Solid.Snippet

I'm feeling some...

Good Vibes

The Royal Warlord AKA my homie Bucky has released his long awaited project Good Vibes. The mixtape in and of itself is authentic; definitely a true attempt at conveying a message- not just somebody on some beats rapping to hear himself. The mixtape became publicly available on March 24th (you know I was sitting comfortably on my copy well before) and is already making the waves in the locality in which this artist is based. If you don't know Bucky, I have reviewed some of his music before which is all available for a free listen.

Yo I support free music,

As do I- and I also support underground artist, man. Based in the RVA but originally from the 757, Bucky has a plethora of perspectives and comments packed into 11 tracks/45 minutes. The tape is an easy listen and you know... let me drop my two-cents.

Production

The production of the mixtape is the norm. Meaning that the mixtape has satisfactory beats, an acceptable amount of features, and is close to the ideal length. 

No qualms?

Qualms, no- I'm not in sheer awe over the beats but a most of the tracks have a viability that allows the listener to keep replaying the songs. In keeping with what would be considered Bucky's musical peers (i.e.: Chance the Rapper, Logic, Shy Glizzy, Mark Battles, and Joey Bada$$) or young rappers without projects that are major-label backed, Bucky's beats fall in between Logic's and Mark Battles. The beats don't bang hard like Acid Rap's Smoke Again but they definitely have cool samples like Tic Tac Toe by Logic.

Most well done feature is on the tape is The Hustle; another collab in the future from brocK Johnson would be preferred as Bucky and him have flows that work in tandem.

In terms of growth, the production can grow even more. Whether several of the tracks were mastered is debatable. The latent vocals on each track, for example on The Hustle, are done well though. There is definitely levels in the music and composition on Good Vibes. I wager that bringing all the sounds together, digital/analog/vocals/samples, is the last step in Bucky's production team.

Content

The content is dope-always. This isn't necessarily "backpack rap" or even socially conscious rap- this here on Good Vibes is witty banter on relevant topics. Bucky to me is one of the best examples of "Speak on what you know," because he continues to appear relatable. His messages are legitimate and spun into classic hip hop tropes. There are several bars that Bucky drops that show his musical fluency. 

You can hear his "musical fluency"?

Yeah, man. I hear Bucky's influences and know-how of the hip hop culture. There is a respectable coming-of-age sound on the tape that most young people can vibe with. You have your drug use, your education, he threw in some social commentary, some existential thinking, and even some relationship views. Packed into 45 minutes... its like having a conversation with him.

Flow

Buck's flow is original. Easy going, not too over bearing, extremely articulate, and viable. His vocals on every track are not the best fit though. There is extreme playability in the tape and I could listen to his voice for a couple of hours easy, however a few of the tracks are completely skippable. Bucky's flow is so easy going that I feel his bars suffer if the meter of a song is too slow. Possibly purposefully, I could've sworn that some tracks featured a Xanny'd out Bucky.

Some people like that sleepy sound,

I've been told. As tests to my credibility, I have a vetted group of friends listen to music with me and they like the sound. There is a wave of music that has come out recently that features rappers with slower and less excited vocals. For example Schoolboy Q with Prescription/Oxymoron, Mac Miller with Erica's House, Kid Cudi with Troubled Boy, and World Ablaze by Big Sean. So again, I concede that Bucky could be on board with what is "the sound". I just point out that I personally don't dig that type of sound.

Haha, Xanny'd out...

Conclusion

All in all, 3.5 stars out of 5. I have faith in Good Vibes and Bucky's sound. As an artist he has consistently grown and consistently expanded on his talent. Some people have it and some don't. Good Vibes proves that Bucky knows he has it but he isn't just content with staying stagnant. His sound can bring him places and it is without a doubt that he is hungry to continue in his craft. If music is food for the soul; Good Vibes is a good-looking appetizer for Bucky's career.

Good Vibes                                                 The Royal Warlord                                       @buckygotbars

                                 

HAWT MUSIC PT. 3

Satellite Flight: The Journey To Mother Moon

Cudi fans know, it's fire.

Yeah, Kid Cudi, otherwise known as the other half of WZRD, has released yet another ground-breaking album. The fourth studio-album by Cudi dropped on Feb. 25, 2014. This album was primarily produced by himself like Indicud was. Satellite Flight is to be the bridge between Indicud and Man On The Moon III (2015).

