Atlanta, Georgia rapper RRoxket returning with his 3rd mixtape. Emerging in 2022 off his debut EP Rixhie Rixh & the full-length debut album R.I.P. RRoxket, he would go on to drop 3 more EPs Happy Birthday RRoxket as well as RRoxket Valentine and Red M&M ahead of his debut tape Red Ranger that was preluded by his last EP High School Flunky. He put out a fun self-titled efforton Black Friday after officially signing to Sony Music & is returning to the essence of Rixhie Rixh.
“Bad Company” is this plugg-influenced intro referencing Super Bowl LVI champion & current NFL free agent prospect Odell Beckham Jr. whereas “Deuce” goes for a quirkier trap vibe instrumentally assuring everything will be ok the second he wakes up. “Oxycodone” gets back on the plugg tip so he can talk about his addiction to the previously mentioned opioid leading into “Accept” finding him being unable to get this woman off his mind.
Moving on from there, “Kids” shows affection towards both of his daughters & tackles fatherhood in general just before “Balenciaga Fabric” talks about going from the streets to business maintaining a plugg flare to the beat from Hariroc. “Beautiful Dancer” sees him hittin’ up an amigo of his buying whatever he be importin’, but then “RR Shit” goes full-blown rage likening himself to a rockstar since he inked the Sony deal
“Wake Up” goes for a cloudier direction talking about rollin’ another blunt up the second he gets out of bed in the morning while “Sergeant Dip” blends the plugg aesthetics with gangsta rap lyrics. “Never Shook” featuring Lil Tony atmospherically discusses refusing to back down while the pluggy “Field Trip” talks about being willing to bet someone snitched. “Codeine, Percocets, Marijuana” finishes with a single revolving around those 3 substances.
It’s already been 3 years since this guy introduced himself off the original Rixhie Rixh & he takes it up a few levels on the sequel, showing his growth as an artist in that quick span of time. A lot of the same sounds that were all over self-titled like plugg, cloud rap & dark plugg make their way on here except the experimental hip hop undertones get swapped out in favor of rage & the energy of it’s predecessor gets recaptured from a new perspective.
Chicago, Illinois rapper & Only the Family Entertainment founder Lil Durk finally dropping his 5th studio LP ahead of his murder-for-hire case. Rising to prominence a little over a decade ago off his debut mixtape I’m a Hitta, he would go on to follow this up with Life Ain’t No Joke & the first 2 installments of the Signed to the Streets trilogy until signing to Def Jam Recordings for his full-length debut Remember My Name & the sophomore effort Lil Durk 2X. Since then, Durk has made himself home at Alamo Records by dropping 9 more mixtapes & bounced back from the mixed reception of 7220 in the form of Almost Healed to let off a collection of Deep Thoughts.
“Shaking When I Pray” is this decent cloudy trap intro that Isaiah Valmont of Internet Money Records whipped up talking about people doing anything to go viral these days whereas “Keep on Sippin’” addresses an individual he gave everything to & yet, they still continue to trip out. “They Wanna Be You” featuring Future finds the 2 talking about kids wanting to be exactly like the both of them prior to “Soul Bleed” admits to putting others ahead of his own team as of late.
Lil Baby joins Durk on “1,000 Times” talking about people they used to hang with in the hood leaving them drowning just before “Turn Up a Notch” has one of my favorite instrumentals from Southside & Smatt Sertified clapping back at everyone who counted him out a decade ago. “Vanish Mode” produced by Chopsquad DJ addresses a bitch lying to him about loving him leading into “Monitoring Me” getting in his Chicago drill bag.
“Untouchable” ends the 1st leg by hustling whenever he gets a chance & barely holding his stance as it already is while “Notebook” gives off a laidback trap direction talking about the industry putting him in beefs. “Can’t Hide It” was a decent pop rap single that benny blanco & Cashmere Cat laced together delving into relationships, but then “Wondering Again” ponders if an ex will ever love him once more.
Hunxho appears for the mediocre “Late Checkout” still in disbelief they found love while “Think You Glowed” shuts down a hoe lying to herself that he’s glowing up. The song “Opportunist” remembers his late brother & describes the way he copes with depression while “Alhamdulillah” talks about finally being healed. “Deep Depression” with Metro Boomin’, BoogzDaBeast & FNZ all behind the boards closes the album figuring out why he’s in love with the streets since shit gets ugly.
