STUDENT LIFE
p. 5
XV’s Popular Culture
Eric Murphey
“WOOO!!!" The famous ad-lib and calling card of G.O.O.D. Music hip-hop artist, Pusha T, is known mostly for his features on his label's collaboration album in 2012, Cruel Summer (including radio hits such as "Mercy" and the remix of Chief Keef's "Don't Like"). A year later, Pusha T has finally stepped out of the music studio to bless us with his 1st official solo album, My Name is My Name. Many fans of Pusha T will tell you that he is the best rapper that Kanye West has signed to his label, some may go as far as to say that he is the savior of Gangster rap if not hip-hop as a whole even though he is not very well known in mainstream media. However, does his album prove that he is one of the most underrated rappers of 2013, as his fans claim him to be, or is he overrated? The album kicks off with a heavy hitter in "King Push," in which Pusha T introduces himself. Along with a powerful mix of punch lines and metaphors, this song includes one of the best instrumentals throughout the album thanks to the producers Hudson Mohawke and Kanye West. I find this to be a strong start to the album as it encourages me to listen more. This brings me to the 2nd track on this album, "Numbers on the Board," which contains a beat that has an old school feel; Pusha really demonstrates the versatility of his rap skills over any other song. "Sweet Serenade" is next on this album and features Chris Brown. Pusha T continues to deliver in this song, and Chris Brown adds a little spice to the chorus. The only gripes I have with this song are that stuff Chris Brown is singing doesn’t have any lyrical substance and nothing exceptional stood out. On the other hand, Track #4, “Hold on,” came as a big surprise to me when I listened to it. Throughout the song you can hear Kanye’s auto tuned voice in the background. Even though he sounds like a robot attempting to gargle mouthwash in the Pacific Ocean, it somehow works. Rick Ross was also a surprise to me because he rapped one of his best verses that he has written since first featured on Drake’s, “Lord Knows.” This song definitely earned my applause. Track #5, “Suicide,” was, in my opinion, a song made for Pusha T to have fun on. Pharrell produces this song and it is a typical beat to be expected of him in regards to his other works. It also features, Ab-Liva… What’s that you say? You’ve never heard of him? Me neither, but after this song I’m willing to keep an eye out for more of his songs. The following song, “40 acres,” is a change of pace from the preceding song as Pusha talks about living out his dreams. The Dream is featured in this song as well. Although Dream has fallen off the map of media recently, he still delivers in this song’s chorus. Pusha T also drops nuggets of wisdom within the song such as, “The devil’s new playground is boredom,” meaning when people are bored they get up to no good. This is one of Pusha’s more mean-
ingful songs on the album. Keeping with the theme of “40 Acres,” in track #8, “No Regret’s,” Pusha again focuses on his motivations in making music. Featuring both Young Jeezy and Kevin Cossom, this was a very wellrounded track but nothing too special to say it other than I like it. Kelly Rowland makes an appearance in the chorus of next single, “Let Me Love You,” but she just sounds severely desperate to the point where it would’ve been sad if it weren’t so annoying. The beat sounds like it was made by a 7 year old on a Yamaha keyboard from the 90s. Pusha T himself doesn’t even sound like he’s interested in the stuff he’s saying. Overall, this song is corny and not in the I-feel-all-sweet-inside-and-want-to-buy-my-girl -chocolates-kind-of-way. Sorry ladies, but there are no love songs on this album. Pusha T redeems himself with the next tune, “Who I am.” This is another powerful track that succeeds in getting its listeners hyped. Pusha’s signature ad-lib, “WOOO!!” can be heard throughout this single. This track includes fellow G.O.O.D. Music associates, 2 Chainz and Big Sean. While Big Sean delivers a silly but entertaining verse, 2 Chainz is 2Chainz. Whether you like his verse or not at all depends on how you already view him as an artist. Nevertheless, the next song on the album is my personal favorite, “Nosetalgia,” featuring Kendrick Lamar. Undoubtedly the greatest display of lyricism in the entire album can be found in this track as well as a simple, old school beat that is emphasized on the lyrics. I highly recommend this track. “Pain,” ft. Future is a song that actually managed to upset and not because of the instrumental or Pusha T’s rapping—both were great—but it was Future’s singing, or lack of, that was my real problem. He mumbles during the entire hook so badly that it’s not even understandable in any form of human language. At first I thought he caught the auto tuned Holy Ghost and was speaking in tongues, but when I looked up the lyrics, it still didn’t make sense because he was just saying random stuff that didn’t connect to each other. If you can get past that, however, it is a decent song, but Future undeniably held back the potential that this song had. The final track on the album, “S.N.I.T.C.H,” was also produced by Pharrell which also contains his trademark sounds and feels in this record. He also adds himself onto the chorus, which isn’t anything very special, but it does its job. Pusha, on the other hand, provides an interesting story of a man that betrayed his friends when he got trouble with the police and ratted them out. The song will catch your attention one way or another. Overall, My Name is My Name is positively one of the most notable Hip Hop albums to be released this year. Pusha T has managed to prove himself as an artist, and I’m eager to hear more of his works. As far as recommendations go, I’d have to suggest giving it a few solid listens before getting it. Just be warned: this album contains drug references and explicit language and requires parental consent before purchasing.
