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.
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