EP Review: Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2 - Tkay Maidza

Up-and-coming Zimbabwe-born Australian rapper and pop artist Tkay Maidza has earned the attention of many with the first two releases from her planned Last Year Was Weird trio of EPs. While the first was received fairly well by many, the second installment from this series is head and shoulders above its predecessor in terms of quality and production level. The release of “Awake (feat. JPEGMAFIA)” in 2019 stopped me in my tracks, as this song captivated with hard-hitting bars and a soul-rattling bass. Luckily, the rest of the tracks which make up the 26-minute-long mixtape live up to if not exceed this standard, making Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2 my favorite EP release so far this year.

The opening track, “My Flowers”, is a trap-R&B cut which channels the likes of Little Simz in its delivery and substance. This song pairs a traditional pop chorus with a simplistic instrumental canvas which Maidza is able to paint with her artistic delivery. “24K” shifts things into a second gear, as Tkay Maidza’s flows and bars intensify to match the powerful and pulsing instrumental backing which flashes in and out of existence. This uptempo track finishes with harmonic vocal refrains from Maidza, which serve as a calm before the storm leading up to “Shook”. This song reminds me of a cafeteria freestyle with a booming lunch table beat and a continually evolving flow from Maidza. This track really is excellent and makes me wish for a collaboration between Tkay and Charli XCX which would certainly bring the house down.

JPEGMAFIA’s presence on “Awake” doesn’t go unnoticed, as his typical bold and brash delivery plays nicely off of Tkay’s on this lead single. “Awake” is, however, one of the last hard-hitting moments on the EP, as from here on out, each track becomes more and more introspective and pop or R&B inspired. “Grasshopper” utilizes industrial elements which make up a very unique instrumental backing for Maidza’s chaotic self-acceptance anthem. This eclectic cut continues the more focused, intentional approach Maidza has taken with this EP.

“You Sad” and the following “PB Jam” refrain from offering the same bursts of energy from the first few tracks, as they are more relaxing and fun songs from this project. I hear SZA’s influence toward the end of “You Sad” and find that “PB Jam” is truly original for Maidza, serving as a sign of things to come as she continues to develop personally and artistically. The EP closes with the unapologetic but calm “Don’t Call Again (feat. Kari Faux)”, highlighting Maidza’s seemingly newfound confidence and comfortability in herself and her music making ability. This cut is harmless but doesn’t sweep me off of my feet like I had hoped for.

I’ve found that I enjoy industrial and hard-hitting music very much, and because of that, this EP just worked on every level for me, mixing those sounds with neo-soul and pop rap elements. Each track is different than the last, but they’re all memorable hits. I’m excited to see up-and-coming artists continue to develop and release compelling projects like this one. I greatly enjoyed Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2, and can see myself keeping it on replay for days or even weeks to come. What did you think of this project? Let me know. Thanks for reading.

Favorite tracks: “My Flowers”, “24K”, “Shook”, “Awake (feat. JPEGMAFIA)”, “Grasshopper”, “You Sad”, “PB Jam”

SCORE: 9/10

Album Review: Limbo - Aminé

After the release of his 2017 debut album Good For You, critics and fans alike regarded Aminé as a refreshing and enthusiastic addition to the rap game. His lighthearted production, technically impressive flows, and oftentimes comedic lyricism differentiated his style from his colleagues’ at the time. His debut project wasn’t void of any shortcomings, however, as there was still plenty of room for the Portland native to improve as he moved forward in his musical career. Luckily, Limbo is a step in the right direction, as Aminé has improved nearly every aspect of his sound and production, offering a very solid West Coast trap album.

The first song opens with one of the many spoken interludes found throughout the project which often complement the themes and topics being discussed on their following tracks. “Burden” utilizes a high-pitched backing refrain to support Aminé’s bold and confident delivery. “Woodlawn” is a traditional trap banger with clap drums and a deep bass, all which fit well as this track turns into a “look how far we’ve come” reflection. After the “Kobe” interlude meditates on the tragic loss of the Black Mamba from earlier this year, “Roots (feat. JID, Charlie Wilson)” offers one of the more insightful cuts from the front end of this record, as Aminé and his accompanying features use more flowery language (quite literally, at times) to reflect on how their heritage has led them to who they are now.

