BeatRoute Magazine BC Print Edition January 2018

BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION III Eminem - Revival Jeezy - Pressure N.E.R.D - NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES
BROCKHAMPTON
SATURATION III
Question Everything, Inc. / Empire
Despite releasing three albums in 2017,
BROCKHAMPTON has yet to oversaturate the
rap market, speaking to the versatility and talent
of each member in the boy band. Rap is the new
rock, but BROCKHAMPTON is the only boy band
to release nearly three hours of original music and
rise to internet stardom over the course of a year.
SATURATION III is arguably the best of the trilogy
in terms of consistency and production quality,
offering some of the group’s smoothest R&B tracks
yet while delivering a healthy amount of bangers
at the same time.
Album opener “BOOGIE” is the musical
equivalent of a shot of adrenaline, further
establishing the collective’s fascination with
“breaking necks like a chiropractor” and
reminiscent of SATURATION’s “HEAT,” one of the
finest, most aggressive offerings from the group.
“SISTER/NATION” is another cannonball of a track
that never loses its velocity thanks to its industrial
and electronic influences, sounding like a playful
take on Yeezus.
With 14 members, BROCKHAMPTON has
perfected the art of balancing everyone’s talents
across the album. With each record, there are
fewer tracks in which one artist steals the show,
which is more than Odd Future or even Wu-Tang
could say.
SATURATION III marks the end of a yearlong
era, providing new artists a framework for success,
but the flooded release schedule wasn’t the only
thing driving BROCKHAMPTON’s hype. The group
redefined how rap collectives and boy bands
should operate, utilizing the strengths of each
member while pushing the boundaries of hip-hop
in the process. No one is selfishly seeking solo
stardom, solidifying BROCKHAMPTON as a team
effort bound to improve in 2018.
• Paul McAleer
Eminem
Revival
Aftermath Records
Revival is an exhausting experience. Each insightful
message is overshadowed by lackluster and stark
production that overstays its welcome. Eminem
hasn’t lost his lyrical ability, but not even the
best rappers have the skill to make every bar
count on 17 tracks that average five minutes long
each. Every clever line is challenged by verbal
regurgitation that knows no limits: “That butt
won’t ever give up / That’s why you stick out no
matter what,” Eminem raps on “Remind Me,” later
adding, “Your booty is heavy duty like diarrhea.”
On “Untouchable,” two songs before the fannyfocused
“Remind Me,” Eminem raps about racism
and white guilt in America over a circus-like and
delirious guitar backdrop before the beat switches.
The message is sound, but the confusing choice on
the production side and the ridiculousness of later
tracks hurts the chances of Revival being taken
seriously.
Guitar-backed rap doesn’t usually fit the desired
tone of Revival, but “Castle” is an example of
Eminem’s songwriting rising to the challenge of
making the album interesting. While Revival often
relies on unoriginal, but important ideas, “Castle”
is a looking-glass into Marshall Mathers, the
human as opposed to the rapper. The track takes
listeners through his relationship with his daughter
and the anxiety that came with it, opening with
the months leading up to when she was born until
he struggled with his drug addictions.
The personable moments continue with
“Arose,” leaving listeners craving more vulnerability
throughout other tracks on the album. Ultimately,
Revival fails at being truly impactful and lacks
replayability. The components of success are
unevenly littered across the project, but Eminem
didn’t bother to rearrange them or throw the
useless ones away in the process.
• Paul McAleer
Jeezy
Pressure
Def Jam
On “Ignorant Shit,” JAY-Z once joked about critics
who attributed his success to the sound of his
voice alone, but obviously the Brooklyn legend
is lyrically gifted. While Jeezy doesn’t have the
same level of talent, he offers one of the most
unique and unmistakable voices in the rap
game. Jeezy’s eighth studio album, Pressure, finds
him as consistent as he’s ever been, because his
memorable hooks and verses match the tenacity
of his voice.
There’s no song that lives up to the message
and presentation of Hov’s “The Story of O.J.,” yet
Pressure doesn’t aspire to be more than rap music
you can bob your head to. Regardless, the subtle
political statements are extremely effective and
catchy, overshadowing Eminem’s painstakingly
political Revival; on “American Dream” Jeezy raps,
“First my president is black / Now my president is
wack / I ain’t never going broke / What’s American
in that?”
With13 tracks amounting to 44 minutes,
Pressure is a refreshingly lean and enjoyable listen,
showing signs of constraint in a rap game flooded
with filler tracks. Jeezy holds his own on the five
songs without any features, but the best tracks
are the ones where he’s feeding off the energy of
his guest stars by the likes of Kodak Black, J. Cole
and Kendrick Lamar. With the star-studded roster
on Pressure, it’s surprising that there aren’t any
radio- and club-ready bangers on the album, but
Jeezy still offers one of the smoothest and most
enjoyable rides of the year.
• Paul McAleer
N.E.R.D
NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES
Columbia Records
N.E.R.D spends the majority of their latest album,
NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES, relying on big
name features to pick up the slack for otherwise
lackluster tunes. With Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar,
Future, Wale, Gucci Mane, M.I.A., Andre 3000, and
yes, even Ed Sheeran, the rest of the album seems
fragmented and rushed.
“Lemon,” the album’s first single, is an upbeat,
dancefloor-worthy track, almost fully due to
Rihanna’s strong rap verse. “Don’t Don’t Do It!,” in
a similar scenario, has Kendrick Lamar’s part acting
as the saving grace. While some tracks can stand
their ground, particularly in the first half of the
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January 2018