Ashanti - Braveheart ALBUM REVIEW

Sometimes, you just gotta wonder how some artists are able to maintain any level of relevance for over a long period of time. I say this because despite having such and up and down career, Ashanti has been able to do just that. We first heard her voice on the hook of Ja Rule's 2001 hit "Always On Time". Then she dropped her debut self titled album the very next year. Since then, Ashanti has been more of a "here today, gone tomorrow" type artist. One minute she'll drop a song or an album then after that, you won't hear from her for a year or two. As I said, up and down. Needless to say it's been quite difficult for her to remain consistent or relevant. But she is still around and always has been. That's something she makes light of as she returns now with this. Her fifth album Braveheart. I've never really listened to any of Ashanti's albums to be honest. Her last one was 2008's The Declaration and reading some of the critical reception for it, it wasn't too good to some. So yeah, no favorite album for me. However I do have a favorite song which is "Only U" from her 2004 album Concrete Rose. So with that said, I didn't have any kind of expectations for this album. I though this album was just barely above average. No other way to describe it. For a singer who's not really known for hitting those big high notes (which many have considered an issue of hers for years) it's hard to really categorize her style of R&B. At least it is of me. This album shows you just as much hip hop as it does R&B. As far as sound and production is concerned. She's done plenty of straight up R&B ballads in the past but there's very few here. Also, it seems as though there a huge emotional roller coaster going on through the album. She spends most of the time over coming tough obstacles and remaining strong throughout all the adversities. I myself had no idea she was going through any of this. It could explain why she's not around all the time. Anyway, I'll begin now with things I like. Honestly, all the songs with a strong hip hop sound I really enjoyed. Probably for that reason. On "Runaway" she samples the exact beat from LL Cool J's classic record "I Shot Ya". Just with a few more added drums and symbols. That's one of my favorite instrumentals of all time so that alone made me enjoy this. However, because of the beat the son sounds more like a mixtape freestyle that a full R&B song. Still enjoyable. Then the next track "Count" has a cool trap influenced beat. However, I think when people hear this Rihanna is gonna be the first thing they think of because this sounds like one of her songs. Ashanti even sounds like her a bit on the bridge part of the song. Despite the repetitive "count! count! count!" hook (y'all know I hate those), the song is tolerable. The first single "I Got It" has a catchy bounce to it that just makes you like it. Rick Ross is on the track dropping his usual lines about his riches and power but it wasn't a bad verse. Cool song. Then there's the high erotic track "Love Games". A duet with Jeremih. This grew on me after a few listens. The really good R&B duets are very rare today and I think this has the potential to be up there. Perfect midnight romance song. Of course, sex and romance is something Ashanti has shown before she doesn't mind teasing or even bragging about (see "Good Good"). Moving on, "She Can't" finds her being very cocky comparing herself to the next chick. Expressing how she looks better, loves better, better sex and so on. I normally hate when female singers do this and come with that "she ain't got nothing on this" attitude. That's that b.s. Beyonce' is on now and aggravates me with. But the beat pretty much saves this song which is why I can listen to it regardless of content.  On "Don't Tell Me No" she samples the beat from Keri Hilson's 2009 hit "Knock You Down". Here she expressing to her man not to say no and not to leave. Don't fight the love you have for her. I kinda laughed at that because that type of situation is normally reversed. But whatever the case, it's a okay song. Some that can relate will like it. Now the dislikes. Off top, I just can't get over how bad "Early In The Morning" is. This was nothing but a one big lame auto-tune fest. But what really ruined it? French Montana. He gets on the track and not raps, but sings in auto-tune. Future style. Bad, bad idea. I honestly would have rather heard Future on this than French Montana if he was gonna do that. Ironically though, this song does sound eerily similar to Rihanna's hit with Future "Loveeeee Song". I couldn't get with this at all. I ended up with the deluxe edition of this album which featured two bonus tracks: "Perfect So Far" and "Never Too Far Away". Both were snooze fests. These two tracks along with a couple other featured the biggest issue of the whole album. Something I mentioned at the top of this review. Her vocals. There's just some songs that project certain sounds that her voice just doesn't match. Nor does she have the kind of vocals to hit certain notes that would bring the song more to life. again, this was the main issue with this album. Overall, I thought the album is just a barely above average attempt. While it seems like a upgrade from her last album, it's an album that many will be very critical of because of what I mentioned and well...because who she is. I give this a final grade of a C. Ashanti names this album Braveheart for a reason. She's been at this for twelve years. All of the tough obstacles she had to overcome, all of the drama, all adversities. She still managed to be strong through it all. Yeah she may not have as good of a voice as other, yeah she's not always around like the other. But I can honestly say, there's probably no one more courageous or has a bigger heart. She is indeed brave. A braveheart. End.

