We missed a month or two but we’re back and in full effect! We had to work out a few kinks but we couldn’t pass this month up with so much heating dropping in the month of June. There were a few notable releases, a few disappointments that unfortunately didn’t make the list, and some sleepers. So hopefully when you read this, you go back and check out what you may have missed or something you didn’t think about listening too.
Vince Staples showed up with an album that sounded nothing like it’s predecessor and blew our minds, SZA dropped the album we all knew she was capable of, amidst some GREAT marketing 2 Chainz dropped an amazing album and more. So, if you want to hear the best work of June, look no further.
Big Boi Boomiverse
Released: June 16th, 2017
Essential Listening: Kill Jill (Feat. Killer Mike & Jeezy)
The fact that we’re still getting Big Boi albums in 2017 is a blessing. 1/2 of what probably is the best duo rap has ever seen, Big Boi’s music in 2017 is still nothing to scoff at. Big Boi’s main strength from jump is how he embraces what makes him, him and how he doesn’t try to fit into the musical landscape of today.
He enlists a team of features and producers that make sense, and that makes Boomiverse very live. Killer Mike, Snoop Dogg, Jeezy and of course Big Rube all make appearances and all make their presence known on their respective tracks. A clear standout is “Kill Jill,” which features Jeezy and Killer Mike and features a beautiful sample that all three maneuver around with ease. Organized Noize, Mannie Fresh, Scott Storch all show up behind the boards and Big Boi makes sure he raps to the best ability on any and every beat.
We’re not likely to see another Outkast album so we’ll have to be content with Big Boi raps in 2017. When he’s rapping like this though, it isn’t half bad to listen to.
Young Thug Beautiful Thugger Girls
Released: June 20th, 2017
Essential Listening: Daddy’s Birthday, High (feat. Lil Durk & Snoop Dogg)
Every time we think we have Young Thug figured out, he comes with something out of left field and shows us that we’re wrong. His latest project Beautiful Thugger Girls is an attempt at multiple genres, and it’s refreshing if anything. The most obvious shot is pop, but he also sprinkles in some country as well as crazy as it sounds. If there was any rapper I would trust in trying their hand at Country, it would be Thug and “Family Don’t Matter” is a pretty decent shot at the genre. He brings London singer Miller Go Lightly along with him for the ride on two tracks, and her influence is obvious in bringing the tracks home.
Outside of that, Young Thug tried his hand at vocals all throughout the tape. Nobody is really complaining about that either as he makes some bangers. Standout cut, “Daddy’s Birthday” starts off with “Dropped out of school and bought myself a chain,” and from there Thugger takes off for 3 and a half minutes. Another clear standout is “High,” which is obviously about getting high but adding Snoop Dogg and Lil Durk just enhances the song. Snoop delivers an amazing verse, and Durk floats over the Young Chop beat for the little time he’s on it.
This is some of Thugs most polarizing work to date, because of all the genres he tries to mesh together. The singing, the rapping moments, and of course the Country all come together to create a great LP for the Atlanta star.
Joyner Lucas 508-507-2209
Released: June 16th, 2017
Essential Listening: Way To Go (feat. Snoh Aalegra)
If you’ve never heard of Joyner Lucas, you should get familiar. If there’s a body of work you should listen to its 508-507-2209. Joyner hails from Worcester, MA and at 28 years old he’s wiser than most of the rappers we hear on a regular basis. This album shows that wiseness in all its glory. From the opening track “Ultrasound” Joyner shows us that he has a ton of flows, he often switched up cadences before we even noticed he left the last one.
The naming of the album is perfect with all the skits that live on it. Most songs end with a voicemail from someone who is angry with Joyner for a variety of reasons. The mother of his child leaves a voicemail clearly angry about being alone on Valentine’s day, and a friend who also opened his home to Joyner accuses him of stealing from him.
