Rap Or Go To The League - 2 Chainz: Review
2 Chainz
aka Tity Boi, aka Tauheed Epps is an Atlanta rapper who blew up in 2012 on the back of his hilarious and timely debut album Based On A T.R.U Story. Finding large scale commercial success with the project led him to release a quick follow-up the next year which became the less successful B.O.A.T.S II Me Time. After some very notable features and a huge gain in name recognition in the industry it all finally led 2 Chainz to release his best album since his debut, 2017's Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. With a sharper and effectively trendy sound 2 Chainz was thrust back into the spotlight and has been there ever sense as a short release cycle and some notable celebrity endorsements helped Rap Or Go To The League become one of the most anticipated releases of 2019 so far.
Review By Lavender:
2 Chainz 2012 debut album Based On A T.R.U Story is a flawed album but one of the most hilarious and charming hip hop releases of this entire decade. His personality, hilarious lyrics and charming flows made an album that is a little bit of a sonic one trick pony, into a standout project. That is why it was so difficult to watch him release such inessential projects in the wake of that very solid debut, and also why it was so thrilling to see him return close to form with 2017's Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. Not only this but a number of fantastic features in recent years including, Lil Yachty's Oops, Ariana Grande's 7 Rings Remix and the Black Panther Soundtrack's X among others. So going into this album I was very excited to see if 2 Chainz could come back and achieve the level of success in an album that I felt he achieved so well on his debut.
One of the defining factors I'd like to start off with is an overwhelming positive for the project, spectacular features. My favorite song on the entire project 2 Dollar Bill features what I think is the two best verses on the project, the problem, those verses come from Lil Wayne and E-40. Same thing with High Top Versace, 2 Chainz has a decent part but Young Thug steals the show especially in the second half when it's less about their chemistry and more about Thugger's flows and bars. But the success of the features runs even deeper. 2 Chainz and Travis Scott flow very well together on Whip a track that features a chorus straight out of Astroworld. Pharrell's production on Momma I Hit A Lick is some of the most unique instrumental work the project sees and some pretty diverse performances from both 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar make the song a pretty good experience but given the talent involved it's hard not to say I expected more.
Even when the bad the features are usually good, both Forgiven and Girls Best Friend have very underwhelming verses from 2 Chainz and go on for longer than they should but Marsha Ambrosia and Ty Dolla $ign respectively bring it on the hooks, proving that at least 2 Chainz knows how to pick out some artists that fit right into his style. The long exception to this and the albums only truly bad feature is probably one you saw coming from a mile away, but even when there is trouble this album still rewards you. Kodak Black's verse on the closer is bad yes, but not quite as bad as it could be and given it followed an average verse from 2 Chainz and an excellent verse from Chance The Rapper the track as a whole seems to recover from it's Kodak moment. Ariana Grande also features on the hook of one of the most poppy cuts this project has to offer Rule The World, it's a solid collaboration but in the grander scheme of things not one that I see picking up much traction.
The reason I ran through all the features first is to emphasize just how few of this records almost hour long run time are devoted just to 2 Chainz, and those moments that are can be very hit or miss. For some in the miss category look to Statute Of Limitations one of the most boring songs in the entire album that does absolutely nothing to stand out. As well as Money In The Way which features one of my favorite beats on the entire album but it feels like 2 Chainz does nothing with it. Threat 2 Society comes off as just a barely better version of the opening cut but is at least a strong lyrical highlight and gets into some deeper themes. For its lyrical antithesis look to the hilarious NCAA and song that features a the bridge of "Playing with the clit like a guitar" set to the tune of wailing background guitar playing, and has a killer second half where 2 Chainz really gets in stride. He reaches that stride again later on in the record on I Said Me a song that opens up with a questionable My Favorite Things sample but never looks back as he delivers his sharpest bars of the entire project.
2 Chainz has effectively returned to form with his last album and this one, after releasing some uninspired cuts between he is back making music that is filled with personality and fun, but pretending that this is some kind of masterpiece would just be disingenuous. It has too many obvious mistakes and underwhelming moments but it is certainly a step in the right direction. 6.5/10
Review By Lavender:
2 Chainz 2012 debut album Based On A T.R.U Story is a flawed album but one of the most hilarious and charming hip hop releases of this entire decade. His personality, hilarious lyrics and charming flows made an album that is a little bit of a sonic one trick pony, into a standout project. That is why it was so difficult to watch him release such inessential projects in the wake of that very solid debut, and also why it was so thrilling to see him return close to form with 2017's Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. Not only this but a number of fantastic features in recent years including, Lil Yachty's Oops, Ariana Grande's 7 Rings Remix and the Black Panther Soundtrack's X among others. So going into this album I was very excited to see if 2 Chainz could come back and achieve the level of success in an album that I felt he achieved so well on his debut.
One of the defining factors I'd like to start off with is an overwhelming positive for the project, spectacular features. My favorite song on the entire project 2 Dollar Bill features what I think is the two best verses on the project, the problem, those verses come from Lil Wayne and E-40. Same thing with High Top Versace, 2 Chainz has a decent part but Young Thug steals the show especially in the second half when it's less about their chemistry and more about Thugger's flows and bars. But the success of the features runs even deeper. 2 Chainz and Travis Scott flow very well together on Whip a track that features a chorus straight out of Astroworld. Pharrell's production on Momma I Hit A Lick is some of the most unique instrumental work the project sees and some pretty diverse performances from both 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar make the song a pretty good experience but given the talent involved it's hard not to say I expected more.
Even when the bad the features are usually good, both Forgiven and Girls Best Friend have very underwhelming verses from 2 Chainz and go on for longer than they should but Marsha Ambrosia and Ty Dolla $ign respectively bring it on the hooks, proving that at least 2 Chainz knows how to pick out some artists that fit right into his style. The long exception to this and the albums only truly bad feature is probably one you saw coming from a mile away, but even when there is trouble this album still rewards you. Kodak Black's verse on the closer is bad yes, but not quite as bad as it could be and given it followed an average verse from 2 Chainz and an excellent verse from Chance The Rapper the track as a whole seems to recover from it's Kodak moment. Ariana Grande also features on the hook of one of the most poppy cuts this project has to offer Rule The World, it's a solid collaboration but in the grander scheme of things not one that I see picking up much traction.
The reason I ran through all the features first is to emphasize just how few of this records almost hour long run time are devoted just to 2 Chainz, and those moments that are can be very hit or miss. For some in the miss category look to Statute Of Limitations one of the most boring songs in the entire album that does absolutely nothing to stand out. As well as Money In The Way which features one of my favorite beats on the entire album but it feels like 2 Chainz does nothing with it. Threat 2 Society comes off as just a barely better version of the opening cut but is at least a strong lyrical highlight and gets into some deeper themes. For its lyrical antithesis look to the hilarious NCAA and song that features a the bridge of "Playing with the clit like a guitar" set to the tune of wailing background guitar playing, and has a killer second half where 2 Chainz really gets in stride. He reaches that stride again later on in the record on I Said Me a song that opens up with a questionable My Favorite Things sample but never looks back as he delivers his sharpest bars of the entire project.
2 Chainz has effectively returned to form with his last album and this one, after releasing some uninspired cuts between he is back making music that is filled with personality and fun, but pretending that this is some kind of masterpiece would just be disingenuous. It has too many obvious mistakes and underwhelming moments but it is certainly a step in the right direction. 6.5/10
