May 12, 2016 After receiving overwhelming positive feedback on my Monster review, I’ve decided to try my hand at another appraisal of a recent album that has taken the rap game (SXN80) by storm. Let me know your thoughts @ThuggerSXN My appreciation of Future, as detailed in the previous instalment actually took quite some time to develop. In fact, around the end of 2014 I was still having difficulty digesting the new mush-mouthed mumbling murky strip-club trap sound coming out of Atlanta that was just starting to become so popular. The release of the Birdman-Thugger-RHQ collab Rich g---: Tha Tour Pt. 1 changed all that very quickly (review coming soon). In not time I was digging deep into Thugger’s I Came From Nothing mixtape series and his collection of unreleased gems/loosies, eagerly anticipating the release of Barter 6. Thugger represents a critical point in 2010’s hip-hop that instigated the paradigm shift, which has refocused the genre into uncharted territory. While of course, the shift occurred as a result of several different uncoordinated efforts, considering Thugger as one of the foremost pioneers of rap’s new sound is certainly permissible. Barter 6’s cover art and title alone already gives indication as to the intended theme of the project. It’s belligerent, it’s shameless, it’s weird, its stupid, its brilliant. It’s a Lil Wayne rip-off. But at the same time, it is most certainly not. Still, the question remains: does Thug’s warped foray into rap innovation work? Constantly Hating is the first song to hit the speakers. Producer Wheezy’s measured plodding bass thumps provide the perfect backdrop for Birdman and Thugger’s chemistry to flourish. Thug’s vocal performance is simply mind-blowing. For a moment, I’m almost taken back to hearing Ol’ Dirty b------’s erratic lurch on Enter the Wu Tang. “But really what is it to do, when the whole world constantly hating on you?” Thugger’s at his absolute best when he’s channeling that brash hand-rubbing, Birdman insolence. That rich g--- lifestyle; marble floors, gold toilets and chandeliers. It’s ostentatious, dripping with bravado, but what differentiates it from other lavish-lifestyle aficionados (think Rick Ross) is Thug’s off-kilter delivery. The instrumental is Thug’s playground and he splashes brilliantly insane, chaotic flows and adlibs all over the beat, like an artist splashing paint on canvas. The sound that’s produced reflects Thugger’s outlandish similes and surprisingly sharp quips. The listener is faced with a whirlwind of sonic mayhem that somehow all manages to coalesce into a distinct form. The Wayne comparisons are inescapable, of course. And Thug knows it. He harnesses Weezy’s phantasmagoric sound and injects his own auto-tuned tongue-twisters into the mix, resulting in a crazed, haphazard mutation, the likes of which have quite literally never been heard before. Combine that with London on the Track and Co’s exquisite platform of liquid-like trap-flavored instrumentals and the alien sounds oozing through the speakers become both mesmerizing and head-thumpingly/whip-bangingly enjoyable. Both With That and Check feature those gleefully murky combinations of slurred, sinuous Thugger vocals with London’s smooth trap compositions. Another highlight, Never Had It featuring Young Dolph claims the top spot in the Future-esque b-----r category of the project (That. f---ing. BEAT.), while Halftime, arguably the best moment on the entire project,features Thug spazzing over yet another trap concoction, soaked in braggadocios barbs and quotables that’ll have you clutching your sides and hitting that rewind button again and again. “I JUST WANT THAT NECK LIKE A GIRAFFE” Thug has a penchant for writing (and delivering) insanely catchy hooks and refrains. He steals the show on Can’t Tell, even with top-notch contributions from heavyweights Tip and Boosie. Dome and Amazing are low-points on the project for me, sounding somewhat stifled. But the low-points are few and far in between. And for those whining about Thug’s lack of content or coherence, look no further than the trio of masterpieces that close out the project. All beautifully produced, somber, rich, bass-heavy instrumentals. It’s not all xanny and perc and jewelry in Thug’s world. There’s vivid and earnest emotion there too. On OD, Thug takes the time to shout out the fallen and incarcerated soldiers. His haunting delivery sounds despondent, heavily medicated, praying the pills will help the memories fade. Numbers carries a similar theme; a gloomy dedication to his hometown while the closer Just Might Be is the triumphant encore, the middle finger to the detractors. Barter 6 is a great project. It’s cohesive, its fun, its got replay value and its exceptionally well produced. Despite his already extensive catalog, Barter 6 is a fitting introduction to the weird and wonderful world of Young Thug. I especially appreciate the deliberate references to Lil Wayne, whether intended to be disrespectful or not. Still, I feel like Thug’s capable of more. The Slime Season series was great but were mostly just compilations of unreleased/leaked songs. Thug has yet to (in my eyes) put out the career-defining solo classic I know he’s capable of. Something with a strong unifying theme, something that really breaks the boundaries. That being said, Barter 6 is still a worthy addition to Thug’s ever expanding discography. Rating 7.5/10 Spoiler: Monster Review https://forum.sectioneighty.com/sav-reviews-monster-by-future-hendrix.t57457/#post-1679326
May 13, 2016 Thanks for the feeback. Ya looking again, I think my rating may be off a bit. It's more like an 8/10.