Kid Cudi took to social devices such as Twitter and Soundcloud to get his fans geared up for the release. Through releases such as Going to The Ceremony and Satellite Flight, Cudi prepared listeners for a sound he states: " [will] reclaim my style others have been trying to duplicate for the past 5 years,". Cudi even goes so far to urge listeners to start from Man On The Moon I and play everything through (including WZRD) to Satellite Flight to prepare for MOTM III.

Well gee-this guy is really creating something,

Flow

Interestingly enough, Kid Cudi doesn't utilize vocals on all songs on the album. The tracks that are graced with his verses are are sang in his usual processed way. Objectively speaking, Cudi half sings and half speaks his parts o songs such as Satellite Flight and Balmain Jeans. These moans are passion filled and hard hitting, but at first listen: hard to understand. I believe this is purposeful because on any part that is murky, the alliteration in Cudi's flow is heard. I would even venture that Cudi, unlike most rappers, doesn't see his vocals as separate from the beat, but a part of whole thing. 

What are you saying Tics?

I'm saying yeah- it is difficult to decipher some of what Kid Cudi is saying, especially if you are new to what he is building. However, in no way does that facet hurt any songs- all tracks with vocals are solid.

Content

Any Cudi fan knows that the entire MOTM series is one of the most interesting stories told- being that this album is a piece of that series, it is no different. On first listen through there is sure to be a song that jumps out at a listener as relevant. One of the most likable things about Cudi is his ability to be relatable. He does "Drake" better than Drake.

You mean that Kid Cudi is efficient in reaching out to his listeners and fans,

Yes. As an example I'll use the track Balmain Jeans ft. Raphael Saadiq. This song was rich in sexual innuendoes as well as spiritual intonations.  This wasn't the average song about getting in someone's pants- it was the tale of finding one's other half. The perfect balance is struck between heavy and light where Cudi expresses his inner desires for another person but pokes fun at his frequent wearing of the designer Balmain. 

Cudi utilizes his composing skills to also effectively convey his meaning without words. I almost never sign off on self-production. I love producers too much, but on tracks such as Copernicus Landing and the aforementioned Balmain Jeans- it is blatantly obvious that Kid Cuid is multifaceted. The deep bass and borealis/wavy sounds create a contrast and in most songs the backdrop. In everyone of us there is an internal struggle; maybe I'm reaching but as judged by Cudi's cult following of fans, his beats are speaking to our souls, man.

Groovy vibes.

Production

The whole album was signed off by Kid Cudi himself. 7 of 10 tracks he produced and the other 3 he did as well, collaborating with Dot da Genius. Yeah thats right, WZRD was back at it on this album. The deep rich sounds from Indicud, the creativity of WZRD, and the spacey vibes from MOTM are all heard on this short album. All the guitar riffs, strategically placed bass, and synths are back. Again, it was originally slated to be an EP, but Cudi explains he "hit such a creative stride when he began to work on the EP, that he decided to just complete a full album instead,"

This album is only 10 tracks???

This album is about 41 minutes with 10 tracks. While short for an album, this album's viability places at about an hour. Let me explain: on first play through I didn't finish without replaying a song. Its fair to say I wasn't casually listening, but if casually listening to Cudi, it's easy to get spaced out and lose time frame. That is a fair statement: this album utilizes a stereo soundscape like no other. One ear is still in space and the other ear is on the moon already. I tested this by listening to a song with just on earbud in then the other.... crazy.

Also, while I do not condone/associate/advocate stoner culture, I've been told by close sources that this album played to a listener under the influence is really something.

Conclusion

With only one feature from Raphael Saadiq (my ninja!). And minimal production help, Kid Cudi once again proves he's got it all. This album gets 5 stars, two thumbs up, and some tears. As a test to my credibility, I played half the album for a non-Cudi fan. As unbiased as I strive to be, I love the fudge out of some Cudi. My close source did indeed like the album giving it a 4/5. She claims it could've been better if Cudi had chosen to go all beats or all songs w/ vocals. She thought the fusion of the two types of songs on one album was too weird. Nonetheless, Satellite Flight: Journey To Mother Moon is all good vibes.

Digital Track Listing                                                KID CuDi                                                 @ducidni

HAWT MUSIC PT. 2

Next Up To Bat...

What are we all listening to? Oxymoron that's what...

Humor me while I dole out a brief english lesson. An oxymoron is a figure of speech that juxtaposes apparently contradictory elements. For example big shrimp, dark light, and living dead.

