Teyana Taylor – “Escape Room” review

Teyana Taylor is a 34 year old actress, singer/songwriter, rapper, dancer, model, music video director & choreographer from New York City who briefly signed to Star Trak Entertainment in the mid-2000s until going over to G.O.O.D. Music & Def Jam Recordings at the start of the previous decade. Her full-length debut VII during my senior year of high school & K.T.S.E. (Keep That Same Energy) produced by Ye formerly known as Kanye West stands as the most underrated offering of the Wyoming sessions. Fulfilling her G.O.O.D. Music contract with The Album during the COVID-19 pandemic, she’s returning to Def Jam for her 5th LP.

After the Taraj P. Henson intro, the first song “Fire Girl” opens with a delicately drumless instrumental singing about the impossibility of her soul being burned whereas “Long Time” after the Sarah Paulson interlude fuses afrobeats & R&B addressing her ex-husband Iman Shumpert. “Hard Part” featuring Lucky Daye follows 2 back-to-back interludes with a duet asking if their partners want a relationship or not leading into “Back to Life” singing about her dissolving marriage.

“All of Your Heart” after the Jodie Turner Smith interlude expresses her desire to be loved & trusted while “Shut Up” ends the 1st leg of Escape Room pleading for her limits to be pushed & likening sex to a weapon. “Pum Pum Jump” featuring Tyla links up for a duet singing about getting too crazy with their lovers whenever they get lit while what could possibly be my personal favorite track here “Open Invite” produced by KAYTRANADA gives her partner a chance to come inside & get this right.

After the Issa Rae interlude, “In Your Head” sings for her new man to drown in her love waiting for him in his bed while “Final Destination” explains that it’ll always be love no matter where they take it. After another Issa Rae interlude, “Bed of Roses” embraces a contemporary R&B direction singing about wanting to be close to someone & “In Your Skin” after the Kerry Washington interlude lusts to be pressed up against her lover all the time. “Always” after the Regina King interlude finishes up with a heartwarming tribute to her children.

Exploring themes of heartbreak as well as healing & finding freedom, Escape Room makes for a solid comeback to music for Teyana Taylor excluding her feature on Will Smith’s 5th album Based on a True Story earlier this spring. The narration interludes can be a little excessive at times personally, but the production is a step up from The Album & it’s gratifying to hear her breaking free from the mental prison she was in.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Concrete Rekordz – “5$tarCrete” review

Concrete Rekordz is an Atlanta, Georgia record label founded by Lil Yachty as a subsidiary of Quality Control Music & Motown Records. He has since signed Camo!, Dc2Trill, Draft Day & formerly KARRAHBOOO. They released a debut showcase compilation It’s Us receiving mixed-to-negative feedback & is having PlaqueBoyMax host a debut EP ahead of It’s Us 2 over exactly 4 months since Boat was at WrestleMania XLI sporting a shirt of the inaugural AEW tbs Champion & former 2-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill.

“Go” starts with a trap instrumental lenient towards sampling talking shout them not breaking any sweats whenever they issue any threats whereas “Big Spender” featuring PlaqueBoyMax references TKO Group Holdings co-founder Vince McMahon fresh off his recent interview regarding the death of 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, Real American Freestyle Wrestling (RAF) co-founder & known racist Hulk Hogan.

Former 2-time NXT Tag Team Champion Ludwig Kaiser may or may not have been referred to on “It’s Us” nearly a week after him, the current WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio & former AAA Mundial Parejas Campeon Dragon Lee failing to end former The Crash Pesocompleto Campeon El Hijo del Vikingo’s ongoing 2nd reign as AAA Mega Campeon at Triplemanía XXXIII while “Life’s Proper” by Lil Yachty proves to be my favorite song of the 4 talking about the way life is trading him.

