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Fellow readers, it is 'a lot' not 'alot.' Do not listen to Vic Mensa's asinine grammatical errors, and while you're at it do not listen to Vic Mensa at all. There's Alot Going On is just as bad as that error makes it out to be. A few years ago Bishop Nehru, underground New York street rapper, suddenly received co-signs from Nas and MF DOOM, even going so far as to releasing an album with the latter. Nehru, as is now clear to most, is a bland poet who provides nothing new to the grand scope of Rap, regurgitating styles outfitted decades ago, ones that existed then in much better fashion. Vic Mensa, with numerous co-signs, the biggest of which is Kanye West thanks to his appearance on 'Wolves,' is largely doing the same thing. Rather than remaking a sound long since past, he's mirroring those who currently own the genre, hoping to cash in on trends without an image of his own. There's Alot Going On, in more ways than one, is a clear showing of this, a paltry EP where mediocrity reigns supreme.
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It isn't just the topical content that sees conforming here, arguably clearer is Vic's flow and rhyme snatching from artists like Kanye, Kid Cudi, and Travis Scott, ironic considering the latter was accused of such acts first. The most offensive tracks here are 'Danger' and 'There's Alot Going On,' where Vic does his best Drake impression. His verses, vocals and flow, sound exactly like him, so much so that it puts to shame the typical biting scapegoat Desiigner with his main influence, Future. Given enough time with Hip-Hop's A-listers and you'll see similarities everywhere, like Travis Scott on 'New Bae,' Childish Gambino on 'Liquor Locker,' and Chance on 'Shades Of Blue,' although that last one is a bit forgivable considering they came up together. The lack of true identity here is tangible, and, frankly, embarrassing. There's Alot Going On is a perfect example of an artist simply gliding off the success of others, trailing behind their lead in the same lane without a discernible image to call their own. And what would a bad release be without a nice dash of hypocrisy, using the Damn Daniel viral craze in a bad light while, two songs previous, dedicating an entire song to one ('New Bae'). Mediocrity has never sounded so bad.
cringe
ReplyDeleteTell me about it
ReplyDeleteSo why did it deserve a 3? You savaged it.
ReplyDeleteFor reasons listed in the review haha. I don't think he's doing anything remotely original that'll set him apart from others, and gives off a real trend-hopping vibe to me. Plus a lot of the music I don't enjoy, that again going hand in hand with it being rather stale to me
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