There is no doubt that shorter albums are becoming a trend, especially after Kanye West’s seven-song album stunt. While Kanye’s efforts fell short, Vince Staples’ recent 11 song project, “FM!” delivers a strong message in just 22 minutes. This project gives fans an authentic view of the California sound — mainly centered in Los Angeles and Oakland. With features from Ty Dolla Sign, Jay Rock, Earl Sweatshirt, Kamaiyah, E-40, Tyga and Kehlani, this album features a Californian collective.

“I took time off from recording my next album to make a very special project dedicated to my biggest fan and supporter since day one,” Staples wrote in a throwback post on his Instagram which featured a picture of some kid. “He said he needed something that represented him and where he comes from so here it is.”

This is a solid project that is the perfect length for listening during a commute. It has plenty of replay value, which will be great considering the low attention span fans have when listening to music nowadays.

The album lives up to its name, “FM!,” as it starts off with staticky noise and sounds from radio host Big Boy of Big Boy’s Neighborhood, who is arguably the voice of LA. Right off the bat, the project starts out with full energy and harsh vibes that Staples credits to the sunny location of Los Angeles.  

Elements of the Bay Area are sprinkled in throughout the project. Some noticeable sounds are E-40’s adlibs in the single, FUN!, and of course, Bay Area native Kehlani’s vocals on the song “Tweakin.” Another element that makes this project great are the transitions between songs. Not one song sounds out of place as it flows to the next track and creates a strong and cohesive project within 22 minutes.

Toward the end of the album, the tempo changes and it is clear that though LA is the sunshine city, there are some harsh realities associated with living there. From the smooth melodies of Ty Dolla Sign singing on “Feels Like Summer,” to the final track “Tweakin,” “FM!” sums up the whole LA experience — the good and the bad.

The album, despite its sonic appeal, came off as a tease. Though shorter projects are more digestible, most of the time the ones that make a greater impact have full-length songs and fewer interludes. The interlude with Earl Sweatshirt could have made a killer song. After the announcement of Earl Sweatshirt’s new project, “NOWHERE2GO,” releasing today, it is a good play on marketing. The interlude with Tyga also sounds like it could have made a huge impact. Though “Tweakin,” with Kehlani is great, it would have been stronger in the middle of the album, or as an interlude instead. Overall, for a project this short, the features were not used efficiently, and essentially did not do much for the complete rating.

“FM!” serves as a nice filler album until Staples is able to put out another project. Since his last studio album, “Big Fish Theory,” was released back in 2017, this does the job of satisfying fans until his next big release.

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It’s the 90th year of operation for the Very Little Theatre. What better way to celebrate than with a rendition of the classic “Dracula.” The play is based on the 1897 classic novel written by Bram Stoker and directed by Stanley Coleman. Throughout the performance, the actors ensure there is never a dull moment. VLT uses their small budget to produce an excellent interpretation of Stoker’s novel.

The play follows the classic vampire, Dracula, whose presence brings terror to those around him. The audience gets to explore Dracula’s quest  (played by Joel Ibanez) from Transylvania to London in search of new blood. Throughout the play, the characters explore themes of pureness, deviant behavior and fear of the unknown. This makes for a good story while also showcasing the roots Stoker imposed in his novel.

Though “Dracula” is coined as a “horror” piece, one of the best parts of this performance is the production. For  being a small theatre, the efforts put into the lighting schemes, the set-up of the stage and the way in which the story is told make this performance much stronger. The theatre was shockingly mall, which is at first a bit off-putting. However, midway through the performance, the small setting was no longer odd, but rather fit with the performance quite well.

From the start of the play, the character Renfield, played by Blake Beardsley, immediately interacts with the crowd. From looking as if he is somewhat sane while sipping some wine to pleading to “master” in an almost-naked rage, Beardsley steals the crowd’s attention. The smoke from the stage coming through the audience in various scenes creates a more intimate feel and brings the viewer deeper into the story. Lastly, the lighting used within this performance was great for each scene. Whether it was an outdoor scene or one within Dracula’s chambers, the play benefited from this format.

The actor’s performances were another aspect that made the production stand out. Each character established their presence and demonstrated why they were important in the story. Whether it was Lucy, who is played by Melanie Moser, screaming to the top of her lungs and working to seduce Dr. John Seward, or Dracula controlling the characters around him, it brought the book to life.