Final Grade: C

CREDITS

Executive Producer

Ashanti Douglas

Lead Artist

Ashanti Douglas

Production

Mansur Zafr

Lenton Hutton

Sharif Slater

Noel Fischer

Eric Shaw

Timothy Bullock

Collaboration

Karim Kharbouch

Jeremih Felton

William Roberts

Anthony Davis

Label

Written Ent./eOne Music

Pharrell - Girl ALBUM REVIEW

Being a master producer is one thing. It takes tremendous talent to put together an array of sounds and instruments to make these tunes (especially nowadays). But when you're a talented artist along with that, "being talented" doesn't begin to describe it. Though there are plenty of hybrid producer/artists in music today, not many of them can or will match the talent and longevity that Pharrell Williams has. For a long time he and his partner Chad Hugo made up The Neptunes. One of hip hop's most prolific production teams. Responsible for and long, endless number of classic hit records spanning well over a decade. Today, Pharrell is kinda doing his solo thing. I'm sure him and Chad are still cool but it's kinda went from "produced by The Neptunes" to "produced by Pharrell". Just saying. Anyway, it's been almost eight years since Pharrell dropped his debut album In My Mind. Quite a drought. But of course he didn't go no where. He kept on producing hits and doing some good collabos. However it's obvious that he's long over due for a sophomore album and he has finally delivered Girl. The much long awaited follow up. I had no real expectations for this project. Only thing I could say I kinda expected was a mixture of genres and what not. Well overall, I thought the album was pretty cool. There wasn't much genre blending as I thought it would be. The album is pretty much all R&B (I expected him to do a little rapping too but he didn't). However, to no surprise, there is some experimenting with the production. A lot of pop, techno, funk, disco and flash dance type of beats. But it's the 70's soul sound that dominates majority of this project. Think vintage Motown. Actually, sound wise it kinda reminds me a bit of Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines album from last year. Which kinda isn't a surprise seeing as how last years hits "Blurred Lines" and "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk both had sounds like that. Two tracks Pharrell was apart of. Also, as you can tell from the album title and cover, 95% of this album is geared towards the women. Lots of very flirtatious and sexual (non explicit) and just overall celebratory songs praising women. I'm sure a lot of women will enjoy that. This will probably one of my more shorter reviews because it's a short album so let's get right into my positives. No song on here lived up to the disco/funk sound more than "Hunter". I mean this song is a straight up blast from the past. Get your bell bottoms and disco ball for this one. It's a cool track. Of course, everybody loves the first single "Happy". The song, which is also the lead song from last years animated film Despicable Me 2, has a fun, clap heavy, energetic get-up-and-dance vibe that makes you feel just like the songs title. It's a major stand out because it's one of very few tracks on here that's not about women. I like the song now but after the radio wares it out I'll probably be sick of it. I like the sound on "Lost Queen". It had these African drums with tribal vocals in the background. A song honoring a woman as a queen and treating her as such. The first two tracks had cool uptempo dance beats that sets the mood of the album perfectly. The intro track "Marilyn Monroe" with it's many violins, and the Justin Timberlake assisted "Brand New" which had somewhat of a salsa feel to it. "It Girl" was the only song that sounded the closest to hip hop as far as production. He must have loved this beat himself because he let the beat drag out for over two and a half minutes at the end. I didn't mind it though because it was a cool beat. "Know Who You Are" in my opinion was good only because Alicia Keys voice blended so well with this tune. Even more so than Pharrell. She may have out did him on his own song. Good song nonetheless. My only two issues with this is first, the track "Gush". I'll try to be clean describing this but it's basically him talking about the joy of a woman's orgasm. Now if this was a rap song it would be off the wall explicit but somehow Pharrell was able to talk about it and made it seem not-so nasty. It just felt kinda awkward hearing it considering the vibe of the rest of this album. The second issue is the lack of a hip hop presence. I understand this is basically a pop/R&B album and it has a concept but majority of Pharrell's biggest hits that he produced were hip hop and I did expect a little bit of that. I think it would have fit. But oh well, it's not that big of a deal. Overall, this was fun, feel good album that everyone for the most part should enjoy. Everyone from kids to the seniors will groove to this. It's audacious, it's energetic and so full of spirit. I give it a final grade of a B+. Pharrell Williams continues to re-invent himself with each passing year. As an producer and as an artist. He will go down as one of my personal top ten producers all time and that won't change. The older he gets (even though he doesn't look like he's getting older), the better he gets at what he does. Which is making music that makes everyone feel...happy. End.