7220 & Almost Healed were both admirably personal with the latter kinda stepping it up in the production department, which led me hoping Deep Thoughts would expand on. Unfortunately for the most part, it turned out to become the same old melodic trap/pop rap that we’ve been getting from him in recent memory. Even with the introspection he brings to the table, the production is a step down from Almost Healed & it kinda feels repetitive.
B.G. is a 44 year old rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana known for being 1/2 of The B.G.’z with Lil Wayne prior to forming the Hot Boy$ with Juvenile & Turk along with the Cash Money Millionaires supergroup with the Big Tymer$. His first 5 solo albums Chopper City, It’s All on U, It’s All on U 2, my personal favorite Chopper City in the Ghetto & Checkmate all came out on Cash Money Records until he wanted to his own label Chopper City Records. The next 5 Living Legend, Life After Cash Money, The Heart of tha Streetz, Tha Heart of tha Streetz 2: I Am What I Am & Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood would all be distributed by MNRK Music Group aside from Atlantic Records providing further distribution for the latter. He would later spend a little over a decade in prison for 2 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm & 1 count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, returning after over 15 years for his 11th studio LP.
The title track is a guitar-driven trap intro talking about him only getting greater whereas “Rock-A-Bye-Bye” works in a vocal sample reminding us that those who’re already familiar with him know his story by now. “1st Question” featuring Birdman dabbles with the Detroit trap sound reuniting with his mentor by having the better verse while “Go Live” featuring Boosie Badazz & Juvenile brings the trio together to rep their home state.
“Thank You” profoundly thanks everyone for still standing by him after being incarcerated going through it behind bars just before “Saved My Life” gets on the Detroit trap tip again talking about how trapping is the reason that he’s still alive today. “My Hood” hooks up pianos & hi-hats to clap at all the suckas out here with no style leading into “Live from the Gutta” featuring E-40 finds the duo taking us to the trenches.
Reese Youngn’s hook on “Know Your Worth” is hilariously awful despite the average beat & the genuine message within the lyrics, but then “Been a Dog” featuring Fredo Bang is one of my least favorite collaborations on the entire album. “Real Life” makes up for it with Gizzle solemnly looking back on the way he grew up & refusing to cap as a result while “Get It Poppin’” featuring Finesse2tymes doesn’t really get it poppin’ for me all that much.
“All Nite” shows a more romantic side to the original Hot Boy to begin the final leg of Freedom of Speech keeping this woman in his mind during the evening & giving it to her all day while the song “Real as It Gets” talking about still maintaining his legitimacy even if it was ruled last summer that his future songs have to be approved by the government. “When You Come Home” featuring Fiend jazzily ends with the former No Limit Soldier teaming up with the Cash Money Millionaire.
Starting the deluxe run, “Firebomber” by The B.G.‘z featuring Busta Rhymes makes it a mission to fuck up everything in existence while “Louisianimal” comes through with an anthem to his home state. “Lost Lives” featuring Juvenile warns that no one wants to be in the jungle when it’s war time while “We in Here” takes on a more celebratory attitude. “A Long Time” looks back on his career up to this point & the final bonus track “When I” finishes with a mediocre pop rap joint.
His collaborative mixtape with Gucci Mane called Choppers & Bricks marked the first of 8 projects that the Baby Gangster had written during his time behind bars, except the 2nd albeit his first solo effort in 16 years is a tad more decent in comparison. Other than a few guests faltering with their performances & some of the production being a little spotty, it’s somewhat refreshing to hear him holding down an entire body of work by himself again & am confident he can improve with the other 6 albums he has coming down the pipe. The deluxe however improves upon itself.
This is the 3rd full-length LP from Atlanta, Georgia rapper iam3hard. Coming up in 2023 off his first couple of extended plays Down 2 Win & The Bandlab Beast, his 3rd EP Dissimilar Prevalence produced by Whyceg succeeding his full-length debut The Bandlab Bandit has become his most celebrated work & the sophomore effort WDF 3HARD followed a couple months later. Before I Sign & Willing to Die For both resulted in 3hard signing to Cegular Records, making his debut for the Sony Music imprint by going 3x Harder.
“Limo Tint” made for a decent intro talking about always making hits whenever he pops out of the penthouse whereas “Hit Hard” produced by SOULJASPIRITS & Whyceg explaining his preference for using Russian Cream Backwoods rolling papers. “Quit My Job” talks about putting bullets in the houses of anybody speaking ill of his crew just before the plugg-influenced “Slave Whippin’” flexes his cheese & he ain’t referring to the kind used to make fettuccine.