“Can’t Decide” is a relatively straightforward track about uncertainties surrounding a somewhat complicated relationship. Aminé’s delivery pairs well the the hard-hitting bass backing his vocals, which lead to a smooth and memorable chorus. These themes of introspection and relationships continue on “Compensating (feat. Young Thug"), which is a fun but semi-forgettable track. As you know by now, I find Young Thug’s delivery very hit-or-miss, and unfortunately, his presence on this track doesn’t land for me.

“Shimmy” wears its influences on its sleeve, as Aminé incorporates samples from Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s 1995 hit song “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”. This track is braggadocious and confident, but again, there’s a depth lacking here which causes this song to fall short of the standard set earlier in the tracklist. This song does, however, transition nicely into the following track “Pressure In My Palms (feat. slowthai, Vince Staples)”, which is one of my favorite cuts on the entire album. Instead of being outshined by the features on this track, Aminé holds his own alongside slowthai and Staples, who are known for taking over tracks. This grimy and bass-heavy track is one of the most memorable out of the bunch.

“Riri”, one of the lead singles for this album, is underwhelming at best for me. I do, however, appreciate Aminé’s statement accompanying the release of this song’s music video, which was essentially that he wanted to show black joy in a time of such strife and struggle for so many. “Easy (feat. Summer Walker)” consists of seductive and compelling instrumentation, but again, the subject matter and depth of this track is surface-level, leaving me unsatisfied. Luckily, this lull in the middle of the project is short-lasting, and things end on a high note.

“Mama” is an extremely sentimental appreciation anthem from Aminé to his mom, jam packed with heartstring-tugging momma’s boy bars. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album just because of its relatability. “Becky” is extremely timely, as Aminé reflects on the prevalent racial injustice we find ourselves dealing with so often in this country, and “I’m fed up with a world that I know I can’t change” is just a heartbreakingly relatable bar. “Fetus” continues to deliver on the emotional level, as Aminé and rap trio Injury Reserve reflect on their future children. The sudden and unexpected loss of Injury Reserve member Jordan Groggs in June adds to the potency of this track, and a simplistic backing instrumental just works here. Things close off with “My Reality”, which consists of Aminé recognizing that he’s now living the life he once dreamed of. The luscious instrumental and traditionally comedic yet reflective delivery from Aminé are only made more effective by a surprise contribution from Daniel Caesar to close the album out. Overall, this is a very cohesive rap album with trap elements, and I’m glad to watch Aminé continue to develop artistically.

After not being blown away by the singles leading up to this release, I was glad the other tracks turned out as impressive as they did. Aminé is an artist to watch moving forward, as his ability to move seamlessly from sub-genre to sub-genre to make quality projects is very impressive. I enjoyed Limbo, and I highly suggest you give it a listen. Thanks for reading.

Favorite tracks: “Burden”, “Woodlawn”, “Roots”, “Pressure In My Palms (feat. slowthai, Vince Staples)”, “Mama”, “Becky”, “Fetus (feat. Injury Reserve)”, “My Reality”

SCORE: 7/10

Why Joe Biden Should Choose Kamala Harris As His VP

A presidential candidate’s VP choice can make or break their entire campaign. The electorate’s reaction to the selection, the VP’s record and past, and the opportunities for the opponent to attack the eventual selection are vital in determining who wins the presidency come election day. As we all know by now, this year’s upcoming election is unlike any we’ve ever had in this country. November 3rd will serve as a referendum as America decides the direction it wants to continue heading, by either selecting Joe Biden or Donald Trump to hold office for the next four years. To add to the magnitude of this election, we are in the midst of a global pandemic and massive civil rights movement, all while the economy slowly collapses and the United States becomes an international laughing stock. In this post, I’m going to make the case for why I believe Joe Biden should choose Kamala Harris as his VP because of her policy proposals, somewhat progressive ideals, and qualifications met which were set by the Biden campaign.

I need to start by stating I will be voting for Joe Biden regardless of who he selects as his VP, as the shortlist is filled with extremely qualified, intelligent, and determined women. Whether it ends up being Kamala Harris, Susan Rice, Elizabeth Warren, Karen Bass, or any of the other women being considered for the position, I’m sure that the Biden campaign is confident in their eventual selection, and that whoever is chosen has been properly vetted for the job. Joe Biden has already committed to selecting a woman as his running mate, and has received pressure to select a woman of color more recently given the events in the country. Kamala Harris, who for a short time led in polls against her competitors in the Democratic primary race, meets all of the qualifications set by the Biden campaign.

