Skip Through Reviews 8/14/26
This weekend was an exciting weekend for some hip-hop/rap vibes. I had a lot of fun listening to this collection of new albums. (There was most defiantly a few trash tapes", but we don’t talk about those haha)
Still working on a good format for these reviews, how many, how much to say, this and that. I am in the process of working on a more official looking logo/design for the “cover" of these reviews. I hope you all have been enjoying these, and have maybe even had a chance to find some new music. So much stuff gets thrown into the void every weekend, I am trying to see if I can help weed through it and bring y’all some gems.
P-LO — OUT THE BOX
OOOOWEEE! New P—LO is a great start to this weeks new releases! Cover is sick, lil peek into the mind of the man. “BAY BOYZ 4EVER” has that BOUNCE that only the Bay can bring. P-LO got a random banger of a verse from Killer Mike on “FXCKIN HATER”. After “GOT IT”, P-LO takes some time to shout out the ladies with a few R&B tings, my favorite being “LET YOU DOWN” feat. 3LISE.
This shit bangs fr.
8.5/10
Nipsey Hussle, Bino Rideaux — PROLIFIC
Now I don’t have the best feelings towards posthumous albums, but we’ll check this out. Cover art is kinda boring, it’s just a photo with a filter over it. “500 Horses” has a great example of some fly Nip verses. Over all it has that feeling that I hate about these albums. Lowkey feeling unfinished. There is a very distinct warmth that Nip albums have that this album just doesn’t hit. “I Just Wanna Know” feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Cardi B is one of the only songs that really stands out as something we’ll revisit.
Wish it coulda been more.
6/10
Sk8star — The Beautiful Rebellion
This album has a fun cover that looks like something they drew or had commissioned by someone. It isn’t the craziest drawing, but it fits the vibes of the music. Not sure where this guy is from, but it’s got a lot of Carti or Thug influences in the sound. The track “Church’s” has a fun bounce to it, I like the pace of his flow as well. Once I got half way though the album, the influence shifted to like a Chief Keef sorta vibe. I really enjoy the song “Loose Tooth”.
Tape was coo. I’ll have to check out more by Sk8star.
7.5/10
BigTimeBake — BAKERS DOZEN II
Not sure who this guy is, but he shows up on this album goin crazy. Starting with the cover tho, he has some pastries. Bakers Dozen. Part 2. Makes sense.
“(Intro) Turn Me Up” he shows up turnt up fr. And then this guy has the nerve to follow it up with another banger with “Aye Bruther”. Lowkey half way through the album he shouts out Mac Dre and the Bay with the song “Like a Mac” feat. Ogtee. Wait, this album might be straight heat. “Dance!” Is an insaneeee song with a techno sample on it that I can’t quite remember the name of.
Album kinda trickles out after the 8th track.
8/10
Lukas Graham — Good Times
I really love a black and white album cover haha. The songs on this album are telling a story in the same way those classic Irish folk songs do. The flow and overall sound of these songs are all in line with that vibe. This album is good, it has a nice “home made” sorta feel about it. I can only imagine that the process of creating this album was a refreshing experience for Mr. Lukas Graham.
6/10
Trippie Redd — NDA
Never really listened to Trippie Redd, so I’m interested in how this will be. I like the cover. Very moody and distorted photo. Super contrasty. Not really sure that this is my type of sound. Working my way though this project, nothing is really standing out to me. I like the sound of this song “Uncle Phil” feat. Young Thug. This track “Say What” feat. PND is fire just cause of PND. The second half of “Pink Toes” is a banger. Just the second half tho haha.
The skips in between the hits are too heavy to over look.
6/10
Smash Mouth — Mercury Comet
The cover is whatever. This album sounds like old head beach music.
4/10
Internet Money — WE ALL WE NEEDED
Cover is a cool photo collage of the group I assume. This album didn’t hit for me. I don’t think I’m angry enough. I imagine that this would be a dope album to hear live with a whole bunch of their fans goin crazy, but just off the listen, it aint it.
5/10
Hit Boy — HITStory 2: Success is a Dirty Word
What a cover. Beautiful photo of Hit Boy next to a lion. Amazing colors. I am hyped about this project, hoping for more of the classic sounding hip hop that he’s been putting out lately.
It’s crazy how good he sounds rapping over these beats. This weekend was great for [producers who also rap. I am not a fan of “DO IT” feat. Quavo. Idk why people keep bringing Quavo onto their songs, this guy hasn’t had a hit in a min.
The project as a whole is cool, but there is a certain level of delivery that I am just not hearing from Hit Boy on this tape. The beats are all insane.
6/10
Phoebe Bridgers — Lost Weekend
The cover is making me think that this album will be sorta techno ish? Its a distorted looking digital image of a girl over a black background. Couldn’t be more wrong about the techno sound. This is very much a low vibe chill album. Phoebe’s voice is lovely and the instrumentals are all so soothing and sweet.
This album is nice, it is a soft sound that I could play while I’m chillin or working on something.
6.5/10
Michael Christmas, Chris Crack, Girl Talk — Don’t Come To My House Sharing Your Location
Now, the cover is cool. Idk exactly what it is, but tbh, I think the focus here is the title of the tape haha. Each song has these crazy song titles, like the first track “Wouldn’t Go To Chili’s With Michael B. Jordan”. Wtf? Haha The songs here are all pretty short, but the beats bang and the vocals all sound really great.