One can even go a layer deeper in the character development of the actors and see the themes related to the story. For example: the idea of pureness as it relates to women within the story. We see this with the three vixens who present themselves as sexual deviants, but are wearing all white. Also, the effect Dracula has on those who submit themselves to him is a big theme. Renfield practically commits suicide to please Dracula and Lucy is no longer recognizable after falling victim as well.    

Like most good things, it has to come to an end. The Dracula play concluded by bringing the story full circle and solving the mystery haunting London. If one had never seen a Dracula movie before or read the book, this will be a fun mystery to watch.

Dracula will run Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. through November 8-10. For tickets and more information, visit the Very Little Theatre website.

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More than 100 people filled the McDonald Theatre Friday night for a Halloween-themed lip sync battle. Relief Nursery hosted its third annual Lip Sync Reloaded event that featured eight performing groups from the community. Each group graced the stage in costumes related to their performance, from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” to men performing cheer routines in green and white cheer suits.  

Relief Nursery is an organization formed to help parents in need of guidance to have healthy family relationships. According to their mission statement, Relief Nursery “prevents the cycle of child abuse and neglect through early intervention that focuses on building successful and resilient children, strengthening parents, and preserving families.”

While this was presented as a fun event, audience members were also able to bid between $25 and $1,000 on the group they found to be the most entertaining. The donations will be used for parental education courses for a full year. The funds generated from this event are helping Relief Nursery in their mission to successfully educate parents who may need these resources. Though the issue behind this event is a serious matter, it was great to have a group of members from the community come and put their all into a lip sync performance.

The performances ranged from tributes to Madonna and NSYNC to the Addams Family and Hocus Pocus reenactments. Eight groups from around Eugene and Springfield performed: Eugene’s Summit Funding, Inc., The Human Bean, Eugene Emerald’s, Relief Nursery, Junior League of Eugene, the Eugene-Springfield Fire Department, Eugene Active 20-30 Club #920 and Kendall Auto Group.

The Eugene and Springfield Fire Department light up the stage with their routine. Teams from Eugene and Springfield participate in the Relief Nursery’s Lip Sync Battle Reloaded at the McDonald Theater in Eugene, Ore. on Oct. 26, 2018. (Madi Mather/Emerald)

Jen Henrikson, a board member of the Junior League of Eugene, dressed as an early 2000s Britney Spears for her performance. She explained her reasons for participating in the lip sync event as a way to connect what her organization (which is mostly targeted toward women) does and how it coincides with what the Relief Nursery stands for.

Though the event was the first stop in Halloween festivities for some, various people from all ages attended. One member of the audience, Haley Schuman, described the event as a great way to have fun doing something that’s never been done in the area before, and to support the Relief Nursery.

“There’s really not an event like it in the Eugene-Springfield area. … it’s kind of a trend right now to do like the lip sync thing,” Schuman said.

After the performances, members of the crowd were able to enjoy the sweet tunes of Eugene’s own Pop Rocks band. The admission for the lip sync challenge covered the performance fees. Refreshments and pizza were also provided for sale.

Community Engagement Coordinator Kristen Bartels plans to do this event again next year and is always looking for more participants. She urges members of the community to set up a team and get involved with the lip sync battle by contacting her.

At the end of the night, the winner of the lip synch battle went Kendall Auto Group. They performed “Thriller,” and “I’ll Put a Spell on You,” from the Hocus Pocus film.

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The rhythm and blues genre has had a void of artists keeping a consistent sound — meaning plenty of R&B artists have a pop rollout to compensate for the genre not working commercially. But Ella Mai’s self-titled album, released last Friday, gives R&B fans who wish to have that sound back something to refresh their library.

Mai is an English singer from London who rose to fame after her first single, “Boo’d Up,” which has recently become popular despite being released a few months ago. Fans from all mixes of life — young and old — enjoyed the smooth track. Following “Boo’d Up,” she released her second single, “Trip,” in August. It went viral on social media after controversy rose surrounding R&B singer Jacquees’ cover of the song. His version started to become bigger than Mai’s, causing 10 Summers and Interscope Records to remove it from Youtube and SoundCloud. Still, these moments only added to the hype of Mai’s debut album.

Because 10 Summers is DJ Mustard’s label, one can expect the beats on Mai’s album to be a bit more uptempo. After listening to the record, it is clear there was a formula used for the majority of the songs. The formula consists of using a simple beat mixed with lack-luster lyrics and a repetitive chorus. With a voice as soothing as Mai’s, the project lacked originality and was underperformed.

The album takes listeners on a journey from Mai’s desire to be loved to the after-effects of just wanting to live her best life. One can hear the progression in songs like “Shot Clock,” where Mai essentially acknowledges that she could have any man she wanted. The track also has sampled lyrics from Drake’s 2015 single, “Legend.”

