AP the cleanest (rolled in the Beamer)

On Amsterdam, feel like I'm Yams, can't see me, John Cena

Everything money and violence, went to Flatbush for a nina

Reel Girls (feat. Bun B):

I'll be honest, this is probably my least favorite track on this album. I'm not feeling the beat and Bun B's verse feels very lackluster in my opinion. Flatbush Zombies bring solid verses, but Bun B really brings it down.

Standout Lyrics (Erick Arc Elliot):

Riding slow cause I ain't in the mood for all the ramblin'

Shorty game fire, bet need to call the ambulance

Woop, I got two bottles of booze, can you handle it?

Most these niggas is volunteers and I beat it like a candidate

Facts (feat. Jadakiss):

FACTS! MORE FACTS! FAAACTS! If you couldn't tell from my Spotify's 2018 Wrapped, I really love this track as it is technically my track of the year. Meechy Darko just goes in on two gross verses and Jadakiss does not slouch. That third verse in particular is insane from Meechy, the whole song honestly feels like one big quotable that has been meticulously crafted for hype.

Standout Lyrics (Meechy Darko):

I don't trust nobody, no, not even myself

That's why I keep a condom on my dick before I leave the crib

You can't buy your bitch's love, boy there's always bigger shrimp

If she with you cause you fuck, she gon' find some better dick

Bitches party, party, party like the Spring Breaker flick

See your booty on the 'Gram and never pictures with your kids

Why his uniform so dirty and his Timbs is scuffed to shit?

Meanwhile you on vacation and every weekend is lit

Ask Courtney:

One of my favorite tracks on here due to the incredibly catchy hook accompanied by Meechy Darko and Erick trading bars back and forth showing their incredible chemistry. Overall, just a must listen song.

Standout Lyrics (Meechy Darko, Erick Arc Elliot, Both):

Armageddon (never leave home without my weapon)

This song (who want one on one with the dead man?)

Dem boy want war? Get destroyed in them Kevlar

Whole team, whole scene, whole thing dead off

Crown (feat. Portugal. The Man):

Very strange collaboration that actually somehow works, very well at that. Surprisingly the two groups have worked before on the Feel It Still Remix Album. How Meechy rides in on his verse is so smooth, and is filled with quotables.

Standout Lyrics (Meechy Darko):

So I only blame myself when I don't make it to the finish

Please don't let this perception become your reflection

Uh, but excuse my aggression 'cause my tribe called for questions

If I'm made in God's image, tell me why am I blemished?

Proxies:

Erick Arc Elliot's solo track is something special. He completely crushes it and the instrumental behind it is phenomenal, as the choir builds more and more in the background during the hook. Erick also delivers possibly some of his best verses. Absolute banger.

Standout Lyrics (Erick Arc Elliot):

You my blood, Flatbush raised me and such

And bill money, gettin' niggas, they ain't makin' enough

Even though I wasn't rich, I never made it a crutch

I'd rather die a broke man than be rich and pompous

U&I (feat. DIA):

U&I was the second single released about a week or so before the album dropped. It is definitely in my top 5 songs of the year along with Facts. The progression of this track is just something else. Juice and Erick trade some high-quality verse back and forth along with a catchy hook only to prepare you with the main event which is Meechy Darko's two-minute verse. The Standout Lyrics below is a lie, as the whole page on rap genius should just be listed below. I can say with confidence that it is the best verse of 2018.

Standout Lyrics (Meechy Darko):

They tell you 'bout my family, that bipolar disorder

And due to karma, my first youngin' gon' be a daughter

When I was 5, I told my mom I wanted to die

Then we cry, the crazy shit, man, it wasn't a lie

The Goddess (feat. Dave B.):

This in honestly just a better version of Reel Girls with a significantly better performance on all fronts, including production which is just smooth as butter just like Dave B. is on the hook. Also Erick just snaps on this and I believe delivers a slightly better verse than Meechy.

Standout Lyrics (Erick Arc Elliot):

Knowing this union that formed between us is the same reason

Your parents connected that time at the party at so-and-so's

Imagine all of this over Bacardi and Moet, bro

I'll be the heroic, she rollin' up something potent, though

Trapped:

What a beautifully sorrowful track. I really appreciate that this track is on here and goes to the core of the variety that this album has. Erick and Juice deliver haunting choruses while beautiful instrumental play in the background only for Meechy Darko to break it down in the saddest way possible. Amazing track.