Instrumentally, things take a cloudier turn during “Purple Kool Aid” talking about knocking the toupee off Trump’s head and stilling lean in front of his niece & nephew while “Save da Trench” dark off a dark plugg vibe confessing he signed his deal in the middle of the streets. “Goku” talks about doing a muhfucka like the ドラゴンボール protagonist himself leading into “All Hats” cautioning of him flattening those who try him.
“Chowder” featuring 2sdxrt3all references the main character of the Discovery Global owned Cartoon Network series of the same name in regards to the color of the drank in their cups while “We Dem Ones” talks about his squad being the chosen few & smashing someone who ain’t paying dues. “Glockstar” talks about possibly going out getting chased by the cops like a NASCAR race while “Gnarly” suggests being so real that he has a heart made of emeralds.
The song “2025” starts off 3x Harder’s final moments with a nocturnal plugg beat talking about having the block on lockdown barring anybody from trying to buy it off him while “On Rocks” warns those wanting to run up on his squad that they carry Glocks beside them & will put ‘em 6 feet in the ground if they test ‘em. “Fear God” finishes up 3hard’s debut for Cegular by talking about he ain’t scared of anything unless it’s the higher power above, cherishing the smaller things lately.
Until this point, I’ve considered Dissimilar Prevalence to be the dare plugg gangsta rapper’s most prominent entry of iam3hard’s entire discography & his Cegular Records debut 3x Harder hits a lot heavier than everything else I’ve heard from him previously. The production mostly handled by Whyceg & SOULJASPIRITS feels like a major upgrade compared to 3hard’s earlier albums, the latter of whom makes himself comfortable besides Babystaydown & Pradabagshawty in shaping the local plugg label into something special.
Here is the 10th EP from Athens, Georgia rapper Babystaydown. Somebody who’s spent the last couple years on SoundCloud with all 9 of his previous EPs under his belt already including PL Top Recruits, 1,350, Drugz Sex & Money and it’s sequel, 17, Genesis, his Cegular Records/Sony Music debut Hate da Way Um Livin, Saint & Pain Before Pleasure. Exactly a week after Pradabagshawty’s brand new EP B What You B, the Cegular crew isn’t wasting any time to drop Chief 13.
“Flyest & Highest” begins by flexing that he’s the dopest & the most stoned out of everyone in his vicinity over a cloudy trap instrumental whereas the pluggier “Perfect Timing” produced by Whyceg & SOULJASPIRITS talks about sending muhfuckas to the sky. “You Don’t Relate” cloudily asks how the fuck someone gonna push down since leaving’s forbidden while “Green Like Neon” featuring Pradabagshawty proves why we need a collab project from them.
Starting the 2nd half of Chief 13, we have Babystaydown going off the top for 2 & a half minutes during the synth-woven “Sun Up” talking about balling in a party with a Glock on him while “It’s Alright” suggests that one better keep their fight instead of going out sad. “Dirt Work” talks about being unconfident even after taking all the drugs he’s been on & “Need You Around” closes with him telling a woman how badly he desires to have her by his side.
Ever since Babystaydown signed to Cegular Records last fall, Whyceg has really done an outstanding job elevating him & Pradabagshawty because they’re already climbing the ranks in terms of becoming one of the most interesting plugg labels out currently. Things in the production department having been progressively strengthening for the Athens artist these past 5 months, which Chief 13 further exemplifies & the hungry gangsta lyrics.
Columbia, South Carolina born albeit Atlanta, Georgia up-&-comer Pradabagshawty releasing his 5th EP. Introducing himself in the spring of 2023 off Bloxk Addiktion, his popularity within the plugg subgenre of trap continued to grow last year by putting out 3 more EPs in 1 Love as well as his Cegular Records/Sony Music debut 10 Freak Ho’s & most recently Forever & After a few months back. That said: I personally wasn’t too familiar with him up until the beginning of this week gearing up for B What You B.
“Gfreak” starts with a plugg instrumental telling a hoe to not get offended after he passed on sleeping with her whereas “Brew Love” featuring yotti finds the 2 talking about their romantic interests having love for the alcohol. “Black N’ White” encourages everyone to watch the magic he can do with the stick he’s carrying that is until “Outta State” featuring Baby Auto & imsomarcus talks about them slammin’ along with them refusing to do half a pill & even airing out those who be cappin’
To get the EP’s other half going, “Tinder Date” hits the streets so hard where his whole entire body began shaking while “Cash Cow” talks about getting active from the east to the south. “P Wit Ha” maintains a plugg vibe discussing the fuck shit that comes across his line while “Heart 2 Heart” produced by WhyCeg talks about a woman wanting to have his son for the money. “AR Inna Trenchcoat” finishes the EP with a 9 Vicious solo song since Prada does the hook, which I don’t mind since I like Young Thug’s nephew artistically.
