#rap review

[camilishpilish]

howdy, i saw your reblog asking for rap suggestions

you should totally listen to “to pimp a butterfly” it’s probably the single greatest album of the 2010s and it has some of the strongest themes and symbolism that i’ve ever seen in an album. it is just absolutely gorgeous and it’s worth listening to in its entirety and paying attention to everything. it also has like an incredibly shocking and beautiful ending for the album.

if you want a single song you should listen to “all outta ale” by MF DOOM. he has one of the most unique sounds of any rapper and the most complex lyrics.

also tyler the creator. he is cool and very popular. although he also makes more poppy sounding songs. actually he had like a big change in his sound.

also if you don’t want to listen to a whole kendrick lamar album i really enjoy Wesley’s Theory, Alright, King Kunta, i, and Backseat Freestyle (which is from a different album good kid m.A.A.d city)

Hi!! Thank you so much for the suggestions! I did listen to the whole album (took me three days to do so apparently añslkdfj) and my favorites out of it where Alright, i, and mortal man. I think it might be cause those are the ones with the most consistent rhythms- it might me the autism, but the more flowy, jazzy vibe of the other songs didnt scratch my brain as much. I definitely feel that a lot of the lyrics in Pimp a Butterfly went over my head for lack of personal experience, and maybe a little english being my second language and me mostly dealing in tumblr slang. But those last few songs were incredibly artistically profound, I loved it when he just started breaking into a conversation with the audience and then with someone else. I can also definitely see what you meant with unique sound for MF DOOM. There was an almost bouncy instrument (?) in the back of the track that i very much enjoyed. I do think those lyrics also went over me. Im not that great at poetry interpretation, im more a fun wordplay person.

And I've heard Tyler the creator before, apparently! Entirely through tiktok, but still. I think him being more Pop puts him closer to what i usually listen to (im a big melodies person, I really like singing along to songs and i *cannot rap* for the life of me jsjs) and is definitely very pleasant sounding, but i didnt find myself gravitating towards it particularly much. All in all, nothing scratched my brain in the specific way that gets it put on my playlists, but I'm very glad to have listened to all this! It was very interesting to delve out of my comfort zone a little

[albumadayallyear]

Aquemini - OutKast

January 5, 2020 

☆☆☆☆☆/☆☆☆☆☆

4.75 stars 

"Yᴏᴜ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ᴄᴀʟʟ ᴜs ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡᴇ'ʀᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ sᴏᴜᴛʜᴇʀɴ."

For today, I wanted to take a break from music I would usually seek out and try something new. I’m not a big fan of rap music like Drake or Kanye or Eminem and I’m especially not a fan of their little fanboys and so I, ignorantly, didn’t give rap music in general a try. This is a gross injustice and I realize now I need to be brought to court, because “Aquemini” was a masterpiece start to finish. 

The album starts with a smooth instrumental in the form of “Hold On, Be Strong.” As far as instrumentals go, I really liked the smoothness of the beat. Then, their first song with words is “Return of the ‘G.’” This song serves as the groundwork for the rest of the album. This song tells the listener that they are not what they appear to be in the public and dismantles stereotypes in a rather clever and wordy way. I really admire both Andre’s and Big Boi’s way of fitting so many words and phrases into small two bar phrases. They’re geniuses. 

My favorite song on the album is their “Rosa Parks.” The track details Andre and Big Boi’s mission of dismantling stereotypes of southern rap music and focusing toward their musical revolution. They’re calling on the audience to follow this revolution as they followed Rosa Parks during the Montgomery Bus Boycotts. The hook is really catchy and the production is also great. There’s a break in the middle of the song where old-school blue grass is incorporated with the more modern beat and I love that. In a song where they rap about joining them with modernizing southern rap music, they modernize another form of southern music. 

“Skew It On The Bar-B” carries the note over from “Rosa Parks.” This song calls on people again to join their southern-infusion rap and features Raekwon, member of the famous East-Coast rap group, Wu-Tang Clan. The production on this track sounds darker sonically and more New York. You can definitely hear the East-Coast influences. 

“Aquemini” details Andre and Big Boi’s friendship more in depth and how despite everything good coming to an end, they’re going to keep working together until it isn’t possible for them to do so anymore. Andre also takes this time to detail the black experience while growing up in East Point, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta). I liked the person touch Andre added to the track. 

“Synthesizer” also has great production on it. Speaking about the effects of modern technology on people and relationships, the song features a machine-like beeping the background and the verses are crowded. While Big Boi or Andre raps, George Clinton sings around their words- adding onto this idea of the turn of the century technology adding too much noise and making actual conversations “synthetic,” since they cannot take their minds off of their tech. 

The only song I really didn’t like was “mamacita.” The hook was downright annoying and I wasn’t a huge fan of the production. 

I think “Y’all Scared” needs a bit more credit. Coming from Texas and Georgia,  I really hate the stereotypes of an uneducated, hillbilly South. I think it’s classist and moving to Iowa from Texas, I was remember I had to lose my Texas drawl because I wasn’t taken seriously. It seems OutKast feels the same. They tell people that the Deep South isn’t to be underestimated and they’ve shown time and time again they should be taken seriously, this track being another example of their musical prowess. 

