Review 7: Future – Save Me (2019)

Rating: 7.7

Future has two personas: 'Future' and 'Hndrxx'. The Future persona is characterised by high octane, braggadocious rap about money, sex, gangs and drugs, typically on a hard trap beat, and the latter is his Hndrxx one, where he sings about heartbreak, on softer R&B beats. The contrast was clearly created when Future released two albums with those two titles (Future, then Hndrxx), in two consecutive weeks in 2017, with those two different lyrical and production focuses: traditional trap vs R&B loneliness. This dichotomy creates a sense where displays of wealth, drugs, sex and mutually toxic (and destructive) relationships rapped about are presented as the cover, the drug to cover up the desire, at least in part of him, for a wholesome and fulfilling romantic relationship. This dichotomy is most strongly presented in his 2014 song 'Throwaway', and encapsulates most of Future's discography from the moments of weakness on I Never Liked You (2022), his underrated 2018 mixtape, Beast Mode 2, or his mixtape that started it all and totally revamped his career, Monster (2014). This dichotomy is well known and written about, although I'm not sure if it's penetrated through to someone who only has a casual familiarity with Future and his discography. I plan on writing much more about Future and his worldview in many more blog entries, but here I will focus on this particular EP. 

Future's earlier 2019 album, Future Hndrxx Presents: The Wizrd, combined both sides, but erred more towards the Future persona. Save Me, Future's first and only EP, is a similar effort in that regard, again combining both, but errs much more towards the Hndrxx side. He begins with this with his crooning on the first song, 'XanaX Damage' where he sings about how he only wants a particular partner when he's struggling mentally:

 Baby, if I want you, then I know there's somethin' wrong
I don't mean to ruin all the times we had alone
But I'm not my best with you, I'm so depressed with you
But it's so hard, I don't think I can exist without you 

The song's production creates an effect which characterises the whole EP, which is that Future is sinking underwater somewhat. Not literally, or in a Chopped and Screwed-esque way, but the muddy, low-key production stands out from amongst his discography. The same is true in the next song, St. Lucia, where he errs to the Future persona. But even when bragging about his wealth, the women he's with and the exotic places he's visiting, he doesn't sound very happy or satisfied. The first lyric is 'Save Me', which is repeated in the introduction, and whilst I'm not sure, I think that he may be asking a girl to save him from his lifestyle, which may seem fun, but isn't ultimately satisfying. Amongst his most toxic lines in his discography can be found on this song (which is saying something) he raps 'Found out I cheated on her, she'll still feed me grapes'.

The next song, Please Tell Me has Future rapping about wanting to spend money on, and spoil his partner. This seems romantic in itself, but within the context of his discography and worldview, I think that this is part of his broader worldview of a mutually toxic relationship: he uses his partners for sex and status, and they use him for status and wealth. 

The middle song returns to the Hndrxx POV, and is perhaps the best song on the EP, 'Shotgun', which has Future singing about how he wants a girl to ride shotgun with him, presumably representing being with him more broadly. It's a great song! The R&B-Trap production is a perfect fit, and Future really sings his heart out in the chorus. You can really tell attention to detail in the production, via small things like the sparkly piano notes dispersed throughout the song. The song also samples the 2006 Ciara song, 'Promise', which of course is notable due to her being his ex, having previously heavily inspired his breakup project Monster (2014) and HNDRXX (2017) as well as aspects of DS2 (2015). I can't help but feel that this likely isn't a coincidence: this wouldn't be the first time Future has used Ciara as a muse for his work, and is a touching callback to a previous relationship.

The following song, 'Government Official', largely returning to the Future persona, rapping about models, money and lavish living. Sensing a theme? He combines both on this project so that one can't help but notice both, even to one totally new to his discography. Returning to the name of the EP, it really does seem probable that this is really an appeal to a woman to save him from the hedonistic lifestyle he claims to enjoy. Note the contrast from the chorus and the final verse:

 [Chorus]
I just went out to Morocco to do some recruitin' (Yeah, yeah)
Fuck the government official, we plugged with Putin (Yeah, yeah)
Got two twin sisters, yeah, they squirt, they be shootin' (Yeah, yeah)
Don't get the squirt-squirt on the shirt-shirt, be a fool (Yeah, yeah)

[Verse 3]
When I drink codeine, I get in my feelings (My-my feelings)
All I wanna see you in the same place as I'm in (I'm-I'm in)
I like takin' ecstasy, it made me a millionaire (Made me a millionaire)
It made me get emotional with the bitches (Emotional with the bitches)

 This contrast is part of the reason why I began my reviewing of Future's discography with Save Me, despite it being easily one of his least known projects: the dichotomy is so clear and needs so little legwork for me to explain from the rest of his discography.

The next and penultimate song is a curious one: here's the chorus: 

My bitch asked me why I always stay extra-d out
All my whips got extras now
Why so many hoes on the low? You know
Why my niggas extras? (Extra, extra, extra)
Why my bitch so extra?
I'm always on extra

From the production and Future's singing, it's clearly a sad song, but one could read the lyrics and be forgiven for thinking that it was an upbeat, high energy bragging song. I think (with help from the Genius annotations) that he's saying that his everything that he has in excess/extra (women, cars, money, and friends) aren't bringing him to happiness. But for me the beat isn't amazing: it sounds like it belongs on a Drake album, and is a little too.. loose.