Really since catching up to Pradabagshawty’s music, Forever & After quickly became my favorite EP of his going into B What You B & the actual finished product right in front of us recaptures every quality that made it’s predecessor a standout in his discography & an exciting artist in the plugg scene to keep an eye on going forward. The production’s a more consistent than both its predecessors were & Prada’s nack for catchy songwriting reveals itself much like he did 10 months ago.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada rapper, singer/songwriter, actor, producer & entrepreneur Drake taking a break from his ongoing lawsuit against Republic Records’ parent company Universal Music Group for the 5-time Grammy winning Kendrick Lamar single “Not Like Us” spreading a “false & malicious narrative” when he was actually getting destroyed in a rap beef to do a collaborative LP with local singer/songwriter, rapper & producer PARTYNEXTDOOR in time for Valentine’s Day. One of whom is a pop rap star getting his start as an actor before becoming a Lil Wayne protégé signing to Young Money Entertainment/Cash Money Records over 15 years ago & the other was the very first artist OVO Sound ever signed. Take Care & If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late will always stand as Drake’s best full-length studio album & mixtape respectively with PND’s strongest material to me being his eponymous debut EP & the sequel debut album PARTYNEXTDOOR 2. The idea of $ome $exy $ongs 4 U doesn’t sound too far off since we’ve heard these 2 together on plenty of songs in the past like “Over Here” & “Preach”, it’s that Sony Music will notably be putting it out since I want to clarify for those confused that OVO as a label signed a new distribution deal with Sony last year & Drake has been on Republic as a solo artist since his YMCMB days seemingly trying to get out of his deal with everything going on.
“CN Tower” produced by Noel Cadastre expresses their feelings for their significant others through the colors of Toronto’s most popular tourist attraction over a moody instrumental shares concerns about their lovers’ thoughts whereas “Moth Balls” feels more like a Drake song with PND on the hook talking about being unable to get the smell outta their clothes. “$omething About You” psychedelically finds the 2 thinkin’ of lovin’ their partners all the way like nothin’ is holdin’ them back that is until the 2-parter “Crying in Chanel” stands as first of 6 Drake solo cuts feeling like an Honestly, Nevermind outtake.
PARTYNEXTDOOR links up with his mentor again on “$pider-Man $uperman” telling the women in their lives to admit that they wish both artists could save them over some guitar like while the only PND solo joint “Deeper” tells his girl to chill because he feels like he hasn’t been loving her properly rather get it right than wrong tonight. Drake pops back in for the woozy “Small Town Fame” talking about his girl having a brat summer & “Pimmie’s Dilemma” by Pim serves more as an acoustic interlude.
“Brian Steel” by Drake takes the trap route instrumentally publicly thanking YSL Records founder Young Thug’s lawyer of the same name for helping Big Slime come home last Halloween after the ridiculous R.I.C.O. case just before “Gimme a Hug” is another Drake solo cut reuniting with Gordo behind the boards responding to Ye or the Nazi formerly known as Kanye West saying that Kendrick eliminated in him in their beef when he really did & the questionable line “Fuck all rap beef, I’m trying to get the party lit. Trying to get the party lit for the bitches”. He even references the inaugural IWGPヘビー級チャンピオン, former 12-time WWE world champion, WWE tag team champion, 2-time WWE Hall of Famer & Real American Beer founder Hulk Hogan.
The penultimate & 3rd consecutive Drake solo joint “Raining in Houston” gets on the 2-parter vibes once more a bit talking about chilling with the guys on a Friday evening & arguing on a rainy day in H-Town itself while “Lasers” marks the return of PARTYNEXTDOOR singing about staring at their lovers’ tattoos during intercourse. “Meet Your Padre” horrifically shows a bit of a Latin influence drinking like it’s Friday on a Sunday & the final Drake solo cut “Nokia” easily sticks out as the most hideous of the 6, later becoming the official theme song of the WWE’s inaugural ESPN pay-per-view Wrestlepalooza V.