Standout Lyrics (Meechy Darko):

To all my fans, I'm truly sorry that I have to end it

But keep your minds open and my verses in your memory

In disbelieve, at least I made it to a quarter century

Just tryna give you a good ending for the documentary

Best American:

Solid track on the album, all three come in with solid verses behind a dope instrumental. The track itself isn't any special besides some dope rapping. Going to this song from Trapped is some tonal whiplash however, just doesn't sit right with me even though Best American is a good track.

Standout Lyrics (Meechy Darko):

Black American Psycho, ya like Tae-Bo, ya might just get

American Dream be doubling the money with no minusin'

Hate is a disease with no paradise they can't find that shit

Honestly this shit here raise the climate shatter thermometers

Misunderstood (feat. Nyck Caution):

Another Erick and Zombie Juice joint like M. Bison, but now it includes Nyck Caution on the hook in addition to some really dope production by Erick. Specifically I love the background vocals as the second verses kick it, they really change the song into something great.

Standout Lyrics (Erick Arc Elliot):

Is Archimedes mucho and greedy? It's what I'm pleadin', yes

Mischievous the true elite convenient, placing books where your TV is

Alleged genius proceed to flee with hits

I'm leaving this, a form of preemie fetus kid, I'm devious

YouAreMySunshine:

Great tribute to ASAP Yams. I really didn't expect Meechy to call himself out on not attending Yam's funeral. The ambient thunder and the repeating vocals towards the end represent the cyclical grief over the death of Yams, yet thunder stops, and birds come in to show that it is best to move forward in his name.

Standout Lyrics (Meechy Darko):

In the studio, tryna fight tears and shit

I just wish my nigga Yams was here to hear this shit

He in the clouds, angels braiding his hair and shit

Just looking down like "God, you hear this shit?"

The Glory (feat. Denzel Curry):

To be honest, when I saw the Denzel Curry feature this is definitely what I wasn't expecting. I was expecting something that goes hard like Headstone, but what we got is just as good in a different way. Production once again is amazing, and there are quotables on this for days. I really appreciate what Juice and Erick did with their verses and how personal they were with it.

Standout Lyrics (Zombie Juice):

Rest in peace to my sweet great-grandma Grace

I wish my momma was alive, if I could see her face

My grandfather used to say when I fucked up

That I was just like my momma, tough love

I wish I could see my kid way more than I could

My baby momma holdin' grudges but the court will do good

Standout Tracks

  • Chunky

  • Headstone

  • Facts (feat. Jadakiss)

  • Ask Courtney

  • Proxies

  • U&I (feat. DIA)

  • The Goddess (feat. Dave B.)

  • Trapped

  • The Glory (feat. Denzel Curry)

Talking Points:

  • How much staying power does Flatbush Zombies has a rap group?

  • Do you think they've hit their peak popularity, or will they grow from here?

  • Did the musical variety shown on Vacation In Hell make up for the unfocused nature of the album?

  • What is your personal favorite bar, verse, or track?

  • Where do you want Flatbush Zombies to go from here?

submitted by /u/GameBoy09
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Chance the Rapper: ‘Making a Song With R. Kelly Was a Mistake’

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 02:51 PM PST

[ORIGINAL] Python program that writes randomly-generated rap songs

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 10:16 AM PST

Hey all!

I hope this isn't breaking the HHH rules, but here goes - I wrote a Python app that uses Markov Chains to write its own randomly-generated rap songs (based on real rap lyrics that I scraped from RapGenius).

Hope you enjoy - check it out! The app has some memory and timeout issues, but I'm working to fix them. Happy to answer any questions!

EDIT: Looks like it got Reddit-hugg'd-to-death! I'm trying to clear some memory to get the app back up. Glad everyone's liking it!

http://songwriterbot.herokuapp.com/

submitted by /u/saisenberg
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Tyler the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt meet MF DOOM for the first time

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 06:20 PM PST

Why Jay Z Shot His Brother At Age 12

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 12:25 PM PST

[FRESH] Ugly God - Butterfly Doors Freestyle

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 04:27 PM PST

J.I.D - Tiiied featuring 6LACK & Ella Mai

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 06:03 PM PST

Daily Discussion Thread 01/05/2019

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 02:56 PM 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, as stated in the guidelines.

  • Please be helpful and friendly.