This leads to the final song, 'Love Thy Enemies' which is a brilliant song, and if you listen to one song from this EP, I recommend this one. There's a soft guitar that provides a gentle backdrop from his singing, where he sings about an ex-partner. He sings:

I've been possessed, they wanna take my soul
Save my flesh, I’m in need of your love
Tracin' back to orbit is where we met, met
You wasn't considerate to how I was feelin', yeah
How am I explain this to my children?
I need to find the words without soundin' foolish
Caught in temporary illusions, yeah
Treat me like property, but you pursuin'
I need angels, I need angels, yeah
I need answers, who I can't trust?
Fighting through breakups, revelation
Complicated obligations
 

This again returns to what I wrote earlier about how not only does Future objectify his partners, but they also objectify him. He sings about loving his enemies (in this case, ex-partners) and how roses he sent have died, and it ends the EP on a tender note. It's not a perfect EP: due to the lack of songs, even one or two songs being comparatively weak mean that the quality as a whole is shaken. The beat for 'Extra' is particularly lacking in my opinion Some of the songs are just a bit too short, particularly the first and final ones, and his bragging songs in 'St. Lucia' and 'Government Official' are blunted by his generally murky approach, meaning they have less intensity and energy. Whilst that might have been his intent, he simply has better ones from other projects, like 'Thought It Was a Drought' from DS2(2015) or '712PM' from I Never Liked You (2022).

But why review this album? As mentioned before, this wasn't the first or last time when Future made an R&B project, and neither is it the only time he has engaged in heartbreak, romantic sorrow or drug abuse: there are elements of it on every project of his, and like I said, this is not the first project where he has combined the Future and Hndrxx angles. The answer is that this is simply is his most experimental project, and it led to brilliant results. On the surface level, it's unique in a range of factual measures: it's his shortest project, coming in at just over 20 minutes, and it's his only EP, in contrast to his ocean of mixtapes and albums.  

But more importantly, he takes risks: whether its his sad rapping about 'Big booty from my city' on 'Extra' or the vocal effects on 'Love Thy Enemies'. He and his producer even left in a cough in the verse I pasted above from 'Love Thy Enemies', in between 'Caught in temporary illusions, yeah/Treat me like property, but you pursuin'''. Furthermore, it's heartfelt, and has a lo-fi sense of capturing a specific mood. His avant-garde, high fashion, more 'artistic' approach is on full display in the music videos for five of the seven songs on the project, which I recommend. Its closest comparison is HNDRXX, but whilst that album was polished, radio-friendly and took you on a full journey, Save Me is murky, has distorted production, and gives us a snapshot of a range of moods, quite possibly concerning the same girl at different times. This EP gives the sense that, as the title implies, Future is in an emotional crisis. 

 

Review 6: Kid Cudi – Entergalactic (2022)

Rating: 7.8

Kid Cudi doesn't really do happy albums. With the exception of his recent output, his albums are known for expressing feelings of isolation, depression, and emotional and mental turmoil. These themes were perhaps at their most despairing in his 2014 alt-rock experiment, Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven, but are best known in his famous Man on the Moon trilogy (2009, 2010, 2020), which takes the listener on journey inside Cudi's mind, and his battle for peace against his alter-ego which represents his self-destructive instinct, Mr Rager. It therefore marks a notable contrast when his first project after the final chapter of the above trilogy is much more cheerful. 

 

Particularly given that it's Valentine's day tomorrow, I thought it was a good time to review Entergalactic, a companion album to the animated film of the same name, released in 2022 on Netflix. It's kind of a musical film, where these songs are integrated into it, and I recommend the film. It's about a young creative (voiced by Cudi) who meets and falls in love with his new photographer neighbour. Notably, Cudi said this about this album:

'I think this [album] is my perspective on love, and people haven't really heard that. I'm not somebody who makes R&B music, and I'm not somebody who makes lovey-dovey songs like that. I've just never really had much luck in relationships, so I've never had anything to write from. And if I did write about my relationships, it would've been all disasters, so I needed something to inspire me to get me there, to wanna write about relationships, and this show did it for me.'

 

He states that the album isn't really about him, but more from the perspective of his character. But one can't help but feel like his own feelings slip through at times. The album, like several of Cudi's prior projects, begins with an instrumental, and it provides a calm setting for the album to follow. My claim that Cudi's own feelings surface throughout the project is most notably illustrated on the second song, 'New Mode', perhaps even functioning as a transition from the the final song of Man on the Moon III 'Lord I Know', which ends with Cudi's daughter saying 'To be continued'. Knowing that Entergalactic was recorded before Man on the Moon III lends additional credence to this possibility. Here's a section from 'New Mode':

[Verse 1]
Finally got my head right, it's a new me
It's like I got heaven in my sights now, beauty I see
When it seems it's all too much
And your soul, it can't be rushed, no, no (Yeah, yo)
When the going's gettin' tough
And you know you can't give up, no way (Yeah, ooh-woah)

[Chorus]
And I'm in a new mode (Been searchin' for so long now lately)
Another level (I found some peace within)
And I'm in a new mode (I pray for so, so long now lately)
Another level (Oh, let's begin)

There's no real reason for this to be about his character: his character within the animated movie is a relatively happy person at the beginning of the movie, and largely stays so throughout. There's never the idea that he's recovering from trauma or intense suffering in his past, and so these lyrics only really make sense when applied to Cudi's own life, as described in his previous albums. 

