Album Review: So Much Fun - Young Thug

So Much Fun is the first full-length album from Atlanta’s beloved Young Thug since he released Beautiful Thugger Girls in 2017. The album finishes at just over an hour in runtime, features other Atlanta rappers such as Future, 21 Savage, and many others, and will appeal to passionate Young Thug fans. Unfortunately for me, this album’s novelty wore off rather quickly and has me wishing that Young Thug had made some small improvements that would’ve been to this project’s betterment.

I’ve come to the realization after posting as many of these reviews posts as I have up to this point that I’m much more forgiving the sooner that I write reviews after I first listen to a project. This recency bias has led me to giving undeservedly high scores to inadequate projects, such as Chance The Rapper’s The Big Day or Ed Sheeran’s No. 6 Collaborations Project. Had I given these projects more time to “sink in”, I would’ve scored them significantly lower. I suppose my initial optimism is both a blessing and a curse. Having recognized my own inherent biases, I decided to give Young Thug’s project a few days before I gave it a score. I’m hoping that my confidence in the score doesn’t change over time, despite how it may be controversial and harsh to some.

One of Young Thug’s most appealing and defining characteristics is his instantly-recognizable voice. An instrument of its own, Thug’s voice and adlibs have become synonymous and in close association with Atlanta rap. That appeal, however, doesn’t help overcome what I found to be stale instrumentals and lackluster bars throughout this project. After the bangers that are “Ecstasy” and “Hot” early on in the track listing, things start to slow down pretty significantly. 19 tracks of incredibly similar tracks become droning at a point, and while this album generally is as much fun as its title suggests, it does nothing to differentiate itself from the other music being put out right now. Taking more creative risks, trimming the filler around the edges and reducing the runtime for this project could’ve made it something special and noteworthy.

This is an average album to me. While some of the highs are very high, the project as a whole didn’t keep me entertained and focused all the way through until its conclusion. I completely understand the appeal of this project to some, it’s just nothing special to me. Except for “Ecstasy” and “Hot”… those tracks really are so much fun.

SCORE: 5/10

Push Yourself

I used to dread this time of year. As a kid, and even until recently, the beginning of August signified the ending of so many other things. As every Summer came to a close and school started approaching sooner and sooner, I was always upset that I had to go and learn new things, as if that’s somehow an inherently bad thing. I saw Summer as a chance for me to turn off the knowledge-acquiring part of my brain, depriving it of the vital nutrients in the form of information and activity it desperately craved without me even knowing it. Now, this time of year doesn’t upset me - it excites me.

In two weeks I will have begun my first week of my junior year of college. Most of the summer breaks prior to this one in my life have consisted of very little self-imposed cognitive challenge, but I took a different approach to this summer, and I’m here to share that with you. I’ve decided that self-betterment both in physical and mental health is good, cool, and what we should all be striving for. While not all of my time away from school has been necessarily productive, I’ve made a conscious effort to turn my hobbies and habits into beneficial acts that I enjoy every day. I’ll give you a few examples.

1) Despite being an English major in college pursuing a degree that will enable me to get a job in content writing and management similar to what I’m doing on this blog (another positive thing I’ve done this summer) but instead for a big company, my college requires that I take a Spanish class to graduate. While this antithetical idea used to really bother and confuse me, I’ve decided to instead embrace it. I’ve taken something that used to be a chore and made it fun, because I see it as very useful and even impressive to be multilingual. I’ve “game-ified”, as my dad says, learning the Spanish language, by using DuoLingo’s awesome and addicting lessons and quizzes. This is in no way an advertisement for their site, but I highly recommend it if you are wanting or needing to learn a new language.

2) My and my girlfriend’s family have been attending a weekly trivia night at a local restaurant on Mondays throughout the summer. While I think myself as somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades (and one day master of one: writing), the one category that I really can’t contribute much to is world geography. I just don’t know where countries are in relation to one another, but I’m trying to change that. I’ve been doing non-assigned studying of world maps in an effort to increase my general knowledge in that area, and so far I’m seeing results. If there’s something you feel like you don’t know enough about, go learn it.

3) I think it’s a misconception to associate highly-skilled chess playing ability with high general intelligence, but maybe that is common thought for a reason. I’ve always played chess (see my blog post about that here), but this summer I’ve done a more conscious effort to track my progression and made more of an effort to see improvement in my own game. There’s always more room for improvement and you can always get better at the things you love.