Final Grade: B+

CREDITS

Executive Producer

Pharrell Williams

Lead Artist
Pharrell Williams

Production

Pharrell Williams

Collaboration

Justin Timberlake

Alicia Cook

Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo

Thomas Bangalter

Label

I Am Other/Columbia Records

Rick Ross - Mastermind ALBUM REVIEW

One can make an argument that since 2006, there hasn't been a more consistent and more hard working artist in hip hop than Rick Ross. Six albums, four compilation albums, four mixtapes and a endless number of hit singles and guest features. In such a short time Ross has already put together an impressive resume. It one of the reasons that despite not liking him as a legit MC, I am a fan because of the music and I respect his constant hard work and hustle. Again, it's hard to argue that he isn't one of raps top names right now on a success level. Anyway, it's come to a point now where everyone including myself pretty much expects a Rick Ross project to drop every year. Whether it's an album, mixtape or another Maybach Music Group compilation album. Well it's a new year which means a new project. This is Rick Ross's sixth album Mastermind. Now in my opinion, his best work was 2009's Deeper Than Rap. His third album. From a production stand point that album was damn near perfect. Catchy hooks and great guest features. An album I still listen too to this day. He's now coming off his fifth album, 2012's God Forgives, I Don't. Now that album to me was average at best. It was kinda up and down throughout the whole album and wasn't as consistent to me. I wondered where would he go this time around with Mastermind. Would that continue or would we get something along the lines of Deeper Than Rap. Turns out I got that and more. I was very surprised with this album. It was much better than I could have ever anticipated. When it comes to the production, experimenting with different genres, consistency and overall song quality, Ross went the extra mile here. He dabbles in everything on this album from R&B, to reggae, even some gospel. I always felt like Ross had a good ear for not only good production but for good music in general. It shows big time here. Best thing of all, nothing really over does it, Normally his albums sometimes gives you far reaching commercial singles and repetitive trap songs that get annoying after a while. Somehow this time he found a way to better all of that and put together a dope project. I'll now start with all that I liked. One thing Ross has always been quite consistent with is intro songs and it continues here with "Rich Is Gangsta". This is just Ross being typical Ross. Boasting about his rise to power and his riches. He loves going the extra mile with that whole rich mob boss persona that he embraces. The track was cool though. He even takes a jab at an old enemy: "for me to move on from here forward I need fifty/I ain't talking fifty cent neither nigga". Sounds like shots have been fired to me. Speaking of, there's a skit titled "Shots Fired" that leads right into the track "Nobody". This to me was the most unique song on the album. Here, Ross samples Biggie's Life After Death classic "You're Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You)". Using the same exact hook which is done by French Montana, who did it quite well and made it sound more 2014 instead of 1997. But the unique part about this track was how Ross spits just like Biggie. Mimicking his flow and words he would actually use. Now for some, that would rub the wrong way considering most Biggie fans hate it when people even compare Rick Ross to Biggie (which they do a lot). I myself found it cool. He didn't over do it, it was