 

The third song, 'Do What I Want' is a upbeat rap song about clubbing, but it makes way for several love songs, where he sings and hums, beginning with 'Angel'. As the name implies, it's a song about a love at first sight moment. It's nice to hear Cudi's iconic humming in a happy, positive context, even if it's for a fictional character. The same humming occurs on the fifth song, 'Ignite The Love'. They're relaxing, mellow songs, which is fitting, given the theme, and his singing has good synergy with the trap-R&B beats.

 

One thing with Cudi that has always impressed me is how he isn't intimidated by his production. He isn't afraid to have long production intros, outros, and entire songs without his vocals, as well as allowing space in between his lines. Genre bending artists like him and The Weeknd have mastered the art of allowing space where appropriate in their songs, giving room for stellar production to shine. It also means you look forward to when you next hear their voice, and it has more impact when it arrives. Both also produce many of their songs, which may allow for a more interwoven and varied approach to their singing and rapping. Of course, this requires excellent production! The peak of this approach was seen in both of their 2020 albums, Man on the Moon III; The Chosen and After Hours. 

 

Broadly speaking, this approach shines on this album. Kid Cudi produced all but one of the songs on this album (the third, 'Do What I Want'), mostly alongside long-time collaborator Dot da Genius, and he isn't afraid to give the production room to breathe and shine, and in turn, this elevates his singing and rapping. This rings true most of all on the sixth song, 'In Love', where Cudi, unsurprisingly, sings about how he's in love. The kick drum that dominates throughout adds extra impact to his words, and makes them much more memorable. The next song, 'Willing To Trust' is where, the R&B inclination of this album come through the strongest, particularly with Ty Dolla $ign's feature, and again, it's a enjoyable song, with mellow production. The album's production leans into Cudi's trap inclinations in the early 2020s, like on Man on the Moon III: The Chosen (2020), and Insano (2024), but smoothed over even more with pop and R&B sounds. Indeed, this the closest Cudi has ever come to an R&B album, and he prove he would have made a strong R&B singer.

 

The Chopped and Slowed version of this album is an great experience. I listened to DJ Hightz version, and it achieves the best of the technique: it creates a different, but just as impressive, experience from the same material. Whilst the original feels like the singing and rapping is from someone discovering the joys of a new relationship, the Chopped and Slowed version feels like a more mournful experience. It feels like someone older looking back on how they felt when they were younger and had just fallen in love, again discovering happiness, but perhaps didn't continue or end successfully. Of course, the verbs are still in the present tense, and this effect is my interpretation, but I think it has some credence. When some of the words are chopped, I hear it as like a tape recorder stuttering when playing one's past memories with an ex-partner and their lost relationship.

 

Returning to the original album, a few songs don't come together super well: I feel like the songs where Cudi is singing are significantly better than those when he's rapping on this particular album. As such, the more upbeat 'Can't Believe It' struggles somewhat, similarly to the prior mentioned 'Do What I Want', with beats that don't quite land and are a bit too... gritty. 2 Chainz' feature on 'Can't Believe It' is unremarkable, and Cudi's rapping made me feel slightly dizzy (not in a good way!). The album also doesn't quite capture that feeling of euphoria with a love at first sight that perhaps he was aiming for; the sound is a bit too mellow for that. Quite a few of the songs are really enjoyable, but not particularly memorable, like the penultimate song 'Somewhere to Fly'. A certain spice is missing, and perhaps that spice is what could have been provided if it was a personal album about himself.

 

But in an inconsistent discography, this album marks a refreshing change in Cudi's approach, and led to remarkable consistency. Even the hip-hop songs with beats that are questionable that I mentioned earlier don't hurt the vibe. But on most of the later songs, Cudi sticks to the strength of this album, in his hopeful singing, like on the songs 'She's Lookin' For Me' and 'My Drug'. Last year, Kid Cudi actually got married, and I wonder if he ponders how some of these songs may retroactively apply to his wife. This album shift in tone and space is a milestone for all the people, perhaps black men in particular, who have followed Kid Cudi's mental health journey from his first 2008 mixtape A Kid Named Cudi to his 2025 marriage. Whilst Entergalactic doesn't reach the heights of some of his previous albums, it's certainly one of his most consistent projects, and I'm happy to see an artist who struggled immensely with his inner demons throughout the 2010s craft a well-made, hopeful, and enjoyable album about romantic love.

 

 

 

Review 5: Bun B – II Trill (2008)

Rating - 7.6

The rap duo Underground Kingz (1987-2007) represented Port Arthur, Texas, but are often associated with Houston, where they were affiliated with the Screwed Up Click. The duo, which had the straight shooter Bun B alongside the more idiosyncratic Pimp C, have a legendary status in Southern rap. After a series of successful albums, Pimp C was imprisoned from 2002-5 for violation of probation for a weapons charge, and during this time, Bun B released Trill in 2005. After they reunited, they released their self-titled album, Underground Kingz (2007). However, Pimp C passed away four months later in December 2007 from drug complications, bringing a tragic end to the duo, notwithstanding a posthumous UGK album in 2009, UGK 4 Life.

