Apr 20, 2019

Playboi Carti gets a 7.6/10 from 5 ratings

next up…

RATING 32: Nipsey Hussle - Victory Lap
Release Date: 16 February 2018
Label: Atlantic / All Money In No Money Out

Tracklist:
01. Victory Lap ft. Stacey Barthe
02. Rap n----s
03. Last Time That I Checc’d ft. YG
04. Young n----- ft. Puff Daddy
05. Dedication ft. Kendrick Lamar
06. Blue Laces 2
07. Hussle & Motivate
08. Status Symbol 3 ft. Buddy
09. Such Proof ft. Konshens & J-Black
10. Keyz 2 the City 2 ft. TeeFlii
11. Grinding All My Life
12. Million While You Young ft. The-Dream
13. Loaded Bases ft. Cee-Lo Green
14. Real Big ft. Marsha Ambrosius
15. Double Up ft. Belly & Dom Kennedy
16. Right Hand 2 God

Besides for a few songs and features here and there, this was my proper introduction to Nipsey. I still haven’t listened to the rest of his discography so its difficult to judge how this album lands in his catalog. But still, as a standalone album, Victory Lap is pretty much exactly as its title suggests. Its powerful, victorious, triumphant. Nipsey’s voice takes on a commanding presence, echoing and booming across what might be a perfect set of classically West-coast inspired instrumentals. Its difficult to recall another recent album that recreates and updates the heyday of G-Funk so well (excl. YG). The influences are clear but its Nipsey himself that makes Victory Lap what it is. The themes are clear (just look at the song titles) - winning the race, coming out on top, revelling in triumph after emerging from the struggle - topics that can easily come across as corny if it weren’t for Nipsey’s deft touch.

I’m glad this album was nominated for a Grammy. For what was technically a debut project, from a relatively unknown (relative to usual Grammy nominees) artist that had never exactly lit up the charts, the nomination was a pleasant surprise. From the little I do know about him, Nipsey sought to translate his success into positive change for his community. His loss is not only one to the hip hop but to the world at large. Rest in power Nip. I give Victory Lap an 8/10.

@RateThisAlbum

 

Apr 7, 2019

9.5/10

B6 is one of the greatest trap albums ever made. Possibly the 3rd best behind Dirty Sprite 2 and Flockaveli, which are both 10s imo. Only thing bringing it down is that terrible cover art.

 

Apr 7, 2019

Compton get an 8.4/10 from 11 ratings

Next up…

RATING 30: Young Thug - Barter 6
Release Date: 16 April 2015
Label: 300/Atlantic/YSL



Tracklist

01. Constantly Hating ft. Birdman
02. With That
03. Can’t Tell ft. T.I., Boosie Badazz
04. Check
05. Never Had It ft. Young Dolph
06. Dream ft. Yak Gotti
07. Dome ft. Duke
08. Halftime
09. Amazing ft. Jacquees
10. Knocked Off ft. Birdman
11. OD
12. Numbers
13. Just Might Be

Around 2013 I started getting bored of hip hop. The blog era was over and I couldn’t be bothered to look around for what was popping off at the time. Plus the s--- just wasn’t hitting like it used to. Sure, rappers like Kendrick, Rocky, Danny Brown, Tyler, Big Krit, et al were all making some great music but none of them ever really clicked for me like my favourite artists from the previous decade. Looking back now, I missed out on so much great music from the early 2010s. Theres still a bunch of s--- i need to catch up on. In 2014 however, I discovered Young Thug (from @Big Cuntry 's previous incarnation of RateThisAlbum, if I’m not mistaken). At first I couldn’t understand what the hype was about. Then suddenly it clicked. Young Thug was what the game had been missing. He was something different, he was an innovator. And my love for hip hop was suddenly reborn, in a completely new form.

