Snoop Lion - Reincarnated

You can pinpoint the exact moment Snoop Dogg stopped being dangerous. In November 2006, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment was released, with lead single 'Vato' being an unquestionable standout (run motherfucka run!). Then, it all stopped. Snoop decided to become a family man, with reality shows and a string of other endorsements turning him into an 'Uncle Snoopy' figure, unrecognisable from the menacing, whip-smart youth that dominated the hip hop world through the 1990's.
As one of hip hop's elder statesmen he did, however, continue to release music. Ego Trippin' was a slightly bizarre, if ultimately disappointing follow up while, the less said about Malice n Wonderland the better. If these were poor, it was nothing compared to the disastrous Doggumentary. Snoop even had the nerve to bill it as the sequel to first classic album Doggystyle, an appalling comparison that did the project no favours at all. Somehow, the magic had gone.
In July 2012, Snoop Dogg threw a curveball. Announcing he was changing his stage name to 'Snoop Lion', and was embracing the Rastafarian faith, the eccentric rapper declared his next album would be an exclusively reggae affair. Assuaging all doubts about the validity and even existence of the project, Snoop Lion has delivered Reincarnated on schedule to a fan base he has yet to convince about his change of direction.

Early signs were not good. Lead single 'La La La' did nothing to soothe fears the Doggfather had finally lost his marbles. It was with trepidation that I downloaded and began to listen to album, bracing myself for a car crash in musical form. It wasn't the first time I have done this with a new Snoop Dogg LP...

My fears were almost instantly dissipated. Opener 'Rebel Way' has Mr Lion crooning over a relaxed Major Lazer beat. The first surprise is the fact that Snoop can actually sing a little. Not especially well, but it isn't painful in the same way as listening to some of his peers (I'm looking at Diddy especially). He's Kid Cudi good if you're looking for a point of reference.
With his mildly weak vocals seemingly in mind, Snoop enlists a variety of reggae singers to assist with many of the hooks. Angela Hunte assists on the ludicrously catchy 'Here Comes the King', and pops up again on 'So Long'. Both tracks are perfect reggae-pop, as deep as a puddle but suitably party-ready. Backed up by the aforementioned Major Lazer production team, Reinarnated is rarely allowed to slide into boring territory. Just when it appears certain tracks are about to sag, Diplo throws in a random horn section or thumping bass line to keep things ticking over. The project works better if you don't think about it too hard and allow the music to wash over you, Major Lazer working effectively to give the album a sense of continuity.

The technique of not taking things too seriously is useful when exposed to some of Snoop's unorthodox subject matter. While it is refreshing to hear him avoid profanity and explicit material, the fact he chooses to replace it with lyrics about fruit juice and the healing powers of nature do raise the eyebrows slightly. It is his sketchy grip on the Rastafarian religion that amuses most, something forgivable if you regard the album as the oddity that it is.

There is, however, the odd note of sincerity. 'No Guns Allowed' is particularly resonant given the recent tragedies that have occurred in the USA recently, while Drake provides an affecting verse about the problems across the border in Canada. In a similar vein, 'Tired of Running' finds Snoop ruminating on the impact his music may have had on relations between the public and the police.

The perceived vocal weakness occasionally gives way to unnecessary guest spots. Akon drops by for absolutely no reason on the aforementioned 'Tired of Running', adding nothing to a song Snoop is quite able to handle on his own, while the decision to allow Chris Brown to appear on 'Remedy' is baffling on an album exclusively about peace and love. The track is, however, notable for a fired up, Jamaican-mode Busta Rhymes (WADADANG, WADADADANGDANG?) The featured artists seem to reflect an anxious Snoop Lion, needlessly worried about being unable to carry his own album and instead flooding the project with needless guests.

