Missed me?
Welcome back to the blog. I went on a bit of an unannounced hiatus a few months back, and I'm sorry for that. I had a few reasons, but most important was I was feeling burnt out. There was nothing in the music world worth writing about, and I couldn't be bothered to make another Leagueposting (though maybe I could do one in the near future, League of Legends is kind of a mess right now and is only gonna get messier). So, for a few months, I waited. Now that school's back in for me, I can focus on the blog again. Because, really, whenever school's around, I want to think about literally anything else. But anyway, let's get on with the show.
Here's a question. Has anyone here watched Love & Hip Hop? Well, knowing my demographic, probably not. It's a show featuring various women involved in the rap industry in some way, whether they actually be rappers or friends of friends of rappers (Yes, I said "friends of" twice on purpose.). Today, we'll be talking about an actual rapper who was on the show, Cardi B.
Cardi B is the pseudonym of Belcalis Almanzar, a social media personality who got her start as an actual stripper (this is why I don't want kids reading this blog) before quitting that line of work and transitioning into music in 2015. Around that time, she joined the cast of Love & Hip Hop: New York, appearing on the show throughout its sixth and seventh seasons. She ultimately left to focus on her music, and the result was Bodak Yellow, a single that interpolates the flow of fellow rapper Kodak Black's single No Flockin'.
To say this song didn't get big suddenly would be a lie. This is an artist who had never charted a single on the Hot 100 up to that point, and she made it to the top 3 within seven weeks, and as of writing she's still there. Now, whether Taylor Swift's song ends up making it drop a few spaces has yet to be seen (but trust me, we'll talk about that one eventually), but for now it's a total beast. Is it any good? Let's just see about that.
Normally, these trap hits have a bit of a crutch. That crutch is the beat. The beat is the backing track produced by, well, the producer. Even otherwise mediocre or terrible songs can be saved by solid or infectiously-catchy beats (examples include Tunnel Vision by the aforementioned Kodak Black, Magnolia by Playboi Carti, and Mask Off by Future). What does this song have?
Nothing memorable. Just kind of a basic beat. I barely even remember what it sounds like.
Now, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it's sort of a blessing. It allows you to pay better attention to the lyrics themselves as well as Cardi B's performance. She's a strong, independent (well, not totally independent, she's still on a label) rapper who don't need no crutch. Honestly, it's refreshing to see this kind of old-fashioned approach to rapping from a newer face. Congratulations, Cardi B, you caught my interest. Now keep it.
It really isn't fair to judge the performance when it comes to hip hop, but that just means I'll have to go extra hard on the lyrical content. There's no singing, it's rough, it's edgy, it's all rap. It's not a clean song, it's not a pop song, this isn't Nicki Minaj we're talking about. This is very definitely trap. What does that mean for the lyrics? It's not a good sign. Trap hits tend to be very much about the same things: Money, drugs and intercourse.
This does not stray far from that. It's a very crude track, and also very unapologetic. It reminds me a little bit of Young M.A. in that regard. Young M.A. is a fellow rapper who became a bit of a one-hit wonder with her single Ooouuu earlier this year, and it was an equally crude and unapologetic track. Bodak Yellow is a bit more polished and focuses a bit more on the wealth aspect.
But yeah, back to Bodak Yellow. Sex, drugs, money. Does Cardi have anything to add to that? Well, yes, actually. There's actually kind of a theme here. This song is basically about how she used to be a stripper, but she developed a strong work ethic and now she isn't. Good for her. She's fully willing to brag about it, but she seems grateful, at least. It reflects in her lyrics. Sure, she'll talk about how good her sex is, and she has no qualms admitting ties to the Bloods street gang, but you know, that's just how she rolls. She doesn't have to dance now, she makes money moves.
Overall, yeah, it's alright. Not amazing, it doesn't really stand out in any way. I'm just glad there's a rap song that can actually have some focus. I'll give credit where credit is due, she's talented. No garbage this time, sorry. Maybe next time... actually, yes, next time. Promise I'll cover garbage next time, okay?
RATING: 7/10
Normally, these trap hits have a bit of a crutch. That crutch is the beat. The beat is the backing track produced by, well, the producer. Even otherwise mediocre or terrible songs can be saved by solid or infectiously-catchy beats (examples include Tunnel Vision by the aforementioned Kodak Black, Magnolia by Playboi Carti, and Mask Off by Future). What does this song have?
Nothing memorable. Just kind of a basic beat. I barely even remember what it sounds like.
Now, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it's sort of a blessing. It allows you to pay better attention to the lyrics themselves as well as Cardi B's performance. She's a strong, independent (well, not totally independent, she's still on a label) rapper who don't need no crutch. Honestly, it's refreshing to see this kind of old-fashioned approach to rapping from a newer face. Congratulations, Cardi B, you caught my interest. Now keep it.
It really isn't fair to judge the performance when it comes to hip hop, but that just means I'll have to go extra hard on the lyrical content. There's no singing, it's rough, it's edgy, it's all rap. It's not a clean song, it's not a pop song, this isn't Nicki Minaj we're talking about. This is very definitely trap. What does that mean for the lyrics? It's not a good sign. Trap hits tend to be very much about the same things: Money, drugs and intercourse.
This does not stray far from that. It's a very crude track, and also very unapologetic. It reminds me a little bit of Young M.A. in that regard. Young M.A. is a fellow rapper who became a bit of a one-hit wonder with her single Ooouuu earlier this year, and it was an equally crude and unapologetic track. Bodak Yellow is a bit more polished and focuses a bit more on the wealth aspect.
But yeah, back to Bodak Yellow. Sex, drugs, money. Does Cardi have anything to add to that? Well, yes, actually. There's actually kind of a theme here. This song is basically about how she used to be a stripper, but she developed a strong work ethic and now she isn't. Good for her. She's fully willing to brag about it, but she seems grateful, at least. It reflects in her lyrics. Sure, she'll talk about how good her sex is, and she has no qualms admitting ties to the Bloods street gang, but you know, that's just how she rolls. She doesn't have to dance now, she makes money moves.
Overall, yeah, it's alright. Not amazing, it doesn't really stand out in any way. I'm just glad there's a rap song that can actually have some focus. I'll give credit where credit is due, she's talented. No garbage this time, sorry. Maybe next time... actually, yes, next time. Promise I'll cover garbage next time, okay?
RATING: 7/10