4) When people say that they’ve deleted their Instagram accounts and have felt much happier without them, that confuses me. I understand the damaging effect that needing constant approval and validation via internet points, clicks, and likes can have on people, which I try to avoid like the plague, but I think that these people are viewing the social media site in the wrong headspace. I thoroughly enjoy it and would miss it if it were suddenly gone. I see it as a photo gallery, a scrapbook, something to plan / schedule, and to reflect on regularly which is a lot of fun. Sentimentality and nostalgia can be cultivated along with our natural enjoyment of aesthetically pleasing design to build a gallery to share with the world and to reflect on ourselves. That’s what I’ve done with my Instagram this summer.

There are many more examples of efforts I’ve made to better myself this summer. Instead of reacting and getting flustered by political headlines, I’ve instead created a master document that is a culmination of research, sources, and reasoning that I’m using to place myself in the current toxic political climate. There are plenty of things that I haven’t completely figured out yet, too, like finding a workout plan that suits me, getting a grasp on a healthier sleeping schedule (I’m a natural night owl), or dealing with my general anxiety that affects other aspects of who I am when it’s in full-swing. The point of this post and the point of what I’ve been practicing is that it’s good to push yourself. Life is both short and long at the same time, and taking advantage of the capabilities that you’ve been blessed with should not be taken for granted. Always try your best, always strive for better, always push yourself.

And enjoy the journey.

Best Foot Forward: A Sneaker Series (Part 5)

We are rolling right along into the fifth installment of this series on my blog. So far I’ve covered some of my favorite personal pairs, including timeless staples in the sneaker culture and some unique pairs in my collection, but today’s post is all about the essentials. The four pairs of shoes selected for today’s post could easily keep you covered for any occasion, and if I had to pair my collection down to just a few pairs of shoes, it would look something a lot like this. Let’s take a look.

Pair 1 (Upper Left): Converse Chuck 70 Low in Black / White

Converse Chuck Taylors are undeniably a culturally iconic sneaker. By the 1980’s, nearly every American had at least one pair of Converse in their closet. Comfortable, stylish, and diverse enough for any outfit, Chuck Taylors are one of the easiest pairs to wear on a daily basis. Converse has released an updated and modern version of the Chuck Taylor, the Chuck 70 pictured here, which are even more comfortable and well-made than their predecessor. These are a must-have for any collection.

Pair 2 (Upper Right): Adidas Ultra Boost 1.0 in White

The Adidas Ultra Boost took the sneaker world by storm in 2015-’16 after Kanye West wore them on stage during multiple performances. One of the most comfortable shoes available on the market as a whole, the Ultra Boost has become one of the most abundant and respectable models that Adidas has to offer. I was lucky enough to buy the highly-coveted triple white pair at retail price when they first released, and while they are much dirtier than I would like them to be, I’m still very grateful to have this pair in my collection.

Pair 3 (Lower Left): Air Jordan 1 Retro “Chicago”

The very first part of this sneaker series covered the Air Jordan 1 in the “Bred” colorway, and I called this silhouette my favorite shoe of all time, which is still true. The “Chicago” colorway is just as culturally iconic as the “Bred” pair, worn by Michael Jordan during his rookie season in the NBA. Multiple lace color options, black, white, and red, give this sneaker an entirely different vibe. I tend to stick with black for the most part, just as MJ did, but you can’t go wrong with the white laces, either. This is many sneakerhead’s “grail” sneaker, and the resell market reflects that. Thankfully, this pair is rumored to be returning next year, so I may just have to double up if possible.

Pair 4 (Lower Right): Timberland 6-Inch Construction Boot in Brown

6-inch Timberland boots are another staple in streetwear culture. These boots have a deeply intimate relationship with New York City, and that popularity has trickled down to nearly every other fashion-forward city in the country. These are to be rocked with confidence and attitude on a cold winter day, and I’m all for it.

I’m not sure how many more posts will come out of this series, but there will be at least one more that I know of. I hope to continue to inform whoever reads these posts about the history behind something that I thoroughly enjoy. Thanks for reading.

Movie Review: Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood

A week-long beach vacation has made me calm, relaxed, primed and ready to return to posting consistently on this blog. I have a few ideas for posts in mind which will be coming soon, and this one is first: a review of Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood. Let’s waste no time and just jump right into it.