It’s Us wasn’t really all that interesting to me personally because it felt like KARRAHBOOO was the only signee that was actually entertaining besides Lil Yachty himself & 5$tarCrete feels like a step further down from it. Far less interesting production & the true star of it is Yachty, even if I felt that a bar he had regarding the late Screwed Up Click member Big Floyd during a livestream earlier this month was done in horrifically stomach churning taste.

Score: 2/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Offset – “Kiari” review

Atlanta, Georgia rapper Offset returning after 22 months for his 3rd studio LP. Starting out as 1/3 of the Migos with Unc & Phew, he released a fantastic collaborative project with 21 Savage & Metro Boomin’ on Halloween 2017 called Without Warning only to make his solo debut Father of 4 the best of the 3 compared to QUAVO HUNCHO & The Last Rocket. Set It Off wasn’t too bad either, but Kiari has been shaping up to be his most personal since Father of 4 & had me anticipating it.

“Enemies” produced by Metro Boomin’ & Honorable C.N.O.T.E. begins by asking for God to protect him from his friends whereas “Pills” featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again samples “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by Nina Simone to talk about drug usage “Professional” mildly boasts of him getting bitches like it’s a skill leading into the underwhelming “Back in That Mode” featuring YFN Lucci talking about them getting in their bags again.

Gunna joins Offset on “Different Species” bringing an acoustic guitar & some hi-hats together so they can discuss the baddies they stole livin’ the dream just before the WWE’s official Elimination Chamber XVI there song “Bodies” featuring J.I.D paints poignant imagery of the gangsta lifestyle combining trap & chipmunk soul thanks to Vinylz, FNZ & BoogzDaBeast or trap metal if you include the remix from BNYX of Working on Dying. “Love You Down” by Ready for the World gets smoked during “Love You Down” courtesy of London on da Track telling his new chick that he’ll start trusting her while “Run It Up” featuring Key Glock talks about having money on their minds over.

“Set It Off” oddly enough ends Kiari’s first leg with a demo quality title track that didn’t make his previous album while “Folgers” references my 2nd favorite basketball player of all-time Kobe Bryant & refusing to trip since he’s been bettering himself. “All of My Hoes” incorporates these psychedelic guitar licks & hi-hats talking about his hoes stealing each other while “Calories” flexes that he made $20M from his sound this summer.

As for “Checkmate (Smooth)”, we have Offset talking about making it onto the news because he’s a fashion week killer & flooding his new bitch out in the pool while “Backends Fasho” boasts of him making finer materials out of the regular things. “Prada Myself” talks about how everything he has makes him the person he is now while “Never Let Go” pays homage to Takeoff.

“Favorite Girl” counts down the final minutes of Kiari with a dedication to the most special woman in his life & “Move On” ties it all up by reflecting on his marriage to Cardi B, explaining that she’s happy for her moving on & asking why she doesn’t feel the same way about him. He even touches base regarding their little back-&-forth convo on Twitter at the beginning of 2025, rightfully explaining that it made them look foolish.

Starting the deluxe run, “Athlete” cloudily talks about getting geeked up on ecstasy on a boat while “History” mixes some horns & hi-hats to give game for free. “How Did We Get Here?” takes full accountability for his divorce from Cardi B while “Swing My Way” links up with Turbo for a cloudy pop rap/trap hybrid. “Style Rare” featuring Gunna shows off their senses of fashion & the final bonus track “10” was a weaker pop rap attempt.

Putting his artistic persona aside, Offset or in this case Kiari looks at himself in the mirror to see how far he’s come & what he’s done whether it’s good or bad. Soul-searching without sacrificing the technical precision he’s been known for, the ex-husband of WWE’s SummerSlam XXXVIII hostess gearing up for her comeback next month peels the layers back & gives the audience a better look at himself as a person.