This is a quick fun Hip-Hop tape. The raps are all solid, and the beats are really well put together.
7/10
Bottomboylik — One of them ones
This cover is just some classic rap photoshop chaos. Love the energy this gives haha
I’m not a super big fan of this tape. Just no getting the right mix of this guys voice/delivery over these beats that he chose.
4.5/10
James the Seventh — Science
This album cover is really interesting. They are laid out over a bunch of wires and recording equipment. The tape starts off super strong with the opening track “Pity F**k”. The energy of this album is super fun. I really love this high pitch tone they take with their singing, and when the tone shifts into something more deep, the pitch shifts also. I love the title track “Science”, I think the full range is shown here. Like they are singing a duet with themselves. I really like this album, looking forward to hearing more.
8/10
Kromow — FOREIGN STANDARD
The art work for this album is a fly lil artsy grill photo. Choppy, contrasty.
The tape is fine, it reminds me of like a mix of Wale and Kyle. Lil raps over lil beats.
5/10
Tig3r lewis — Mr. Right Now
The printed look of the cover is really dope. I love the color choices too. I absolutely love this guys voice. Such a nice scratchy soothing sound. Some of the songs have a more upbeat tempo to it, but I really think that the slower songs are where this album really shines. I love the songs “Too Easy” and “USE ME”, the scratchy guitar and his singing just dance around these tracks.
8.5/10
Arin Ray — LIMBO
Simple wavey type of the album title for the cover art. Nice red and orangish yellow. The vocals sound amazing and the beats are all really lively. I feel like I’ve been listening to R&B differently after being so disappointed in that Jaquees album that came out a couple weeks ago. “Just Like Everybody” is a dope track that I’ll deff revisit. “Lose” is a really lovely way to end this EP.
8/10
Swayvee — PersWaysion
Lovely photo for the cover here. Nice warm tones with a nice script of the title in the corner. The music is labeled as “Alternative”, but it’s feeling a lot more Dancehall/R&B type vibes. “Lucky” is an interesting take on the Daft Punk classic.
This tape has a really unique sound. Not quite sounding like any specific genre or groove I’ve heard in the past.
7/10
Deebaby — Junkie Mode 2
The cover is coo, just his back. All his tattoos, maybe with boosted clarity/contrast to make them pop. The purple is deff boosted. “I Can’t Feel My Face” has a solid instrumental and he has some great energy here, not just mumbling his way through the record. Other than that, I just don’t know how I’m feeling about t this album. Might just not be my vibe.
5/10
Jungle — Sunshine
Simple text cover with a textured “weathered vinyl” overlay. Nice brown/tan colors tho. The album is listed as “Pop”, but it’s feeling very Disco. Like some BeeGees type vibes. I would really love to check out this entire album more thoroughly, super interested in this fun/funky sound.
7.5/10
Mulaa Joans — That Ain’t You
Simple but pretty Initials for the cover. The title track “That Ain’t You” has a BEAUTIFUL choir accompanying Mulaa. Never heard of her before this project, but she is most defiantly SINGING. Her range on “Normal People” is amazing to listen to. Very beautiful little group of songs here. A lot of emotions being pumped out here in just 16 min of totally play time.
7.5/10
Bayou — BRINCE
Cover is cool, some motion blur with a lil text hit. Bayou is from Egypt, so this project is going to be Arabic Pop, so I’m hyped to hear something new. These records are fun for me, cause the language barrier has me rating the album strictly on vibes. A lot of super exciting instrumentations here using sounds I’ve never heard before, like on the song “YALI”.
Over all, the album is coo, I think that there are a few moments that I really enjoyed, but I wasn’t fully invested in the sound 100% of the time.
6/10
Nickoe — Trap Motivation 2
Nice black and gold cover. Lil duality vibe coming with the II. I have always had a soft spot for some southern trap rap, this tape isn’t anything different. I liked listening though this joint, I only really gravitated towards “Turn Around”.
5.5./10
YTB Fatt — VERA VOLPE
Love this cover. It feels like more thought and energy was put into it than just some simple photoshop. Big props. “SERIOUS — THE COMMISSION” is a bangerrr. Idk what’s going on with all the names for these songs. Can this song “FLOOD — PORNOGRAPHY” be a spa to stop putting Quavo on your albums? Thank you.
“HERE AND THERE” feat. Lil Baby is a hit, with a really great Baby verse.
7/10
KATSEYE — WILD
Are they all Brittney Spears on the cover? They look like they might be doing a little cosplaying haha.
Idk what the hype really is behind this group. At least from the perspective of this tape. I just feel like each song sounds boring. Nothing is standing out as being super interesting or exciting. I do sorta like the last song “That Way”, but that’s really all.
3/10
Masicka — Forever Reign
The cover art for this album has Masicka looking like some mob boss or something. Looks great. I go through moments where Reggae sneaks into my rotation and I really get lost in these sounds. This album is no different, solid start with the legendary feature form Damian Marley. The rest of the album fluctuates with quicker and slower tracks. I enjoyed it, only a few songs that I’d revisit tho.
6/10