Out of all 16 tracks, less than half the album had a non-generic sound without repetitive lyrics. A lot of the songs had mellow sounds on DJ Mustard-produced beats.  They consisted of a catchy chorus filled with effortless lyrics. “Dangerous,” “Easy” and “Naked (Bonus Track)” are some of the songs that stand out to capture the essence of Mai’s voice.    

Her use of features for her first studio album was hit and miss. The Chris Brown feature on “Watchamacallit” sounds like a throwaway record and could have easily been left off. Going back to earlier critiques, it seemed to go with the formula and took away from the album rather than added to it. The tracks with John Legend and H.E.R served their purpose by showing what Mai’s voice can do alongside other prominent acts. It was a good decision to limit the number of features on this project.

The album was good, but at certain moments did not live up to the hype that the first single brought. This is supposed to be a self-titled album introducing the world to Ella Mai. The moments of Mai speaking her truth with spoken word add to the album’s mission; however, it is not clear that the songs give the same feeling.

I do believe this album will sit well with R&B fans who have been waiting for some pure soulful music. For new listeners who are just a fan of melodies and good beats, this album will satisfy as well. But, if you have been following Ella Mai for some time, this album may come as a bit of a dissapointment.

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The first week of October has come and gone. Preparation for Halloween festivities is upon us, and art gallery director Aunia Kahn is approaching this year with a twist. “Summoning the Muse: A Witchy Exhibit,” is an art exhibit showcasing all aspects of things that would define the classic witch. It is hosted at Alexi Era Gallery & Projects in Downtown Eugene.

“I think the art show is really great to embody the kind of feminine sacred feeling of almost a spirituality kind of feel around witchcraft,” Kahn said, “as opposed to someone coming in thinking ‘Oh, it’s gonna be these traditional ha-ha witches,’ or ‘Oh it’s gonna be this dark witchy thing.”

According to Kahn’s event details, “witches are found across cultures in Spain, Africa, North America, India, etc. and share the practice of, and belief in, magical skills and abilities that can be exercised individually, by designated social groups, or by persons with the necessary, esoteric secret knowledge.”

The exhibit features paintings, drawings and alters with different symbolism. The featured artists come from various locations including Spain and the local Oregon area.   

Autumn Steam, a ceramics artist from Salem, Oregon, shared her work as a representation of the elements she feels a witch would embody. Her art includes hand-crafted depictions of the elements: air, fire, spirit, water and the earth. Though the theme of this exhibit is based on witches, Steam’s approach to it is centered around nature worship.

“For me, it is definitely a craft,” Steam said. “I love nature and I love to honor the earth, so I feel most connected when I’m on a hike or in my garden or taking care of animals or stuff like that. This is just kind of an indoor representation of that.”

Summoning the Muse was on display at the Alexi Era Gallery on Oct. 5, 2018. (Henry Ward/Emerald)

The elements of witchcraft vary from artist to artist. Marilyn Kent uses her work to represent a certain time period in her life and a way of moving forward.

“I’m more interested in natural elements and what they might portray for various things,” Kent said. “I think that’s an element of — I don’t really want to call it witchcraft, but I’d say a magical practice that’s sort of mentally tending toward that area.”

Overall, the theme of nature, feminine spirit and a sort of healing power is present at “Summoning the Muse.” The wide range of images of various women, alters filled with tarots and pieces that symbolize the celebration of life bring together the cultural view of witches. Kahn assures everyone is welcome to come and experience the work of the participating artists. 

“This is not a pagan exhibition. This isn’t an anti-Christian exhibition,” said Kahn. “This is an exhibition that is about these beautiful, wonderful women and men, culturally, who have given us gifts such as medicine and people we look at who are spiritual leaders.”

This exhibit is free and will run through Oct. 27. It is located at Alexi Era Gallery & Projects, 1712 Willamette St., Ste. 100 Eugene, OR 97401.

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It’s that time again and we all know the feeling of starting school after a hot summer. Whether it’s your first round at this thing we call college or your final match, we all need that extra motivation to get started. With Oregon weather, there is no telling what is to come as we head deep into fall. For those looking for something to help keep up the pace, here’s a playlist filled with songs, old and new, that can help you further transition into the new school year.