Pimp C's passing dominates this album. Constantly referenced and tributed by Bun B and his collaborators, one can immediately tell the impact Pimp C had on Southern hip-hop, and how keenly his loss was felt. But don't make the mistake of thinking that his passing leads to a sorrowful tone of the album: the pace for much of it is fast, hard hitting, and aggressive. Also, don't make the mistake of thinking that this topic dominates the lyrics either: other key themes involve social and political commentary, love for and his representation of the South, braggadocio, and his origins and how far he's come.

There's nothing wrong with wallowing in despair, especially when mourning a friend, but Bun B wastes no time making it clear that he (mostly) doesn't plan on doing that. He immediately begins the album, with a tribute to Pimp C but then follows up with rapping about his success and prowess. The next two songs are not dissimilar: Bun reps his authenticity on 'That's Gangsta' and on the 3rd, 'Damn I'm Cold', he more than keeps pace with an in-prime Lil Wayne. The fourth song, 'You're Everything' is perhaps the strongest, and is all about the South, which is reflected in the song's features: Rick Ross from Florida, David Banner from Mississippi, 8Ball & MJG from Tennessee, and of course Bun B from Texas are all represented. More broadly, across the whole album, Louisiana with Lil Wayne, and Georgia with Jazze Pha, are also represented.

Even the songs which I don't necessarily love the beat for, like the 5th song, 'I Luv That', are held up by Bun's rapping: he enunciates clearly, and his rapping style is the opposite of chaotic. Songs 8 and 9 are perhaps the most interesting ones on the project, though for very different reasons. Song 8, 'Get Cha Issue' has Bun rapping solo (with spoken word interludes), critiquing in the first verse priests/preachers, in the second, the police, and in the third, politicians. He isn't dissing them without qualification, but in regard to their faults. Having to restrain the impulse to copy the lyrics to the entire song, here's the first verse and interlude:

[Verse 1]
Hey, Mr. Preacher Man, what do you say?
See you out here tryin to save yourself some people today
You got the good book in your hand and the robe on your back
Steppin out your 2008 Escalade Cadillac
You standin up in the pulpit, lookin out at the pew
Preachin the good word and tellin Christian folks what to do
You talkin 'bout the sinners are sinnin, but let's keep it true
Ain't nobody in this church a bigger sinner than you
It's chapter this, verse that, pass the plate, pay your tithes
Puttin rings on your fingers (fingers) and rims on your ride
You don't need yourself a thousand dollar suit, just to pray in
(Just to pray in) Or a million dollar house for you to stay in (nope)
Marriage counselin, but cheatin on ya own wife
Undercover pedophile, a heathen in ya own right
Let the do'knob hit ya where the good Lord split ya
You's a dirty motherfucker (so) it's time to get'cha issue, c'mon

 

[Interlude]
The good book say, that he who is without sin cast the first stone
Mayne every time I walk inside the church house
The preacher cuttin his eyes at me
But I know he can't throw nothin my way
He dirtier than I am, ridin down the street shinin, ballin
Hollerin at broads, hollerin at dudes on the cool
That's why niggas don't go to church now
It ain't the message, it's the motherfuckin messenger
Let us move on

 

He attacks the willingness of police to commit acts of brutality, but their failure to arrest the murderers of many, like 2Pac, the Notorious B.I.G and Big Hawk. And he attacks politicians via the Iraq War and sexual scandal. It's an insightful and fascinating track, but also painful, given all the failures which Bun raps about, and his community have paid the cost for. 

 

This song is juxtaposed in the most extreme way by the next song, 'Pop It 4 Pimp'. It's a strip club anthem which is simultaneously a tribute to Pimp C, which seems from the outside as... an interesting choice. But I imagine that Bun thought this was a fitting way to honour Pimp's legacy, given his character and how well Bun knew him. It's not just the title which tributes him: the chorus literally is just the phrase 'Pop it for Pimp' repeated. It's quite a catchy song, in no small part thanks to the features of Juvenile and Webbie. 

 

There's an immense range of features across the album: perhaps too many. Excluding the two skits, there are only three solo Bun B songs, and it would have been nice to hear his voice more. To be honest, that's the sort of rate one would expect on a rapper's own posthumous album, like in the case of Pop Smoke's Faith (2021), where the standard edition had four solo songs out of twenty. But the features, including many singers, bring some appreciated vocal variety to the album, and are often excellent. Pimp C's own posthumous feature is strong on 'Underground Thang', and it's nice to hear a unified UGK sound even on a solo album. Rick Ross' feature is solid (why can't he pick as good beats on his own albums?) and Bun's precise rapping almost holds together the structure of many of the songs, allowing room for more 'chaotic' features like Lil Wayne, or more unorthodox guest verses and hooks like Sean Kingston's hook in 'That's Gangsta'. You can almost feel the structure of the song sliding back into place when Bun begins to rap after Sean's reggae-infused hooks.

