I get so excited for New Music Tuesday. I hope you guys do too. Something about popping open a fresh album with no expectations and an open mind. Always fun. Well today, I was intending to review the latest Queen of hip hop - Nicki Minaj, but they delayed her release to next week. Which I think is silly, because Kanye is dropping his next week too - which has already seen AMAZING reviews on the pre release. Regardless of all that - Nelly dropped his first one in a couple years. Remember Nelly? Remember the SICK 'Country Grammar' and solid follow up 'Nellyville'? Remember that guy? Well don't get that guy confused with this guy. This isn't your fathers Nelly. This is some pop/r&b replacement. 'Just A Dream' being one of the most overplayed songs on the radio right now - which I'll admit, isn't a terrible song, but the rest...uhh, yeah. I loved when Nelly would show his sick flow on tracks and maybe have a couple poppy tracks to compliment. Well, that's gone. There are tracks where he seems like he's trying to be hard, but it's almost laughable. He was recently left off the Top 10 rappers of the 2000's by BET, and he was pretty upset because of all the albums he's sold. Which yeah, the only artist who has sold more was Eminem. But Em RAPS, Nelly - you've gone pop. Remember Grillz? Yeah, we all do. That's not hip hop. Neither is this album. For an R.Kelly/Usher style album, yeah - this is pretty solid. For a rap album, sub par at best. Since I'm basing my opinion off this as a pop record, I'm going to be generally positive. But I want the old Nelly back. Hot Ish!!
TRACK LISTING:
1. I'm Number 1
2. Long Gone
3. She's So Fly
4. Just A Dream
5. Making Movies
6. Move That Body
7. 1000 Stacks
8. Gone
9. Don't It Feel Good
10. Broke
11. Liv Tonight
12. Nothing Without Her
Listen To Samples
1. Just A Dream
2. Nothing Without Her
3. Gone
FINAL RATING:
3 out of 5 stars
"...We goin down down baby, yo street in a Range Rover..." hahahaha, yea I like that ending. I listened to the samples and my top 3 would vary a bit:
ReplyDelete1. She's So Fly
2. Gone
3. k.I.s.s.
Like you said, as a rap album it's average. Puts me in a mind of Flo-Rida for some reason. I think it could be because of that one track "Liv Tonight". Not that I can't stand that type of music, because I like Gaga, but like I've said before it feels as though some artists are flowing with whats popular, as opposed to whats naturally apart of them.
I've always felt that anybody can make a good song and it sound reasonable. But its got to be believable, you've gotta have that umph. Then again with this one it could be that I haven't heard anything from Nelly in a couple years and I need to hear everything in their entirety get it. But as for now, its OK I suppose.
That album was really good. Country Grammar, Batter Up, EI, Ride Wit Me - all good stuff. I think I need to review that soon!
ReplyDeleteI think Nelly just lost the swagger. When he made that song with Tim McGraw - he alienated a lot of the die hard rap fans. That was his core. Now, he'll sell more albums making pop records - and maybe that's his goal. I have no idea. I just think as a rapper, his days are over.
I love talkin about juicy subjects like this:)
ReplyDeleteBut see, then I think about Kanye West and his progression in his career. This guy came out on the Roc-a-Fella Records label, producing for many artists. Then he went on to release "The College Dropout", "Late Registration", "Graduation", "808s & Heartbreak", and now this current project.
But when Kanye dropped "Graduation", is when I began taking him more seriously. His sound has changed but he's maintained the same attitude towards his craft and thats what I appreciated. To me "808's" was like Janet Jackson's "The Velvet Rope" album in terms of depth and truly exploring the inner thoughts. Hopefully "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" will have the same effect. The "Dropout" was six years ago, and that same audience is six years older and he's grown with them.
So what I'm getting at is that while you have someone like Kanye who in my opinion doesn't need to resort to shifting himself, Nelly needs to find who he really is and if it's this then good for him.
I think Kanye is truly a unique character. He was able to go from poppy to less poppy and actually get better. To me, 808's is is best album and it looks like Dark Twisted Fantasy will be right up there in terms of that style.
ReplyDeleteI will disagree that his 'Dropout' fans enjoyed his 808's record. Almost EVERYONE I've talked to hates the 808's album. You and I are in the minority there.
Nelly's sound is going backward to me. When you have to start turning pop just to go platinum - then I'm not sure you should keep making music. Just my opinion.
Nelly is terrible. Let's just be honest.
ReplyDeleteEven old Nelly? New Nelly - yes, terrible.
ReplyDeleteYes, even old Nelly. All songs sound the same and lyrically, he is TERRIBLE. I find him similar to how I find, say, a Britney Spears. I get pumped when I hear a song in a club or on the radio, but would never purchase it for myself.
ReplyDeleteI think he used to have his moments. I mean, he didn't bring it like Pac or something - but he was harder back then.
ReplyDeleteSeems like now all he sings about is Grillz, Women and shoes. Boring.
Oh, and when you callabo with Fergie, yeah. 'Nuff said.