Travis Scott – “SICKO MODE”

With “SICKO MODE” from Travis Scott’s third album, “Astroworld,” you are getting the greatest gift: three mixes of songs joined together on one five-minute track. Graced with appearances from Drake and Swae Lee, “SICKO MODE” gives you the elements of work ethic that students feel during their first term back to school. First, you get a slow start that parallels the transition period from summer to fall. Then Travis brings it back with a southern, upbeat mix that gets you back into the groove as classes start rolling out. Finally, we are left with an even faster beat that sets the tone as we move past syllabus week.   

OutKast – “Hey Ya!”

When it comes to mood playlists, it would be crazy not to include at least one OutKast song. For this set, we want to feel good, and there’s no better feeling you get than listening to the timeless bop “Hey Ya!” Though it’s an early 2000s single, this song still resonates with the new generation today, and even if they don’t know OutKast, they will remember this song and the feelings it brings. If you are looking for something fast-paced and useful for a morning class preparation or even a pregame on weekend nights, this is the ultimate staple.    

The Carters – “NICE”

Going into this school year, you want that mindset of “I can do anything…” as Beyoncé and Jay-Z would say in this motivational single. Released as the fourth track from their surprise collaborative album “Everything Is Love,” “NICE,” featuring Pharrell, showcases three of music’s most successful acts, while acknowledging all that they have done. It’s often that college students downplay the work they have accomplished. But this song will give them the extra boost to go into new projects, internships and, for some, even new jobs with the confidence that anything is possible.

Bobby Brown – “Every Little Step”

With the hype of the recent biopic for Bobby Brown, there are a few of us still jamming to the old hits resurfaced from the film. “Every Little Step,” from his sophomore album “Don’t Be Cruel,” which sold more than three million copies, is one of the most noticeable. This song has the smooth lyrics of notable writers Babyface and L.A. Reid mixed with an even blend of hip-hop and R&B, giving the listener a chance to sing and dance effortlessly. This song can easily apply to one’s journey through college and getting through the next ten weeks of deadlines, meetings and the change from sunny weather to constant rainstorms.

Tony! Toni! Tone! – “Feels Good”

This ‘90s hit stands true to its title by providing a good-feeling, upbeat record that you can start your morning with. Tony! Toni! Tone! delivers the perfect new jack swing song that makes you want to dance and practically forces you to nod your head along. Listening to the lyrics offers a positive attitude as you enter the new school year and have to constantly remind yourself to stay optimistic. As you walk to your first class of week two, remember, as Tony! Toni! Tone! would say, “It feels good, it sho’ feels good to me.”

Listen to the full playlist here:

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Well-known podcaster Dylan Marron visited the University of Oregon on Thursday to showcase how he deals with people who presumably “hate” him. Marron is was nominated for an IFP Gotham Award & Drama Desk and is famous for the hit show “Welcome to Night Vale,” created by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor.

He is also known from his popular “Unboxing” series on Seriously.tv and creating the rebellious video series “Every Single Word” that combines words spoken by people of color in popular movies. Marron has received a lot of hate on the internet for the show.

At this event, Marron gave a full rundown of how he rose to popularity. His presentation went from being denied a role in the “Home Alone” series because he didn’t fit the universal “white” character to diving into media by creating videos full of, as he would say, “social justice warrior” elements.

As he opened the event, Marron let the audience know from the beginning the name most people may know him a: “Dylan Marron,” but the name he receives often in private from angry users is “Gaywad Fag.”

Rather than ignoring and shying away from this hate, Marron decided to take it a step further and have conversations with people to see why they felt obligated to comment with such hateful words. From that came the idea for his current work focus, “Conversations with People Who Hate Me.”

This podcast has been selected a “Podcast Pick” by USA Today and The Guardian. The show has also won a Webby award.

UO student Kathryn Gustafson, who is a longtime fan of Marron, says she feels that his new show is refreshing to see.

“I thought it was a really interesting idea,” Gustafson said. “A lot of times with the homophobic type people that comment on his posts, they never have to explain their reasoning.”

Marron stressed to everyone in the crowd that this series is in no way a debate, but rather a conversation. He also wanted to emphasize that change is not going to happen over just one phone call, but it’s a start.

When asked what the goal of this podcast would be, Marron simply puts it as “showing people what planting the seed can look like and how change is unsexy.”

Many members of the audience were a part of the education department, and some even asked a few questions through a text message screen poll related to bullying and how they can do better.  

Annie Kloosv, a senior studying education foundations at UO, quickly acknowledged her privilege as a white, cis-gender female. She says she saw this event as a chance to expose herself to different situations.   

