Coffee & Cigarettes definitely stood out for me, not necessarily because it's the best track, but it switched things up for a little breather. EDIT: and the closer, definitely the best track here.
I get that this guy likes grunge or whatever but most of these guitar sample (though they probably aren't samples) beats are bad
I'm done. I really like this guy. He's a very good rapper and and the highpoints here are very high, but as a whole this album is all over the place. I'll put some tracks in rotation but that's it.
It seems more to me like he hasn't really found his sound. Most of these tracks sound very familiar to me because they sound a lot like songs made by other rappers that have found their own style.
Sad thing is that he found a unique, amazing sound (down on my luck) and then has done nothing like that since
I really liked Innanetape (even if it felt like Chance Jr. a bit) and Down on My Luck was cool, but like everyone else, I can't really get into most of this.
I really enjoyed the entirety of this album. I've been a fan of Vic's music since the INNANETAPE though he kinda lost me somewhere in the middle when he was releasing a lot of those trap bangers. He has done a full 360 since that though, his last EP "There's A Lot Going On" was incredible and I think he's an artist that people either relate to or don't sorta like J. Cole. He's super talented as an emcee and the delivery is quite immaculate. The lyricism and music is just something u kinda connect with if you relate to the everyday struggles in his content. I will spin this album numerous times.
idek if i even like his lyrics that much, they are either very literal or very cheesy. I commend his honesty and his ability to construct a verse but it's not very deep
No shots at you (I'm serious) but I disagree. Vic is certainly no Common, but calling sincere or earnest rappers (which are often literal - not every rapper has to be poetic) corny or cheesy is one of the most long running sicknesses in hip hop and it's only getting worse. It's an attitude that only strengthens some of the more toxic aspects of the culture. Ironically, it's often the same people that call, for example, J. Cole corny but then complain when a rapper they love that calls himself 21Savage (which I also like - this is not meant to disparage rappers like him in any way) does not act like 21Woke outside of his music.
I mean I think those rappers are cheesy too but in a different way, I'm just saying I would take a rapper like Earl or Kendrick over Vic any day because they are also very honest but are not hyper literal and construct a specific sound and vocabulary for what they are trying to convey
like please tell me how you are sitting there and thinking this is not cheesy? After the dark comes the sunset Tell the ones you love "You might only get one chance" I would give it all back before you slip away from me That's just what you mean to me That's just what you mean to me
I consider very few things that come from a real place cheesy, and with hip hop it's still safe to assume it does... despite Drake's best efforts. It can be badly written but that's a different story.
yeah they don't sound out of place with the music at that part but that music is also really cheesy, that would be one of his best songs without that part easily.
it doesn't say anything that isn't already illustrated in the verses through actions and images, all it does is water the same thing down into vague inspirational anecdotes
I feel like we could write a lot more here but it won't go anywhere so let's save time and agree to disagree