Quentin Tarantino is rightfully regarded as one of Hollywood’s most eclectic and unique directors with a filmography of modern classics such as Pulp Fiction (one of my favorite films), Inglourious Basterds, and Kill Bill, all of which unapologetically defer from usual Hollywood tropes and story-telling techniques. Tarantino’s use of sharp dialogue, sometimes exaggerated violence, and atypical pacing and direction have become signatures for this accomplished film maker. Tarantino is also a not a stranger to revising history and real-world events in his films, and his most recent release is no exception here, in the telling of an alternate 1960’s Hollywood based in many real world events but graced with larger than life twists in a telling of what could have been. Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood serves as a love letter from Tarantino to an era of Hollywood which is clearly nostalgic for him, and that nostalgia translates very much from this movie to the audience watching it. Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Rick Dalton and Brad Pitt’s character Cliff Booth play off of one another extraordinarily well, and the comedic chemistry between the two makes this one of Tarantino’s funniest films to date. Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Sharon Tate felt authentic and respectful, which I expected from such an accomplished actress in Robbie. Cameos throughout kept me entertained and interested, and the story comes to a satisfying end. While this film is far from perfect, there are many enjoyable aspects that kept me engaged for the entire 2 hour and 45 minute runtime.

With all of that being said, anyone looking for or needing a gripping and heavily plot-driven narrative story may not thoroughly enjoy this film. While the story makes brilliant use of Chekhov’s Gun and has an incredibly satisfying final twenty minutes packed full of tension and usual Tarantino chaos, the film’s dialogue driven nature and lack of tension could be seen as a negative for the type of fan hoping for something more typical in today’s fast-paced cinematic climate. Another issue I had with the film was that I did not know enough about Charles Manson and Sharon Tate going into the film. Of course I can only blame myself for this, but after reading more about their history once I had left the theater, I found that I would have enjoyed the story a lot more had I understand the revisions Tarantino had made from the real life tragic events on which this film is based. Anyone with an understanding of Tarantino’s unique style, an appreciation for 1960’s Hollywood, and knowledge of Sharon Tate’s life story will absolutely adore this movie, and I expect it to perform well once Oscar nomination season approaches.

This was an enjoyable film from beginning to end that I left the theater feeling happy having seen it. I can perfectly envision the kind of person who would rate this film higher and who would enjoy lots of aspects of it more thoroughly, but I am just not that audience member. This was certainly a good movie that is a must-see for any Tarantino fans, but it is not his best project to date, and instead more of a passion project driven by nostalgia and history for the eclectic director. I am excited for whatever Tarantino’s 10th and final film ends up being about, and this movie will tide me over until then. Hi-ya!

SCORE: 7/10

Album Review: The Big Day - Chance The Rapper

The big day is here. Chicago native Chance The Rapper who wears his city on his sleeve, after his three critically acclaimed mixtapes 10 Day, Acid Rap, and Coloring Book, has finally released his debut album: The Big Day. Although there were no singles released to promote this project, I went in with high expectations and hopes for a breakout project that would cement Chance as one of the more unique artists carving his own lane in a recently oversaturated and commercialized rap genre. Unfortunately this project did not live up to my hopeful expectations, and I was very disappointed by Chano here. Let me explain why.

The first few tracks on this project started off strong. “All Day Long” and “Do You Remember” came with the usual Chance ad-libs, nostalgia, and lyricism we’ve come to know and love from him. After that, besides a couple of gems such as “Roo”, “Handsome” and my personal favorite “Sun Come Down”, this album really took a nosedive for me. Some of the production, lyricism, and overall sound from some of these tracks is just completely sub-par for an overly loaded 22-track debut album, and some tracks are just simply unlistenable for me, like “Hot Shower” and the title scream-heavy title track.

I was also disappointed by the features chosen for this project. Instead of featuring Chicago icons and talent like Kanye West or Noname as Chance has done in the past, he instead decided to feature John Legend, Shawn Mendes, and Nicki Minaj (twice?!) which seems like another step by Chance toward a more washed and commercial sound that is not as authentic to his sound as 10 Day or Acid Rap. Those who thought that Coloring Book was a regression for Chance from his original sound will be sorely disappointed by the direction this project takes.

No clear themes are established lyrically or narratively which is unfortunate for a track listing which lasts an unnecessary hour and 17 minutes. There is so much potential for a story to be told dynamically on this project, but I feel like Chance missed his mark and couldn’t accomplish what he set out to do with this album. If he continues on this downward trajectory, I’m worried that he will become just another voice getting lost in a completely saturated field. This album isn’t bad necessarily, but it could’ve been so much more coming from who used to be one of the most dynamic artists in the entire rap genre. I really wanted this one to be better.

SCORE: 2/10