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

KiD CuDi – “Free” review

Cleveland, Ohio rapper, singer/songwriter, producer, actor, fashion designer, model, director & filmmaker KiD CuDi making another stylistic departure with his 11th LP. Blowing up in 2008 off his debut mixtape A KiD Named CuDi as well as his songwriting credits on his mentor Ye formerly known as Kanye West’s 4th album 808s & Heartbreak, his profile from there would increasingly grow off his groundbreaking debut & sophomore albums Man on the Moon: The End of the Day & Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. But following the self-produced & overlooked Indicud, CuDi would leave G.O.O.D. Music amicably to form his own Republic Records imprint Wicked Awesome Records. Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon though was mediocre at best & who could forget when CuDi attempted to go alt-rock on the critically panned Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven? Luckily he would redeem himself on his next effort Pain & Demon Slayin’ in 2016 along with the self-titled album from him & Ye as the duo KIDS SEE GHOSTS couple summers later & even Man on the Moon III: The Chosen the day after my 24th birthday despite it’s blatantly heavy Travis Scott influence. Entergalactic was released mixed reviews as was INSANO, but I enjoyed how both LPs took it back to his roots along with mixing old & new sounds together respectively. INSANO 2: NITRO MEGA continued the energy of its predecessor & is staying on Republic to drop Free fresh off his appearance in Happy Gilmore 2 with the longest reigning AEW World Champion & current CMLL Mundial Peso Semicompleto Campeon MJF and the current WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch.

“Neverland” after the self-produced “Echoes of the Present” compositional intro fuses pop rock, alt-pop, stomp & holler and synthpop to sing about love & embracing life whereas my favorite single “Mr. Miracle” culminates in pop rock, alternative rock & power pop feeling like he’s found his way back home. “Opiate” spaciously sings for the city to turn the lights off leading into “Deep Diving” finding himself having enough of no love.

Pop rock & alt-rock cross paths once again on “Truman Show” referencing the classic Jim Carrey film of the same name just before “Submarine” sings about feeling like he’s to deep into this psychedelic dream he’s having. “Ashes” goes for a moodier direction in sound wishing this person would lie to him & tell him they still mean something while the emo-pop rock single “Grave” sings about life eating him alive.

“Past Life” vents over the dichotomy of simultaneously being a winner & a loser in the same mind over a synthpop instrumental while “Picnic in Paris” sings about a soulmate waiting his whole life from him mixing the positives & negatives. “Stargazing” considers himself lucky if freedom was garden & sending love letters to this woman for eternity while “Salt Water” produced by BNYX of Working on Dying ends by singing about calling his life 1 hell of a ride.

The idea of KiD CuDi foraying into pop music doesn’t sound bad at all on paper, but Free as an attempt to provide the world with hope in the midst of our country’s current political climate leaves me a little torn. I have no issues with his vocals or songwriting & I’m proud he’s the happiest he’s ever been. My main criticism here though is that the production doesn’t grab me the same way INSANO 2: NITRO MEGA or the original INSANO did.

Score: 2.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Paul Cornish – “You’re Exaggerating!” review

This is the full-length debut studio album from Houston, Texas pianist Paul Cornish. Known for working with the likes of Terrace Martin or Robert Glasper & Herbie Hancock, he would go on to sign with the greatest jazz label of all-time Blue Note Records this past January after solidifying himself by blending post-bop with blues & gospel. Coming off the heels of 3 singles with in the past 7 weeks or so, You’re Exaggerating! looks to carry the torch for all the pianos players who began an 86 year tradition that’s still going strong.

“DB Song” comes out the gate blending these settle piano passages with Jonathan Pinson on drums & Joshua Crumbly on bass hence the “DB” in the title whereas “Queinxiety” expresses Paul’s habit of chronic overthinking the 3 & a half minutes. “Star is Born” references the formation of literal stars instead of the composer himself leading into “Slow Song” removing the drums & bass from the equation.

As for “5AM”, we have Paul looking back at his days in college where he used to wake up very early to work out just before the lead single “Dinosaur Song” takes inspiration from his girlfriend’s nephew. Jeff Parker plays guitar on 2nd single “Palindrome” complimenting the Monkian keys & after the final single “Queen Geri” pays tribute to the late Geri Allen, the closer “Modus Operani” shows off a bit of a baroque influence to end the LP.