Barter 6 was billed as a mixtape but I think its pretty much decided by now that this is Young Thug’s debut album. I’d go as far as to say that its his best (solo) project yet. For someone coming fresh into Young Thug’s music, it might be tough to wrap your mind around what the f--- is going on. Young Thug is not your conventional rapper. He yelps and yips and barks and adlibs and at the drop of a hat can switch his style up from Lil Wayne to Louis Armstrong. The instrumental is his playground and he seemingly uncaringly splashes weirdly pitched vocals over the beat like a master painter on his easel. After so many years of the same flows, the same inflections, the same timbre, Jeffrey discovered, implemented and commercialised a range of new ways to ride the beat. Whats even more incredible is that just 3 or 4 years later how deeply influential those innovations have become. Barter 6 was only the beginning. I give it an 8/10.

@RateThisAlbum

 

Apr 3, 2019

7/10

I couldn't believe we got another Dre album, considering how meticulous and perfectionist he is. It felt like a major event and it has the archetypal Dre formula; features from his proteges (sans Fifty), unreal sound quality and fantastic production--I was stunned to hear Dre on a Preemo beat! The features were sometimes hit or miss, but overall it provided and interesting mix of songs.

Initially I replayed the crap of Compton, but some of the songs over time did grow a bit stale, I was hoping to hear more the next-level sound that I imagine was intended for Detox. But really I can't complain too much that someone with a career in the genre that spanned for over 30+ years and has contributed so much decided to create another solid project, it's no Chronic, but it doesn't need to be.

 

Apr 2, 2019

9.5/10

Only Talk About It stops it being a perfect 10 for me. We need another Dre album.

 

Apr 2, 2019

Let's pretend Straight Outta Compton was a video for the whole album

 

Mar 31, 2019

coming up soon!

 

Mar 30, 2019

@Sav Stanfield a Compton discussion could be good

 

Mar 29, 2019

basically rt this, but to make my vote count ill add that it was a massive disappointment for me and Im almost never coming back to it. 6/10

 

Mar 29, 2019

6/10

It hurts me to rate it this low, but when you have a mercurial talent like Paak and with Dr Dre involved the expectations deservedly should be high. And right there was the problem, Dre had an idea of trying to make this some new age G-Funk cookout classic but didn't really have the right idea of how to exectute it properly even with Paak's elastic range. It's like some of the songs feel lifeless and dull, luckily there are the features to inject some life into them. Listening to Bubblin & Till Its Over now gave me the idea the original direction might have been vastly different.

Wish it was better but I still got some keepers on here; I'm still bumping the Q-Tip & Cole joints, Tints should have been the formula for this album's mainstream cuts and that jam with Snoop is exactly what Dre was envisioning for this album. Bring on Ventura, that's gonna redeem this for sure!

 

Mar 28, 2019

Madvillainy gets a 10 from me by the way! Forgot to put a score down the other day. The intricate wordplay and extraordinary production is really a match made in heaven

Oxnard gets a score of 6 from me. Definitely his weakest effort under the Paak moniker. The highs are soaring when they hit, but like it's been said previously, he's trying to meld too many identities together. Ventura will be the step in the right direction I hope

 

Mar 28, 2019

I'm predicting Paak's gonna drop a straight up classic on us with Ventura. He needed to get Oxnard outta his system first

 

Mar 26, 2019

Man I love TMTYL

 

Mar 25, 2019

1. Madvillainy
2. MM...FOOD
3. Operation Doomsday
4. VV1 and 2
5. DangerDOOM
6. Take Me To Your Leader
7. JJ DOOM
8. Born Like This
9. Czarface and DOOM

Didn't hear enough of the rest and I dont include KMD at all. Everything from top2 to top7 is extremaly close and can change daily tbh, but Madvillainy comfortably sits at the 1st spot, it is so important to me. Every album is at least good, with top7 spots being rated >8 by me. Rating DOOMs discography might be an interesting thread after we are done with Wu

 

Mar 24, 2019

10/10

What is there needed to be said about Madvillainy? It helped give more attention to the underground scene. Sure, some of the beats were dusty, but that's what Lib does best. DOOM'S wordplay went way over my head the first time around. It's crazy how much impact this album had in the undergound scene. Even in the mainstream as well. It could be heard in Pro Era's old s---. Odd Future. It's DOOM'S magnum opus imo. While not my favorite Madlib project, it still d--- near topping my list.

