Hey everyone!!! It's that time again where I rant and ramble on about the trash I've heard in the year 2020. There is a slight twist to this year's list. I usually limit my list to ten albums, but I couldn't go without mentioning all the projects that truly disappointed me, so there's 11 albums that made the cut this year.
I hope you all enjoy my pain.
Future & Lil Uzi Vert - Pluto x Baby Pluto
The first quote that comes to mind when I think about this album is "the sum of its parts are greater than its whole". This highly anticipated album was bogged down by a complete lack of chemistry. This project sounds like Future put together an album, and called Lil Uzi Vert to record when Future ran out of words to say. It seems like they haven't spent a single minute together rather virtually or in person. What makes this album even worse is the lyrics are so repetitive, "Marni on Me" sums up how poor their chemistry is, to a point where it sounds like the producer sold them the same beat and just messed their tracks together. Also, why are there so many damn producer tags on this project? Can you two not afford the beats?! This album does have some decent tracks on it, but none of it lives up to the individual projects that each artist has put out this year.
Overall I feel almost nothing towards this album besides being a bit disappointed. I wasn’t angry when I heard it, but I was certainly relieved when I realized it was over. This album isn't an affront to God, but it sure isn't gaining any replays either, it's just boring and uninspired...which are the worst things a trap/mumble artist can be.
Gunna - Wunna
I really don't know how this man does it. Gunna released another album that was too long for the type of music he makes, and he made it sound as generic as possible. I have commonly said that Gunna is the Great Value brand Young Thug, but I can say with confidence that he isn’t, he’s worse. Young Thug can use his voice to make tracks work when he has nothing interesting to say, Gunna not only has nothing interesting to say, but the way he says them sounds like he’s not even interested in his own music. What makes this album so bad is how generic everything sounds, you could replace this album with anyone in the same vein and get the same results.
This sounds like a templated album that Gunna just so happened to purchase, and he must have gotten it for cheap, because the production is just as boring as the lyrics. I fell asleep the first two listens of this album and I can’t remember a single thing about this album after finally making it through a few listens. All I know is “Space Cadet” isn’t on this album and that’s the only track that’s actually held my attention. This album is an easy skip, and that’s also been stated by some of his fans.
Nav - Good Intentions
You already know what I’m going to say about this guy, he makes the list every year, and the frequency that he releases music may actually have an impact on the quality. I really don’t understand the appeal of this artist, he isn’t talented lyrically, he has a terrible computer generated sound, his beat choice is nice, but he isn’t even enjoyable in an ironic sense. I’m constantly in a limbo of believing Nav is actually trying or he is just throwing things at streaming services to see what sticks.
As far as song structure there does seem to be some sense of awareness, he doesn’t make long tracks and he isn’t filling every part of the beat with his annoying Siri voice. But what’s so bad is the lack of emotion and intensity behind his music, he never fits the beat he is on, and with a producer like Wheezy you can't come onto a project dull, it’s a waste of everyone’s time. For example, “My Business” has an incredible spacey trap beat, and you finally realize the true energy this song carries when Future comes in and delivers his fast-paced and animated verse. I can’t stand Future, but it was easily the best part of the song, and one of the very few highlights of the entire album. I have to admit there is one track I will revisit in the future, and that’s “Status”, the only reason is because Nav delivers one of the funniest verses ever.
Brown boy got the game on lock (On lock)
Brown boy fuckin' all these thots (Thots)
Run up, we gon' pop, pop, pop (Pop, pop)
Brown boy ain't never get got (Yeah)
Gucci on every sock (On sock)
Got her suckin' my cock, cock, cock (My cock)
Got ice, talkin' rock, rock, rocks (Rocks)
Summertime, need a drop, drop, drop (Skrrt)
I'm scared of gettin' caught, caught, caught (Caught)
You can’t tell me this isn’t funny, but it’s also an example of why this album is on the list.