Inspired by Robert Glasper’s sophomore effort Canvas & it’s follow-up In My Element, all 9 of the original compositions that Paul Cornish conceived throughout the course of his 42 minute debut continues a historic lineage of local pianists by taking out a few pages from his story leaning towards the styles of post-bop & jazz fusion with an approach that tends to entice the audience rather than impressing them.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

J.I.D – “God Does Like Ugly” review

Atlanta, Georgia emcee & singer/songwriter J.I.D releasing his highly anticipated 4th LP. Coming up 15 years ago off his debut mixtape Cakewalk & joining the Spillage Village collective lead by the EARTHGANG around that same time frame, he dropped a couple more tapes as well as DiCaprio after that & signed to J. Cole’s very own Interscope Records imprint Dreamville Records in 2017. He has since made himself home there with The Never Story followed by DiCaprio 2 & more recently The Forever Story, having God Does Like Ugly precede JIDTRO fully produced by Metro Boomin’.

“YouUgly!” opens with J.I.D taking a ceiling challenge to shows he’s above his peers & a beat switch talking about not being the same as an individual tryna stand out in a crowd amongst fools whereas “Glory” produced by Lex Luger delves into his spirituality. “WRK” was a dope trap single talking about relentless hustle being required to achieve his ambitions while the crooning boom bap crossover “Community” featuring Clipse finds the trio looking back on their early days & wanting to shoot Bob the Builder.

Hearing “Walk” by Comethazine getting sampled on “Gz” was an unexpected welcome talking about car robberies while “VCRs” featuring Vince Staples continues the gangsta rap themes over a Jay Versace instrumental. “Sk8” featuring the EARTHGANG reunites the trio for an Atlanta bass cut talking about claiming your side whether it be north, south, east or west just before “What We On” featuring Don Toliver teams up for a psychedelic slow love song DJ Chase B helped put together.

6LACK appears for the tranquil “Wholeheartedly” wanting their partners to promise that they won’t ever switch up against them while “No Boo” featuring Jessie Reyez gives off a more cumbersome approach asking each other if they’re tired of being alone. After the “& We Vibing” interlude, “On McAfee” slaughters this nasty beat from Boi-1da, Vinylz & Cubeatz warning that nobody’s safe while the 3-parter “On Blue” featuring Mereba talks about finding a place to feel safe.

“K-Word” balances drumless & trap hopping over some strings to address the topic of karma prior to “For Keeps” chopping up a jazzy soul sample talking about the feeling he’s been trying to find for so long hitting him right when it seems like the mojo is gone & nothing having the ability to make him step away from the mic. The album officially finishes with an extended version of “Sun” featuring Anycia, which was previewed during his Dreamville Fest last spring.

Starting the “preluxe” run, “Behold” boisterously talks about giving 2 middle fingers in a picture so they don’t ever forget while “Beau” dustily compares himself to Rambo. “Knew Better” by the BlakkBoyz stands at the dawn of a new era while “Lisa” asks not for his high to get fucked up. “Animals” featuring Eminem fresh off the latter’s appearance in Happy Gilmore 2 with the longest reigning AEW World Champion MJF now becoming the new CMLL Mundial Peso Semicompleto Campeon and the current WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch reunites for a breakbeat “Fuel” sequel.

Prioritizing lyricism & artistry above everything else, God Does Like Ugly continues to exemplify J.I.D’s status as the best artist on the entire Dreamville Records roster with a supple prelude to JIDTRO & a virtuous successor to The Forever Story realizing the potential we initially heard almost a decade ago emphasizing the previous’ Christian themes. You’re still getting doses of trap, neo-soul, jazz rap & boom bap within the production except the Southeast Atlanta native’s wordplay keeps getting better with time almost a decade since his major label deal got inked.

