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Overview
Sabrina Carpenter is a singer/songwriter from Lehigh Pennsylvania. She has a really classy up-scale presentation, and a soulful hip hop influenced sound. None of her album covers prepare you for the music. That kind of paradox is in the music too. It's like when someone really innocent tries really hard to be alluring and mysterious. Her voice is nice but it isn't breathtaking except in a couple falsetto moments. If you listen closely, it doesn't really seem to be about indiscretion or an actual relationship. It's just a lot of feelings about things but it's more endearing than songs about fast lifestyles or being happily taken.
Defining Track
The strongest song is Almost Love. It's poetic, the production is very urban, and it's energetic. If she threw some high notes in the end or had any sort of breakdown or rap feature to keep it from being a little repetitive, it would be great instead of very good.
Final Thoughts
Sabrina isn't singing for most women, or most men. It's like really clean seduction. It's slightly hood bop-friendly music. What sells it is her delivery. She's very likable because of the sincerity. This album was not written to make money and I think it's a bit underrated because of that.

 Rap Independent
Sabrina Carpenter - Singular Act 1
8.2/10
Overview
YNW Melly is a rapper-singer from Gifford, Florida. He isn't really a rapper or singer, but what's interesting is this album straddles that fence 50-50. "We All Shine" is his debut and it's a decent effort. His vocals are consistent but not impressively so. However, his melodies are memorable and work well. All his songs seem polished enough for radio, but they would blend in aside from his hype as an artist.
Defining Track
Mixed personalities is a collaboration with the hip hop heavy-weight, Kanye West. It's very good, but he doesn't out-sing ye. Kanye is definitely the force behind it. The song is about his on and off relationship with an inconsistent girl.
Final Thoughts
YNW Melly stands out from music at it's simplicity. It isn't overly nerdy or abstract. It's just the hood experience given in a colorful way.

Rap Independent
YNW Melly. - We All Shine
7/10
Overview
J.I.D. is a rapper from Atlanta Georgia. It's hard to describe his rap style. His voice/delivery is like Kendrick Lamar but he uses more flow-switches and he bounces around his tracks. He isn't a conscious rapper but he has the technical prowess of one. It's impressive how he presents himself as a standard rapper but yet stands out with no gimmick. This is lyricism and rhythmic choices done so well he comes off more talented than a lot of seasoned rappers purely off of lyrics.
Defining Track
Off Deez is a collaboration with J Cole. It's impressive but even though J Cole claims no one is close to his skill level, J.I.D. nearly outshined him while very early into his career.
Final Thoughts
J.I.D.'s cool but his music isn't attracting serious hip hop aficionados or hipsters. He's got versatility but he hasn't resonating with a specific market. It may be because he's early in his career so he wants to find out who gravitates to him organically.

Rap Independent
J.I.D. - DiCaprio 2
8.5/10
Overview
Earl Sweatshirt is a rapper from Ladera Heights, California. He achieved fame from Odd Future's free Earl campaign. Pioneering tongue twisters while using assonance and alliteration like early Eminem; he's abandoned trying to impress his audience with his intelligence. This album is more about originality and laid back vibes. It takes a bit of an adjustment, but it's good in it's own way.
Defining Track
Nowhere2go is written like a piece of performance art. Like most of this album, it's more of a classy experience than a musical endeavor.
Final Thoughts
Earl is good, but this is not a reflection of how talented he is. He seems to be coasting on his name and trying to silence his criticizers from the last album. It's more simplistic and laid back, his delivery is harder, and the production is abstract and varied. Some Rap Songs feels as effortless as the title. He's still cool, but really technically proficient artists like Earl and Eminem tend to prioritize showing off lyricism rather than making songs that sound good.