Track by Track:

1. Rebel Way (7/10)
2. Here Comes the King (Feat. Angela Hunte) (7/10)
3. Lighters Up (Feat. Mavado & Popcaan) (7/10)
4. So Long (Feat. Angela Hunte) (8/10)
5. Get Away (Feat. Angela Hunte) (7/10)
6. No Guns Allowed (Feat Drake & Cori B) (7/10)
7. Fruit Juice (Feat. Mr. Vegas) (7/10)
8. Smoke the Weed (Feat. Collie Budz) (5/10)
9. Tired of Running (Feat. Akon) (7/10)
10. The Good Good (Feat. Iza) (7/10)
11. Torn Apart (Feat. Rita Ora) (7/10)
12. Ashtrays & Heartbreaks (Feat. Miley Cyrus) (6/10)
13. Boulevard (Feat. Jahdan Blakkamoore) (6/10)
14. Remedy (Feat. Busta Rhymes & Chris Brown) (6/10)
15. La La La (5/10)
16. Harder Times (Feat. Jahdan Blakkamoore) (7/10)

The Verdict

A pleasant surprise, Snoop Lion has delivered an album full of charm and personality, albeit with a skewed Rastafarian vision and a loose grip on what reggae music actually entails. Enlisting the services of Major Lazer for the majority of the production proves to be a masterstroke, giving Reincarnated a pleasingly cohesive feel. Against all expectations, Snoop Dogg has delivered his best album since 2006.

7/10

2 Chainz - Based On A T.R.U Story

It has been a good year for 2 Chainz. Musically active since the mid 90's, his previous 'Tity Boi' stage name proved to be a hindrance as his Playaz Circle group attained middling success through the early 2000's. A quick change of moniker and Tauheed Epps has suddenly become one of the most prolific featured artists of 2012. Mixtape acclaim has been followed by feverish anticipation for his debut solo album. It's all going so well that, if his frequent boasts are to be believed, Chainz is now charging $100,000 for each guest verse. With the backing of veteran label Def Jam, fans are now able to see for themselves whether Based On A T.R.U Story is able to maintain his stratospheric rise to the top.

Things do not get off to a great start. Album opener 'Yuck' is patchy, with an unpleasant, entirely unnecessary chorus from Lil Wayne. Thankfully, following efforts 'Crack' and 'Dope Peddler' find the Georgia resident in comfortingly familiar territory. The simplistic, bouncy rhyme schemes that have brought Chainz such success are present and correct, with bombastic production from Southside and Bangladesh respectively. 'Money Machine' and 'Wut We Doin' follow the same pattern, not exactly reinventing the wheel but sure to delight fans looking thumping, raucous beats.

Lead single 'No Lie' is next up. The Drake assisted track is well chosen, becoming easily the strongest cut on the project. It is important to note that the song belongs entirely to Drake, bringing the energy and charisma that has been sorely lacking since his mixtape days. 2 Chainz effectively becomes a featured artist on his own song, but it is no less enjoyable because of it. A second high profile guest follows immediately after, Kanye West handling production duties on 'Birthday Song' while also dropping by to spit a verse. The track is fun, if a little repetitive, the two artists failing to recreate the chemistry found on recent collaborations such as 'Mercy'. The slinky 'I'm Different' is perhaps the most ironically titled song in hip hop history, but has catchy, subversive piano keys for the MC to push forward his shit talking agenda.

To his credit, Chainz does risk breaking from the formula that has reaped so many rewards. 'Extremely Blessed' featuring The Dream is a nice change of pace, though including R&B tracks catering for females seems slightly absurd for an album that constantly extols the virtues of strippers and hoes. 'In Town' is similarly relaxing, but the Chris Brown featured 'Countdown' becomes a little turgid.

'I Luve Dem Strippers' is by far the poorest offering on the LP. Derivative to the point of inertia, the repetitive, misogynistic content is hardly enlightened by an irritating verse from Nicki Minaj. Though a more serious approach can be found on 'Ghetto Dreams', there are still some severe limitations on show.  The track is predominantly an examination of the problems facing the poor neighborhoods the rapper grew up in, but he simply cannot resist throwing in some trite rhymes:
"Used to dream about a bigger couch, woke up in a bigger house/ Commas in my bank account/ So much money, I had to let the banker count."
The refusal to take the subject seriously comes off poorly when compared to an earnest Scarface guest spot. The track demonstrates how, by pushing himself out of his comfort zone, Chainz often comes up short.