Score: 4.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Amaarae – “Black Star” review

Amaarae is a 30 year old singer/songwriter from The Bronx, New York by way of Accra, Ghana independently releasing her 2017 debut EP Passionfruit Summers followed by the 2020 full-length studio debut The Angel You Don’t Know through her own label Golden Child Entertainment. The latter of which caught Interscope Records’ attention, who signed her for the highly praised sophomore effort Fountain Baby & looks to raise the stakes even higher with the 3rd LP becoming the most personal of them all.

“Stuck Up” opens with a reference to Spike Lee ahead of his upcoming A24 Films neo-noir crime thriller Highest 2 Lowest coming to theaters next weekend whereas the boldly audacious “Starkilla” sings about serving ketamine, cocaine & ecstasy. “ms60” contains one of my favorite instrumentals on the album from WondaGurl responding to those calling her stuff like bitch, villain & a controversial diva while “Kiss Me Thru the Phone 2” featuring PinkPantheress samples “Thong Song” by Sisqó for a homage to Soulja Boy.

As for “B2B”, we have Amaarae singing about bisexuality sampling “Maybe” by Toni Braxton just before “She’s My Drug” heavily interpolates “Believe” by Cher asking if one believes in love when sobered off the drugs. The lead single “Girlie-Pop!” however excitingly blends Jersey club, dance-pop, tamborzão, alté & alternative R&B embodying the feeling of a kiss from your favourite person in the world.

“S.M.O. (Slut Me Out)” combines dance-pop, gqom, Bacardi Burger-Highlife, Detroit techno, electro & hiplife for a cross between Donna Summer & Control era Janet Jackson while “Fineshyt” makes for the 2nd & final track to be produced by BNYX of Working on Dying sings about her bisexual experienced wanting to buying the woman she’s currently in love with whatever kind of clothes she wants on top of the inability of leaving her by herself.

To get the 4th quarter’s clock winding down, “Dove Cameron” calls back to her previous LP singing about people referring to her as “Fountain” & showing off all the money she’s been making while “Dream Scenario” goes alternative R&B desiring for her lover to tell her what they want. “100drum” finds herself confronting the familiar feeling of paranoia brought on by an unnamed adversary & “Free the Youth” ties it all up by singing about not getting too pumped because she’s fucked up.

Familiarizing myself through her collaborations with the likes of KAYTRAMINÉ or Janelle Monáe to Bas & Childish Gambino, the 2nd major label offering in the Amaarae canon playfully embraces her Ghanaian heritage. It’s production leans heavier towards dance-pop & electronic dance music compared to Fountain Baby additionally pulling further inspiration from funk brasileiro, alternative r&b, house, alté, pop rap, African music, Afroswing, gqom, Bacardi Burger-Highlife, Detroit techno, electro, hiplife, Jersey club, tamborzão & alté to confidently explore her identity as an artist & as a woman.

Score: 4.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

BABYMETAL – “Metal Forth” review | ベビーメタル – 『メタル・フォース』レビュー

BABYMETAL is a Kawaii metal trio from Tokyo, Japan consisting of Su-metal, Moametal & Momometal. Releasing an eponymous debut album together under Toy’s Factory over a decade ago already, the band’s sophomore effort Metal Resistance a couple years later was where I personally became a fan of their music. On the contrary, Metal Galaxy & The Other One were both average in comparison. Signing to Capitol Records this spring, the band’s finally ready to make their major label debut.

ベビーメタルは、スメタル、モアメタル、モモメタルで構成された、東京、日本のカワイイメタルトリオです。すでに10年以上前にトイズ・ファクトリーの下で同名のデビューアルバムをリリースし、数年後のバンドの2枚目の努力「金属抵抗」は、私が個人的に彼らの音楽のファンになった場所です。反対に、「メタル・ギャラクシー」と「ザ・オアザー・ワン」はどちらも比較で平均でした。この春、キャピトルレコードと契約し、ベビーメタルはついにメジャーレーベルデビューの準備が整いました。

“from me to u” featuring Poppy blends alternative metal, metalcore, electronicore, nu metal, industrial metal & kawaii metal to sing about killing the enemies with the rage inside them whereas the WWE Bash in Berlin official theme song “Ratatata” featuring Electric Callboy fuses electronicore, kawaii metal & Eurodance comparing their bodies to weapons.