Lil Yatchy - Lil Boat 3
I was curious what happened to Lil Yachty after his debut and found out he released an album this year. This has taught me to stop being so curious about the lives of people I don’t really care about. For starters, Yachty broke the #1 rule that trap artists/mumble rappers shouldn’t break, and that’s making an album with a long runtime. There’s 19 freaking tracks on this album. I was bored out of mind, then the moment happened. “T.D.” a track that features A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, and Tierra Whack. I was still pretty bored after A$AP’s lackluster verse and even the weird offbeat verse from Tyler the Creator, but Tierra Whack TORCHED this track with her abstract fast-paced rhyming and immediately cutting it off by saying she was bored.
Then the album proceeds to return to disappointment by focusing more on Lil Yachty’s terrible punchlines and out of breath delivery. What bothers me the most about this project is there are lots of great productions here, but since there’s so many you have to sift through the boring ones in order to get to it. Not only that, you have to hear how it’s ruined by Lil Yachty’s lack of creativity (check out “Range Rover Sports Truck” for a sample). If this album was an 8 track EP it would have completely missed this list, but for some reason he thought we wanted more...but we don’t.
Trippie Redd - Pegasus
Trippie Redd has made quite a name for himself over the years for his unique sound,and his ability to include pop and rock influence, but another thing Trippie is also known for is his inconsistency with music projects. Pegasus is an example of what happens when he does not bring his A game and that lack of focus and talent lasts 75 minutes. This album has no right to be this long, and this bad, pick a struggle Trippie. Trippie Redd manages to have a focus on love, sex, and sensuality on this record and it’s so focused that there’s nearly no difference from track to track. The production is...alright I guess. Just sounds like a generic R&B album, there's some bass, some slowed drum kicks, and then the annoying voice of the red-headed stepchild. The selection isn’t unique or complicated for the lane that Trippie is in, but it’s not executed well. What makes this project even worse are that the features are as underwhelming as the production. This album is lame, there’s great about this album even down to the album artwork.
I'll be honest, I was fooled after the intro track "Let It Out", I was genuinely interested in the song and thought it was well crafted...then I heard the rest of the album. Pegasus comes off so boring. It's like a pop album, but with trap lyrics, also no one wants to envision the sexual nature of Trippie's lyrics, that's just disturbing. Then again, I'm not sure what's less tolerable, Trippie's mind-numbing lyrics or hearing him go "waaaaoooooaaaaahhhhhh" every single song . It seems like it's his way of covering up that his range is trash, but it still doesn't work.
Pegasus is more bloated than a Chinese android phone, it’s more bloated than a person on a bean and broccoli diet, and it sucks all the way down to the album art. Who is in this man’s corner and why would you allow him to create an album with 26 songs! From the sound of this album I can only imagine that the participants of his listening party didn’t make it past track 12. The features range from “meh” to “skip” and it’s not purely because of skill. Both of Future’s features sound like they’ve been recorded in a washer machine, and artists like Rich the Kid and Busta Rhymes sound better on paper than in practice. The constant yelling, or what some would call singing, it usually out of tune and not pleasant to listen to. The rapping on this album leaves a lot more to be desired, you know like actual rapping. This is a waste of time, and I’m pretty upset I didn’t walk away with anything positive besides a couple beats and a Young Thug feature.
Tekashi 6ix9ine - Tattle Tales
The only thing I could say when I heard this album was "What the hell did I just listen to?". I have never been so confused on the direction an artist has decided to take until I listened to Tattle Tales. Most of the albums on this list may be an ear sore to listen to, but none of them lack direction as much as this album. I feel like I was trolled by this album, and I'm not sure if I should laugh or throw a chair through the window. I know people are ignoring this project all together because of the whole snitching ordeal, but I have to admit...I don't care. The real draw to this album for me is how we Tekashi hold up after his stint in jail, can he still pick a decent beat? Is he still funny? Is he still laughing in the face of all his haters? Everything is a huge "No", except for the haters part, that's just who he is.
The biggest problem with this album was laid out perfectly by Tekashi 6ix9ine himself.
When you see me, what you talkin' 'bout, fuck you talkin' 'bout?
