Some days back I wrote on B.Ok single from this very creative album because for me that song stands out. But today you are reading about a full album review of what is in the second album on the billboard chart. Good music are always going to make on the billboard with good promotion. Listening to the Jams in this album, I can tell that this album is lit. This album incorporates different sound tunes that are kind of going obsolete. What Wiz Khalifa did was to harness the skills of the thirty-five man production team to make a good song. For me, the work which Wiz got on this album should earn him first spot on the billboard because he has some very good stories and a lot of song from his belly. I feel popular demand and commercial music is what will keep Drake up there next week nevertheless if Wiz keeps promoting his songs he can make top spot.
This album is an album that draw it inspiration from late 90s and early 2000s sounds and it is for only the mature hearts. If you were born in the 80s and 90s and had the privilege of listening to the music made from 1994 to 2008 then this album is what will blow your mind. Good hard core/trap music with good arrangement and engineering.
THEME
This album is a three dimensional album because it has its sound driven by three major genre of music which are Gang star Hiphop, Trap Hiphop and RnB/soul. Songs like “something new”, “karate”, “B.Ok” and “boosty bellows” are all RnB/soul hip-hop base. “Blue Hunnids”, “late night messages”, “real rich”, “Holyfield”, “ocean”, “going hard”, “Mr William”, “it’s on you” and many more are of the Trap category. For songs like “Rich for the stars”, “penthouse”, “Gin and drugs” and “hot now” are some real gang star rap songs.
This album discusses the normal issue which are discussed in most rap music which is fame, money, women and hard times before making it. I must say I usually get tired with this topics been repeated over and over again by many artist but what make Wiz’s album special is the way he told the stories in different genre so that everyone can relate to his stories. This album can be rocked by whoever no matter how old or young.
PRODUCTION
As earlier stated, Cameron Jibril Thomaz (WizKhalifa) employed 35 persons to produce this hardcore album. Khalifa went full gang star poetry style with his lyrics and lines. He dropped his rhymes with zero stress on his vocal cords and mind. He made rap seem easy when he was invading the mic on every bar. I could hear elements of Biggie and 2pac in most of his vocal taking us back to when rap was about through stories. Although he digressed from the above rap style in his “420 freestyle” song, using steady rhyme rap styles to flow his vocals in the trap song. Productions like ‘rain’ had them clone the sound pattern of the trumpets used in the ever popular “nothing can stop me, I’m all the way up”; giving the song a very groovy tune from start to finish. One major elements used in this production is the use of crude sampler and drum machine sounds to bring the 1990s feeling home. Most of the songs reduced digitalized effects to a barest minimum. For me the introduction some real RnB and soul instrumentals for songs like “something new” and “B.Ok” and the second part of “karate”made this album an album I will listen to for a long time.
The song something new had some real good loving message from Ty Dolla and Wiz. This song will be good for getting down with a lady or a guy you in love with. Written by Thomaz, Christian Ward, Austin Owens, James Foye III, Floyd, “A1” Bentley and had this slow sound and had wiz flowing like 2pac on the beat made by Ayo, Hitmaka, A1 and Keys. What stands out in this album is the level of hard work which Wiz and his team put into it. The list of producers and Writer of the songs on of this album if I am not mistaking are up to fifty. Thomaz really put in some work reminding me of Chris Brown’s last album which has more tracks on it. Thomaz really went some real length to get both the young and the old in this album because he had the likes of Snoop Dog and Swae lee on this album which for me is a representation of old and new rap music. I could go and on about the work put into this project but it won’t be enough, playing it for yourself is the only way to understand this album like I do.
POSSIBLE HIT AND FLOPS
Gin and drugs has all the attributes to be a Hit. Nice party beat with lots of funk feel to it; weird lyrics but good beats and arrangement. All the RnB/soul based songs are hits. He found a way to reach the hearts of people who love RnB and Soul music like me. He told some real touching stories in them too. Hot now, rain, and penthouse are some of the stand out trap sounds that can make it too. Honestly speaking the trap songs are many so it might sound boring when playing all the songs because they have the highest number in the track list. It a good album but promoting the right song will make it go platinum because albums like this with lots of hours and work put on them need awards and accolades.