「私からあなたへ」にポピーが参加したこの曲は、オルタナティブ・メタル、メタルコア、エレクトロコア、ニュー・メタル、インダストリアル・メタル、そしてカワイイ・メタルを融合させ、敵を内なる怒りで倒すことを歌っています。一方、WWEベルリンでのバッシュの公式テーマソング「ラタタタ」に電気式コールボーイが参加したこの曲は、エレクトロコア、カワイイ・メタル、ユーロダンスを融合させ、彼らの体を武器に例えています。

Slaughter to Prevail joins BABYMETAL for the disappointingly mediocre kawaii metal/metalcore crossover “Song 3” trying to make their version of “Revolution 9” by The Beatles just before “Kon! Kon!” featuring Bloodywood embraces a heavier nu metal vibe with additional elements of kawaii metal, rap metal & Bhangra in what both parties have called “creature metal”.

スローター・トゥ・プリヴェイルは、ベビーメタルと共に、失望的なほど平凡な「カワイイ・メタル/メタルコア」のクロスオーバー曲「歌3」に参加し、ビートルズの「革命9」のバージョンを制作しようとしています。その後、「コン！コン！」では、ブラッディウッドがより重いニューメタルの雰囲気を採用し、カワイイ・メタル、ラップ・メタル、バンガラの要素を組み合わせた「クリーチャー・メタル」と両者が呼ぶスタイルを追求しています。

KxAxWxAxIxI concludes the first half of “Metal Force” by embracing the kawaii metal style they have come to recognize and standing at the top of the subgenre hierarchy, while the gradually cute “Sunset Kiss” featuring Polyphia reflects on the lovers’ relationship coming to an end, as it melts into the red sky of dawn , depicting the sun setting and the faded face still burning.

KxAxWxAxIxI 「は、彼らが認知するようになったカワイイ・メタル・スタイルを取り入れ、サブジャンルのヒエラルキーの頂点に立つことで、『メタルフォース』の前半を締めくくる。一方、ポリフィアをフィーチャーした徐々にカワイくなる」サンセット・キス “は、恋人たちの関係が終わりを迎えることに思いを馳せ、夜明けの赤い空に溶けていくように、太陽が沈み、色あせた顔がまだ燃えている様子を描写している。

Spiritbox & BABYMETAL team up for the kawaii metal, alt-metal, metalcore & djent hybrid “My Queen” asking to be freed from some sort of pain while “Algorism” sings about the past & the future not going away because love’s a process within itself. “METAL!!” experiments with alternative metal, groove metal & Japanese folk music for an energetically playful single to dance to while “White Flame” climactically finishes the melodic speed metal series on a powerfully emotional note.

スピリットボックスとベビーメタルは、カワイイメタル、アルトメタル、メタルコア、ジェントのハイブリッド「マイ・クイーン」でタッグを組み、ある種の痛みから解放されることを願い、「アルゴリズム」では、愛はそれ自体がプロセスであるため、過去と未来はなくならないことを歌っている。「メタり！！」は、オルタナティヴ・メタル、グルーヴ・メタル、日本のフォーク・ミュージックを実験的に取り入れた、エネルギッシュで遊び心のあるシングルで、「白い炎」は、メロディック・スピード・メタル・シリーズのクライマックスを力強くエモーショナルに締めくくる。

Metal Forth embodies BABYMETAL’s artistic growth by pushing boundaries & collaborating with artists they’ve connected with from around the world, landing behind Metal Resistance for their most essential full-length. Kobametal’s production is more bolder than the band’s earlier output going beyond kawaii metal to further explore the styles alternative metal, electronicore, industrial metal, power metal, j-pop, metalcore, deathcore, djent, nu metal, groove metal, Eurodance, rap metal, Bhangra & Japanese folk music.