relaxed and it was fresh. In fact, I think if Biggie was alive and still rapping, he would probably sound just like how Ross sounds on this track. Ross sounded like a older and more mature Biggie so that's why I say that. I could go on about this song but I'll move on. Great song. I told you he goes genre jumping on this album and he gathers Mavado and Sizzla for the reggae track "Mafia Music III". This was another one I enjoyed a lot. I just loved the smooth island/Caribbean sound of it. Makes you feel like you're maxing and relaxing on the beaches in Jamaica somewhere. I mean this song just sounds like summer time. Hopefully this becomes a single. The lead single "The Devil Is A Lie" I actually wasn't feeling at first when I heard it on the radio. But when I listen to it in context with the album it's not so bad. The beat is pretty good with the horns and all. Despite a lackluster verse from Jay-Z about absolutely nothing, the song is cool. "Blk & Wht" had one of the most addicting hooks I've heard in a while. After listening to this album I couldn't get that hook out of my head to save my life. The song as a whole is just okay but the hook is what makes me listen to it because it's quite entertaining. As usual, Ross always gives us a round of trap songs every album and to be honest, I kinda enjoyed all the ones he did for this album. "War Ready" with Young Jeezy, "Drug Dealers Dream" and "Walkin' On Air" with Meek Mill. They all were cool trunk bangers and he didn't over do it hook wise on any of them (like he did on the track "911" from his last album). I only had a few issues with this album and here they are. The track "Sanctified" was a complete disappointment. First of all, this is the gospel song I spoke of as it samples the soulful gospel sounds of Betty Wright. I loved it. What ruined it? A horrible hook from Big Sean and a even more horrible verse from Kanye West. Big Sean's hook started the song and just spoiled it quickly with such corny teenage sounding lines. Then there's Kanye West and....wow. His verse was just too awful for words. I mean he was rapping like Meek Mill. Meek Mill? Really?! It's sad because the old Kanye, say circa 2005, would have lyrically killed a religious themed track like this but nope. He sprayed his arrogant asshole lyrics all over it. A song that had potential but fell short. Ross should have did it solo. "In Vein" was the song for the ladies and it wasn't that bad. I just wasn't really feeling The Weeknd on it. He kinda tried to steal the show much like he did on Drake's "Crew Love". Should have got another singer for this one. Now he had a few interludes on here but one that was so hilariously stupid was the "Dope Bitch" skit. Two random girls, with very flirty and seductive voices, being interviewed about all the luxuries they love to buy. I just laugh because it's nothing really but two high maintenance, stuck up broads that see nothing but dollar signs. I don't like those kind of chicks so yeah, wasn't feeling that. In closing, this album totally took me by surprise. Rick Ross took his time with this album and got very creative with samples, beats and genre blending. I give this a surprising final grade of an A-. This may just be his best album since Deeper Than Rap. Hell maybe his best period. Like I said, no one in hip hop is more consistent with quality music that Rick Ross. It's why apart of me is a fan of his. It's hard not to admire someone who works hard and clearly ha passion for what he does. Would I put Rick Ross on a top ten lyricists list? Obviously no. But would I put him on a top ten overall hip hop artist list musically? Maybe. An argument can be made there as well. End.

