Yeah, I think YG was a victim of the “first quarter fuck-its” for me. We'd just ended a fucking incredible year for hip-hop, where almost all the big names we all love released mind-be singly awesome material *.
Then we started 2014 with hopes of seeing new Wu, Kanye & Kendrick.. But all that ended up happening for he first few months of the year with nothing but Rick Ro$$ on the shelves as far as established motherfuckers go.
YG was kinda just there. Along with Kid Ink, Sage The Gemini, and a bunch of other “Well, whooptie-shit! Generic bangers and more of the same!”
It literally took the entire year for me to develop an appreciation for it. It wasn't a flash in the pan. My Krazy Life really is a fresh little album, and YG stands out from the crowd big time.
I now agree with most of popular culture, and believe YG's debut is definite “classic” matrial... I don't think he has done anything to earn comparisons to Kendrick's “... m.A.A.d. city” but that's just me. It's just a great coming of age rap record born of Gangsta nostalgia. But it's not fair to place it next to a champion game changer.
But yeah, it's pretty dope. I was guilty of sleeping on it for a bit.
I also have to admit that I love both Blacc Hollywood & Paperwork & The New Classic & Cadillactica & Year of the Wolf & Seen it All. Haha! Not top ten material for the most part, but very enjoyable records all.
* I just want to take a minute to mention Jay-Z here. My initial reaction to Magna Carta was positive, but a little bit unenthusiastic. I gave into the bad press. I spun that shit in the background and never really blasted it on headphones enough to appreciate the production and the excellent lyrics. I made the wrong call in the end. Magna Carta, Holy Grail was every bit as good as Nothing Was the Same.... Good thing HOV doesn't give a shit what I think about his records. Lol!
|