 

But I think some of these features are just too much, like in 'If It Was Up II Me': Junior Reid's singing on the hook is just a bit 'out there', his singing distracts a bit from his strong verses. And Jazze Pha's hook on 'My Block' is just rather... annoying? Again, it distracts and detracts from Bun B's excellent verses. Returning to  'If It Was Up II Me', Bun returns to social issues here: the fallout from natural disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, underfunded communities, poor and immoral development strategies like the usage of asbestos, and anger at politicians. And in the third verse, he raps about his solutions. It's interesting, insightful and well rapped, and because Bun B enunciates so clearly, you can follow along easily.

 

'Angel in the Sky', the penultimate song, is a direct tribute to Pimp C, in the more traditional sense. It has a gentle, slow beat and it's genuinely touching. Here's the third and final verse:

 

Just for the record let me go ahead and say
I love my brother Pimp C and man I miss him every day
Yeah my heart still hurts (hurts) and the pain's still fresh (fresh)
But I'mma put God first, to keep that pressure off my chest
And remind me that I'm blessed to have had him, as a friend (friend)
A ride or die homie that was with me 'til the end ('til the end)
Real talk, man we was closer than kin
And I know, that I'll never have a partner like that again (like that again)
So Chad Butler I just want you to know
I keep ya memory close, I'm never lettin it go (lettin it go)
And they gon' always remember that you was here mayne (mayne)
Cause I'mma make 'em remember, that's why I'm here mayne (mayne)
Yeah it's still hard (hard) and I still cry (cry)
But you and God keep me strong so I'mma still try (try)
Reppin this UGK now won't I (huh)
Cause through your music you live forever so Trill (Trill) don't die 

Both the brief spoken word skits before and after this song are again dedicated to him. I'm not sure when the work on this project began, but it was released on 20 May 2008, less than half a year after Pimp C's passing on 4 December 2007. Most of the songs reference Pimp C in some way, and so must have been recorded after his death. Despite the pain being so raw for Bun B, he managed to forge an album at real pace, yet it's still really good, and a fitting tribute. The final song, 'Keep it 100' is a contrast to the prior song, a hard hitting, fast paced track combining tributes to Pimp C and bragging/talking down to haters.

 

It's a solid album, though not perfect: 'Good II Me' is a bit fillerish, and as mentioned, some of the hooks from the features (like on 'If I Die II Night') aren't super enjoyable and distract from Bun's rapping, and the album could have brought more energy or gravitas in places. It also doesn't convert particularly well into being Chopped and Slowed (which isn't a fault of the album) – OG Ron C's version more 'submerged' sound doesn't work too well here I think. But it's a good album with a variety of topics, truly showing Bun B's flexibility as a solo artist both regarding lyrics, the beats he works with, and the guests featured on the project. 

 

Whilst it's tempting to say 'show this album to anyone who thinks that southern rap is degeneracy', I try to resist that impulse. I think it might denigrate the craft of hip-hop by using it as a point to prove, and in this case, would also minimise Pimp C as the ultimate tribute of the album. Hip-hop, and music are more than just serving to prove a point. Besides, many of those who have such an opinion would likely not change their opinion after listening to a single album, with such views often being rooted in racism. Instead, listen to this album to enjoy the rapping, (some of) the features, the beats and of course, a heartfelt tribute to Pimp C.

What is Chopped and Screwed Music?

Invented by DJ Screw in the 90s, and popularised by him and his collective, the Screwed Up Click (S.U.C). Put very basically, Chopped and Screwed music has two main sonic elements: the Chopped bit, whereby some parts of a song are repeated - a line or phrase usually - and the Screwed bit, which is slowed down. This in turn changes the sound of the artists voice. Chopped and Screwed rap is a key part of Houston hip-hop, and the subculture, DJ Screw, and the sound he invented is a strong source of pride in many Houstonians and Texans today. As part of this, despite the genre typically being known as Chopped and Screwed, it's best not to refer to a song or project as being Chopped and Screwed, unless it was actually worked on by DJ Screw. Rather, albums with this technique applied are sometimes called Chopped and Slowed, or Chopped not Slopped, or something else. Though most famous in the context of Houston, Texan and Southern rap more generally, this technique can be applied not only to hip-hop, but also to R&B, pop and other genres.  

The most important project, from a historical point of view, is likely 'June 27th', a 37 minute legendary freestyle helmed by DJ Screw and rapped by members of the S.U.C. The album 3 'N The Mornin' Part Two was also a key project by DJ Screw and the S.U.C, and is often considered one of the greatest and most influential hip-hop albums of all time. Despite DJ Screw's tragic passing in 2000, at only 29, his incredible work ethic was such that he made hundreds of mixtapes, with some still being released. The S.U.C also released many projects, with key members include Fat Pat and his brother Big Hawk, who were both murdered in 1998 and 2006 respectively. Other notable members include Z-Ro, E.S.G and Lil' Keke.

The Chopped and Screwed genre has gone on to exert influence on various areas of hip-hop that you've probably listened to. Trap, Cloud rap, Psychedelic rap, the Slowed + Reverb sound, and others. But what about albums and mixtapes that have been fully Chopped and Slowed today? There are many albums that have received a Chopped and Slowed version from various DJs, some officially released with the original artist, which appear on streaming platforms. Big albums like this include Metro Boomin's Heroes and Villains (2022) and Don Toliver's Heaven Or Hell (2020).

