album review
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When the Orion Sun-sampling “Whatever She Wants” reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 (chart dated March 16), Bryson Tiller not only earned his first unaccompanied Hot 100 top 20 hit in nearly a decade, he also pulled off the feat with a sound that notably diverged from the sultry trap-inflected R&B that brought him past chart wins in 2015’s “Don’t” and 2017’s “Wild Thoughts” (with Rihanna and DJ Khaled).
Although it’s parenthetically titled “Bonus” and tacked at the end of the album like a victory lap of sorts, “Whatever She Wants” acts as the thematic anchor for Tiller’s new eponymous LP. Led by a trio of singles, including “Whatever She Wants,” “Outside,” and “Calypso,” Bryson Tiller, the Grammy-nominated R&B star’s fourth studio effort, finds its namesake flaunting the different multitudes of his sonic profile. From less emotionally conflicted Trapsoul variants to big swings at drill-inflected R&B and frothy top 40 tunes, Bryson Tiller aims to use sonic experimentation to ground Tiller’s monogamous devotion to his lover.
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“Attention,” the album’s first full-length song, immediately steers the album into that lane. “And baby, when you put it on, there’s no competition/ I watched you make an entrance/ Yes, and you can tell by my description (You fit it well and, girl)/ I will never fail to mention (How you polish every detail),” he croons over relatively sparse production from Syk Sense. It’s a fine opener, one that transports listeners to the murky Trapsoul soundscapes he revisited on his last LP (2020’s Anniversary), and course-corrects from the needless computer theme that sporadically appears throughout the record. The utility of “Attention” lies in Tiller’s songwriting: He emphasizes the allure of one particular woman across the track, driving the album several hundred miles away from the deluge of “toxic” womanizing male R&B that’s driven the genre for the better part of the last decade – a wave Tiller’s own Trapsoul is a part of, in some regards. Bryson Tiller is all about loving one woman, reminding her why she stands above the rest and taking pride in spoiling her, simply because it’s something you genuinely love to do.
“Attention” is a solid entry point that gives way to more arresting tracks: On “Prize,” he employs his most impressive flow over a string-laden beat that recalls late-’00s Usher, and “No Thank You” is a cut tailor-made for day-one Tiller fans who relish his inimitable brand of sing-rapping. Prior to this record, Tiller was toiling away on his Slum Tiller mixtape series, and much of Bryson Tiller descends from that work. Take “F4U,” the album’s penultimate, Jodeci-sampling track, for example: It’s not explicitly in Slum Village’s jazz-rap wheelhouse, but Tiller’s approach to rapping on this cut – some of his best on the entire record – is clearly informed by the time he spent flexing his rap muscle on that SoundCloud mixtape series, as of course is “Whatever She Wants,” the album’s crown jewel of “spoil your girl” anthems.
That highlight also finds intriguing complements in “Rich Boy” and “Ciao!” The former, which lifts Rich Boy’s “Throw Some D’s,” pauses the celebratory energy of “Whatever She Wants” and opts for a shadier, dirty-macking approach. “Do the most for you, I do it in random/ He a joke to you, should be doin’ stand up/ He don’t put spend it on you (Huh), hold that s–t for ransom / If you don’t f–k with broke n—as, ladies, this your anthem,” he spits. The latter, an enjoyable take on drill-inflected R&B, with writing contributions from the Grammy-winning Leon Thomas III, finds a markedly more dejected Tiller brooding over being financially taken advantage of. “Ciao” takes a second to find its grove, but once Tiller pairs his layered background harmonies with those crisp snares, it makes for an impressive textural contrast.
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In addition to his flirtation with drill on the new LP, Tiller also dips into another regional sound that has been dominating hip-hop recently. The Clara La San-assisted “RAM,” the only proper song to explicitly nod to the record’s underbaked computer theme, finds Tiller using Jersey club’s pounding drums to soundtrack the neurotic feeling of needing to remember why you’ve entered and chosen to stay in a relationship. “RAM,” along with the witty, Victoria Monét duet “Persuasion,” is among the LP’s best offerings, underscoring Bryson’s tendencies to deliver his best work when he’s pushing himself vocally. It’s the same reason why “Find My Way” and “Undertow” will stand as career-best vocal performances; not only do his dizzying riffs tastefully decorate his immersive melodic lines, but help underscore a level of vulnerability that strengthens the gravity of his explorations of monogamy.