Track By Track:

01. Yuck! (feat. Lil Wayne) (6/10)
02. Crack (7/10)
03. Dope Peddler (7/10)
04. No Lie (feat. Drake) (8/10)
05. Birthday Song (feat. Kanye West) (7/10)
06. I’m Different (8/10)
07. Extremely Blessed (feat. The-Dream) (7/10)
08. I Luv Dem Strippers (feat. Nicki Minaj) (4/10)
09. Stop Me Now (feat. Dolla Boy) (610)
10. Money Machine (7/10)
11. In Town (feat. Mike Posner) (6/10)
12. Ghetto Dreams (feat. Scarface & John Legend) (6/10)
13. Wut We Doin? (feat. Cap1) (7/10)
14. Countdown (feat. Chris Brown) (5/10)

The Verdict:

2 Chainz isn't going to win any new fans with Based on a T.R.U Story. This is not necessarily a bad thing, the former Playaz Circle member providing a fun, trunk rattling album for the late summer. Though he has charisma in abundance, his limitations as an MC come to the fore a little too often for his solo debut album to be recommended to those who are yet to be convinced.

7/10

Waka Flocka Flame: Triple F Life

In October 2010, Waka Flocka Flame exploded into the Billboard Charts with his debut album Flockaveli. The album was heavily praised for stripping gangsta rap back to it's roots, Lex Luger's hard hitting beats complemented by Flocka's brash, violence soaked simplistic delivery. After an eventful, mixtape filled 2 years, the Riverdale representative returns with his sophomore effort Triple F Life. 


Opener 'Let Dem Guns Blam' sees Waka paired with MMG member Meek Mill. The first few lines of the track give listeners a taste of what to expect:
'I'm too drunk, I'm to high to hear that fuck shit/ Came to the club, yeah I'm on that fuck shit/ Let them things blam/ Let them things blam/ Let them things blam'.
The repetitive, menacing delivery is an example of where the rapper excels, eschewing complex lyricism to batter the listener into submission over loud, compelling instrumentals. This theme is continued with bangers such as ''Cash' and 'Lurkin', featuring Piles. The guest spot proves to be a masterstroke, the raspy Floridian sounding like he's auditioning for a late spot on Flockaveli. 
Also present is a healthy amount of experimentation, Ludacris and Bun B providing a nice change of pace on the Southern soaked 'Candy Paint and Gold Teeth'. Personal travails are revealed on 'Power Of My Pen', a welcome change of subject towards the end of the tracklist.


Unfortunately, the promising tracks are let down by a baffling array of guest stars in the early stages of the LP. Drake just about holds his own over the unusually subdued Lex Luger produced 'Round of Applause', but Waka and Trey Songz are mismatched on 'I Don't Really Care'. 'Get Low' features Nicki Minaj, Tyga and Flo Rida on a syrupy, shameless assault on the singles charts. It is not that the track is particularly unlistenable, but Flocka's legions of fans buy his material precisely to avoid this watered down, radio friendly rap. If this represents a misstep, the B.O.B assisted 'Fist Pump' is simply lamentable, the pop leaning of Bobby Ray proving to be too jarring with the style of Waka's music. It is not until the 3 bonus tracks that Triple F Life fully returns to the formula that made Flockaveli so successful, 'Inky' being the particular highlight.


Important to note is that the Georgian rapper has improved his flow measurably since his debut LP. Often employing double time, a slicker delivery is detectable throughout Triple F Life. Though this is commendable, it is conversely a drawback to the project as a whole. The new rapping style allows him to fit in more comfortably with the more mainstream oriented acts on his guest list, but this in turn reveals a transparent attempt to crossover to a wider audience. Flocka has built a career and garnered acclaim by deliberately ignoring the demands of lyricism in favour of outlandish violence over thumping beats. This heavy metal-like approach is what sets him apart from his peers, and losing this causes the album to struggle at times.      