But most Chopped and Slowed albums don't receive this treatment. The Chopstars, who did both of those two albums, release lots of Chopped and Slowed versions of albums and mixtapes on AudioMack here (good luck with navigating the website and app! Though the app is a little better). They do non hip-hop albums also: at the time of writing this, they recently did a Chopped not Slopped version of Olivia Dean's 2025 album The Art of Loving, a Neo-soul/R&B/Pop record. Other than them, there are individual DJs who do the same, like DJ Tramaine713, on a range of platforms. Sometimes on individual websites, YouTube, AudioMack, or other platforms. Each DJ has their own style of approaching a record: some mix up the order of the songs intentionally, and some make it so that each song blends into the next naturally. There are other differences: I recommend experimenting!

Chopped and Screwed is a really special genre, and a unique subculture: I like listening to the standard version of an album/mixtape, maybe during the day, then listen to the Chopped and Slowed version, perhaps at night, and ideally in one sitting. It suits a late night vibe well, with speakers with a solid bass. I think listening to an album normally, then the Chopped and Slowed version, allows one to appreciate the differences in tempo and which lines are repeated more than just listening to the Chopped and Slowed version. But it's up to you! 

Finally, returning to my blog, the 'Screwed' in this blog’s name is a tribute to the legacy of DJ Screw and the genre he pioneered, but a song isn't Screwed if it wasn't by the Originator. Labelling the music with the precision it deserves, I therefore use ‘chopped and slowed’ to describe a particular song or album, reserving the term ‘Screwed’ for DJ Screw’s original work. But the genre as a whole is typically referred to as 'Chopped and Screwed' which I will still use to refer to the genre and subculture.

Tribute to Michael '5000' Watts

On Friday 30 January, Michael '5000' Watts passed away of a cardiac arrest, at the age of 52. He was a titan of Houston hip-hop, and the Chopped and Screwed genre and subculture. Based in the Northside of Houston, he co-founded the Swishahouse label in 1997, and as such would immensely boost the careers of artists like Chamillionaire, Slim Thug, Mike Jones and Paul Wall to the national level. The 2003 hit 'Still Tippin', which Watts worked on (and is in the music video), helped to put these last three artists and the Swishahouse label on the map. Whilst the Screwed Up Click and DJ Screw from the Southside were the originators, Watts and the Swishahouse were the key group that caused the surge in popularity of the genre throughout the U.S. in the 2000s. Watts hosted Houston’s 97.9 The Box radio station, and he also streamed on TikTok in recent years, helping to bring his sound to a new generation. I particularly enjoyed his Screwed and Chopped (that was how the Northside often referred to their mixes as, even though they weren't by DJ Screw) version of Bun B's Trill (2005).  May Watts rest in peace.

  

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Review 4: Trae tha Truth - 48 Hours Later (2018)

Rating: 8.1/10

Chopped and Screwed version by DJ Tramaine 

(Please see here for my introductory guide to Chopped and Screwed Music!)

I've known for a while that I'd been reviewing a record from someone part of or affiliated with the Screwed Up Click, but I've approached it with some trepidation. For one thing, whilst Trap music from Atlanta is well known and is thoroughly engrained into modern musical discussions, even if it is looked down upon in some circles, the Houstonian hip-hop tradition is much less known or appreciated outside of rap circles (besides global superstars like Travis Scott and Megan Thee Stallion), despite exerting a huge influence on global music today. As such, I wanted to give a basic introduction to the Chopped and Screwed genre to introduce my writing in this area, as well as provide a helpful entryway to someone interested in listening to the genre.

Trae tha Truth is a long established Houston artist; He began his career in 1998 as part of the Screwed Up Click. Trae contributed to the Houston rap scene greatly in the 2000s, perhaps most notably in his duo with fellow Houston rapper Z-Ro, called Assholes by Nature (ABN). But in 2009, a radio personality suggested he was responsible for a shooting at a major Houston event via his lyrics, and in the fallout he was more-or-less ostracised by the Houston music industry. He then signed to T.I's label Grand Hustle Records in 2013 (based in Atlanta). 

Trae tha Truth's 48 Hours Later is the third of four in the series of mixtapes, preceded by 48 Hours (2011), Another 48 Hours (2016) and succeeded by 48 Hours After (2021). They're named thusly due to each being rapped within just 48 hours, which is an incredible feat of endurance and skill. The original 48 Hours kept a gritty beat profile, not dissimilar to Bun B's solo output (they also have similarly deep voices) in Trill (2005) and II Trill (2008). But by the time of Another 48 Hours, Trae had adapted his beat selections to post-DS2 Trap which has come to dominate, in long 808s, more minor (as in sad sounding), simplistic, dark, and spacious beats. By 48 Hours Later, he and his producers (mostly Moxiii) perfected this formula even further. Furthermore, Trae's deep voice – one of the deepest in the genre, perhaps most similar to Pop Smoke and Jeezy – lends a natural gravitas to his voice, allowing him to sound menacing with ease. The combination of his deep vocals, the post 2015 trap sound, and elements of his Chopped and Screwed roots is an instant recipe for success. 