Niggas always wanna chase clout, bitch, I am clout
This is it, this is the entire album, it's just another opportunity to clout chase, and laugh in the face of his haters and to an extent, his fans. This album lacks tact and effort, and it's not even funny like his previous works have been. It reminds me of the scene in Anchorman when chaos broke out and Steve Carell yelled "LOUD NOISES!!!". That's this album, just really loud and dysfunctional white noise...with Akon features.
The production for this album is your standard 6ix9ine affair with loud ass bass and drum patterns that resemble "Gummo". That lack of range is covered up by yelling, autotune, and effortless rapping. I went from finding this funny and kind of charming early in his career to finally seeing it for what it truly is...crap. The intro, "Locked Up, Pt. 2 (feat. Akon)" is bad, like really bad. Of all the things I've wanted to hear from Tekashi in his career...singing is definitely not one of them. The routine of 6ix9ine giving a middle finger to his haters and coming at those who are really living that street life has now become more little more than fanfare. Now most of his longtime fans see him to be as much of a meme as Lil Pump, and even though Lil Pump is a Trump supporter, 6ix9ine may still be more hated. Anyway, back to the actual album... a lot of it is super generic, not a single song has replay value and most of the songs that are passable are nothing without their music videos. Nicki Minaj's verse was one we all could live without and it's honestly the only good thing on this album. Akon sounds like he was just showing up to cash a check, and I don't blame him if he did, but he could have done better. "Nini" is a really generic song with a reggaetón sound, and it's laughable. Tekashi's pen game is pretty bad, but there's a moment or two where I laugh...at Tekashi's expense.
Beat it like a drum, brat-pum-pum-pum-pum
Do it with no hands, no ton-ton-tongue-tongue
Hit it raw dog, no condom-dom-dom
Make her pop a Plan B, I ain't dumb-dumb-dumb-dumb
I laugh every time I hear this because some engineer was like "Yeah man, good take". Seriously, I don't know how this guy is still around, it has to be the visuals he puts out for each song, it's pretty much a softcore adult film for the average teenager, I am willing to argue that Tekashi 6ix9ine has the most views on mute in YouTube history. You already know this guy has nothing to offer lyrically, so there's no need to dive into that, but you know this album is really terrible when I rather speak on the impact of his music videos on prepubescent children who hide behind the semblance of being a fan, just to see some booty.
This album is much more about the failure of a culture to oust someone who should have never been more than a one hit wonder. "Gummo" was his claim to fame and the only way to remain in the limelight is to recreate that exact sound and piss off everyone he possibly can, but the appeal of both things are running out at an alarming rate. Hearing 6ix9ine sing really makes me wish he never got out of jail. I'm sure they play "Leah" on repeat at Guantanamo Bay. Sadly this isn't the worst project I've heard all year, but it dang sure it isn't good.
Playboi Carti - Whole Lotta Red
Playboi Carti fans are some of the worst fans around, and I believe Carti gave his fans exactly what they deserved this year...let me explain. After the multiple leaks from fans and also other artists who are also fans like Mario Judah gaining clout by copying the style of Playboi Carti could they really have anticipated a better project? The constant harassment, the continuous coverage of his personal life with Iggy Azelea, and the pressure to release an album that is received as well as “Die Lit” (which ironically also made my worst list) amounted to this album.
Whole Lotta Red, which is also called “Whole Lotta Skips” on twitter is exactly that, a bloated experimental project that once again breaks the rules given to artists of his cloth. This album is entirely too long for the lack of content it contains. I am aware that Carti is mainly a “vibe” rapper, but when you aren’t that talented of a rapper everything else has to be near perfect, and in the case of this album almost nothing is even “good”. I’m surprised to say that Kanye West is an executive producer on this album, not to say that any of Kanye’s recent projects are great, but it’s not nearly as bad as his contributions to this album. Though this isn’t a lyrical rapper, I still need to take a jab at some of the dumbest rap lines I’ve heard this year.
I just smashed on my bitch (Yeah, yeah, woo)
Now I got her on some other shit (Yeah, woo, woo, woo)
'Bout to pop these Percs and chop this molly, huh (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm gon' be leanin' right in the lobby (Woo)
And then there is….
I'm not friendly at all (What?)