“As a teacher, I’m going to have students from all different backgrounds and identities,” Kloosv said. “Just because I don’t have the same experience as them doesn’t mean I can’t listen to them and be an ally or advocate for them in the classroom, in the school and in their life.”

Marron left the crowd with a huge takeaway that everyone should just be “unapologetically them,” and that there are some huge things bubbling up with his future projects. Things that, according to him, can’t legally be discussed yet.

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Just four years after releasing their debut hit-single “No Flex Zone,” Mississippi’s own Rae Sremmurd has managed to show just how complex they are on the three-disc album, “SR3MM.” The album is composed of 27 songs, which showcases Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi’s solo work as well as the collaborations from the duo.

This project is composed of three albums, including Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi on solo projects and the third as a duo. So far, the record has been compared to southern duo OutKast’s classic “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below;” however, that marked an end for the two. This album seems to be the start of something new for Rae Sremmurd.

The collaboration part of the album, named “SR3MM,” is the strongest piece of the project. These two have a wide variety of skills, and once combined together, they create fulfilling records. From Swae’s melodic singing and harmonizing to Jximmi’s gritty rapping and vibrant energy, the two mesh perfectly.

Listeners hear these perfect collaborations on the single “Powerglide,” which features southern legend Juicy J. Another single that is climbing the iTunes charts and showing us a new sound for Rae Sremmurd is “CLOSE” featuring Travis Scott. With this single, fans get to hear the classic Scott blueprint, which ultimately makes it a hit. Along with vocals from The Weeknd, the album does not fail to disappoint to have as a pregame playlist.  

If there is one thing this album did, it confirmed that both members need to continue working on their own sounds before pursuing solo careers. From “Swaecation” being carried by Swae’s non-stop singing to “Jxmtro” lyric-based singles, these projects prove to be drawn flat and full of throwaways.    

“Swaecation” gives listeners the feeling of being somewhere tropical, sipping on a mimosa while being in love. Left only with Swae’s melodic talents, we get nine different versions of French Montana’s “Unforgettable,” but with a different beat.

Shown as a hopeless romantic on the album cover with a rose and hand full of teddy bears, it’s no surprise that this is the vibe fans receive. Swae is credited as a rising master of hooks (Ex: Beyoncé’s “Formation”), but his songs do not live up to his notable features.

Besides his first single, “Guatemala,” most of the songs are either not album worthy and display a sound that is too chill for what the fans are used to. With more work and a focus on crafting his skills, Swae will be able to release a solid project on his own.   

“Jxmtro” changes the entire mood of the album and takes listeners back to his southern roots. Filled with fast beats, lyrics and a vibe you would usually find in a strip club, Jxmmi shows what his area of expertise is.

Known as the rapper of the duo, fans are introduced to records filled with Jxmmi’s active personality. Though he raises the mood of the album, it is still missing the melodic aspect fans are used to hearing from Swae to complement Jxmmi’s raps.

Though there was not a lot of promotion for Jximmi’s release as there was for Swae’s, it was not a bad project to listen to overall.

Despite the minor mood changes within this three-disc project, this album serves as a solid summer playlist. Fans can either choose to vibe out in the sun, pregame before a night out and/or turn up to this at a club or strip joint. Though it’s not as solid of a project as their last album,”SremmLife2,” it will satisfy until the duo’s next release.

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From the outside looking in, hip-hop fans see the city of Compton, California, as one of the most ruthless places in America. From ‘90s legends like Eazy-E to newer acts YG and The Game, Compton has a reputation. More recently known for his melodic single“Shine,” Buddy wants to change the gang aspect related to Compton’s reputation in hip-hop.  

The Daily Emerald recently spoke with Buddy who touched upon his new single “Black,” featuring A$AP Ferg, his debut album and the upcoming tour.

At the age of 24 years old, Compton-native Simmie Sims III, known as Buddy, has built up a resume to withstand all of his peers. Since he signed to the legendary hip-hop producer and rapper Pharrell’s label i am OTHER at 15, Buddy has managed to spread his talents far beyond singing soulful tunes. He can put words together better than most rappers today.

Buddy has achieved this with just three projects under his belt, including “Idle Time,” “Ocean & Montana” and “Magnolia” with features from rap stars such as  Kendrick Lamar, Freddie Gibbs and his label mate Pharrell Williams.

“Well, just the energy there growing up…sticks with you forever,” Buddy told the Emerald in reference to his hometown.  Standing out from his former Compton natives is what gives Buddy his own unique style.

