Young Thug: “Slime Language” (Review)

There’s a line on Slime Language that sums up Young Thug’s appeal better than any music nerd essay ever could. On the heavenly “Oh Yeah”, the track floats like a cloud while Thugga buries deep in his verse, his voice rising slightly higher with each bar. And then he squeals, somehow both elegantly and desperately, “send me nudes when I’m on the rooooad”. It’s absurd, douchy, slightly embarrassing and weirdly, weirdly romantic. If you hated him before, you’ll still hate him. But if you love the rapper who once said he would change his name to ‘SEX’, you get a bunch of these gloriously oddball moments.

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Trippie Redd: “Life’s A Trip” (Review)

Trippie Redd sounds every bit the derivative of his elders, Lil Uzi Vert and the late XXXTentacion, on his debut album Life’s A Trip. Where those two are bursting with personality and star-quality, Redd feels like he’s still desperately clinging to the Soundcloud-rap wave. The creative, interesting production on this LP feels wasted on him as an MC. You’ll just wish it went into other rappers’ hands.

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G Herbo/Southside: “Swervo” (Review)

— 03 Aug 2018 —

Written by Cyrus Bennett

G Herbo (once Lil Herb) has become something of a Chicago rap stalwart in recent years. He burst onto the scene in 2014 with the cold, assaulting mixtape Welcome To Fazoland. That tape introduced a rough-nosed, frosty rapper with an understated storytelling ability. Little has changed in the years since. Swervo, his latest joint-effort with 808 Mafia producer Southside, draws upon that same unrelenting energy and talent. It’s a satisfying if unambitious affair, and it might leave you wondering whether Herb could do with a bit more creative focus.

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