I see this mixtape series is effectively a tribute to the Chopped and Screwed subculture and tradition. In 48 Hours Later, this is most obviously shown in the samples from other members of the Screwed Up Click: he samples Fat Pat and Big Pokey from a Screwed Up Click concert on 'Friends' and 'Imma Get Dine' - from their last concert before Fat Pat's 1998 murder. In fact, on all of the songs, there is a sample like this, almost all on the choruses. They're also slowed, which makes a nice contrast to his fast paced rapping. It's a featureless album, and so the samples help to break up the songs and gives him some structure to work around. On his lyrics, there's quite a range of topics: his journey to success, attacking haters and asserting his status and hustle, and tributes to DJ Screw and Trae's affiliates who have passed away. The aforementioned samples are a tribute in themselves: for example, the final song, 'Barre' samples Big Moe on a DJ Screw Tape, and Big Moe passed away in 2007, and Trae largely. 

Remember that Trae actually knew and worked with these artists who have passed away and he is tributing - whether in his lyrics or via their samples, which adds additional keenness and sadness to the tribute, particularly in 'Barre', which is largely devoted to the passed away members of the Screwed Up Click. The second half of this song has his only singing on the mixtape, singing about how he's still representing them. As for attacking his haters, Trae's unrelenting and ominous flow – in conjunction with the beats – is such that you look forward to his next bar, like the mesmerising verses on 'Imma Get Dine', when the beat sounds a little like a haunted house (think Luigi's Mansion).

But don't mistake it: the mixtape isn't characterised by pure aggression whatsoever: as such it isn't a surprise when on the penultimate song, 'Fo I Die', takes a more sensitive turn when Trae raps about fatherhood. He raps about his son and daughter (unborn at the time of recording, per the lyrics) and how they motivate him, and how he wants to support them. Again, he uses a sample is used: from a Fat Pat and Lil' Keke freestyle. 'Fo I Die' is perhaps of particular note due to said daughter being abducted by her mother for several months in 2024-5: she is now safely home with Trae.

Whilst there's no officially sanctioned Chopped and Slowed version of 48 Hours Later, I have found one by DJ Tramaine. His style opts for keeping the same order of the songs, and he keeps the songs as distinct: they don't bleed into each other at all. His DJ vocals don't add much, just saying his DJ name at the beginning of some of the songs. His style works well! He's quite conservative with his chopping: he doesn't repeat very many lines or phrases, and often limits it to a single word. It could have been an option to be more aggressive with his chopping, on more notable lines, but I think this is in keeping with his more approach which holds back on making wide-scale changes to the project, which I think works well. Whilst it's slowed down of course, it isn't slowed down too much, which was definitely the right choice: if it was slowed down much more, the samples in the choruses – which are already slowed in the original mixtape – would just be too slow. And if he had slowed these choruses down less or not at all, their effect likely would have been lost. I won't include my consideration of any Chopped and Slowed version in my rating, as its quality heavily depends on the individual DJ, but in this case I recommend the DJ Tramaine version strongly.

Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of this project for me is the dichotomy between the two version: listen to the original mixtape, and you get a medium-high tempo grindset music for most of the project – workout music at its very best. But listen to the Chopped and Slowed version, and you get a much slower, late night drive or chill session music. The Chopped and Slowed edition doesn't so much as enhance the original, but rather, it transforms it into a different beast, which is just as enjoyable as the original. It really is like two mixtapes in one.

Overall, it's a very strong mixtape. The spacious, moody beats give Trae plenty of room to do his thing, and his voice has great synergy with the beats. In my opinion, this marks the pinnacle of his mid-late 2010s projects: I really do think that he's at his best when working with post-DS2 Trap. There aren't features overcrowding the project, the mixtape doesn't overstay it's welcome, and it has a consistent sound and focus throughout: he's still holding it down for the Click, representing Houston and the culture, and showing impressive adaptability into modern trap.

 

 

 

Review 3: Waka Flocka Flame - Flockaveli (2010)

Rating: 8.4/10

One of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time, Flockaveli changed trap music forever. Trap music beforehand didn't necessarily have lyricism as its primary focus, but Waka Flocka Flame and Lex Luger's aggressive production pushed lyricism much more to the wayside, in favour of raw sonic energy. This unrelenting style of production dominated trap music in the early 2010s, and has found heirs in the subgenres of Chicago drill and rage rap, and its influence can still be felt in mainstream trap and hip-hop today.

Earlier this week, I was watching the Netflix documentary on the formation of the Pop/Kpop group Katseye at the encouragement of my girlfriend, and while watching it, I found myself wondering: what's the most opposite to their music that I can think of? My answer led me to this album. But the influence of the trend which Flockaveli arguably started is such that there's more in common that one might expect, as I will examine. But on the surface, its the most anti-pop project I can think of: blazing vocal aggression, loud ad-libs (BRICK SQUAAD), not much of a melody, shouting, and more broadly nothing held back regarding vocals or production. Indeed, later trap albums within the melodic rap vein like those of Future, Gunna and Don Toliver are infinitely more radio friendly than Flockaveli.

The album begins with 'Bustin at 'Em', in my opinion the best song. His 'Bow, bow, bow, bow, bitch I'm bustin' at 'em' has immediate impact; it's almost a punch in the face. Topics across the album focus on street and gang violence, and all but four of the songs have features; mainly street/underground rappers, and they usually work well; they contribute vocal variety which helps to break up what might have been an overindulgence in Flocka's aggressive vocals.

