Powers Pleasant – “Life Sucks” review

This is the official full length debut studio album from Brooklyn, New York producer & DJ Powers Pleasant. A member of the Pro Era & Beast Coast collectives, he’s had a hand in the instrumentals on some of the latter’s output from The Underachievers’ 3rd mixtape It Happened in Flatbush in 2016 to Joey Bada$$’ politically charged sophomore album ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ in 2017. Powers even came out with his own EP Life is Beautiful & has signed to Mass Appeal Records for the sequel Life Sucks.

“Entro” by Denzel Curry is this cutthroat boom bap opener flexing that he’s the King of the Hill & this Mike Judge his rap skill whereas “Rumble” by Joey Bada$$ works in some horns & hi-hats so he can get violent. “Galore” by DC the Don has some of the weaker performances on the album despite it’s cloudy trap instrumental talking about being allergic to catching feelings, but then “Shmoke” by A$AP Ferg & Armani Caesar finds the pair over a soul sample & hi-hats warning y’all don’t want beef with them.

Denzel Curry, Meechy Darko & Soulja Livin Tru get together for the atmospheric trap joint “Bandoe” flexing that all 3 of them are still boomin’ out the back door just before Joey Bada$$ & SABA team up on the laidback “Ball Alone” talking about not needing any help. “Know Me Now” by DC the Don acoustically sings that he wants to love with no control leading into “That’s Tough” by $not mixing trap & rock discussing doing shit himself tryna find his way.

“Pamper Pamper” by Mike Dimes brings a soulful trap flare to the table pulling out with his homies while “Baby Boy’s Drunk” by AG Club & Audrey Nuna comes through with this annoying attempt at a club banger. “I’m the Shit” by Guapdad 4000 & P-Lo hops over pianos & hi-hats to get boastful while “Wassup” by Jasiah & Tkay Maidza sees the 2 asking what the deal is. “SMH” by Aaron Rose, CJ Fly, Joey Bada$$ & Nyck Caution ends the album repping Pro Era.

The predecessor from 5 years ago Life’s Beautiful was a decent look at what Powers Pleasant’s solo discography could look like going forward & regardless if I didn’t enjoy Life Sucks more than the last EP, I can’t say it’s any worse either if that makes any sense. Powers’ production start to finish is absolutely fine primarily basing itself around a trap sound, the performances during the 36 minute runtime on the contrary tend to be hit or miss.

Score: 3/5

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Powers Pleasant – “Life’s Beautiful” review

Powers Pleasant is a producer/DJ from Brooklyn, New York that came up as a member of the Pro Era & Beast Coast collectives. He’s had a hand in the instrumentals on some of the latter’s output from The Underachievers’ 3rd mixtape It Happened in Flatbush in 2016 to Joey Bada$$’ politically charged sophomore album ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ in 2017. However if the Beast Coast’s disappointingly average debut album Escape from New York earlier this year wasn’t enough, Powers has seen fit to drop an EP of his own.

After the “Sway’s Intro”, we go into the first song “Vintage Chanel”. Where Joey teams up with Kirk Knight as well as the 2 Dead Boyz to boast over an alluring trap beat. The next track “Please Forgive” by Denzel Curry, IDK, ZillaKami & Zombie Juice is a lyrical onslaught with an ominous beat while the song “Can’t Fucc Wit It” by Buddy & G Perico showcases the gritty life on the West Coast over an apocalyptic beat.

The track “Pull Up” by A$AP Ferg & Joey sees the 2 flexing over a cloudy trap beat while the song “Hit My Line” by AKTHESAVIOR, Jay Critch & Joey finds the 3 getting sexual over an intoxicating beat with a hook sounding totally ripped off from the Travis Scott playbook. The penultimate track “Purified” by Aaron Rose, CJ Fly & Joey talks about being blessed over a classy instrumental & then it closes out with a decent “Pull Up” sequel by the Beast Coast.

There’s not much else for me to say beyond that, this is a decent EP. Powers is definitely a talented producer, but 5 of the 8 tracks sound like leftovers from the Escape from New York sessions.

Score: 3/5

Beast Coast – “Escape from New York” review

The Beast Coast are a New York hip hop collective consisting of Pro Era & Clockwork Indigo (the Flatbush ZOMBiES & The Underachievers). All 3 subgroups blew throughout the decade with the strengths of Joey Bada$$’ debut mixtape 1999, Flatbush’s sophomore tape BetterOffDead & The Underachievers’ sophomore album Evermore: The Art of Duality. Now after all these years of making names for themselves, they’re finally teaming up for their full-length debut as a collective.

The opener “It Ain’t Easy, It Ain’t Easy” by AK, CJ Fly, the Flatbush ZOMBiES & Nyck @ Knight talks about their rise to fame over a bland beat while the next track “Left Hand” by CJ, Clockwork Indigo, Joey Bada$$ & Nyck @ Knight takes a jab at their enemies over a druggy trap beat. The song “Problemz” by CJ, Erick the Architect, Nyck Caution, The Underachievers & Zombie Juice talks about their own issues over a mellow beat while the track “Far Away” by Erick Joey, Meechy Darko & Nyck @ Knight gets romantic over a mellow beat from Powers Pleasant. The song “Snow in the Stadium” by CJ, Erick, Joey, Issa Gold, Kirk Knight & Meechy talks about defeating the best over a cloudy trap beat while the track “Rubberband” sees Flatbush & Joey talks about making dough over a gloomy trap beat.

The song “Distance” by Erick, Issa & Joey talks about feeling free over some pretty keyboards & skittering snares while the track “Bones” by Clockwork Indigo & Nyck @ Knight gets confrontational over a perfectly fitting trap beat. The song “Puke” by AK, Erick, Joey, Meechy & Nyck looks back at when they were broke over some somber piano chords while the track “Desperado” by Joey, Kirk & the 2 Dead Boyz get at their haters over some hi-hats & an ominous acoustic guitar lead. The song “1 More Round” by Erick, Joey, Meechy & Nyck is a headache inducing alcohol anthem with a buttery instrumental while the penultimate track “Coast/Clear” by Flatbush, Issa, Joey & Nyck @ Knight is a horrifically executed friendship ode. The closer “Last Choir” by AK, Erick, Meechy & Nyck @ Knight then talks about being blessed to have made it in the rap game over a joyous instrumental.

While we’ve waited a long time for it, it’s pretty decent. Everyone all sounds great collectively & I love how they didn’t bring on any features as a way of showing that, but the production could’ve been better.

Score: 3/5