I don't even want these niggas on my song (No)
I don't even need these niggas on my song (No doubt)
I don't rap, I write poems (What?)
Or even…
I told her, "I really don't do this shit"
That money gon' make this bitch do this shit (Go)
Codeine in my cup 'cause I do this shit (Codeine)
Codeine in my drank, bitch, I do this shit (Syrup)
You know that my body is full of it
You know that my shawty be full of it
You know that I'm hot, bitch, I'm horny
I wouldn’t be so mad if these songs were even remotely funny, but at the end of the day this stuff was just stupid. A lot of Carti’s hype is running off the concept of being a meme, people who call him a lyrical genius who can do no wrong, but don’t realize that no one outside of their circle is laughing. We’ve seen first-hand what drug culture has done to numerous artists not only creative, but the physical and emotional toll that drug abuse has caused as well. What makes this album, and pretty much all of Carti’s discography so bad is that it is void of creativity. It’s like Playboi Carti has taken no time to create the products that he puts out, all the effort belongs to the production team, and just like Famous Dex, Carti lays on layers and layers of adlibs and choruses, and receives all the credit. Some will give Carti the credit for his beat selection and his approach, but to me Playboi Carti offers much less to his tracks that his tracks contribute to him. When he’s out of his element he isn’t worth much, and sadly there’s tracks on here that put it on full display. I’m completely floored that this was a commercial effort by a mainstream artist. Just appreciate “Die Lit” and Denzel Curry instead of wasting time here.
Drakeo The Ruler - We Know the Truth
The Bay area sound has always been one of my least favorite (except for E-40), and Drakeo the Ruler is the perfect example of why. We Know the Truth is one of the most boring albums I’ve heard in years. Drakeo sounds like Blueface with strep throat. He spends a majority of the album rapping off beat, including the choruses, and there’s no emotion behind his lyrics...not that his lyrics are any good.
I just smoked a 2020 nigga with an e-cig
Drop it on the floor just to see who really need it
Someone get the cameras, bitch, I got on 20 pieces
I just bought somе shit that'll fuck over your weekend
Umm...yeah sure. The one thing I can say works in his favor when he whispers over every track is you have to play each song louder than normal, providing the chance for the production to stand out, sadly the production sounds like it’s made on an early version of FL Studio. I kid you not, most of the production sounds exactly the same, and Drakeo approaches each track the same. He’s gonna kill someone, he’s gonna leave your girl after he gets laid, and he’s wearing a bunch of jewelry.
This album could nearly pass as one long terrible song. He literally references his wrist for 3 minutes and opens the next song talking about his wrist again. “Fights Don’t Matter” sounds like it was mixed with dollar store headphones, it’s painfully heavy on bass and the Drakeo takes the background, which was a relief for me since he’s terrible, but it sounds as if the producer didn’t want Drakeo on the song at all. Ironically the song is followed by the one thing Drakeo has none of “Energy”. Another cheaply made beat bragging about smashing women and life in prison. Imagine an old man who smokes cigarettes attempting to whisper death threats in your ear...that's Drakeo's voice. I would say Drakeo is a one trick pony, but he isn’t even good at the one thing he believes he’s good at. Who's mans is this, and why did they tell him he could rap?! This album is too boring to really piss me off, but somehow that makes me even more mad that this album exists. This album is a complete waste of resources, if you like Cali rappers just listen to Reason or Schoolboy Q and you won’t be nearly as disappointed.
Baby Smoove - Hardwood Classic
This album nearly ruined my day. I checked out this album right after Drakeo the Ruler and was intrigued by the album artwork and overall concept. I was thinking to myself that from the track titles, album title, and album artwork this album could be a pretty decent rebound from one of the worst albums I’ve heard all year...boy was I wrong. Baby Smoove might just be the worst combinations of artists I’ve ever heard. He sounds like Drakeo the Ruler and Nav put together. There is no energy in a single bar, and there aren’t any decent lyrics to reference anyway. Most of his lyrics surround the concept of everyone being fake besides him. It’s referenced so many times you start to question if anything he speaks about is genuine or if he’s deflecting to keep from being called out himself. Then he had the audacity to try to harmonize on “Boonie Flow”. This was just terrible.
