A synopsis of heavy hitters plus one we missed (oops, sorry Dave).
This past month has been a cosmic release for both the UK industry, the US and Canada with highly-anticipated drops that may or may not have hit the mark.
Kanye West – ‘Donda’
It was surreal to finally see this album drop and expectations were incredibly high for the Chicago rapper. But that is the problem with expectations and the loyalty of fans when you’ve been told a gift is coming to you for so long. You just have to end up liking it. Full of autotune and beats that feel lacklustre, Ye, unfortunately, fails to deliver.
The album was allegedly released before West’s permission was granted to Universal Music, though if it’s not ready, just don’t give it to them. That said, no amount of mixing will bring this album to life. Paired with the dated and woefully awful autotune, West will be hailed as a hero by fans, and past it by neutrals.
Pitch 92 – ‘Intervals‘
Chock full of wordplay and enough music to get your ass moving, head bopping and brain thinking, Pitch 92 ticks all the right boxes with this one. Rammed with an appropriate amount of features and music that can feel both new age and nostalgic, the London rapper will keep many a person happy here.
An astonishingly dope rapper featuring alongside legends including Jehst, Confucius MC and Verbz, there is no way you’re going to get tired of this musical medley.
VERDICT:
Little Simz – ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’
Little Simz has been chipping away with the right amount of formula for this one, baking a cake as fast as she can yet, slow enough for us to taste the perfect bite.
Containing a slew of songs that drive home the point that she is truly as dope as they come, she also provided us with the perfect mix of production tending to the needs of a varied array of listeners.
VERDICT:
Dave – ‘We’re All In This Together’
Dave is known by all and his storytelling is direct and persuasive. The production value of this extraordinary album hits the mark all the way through with music that sounds as organic as they come, minus a few moments of synthetic feeling.
But his skillset and infallible work rate smack from beginning to end, building atmosphere in tandem with champion lyrical ability,.
VERDICT:
Drake – ‘Certified Lover Boy’
Oh dear, there isn’t much difference in this effort from Drizzy. Again, filled with autotune, boring beats, lazy rhyming, Drake undercooked this album serving a mediocre listing that feels more like a cash grab than art.
Autotune in Hip-Hop is starting to make the genre look like a self-parody than the music formerly known as. If you’re coming up in the game, just…don’t!
VERDICT
Grip – ‘I Died For This‘
Grip is an eccentric and one of a kind rapper that may bear similarities to other artists. But once you dig underneath the soil of this album, he really does counter a plethora of other rhymers with supernova skills to block and jab your mind.
Though his work is aimed at a particular audience, it does begin to tire after a while, but his micmanship only gets better the more you listen.
VERDICT:
Priya Ragu – ‘damnshestamil’
Priya Ragu has been creeping up in the scene for quite a while, establishing her stake with rudimentary press relations that have done her justice. You have to thank her team for doing a good job here because if they didn’t, we would have no idea she exists.
Her debut album ‘damnshestamil‘ is filled with feathers of pop and R&B that connect the dots between her heritage and music.
Filled with bangers including ‘Lemon Chicken Rice‘, ‘Lockdown‘ and the smooth ballad ‘Forgot about‘, Ragu provided something for everyone. If she continues to deliver it can only get better.
Stanisland Magazine 