Rap Independent
Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs
7.8/10
Overview
Sheck Wes is a rapper from Harlem, New York. Similar to Playboi Carti, he makes really hood music and then performs it like rock music. He's very intelligent but it's a raw, crude kind of street smarts that blends in. His instrumentals are mildly inventive and a lot of his songs are hit or miss but his attitude and confidence are what make this album relevant. Like the title "Mudboy" implies, he has a very solid sense of self. He talks about his explicit diction chosen to express his emotions and interestingly enough, his music is actually very cathartic. Crowds have a lot of fun with his writing style.
Defining Track
Mo Bamba is the premier track and it's great. He makes it clear that he isn't going to accept any unequal treatment. It performs well because it's written like one long hardcore breakdown.
Final Thoughts
Sheck Wes is a very strong person. His message is really just to overpower the world when it treats you poorly. He demands respect and from observing his performances or music videos, people usually give it to him. MUDBOY isn't perfect, but it's a good album.
Overview
Danger Incorporated is a duo from Atlanta, Georgia. Danger Reality is a little less hip hop based than their other music but the writing is still very inspired by the culture. There's a lot of layered duo vocals and spacey production. This album would be great for driving a long distance or being sedated on some sort of substance. It's not breathtakingly original, but it's well put together. One side note is they're affiliated with Father's label which is funny because they have such a polarity in the target audience.
Defining Track
Superstars is about having a superstar attitude before the success. It's written like a hip hop song. The singing and rapping is fused and the song is pretty good.
Final Thoughts
Danger Incorporated is a nice change of pace. They could be really successful but they're a little hard to fit into hip hop or band culture at the moment. Danger Reality isn't even their best collection of songs now, and it seems like the hip hop aspect has been downplayed to catch more traction. Regardless, they are a refreshing team.

Rap Independent
Danger Incorporated - Danger Reality
7/10
Overview
Lil Wayne is a rapper from Hollygrove, New Orleans. Tha Carter 3 was by far his most successful album and sent him into the stratosphere of mainstream hip hop. Lil Wayne pioneered using comedy and metaphors. Tha Carter 3 wasn't very polished and some felt it was making a mockery of hood culture. However Tha Carter 4 was less interesting because he was more serious and polished. Tha Carter 5 is somewhere in between serious talent and fun word play. Some of the biggest brands in music like Lil Wayne are getting rebranded in the changing internet landscape. This album was produced very well culturally. It features collabs with all of the highest profile indie rappers in the game.
Defining Track
Don't Cry is the starting track and features XXXTentacion. It's extremely good. It's so good that the rest of the album is a little underwhelming compared to it, but it just set the bar really high.
Final Thoughts
Lil Wayne has a stream of consciousness style that hides his punchlines a bit. Taking a break to laugh at some of his own jokes like he did in Tha Carter 3 would have been nice on occasion. This album has very little comedy and that's his strongest niche. All of his most memorable moments are comedic. The production on the Cater 3 was epic and motion picture sounding. These instrumentals are better than 4 but not better than 3. Lil Wayne is going to expose a new generation to real hip hop, and RapIndie is just glad to help him do it.

Rap Independent
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter V
9/10
Overview
XXXTentacion is a rapper/singer from Plantation, Florida. He came basically out of nowhere and dominated the indie rap scene with "Look At Me". It was a fiery anthem that was the closes rap had ever came to a metal breakdown. As good as it was, it didn't show a lot of talent range. However, if you followed the rest of his music, you would see that he has a lot of versatility. 17 is by far some of the most emo and raw hip hop/rock available. His swag is a lot like his hair, he's very thug and skater at an almost 50% equilibrium.
Defining Track
Everybody Dies In Their Dreams is really catchy. His music sounds like death, but in a very soothing optimistic kind of way. He finds sincerity and meaning within the midst of tragedy.
Final Thoughts
XXX's young death is a tragedy for the indie rap legacy because he was so impressive in his debut releases that we'll never know what his experienced music would have sounded like. 17 isn't for everybody but it's emotional which is something that is always a nice change of pace in hip hop or indie rock even for that matter. R.I.P.