メタル・フォースは、境界線を押し広げ、世界中のアーティストとコラボレートすることで、ベビーメタルが芸術的に成長したことを体現している。コバメタルのプロダクションは、カワイイメタルの枠を超え、オルタナティヴ・メタル、エレクトロニコア、インダストリアル・メタル、パワー・メタル、Jポップ、メタルコア、デスコア、ジェント、ニュー・メタル、グルーヴ・メタル、ユーロダンス、ラップ・メタル、バングラ、日本の民俗音楽などのスタイルをさらに探求している。

Score: 3.5/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

Metro Boomin’ – “A Futuristic Summa” review

St. Louis producer, DJ & record executive Metro Boomin’ finally dropping off his highly anticipated 2nd mixtape. Gaining notoriety in the middle of the previous decade as one of the most in-demand beatsmiths in hip hop today, he’s gone on to produce some of the best trap projects of the decade in their entireties including Future’s 3rd album D.S. 2 (Dirty Sprite 2), Gucci Mane’s 53rd mixtape Droptopwop and the Offset/21 Savage collab tape Without Warning. It was until after Halloween 2018 when he put out his solo debut Not All Heroes Wear Capes & the 2022 sequel Heroes & Villains continued an ongoing trilogy by elevating his production game. A Futuristic Summa was announced earlier this month & we’re finally getting it weeks since the current 2-time World Heavyweight Champion Gunther retired WWE Hall of Famer, 4-time WWE world champion, WWE United States Champion & WCW World Tag Team Champion Bill Goldberg at Saturday Night’s Main Event XLI followed by former AEW Women’s World Champion Blake Monroe betraying former 3-time TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace & another former TNA Knockouts World Champion Naomi becoming a 3-time WWE women’s world champion by ending イヨ・スカイ’s 2nd reign as a WWE women’s world champion at Evolution II.

“I Want It All” by J Money after the “Black Migo Forever” intro starts with a decent futuristic swag opener talking about his desire for everything nice whereas “They Wanna Have Fun” by Gucci Mane, Quez & Young Dro co-produced by Zaytoven homages the Cyndi Lauper single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” with Quez’ verse in the middle being my least favorite of the 3. “Butterflies (Right Now)” by Roscoe Dash & Quavo goes for an Atlanta bass vibe so they can talk about doing the crime & time of killing pussy prior to “Take Me Thru Dere” by Quavo & YK Niece inferiorly continuing the themes of lust.

The colorful “Loose Screws” by Shad da God & Skooly blends pop rap & trap with the help of DK Spinz to discuss losing their mind if the baddies they’re seeing move in with them just before the first of 2 Young Dro solo cuts “Stealin’ All the Swag” cloudily talks about wanting his swagger back. “WTF Goin’” combines these pianos & hi-hats shrugging off the haters because they only add flavor to what he’s doing while “Issa Party” by Jose Guapo, Shad da God & Young Dro warmly talks about wanting hoes to hit their line to rock & move with them.

“Clap” has gotta be the most I’ve enjoyed a Waka Flocka Flame song in a minute putting his politics & that corny publicity stunt where he got “jumped” aside while the danceable “Slide” by Young Dro confesses he hasn’t been able to talk the same since meeting this woman he’s addressing. “My Lil Shit” by BunnaB, J Money & Meany throws it back to the ringtone era of late 2000s southern hip hop while “Still Turnt (Forever B$hot)” by Shad da God talks about still being lit to this very day.

J Money, Quavo & Waka Flocka Flame all link up on the synthesizer-woven “Drip BBQ” showing off their sauce as if they’re at a cookout while “I Go” by J Money holds the fort by himself to show off his wealthy possessions. “Make It Make Sense” by Rocko has a darker trap mood to it talking about shit being illogical if it it ain’t making any money while “I Like That” by Waka Flocka Flame & 2 Chainz despite Honorable C.N.O.T.E. producing it wasn’t too bad of a pop rap track.