Track by Track:


1. "Triple F Life Intro" 
2. "Let Dem Guns Blam" feat. Meek Mill (7/10)
3. "Round of Applause" feat. Drake (6/10)
4. "I Don't Really Care" feat. Trey Songz (4/10)
5. "Rooster in My Rari" (5/10)
6. "Get Low" feat. Nicki Minaj, Tyga, & Flo Rida (5/10)
7. "Fist Pump" feat. B.o.B. (4/10)
8. "Candy Paint & Gold Teeth" feat. Bun B & Ludacris (7/10)
9. "Cash" feat. Wooh Da Kid (7/10)
10. "Lurkin'" (8/10)
11. "Clap" (5/10)
12. "U Ain't Bout That Life" feat. Alley Boy & Slim Thug (6/10)
13. "Power of My Pen" (7/10)
14. "Flex" feat. Travis Porter, Slim Dunkin & D-Bo (5/10)
15. "Triple F Outro"
16. "Inky" feat. Slim Dunkin & Wooh Da Kid (7/10)
17. "Chin Up" feat. Slim Dunkin (7/10)
18. "Everything I Love" feat. Future & Trouble (6/10)

The Verdict:

In aiming for mainstream acceptance, Waka Flocka Flame has shot himself in the foot. With an admittedly small, but committed fan base, Waka is risking losing those who put him in his position by dabbling in pop rap. Though some tracks retain his trademark sound, the lukewarm filler may see some listeners lose faith.

6/10 

Is Hip Hop Dead?

The early 2000's were the golden years for Hip Hop in terms of albums sales. Even the most depressingly average MC's could virtually guarantee a gold plaque (500,000) with every release. Fast forward to 2007, and sales were rapidly declining. For the first time in 12 years there was no rap album in the American top ten best sellers of the year. Sales of music in general suffered due to the recession, but hip hop was hit particularly hard. The ceaseless mantra of 'bitches, money and hoes' was growing increasingly stale as the gangsta rap market became saturated with cheap imitations. Consumers were crying out for something different.
The last 2 years, however, has seen a resurgence of quality music from a litany of new MC's. First up was Wiz Khalifa, fuelled by his mega hit 'Black and Yellow' and a huge underground buzz for his mixtapes. Rolling Papers sold 197,000 in its first week of release, eventually receiving gold certification. Hot on the heels of his success were standout projects Section 80 from Kendrick Lamar and Follow Me Home by Jay Rock. Though not commercially successful, the two albums displayed the wealth of young talent lurking just below the surface of mainstream hip hop.
After numerous delays, September saw J Cole finally drop his highly anticipated Cole World. Selling over 200,000 in its first week, the figures were particularly impressive as there was no particularly popular single to promote the album on the airwaves. Similarly, Wale received a remarkable career boost by signing onto Maybach Music. Compilation album We Are Maybach Music was well received, along with fellow freshmen Pill and Meek Mill, but the sales figures for sophomore project Ambition were truly remarkable. Over 160,000 units were moved in the week of release, compared to the 28,000 sold of 2008's debut Attention Deficit. Again, Ambition had no substantial single to promote. Love him or hate him, Drake is setting the standard for the rap/r&b hybrid, Take Care awarded a gold plaque within a week.

The success story of the year so far has been Mac Miller's Blue Slide Park. Despite being released on an independent label, the album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Chart with 144,000 sold. Without substantial promotion, the rapper relied on engaging with his large internet following to great effect.
Though these figures are unimpressive when compared to the multi-platinum albums of the first half of the last decade, or indeed against continuing superstars such as Eminem, Jay Z and Lil Wayne, placing them alongside recent work from established stars is worthwhile.

