YBN Cordae has someone who has been on everyone's radar since he dropped his 'My Name Is' Remix in May 2018 and then when he made his response track to J Cole's '1985'. So to see he finally had a full album out to listen to I was really excited...
Cordae is definitely someone who wears his influences on his sleeve. Throughout the album I could hear a bit of Chance the Rapper in there, but easily the most prominent inspiration for Cordae seems like J Cole. Some of the beats were so 'Cole-esque'. And some of the flows and the hooks definitely wouldn't sound out of place on Cole's last three albums. The best example of this is probably the hook on 'Nightmares Are Real' the cadences and even the effect he puts on his voice when he says "Life's a dream but nothing is a fairytale, do you love me - I can barely tell?"
I think over the next few years he'll develop his own sound more so. His influences are obvious, but it isn't to the point where it seems like he's biting or copying, because ultimately, he is still very unique of his generation of mainstream rappers that he is mad lyrical. It is refreshing to hear a mainstream rapper of his age to be spitting hard multi-syllable rhyme schemes. The rhyme schemes are full and developed, so Cordae just flows from bar to bar comfortably. This is another hint that he has influences in the right areas of Hip Hop - to be that technically gifted already. Look at this bar from the last song 'Lost and Found' - "Cause I'm on my grind, watch how I kickflip, money notorious, I'm buying big shit, God is so glorious, bless me with riches".
I'd be lying if I said this album was perfect. There were some poorer bars. For example on the 'bar-for-bar' lyrics with Anderson .Paak, there was this bar "Like back in '03, I was only like 6, shit I was like 16, but I can give her 16, I can make a bitch scream, that's a bit extreme."
Weirdly though, that track 'RNP' is one of my favourite tracks on the album. I love how Anderson .Paak helps Cordae switch up the vibe on this track, it felt kinda funky, and it seemed very necessary for the album. And anyway, for every bad bar, there was at least 5 good ones around it.
The features were really good, Pusha T came through with an amazing verse, storytelling Hip Hop to a T, Meek Mill smashed his hook, so did Arin Ray and Ty Dolla $ign's verse was quality.
This album is full of soul and you can tell how special this project is to Cordae. He has taken his time and that has paid dividends. You can tell how much it means to him in his lyrics, and his technique and skill show his love for Hip Hop as well. Cordae has set the bar very high and will do well to reach these heights every time, but I think that he will. Coming out in the same week as Chance the Rapper and NF's albums (whom both have a much bigger fan base than Cordae), I hope this album doesn't get overlooked.
Favourite track - Nightmares Are Real.
8/10
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