Central Cee - Can't Rush Greatness (R.I. Review)

Central Cee is a rapper from Shepherd's Bush London. After going viral several times, Central Cee has released his most high-profile album, "Can't Rush Greatness". The album starts strong and stays consistent. The lyrics are about his authentic come-up story and harsh lifestyle; delivered just complicatedly enough to be impressive while understandable. His bars aren't very memorable because there are few pauses and his lyrics are all at the same level of cleverness. Cee has a formula that works well for him, but it would have been nice to be surprised every now and then.

Mike Body - It Is Finished (R.I. Review)

Mike Body is a rare rapper. His delivery is Tupac reminiscent, but his gospel focus mixes with that well. Some gospel music is a little judgmental, but Mike Body isn't as pious as a "Lecrae" or "Tedashii". The production is interesting because it isn't based on a singular goal. Mike is not imposing a pushy objective, he seems like he's searching for answers as much as he's providing them. The album is a little bland, but reinventing the wheel isn't always necessary.

BossMan DLow - DLow Curry (R.I. Review)

BossMan DLow is a rapper from Port Salerno, Florida. In the early 2020's, hyper-organic rap music had become the norm. It's probably about an overload on technology that makes people hunger for rappers that don't seem like they have a ghost writer. BossMan DLow has a nuanced sense of humor and a lot of confidence. This album is questionable creatively, but where it shines is the personality. BossMan DLow is so charismatic, that although he could care less about his music, he makes music that stands up to most new artists.

Kendrick Lamar - GNX (R.I. Review)

Kendrick Lamar has had a big year. His infamous Drake beef song has had more exposure than his entire discography put together. Intelligently, he has chosen to use that spotlight to introduce these casual listeners to his actual music. Kendrick Lamar is the most creative rapper in the game. Every release he does something you haven't heard. We choose to stay away from the "Big 3" argument because being a great "indie rapper" is a different set of criteria. Any 10 seconds of "GNX" proves his talent and is top notch hip hop, but activism is divisive. How do we make the world better? More fair? "Tv off" is a great song, but the message is a little open ended. He explores several different angles of reality.  The rappers with depth are getting older, and although they are aging well, the lack of upcoming artists makes celebrating seasoned rappers seem like over-hype. Interestingly, the song "GNX" addresses this reaction by featuring three rappers that seriously miss the target.

Denzel Curry - King Of The Mischievous South Vol 2 (R.I. Review)

Denzel Curry is a rapper from Carol City, Florida. He started with a shaky hipster following that didn't really embrace him. As a result, he flickered between sophistication and conventional presentation. This album feels like the first album where he's found himself. The music is good. The audience is clear. Denzel Curry has proven his brand, but when you aren't reinventing the wheel, the challenge is making a great song that gets recognized. G's Up is a great song featuring 2 Chainz and Mike Dimes. He didn't have the connections to make it surface, but Denzel Curry has a strong enough internet following to compensate for that. This album is worth a listen if you like hip hop.

Tyler, The Creator - Chromakopia (R.I. Review)

Tyler, The Creator... Arguably the pioneer of indie rap/hipster rap/alternative rap; His career is gargantuan compared to the hipster bands beside him at the time of his rise to fame. He's a blend of intelligence and radical perspective that mixes German and African culture in a way that has a social value only limited by its inability to be faked by other rappers.

Tyler began as the Marilyn Manson of hip hop. Although it's nice that he has gathered a younger content-sensitive audience for his newer music, disowning his previous music like he often does is just a waste of a lot of momentum.

Chromakopia may not blow you away the first listen, but that's not what his music does. He meticulously designs his music to combine his visuals, messages, and audience representation, into a unified experience that makes more sense each time you listen. His songs are also created to be performed.

The best song of the album is a collab with School Boy Q, which is a good matchup because Tyler doesn't always have imaginative flows or clever punchlines, and Schoolboy Q doesn't have a brand as strong as Tyler to generate listeners.

Belittling Odd Future is a little dismissive of their contributions to his career, and the raps themselves are probably the least impressive aspect of the release. All in all, Tyler is working hard and it's paying off.

Childish Gambino - Brando Stone & The New World (R.I. Review)

Childish Gambino is a lot of things. He's an actor, a rapper, a singer, a band? Brando Stone & The New World is a very good album. The problem is it's a lot of things at the same time. Variety can be a good thing. Billie Eilish mixes genres and cultures too, but she has more artistic integrity and a cohesive end result. This album sounds perfect to be performed at a 2024 festival and he's blazing a trail culturally with the sound of this album. It just feels more opportunistic than artistic.

Eminem - The Death Of Slim Shady (R.I. Review)

Eminem is an amazing rapper. Eminem is an amazing rapper. Eminem if you're reading this, YOU ARE AN AMAZING RAPPER! This album is good. The production fits Slim Shady's famous sound brand. Eminem is always trying to secure his legacy, which is understandable but it isn't necessary. However, as great as the music is, he's selling a lot of volatile ideas with art. Wharf talking makes sense when you need buzz, but at his fame level, it's not necessary. His presentation is comparable to recent Kanye music. What I mean is when pushing ideas few people agree with, even with fantastic music it's important to effectively make your controversial point to some extent. Eminem rhymes every syllable and uses complicated word play. That's hard to do for the trained ear but it isn't interesting or impressive after the 100th song. These songs are very good, but I wonder if Eminem listens to Eminem on a regular basis.

Vince Staples - Dark Times (R.I. Review)

Vince Staples is a rapper from Compton California. He gained prominence in the era of conscious rap alongside Odd Future. Vince eats, sleeps, and breathes his craft and as a result, he is lyrically one of the most effortlessly consistent in his lane. He's made a lot of music. He also has a lot of equality creating perspectives. That's what "Dark Times" is really about. One weakness of his style is none of his songs particularly standout. It's just good music to vibe or skate to.

Schoolboy Q - Blue Lips (R.I. Review)

Schoolboy Q is a rapper from South Los Angeles, California. Blue Lips is a much more polished release than his previous work. His flows are innovative, his concepts and messages are well-put together, and his music videos are cinematic. The problem with this album conceptually is he's hinting at an elitism argument for his culture that isn't connected to any sort of integration or approval. That makes the flex a little pointless. Rapindie appreciates it though. Schoolboy Q has a grounded outlook on culture that is highly actionable and coherent. Some artists don't seem to be as calmly in control of their destiny. Blue Lips is a good cohesive album, but it isn't a "must listen".