Final Grade: A-

CREDITS

Executive Producers

William Roberts

Khaled Khaled

Sean Combs

Lead Artist
William Roberts

Production

Sean Combs

Kevin Erondu

Michael Williams

Roosevelt Harrell III

Sharif Slater

Scott Storch

Abel Tesfaye

Kanye West

Dijon McFarlane

Erik Ortiz

Kevin Crowe

Kenny Bartalomei

Dwayne Richardson

Matthew Samuels

Collaboration

Karim Kharbouch

Shawn Carter

Miguel Collins

David Brooks

Jay Jenkins

Abel Tesfaye

Kanye West

Sean Anderson

Robert Williams

Dwayne Carter

Brad Jordan

Joseph McVey

Label

Maybach Music Group/Slip-N-Slide/Def Jam Recordings

Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron ALBUM REVIEW

In these last few years, it's been made quite clear. Kendrick Lamar and TDE are here to take over the game. Not only are they a group of super dope MC's but have managed to heavily impact the mainstream airwaves. It's a balance that doesn't show too often when it comes to these rap cliques. Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar have already put their foot through the door already and now it's Schoolboy Q's turn. Probably the more aggressive, wild and flat out gangsta of the group. My first introduction to him was when I heard his 2012 digital album Habits & Contradictions. Hands down one of my favorite projects from that year. His rough, gritty and gangsta attitude combined with his dark, menacing and haunting tales of the hoods in LA immediately drew me to liking him and that album. Of course that would let to me, as well as many others, eagerly anticipating this. His debut studio album Oxymoron. Like I said I loved Habits & Contradictions and I was expecting something just as good. Concept, production everything. Turns out, I didn't get that. However, I still enjoyed this project. Like Habits & Contradictions, he brings that dark and gritty gangsta tone and still tell a few stories along the way. The reason why I feel like this was a slight step back from his last project was mostly because of the missed concept. He touches the "oxymoron" concept a little bit by basically showing that he does these random criminal acts all for his daughter (who's on the other album cover and on a few interludes). I'm assuming that must be the oxymoron he speaks of. I felt like he should have went deeper with that theme like he did with the habits and contradictions theme on the last album. Also I felt the production this time around was a bit, just a bit, toned down to more hype and high energy beats to "turn up" to. Obviously done to appeal to the mainstream listeners so it's not really that big of a deal. So now let me get into all that I liked about this album. It took a minute but the intro track "Gangsta" became likeable. The repeated "gangsta gangsta" hook becomes quite catchy after a while. It also is the perfect type of out-of-the-ordinary thug track to start the album off with. Though it's months old now, I'm still a fan of the single "Collard Greens". The beat is infectious as is the hook. Kudos to the producer THC there. I also enjoy the newest single "Man Of The Year" which also has a very infectious beat. Though I think the hook could have been a bit better the overall song is enjoyable. Next is the two-in-one track "Prescription/Oxymoron". It starts off with "Prescription" which is the more calmer track where he continues to touch on addiction to drugs, prescription pills in this case, and how he basically needs it to keep him going. Then it turns into "Oxymoron" which is this high energy track with a trap influenced production. It's really nothing but him rapping loudly and more aggressively over what is again a trunk blasting trap beat. Cool two part track. "Studio" was a cool groove track for the ladies. Swiff D put together a really dope beat filled with more settled trap styled drums. BJ The Chicago Kid does a very catchy sing-a-long hook that I believe is the real highlight of the song. Speaking of "cool groove", the track "Grooveline Pt. 2" was that as well. What drew me to this song the most what how it took me back a bit. It kinda reminds me of some old school Devin The Dude mixed with the funkadelic sounds that Snoop Dogg does so well. Suga Free's verse I think fit the song's ora more than Schoolboy's did but still it wasn't bad. I loved the hard, head nodding production on "Break The Bank". It actually felt more like a east coast New York track because of the beat but Q made it work good. The piano's on the beat mixed his eerie and haunting hood lyrics makes you feel like you're walking through South Central LA at night filled with fear. I loved it. Now on to my dislikes. Right off the back, the song that I had a problem with was "The Purge". It wasn't that it was a bad track. Just disappointing. I was looking forward to hearing this track the most because it features Tyler, The Creator and Kurupt. The song was produced by Tyler but it's one of his more plain weaker beats that really didn't have any life at all. Not to mention he was only on the hook and didn't have a verse which was also disappointing. Still I feel like this track might grow on me. The second track "Los Awesome" was the most weird and erratic song on the album. The beat was completely all over the place and was just plain weird. The rapping on it was as well. Not even Jay Rock as dope as he is could save this one with his guest verse. Speaking of weird, Q does some experimenting on the track "His & Her Fiend". He dapples in the psychedelic sounds or what I call that "acid trippy rap". I don't think he did it quite as good as others have done it. It just sounds like a normal southern chopped-n-screwed song with just a sprinkle of "trippiness". A song that had potential but it wasn't quite met. Tracks like "Fuck LA" and "Californication" are good songs to blast in your car but become headaches after a while. Something I probably wouldn't put on repeat. Now "Pusha Man" I actually did like. It has this retro 1970's influenced beat. The problem? It's a minute and a half interlude. This really should have been a full song. I feel like that was a dope beat wasted. Anyway, overall I did enjoy this album a lot. Just not to the extent that I enjoyed his last project. I give it a final grade of a B. Schoolboy Q I think has all the tools to be successful. The charisma, character, sound and who he rolls with. He has potential to be just as big as Kendrick Lamar is now. This could hopefully be the push to put gangsta rap back on the mainstream airwaves just like the hay day of The N.W.A. Maybe the radio will allow more "fuck the police" to be played in the future. Now that's an oxymoron for you. End.

