#ephorize

"Spill a bitch brains, look like raspberry cheesecake"

Dahlia as cupcakke 😫 some of the pics are off because I was in both the dahlia section and the custom section so sorry for the discrepancies. To be honest I am running out of ideas/pictures to base these palettes off of but the next one should probably be Ms fortune (hopefully), so if y'all have any ideas/pics for a palette (preferably one with a bob that would be nice). Or I could just do another ephorize based one 🤣.

 J. Cole-KOD: KOD is one of J. Cole's absolute best albums if not his best. An album that dives into different social issues spanning artist willing to sell their soul to the pervasive use of drugs by both the artist and the consumers. Given the amount of music romanticizing drugs and damaged it’s caused it’s good to have that counterbalanced by albums like this.

 Pusha T- Daytona: Daytona may be Pusha's best LP to date, it's dark brooding and indeed him. Pusha T shows that while experimentation is excellent, the if it ain't broken, don't fix it model can still work wonders for those willing to perfect what they do best.

Jay Rock- Redemption: 2018 was Jay Rock's turn as the lead man in the TDE camp. His previous effort 90059 was by all accounts an excellent LP that went underappreciated, but with Redemption Jay Rock takes it up a notch both in gritty storytelling and delivery.

Royce Da 5'9- Book Of Ryan: Royce Da 5'9 releases his most personal LP to date touching on his alcoholism, mental health, and addiction in his family. It's a cathartic album packed with content that's only by Royce being one of raps best wordsmiths.

Meek Mill- Championships: This is easily my favorite Meek Mill album. The album finally sees Meek finally reaching the potential I'd always thought he could. He's rapping with his usual energy and passion and at the same time applying a weary sense of wisdom about the toll of street life and the corruption of the criminal justice system.

 Noname- Room 25: Noname isn't the loudest of MC's, but she does have a strong, quirky and witty personality that comes through in her music. She's poignant and poetic, and the music she raps over is just the jazzy/lush canvas she needed. A great LP that gets better with time.

 Jean Grae & Quelle Chris- Everything's Fine: Jean Grae & Quelle Chris deliver a sharply satirical album about the daily facade people use to get through day to day and just people's general ability to only see and attack things on a surface level.

 Aphex Twin- Collapse EP: Aphex Twin to my ears has been on a nice run since he released Syro in 2014, but Collapse EP may be his best project since. Each track is layered with sounds both pretty and jagged, and best of all compositionally they all go places that at least feel improvised. Great work from Richard D. James.

 Kidaudra-Pluto IRD: Up until this point Kidaudra'd been crafting her own iteration of dream/synth pop to great effect but Pluto IRD is more of a dark experimental techno type of work, primarily influenced by the birth of her first born and a move to a more remote area in upstate NY. It's a great album, layered, adventurous and heartfelt. Loved this album.

Dirty Projectors- Lamp Lit Prose: Lamp Lit Prose is the best album from Dirty Projectors in nearly a decade(Bitte Orca '09). All the tracks are lively and full of energy, and it's another LP that keeps you on your toes track to track and even within tracks. It was nice to hear David Longstreth back in great form.

Black Panther: The Album: Curated by Kendrick Lamar and featuring great artists like Vince Staples, SZA, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Reason and the like it's one of the better movie soundtracks you'll hear. It's also plays something like a TDE compilation LP with some guest which kept me going back to it throughout the year.

MGMT- Little Dark Age: As much affection, I've had for MGMT's debut LP back in '07 they've never quite captured my imagination with subsequent albums. Little Dark Age, however, has come to closest. A mixture of catchy synth-pop and dreamy psychedelia they're well known to make in a short 10 track LP.

Hinds- I Don't Run: While I enjoyed their 2016 effort Leave Me Alone, their 2018 project was higher energy and more infectious project. It was also sharper lyrically as well, so I definitely enjoyed this one.

Dream Wife- Dream Wife: Bringing a mix of punk and alt-rock at times Dream Wife is pure youthful exuberance, they pack each song with a punch, and though they're a little young as songwriters I think they brought fun energy that covers anything that's lacking.

Phryme- Phryme 2: DJ Premier and Royce Da 5'9 on Phryme 2 brought back a traditional east coast sound but one that still sounded up to date as they spoke to the divide between the older and younger generation and bridging those gaps.

Tone Chop & Frost Gamble- One: This album is straight boom bap beats and hard rhymes. Tone Chops style is just measured and mature, and you can hear his passion for the culture of hip-hop whether he's talking relationship issues or loss in his life you can discern his authenticity in the songs.

Cupcakke- Ephorize: Cupcakke is brash, charismatic and just has a great mic presence, and though she's most known for raunchy sex raps she also showed versatility on tracks like "Crayon," "Self Interview" an "Total" where she gets more introspective and speaks to LGBTQ issues as well.

Freddie Gibbs- Freddie Gibbs: Freddie Gibbs just knows how to make intelligent street music. His self titled EP is short and lyrically nice is perfect when you need to scratch that itch.

Tierra Whack- Whack World: Philadelphia MC and singer Tierra Whack released one of the most interesting EP's this year, issuing 15 tracks and each being a minute long she was able to showcase her versatility as a rapper and vocalist. Not to mention an eccentric magnetic personality.

                                               Top Albums of 2018 

It’s that time of the year again where I share my favorite 9 albums of the year, including individual songs from the albums and now, decided to also include some of my favorite singles of the year. 

1. Sweetener by Ariana Grande (God is a woman - breathin - everytime - no tears left to cry)

2. As She Pleases by Madison Beer (Home With You - Dead - HeartLess - Fools - Say It to My Face)

3. Camila by Camila Cabello (She Loves Control - Havana feat. Young Thug - In the Dark)

4. What is Love? by Clean Bandit (I Miss You feat. Julia Michaels - Solo feat. Demi Lovato - Symphony feat. Zara Larsson - Rockabye feat. Sean Paul and Anne Marie - Baby feat. Marina and Luis Fonsi)

5. Ephorize by CupcakKe (Duck Duck Goose - Cartoons - Crayons)

6. Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B (I Like It feat. Bad Bunny & J Balvin - I Do feat. SZA - Bodak Yellow - Ring feat. Kehlani - Money Bag)

7. LM5 by Little Mix (Woman Like Me feat. Nicki Minaj - Joan of Arc - Think About Us)

8. Love Yourself: Answer by BTS (IDOL feat. Nicki Minaj - Serendipity - Euphoria)

9. Liberation by Christina Aguilera (Fall In Line feat. Demi Lovato - Maria - Deserve)

                                                      Top Singles

1. Feelings by Hayley Kiyoko

2. DDU-DU DDU-DU by BLACKPINK

3. Love Lies by Khalid feat. Normani

4. Jump by Julia Michaels feat. Trippie Redd

5. Sober by Demi Lovato

6. One Kiss by Calvin Harris feat. Dua Lipa

7. Cry Pretty by Carrie Underwood

8. Genius by LSD (Labrinth, Sia, & Diplo)