Jordan Ullman of Majid Jordan saves one of the more interesting beats for “Die Trying” has even if it feels like another Drake song with PND on the hook unable to decide if he should stay or leave with the woman he has in mind specifically while “Somebody Loves Me” featuring Cash Cobain on the remix sings about turning up in Miami knowing their special someone is out there. “Celibacy” is pretty much an R&B equivalent to “Life is Good” by Future which Drake is featured on while “OMW” works in synths & hi-hats getting calls from the condo to pick their partners up.
The song “Glorious” again feels like another Drake track featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR on the hook to kick off the encore of $ome $exy $ongs 4 U telling this woman to fuck him like she really means it while “When He’s Gone” that Internet Money Records in-house producer Niketaz laced finds the 2 hitting on women who’ve recently broken up with their previous boyfriends wanting them to call them once their exes leave. “Greedy” rounds out the collab project we should’ve gotten a decade ago with them talking about being gluttonous for love.
Don’t wanna come off as biased here because I still tend to enjoy Drake’s music from 2007-2015 & even For All the Dogs although “First Person Shooter” hasn’t really aged well. Point is: “euphoria” as an attack on Drake’s authenticity & personal image even naming itself after the Warner Bros. owned HBO show that Drake is the executive producer of currently preparing for their 3rd & final season has been proven to be the case considering John River claiming that the artwork concept was stolen from him & Bootleg Kev confirming the $ome $exy $ongs 4 U title was taken from Freddie Gibbs’ final Warner Records album $oul $old $eparately not to say that’s why I’m not a fan of the music on here. Feels dated.
Here we have the 6th EP from New Jersey rapper & singer Coi Leray. Growing up as the younger brother of Sosshouse Records signee Chavo & the daughter of Benzino, she began to carve a path of her own with her debut mixtape Everythingcoz along with her first 2 EPs Everythingcoz 2 & Now or Never even though they were mediocre to me personally. She then signed to Uptown Records after being relaunched by Republic Records & put out her major label debut Trendsetter not too long after which had a few of her strongest tracks yet, but the bad mostly outweighed the good & the same applied to Coi considering “Self Love” off the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack could be my favorite song of hers yet. Lemon Cars produced by Mike WiLL Made-It under Island Records was her most acclaimed body of work yet & his moving over to Epic Records wanting to know What Happened to Forever?.
“Keep It” was a decent pop rap intro airing out Trippie Redd for cheating on her not too long after her pregnancy with his child was announced whereas “Leave You Alone” tells Trippie not to lie to her because it cuts too deep. “I Hate Your Friends” is my favorite track here from the CashMoneyAP instrumental to the lyrics expressing the genuine hatred she holds against her baby daddy’s homies while “U Too” professes to being fucked up & “Lick Back” concludes the EP talking about getting into her bag again.
Lemon Cars made me more optimistic regarding Coi’s ability to craft a consistent body of work & for her Epic debut, she whips up a mediocre EP built around the sounds of both pop rap & alternative R&B channeling the frustrating betrayal that she felt after Trippie Redd was stupid enough to get her pregnant a little over a month prior. The concepts are there & so is the anger, my biggest issue is the production falling flat significantly harder than her last one did.
Ladbroke Grove, London, England, United Kingdom rapper & singer/songwriter Central C putting out his sophomore effort & major label debut as the we approach the end of the first month in the new year. After putting out a total of 4 EPs & a couple mixtapes in addition to his Split Decision collab EP he & Dave did, the 2023 XXL Freshman Class member has seen fit to sign with Columbia Records for him to make his proper introduction reminding that you Can’t Rush Greatness.
“No Introduction” is this UK drill intro talking about women tryna pretend as if they don’t know who he is already whereas “5 Star” reflects upon his come-up in the rap game. “Gata” featuring Young Miko apologizes for not answering sooner due to spending life & time while the money-hungry “St. Patrick’s” samples “C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)” by the almighty Wu-Tang Clan talking about being in the trap house getting his funds up & beef going hand-to-hand in hip hop.
21 Savage joins C on the 3rd single “GBP” highlighting the contrasts between the 2 artists’ roots & dealing with the struggles of street life while “Top” premeditates a graceful exit in the midst of trying to maintain. “Up North” maintains a UK drill flare talking about the life we live being as hostile as it already is, but then “CRG” featuring Dave finds the pair encouraging everyone to slow down with the greatness because it has to take time looking back on going from financial hardships to riches.
“Limitless” produced by Einer Bankz balances ambition & emotional burdens by tackling the internal conflict between wanting to escape his past & the sacrifices required to achieve financial success just before “Now We’re Strangers” tells an ex of his that he hopes she finds her way back home. “Truth in the Lies” featuring Lil Durk flips “So Sick” by Ne-Yo admitting to feeling suicidal without their partners’ love while “10” featuring Skepta boasts that they’re in UK top 3 every year.