“Birthday” by Metro Thuggin’ & Skooly uses a bunch of playful metaphors to speak about sex & confidence while “Don’t Stop Dancin’” by Lil Baby & Skooly talks about loving the way their partners dance. “U Deserve” by T.I. & Young Dro throws it back to Grand Hustle Records’ prime in the mid-late 2000s while “Overly Trimm” by Jose Guapo, Quavo, Shad da God, Skooly, Travis Porter & Young Dro made for a mild posse cut.

Future & 21 Savage deliver A Futuristic Summa’s smoothest moment “Partying & Drinking” talking about women who be acting like they’re single when having fun with their friends while “Jerry Curry (Love & Basketball” by Lil Baby & Yung L.A. references TKO Group Holdings co-founder Vince McMahon. The futuristic swag closer “I Need (Where U From)” by J Money, Lil Baby, Roscoe Dash & 2 Chainz sends off the tape with all 4 of them asking the women they’re dating about their sets.

Taking the aesthetics of early 2010s mainstream Atlanta hip hop & putting some modern touches on it, A Futuristic Summa will feel nostalgic to anyone like me who was in middle school when songs like “Lemonade” or “Hard in da Paint” were dominating the airwaves. Metro Boomin’s production easily sticks out as the best part of the whole thing diverting from trap to experiment with futuristic swag, plugg, Atlanta bass & contemporary R&B. However, the guests’ performances are more hit or miss compared to Heroes & Villains.

Score: 3/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!

prettifun – “Funhouse 2” review

In front of us is the 4th studio LP from Charlotte, North Carolina rapper & producer prettifun. Known for his membership with the 4ersona collective, he would go on to put out 3 full-lengths & 7 EPs in almost 3 years prior to Victor Victor Worldwide signing him last fall & appearing on the new Lucy Bedroque mixtape Unmusique. mikey’s last album Funhouse was greeted to the same warm welcoming reception Pretti got & looks to expand the palpability of Funhouse by making a sequel.

Outtatown’s welcomingly playful rage atmosphere of “My Name” couldn’t have been a more appropriate intro talking about having fun with the money he’s been making while “Kisses” gets in depth regarding him not having to prove shit to anyone. “Fuck with Ya” produced by Ginseng suggests to keep blowing up his phone since he had to cop a new one covered in dough posted up in your hood just before the rage/plugg crossover “Famous” advised not to act as if he’s a huge star.

“Digital Love” gives his props to the Daft Punk single of the same name talking about his relationship struggles leading into “Last Wish” remembering his late grandmother. “Sides” clears up the rumors of him & another 4ersona member che having beef with each other when they simply haven’t talked in some time while “Heartbreaker” ties back into “Digital Love”.

Ending the first half of Funhouse 2, the lo-fi rage single “Unfazed” talks about starting a trend as a result of the waves he’s been making while “Different” professes that he feels like nothing’s been the same recently stepping on muhfuckas without a camp. “Internet” talks about having no fear inside of him because he’s self-aware of his artistic potential while “Back” speaks on his money addiction & there being no way out of it.

“idk wtf” combines rage, hardcore hip hop & digicore so asking for his vision to be trusted while “Infinity” talks about the endless flows he has in his arsenal & being ahead of the curve compared to his peers. “Hi-Fi 2026” finishes prettifun’s major label debut by announcing Hi-Fi 2 coming out some point within the next 52 weeks, which has me hoping it’ll surpass it’s predecessor when it comes to quality.

Honoring prettifun’s 20th birthday this weekend, Funhouse 2 feels nothing like a “deluxe version” of its predecessor & more of an eager standalone continuation. The production feels complexly layered compared to the original Funhouse embracing it’s experimental rage sound heavier than he initially did last fall aside from the occasional pop rap, trap, plugg, hardcore hip hop & digicore detours peeling back the vulnerability layers of his confessional approach to songwriting.

Score: 4/5

Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!