Bryson Tiller is a solid record that honors the mid-2010s break out star’s roots while also showcasing how wide-ranging his versatility can be. Some of those options – like “Calypso,” a summer anthem-in-waiting that has nothing to do with actual calypso music – are easy winners, while others (album closer “Assume the Position” is an absolute dud that’s reminiscent of the worst of Chris Brown’s early ’10s run) fall a bit short. The record, like most albums these days, could have benefited from some trimming — some of the interludes add nothing of substance and the relative lack of variance in subject matter makes the 19-track set feel redundant quite quickly.
There may be several songs on this record destined to own the warm-weather months, but Bryson Tiller is built to last through any season. This one’s for the real lovers, and no one sounds more in love – or more happy about being in love – than Mr. Tiller.
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ScHoolboy Q never seemed concerned about being viewed as the quintessential version of what a rapper is but few of his peers possess his kaleidoscopic approach to music. With Blue Lips, the latest album from the California star, ScHoolboy Q masterfully orchestrates calm and chaos while reminding folks that Figg still gets the money.
For many listeners, 2011’s Setbacks was their first exposure to ScHoolboy Q, and the rawness of the project is still noticeable some 13 years later. With subsequent releases, the artist born Quincy Hanley has long sought to outpace himself, especially shedding the specter of what is considered to be his magnum opus in the Blank Face LP.
Blue Lips, in some measure, is another victory lap for the established rapper and an opportunity to deliver a project that sounds like nothing else in mainstream Hip-Hop. That newness in production style is either one listener’s favorite thing or, as we’ve observed online, especially jarring. The fact that the album has an almost Choose Your Own Adventure bent keeps it interesting. And much of what stands out is Q himself.
The album opens with “Funny Guy,” a guitar-laced song with Q flexing some vocals with the haunting refrain “Bring the dope, bring the hoes, bring the money bags in” making up the chorus. It doesn’t quite prepare the ears for the next track “Pop” revealing the rock star side of Groovy Q. After nearly a minute of a sinister-sounding Q, the beat switches into an all-out barrage that will tear down any festival stage. Rico Nasty features on the track with a standout appearance that ends far too swiftly.
“Thank God 4 Me,” one of the early standouts, takes the shape of pure braggadocio in its first half before morphing into a jubilant reflection of how far he’s come as an artist while also taking note of some of the hiccups that continue to permeate within the culture.
While he has yet to confirm it to our knowledge, most believe that the track “Blueslides” is a tribute to Q’s friend, the late Mac Miller, due in part to the fact Miller had an album titled Blue Slide Park along with other assumed nods. While Q has been reflective in past songs, this is him at his most vulnerable. The second verse also gives a presumed nod to Kanye West, adding to the somber nature. He also seems to hint at sobriety on the track.
It wouldn’t be a ScHoolboy Q album without some signature sh*t talking and “Yeern 101” satisfies that quotient in droves. Q is far from his days on Figueroa Avenue and Hoover Street, but still remembers his roots despite his riches. The chaos we referenced earlier is best represented here with a song seemingly crafted to be performed in front of a packed crowd.
Cliquing up with his TDE brethren in rapper/producer Devin Malik and Lance Skiiwalker on “Love Birds,” this is one of the songs folks didn’t understand at first and we’re not sure if we get it, either. It seems to be two songs rolled into one and on their own, this could’ve been a great one-two punch. Is it inventive? Most certainly but it served as a snag for us in our several listens.
Things get back on track with “Movie,” handled primarily by Az Chike and perfect for the West Coast followed by “Cooties,” another track with the “Soccer Dad” observing how well his life has gone since his early days in Los Angeles. This solid stretch continues on “OHio” with an excellent feature from Freddie Gibbs, and the sharp pen of Ab-Soul brings the track “Foux” up to new levels.
If one needed to nitpick, tracks like “First,” and “Back n Love” are fine songs on their own but seemed tacked on after the careful arrangement of the works before it. But in that later half is another standout in “Lost Times” with production from The Alchemist, repeating the same magic the pair created on the stellar drops like “Flight Confirmation” and “W.Y.G.D.T.N.S.” with Jozzy on the assist.
Things come to an abrupt but appropriate close on “Smile,” a fitting ending after the twists and turns that Blue Lips takes before settling into familiar territory. And when we say familiar, we don’t mean rote or boring.
It’s solid work from Q and places him in the conversation as one of the best artists of his generation while not even tapping into all of his skills. While Q currently ranks this album as the best of his catalog, it remains to be seen where the project would land with most.
For now, the album is a satisfying, expertly crafted reflection of an artist coming to terms with his fame, ability, and status as a golf-loving family man backed by production that matches the vocal output. Hopefully, it won’t be another five years before Q returns to the scene but Blue Lips should hold over most listeners through the spring and summer.
