MUSIC BLOG
Album, Artist & