Entertainment

Logic releases second album of 2019

“Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” the latest by rapper Logic/ Bobby Tarantino seems more like confessions of a confused mind.

This is the second album from Logic in 2019, and the fourth in the span of two years.

The album runs 55 minutes long and is sprinkled with star studded names such as Eminem, Wiz Khalifa, G-Eazy and even Will Smith appears.

Going into the album Logic released three singles, “Keanu Reeves,” “Homicide” featuring Eminem and “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.” All three being well constructed songs.

The singles vary in topics such as the state of rap, society and its impact on a rapper’s psychological health and being the one, a play on Keanu Reeves’ role in the movie “The Matrix.”

The album starts with the single “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,” where Logic raps about thoughts he’s had. These range from how there is nothing left for him to achieve and that he’s made it, but despite that he is still compared to fellow rappers J Cole, Kendrick Lamar (K-Dot) and his other brothers.

He then says it’s through the hate on social media from fans and critics that drive rappers to overdosing in their homes or committing suicide.

While this view oversimplifies a complex issue, it does raise concerns over how the music industry treats artists, especially the successful ones as society has seen countless times young artists kill themselves.

Following the opening track is “Homicide” featuring Detroit rapper Eminem.

The track opens very questionably with Logic’s father telling him he is the greatest alive because he came from him, except he says it in more explicit way.

If it was on another track, it would raise more question but considering Eminem was known for his zany track openings and outros when he rapped more under the personality of “Slim Shady,” the opening can have a pass.

This track shows Logic’s pure speed and furthers his views on the rap industry, a point that aligns with Eminem, as they continue to dismantle and attack mumble rap.

Logic compares himself to “Slim Shady” immediately starting the chorus saying “Bobby feelin’ villainous, he killin’ this.” The comparison continues as he uses the term “Chika-chika-chika,” famous from Eminem’s 1999 track “My Name Is.”

In Logic’s first verse he dares every single rapper in the industry to test him because nobody impresses him anymore. Logic goes as far as to ask if any of them can rap but says he isn’t dissing, only adding fuel to the fire.

What is impressive is Logic’s ability to, in his own way, mimic “Slim Shady” by rapping in a higher pitch, nasally voice.

Further into the song, Eminem comes on after a smooth transition of Logic saying “Chika-chika-chika,” where Eminem continues it as “jigga-jigga-jigga like Jay Z.”

In Eminem’s verse, he attacks rappers that use ghost writers for their songs, something famous rapper Drake has been accused of numerous times.

Afterwards, Eminem uses a lot of Yankee baseball analogies to further the connection with New York City rapper Jay Z, and he continues to rap about him rolling over rappers who’ve faced him along with how he enjoys using their styles in his own way to further attack them.

This is referring to Eminem’s album “Kamikaze” where he used beats and flows from artists such as Migos to show he is able to do it in a lyricist way as opposed to mumbling and repeating words.

Sadly, the outro from comedian Chris D’Elia, who became famous after making fun of how Eminem raps when he’s angry, goes on for too long.

While, the outro is funny, it came too late and would have been more favorable a few years ago.

Unfortunately, the next track “clickbait” is fairly forgettable much like the ending of the chorus where Logic goes “You are incredible, you are forgettable, you are forgettable.”

Despite the track furthers the talking point of addiction, this time to social media, and the media’s use of artist suicide for monetary gain, the song is short, and the chorus doesn’t hit the target.

Thankfully, the following track “Mama/Show Love” comes back with clean flows and a strong beat, sampling the intro of KRS-One’s “Mad Crew.”

This also is tailoring back to Logic’s early song “Gang Related” from his first studio album in 2014, where he sampled the intro originally.

The track features fellow young Maryland rapper YBN Cordae, who comes in with quick flows.

Cordae uses the line “I go two gorillas on some Bape shit” referencing the Japanese apparel line that is considered luxurious and expensive.

The beat switches up the beat for verse four where the “Show Love” aspect of the track appears, to which Logic does shout outs to rappers Childish Gambino and K-Dot.

Deeper into the album Logic brings in G-Eazy, someone who he was compared with vastly in the early to mid-2010s as they both were coming up.

G-Eazy comes on with his usual slower paced but smooth style even mentioning this being the “clash of the titans.”

But just as it seems like Logic is putting together a solid album like the days of old, he throws on the annoyingly chorused “Icy” which features a high pitch repeat of the phrase “I’m icy, I’m clean.”

The song features Gucci Mane, but despite his deeper sound, the repeat of the chorus ruins the song. Mane’s feature would have been much better on the later track “Cocaine” where Logic embodies the mumble rap style.

The track “Cocaine” is mediocre and would have been suited better for Mane or a feature of producer/rapper Future.

Logic continues to keep Will Smith out of rap-retirement with the song “Don’t Be Afraid to be Different,” which features a 90’s styled hip-hop beat.

Smith cleverly begins to rap the intro to “The Fresh Prince of Belair,” but then goes “on the playground is where I…f all that” almost slipping a curse word.

This is funny due to Eminem being featured on the album and earlier in his career Eminem said Will Smith didn’t need to cuss in his raps to sell records.

In the end, this album is half-good, half-let down.

The oversaturation of the market from Logic is becoming more apparent as his last few rap albums have been flip-floppy as well.

The album is best compared to the Power Tower at Cedar Point, the highs take you up there, but when you least expect it, Logic comes at you with a very lackluster song and drops the floor out from you before lifting you up again.

Advice for Logic…take a break.