The album is aggressive to its core: Unlike Jeezy, it's fastpaced and never lets up; unlike Gucci Mane, it lacks funny wordplay, and unlike T.I, it scarcely resembles his Trap Muzik (2003), often considered the first album of the genre. The only song with a considerable melody is Roscoe Dash's singing on 'No Hands', which has much more of a pop-rap sound. Whilst not all of the songs and features land, even the weaker ones don't detract from the momentum the album builds and maintains. The stronger songs, like 'Live by the Gun' build upon it like a tidal wave. This is done partially due to Flocka's own dominating vocals and partially due to the production, mainly by Lex Luger, but with some contributions from then up-and-coming producer Southside, and others. This is workout music taken to 100, though with less motivation and more relentlessness, although it's a better fit for the club: the hits on this album are still played in clubs to this day, so I gather. 

So what's the legacy of Flockaveli? As stated before, it led to the domination of Lex Luger esque production in the early 2010s. It's uniqueness is such that its only clear analogies can be found in its successors; Back from the Dead (2012) by Chief Keef transitioned the sound into Drill, and his Finally Rich (2012) made it more radio friendly. Elements can be found in Future's Monster (2014) and 56 Nights (2015). The philosophy, though slightly less the instrumentation itself, can be seen in Kanye's Yeezus (2013) and as well as, most notably, the rage sound, like in Playboi Carti's Die Lit (2018) and Whole Lotta Red (2020), which has enjoyed considerable commercial and critical success in the 2020s.

However, in the more mainstream trap lane, the aggressive movement provoked by Flockaveli had died down by the mid 2010s. It's easy to see why the release of Future's DS2 (2015), largely produced by Metro Boomin, and the melodic trap trend that both of them inaugurated with it would accelerate the relative decline of Flockaveli's sound. This later melodic trap is not only more radio friendly, but lends itself much more to Pop and R&B inclinations, as evidenced in the discographies of the Weeknd, Ariana Grande, and numerous Kpop artists.

But nonetheless, Flockaveli and it's successors have left an indelible mark on trap music, and on music more widely. One observes the focus on vibe rather than lyrics, club music rather than just hood storytelling, and vocal elements such as repetition in lyrics and ad-libs, as well as vocal imperfections. Whilst Flockaveli didn't invent all of these within trap or hip-hop, it vastly accelerated the trend, and brought it to the mainstream. As part of the aforementioned documentary, even listening to the pop-rap song 'Pink Venom' by Blackpink (I'm not really a Kpop fan, I promise) has similar sounds imitating gun sounds at the end of the song, with a not dissimilar to Flocka's 'Bustin at 'Em'. And returning to Katseye, their hyperpop songs like 'Gnarly' and 'MIA' arguably stands at the end of a chain of influence which Flockaveli would greatly influence, via the vocal quirks, heavy 808s and raw adlibs.

But it's important to consider a project on its own terms, not just in relation to what it would go on to influence. Returning to the album and its final song (excluding the deluxe tracks), the most surprising one and most contemplative, is 'Fuck This Industry'. In this song, Flocka not only raps about how he dislikes the industry, but also the following, which is the second verse.

Damn, I miss my brother, they wanna see me under
Disrespect my mother, then you gon' meet my brother
Damn KK, that shit fucked up
25 to life, he did it to defend his life
Shout out to my grandma for all them ass whoopings
That shit made me tough, no more ass whoopings
Shout out to my three uncles, they showed me how to ball
For dad, all my life, I gotta have it all
Shout out to my aunties for that female love
They showed me how to cook and clean and show a woman love
Shout out to my nieces, cousins, and my nephews
Man, I love my family, the Lord gon' one day bless you
Momma, don't cry, we gon' get it
And when we do it again, we gon' show them that we got it
Fuck this industry, bitch, I'm in these streets
They don't want shit but my money

As one can see, here he raps about his dead brother, friends in jail, his family members and their roles in his upbringing. In the first verse, he also raps about alcohol as a remedy for his troubles, and in the third and final verse, he pays tribute to his friends and collaborators. It's nothing Shakespeare worthy, but as one can see, it's somewhat a contrast to the rest of the album, and the beat, is a little slower and perhaps allows for more introspection.

This kind of song within an album is not uncommon in trap music; an album or mixtape's focus on violence, drugs and sex (which are all still social issues!) sometimes gives way to moments of direct lucidity, almost a direct commentary on the rest of the album, and the issues that have been rapped about. This seemingly often occurs on or near the final song in an album, like 'Hate the Real Me' on Future's Beast Mode 2 (2018) or 'Worst Enemy' on Gucci Mane's The State vs. Radric Davis (2009). This might sound like a relatively unremarkable point within the music world, but within trap music, where the lyrics are often largely written off as debauchery, it stands out as a direct moment of exposure and vulnerability often ignored. Many trap lyrics have elements of this just via normal lyrics; for example, rapping about a toxic relationship reflecting their experience. But lyrics like those in 'Fuck This Industry' are direct and unmistakable.

Flockaveli is a memorable and important album, with echos that reverberate into the present day across the industry. I'm not sure what I'll review next week, but maybe something a project that has received little attention. A mixtape of some sort perhaps?

Addendum: A few days after publishing this review, Katseye released a video of Megan dancing to 'No Hands'! Not as surprising as one might think, eh?