#funk volume

ALBUM

Dizzy Wright- The Golden Age 2 Released August 11, 2017 Label: Still Movin’

I feel like everyone who listens to music has an artist or two that they wish was in a higher position than they are currently in; for myself, Dizzy Wright is that artist. A member of the 2013 XXL Freshman class and former member of the now-defunct independent label, Funk Volume, the Las Vegas rapper is one of the most underrated young rappers in the game today. With a smooth flow, down to earth lyricism and a laid-back attitude, Dizzy is easily one of the most endearing rappers I’ve had the pleasure of listening to. I have been listening to Dizzy for a few years now and I can say that an issue with him has been that, as an independent artist, he has not gotten the attention that [I feel] he deserves. Even in his days in Funk Volume, he was somewhat overshadowed by the more famous (for one reason or another) Hopsin. With the implosion of Funk Volume last year and the respective label members going to different directions, it seemed to me that this would be the catalyst for a rise for Dizzy Wright.

Post-Funk Volume, Dizzy Wright stayed in business with his manager, Damian Ritter and released the EPs Wisdom and Good Vibes, The 702 EP and the mixtape Blaze With Us, a collaboration project with Demrick, a rapper who would later join the record label Dizzy and Ritter would create, Still Movin. Under this new label, Dizzy releases the sequel to his critically acclaimed mixtape, The Golden Age 2. This album has been what I have been listening to a majority of this week, I just love the vibe of this project. In this album, Dizzy is doing what he does best and that was rap his ass off. On TGA2, he raps about a multitude of topics: being a young father, the state of America, people using him for money, rappers with ghostwriters, people taking life for granted being a pet peeve of his and so much more. While it is a relatively long album at 18 tracks, TGA2 shows off the underappreciated talent of Dizzy Wright and it is worth the listen.

RATINGS

Concept: 3/5 Production: 3.8/5 Lyrical Content: 4/5 Flow and Delivery: 4/5 Repeatability: 4/5 Did I enjoy this project? Yes, I did Songs to Recommend? Word on the Streetz. Outrageous, Fraud, BIg Shots, JOB and Ghetto N.I.G.G.A

Final Rating: 3.8/5

Dizzy Wright- Word on the Streetz With blaring instrumentation, a glowing rainbow of colour and a showing of lyrical dexterity, Dizzy Wright has a strong offering for the first single of this album. It is one of the stronger tracks on this album and it definitely worth a listen.

Dizzy Wright featuring Big K.R.I.T- Outrageous What happens when you bring two independent lyrical rappers together to speak about issues in America? You get this impressive song. Their distinct flows and cadences compliment each other as the listener is graced with two great verses.

SONG

A$AP Ferg featuring Busta Rhymes, Dave East, A$AP Rocky, Rick Ross, French Montana and Snoop Dogg- East Coast Remix Released August 4, 2017 Label: RCA Records

This was the pleasant surprise of my week. Ahead of the release of his mixtape Still Striving, A$AP Ferg released multiple singles. One of them was East Coast Remix, a remix of a song he released earlier on in the year. The original song that featured Remy Ma was a great song, displaying the skills of two of the best the East Coast has to offer. This remix, however, is on a completely different planet. When I saw the features on this, it immediately reminded me of the iconic yet similar collection of east coast rappers on the Touch It Remix from 11 years ago. So, it makes perfect for Busta Rhymes to kick off this song and my, oh my does he set the bar high. The east coast OG clearly proved that he can still rap cycles around some of the best lyrical rappers out today. 

Bip-de-badda-de-booda-de-beat it like a bongo Banging on the pussy like a nigga named Alonzo Head game crazy, that make her the head honcho Mad cause I took his bitch and now he thinks he macho? Somebody better call the cops yo ‘Fore we run up inside of that nigga’s lil’ condo Put him in a box so the nigga in a cargo (cargo, cargo)

Taken from Busta Rhymes’ verse

Next, Ferg jumps in. Not to be outshined, the Harlem M.C. drops a verse with his slick and cool flow that fits the vibe started by Busta with his very unique style of braggadocio.

Soon as you get famous, they wanna ass-kiss Only thing that I’m missing is Hov verse (JAY-Z) I get a feeling, they want the old Ferg “Cocaine Castle”, “Hood Pope” Ferg Got a question to ask, do you know Ferg?

Taken from A$AP Ferg’s verse With Ferg mentioning fans who clamour for Ferg to return to his old style from his debut album Trap Lord but he dismisses it, making it clear that this style was only on side of his rap ability.

Third verse belongs to A$AP Rocky and oh boy…oh boy. Flacko goes HAM. Rocky is rapping on this song like a man possessed. As a man who is often overlooked in this generation of a hip-hop due to periods of inactivity and becoming a more of a fashion icon and celebrity, Rocky had to show the doubters just how great he really is. While he does not have any directly quotable lines, the flow and overall energy of Rocky’s verse is insane. Then, my guy Dave East hops onto the beat and as the least established man on this all-star cast so I feel that he has the most to prove on this song. East does not disappoint as he comes on cool and calm as he spits, arguably, the best verse of the whole song. 

