King Combs is a 27 year old rapper & singer/songwriter from New York notable for the being the son of disgraced Bad Boy Entertainment founder, Sean John founder, Cîroc brand ambassador, Revolt founder & music industry mogul Puff Daddy a.k.a. P. Diddy or Diddy and the late Kim Porter. His debut mixtape 90’s Baby as well as his first couple EPs Cyncerely, C3 & C3 were all released either moderately or negatively, but Ye or the Nazi formerly known as Kanye West has decided to solely produce C3’s newest EP in the midst of Diddy’s ongoing trial coming to a close.
“Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine” produced by Ye, The Legendary Traxster & Mario Winans was teased on Twitter way back in March & one that Ye’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian had every right being mad at over their daughter North West appearing on the bridge regardless off The Hobbit’s weird relationship with a Tesla robot now whereas “Kim” remembers his mother over a chipmunk soul instrumental.
Ye actually appears on “People Like Me” chopping up a soul sample & throwing some hi-hats over it so he & King Combs can talk about needing people like them when one of them is a self-professed Nazi, but then “Diddy Free” unsurprisingly survived the In a Perfect World sessions by making it’s way onto this EP & King Combs not doing the beat any better than the man who made it did himself.
The song “Repeat Me” heavily builds itself around a slowed down sample of “Slauson Ave” by Karri subtly saying that this is his way of doing house compared compared to what Drake went with on Honestly, Nevermind ruined by the poor pop rap lyrics while “The List” makes it even worse with the “suck a n***a cock ’til I’m cockless” line. Finally, the closing track “Souls” butchers a chipmunk soul instrumental with repetitively annoying pop rap bars.
For all the hate Nasir for being rushed, at least an off-beat Nas was a far more interesting MC on there how King Combs sounds on Never Stop. I’ll play devil’s advocate & give him credit for actually writes his own lyrics unlike his father’s storied history with ghostwriters, although him getting the same treatment as everyone involved in the 2018 Wyoming sessions feels like a downgrade when you think of Ye’s production being wasted this way.
Puff Daddy a.k.a. P. Diddy or Diddy & more recently Love is a 53 year old record executive, rapper, singer/songwriter, “producer”, entrepreneur, actor, television producer, sex trafficker & racketeer from Harlem, New York getting his start as the talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own label Bad Boy Entertainment. He would also have a huge role in the commercialization of hip hop culture on top of cultivating artists from The Notorious B.I.G. to Mary J. Blige & Usher. As for his own catalog, Puffy has dropped 5 solo albums in the span of 26 years despite the common knowledge that he doesn’t write his own lyrics or even produce. Although his debut No Way Out is widely considered to be the best, the next 3 he would put out Forever as well as The Saga Continues… & Press Play all received harsher reception in comparison. The last time we heard Puff in a full capacity was the winter of 2010 when he introduced the world to Dirty Money on the moderately received Last Train to Paris, but is returning after 13 years by signing a 1-&-done deal with Motown Records for his 6th album.
“Brought My Love” featuring The-Dream & Herb Alpert is a funky, R&B/pop rap crossover produced by Mario Winans & Stevie J of The Hitmen setting the tone of what’s to come with Puff dropping corny lines like “In the future, we’re both fine. I just gotta write a ticket with no fine” whereas “What’s Love?” featuring NOVA WAV finds the latter singing & P. Diddy rapping about what the purpose of love is if you can’t drown in it. “Deliver Me” by Dirty Money & Busta Rhymes is possibly THE best track on here since Puffy himself hardly appears on it letting Dawn Richard & Kalenna shine as well as the previously unreleased J Dilla instrumental drawing from electronic music & especially Busta’s verse at the end, but then “Stay Awhile” finds Diddy on mic once more with Nija asking to their significant others to stay with them for a bit longer over a groovy beat from Lil Rod.
Jozzy comes into the picture for “Homecoming” cautioning of a lover that’s not good to one another over a dreamy boom bap instrumental & Puff hilariously starting his verse by saying he kicks flows & busts down doors for her when everyone knows he’s never written any of his raps throughout his whole career just before “Pick Up” by Fabolous & Jacquees finds P. Diddy taking the backseat on the mic in favor of adlibs once again so Fab can outperform Jacq over slow instrumental talking about their partners being the ones they want. “Tough Love” by Swae Lee doesn’t have any Diddy presence whatsoever asking if it’s real or if she’s alone also with some twangy guitar licks & hi-hats leading into “Stay Long” by Summer Walkergoing for a magical sonic approach thanks to Timbaland & London on da Track talking about wanting nobody in her business.
“It Belongs to You” by Jozzy brings back the funk singing that her man knows that he has her while “Another One of Me” finds Puff back in the fold with French Montana, The Weeknd in what’s said to be his final feature ever & 21 Savage for a spacey trap jam declaring that part of them won’t come around again with the best verses going to Abel & 21 respectively. After the “Intermission”, the following song “Moments” by Justin Bieber sings over some live drums about how patient he’s been while “Need Somebody” by Jazmine Sullivan dives into mellower turf with co-production from KeY Wane singing that everybody needs somebody even if this shit ain’t right.
