10.0

#NerdSummer2011

Thesis

It would be alright if this is just a quick blog before lunch. I think it's going to be peanut butter & jam sandwich with chicken noodle soup. Probably chocolate milk for a drink. Is there any better language I could use to convey myself in lunchtime mentality? Is this an accurate portrayal of a sleepy and hungry and chilled out self? lol Can't wait to eat.

Summer Music Review (04)

Here's some writing about the album for which I have halted two parties. Apologies to party people in the place we be, but I love me this music:

Im Gay [2011]

by Lil B

(self-released)

Lil B has finally recorded his masterpiece. And for all of you who have only heard gimmick tracks like "I'm Miley Cyrus" and "Wonton Soup," the previous declaration probably doesn't mean much. Yes, Based God can seem like a joke. Yes, he's released upwards of 1,000 tracks in just a few years. Yes, he is Ellen Degeneres. But (this is why I love him) he's never ironic. I'm pretty sure he cares about "Justin Bieber" as much as he does "I'm God." Now he's trying to make a statement (just look at that cover), and though it's a political failure, it's a musical triumph. Let's talk politics first.

I've previously praised Based God for playing with the standard heterosexist misogyny of rap. But he manages to avoid and ignore the topic all together on a record called Im Gay (the subtitle on the album artwork is an unnecessarily homophobic qualifier too). The album title is based, but it seems more like a publicity stunt than the genuinely progressive moment Lil B wants it to be. This is a missed opportunity to open up about sexuality and identity on a release where people are actually listening to him. While he has tweeted and stated in interviews that he is intentionally pointing out the utility of language and attempting to counteract homophobia in rap, Im Gay could have been a bolder social statement. As is, it's just an excellent musical statement.

That's enough for me. Because I need this positivity and this flow. Here is Based God's first wholly cohesive and consistent album. Im Gay stays at a steady midtempo for its entire running length, but it packs the momentum and punch of [insert name of high-profile and praised rapper] going hard. The production throughout is stellar. From the Spirited Away soundtrack and Barack Obama-sampling "Gon Be Okay" to the chopped and screwed "Iris" that backs "I Hate Myself," the beats are colorful and effective. No, it's not on a RZA or FlyLo level, but it sounds so right beneath Lil B's stream-of-consciousness ramble.

As per usual, most of the raps are based. A lot of the rhymes are nonsense and a lot aren't rhymes. This is nothing out of the ordinary for Lil B (the self-proclaimed "rawest rapper alive"). He's never been a great rapper because he's great at rapping. He's a great rapper because he uses his music to promote a positivity and spirituality that we need. And in the midst of his out-of-control freestyles, he stumbles across socially complex statements like "The hood is a lie," and moments of introspection like "I see myself in the mirror but I don't see nothin." It's his rawness that makes these lines shine. He's never been dishonest to himself or his listener, and the honesty makes for a more intriguing listen. Or maybe you shouldn't trust this review because I unconditionally love Lil B for his based lifestyle.

Real talk: there are more moments of clarity on this album than any of his prior releases, and the production is excellent front-to-back. It's fun, accessible, and chill. And let's be honest: I've teared up a few times to "Unchain Me." Oops. Even if he isn't the best rapper, he is my favorite rapper. I hope Lil B never changes. Thank You Based God.

Conclusions

That took way too long. Now I'll make myself a sandwich.

DRAKE I FEEL YOU BRO