I really love the drink, so I put a ring on it
You the type to have a court and don't put your team on it
Niggas really rats, they just got the cheese on 'em
I came on her face, I be leavin' me on her
I’m sure you can envision the huge facepalm I did from your side of the screen. This album reminds me of when kids in high school used to freestyle in the back of the cafeteria, and would start to mumble when more people came around. It’s almost like Baby Smoove raps knowing that he lacks the talent to do it, but does it to launder the money from the rest of his schemes. This was the first album I actually had a problem finishing. I am used to bad music, but there is typically something I can takeaway, maybe a line that makes me laugh, or a beat that I really enjoy. This album is a pain, if you enjoy this album please seek professional help.
This album leads me to reflect on the talent of music today, and how low the bar has been set. Whatever purpose this album was supposed to serve Hardwood Classic completely missed the mark. The lyrics are complete trash, the beats are cheap and simplistic, the mixing is horrendous, and once again IT SERVES NO PURPOSE. No one wants to hear this album at a party, this album is only lyrical to a first grader, and from Baby Smoove’s lyrics he has no friends either. This album doesn’t deserve to exist alongside the ones listed before it. I loathe this album.
TisaKorean - Wasteland
Tisakorean, a Houston native, is popular for creating songs associated with the #woahchallenge and I figured going into his album knowing that most of his music would be surrounding the concept of dancing I would be okay with this album, but this album isn’t even good for its purpose. Tisakorean basically created an album that sounds like Dallas jigging music from the early 2010’s and everything about the album sounds outdated and cheap. I can’t even consider this an ode to the jigging era, it’s more like a quick cash-in for the 50 people who still want to hear this at a party that we can’t even go to because of the pandemic. The production on this album is summed up by a simple drum pattern that’s looped with a bunch of bass. The bass sadly doesn’t cover up the horrendous lyrics and song structure throughout the album. Who is supporting this man? You’ll be lucky to hear an entire verse on any given song, most of the time you get the chorus, a few lines a fifth grader could have come up with, then it’s back to the bass riddled chorus that’s simply repeating itself. Don’t believe me, check this out:
Rocky road
Let's go
Rocky road
Let's go
Rocky road
Let's go
Rocky road
Let's go
Rocky road
Let's go
Rocky road
Let's go
Rocky road
Let's go
Rocky road
Let's go
She got that ice cream
I'm like can I get a lick
Can I get a lick
Can I get a lick
Transcendent stuff right?
Tisakorean isn’t a good rapper, not even for what he is going for musically. He also doesn't make these beats as far as his album credits go, so no redemption there either. He just yells, which is a nice change of pace from the whispers of the previous albums, but he also tries to sing which is laughable at best. Which makes me question what’s the real purpose of this album? Who is dancing to tracks like “Lean” and “Baby Steps”? These songs sound like parodies of songs by actual talent. Tisa’s rap delivery sounds like a kid who reads with this finger. His ad libs start out with some charm and will make you laugh, then it becomes annoying and sometimes even covers up the end of his rhymes. I will go down saying that “Baby Steps'' and “Teen X” by Playboi Carti are neck and neck for the worst excuses for a rap song in 2020. The lyrics from "Baby Steps" are so bad that they are virtually impossible to find. This song is so bad people are saying "Don't worry about what it says, just skip it" that's hilarious. This album isn't the worst of 2020 because of one song, "It'll Clap", "Rocky Road", "F**k it Up", and "Bate Onna Bo" are very, very close in quality. If this was a comedy album...it would still be terrible, but it would have some redeeming factors at least. It's almost like Tisa can't even count the downbeats of his production, he's offbeat half of the album, and it doesn't seem intentional either. This album has no novelty, no charm, and it dang sure it doesn't have any talent on it. The one nice thing I can say about it is the "hot like fire" production is hilarious.
This album deserves a trophy for how little it accomplished in its runtime. With only one memorable song on the entire project, which is mostly due to TikTok, there is nothing of value here. This album is a great representation of 2020, a dumpster fire.
Great synopsis LQ!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
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