Rating: 7.5/10 # of Tracks: 13, 16 (deluxe version) Release Date: 10.4.2013 Best Song: “My Darlin'“ ft. Future
bum. It seems as if all of her favorite tracks were placed at the head of the work and all the inferior ones were left for the tail end. Bangerz’s true issues lie in its repetitive nature. Ballads like “Adore You” and “Wrecking Ball” surprise the listener at first with her raw emotion and intimate peek into Cyrus' love life. However, by the time the listener arrives at “Drive,” the shock factor has worn off, making for a lackluster performance. This same repetitiveness plagues the more lighthearted affairs on Bangerz as well. Cyrus' collaboration with Mike WILL MADE IT makes for an interesting mix of hip hop and pop. Mike Will's heavily trap-influenced beats seem to add a very unique flair that is essential to the success that Cyrus does obtain on Bangerz. In addition to the unique sound, Cyrus' collaborations with many of the rap game’s best and brightest assists as well. One of the highlights of the album is “My Darlin',” a remix of an American classic made memorable by performances from both Miley and Future. The catchy hook and chorus along with Fu-
Miley Cyrus has come a long way from her days as a Disney starlet, but everyone in America already knows that. Yet the 20 year old songstress continues to attempt to distance herself from her Hannah Montana-filled past. Her fourth studio album (she considers it her first) Bangerz, is a representation of that transition from innocence to adulthood. Stuffed full of everything from hip hop tracks made ready for the club to emotional ballads detailing Cyrus' rollercoaster relationship with actor Liam Hemsworth, Bangerz has many highs and just as many lows. Cyrus is at her best in the first half of the al-
XV is definitely an artist to look out for. He has released multiple projects such as Zero Heroes and Everybody’s Nobody that have been well received by the Hip-Hop community. XV has also worked with several recognizable artists such as Talib Kweli, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Pusha-T and
many others. While his name is still foreign to some people, his latest project Popular Culture hopes to break that barrier. Popular Culture uses several popular movies and TV shows as the theme for the album, a theme that shows in multiple tracks like “Andy Warhol,” “Breaking Bad,” and “Wonkavator.” While lacking in multiple guest features, Popular Culture still features familiar artists like Emilio Rojas, Schoolboy Q and B.O.B. XV also introduces for the first time Label Mates Sez Batters and Freddy High. Popular Culture, like many of XV’s previous works, features varied production on each of the songs which can only be described as amazing. No two songs sound alike, giving each track a sense of uniqueness or individuality, and some songs almost have their own personality. The production is top of the line (often exceeding that of Zero Heroes) and shows that there was a lot of hard work put into this project. XV’s knack for lyricism shouldn’t be ignored either as he makes extraordinary punch-lines, uses of wordplay and double entendre that never cease to impress, even after hearing some songs over and over again. Some songs require multiple listens just to catch every metaphor. Popular Culture never seems to miss a step and in the process creates steps of its own, differentiating itself from other rap albums. The album continually sounds fresh, making listening to it anytime feel like a first time experience. XV still to this day, takes strides in making himself better in every way possible, leaving fans wondering what he is going to do next. Favorite Songs:
“Mary Kate & Ashley” - An overall excellent song, it features Freddy High and Sez Batters, who both show off amazing talent and lyrical dexterity. The song also has excellent production by TNGHT.
“Aaah! Real Monsters”- An excellent song that pushes XV’s lyricism to its peak, it features Schoolboy Q and B.O.B who both do a superb job. The best parts of this song are the chorus, the building tension, the production by The Awesome Sound, and the overall atmosphere of the song.
“Wonkavator”- This song features Emilio Rojas, a new and welcomed addition to XV’s roster of guest appearances. This song is incredibly fast-paced, displays high levels of lyricism, and creatively samples part of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie.
“One Of One”- This is probably my favorite song on the album. The ambient production of Odd Couple sets the perfect mood for the song and also creates a great build up for the Chorus. The song carries the topic of recognizing that there’s only one you which I found to be inspirational and powerful.
ture's unique form of crooning creates an unforgettable moment on the album. Other hip hop collaborations include Nelly on “4x4,” a pop song with a country twist, and “LoveMoneyParty,” a Big Sean-assisted track. While both songs surprise, Bangerz once again fails to create a different feel for “FU” ft. French Montana. The song sounds repetitive and this listener felt it was no different than any of the other hip hop performances that Miley pulled together. “SMS (Bangerz),” the title song, is a true representation of the entire album. Assisted by Britney Spears and an iconic beat from Salt N' Peppa's “Push It,” Miley attempts to achieve pop greatness. Even with the help of her idol and one of pop music's biggest icons, Miley still seems to somehow miss the mark. This is true for the entirety of Bangerz. Miley has all the right ingredients for success but somehow misses creating a fully enjoyable album. It is not an entire loss, though; Bangerz has moments where it is truly an enjoyable listening experience.