10/10

 

Mar 18, 2019

Havent had a real drive to revisit this full project in a long time but I still sometimes stumble upon some songs from it. This album provides a great show of diverse songmaking, beautiful lyricism (Qs best trait imo, the ability to paint a picture), and fun songs to listen to. My favorite songs off the LP are Eddie Kane, John Muir, and Tookie Knows II. Only song I have ever skipped is Overtime, and its the only bad song on the album.

This Verse from Eddie Kane is one of the top verses from this decade on the basis of songwriting and picture painting:

Spoiler: Eddie Kane Verse

Yo, uh, yo, uh, need a car with no mileage
Kristoff on my palate, my cigar full of cabbage
Came from the dirt to the carrots
Getting dirty dollars, four different baby mommas
Dope between the speakers, so f--- you, Mr. Teacher
'Cause the paper, I ace it, lead, they tried to erase it
But I'm still standing, they mad and everything
Nothing given, I'ma take it first
On the trees like a hammock, flip the work behind the campus
Young Groovy turn your hood into a movie (into a movie...)
g--- bangin', dope slangin'
GTA-ing, s---t the whole club up
f--- tryna sneak the K in, on the road to riches
Thank you Mr. Reagan, you helped them dollars rake in
And to my uncle that f----- up the family
That s--- that you was smokin', I was pushin', residue lie on the cushion
I'ma blame it on your a--- cause I ain't gettin' whoopings
And your proof is in the pudding
I'm just grandma's baby, Eddie Kane
(Eddie Kane, Eddie Kane) Uh

Solid 8.5/10 IMO

 

Mar 18, 2019

Alright we back in this b----

YNW Melly - I AM YOU gets an 8.1/10 from 4 ratings

Some updated scores:

Future - The WIZRD gets an 8.5/10 from 10 ratings
03 Greedo - God Level gets an 8.2/10 from 6 ratings

Next up…

RATING 26: Schoolboy Q - Blank Face LP
Release Date: 8 July 2016
Label: Interscope/Top Dawg

Tracklist
01. Torch
02. Lord Have Mercy
03. That Part ft. Kanye West
04. Groovy Tony/ Eddie Kane ft. Jadakiss
05. Know Ya Wrong ft. Lance Skiiwalker
06. Ride Out ft. Vince Staples
07. Whateva U Want ft. Candice Pillay
08. By Any Means
09. Dope Dealer ft. E-40
10. John Muir
11. Big Body ft. Tha Dogg Pound
12. Neva Change ft. SZA
13. Str8 Ballin
14. Black Thoughts
15. Blank Face ft. Anderson .Paak
16. Overtime ft. Miguel, Justine Sky
17. Tookie Know II ft. Traffic, TF

Schoolboy Q has always taken a backseat to Kendrick Lamar. Thats not to say he’s just some Tony Yayo-esque weed-carrier, Q’s been one of the most successful rappers of the decade, commercially and critically. While Habits & Contradictions was an excellent album, both Oxymoron and Blank Face LP feel to me as though there’s something missing. Neither of them are bad albums by any means but they lack the punch that H&C promised. Blank Face, released in 2016, with a feature list from the hip hop gods themselves has some seriously great standout moments. There’s an impressive range - from Q’s typical gangsta rap to the more smoked out and laid-back, all enveloped in the classically polished TDE sound. It clocks in almost 80 minutes, but like Oxymoron before it, I’m still left wanting something more. I gotta add that I’m a big fan of Q’s latest single (NUMB NUMB JUICE) and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does on his long-awaited fifth album which is bound to drop any day now. For the time being, I’ll still return to a few of the standouts on Blank Face, but can’t see myself giving this more than a 6.5/10.

@SchoolboyQ stans get in here and tell me why I'm wrong

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