Rap Independent
XXXTentacion - 17
9/10
Overview
Travis Scott is a recording artist from Houston, Texas. This album is hip hop in production but filled with psuedo-singing in a different way than Wayne and Drake's early pioneering style of doing it. Although Travis Scott's focus isn't impressively singing, listeners should compare the vocals to a band. He's creating the hip hop equivalent of that. His music isn't revolutionary, but the focus is him. He's created a cultural significance similar to Kanye just off of his presentation with a lot less money. Also, deep masculine auto-tune vocals was never done by anyone else. It's gets old, but it's original; patented even.
Defining Track
Stop Trying To Be God is the single. It's a good song, but the target audience is unclear. His music is filled with standard urban vices that are much worse than being sacrilegious, but I guess you have to draw the line somewhere. It's memorable which is very hard to do in the digital age.
Final Thoughts
Travis Scott is part of a dying breed. I just can't bring myself to dissect someone carrying so much cultural weight for the Indie Rap community. His relationship with Kylie, his daughter; somebody is enjoying his music very much and I prefer it to many indie albums of other genres.

Rap Independent
Travis Scott - Astroworld
7/10
Overview
Drake is a rapper from Toronto. Mixing Degrassi and Myspace fame gave him exposure but not respect. After he worked with Lil Wayne, his popularity became fame. He and The Weeknd nearly created a new genre on Take Care. However, he set the bar so high he wasn't able to keep it there without The Weeknd's lyric contributions. Lately, he's been trying to hold back his talent to give other artists a chance and not outshine the culture that made him. As a result, his work had become mediocre. Not in comparison to the bulk of the rap game but mediocre compared to how good he was even back on Myspace. With that said, Scorpion is great. He's flowing, he's singing, he's unloading, and he sounds like he's enjoying life more. The problem with this album is really the social marketing. Drake is universal but that holds him back from specializing his hold on a specific audience. Hipsters are not the market here. The hood could get into it, but it's not slang focused or trap-life friendly. The girls get a few love songs, but would they be excited about an album with so much rap?
Defining Track
God's plan is catchy. It's nice but it's nowhere near the quality of the rest of this album. Also, it's a different mood. The album is a little somber which is ok for Drake because that seems to be his writing style comfort zone.
Final Thoughts
Being hard on drake is easy, but haters just mean that other people are passionate about your music too. Scorpion is his best album since Take Care, and is the best album dropped this year. Good job Aubrey.
Overview
Playboi Carti is a rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. Playboi Carti is a strange character. He is very proud of the hood but has a lot of German influence in his style simultaneously. He puts nothing into his music however, his personality and presentation is so impressive he can sell 0% effort. He delivers what his name promises, he's a social butterfly that even has one tattooed on his chest. The strongest aspect of his music is it's made to be performed in a similar style as Lil Uzi Vert's production and writing style.
Defining Track
Love Hurts is the single of the release and is very reflective of the rest of the album. He collaborates with another "play boy", Travis Scott. The song isn't technically impressive but Playboi's triumphant attitude towards life is rare and very pleasant. Most rappers have 10% of Carti's confidence.
Final Thoughts
Playboi Carti is cool but he isn't an artist. He could be just as prolific a person and write some decent bars too. Forcibly low brow music doesn't make a difference unless you get the whole populous to enjoy it.
Overview
Blocboy JB is a rapper from Memphis Tennessee. There are rappers that hide their intelligence. Blocboy is one of them. His name, his album art, is precarious; his timing; his sound; A lot of thought was put into this release. It's laser targeted. Ironically, his rap ability is laughable. His punchlines are decent and he stays on beat, but his songs would be nothing without his adlibs: "Wha.......?" "On my mama!!". He is talking to a very specific group of hip hop fans.
Defining Track
Look Alive was JB's debut song and is by far the strongest. Not only is Drake featured, but JB's rap is better than on his other tracks. It's menacing in tone but the lyrics are almost like apologetic rationalization for why they're in "battle mode".
Final Thoughts
Blocboy JB doesn't have a lot to say. Girls, guns, drug dealing... He's got a sense of humor which is evident in his name. He doesn't take himself seriously but he doesn't take his music seriously either. This album was made for the hood and would be lit at a party.

Rap Independent
Blocboy JB - Simi
6.5/10
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