I’m more Ali than Muhammad My noodles was Ramen, go Google my diamonds I got some shooters in college I feel like a coach, I’m recruiting and signing Look, I still be moving in silence

Taken from Dave East’s verse

The next verse is somewhat disappointing. In one of my soundtracks a few weeks ago, I praised French Montana following the release of Jungle Rules. Unfortunately for French, while he fits into this song in terms of bravado and confidence, his flow was slow and disjointed while his lyricism does not match any of the other men on this song. Next, we have Rick Ross (the first and not the last rapper on this track not from New York). This year, I’ve grown to like Ross more, following the release of his latest album Rather You Than Me. With that in mind, Rozay supplies us with a strong verse bring up the vibe of the song again.

In the kitchen culinary, I could whip a Bloody Mary And I wish that blood would dead me, I'ma get your brother burried Gangbanging with your halo, business on the payphone Bitches pussies drying up, like Taz’s Angels

Taken from Rick Ross’ verse

Now….isn’t it odd that on a song called East Coast, we get a verse from one of the most prevalent west coast rappers to ever spit a 16? That was my thought when I saw Snoop Dogg was on this song. Thoughts of opposite coasts were soon forgotten as Snoop not only spits the longest verse but also one of the best verses on this song. Uncle Snoop hits us with a near old school flow that completely melds with this beat.

10-20 was my date of birth, the day I came to Earth Bottles sipping, love to burp, young nigga that’s doing dirt Long Beach across my shirt, all y'all niggas gon’ get merked What the fuck is you talking ‘bout?

Taken from Snoop Dogg’s verse

Overall, this song is impressive and aside from one hiccup, I can definitely see this song going down as one of the great remixes of songs.

ALBUM

Kanye West- The Life of Pablo Released: February 14, 2016 Label: GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings

Kanye West… No matter what crazy stunt this man pulls, somehow, he manages to get away with it because of the amazing music he creates. With the promotion that was clouded with numerous name changes, claims of bankruptcy, asking Mark Zuckerberg for a multimillion-dollar loan, Twitter rants aimed in all direction including at Wiz Khalifa and his family, fashion shows and Adidas trainers, Kanye West dropped his seventh studio album. The “living breathing changing creative expression“ known as The Life of Pablo would go onto become the first of its kind; a growing album that would undergo numerous changes between its release on Tidal and its eventual release on other streaming services and the first stream the only album to go platinum. Accolades aside…This album is kinda “off” to me.

Initially labelled as a gospel album, TLOP gives off this impression immediately with its opening song Ultralight Beam. With the assistance of a church choir, The-Dream, Kirk Franklin, Kelly Price and a strong rap verse by Chance The Rapper, Ultralight Beam sets the bar high for this album and is arguably the best song on the album. But I feel like the album begins to go downhill. While he sticks with the gospel gimmick slightly with Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1 and Pt. 2, lyrically, Kanye completely deviates. While Kid Cudi is about to hold it down on Pt. 1 and Pt.2 adds [completely unneeded and barely appreciated] Kanye touches to the viral hit song Panda by Desiigner (who else thought it was Future when they first heard it?) ultimately, Kanye falls behind.

Now if I fuck this model And she just bleached her asshole And I get bleach on my T-shirt I'ma feel like an asshole

Taken from Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1 The now infamous bars from this album that more than likely confused everyone the first time they heard it. Yes, this is a song displaying the fighting of a couple before realising Ye only wants to wake up next to her despite thinking about cheating with a model but did we really need this?

The gospel theme would go onto disappear as soon as Famous comes on and while it would appear again in the skippable skit Low Lights, we do not get the gospel album feel again…which is a waste (So, listen to Chance The Rapper- Colouring Book for the gospel album TLOP should have been). While the next few songs were produced wonderfully like any other Kanye project, Kanye doesn’t really make any strong claims lyrically. Yes, there are quotable lines here and there but he is not really rapping about anything with substance, relying heavily on the production and his guest vocalists. Kanye does redeem himself in the middle of the album with the songs FML, Real Friends and Wolves; Kanye displays introspective feelings with all three of these songs, discussing feelings of trying to stay faithful, the idea of not knowing who is a friend and who is trying to use him and trying to overcome feelings of doubt and fear, making them very strong entries into the album. While the album only begins to pick up from there, it is stunted with the odd and untrue Facts (diss song to…Nike?) and the completely useless Fade (the song has Kanye, Ty Dolla Sign and Post Malone and yet all three of them barely say anything, relying heavily on sampled vocals).

I like this album from a production standpoint and there are songs I listen to from time to time but frankly, it is far from my favourite Kanye West album and in my mind, The Life of Pablo is possibly his most overrated project…at least I liked it more than Yeezus

RATINGS

Concept: 2.5/5 Production: 4.7/5 Lyrical Content: 2.5/5 Flow and Delivery: 4/5 Repeatability: 3/5 Did I enjoy this project? Yes, I did Songs to Recommend? Ultralight Beam, Real Friends, No More Parties in LA, Saint Pablo adn Freestyle 4

Final Rating: 3.3/5