50 Cent- Before I Self Destruct 160,000 (2009)
Rick Ross - Teflon Don 176,000 (2010)
T.I - No Mercy 159,000 (2010)
Game - The R.E.D Album 98,000 (2011)

Taking these figures into account, it suggests that hip hop is certainly working on a reduced scale. This is not to say, however, that the quality of music is declining. The state of the music industry is forcing labels to go look for other ways to promote their product, the creation of twitter becoming an increasingly dominant force in the hip hop world. A 'back to basics' approach, with an increased focus on creating quality free mixtapes to build a large following has yielded excellent results for artists such as Drake, Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa. The new generation is now in a position to stand alongside the big hitters in the rap industry, with newcomers such as A$AP Rocky, Vado and Childish Gambino hot on their heels. Particularly exciting is the wide range of styles coming through the ranks. The introspection of J Cole, for example, is a world apart from the jaunty 'backpack' rap of Mac Miller.
Taking all this into account, it is clear that hip hop isn't dead. It's just smaller.

Drake - Take Care

Drake has been dividing opinion since his mixtape So Far Gone took the hip hop world by storm in 2009. Some see him as a multi-talented messianic figure at the forefront of popular rap, while others regard him as a pretty boy making R&B that can barely be classed as hip hop. Whatever your opinion on the Canadian entertainer, this album is unlikely to change your mind either way. 


Album opener 'Over My Dead Body' takes over from where Thank Me Later left off, with mellow piano keys providing the backdrop for Drake to wax lyrical about his accomplishments while Chantal Kreviazuk provides a soulful hook. This sets the tone for the chilled out mood that pervades the album, up tempo tracks proving to be thin on the ground. 'Shot For Me' allows the rapper to test the limits of his actual singing voice, rather than the irritating half singing half rapping that contributed to the lukewarm reception for his last album.  The trend is followed through into 'Doing It Wrong' with great success, a welcome, more emotional side to the rapper shining through. There is a tendency in Drake's music towards moody bitterness, and this runs through both of the songs as he arrogantly dismisses the women of his past. Other examples include 'Look What You've Done' and 'Marvin's Room', Drake using the downbeat tracks to uncomfortably bare his soul. 


There are, however, more upbeat tracks on the album. 'Make Me Proud' features assistance from rumoured wife Nicki Minaj, the chemistry between the two artists becomes undeniable over a pulsing beat. Lead single 'Headlines' is a catchy, boastful toast to everything the rapper has achieved in his short career. 'HYFR', with mentor Lil Wayne, is an opportunity for Drake to showcase an improved, speedier flow, suggesting the MC has used the time since Thank Me Later wisely. Another highlight is the sensual 'Practice', Drake demonstrating why his female fan base is so widespread.

Guests on the album are largely expected, with two notable exceptions. Canadian newcomer The Weeknd shines on 'Crew Love', eclipsing his fellow countryman on his own track. More importantly, Drake is finally awarded his dream collaboration with Andre 3000. The ATLien drops by for 'The Real Her', the song also featuring Lil Wayne. Unfortunately, the track fails to match the sum of its parts, the ponderous beat hard to distinguish from the instrumentals that have proceeded it. As always, 3000 drops witty, playful rhymes, but the project does not stand up to repeat listening.


Track By Track


1. “Over My Dead Body” 7/10
2. “Shot for Me” 7/10
3. “Headlines” 8/10
4. “Crew Love” feat. The Weekend 7/10
5. “Take Care” feat. Rihanna 6/10
6. “Marvin’s Room” / “Buried Alive Interlude” 6/10
7. “Under Ground Kings” 6/10
8. “We’ll Be Fine” 6/10
9. “Make Me Proud” feat. Nicki Minaj 8/10
10. “Lord Knows” feat. Rick Ross 6/10
11. “Cameras” / “Good Ones Go Interlude” 7/10
12. “Doing It Wrong” 8/10
13. “The Real Her” feat. Lil Wayne & André 3000 6/10
14. “HYFR (Hell Ya Fu**in’ Right)” feat. Lil Wayne 7/10
15. “Look What You’ve Done” 6/10
16. “Practice” 8/10
17. “The Ride” 6/10


The Verdict:


Drake is unlikely to win any new fans with Take Care, his sophomore album following the pattern established by Thank Me Later. There is, however, evidence of artistic progression, making the album a definite improvement on his disappointing debut. Supporters of Drake will be delighted with this new collection, whereas his detractors will find plenty to support their opinions.


7/10