Representation is important. We’ve never had a black woman selected as a vice presidential running mate in this country, which is completely overdue. Kamala Harris has experience running a campaign on a national level, on the debate stage, and as a Senator. While many of the other candidates being considered meet some of these qualifications, none meet all so clearly as Harris does. Harris is also young at only 55 years old, which creates a path in which she could be the first woman president in either 4 or 8 years depending on Joe Biden’s competency and health if he were to be elected.

While not as progressive as some of her colleagues such as Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren (who would be my ideal VP selections), Harris is right about many issues. She co-signed Bernie Sanders’ Medicare-For-All bill, supports the Green New Deal, supports criminal justice reform, and falls on the right side of many more pressing issues going into this election, especially when compared to her counterpart Mike Pence, who is in favor of conversion therapy and criminalizing a woman’s right to choose. Substantively, Harris is more in-line with the majority of the Democratic electorate’s policy prescriptions than the other progressive candidates who could have been selected as the nominee. She and Biden are very ideologically aligned, and Biden selecting her as a running mate doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch, as the betting markets are confident that Harris will soon be announced as Biden’s vice presidential selection.

As the Democratic National Convention nears, the anticipation for who Biden will select as his vice president is increasing rapidly. While my ideal pick for the position would be Elizabeth Warren, I think that Joe Biden should choose Kamala Harris given the current political landscape and circumstances. I’m sure we will find out very soon, and hopefully the selection is favored both now and come election time in November. Who do you think Biden will choose? Let me know. Thanks for reading.

Let's Talk About... Trumpism

The shock had nearly worn off by inauguration day. As much as I would like to say I handled the 2016 election maturely, I’ll admit that instead of continuing to fight the good fight by advocating for my progressive policy prescriptions, I instead became politically distant. In my defense, I was still in high school, and my knowledge base wasn’t as deep then as it is now about these matters. At the same time, though, I was able to recognize the sheer absurdity of the situation, as we had just decided to elect a reality TV star as the next president. I hoped that all of the fears I had about his potential presidency would be proven wrong, and that we would do more than just survive as a country through his term. But even that may be too much to ask for at this point.

I was sitting in science class and since inaugurations are a big deal, my teacher was playing the event on the projector for the classroom. Attending the mostly conservative high school I did meant there were many of his supporters in the room with me, who instead of being terrified of what was happening, felt empowered and proud of the man filling the most prestigious office in the world. They were so entitled, in fact, that they reprimanded and judged me for not joining them in celebrating, calling me unamerican and Marxist (as if they knew what that meant). And before you think you know where this is going, I couldn’t care less what his supporters say or think about me. My feelings aren’t hurt. I don’t feel threatened or invalidated. Instead, I just recognize the hypocrisy of these pseudoconservative, pseudochristian supporters who were so vitriolic toward someone they disagreed with.

They must just feel emboldened by victory, I thought. But the more I pondered, the more confused I was by the actions and behaviors of those who should finally feel relief and joy after “suffering” through eight years of a president whose policies they didn’t agree with. That wasn’t the case. Instead of feeling the same relief that I will feel when the current president leaves office, hopefully in three months, his supporters were just as angry after he won in 2016, which was a sign of things to come that I wasn’t aware of yet. The 2016 election shined a light on the deplorable underbelly of America’s foundational inequities, prejudices, and stupidities. In response to the landmark elections of 2008 and 2012, the quietly racist and bigoted conservative electorate in this country sloppily tugged the pendulum back in their direction, and an unnamed movement could finally be identified — Trumpism was born.

We don’t need to get into the specifics of the 2016 election in this post, but put simply, there were many systemic factors and outside curveballs which handed Trump an election which he never should have won. Foreign interference, domestic voter suppression, an outdated electoral college system, and awful media coverage all played into what happened, just to name a few elements. But what this election revealed and created is ugly. Rightwing social media echo chambers, “alternative facts”, a denial of science, and a lack of critical thinking became more prominent than ever before. The first three years weren’t great (kids in cages, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord, mocking disabled reporters, etc.), but this year, every nightmare which Never-Trumpers had in 2016 has become a waking reality.