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Photo: Getty
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Westside Gunn might exist as one of the champions of the so-called “boom bap” resurgence, but his personal interests are as vast as his stacked discography. With his fifth and reportedly final studio album, And Then You Pray For Me, the Buffalo, N.Y. mastermind embraced audio textures outside his typical sound— and that choice alienated some and indoctrinated others.
Westside Gunn sits at an interesting point in his still ongoing career. In a recent Rolling Stone interview WSG claimed that while he’s not giving up his musical endeavors, the aim of creating a full-length project is over for him.
And Then You Pray For Me, billed as the successor to WSG’s Pray For Paris (perhaps his most acclaimed album at this point) adds to WSG’s transcendental rise as a cultural tastemaker. While Pray For Paris remained centered in the traditional hazy bop that Griselda propelled to the forefront, And Then You Pray For Me fully embraces the sparse production that largely informs the trap sound.
The album opens with “FLYGOD DID” featuring A.A. Rashid delivering one of his signature motivational openers, with “Mamas PrimeTime” coming right after. Beat Butcha and Mr. Green handed over a face-melting track with Georgia’s JID delivering a scene-stealing verse that Conway The Machine slightly overshadows, and it should be noted that Gunn also set the tone vocally alongside his guests.
In an unexpected turn of events, “Kostas” brings together the core Grisdelda members with a booming backing track from Tay Keith & tbeatz. If there is an early knock, WSG’s flow pales in comparison to his cousin Benny The Butcher and brother Conway The Machine. Still, the attempt is admirable and at the very least, Gunn sounds like he’s having a blast.
Speaking of, Gunn’s songs produced by Miguel da Plug dive into a style we only heard him tackle previously on “Flygod Jr” from his 10 mixtape, with Doe Boy and DJ Drama adding their flair. Gunn has made no secret that he spends significant time in Atlanta and takes in the nightlife, so it isn’t entirely shocking he embraces this style of music several times across And Then You Pray For Me.
The differences between Gunn’s rhyme style over trap-influenced beats and the loop-centric boom-bap become all the more glaring in between the tracks “1989” featuring production from Miguel da Plug and a scene-stealing feature from Stove God Cooks, and “Suicide In Selfridges” which features the talents of producer Conductor Williams. On the latter, WSG hands in what might be his best performance on the album.
From an impartial stance, it’s clear where Gunn shines as a rapper but it is entertaining to hear him insert his style of high fashion tough talk into the world trunk-ratting dope boy tracks. A great example of this is “DunnHill” featuring Rick Ross. Rozay sounds more at home on Miguel da Plug’s track but that doesn’t alter the quality of the final product.
One of the album’s highlights, “House of GLORY” is produced by RZA and features another of Gunn’s standout verses. Even with Stove God Cooks’ strong opening verse, WSG found a comfortable pocket that speaks to his ability more than the following track. The track “JD Wrist,” produced by Gunn’s son, Flygod Jr., benefits from strong verses from Stove God Cooks and Estee Nack.
If there is one area Gunn certainly doesn’t deliver, it’s while he’s in the role of a Hip-Hop Lothario. This is highlighted in the sex-drenched raps of “Chloe” featuring a game Ty Dolla $ign and excellent production from Denny LaFlare. However, the song is an uncomfortable listen.
Things pick back up with the excellent “Babylon Bis,” featuring Stove God Cooks. Frequent collaborator JR Swiftz provides the platter for Stove God and WSG to shine brightly and gives way to one of the album’s strongest sectors.
Another of the album’s surprises is Daringer providing production for “Jalen Rose” featuring Detroit’s Boldy James, a slight departure from the Buffalo, N.Y. producer’s usual style. Once again, WSG alters his rhyme style for the sake of the song, and despite online critics saying otherwise, it works.
The album’s closing title track doesn’t even feature Gunn. Instead, WSG allows KayCyy to capably carry the song on his own over Brother Tom Sos’ mellow production. Even though it stands in stark contrast to what came before it, it is a perfect ending for such a kaleidoscopic journey.
And Then You Pray For Me isn’t perfect. Gunn’s embrace of the trap sound is either refreshing to some ears or frustrating to others. However, those saying Westside Gunn is a one-note rapper will have to eat their words and acknowledge that he once again curated another audio experience that won’t be soon forgotten.
It will be interesting to see where the Griselda honcho goes next if he decides to release more music. If not, And Then You Pray For Me is a neatly-tied bow on one of the best runs the culture has witnessed in Hip-Hop ever.
Find And Then You Pray For Me and your preferred DSPs below.
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Photo: Dave Benett / Getty