Final Grade: B

CREDITS

Executive Producers

Quincy Hanley

Anthony Tiffith

Lead Artist
Quincy Hanley

Production

Pharrell Williams

Nesbitt Wesonga

Mario Loving

Axel Morgan

Mark Spears

William Brown

Michael Williams

Tyler Okonma

Dacoury Natche

Alan Maman

Donte Perkins

Michael Volpe

Matthew Samuels

Collaboration

Johnny McKenzie

Kendrick Duckworth

Tauheed Epps

Bryan Sledge

Tyler Okonma

Ricardo Brown

Corey Woods

Solana Rowe

Dejuan Rice

Rakim Mayers

Label

Top Dawg Ent./Interscope Records

Kid Ink - My Own Lane ALBUM REVIEW

The fast rising resurgence of the west coast in hip hop has been quite surprising. What's even more surprising is how diverse the coast is now. It's no longer just the stereotypical violent gang banger music. It's now expanded to everything from bay area hyphy music, skateboarder music, psychedelic or "stoner" music and even some sounds of south influenced trap music. Here now is one of the newest contributors to the coast's change of sound, Los Angeles native Kid Ink. After gracing the cover of XXL in 2012 as a member of the XXL freshman class, that is when many started to take notice to him (those who weren't already aware of his early mixtape success). That year he released his debut album Up & Away. Although it was an independent album, it didn't get much attention due to lack of good promotion and good singles. It wasn't really until late 2013 when got more into the spotlight with his current hit record "Show Me". That single was what he needed to push this, his sophomore album My Own Lane. Now I'm gonna be straight up here. From what I have previously heard from Kid Ink, I'm not at all impressed. He sounds way too generic and too similar to many other mainstream rappers now. So pretty much going into this listening session I didn't expect nothing special. Sure enough, it wasn't. This album is just below average to me. Like I said, Kid Ink's lyrics, flow, and overall sound just sounds so copycat. This album is nothing but the same old generic topics. Girls, cars, money blah blah blah. Today it's known as "swag rap". At least that what's I call it. The album is just filled with it. On top of that, there were points on this album where it sounded like I was listening to other swag rappers. I could hear some Tyga, some Wiz Khalifa, some A$AP Rocky even some Chris Brown (who's featured on the album twice). He's not really doing anything different or original. Nothing unique at all. I guess the one good thing I could say is that the albums is 90% radio singles so he certainly shouldn't be a one hit wonder. Well I guess that's a good thing depending on how you look at it.  Anyway, here's my breakdown of the album starting with what little I did like. The final track "More Than A King" was the only real stand out track. It was also the only track where he sounded most aggressive and non-swaggy with his rapping. The highlight of this song though was the cool beat switch up in the from trap style beat to something more underground and throwback. A definite favorite if I had to pick one. "No Option" became a more like-able song the more I listened to it. This due in large part to King Los's dope guest verse that sounded very Childish Gambino like. But the beat is pretty cool as well. Cool song. "Murda" had a really dope beat and an even doper guest verse from Pusha T (who saved the hell out of this song). But this is another good beat I feel is wasted because of Kid Ink's lack of lyrical depth. Now on to my many dislikes. Like every other swag rapper, Kid Ink favorite topic of discussion is females. He made that loud and clear with countless songs on here for them. None of them were appealing at all. First there's "Iz U Down" which is