OK, Tico. We don't care...

OK. Oxymoron is also the third album released by the OG himself, Schoolboy Q. The album dropped officially February 25, 2014, thanks to Top Dawg Entertainment and Interscope Records. This is the first album release that Schoolboy Q has released, backed by a major label. The recording for this project spanned 2012 and 2013 with singles such as Collard Greens and Man of The Year being available as early as June and November, respectively. 

If you weren't privy to the Black Hippy rapper prior to his first major studio album release, let me remind you that Schoolboy Q is by no means new to the game. He is an XXL Freshman (Class of 2013), he has released two other albums Setbacks and Habits & Contradictions, and has done extensive touring. (#TheGroovyTour, Long. Live. ASAP. Tour, & Under The Influence Tour)

Content

Schoolboy Q uses rap and music as a medium to express himself and explain his life. Oxymoron is quite possibly the most authentic and straight-forward albums of late. Schoolboy gets dark and spins a twisted tale of a lost youth in the songs Hoover Street, Studio, and Prescription/Oxymoron. It is no secret that this rapper once was a gang-banger and whenever Q can, he shouts out his set, the 52 Hoover Crips (Figg Side/ Figueroa St). Q bares his life for all to listen to in this album that is properly named- he did all this wrong and tried to translate it to "right" for his daughter.

His daughter is featured on several songs and brings more even more honesty to Q's story. In my honest opinion, and I'm sure some will agree, Schoolboy Q has never been much for content especially compared to the rest of Black Hippy. In fact, there is next to no diversity lyrics on the entire album. The same story of being a banger is relayed on each track.

For some odd reason though, (maybe the authenticity in what he's saying?) We listen to each song...

Flow

Schoolboy Q's flow is that of a true west-coast artist. Not just hip-hop, but all music in general. The lofty and confident voice heard throughout the album is thankfully not a feature. Schoolboy Q shines on his own project and uses inflections to decipher between "Rapper That Made It" Q and "52 Hoover Crip" Q. His rhyme scheme is easy to follow and his articulation is a godsend in an era of young rappers that suffer from mush-mouth and mangled bars. Schoolboy Q also makes use of variation in the amount of words in a bar- for example in the song Hell of A Night Q runs through quickly in the first verse. By the second verse, however, he slows packs less words in each bar and allows the listener to go from being hype to just vibing.

Beats

Oxymoron's production was properly handled by high-profile producers such as Mike Will Made It, DJ Dahi, Pharell, Boi-1da, The Alchemist, and Tyler The Creator. The beats of Oxymoron can be summed up in one word:

Gangsta

Yes, you're correct. At random, look at Gangster, The Purge, Man of The Year, and Break The Bank. What do these songs have in common? They get the listener internally-hype. These are those tracks you play while driving to school or the office. You feel so hood she playing these songs. It is a crime to play these on volume 20... you have to max out the bass and really vibe!

True- these aren't the most convoluted or complicated beats- No Random Access Memories going on here. At best, these songs are catchy repeats of the hook played behind the enigmatic and gangster voice of Q. This is a positive though- there are few other artists that get to wholly shine through their (over)production. Oxymoron is hood in it's own right with just the right amount of tweaking: Q's voice isn't tampered with, the samples of his daughter are placed intelligently, and the beats of over half the album play into the gang banging demographic Schoolboy wanted to reach. Oxymoron is an oxymoron to me, being that it is Q's first major studio album, but it sounds like a authentic "homie mixtape" that I want to support... as if I were Figg Side too.

You're not though. No drive-bys for you.

All in All...

Oxymoron could've been the entire soundtrack to Grand Theft Auto V. This album is as gangster as its going to get and I'm proud. I won't lie: I didn't initially see Schoolboy Q following Kendrick Lamar in terms of commercial success. I felt like the rough and ruggedness of Q hurt his musicality and commercial appeal, especially in light of what Kendrick was doing with good kid M.A.A.D city. However, it appears that Schoolboy Q is hungry as hell for the TDE throne. This album was critically acclaimed- from Metacritic to XXL, everyone agrees that Oxymoron is one of the best stories ever told. Schoolboy Q does identify himself as a "gangster rapper" and while he claims he isn't trying to bring that style of rap back, rather just showcase its still alive... he is bringing it back.

He is bringing back bucket hats too,

Two Thumbs Up.

Track Listing                                     Oxymoron Story                                    All Things Schoolboy Q