Legacy Track of the Week: Vic Mensa - Coffee & Cigarettes
“You were only 17… fallin in love with everything… except for me, except for me, except for me…” Vic in Drake mode and I’m not mad at this at all... this is a strong album cut produced by NO ID along with Papa Beatz & Om’Mas Keith, that’s actually at it’s best through the melodies as opposed to the raps towards the end, which personally do nothing to my rewind button at all. Even still in a slow week this one stands out amongst the rest.
Stalley - New Wave
“She want to hop on the wave, I told her chill from the sideline, she want to live wild and dangerous, I told her that is a fine line, I can hear angels talking, I’m up in the skyline, I was down and now I’m way up, I guess it’s about time” The title track off Stalley’s new mixtape is one of the few highlights of the 14 records… and although I’m a fan of the Cleveland native I must admit the project sounds stale and leaves a lot to be desired.
Stalley - Let’s Talk About It
“Everybody's motto pop a bottle, freak a model f- tomorrow, fuck tomorrow, live for the day, do drugs it'll help with the pain, being a junkie is the new cool ish, or carry automatics long as pool sticks” The first single off New Wave really came out a few weeks prior to the project’s release, yet since it remains one of the few standout records I’ll post it again out of respect for a true MC.
Vic Mensa - Say I Didn’t
“Didn't I tell you this was the new birth of the Roc, *****? Didn't I, didn't I, say I didn't” Yea I’m definitely going to say you didn’t, and that’s separate from the fact that I don’t respect Vic Mensa as an artist and for good reason (you diss Spike Lee you diss yourself and that’s just one of MANY incidents that makes me question his integrity) yet even still I can admit that he has some relative skills that are worth checking for… and although this introductory record off his debut album The Autobiography sounds like Kanye West lite circa 2005… that’s still better than damn near everything on the radio so I’m not mad at this at all. Decent record that sets the tone for an otherwise ambitious yet lukewarm project overall.
Vic Mensa - Homewrecker
“And that's my fault, I made mistakes, G, I knew you was crazy, but not this crazy, and I made it happen, I shoulda known better, but who'd've ever thought you'd be the wifey and a homewrecker?” Get it??? She’s the wifey… and the home-wrecker…. Clever enough I suppose but I’m not excited...
Vic Mensa - Gorgeous
“Cause girl you're gorgeous, go head, I feel gorgeous, in your hands, she not ugly, I want you to know, that you're gorgeous, oh yeah…” Produced by NO ID & 1500 or Nothin’ I’m not mad at this either… if you said this was 🔥🔥🔥 I wouldn’t even argue that… even still I’m not checking for it considering my aversion to Vic and his confederate flag jacket off the strength.
Vic Mensa ft Ty Dolla $ign - We Could Be Free
“We could be free, If we only knew we were slaves to the pains of each other, one thing I believe, I could learn, to see my enemy as my brother, then we could be free, truly, and love could wash away all the sorrows, I'm not afraid to bleed, if it means, we'll make a better today, not tomorrow” Strong lyrics over another nice melody, and overall this track produced by 1500 or Nothin’ is nothin less than a better than decent album cut that showcases Vic at his very best. I’d recommend this one even though it should be noted that Ty Dolla does very little on this despite the credited feature.
Jay Z - Kill Jay Z
“Kill Jay Z, they’ll never love you, you’ll never be enough, let’s just keep it real Jay Z” More video treatment for one of the many standout records off 4:44
Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry
“Now payback is a bad bitch, and baby, I'm the baddest, you fuckin with a savage, can't have this, can't have this” Demi Lovato is apparently going through a transition in her career… and truth be told I never checked for her before yet now she has my attention.