Ramona Park Broke My Heart - Vince Staples: Review
Vince Staples
is a California rapper who first emerged more than a decade ago and has bounced between being a critical darling and cult like rap artist in the years since. Ramona Park is Vince's 4th or 5th album depending on who you ask, though some of the EP's in his discography are just as acclaimed and popular releases. Ramona Park Broke My Heart is a sister album of sorts matching Vince's self-titled project last year.
Review By Lav:
I've been a Vince Staples fan for quite a long time, but that doesn't always manifest itself with unanimous praise. I absolutely loved his debut album Summertime 06' but as we work through his discography to the most experimental but inconsistent Big Fish Theory, then the short and simple summer tape FM! and finally to last years kind of forgettable Vince Staples, it feels like there's a downward trend. While I wasn't crazy about these singles I was still anticipating them to forecast a step in the right direction, and they did.
While neither of the singles blew me away they do provide some brevity to the start and ending of the record respectively. Magic is a catchy song that is simple enough to drill into my brain and stick. Vince's nasally vocals actually do a really good job of selling his singing on the hook and it's compelled me to stand by the song. The other single Rose Street features a trap style beat which the album dances with occasionally but this is one of my favorites with the thick ass drum kick underneath. The bars are confident but also manage to deliver some personal moments if you can read between the lines.
This record isn't perfect but I won't dwell on its weaker tracks for too long. Bang That is the other Mustard produced song here and it doesn't hold up much. The beat isn't nearly as good and it doesn't really bring anything that interesting on the lyrical front. Slide is probably the records most forgettable song as well as containing some of its weakest vocals. I will say that I appreciate the way the song continues to return to the word slide though.
DJ Quik aims to be a darker track that sees Vince flexing some of his gang connections and the things he could do if provoked. It sort of works but the hook really needs a little bit more intensity to help sell it. Finally there's East Point Prayer which is one of the more sentimental songs here that starts off well. I can't think of even one good reason why Lil Baby was invited onto this track in particular to totally wreck its authenticity with his generic brags. While his feature isn't terrible or anything it doesn't fit in with the song at all.
The rest of what's here however is pretty good. Aye! is quite a pleasant opener and even though it's on the reserved side I can't help but think it lends an air of positivity to the difficult subject matter and hand and helps established that dynamic for the whole record. Lemonade is another just irresistible song with the same summery vibe of FM!. I know it's cliché to talk about how good a Ty Dolla $ign feature is but he really does elevate the great energy of the song. They're having so much fun and the refrains are so infectious alongside the tropical beat I just love it. Similarly Mama's Boy is the best of the shortest tracks here with a really memorable beat and one of the records best hooks.
Papercuts is a track I've come around to quite a bit. I like the way the sample is used to basically highlight Vince's more monotone performance with an instrumental that is unimposing to it. When Sparks Fly has a really interesting almost trip hoppy beat that gets me head bobbing right away. Lyrically the song is really interesting as a back and forth conversation between Vince and his gun across two verses. The metaphor actually has legs to it and it works well within the stark presentation of the track.
This isn't the only lyrical highlight on the record either. Player Ways is a pretty interesting song that can almost disguise itself as a typical rap sex jam if you're not paying attention. In the second verse Vince mentions that he's changing himself and getting smarter with his behavior towards women, seemingly for the benefit of everyone involved. It has more to it than meets the eye and I appreciate that. The closing track The Blues is the records true lyrical highlight and one that I won't spoil by breaking down its every secret here, just listen to it. His self-reflecting over a watery instrumental makes for a great conclusion to the record.
I wouldn't call this record conceptual or grand, but in the grooves of some of its most basic traits there is a really compelling collection of songs here. Though it is a tad bit inconsistent it is also versatile in the ways that Vince's best projects have always been. It also comes off as his most focused set of tracks and well thought out tracklist yet, really with only one exception in the laughable inclusion of Lil Baby on an otherwise pretty serious track. But I won't get hung up on that. This is a good record, it might even be his best since Big Fish Theory and I won't sit around trying to think of reasons not to like it. 7/10
