The first album by rapper Roddy Ricch slipped into two lists at the end of 2019: the most listened to and the most unexpected. We did not count on this surprising new inclusion in the roster of the most promising rappers of the moment. That said, Compton has a long way to go. The productions and their chameleonic rhymes may have that differentiating element that rap needs so much today, but what their message is... more of the same.
Is Roddy Ricch one of the good guys or the bad guys?
In the current scene of rap there are two dominant aspects (not counting Eminem, who at 47 years old does whatever he wants). On one hand we have the really, to those who move the wheels of innovation in hip hop. You may like them more or less, but they have a clearly differentiated style: Kendrick Lamar, Royce Da 5'9″, Drake, J. Cole, 21 Savage, Meek Mill, Kanye West, Futre, Travis Scott…etc.
Then, in the second drawer, we have the mob; an elusive skein of thousands and thousands (millions if we take a look at the Instagram of World Star) of artists with the same sound, the same effects on the bases, and the same argument based on Gucci, his tail, his whore and his car.
Lil Yatchi, Lil Pump (every lil actually except Wayne), in short, there are too many names of irrelevant rappers with all the appearance of having come to this game to simply have a good time and milk the more money the better.
First album, and Roddy is already very Ricch
How will it happen with DaBaby (Kirk, 2019), Roddy Ricch on his first album places himself somewhere in the middle of these two groups of rappers. More for the selection of the bases than for what the 23-year-old later says about them, which he too often boils down to another list of luxury brands, cars and guns. I don't know, we're pretty tired of this shit.
Sometimes, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial features unusual musical instrument choices and groundbreaking new atmospheres. In songs like High Fashion o perfect time, Roddy Ricch is not afraid to tinker with different flows and cadences a la Kendrick Lamar, demonstrating tremendous self-confidence for it being his first studio album. The middle part of the album is full of inconsequential songs that say nothing. But they are not bad either.
how well it starts Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, y what a shame about the intro wasted. After a very beautiful beginning with a piano accompanying nostalgic lyrics of memories of worse times, the base breaks in a spectacular way to start a review of the 20 whores that Roddy Ricch now has; of his God brand glock, his Dior socks, and how he is capable of spending what others earn in a whole year on clothes.
Are we really going to be applauding relentlessly this flex constant no more message on each and every rapper? When are we going to say enough is enough?
Meek Mill to the rescue Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial
Peta (in which he collaborates Meek Mill) It is one of the themes that shines the most. It starts with a mandolin to the OST of drug dealers, to then introduce us to a somewhat exotic base (because it is anomalous, fresh and welcome) where the tribal sound of a flute is interspersed with the classic scheme of a drum and snare drum. Despite the name (and the mention of animal skins in the chorus), the song's lyrics are, once again, lacking in substance. Roddy Ricch raps very well and knows how to make changes of rhythm very freshly, but unfortunately the boy has very little to say. The most remarkable of Peta is that the kid wears "skins on skins."
De The Box there is little left to say. As we already advanced in the article by Roddy Ricch on the occasion of his coronation in the Billboard, The Box es Easily the best song on the album. Roddy's own voice goofing around with two vowels instantly sticks with you, making re-listening a must.
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Pure freshness without ambiguity and a Roddy Ricch who, if he had shown this performance in the rest of the album, he would have given us an album instant classic. But again with the box we are before a conjunction of sounds that surround a pro-gun message in which Roddy boasts about his pipe. On the box (the title refers to the magazine of a weapon) there is nothing more to scratch. Kendrick, at least, was telling you a story.
Roddy Ricch has the guns and on Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial has taught them. Now all that remains is for him to stop fooling around and use them.
6/10