Kehlani & Ty$ share a heartwarming duet together on “Mind Your Business (Bosses in Love)” singing about doing whatever they want because they’re both bosses in their own rights & after the “Nasty” interlude from Jozzy, we have Coco Jones filling in Kehlani’s spot for “Reachin’” so she & Ty$ once again join forces on top of a cavernous trap beat encouraging one another to keep calling. Puffy returns with K-Ci from JodeCi as well as Kalan.FrFr for “Stay” jumping on top of pianos, gospel vocals & hi-hats for a pop rap cut pleading for their partners not to leave while “I Like” by Mary J. Blige sings about seeing him calling & is thankful he’s thinking of her over a sample-heavy beat.
“Closer to God” by Teyana Taylor fresh off her role in the A24 Films hood drama 1,001 sees the former Star Trak Entertainment/G.O.O.D. Music recording artist proclaiming she’s at peace when she’s with her husband Iman Shumpert over a blatant reggae instrumental while “Boohoo” by Jeremih proclaims it hurts when you’re gone but he still ain’t done with that over another funky beat. After the Burna Boy interlude, the DJ Camper co-produced penultimate track “Kim Porter” by Babyface & John Legend is a genuinely profound 7-minute tribute to P. Diddy’s first wife who passed away in the fall of 2018 with Timbaland behind the boards once more & “Space” by H.E.R. ends the album with bare pianos from Infamous telling her man to come her way.
Diddy doesn’t sing at all on The Love Album: Off the Grid as many including myself initially thought he would & only recites rap verses that people in the studio wrote for him on 6 of the 23 songs, so he’s pretty much playing DJ Khaled for the most part on here curating a bunch of mid contemporary R&B/pop rap hybrids after saying last summer that R&B is dead. The production truthfully isn’t too bad for both of those particular styles of music & unlike much of Khaled’s output, but the performances from the guests come with mixed results even though Puff gets washed on every song he raps on pretty much. I also feel that he called it Off the Grid to spite Kanye West since he went on IG last fall saying Diddy’s with the feds even though Ye technically wasn’t wrong.
This is the 4th full-length album from Kansas born albeit Atlanta, Georgia based singer/songwriter, rapper & actress Janelle Monáe. Emerging as a member of the Dungeon Family collective signing to Bad Boy Entertainment in 2006, she would properly introduce herself the following the year with her debut EP Metropolis & formed her own Epic Records imprint Wondaland Records shortly after even though. Her classic big commercial debut The ArchAndroid acted as the 2nd & 3rd suites in a 7-part series that Metropolis began, with her sophomore effort The Electric Lady serving as the 4th & 5th suites. Janelle’s last album however Dirty Computer departed from the Cindi Mayweather Metropolis narrative & departed from the psychedelic sounds in favor of pulling from pop, funk, hip hop, R&B & neo soul although there are also some minor elements of electropop, space rock, pop rock, Minneapolis soul, trap, futurepop, new wave, synthpop & Latin music. But 6 years later, she’s looking to reinvent herself once more on The Age of Pleasure.
“Float” is a pop rap/contemporary R&B opener produced by Nate “Rocket Wonder with elements of both trap & dub music celebrating liberation & confidence whereas “Champagne Shit” triumphantly talks about moving your hips. After the repetitively written “Black Sugar Beach” dancehall interlude, Doechii comes into the picture for “Phenomenal” switches gears into afrobeats turf as they discuss feeling exceptional just before “Haute” talks about looking pretty & sexy over some horns.
After the French spoken word “Oooh La La” interlude performed by Grace Jones, “Lipstick Lover” fuses pop reggae & contemporary R&B with some lover’s rock & dancehall undertones admitting that she likes lipstick on her neck leading into “The Rush” featuring Amaarae takes a more atmospheric route with the instrumental talking about their types wanting to feel their legs against their thighs. “Water Slide” following the “French 75” interlude on the other hand is a catchily groovy ballad saying it’s time for her to backstroke.
Meanwhile, “Know Better” featuring CKay brings back the afrobeats discussing that no one does it better than them while the song “Paid in Pleasure” returns to a pop reggae sound talking about keeping it coming if you pay her in happiness. The penultimate track “Only Have 42 Eyes” tackles the fact that she only has eyes for 2” embracing the lover’s rock completely that is until “A Dry End” ends the album with a 2-minute stripped back acoustic joint telling her significant other to whine for her.
Now I wouldn’t put The Age of Pleasure on the same pedestal as her previous albums or her debut EP personally, but that’s not to say I enjoyed the stylistic change of pace that she brings to the table on here. She ditches the art pop influences of the predecessor in favor of pulling from afrobeats, pop reggae, dancehall, pop rap & lover’s rock as she takes on a more Afrofuturist persona celebrating her new era of liberation.