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

Weekly/Monthly Threads

Other ways to interact

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

New to /r/hiphopheads or hip-hop in general?

Check out these:

submitted by /u/ModsLittleHelper
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We need more people in the Plug.DJ again...

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 02:12 PM PST

Some of you have forgotten this website has its very own Plug.DJ! The website is back up and getting empty.

We can share music together! Click Here or https://plug.dj/rhhh.

There is also a link on the sidebar as well.

submitted by /u/zootman25
[link] [comments]

Earthgang - Artificial

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 10:36 AM PST

New Snoop Dogg Album Confirmed for February

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 07:21 PM PST

Clockwork Indigo (Flatbush ZOMBiES & The Underachievers) - Butterfly Effect

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 12:08 PM PST

Aesop Rock just posted a new freestyle verse

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 09:49 PM PST

Mac Miller - Good Evening

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 07:41 PM PST

Big Boi & Phantogram - Born To Shine (feat. Run The Jewels)

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 09:59 AM PST

World in My Hands (Feat. Smino) - Saba

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 10:04 PM PST

G Herbo on mental health, struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, building a multi-media facility in southside Chicago and working with Chance The Rapper's Chicago Youth Organization on Breakfast Club.

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 11:33 PM PST

I thought I would share all the amazing things G Herbo is doing for the Chicago community with his partner and Chance the Rapper. Southside barely talked if yall were wondering.

Youtube Video of the Interview made in July, 2018

Interesting Quotes from the Interview:

I was talking about Chance the other day, gotta touch your hat to him. I was posting at a show in Chicago, I was giving $15,000 to Chance's organization for mental health, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In real life, they give veterans in the army therapy and [some of them] see 1, 2 murders ... [while] we've seen 12 to 15. I know people that seen 10 of their homies die right in front of them ... If you feel you gotta leave out the house with a gun or you gonna die everyday, that's post-traumatic stress disorder. That's real mental health that people don't understand.

I know for a fact, probably 80% of Chicago's [population] is suffering from PTSD ... People [that aren't] even in the streets, paranoid they going to get robbed or killed. That's post-traumatic stress disorder.

Me and my partner we are building a multi-media facility in Chicago, also in the southside Chicago (heart of Chicago). People that wanna do music, if you wanna be a videographer, producer, it's gonna be a real multi-media facility. It's like a youth center, you can enroll. 9 times out of 10 it's gonna be free, we aren't going to charge the kids. It's going to be our home too, I'm trying to do a lot of Chicago -- I'm just quiet with it.

Charlamange on why rappers like G Herbo are different from Chance after G Herbo said he's never leaving and is going to be the man of Chicago:

We grew up differently. Two different ways. People grew up like Chance and act like me, that's why Chance is so unique ... It's so hard to be yourself in Chicago, people really following the trends and waves. That's why people getting killed so much, people think it's cool.

On when he met Chance:

Me and Chance met up 6 years ago. We had the record 'Flight or Fight' with me, him and Common. Chance is a real dude, posting up in the studio walking on the street and this is when he's still super big and coming to meet up. The little things like that let you know a dude cares.

He also called Kanye cool but lost himself, doesn't effect no one in Chicago and he never comes here.

And Southside said Chance is Ye on steroids.

G Herbo said his new album name will be called PTSD confirmed 4 days ago.

"I'm finna record another album," he said. "My next album I'ma call it 'PTSD.' Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Just really getting back to my roots and talking about what's going on in Chicago. 'Swervo,' that was cool and for me to show people alright I can do this too… go out and tour. I did that. I'm G Herbo for real. That's me. 'Humble Beast.' I'ma tell my story again."

submitted by /u/wassup-dawg
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Lil Peep - Yesterday

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 11:36 AM PST

[LEAK] Young Thug - Me Or Us (feat. Travis Scott) (320)

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 03:38 AM PST

Father performs "Sephiroth" on Adult Swim's Fish Center

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 09:20 PM PST

JPEGMAFIA & Freaky - Hop Out The Pussy I'm 21

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 06:21 AM PST

Action Bronson Tells Joey Diaz How He Makes Chicken Parm From The Heart

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 11:03 PM PST

Open Mike Eagle - Brick Body Complex (Official Video)

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 10:29 AM PST

Frank Ocean - Provider

Posted: 05 Jan 2019 01:33 PM PST
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