Lil Baby accompanies C for “BAND4BAND” dropping braggadocio together while “Gen Z Luv” serves as an open letter to Madeline Argy. The song “Walk in Wardrobe” is a 2-parter promising to do it all again if he goes broke while “Must Be” talks about what his definition of “real” is. “Don’t Know Anymore” closes C’s debut doing more than 10,000 hours for him to get into the position that he’s at currently.
On those earlier mixtapes, he was living in the same house he grew up in & there were times it was hard to say man’s a musician since he was just a guy that went into the studio sometimes. Now that he’s elevated, he sets out further cement himself as an actual musician following a string of high profile guest appearances from The Kid Laroi to J. Cole & Ice Spice. The production is mostly based in UK drill with some occasional sampling of R&B & even Brazilian funk music.
St. Louis singer/songwriter SZA finally releasing her 3rd studio LP. Breaking out over a decade ago in the alternative R&B scene off the strength of her first 2 EPs SEE·SZA·RUN & S, she would eventually sign to Top Dawg Entertainment in the summer of 2013 & has since made herself home with the west coast label by putting out her 3rd EP Z alongside the RCA Records distributed full-length debut CTRL. Her sophomore effort S.O.S. went more contemporary & is celebrating it’s 2-year anniversary with Lana.
“No More Hiding” produced by Michael Uzowuru is this drumless, acoustic R&B opener singing about having to build everything twice over whereas “What Do I Do” takes the moody trap soul route instrumentally thanks to benny blanco & Cashmere Cat telling her ex that called her on accident that it’s too late & their relationship won’t be the same ever again. “30 for 30” featuring Super Bowl LVI & Super Bowl LIX halftime show performer Kendrick Lamar samples “Throw Some D’s” by Rich Boy saying “fuck you” to the haters if they’re saying it first while “Diamond Boy (DTM)” strips the drums again to sing about being addicted to her new man.
Meanwhile on “BMF”, we have SZA coming through with some summertime vibes describing a young & handsome man from southwest Detroit who happens to be fly & bossy just before the atmospheric “Scorsese Baby Daddy” admits to hating being the one that’s doing the most & being addicted to the drama. “Love Me 4 Me” slickly sings about romanticize the scariest things & asking her new partner if they love her for herself, but then “Chill Baby” gives off a moody boom bap approach courtesy of Cade & Lil Yachty finding a bitter piece.
“My Turn” brings a trap soul flare back to the table giving her partner his turn to do the hurtin’ because she deserves it & still digs him even if life ain’t fair at all while “Crybaby” lusciously addresses the public’s perception of her being overly sensitive & emotionally vulnerable. “Kitchen” has some cool psychedelic guitar licks throughout breaking down the difficulty of doing the right thing sometimes & after the “Got Behind Me” interlude, “Drive” returns to a drumless edge singing about driving in the middle of the night.
Reaching the final moments of Lana, “Another Life” hooks up some synthesizers knowing that she & her partner could ride down asking him if he would still love her in an alternate reality wanting to be by his side & the lead single “Saturn” finishes the S.O.S. follow-up that’s been in the making ever since the predecessor initially came out a couple winters ago blending neo-soul, alternative R&B trip hop, psychedelic pop & psychedelic soul explaining her confusion of this world.
Don Toliver joins SZA on the contemporary/psychedelic folk-inspired “Joni” to start the deluxe run of Lana sampling “Angeles” by Elliott Smith written from the perspective of Joni Mitchell while “Take You Down” asks her lover if he you mean all the shit he said the other day & if he was just talkin’ or tryna swing her way. The final bonus track “PSA” takes it back to her alternative R&B roots singing that she doesn’t want anyone calling her anything other than #1.
Hitting a healthier mental state than when she recorded her past 2 albums, Lana only a month after her upcoming Grand National Tour co-headliner Kendrick surprise-dropped GNX feels more ready to move on & let go as opposed to being overly burdened by past hurt. Finding solace in meditation & yoga, her growing sense of inner peace reflected on the most personal body of work that the generational talent of an alternative R&B singer has ever crafted giving the world a look at where stands presently expanding on S.O.S.’ contemporary sound in favor of trap soul, neo-soul, alternative R&B, bedroom pop, contemporary folk & psychedelic folk.
Legends Will Never Die 