I thought it was interesting how “Nathaniel,” that’s about a friend in prison, came before the song “Liberation.” The latter song details Andre’s desire to artistically express himself without worrying about the opinions of others and features Cee-Lo’s rich, soulful vocals to create a well-rounded track. 

“Chonkyfire” is another personal favorite of mine. I love the guitar riffs mixed with the electronica sound in the back. I love the ending, “The South got somethin’ to say, That’s all I got to say.” 

[pmccartney75]

Review for Orpheus vs. the Sirens by Hermit and the Recluse

Ok, I admit it. I have a weakness for concept albums. More to the point, I have a weakness for concept albums as pretentious as this one. The audacity to rewrite your own life as The Odyssey will win me over any day. So for gumption, Ka succeeds. What about the music? Well the production is uniformly beautiful (Kanye West and RZA meet Alan Parsons and Phil Spector), the verses are punchy, and it reminds me of Wu-Tang Clan in all the best ways. Admittedly, however, the songs often sound a bit similar, the story isn’t always clear, and Ka’s rhyming skills could be a pinch more creative, but I’m not sure those are really strikes against the album. At least not insofar as what it’s trying to achieve. So, against some of my better judgements:

A+

[haimreviews]

Revival vs Kamikaze

Both Revival and Kamikaze are interesting albums that see Eminem in positions he hasn’t been in a while.  With Revival, Eminem had varied subjects ranging from the pressure to follow up is last album, sex, women, politics and his struggle overcoming an overdose.  Kamikaze, with some exceptions, had the aim of showing Eminem could still top any other rapper and take down critics of Revival.  Which album was best overall?  The response seems mixed but here is my reasoning.

Revival is an extremely bloated album with an interlude and track intro that never needed to be there.  While it was heavily criticised before release for the number of featuring artists, only one seemed to be a genuine issue.  P!nk and Eminem work well together but “Need Me” is much more fitting as a P!nk track than an Eminem one.  The album also has some embarrassingly bad puns in the tracks “Remind Me” and “Heat” which will vary depending on your threshold for dad jokes.  The production is varied, starting with a piano track, trap beats, rock samples, rap ballads and the strange combination of sounds used in “Offended”.  While the production can be extremely flawed at times, the variation keeps things interesting even in lesser tracks.  Where the album shines is in how it starts and ends.  The first five tracks of the album are great before “Remind Me (Intro)” stops the momentum and the final two tracks are extremely powerful when heard together as intended.  It’s a hit and miss album with some great highs.

Kamikaze is arguably a better rap album in that it is predominately rap.  There are less features and the choruses are less often average pop choruses.  For better or worse, Eminem himself sings more of the hooks here.  With a few exceptions, the instrumentals here are mostly modern rap.  “Stepping Stone” feels more at home alongside the likes of “Toy Soldiers” or “Sing For The Moment” than on this album due to the way the rest of the album sounds and the fact that it takes a much more reflective and calm subject.  Eminem’s rapping on the album overall is often faster than on Revival to back up his claims of greatness.  This element is arguably the best success of the album because many of the faster moments here are very impressive.  The lyrics vary but are often great despite more limited subjects.  The focus on taking modern styles and doing them better does take away some of the personality presented in Eminem’s two previous releases but he does succeed in his mission most of the time here.  The album starts fairly strong like Revival did but fails to end on anywhere near as high a note.  “Nice Guy”, “Good Guy” and “Venom” all fall fairly flat despite all starting off with some promise of being interesting.  Overall, the album is more consistent and less bloated but feels somewhat hollow with its purpose.  While I consider Revival to have reached higher heights and to have left a bigger impact, the judgement on these two albums will rely on your threshold for rock rap, your interest in varied themes, your tolerance for filler tracks and your interest in modern rap.  These two albums are vastly different and it makes sense to prefer either depending on your interests.

[legion1227]

Aesop Rock: Black Hole Superette. Album Review

I'm playing catch-up with music this year.

On May 30th, 2025, Aesop Rock released his tenth studio album, Black Hole Superette. For those unfamiliar with the underground rapper, Aesop first burst onto the New York indie rap scene in the late 90s. He would sign to the label Mush in 1999 and dominate the 2000s with several album releases. One of his album releases, Daylight, would even peak at number 15 on the Billboard U.S. Independent charts. What has made Aesop stand out amongst other indie rappers is his complex lyrical style and extensive vocabulary. I've been aware of Aesop Rock over the years, but his songs mostly avoided me until '9-5ers Anthem' appeared as a recommendation one random day on Spotify during my teenage years. My first introduction to the rapper came in the form of a track that criticizes labor under American capitalism. It's chock-full and crammed with heavy-handed messaging that mostly went over my feeble-minded teenage brain. But nearly ten years later, I can appreciate the song more.