MGK is a 27 year old rapper from Cleveland, Ohio who signed to Bad Boy Entertainment at the beginning of the decade. However, his style never really stuck with me. His 2012 debut Lace Up was just ok, but General Admission & bloom was one of the worst albums of last year. However, he’s returning with his 2nd EP just a week after Eminem ripped him apart with “Killshot”.
Things begin with “LONG TIME COMING”, which is a 1-minute cringed auto-crooner. The next track “LOCO” gets braggadocious over some heavy bass & a generic hook while the song “G.T.S. (Going Thru Shit)” sees MGK is a melodramatic story about what’s on his mind over a bland banger beat. The track “RAP DEVIL” is a corny & basic diss towards Eminem that’s carried by a solid Ronny J instrumental while the song “NYLON” is another boring brag over a nondescript beat.
The track “LATELY” talks about an ex, but his attempt at getting melodic just comes off as annoying. The song “SIGNS” with 24hrs sees the 2 talking about a bad bitch over a spacey trap beat while the penultimate track “GET THE BROOM” is the best track on the EP period. MGK’s sounds very animated & the Honorable C.N.O.T.E. production suits him perfectly as well. The EP then finishes with “LIVEFASTDIEYOUNG”, where he tells us he doesn’t give a fuck over a murky trap beat.
This should’ve been called Cringe because while it is slightly better than MGK’s last 2 albums, it’s still pretty bad. There are a few actual compelling moments compared to his last 2 albums, but the beats are mostly generic & MGK’s basic does nothing for me.
Almost 5 years after delivered her last modern classic The Electric Lady, modern R&B creative genius Janelle Monáe is finally returning with her 3rd full-length album. Things start off with the title track, where she sings about her man picking her up from the ground over some harmonious background vocals. The next song “Crazy, Classic, Life” talks about wanting to live her life over a bouncy atmospheric instrumental while the track “Take a Byte” gets playful over a synth-funk instrumental. After the “Jane’s Dream” skit, we go into the song “Screwed”. Here, Janelle & Zoë Kravitz sing about partying over a spacey yet bouncy beat. The track “Django Jane” is a full-blown rap song about feminism with a moody beat while the song “Pynk” continues these feminists themes with a fantastic interpolation of the classic Aerosmith song “Pink”.
The track “Make Me Feel” talks about bisexuality over a Prince-like instrumental while the song “I Got the Juice” with Pharrell sees the 2 getting freaky over a bouncy beat from Skateboard P himself. The track “I Like That” is basically Janelle addressing the rumors of her sexuality over a luscious trap beat while the song “Don’t Judge Me” expresses concern of her man only loving her for her disguise over a settle instrumental. After the “Stevie’s Dream” interlude, we then go into the penultimate track “So Afraid”. Here, Janelle expresses her fear of loving this man over an acoustic yet druggy instrumental. The album then finishes off with “Americans”, where Janelle gets conscious over a beat that’ll make you wanna dance.
As a whole, this is yet another damn near perfect album from one of the most creative forces in R&B today. The production is beautiful, it’s well written & it sounds immensely focused as ever before
About a year & a half after the release of his mediocre sophomore album General Admission, Bad Boy Entertainment signee MGK is now putting out his 3rd full-length album. The opener “The Gunner” is decent with it’s piano/explosive drum instrumental & it’s ambitious lyrics, but the album takes a massive nosedive right after that. The next track “Wake + Bake” is a weed anthem with a cheesy psychedelic-esque instrumental & while his rags-to-riches story on “Go for Broke” isn’t too bad, but the instrumental & the James Arthur hook turn it into a generic radio-hit. I can also see where he’s getting at by talking about being imperfect & not giving up on “At My Best”, but the way he does it is so painfully corny. The gaudy beat & the Hailee Steinfeld hook exactly don’t help at all, either. The song “Kiss the Sky” has a bland instrumental, a tedious hook & sappy lyrics about not needing stars to grant wishes because he’s famous. The track “Golden God” talks about going from working at Chipotle to being a successful artist, but the beat is pretty boring. I can definitely see the song “Trap Paris” being a club banger, but the trap instrumental from Sonny Digital as well as the catchy Ty$ hook & the Quavo verse are really the only things about the track that make it worth vibing out to. The track “Moonwalkers” is another dumb weed anthem with a decent trap beat while the song “Can’t Walk” generically talks about being on pills over an plain electro instrumental. The lovey dovey “Bad Things” with Camila Cabello is probably the worst track on the entire album. Not that I have an issue with rappers making love songs but this one in particular is so sugary, that you might get diabetes after listening to it for the first time. The song “Rehab” cornily compares his love for this woman to drugs over an acoustic instrumental while the penultimate track “Let You Go” talks about an ex over an awkward rap rock instrumental. The torture finally ends with the decent “27”, where he talks about the 27 Club since he turned 27 a few weeks prior over a twangy guitar & some pianos. As a whole, this is definitely one of the worst things I’ve heard all year. There are very few tolerable moments on here but for the most part, it sounds way more commercial than ever & Machine Gun Kelly’s lyrics are at it’s corniest
Legends Will Never Die 