In the midst of a mishandled global pandemic which has led to more than 150,000 American deaths, the biggest civil rights movement in recent memory, and leading up to a pivotal election, Donald Trump is consistently wrong, uninformed, and behaving dangerously, but for some reason, his supporters just don’t seem to see it. It wasn’t clear for them when Trump claimed the coronavirus would “disappear” when we had 15 cases, and now we have more than 4,000,000. It wasn’t clear after the racial unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia when Donald Trump referred to self-identified white supremacists as “Very fine people (on both sides)”. It’s not enough now when there are paramilitary troops being sent to patrol cities or as Trump suggests we delay the November election in authoritarian fashion. Instead of recognizing the insanity of any of these examples, just to name a few, Trumpist supporters of his call progressives snowflakes, claim we have Trump derangement syndrome, attack academia for supposedly brainwashing those who seek higher education, and continue to just ride high on the entitlement and emboldening that the 2016 election granted them. I hope the polling we are seeing now is accurate, and that there is a blue tsunami come November. We must get out and vote, and we must remove this existential threat from office. His supporters are too far gone to reform their thinking, so we must let them go ignored as we seek progress, equality, and opportunity for our nation.

I’m done pretending that it’s just a difference of opinion anymore. The reality is that I have empathy, intelligence, and common sense, and I’m not going to force neutrality any longer. Black Lives Matter. We need to listen to the science and wear the masks. We need to seek equality of opportunity for all. There’s no way in hell I’m going to let the current president, his supporters, or Trumpism as a movement get in the way of that.

Thanks for reading.

Register to vote: https://vote.gov/

2020 Presidential Election Map Prediction As Of August

One month ago today, I made my first presidential election map prediction post on this blog. Since then, quite a bit has happened politically, but very little has change in terms of state predictions. The coronavirus pandemic continues to worsen, the projected GDP Q2 numbers are abysmal, and the president continues to insight division by sending paramilitary troops to cities under the guise of protection, while also hinting that he wants to delay November’s election, which would undermine democracy as we know it. Despite a continuing popular vote lead for former VP Joe Biden, the electoral system in this country has led me to believe that now, despite great national numbers for Biden, the final electoral score will be slightly closer than I predicted in July. Let’s take a look.

For the most part, the states which I categorized as safe for both parties last month have stayed the same. The polling averages in these states are consistent and match historical trends, leading me to believe that these states shouldn’t be surprising come election night. My classifications are as follows: HI (D), WA (D), OR (D), CA (D), IL (D), NY (D), VT (D), MA (D), RI (D), CT (D), NJ (D), DE (D), MD (D), DC (D), ID (R), WY (R), ND (R), SD (R), NE (R), OK (R), AR (R), LA (R), MS (R), AL (R), TN (R), KY (R), and WV (R). If any of these states are within five percentage points on election night, I will be surprised, and the election will likely trend toward whichever candidate is benefitting from such a hypothetical election miracle.

There is compelling polling data which makes me think that states I classified as safe Republican last month have shifted toward Joe Biden, and now can only be classified as likely. Alaska, for example, which for decades has been a conservative stronghold, is closer than expected as of today. The same is true of Indiana and South Carolina. On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve moved Minnesota into the likely column for the Democratic Party. My classifications are as follows for likely states: CO (D), NM (D), MN (D), VA (D), ME (D), AK (R), MT (R), UT (R), KS (R), MO (R), IN (R), and SC (R).

The lean categorizations are always fun. I’m fairly confident in these predictions as of right now, but if they were to flip on election night, I wouldn’t be shocked. Biden needs to hold onto Pennsylvania and Michigan to maintain his confidence in winning the presidency. As polling has shown so far, he should feel good about his chances. I’ve classified the lean states as: NV (D), MI (D), PA (D), NH (D), TX (R), and IA (R).

And now, last but certainly not least, it’s time to predict the tilt states, which I consider the true toss-ups going into the election. I think states like Wisconsin, Florida, and Arizona will be closer when it’s game time than they are now. I also think my state of Georgia will be extremely close, and because of that, I will be encouraging as many people as I can to get out and vote. Overall, I think these states will split electorally between the two candidates, but anything can happen with three months until the election. I classify the tilt states as: AZ (D), WI (D), FL (D), OH (R), NC (R), and GA (R).

As we know by now, politics, polls, and perceptions can change very quickly. With three months until Election Day, there is still a lot of time for the entire landscape to shift in either direction. But given the state of affairs in the country, and pending the reception to Joe Biden’s upcoming running mate selection, these are my predictions as of August. I have Joe Biden winning with 319 electoral votes to Trump’s 219. If the election were held today, who do you think would win the presidency? Let me know. Thanks for reading.