The music is hand and hand with these voicemails as Joyner bares all in each track. On “Forever” he’s brutally honest about originally wanting an abortion for his child, “Keep It 100” is the tale of everywhere a 100$ dollar bill goes before it eventually gets somebody killed and the stories are endless on the album. A clear standout is “Way To Go,” which features Snoh Aalegra who lends her beautiful vocals for the last minute and a half. A tale of disappointment and being let down it drives the point home that the album is trying to bring home. With all his hardships on display he shows us just who he is, and what he’s been through and it’s an immaculate piece of work.
Vince Staples Big Fish Theory
Released: June 23rd, 2017
Essential Listening: 745
A problem that an artist loves but hates to have is how to properly follow up a critically acclaimed album. That’s exactly the reality Vince Staples faced for his sophomore effort after dropping Summertime 06′. In more than a few cases, the artist tries to shy away from whatever made their classic, a classic and sometimes it works. Just ask Kendrick Lamar.
If you’re used to the traditional Vince, this isn’t the album for you. It’s Staples like we’ve never heard before. He traded in his usual array of producers for the likes of Flume, Jimmy Edgar, SOPHIE and more. His attention to detail isn’t lost, and his wordplay doesn’t take a back seat either. He said the record belongs in 2029, and he wasn’t lying. The tempo is upbeat the whole time, but that doesn’t stop him from getting his point across one bit.
At 36 minutes, he’s the star of the show for the entire short ride. A$AP lends his hand with a few ad libs, Juicy J has a hook, Ray J makes an appearance, and Kendrick drops a stellar verse too. Even with these few names Vince doesn’t get lost in the shuffle at all. “745” and “Yeah Right” are clear standouts with good reason. It’s wild weird ride, but Vince makes it worth it.
2 Chainz Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
Released: June 16th, 2017
Essential Listening: OG Kush Diet
First let’s start with the fact Pretty Girls Like Trap Music is an amazing name for a rap album. Leading up to the album, Tity Boi murdered every feature and song he was on and that should have told us what was coming. He crafts an album that is trap music at it’s most luxurious, and it’s his best album to date. Whatever you want from 2 Chainz, you get it on PGLTM.
This project is a little more dark than past releases, but he works it to his advantage. On songs like “Poor Fool” he pleads with his mother to stop smoking, and songs like “Burglar Bars” he’s a little somber stating “We never trust our neighbors/so we got burglar bars.” For every down on the album, there’s even more up’s. Of course, there’s the infectious “It’s a Vibe” with its star-studded cast, but there’s also standouts like “Rolls Royce Bitch” or “Bailan” the latter sounding like a vacation in the tropics with a hook from Pharrell. 2 Chainz is one of the premier rappers in the south and if you’re looking for 2 Chainz rapping look no further than “Trap Check” or “OG Kush Diet” where he really gets off in the final verse.
Everything you want from Mr. Epps (that’s what the banks call him) is on PGLTM. He utilizes a ton of flows, topics, features, producers and so forth to create the luxury album that is PGLTM. It wil stand as one of the strongest moments in his catalogue, and one of the strongest albums of 2017.
SZA Ctrl
Released: June 9th, 2017
Essential Listening: The Weekend
Sza seemed to be sort of shelfed at a point during the period leading up to Ctrl. She even called TDE out on Twitter one night, before eventually deleting the tweet. We don’t know what the hold up was, but when they delivered Ctrl, they delivered a hell of an album. Ctrl is so good that whoever is going to drop after her has a tough act to follow, because beginning to end Ctrl is something special.
It could be SZA’s honesty, her amazing vocals, or her endless anthems for women, but whatever it is it works. Ctrl can be ran literally from beginning to end, and serves as a flawless debut for the Jersey songstress. Propelled by the great song that is “Love Galore” that’s merely the tip of the iceberg. On “Doves In The Wind” her and K. Dot say Pussy a million times, but still drive their point across, on “The Weekend” she talks about being a sidepeice and listeners fell in love with it. She can literally do no wrong on Ctrl, and we’re glad to have finally got our hands on this masterpeice.
A lot of the topics on the album would be a pity party for any other R&B artist but SZA manages to flip it into something much more happy and empowering. That’s probably why so many fans resonate with it, and you should get familiar if you haven’t already.