In his latest outing, though, Aesop does not go as heavy with political messaging as he leans more towards braggadocious raps and entertaining storytelling. His vocabulary remains expansive, the instrumental choices are entertaining, and some of the features, such as Lupe Fiasco or Open Mike Eagle (in a small portion for a hook on 'So Be it '), make for a genuinely compelling listen for hip-hop fans. At least, if you're into the alternative scene and enjoy lyrical spiritual miracle individuals. Some of his tracks do follow a bit of a formula and tend to blend together, yet I wouldn't call any of the songs bad whatsoever. My favorites of the bunch have to be him regaling simple stories, seen on 'Snail Zero' and 'John Something'.

4/5. Would recommend.

[legion1227]

Paul Wall and Termanology: Start Finish Repeat. An Album Review.

The fact that Paul Wall is white is what astounds me the most.

I'm tangentially familiar with Paul Wall through his feature on the classic Kanye West song "Drive Slow." "Drive Slow" is one of the best songs Kanye Dropped on Late Registration, highlighted by laidback jazzy instrumentals, smooth flows from Ye and Wall, and sublime lyricism from both artists.

This entire project harkens to that song with similar chill instrumentals and lyrics.

Teaming up with fellow rapper Termanology, the duo dropped a collaborative album on October 13th, 2023, titled "Start Finish Repeat." They have since dropped a deluxe edition, but I opted for the shorter initial release of the album to see the original vision.

In short, the LP is a vibe. SFP is an enjoyable, enriching experience between two veterans in the hip-hop game trading verses back and forth, along with numerous features packed throughout the project. Accompanying Paul Wall and Termanology are talented and respected artists such as AZ, Solene, CL Smooth, Bun B, Big KRIT, Sheek Louch, and many others. Many of the songs are reminiscent of "Drive Slow," fitting the aesthetic. In my opinion, there wasn't a bad track on the album, though some songs tend to blend with others due to similarity. But, each verse from every artist is crafted carefully, flowing well, and delivered succinctly, which is especially impressive from artists such as Wall and Termanology. My personal favorite tracks would probably include: Palm Trees, Houston BBQ, Got It Made, Smoke Somethin', and Leather Recliner.

If you haven't checked it out, I would recommend a quick listen as soon as possible. There's bound to be a track or two to enjoy if you're looking for something lowkey to enjoy. 3.5/5.

[legion1227]

IDK: F65 album review

This was a big step up from the last project, and I am so pleased. 

Last year, rapper IDK dropped a short album called Simple, and that's exactly what it was. With eight tracks and rounding out to eighteen minutes in length, it made for a quick listen. I feel he didn't make the most of his short time on Simple. Alternating between singing and rapping, he faired better with the former. His bars lacked impact, but his flow was decent. Overall, Simple was an okay project, but nothing to praise. 

His latest album, F65, is a step up from last year. Nowhere near perfect and still flawed in some areas, but I enjoy this much more than Simple. 

F65 is packed with more songs, more features, and more commanding instrumentals. With twenty-two tracks running out at fifty-two minutes, Simple felt like an appetizer as IDK serves F65 as a main course. For Simple's mediocrity, I appreciated its brevity. F65 was a luscious listen but does not need to be fifty-two minutes long. 

The biggest issue stems from pacing, as the album is too long and the tracks are too short. 

Songs like Pit Stop and Salty feel like they're just getting started as IDK raps braggadocious and gets into a groove. But before it feels like he can shift into second gear, the song suddenly ends. There would be more to savor if he could at least fit in one more verse sometimes. Consequently, he has one song, Superwoman, that takes up seven minutes. Broken into parts, the song peaks in beauty with the first part as IDK and features Musiq Soulchild wax poetic with their vocals. If anything, he should've taken the extra five minutes and distributed them amongst the other songs on the album. 

Among the other features, it's hit or miss. Fat Trel works well in unison with IDK on Thug Tear. NLE Choppa was doing a fine job on Salty but could've used more time. Jucee Froot and Saucy Santana are among the best as they flex and boast sexually on Pinot Noir. And as a Benny The Butcher fan, I absolutely could've used more Benny on Up The Score. That was nowhere near enough. 

In the end, IDK delivered his fourth studio album. I'm hoping for his next project, he can assemble more talents for the features and find a decent middle ground for the pacing. Interludes and skits plague the project and could be cut for time. The jazz-infused production helped carry a really good album along with serviceable bars. If his next project is similar to this in sound and content with around twelve tracks and thirty minutes in time, then he will have something truly great on his hands. 3.5/5

[pmccartney75]

Review for Harvard Dropout by Lil Pump

For all the goodwill he had as a joke rapper, Lil Pump sure has squandered his popularity. Personally, I’m fine with stupid music, and even really love it from time to time. What I don’t like is when an entire album of stupid music could have been made by anyone with a yeti microphone and garageband. Almost all of the album is completely forgettable, but sometimes it’s catchy? And when it is, it’s in the worst way possible. The only interesting 2 minutes on the album are his collaboration with Kanye West “I Love It,” and even then, it’s only fascinating insofar as it’s something to gawk at. Kanye more than Pump. Go away, Lil Pump. I hope this is the end.

D-