Jay Electronica - A Written Testimony (R.I. Review)

Overview Jay Electronica is a rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. The first thing that stands out about this album is the phenomenal and consistent production. His bars are complex but not while using rare superfluous diction. Jay is a lyricist with a spoken word style but none of his bars are prolific. Jay Z raps a lot on this album and it creates a Watch The Throne nostalgia that is tolerable because it's done well. All of the beats evoke a lot of emotion which is highly refreshing due to the dispassionate landscape of modern hip hop.

Defining Track Flux Capacitor is an upbeat song where Jay Z stirs up some drama by calling the old "Ye" sweet. The rap is good, the beat is good, and it's abstracted enough to compliment any hipster's playlist. Final Thoughts A Written Testimony is well-timed and well-executed. The album cover with tree reflections in the water is mind-blowingly clever. Jay Electronica's in his prime on this release. This album is a reminder of just how cultured and innovative hip hop music can be at its best.

Machine Gun Kelly - Bullets With Names ft. Young Thug, RJMrLA, Lil Duke

Don Toliver - Spaceship

Eminem - Godzilla feat. JuiceWRLD

Giveon - Like I Want You

Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake (R.I. Review)

Overview

Lil Uzi Vert is a rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is quite the character. His music is light yet hood-focused which is rare. He's a walking cartoon that is simultaneously passionate about his origin. This album can be played in rotation with standard hip hop, but the target audience is vast. Eternal Atake is designed to be a lit performance, not a deep experience. There are skits at the end of most tracks but the tracks themselves are nearly topic-less. He really doesn't have much to say. His money is long, his girl is down... Did I mention his money? Defining Track "Futsal Shuffle" is his debut single from the release and is a fun distraction from the woes of hip hop culture. It isn't revolutionary but his personality is infectious and is a good introduction to black culture. Final Thoughts Lil Uzi Vert is cool, but he isn't a passionate artist. His songs stay about the same level in every release, but thankfully they are still fairly good. "Eternal Atake" is decent, but that creates a relatable-ness and inviting universal quality that draws humble people in.

Tyler The Creator - Grammys Performance

Vintage RapIndie Commercial

Earl Sweatshirt - Feet Of Clay (R.I. Review)

Overview Earl Sweatshirt rose to fame as the infamous secret weapon from the rap collective, Odd Future. Feet Of Clay is different. The production is nearly drum-less and he ignores the tempo often. Even though it's an acquired taste musically, it's original, spoken-word inspired, and most importantly, it doesn't feel like hip hop. The instrumentals are some of the most abstract I've ever heard a rap on. It's much better than "Some Rap Songs" but it couldn't hold a candle to "Earl". "No regards for the bullsh*t". Earl has a very mature take on a lot of current events. This is the most cultured and sophisticated hip hop album released with it's prominence.
Defining Track
EAST is as political as the name implies. He questions everything in his life with an awareness higher than every genre's norm. It's hookless but is short enough to not leave you searching for one. It's a good song but would be far from anyone's favorite Earl song.
Final Thoughts
Earl pioneered a level of clout that lingers over this release. His vision of the world is much deeper than most and this is his most sophisticated release.

Post Malone - Hollywood's Bleeding (R.I. Review)

Overview
Post Malone is a singer-rapper from Grapevine, Texas. His style is melodic medium-paced hip hop with a hood dialect. As far as subject matter, this album is about pain and grandeur. Nearly all of his songs are catchy and memorable, yet they're pretty consistent in quality. His melodies evoke emotion, and they're non-predictable. There are a lot of strong rap collaborations, which he doesn't need to be authentically hood but they're there if you need it.
Defining Track
"Take What You Need" is a song about being used. It's well put together and the hip hop sampling in a sung song is fairly new. Post Malone has a believable delivery, but he isn't really pushing himself on this one. It's laid back and well executed.
Final Thoughts
All three Post Malone albums are at the same level of quality. He's consistently good, but a little non-eventful. If he had some interesting or comedic punchlines or referenced some current slang he could make a more exciting album. He's always good, but if you heard his other albums, you've basically heard this one.

Clout

Clout