Tag Archives: Vince Staples

Jun 07 2025
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Joy Crookes – Carmen

As the women continue to lead R&B/Soul to prominence, one of the most underrated of those is none other than Joy Crookes. The South London songstress has consistently delivered with her unique vocals, honest lyricism and vast musicality. It’s a couple years since her last release and with her second album Juniper due 26th September, she feeds fans with this EP, Carmen.

Carmen serves as a bitesize offering of four tracks, with longtime collaborator Blue May, that encapsulate her diverse range of artistry. Leading with the title track,

a modern take on a classic sound, as she poetically explores beauty standards and confidence, the crisp production provides the perfect bed for her captivating vocals, you can see why she has drawn comparisons to the late great Amy Winehouse. I Know You’d Kill, a song about trust which she wrote for her manager,

raises the tempo, on which effortlessly glides. It’s so rare to find current creations that can embody such nostalgic instrumentation whilst possessing these original and current day nuances. Much like the next track, Mathematics featuring legendary Grime MC Kano.

It’s such an unorthodox pairing that seamlessly matches their contrasting styles, with her emotive and vulnerable display complimented by Kano’s tone and delivery, which is refreshing to hear, similar to the last track, the bass-heavy, Pass The Salt featuring Vince Staples,

emphasised with her vocals minutely distorted, blending her sultry sound over a beautifully chaotic production, allowing the Long Beach rapper to flow naturally with one of his standout features. If this is anything to go by, you can expect her 26th September release Juniper to be another quality offering of sexy vocals and high-end production, filled with emotion, experimentation and most of all originality.

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Jul 21 2017
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Tyga – Bitch I’m The Shit 2

With Move To L.A. ft. Ty Dolla $ign serving as the teaser single, T-Rawww releases the sequel to his popular project.

Considered as another chance to reignite his musical prominence, there is some pressure, but he is no stranger to a hit song, so it’s fair to give it a chance. Off the first listen, I have to admit, Tyga might be one of the most slept on, as an A&R, his ability to put certain songs together, plus the features, really makes for good listening.

I was not expecting anything special from the Kanye West featured Feel Me, though it ‘Ye’s verse is appreciated, “Flew in for the fight, that’s that Thug Life, Pac sittin’ shotgun..next to Suge Knight”, it does not really have too much playback value, maybe a couple more listens might feel different. The second track might be better, Teterboro Flow is braggadocios Tyga at his finest, and as hard as the beat is, the raps just ain’t my thing, further justifying my A&R statement is the Ski On The Slope, because again, the beat is good, Tyga flossing over the beat, and the flow’s cool, but it’s overshadowed by Pusha T’s verse (which might be the best verse on the whole album). Some of the tracks on the album have been heard before, like Eyes Closed, which ain’t too bad, it’s shaping up to be a dope mixtape, you have Move To L.A., shortly followed by Bel Air featuring man of the moment Quavo, and he does not disappoint, which is cool to listen to but again it’s Tyga being overshadowed by a feature, I’ll give Tyga credit for the flow, as it’s catchy, and off the first listen I knew I’ll be listening to this more for sure, but throw some heavy-autotune and it’s very Travis Scott-ish, which only sounds good when it’s Travis (If I’m being honest), I do hope he pushes it as a second single, which will definitely help establish it better.

I’m enjoying the mixtape, it does lack the bigger solid sure fire hits like Hookah, though he links back up with Thugger, for Bring It Back, and it’s a cool song, but it’s merely highlighting a lack of his own sound, while Playboy is closer to being a sound synonymous to Tyga, Vince Staples steals the show which his feature. As much as media will create rumours regarding Tyga and his ex’s new flame, Travis Scott, Chandeliers features Travis’ adlibs throughout, so that’s something. The Zaytoven produced Cash Splash NASA is one of the better solo cuts, sitting before 1 of 1 (criticised for it’s likeness to Controlla) which finds it’s way on the project, but I prefer Gone Too Far. The other tracks are fillers really, but Bitch I’m The Shit 2 shows that Tyga is far from washed, there are plenty dope points and the project will grow on people over time, but for me, I see potential in the tracks created and I’ll definitely be listening out for an album.

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