Apart from changing the reputation of Compton, Buddy’s new single aimed at empowering the Black community. When discussing his new single, “Black,” produced by Jahaan Sweet, Buddy says he researched notable Black revolutionaries like Marcus Garvey and Huey P. Newton and watched a few Black documentaries when writing it.

“As soon as I heard the beat for ‘Black,’ like first thought was just ‘black, black, black, black.’” Buddy said.

When asked how A$AP Ferg gained a spot on his record, Buddy says Ferg could not even make it through listening to the first verse before declaring he wanted on the track.

According to Buddy, this is his first single from his debut album, and he may release more soon. With the release date still not known, Buddy assures that the album is finished and he will release it in the summer once he is done with tour. Fans can also expect to see a collaboration from hip hop’s noble Uncle Snoop Dogg.  

This tour will give fans the opportunity to see all that he has to offer. According to Buddy, fans can expect to see a bunch of energy, never before seen dance moves and, for the ladies, a view of his hardworking abs.  

Buddy will also have his good friend from back home, rapper Boogie, on tour with him, giving him a little piece of home he needs. Though Boogie is not on the same movement as Buddy, it is still one of the most exciting parts for Buddy.

In reference to the Portland show, Buddy encourages fans to “drink water, stay hydrated.” He added that “we’re going to be jumping around” at the concert.

Buddy will be performing as part of the Joey Bada$$ tour in Portland at the Roseland Theatre on May 11 at 8 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets at the Roseland website or through a local Safeway.

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While some of music’s biggest artists are busy trending on social media for their antics regarding partying and hard drug use, J. Cole has a message for them drugged out kids who are steady chasing the dollar.

As seen on the cover of his fifth studio album, “KOD,” which Cole has described as meaning “Kids on Drugs,” “King Overdosed” and “Kill Our Demons,” there is a lot to be said on this album. With a release date of April 20, which for most is considered a “smoker’s holiday,” adds more to the message Cole is trying to send about drugs. From showing the struggles he faces with infidelity, drug dependence and even his stance as a “boring artist,” Cole addresses all of these topics in an engaging way that does not come off too preachy.  

Listeners learn from the intro track that when it comes to how people handle their “demons,” it is best if they choose wisely. From then on, Cole allows the listener to step into his life and see all of the issues he has overcome and may still be dealing with.

The track “Photograph” addresses his infatuation he has with a girl online and the toll it is taking on his perception of love. This can be heard in his lyrics: “Love today’s gone digital / And it’s messing with my health.” Cole attacks the idea of Instagram and how people are too quick to fall in love with someone they know nothing about.

Cole follows up with this issue of infidelity on the track “Kevin’s Heart.” Using comedian Kevin Hart’s public cheating scandal as a metaphor, Cole speaks about his struggle to remain faithful to his girl despite the temptation all around him. Cole shares these difficulties and even depicts how hard it is to stay loyal by singing, “Wishing that I could blind myself from view / And only have eyes, and only have eyes for you.”

Moving away from his love life, Cole sheds light on one of his own personal demons: drugs. The most personal aspect of this album is shared on the track “Once an Addict.” In this song, Coles revisits his mother’s alcohol addiction and, coincidently, her struggles with being cheated on.

Using a familiar approach, Cole chooses not to make this album a lecture and instead recounts problems he has dealt with when relating to others. We hear this on the track “FRIENDS,” where Cole brings on his alter ego, “Kill Edward,” to sing about his dependence on weed.

Cole shows on this album that he has kept his ears to the streets and the constant labeling of his music as “boring” has definitely awoken a beast. The upbeat tracks on this album show that Cole is capable of having a catchy single while still delivering an important message. The album’s self-titled track,  similar to Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble,” showcases the lyricist’s ability to create a hit despite his title as a conscious rapper. The track “ATM” sends a clear message about the materialistic energy hip-hop has and the fate one will find while only chasing the dollar.

But Cole isn’t finished there, as he still has a message for the people who disrespect his name. The album’s final song, “1985 (Intro to ‘The Fall Off’),” takes shot at all of the new-wave rappers. One of the most recent artist who released a diss track about Cole was Lil Pump, and for some, it is apparent this is who Cole is targeting. As if the previous lyrics were not enough to destroy him, Cole finishes by predicting his career will not last longer than five years.

“KOD” manages to satisfy everyone who has something bad to say about Cole. Fans get the up-tempo beats that are catchy but have a subtle message to them. They also get a glance into Cole’s own demons and a chance to relate to the rapper in terms of addiction and relationship issues. Finally, there’s a jab at the current state of hip-hop and the consequences of being materialistic.

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