nothing but all hook, all beat and mediocre swag rap lyrics. He's joined by Tyga on here and the both of them are talking about nothing but how they use their swag to pull females basically. As weak of a song as this is, it's sounds single worthy and that scares me a little. Speaking of single worthy, "We Just Came To Party" actually sounds more single worthy than "Iz U Down". This the second song aimed at the ladies and again, okay hook by August Alsina (despite the repetitiveness), okay trap beat, but Kid Ink's "singy" rap lyrics makes this so non-enjoyable. I feel like this would sound better if it was someone else's song. The next ladies anthem is "Main Chick" and this is the second Chris Brown assisted track on the album. Now this actually is well produced by DJ Mustard who becoming very popular in hip hop. Honestly it sounds like the remix to "Show Me" but much worst. The hook is very lackluster and rushed. Then Kid Ink's boring sing-raps does nothing help as he talks about stealing random chicks and making them his main. I thought rappers were against the whole "wife-ing random chicks at the club" thing? Whatever the case, not even a cool mainstream beat could save this one. But wait, there's more. "Tattoo Of My Name" is a song I kinda expected to hear on this album. He spits some lame lyrics about wanting to brand his girl by tattooing his name on her. This is something else I thought people were against but I guest when you simp like he is on this track then all of that means nothing. This is honestly a Drake song minus the extra singing and depressed emotions. Just not feeling it at all. I'm sure some ladies will enjoy some of these tracks but they all to me pretty much ruined the album. "No Miracles" is an interesting collaboration of him, Elle Varner and Machine Gun Kelly. Now here he finally talks about something different and speak on something more inspiring and I guess "deep". But as you can guess, he's not that guy and he falls short of that. Where he messed up was trying to insert his swag style in a song that supposed to have serious meaning and that will ruin a song every time. I do like what he is trying to talk about as far as overcoming obstacles, pain and suffering to make it in life but again he just doesn't nail it. Waste of effort. In conclusion, this album was not quite enjoyable to me. You can have all the catchy hooks and beats all you want but if you're raps are boring and hold no weight then it's a no go for me. I give it a final grade of a C-. As this swag rap era continues to grow, Kid Ink as well as the others will more than likely stick around for quite sometime  because of their ability to make hit records. But a lot has to be done for them to be taken more serious. In Kid Ink's case, I think his album title is mis-leading. Nothing on this album showed me that he's in his own lane. He's in a lane with a bunch of other people. If he wants to be in his own lane, he has to bring more variety and originality to his music. Do that and the Kid Ink personal lane will open. No question. End.

Final Grade: C-

CREDITS

Executive Producers

DJ Ill Will

J. Grand

Lead Artist

Brian Collins

Production

Floyd Hollis

Alex Schwartz

Joe Khajadourian

Dijon McFarlane

Michael Holmes

Andrew Harr

Jermaine Jackson

Lasanna Harris

Sham Joseph

Jeremy McArthur

Mikhail Cronin

Raphael Jurdin

Pierre Antoine-Melki

Larrance Dopson

Carl McCormick

Ned Cameron

Kenneth Coby

Khalief Brown

Collaboration

Christopher Brown

Michael Stevenson

August Alsina

Carlos Coleman

Terrence Thornton

Richard Baker

Gabrielle Varner

Brandon Green

Robert Williams

Olubowale Akintimehin

Darold Ferguson

Karim Kharbouch

Label

The Alumni Music Group/88 Classic/RCA Records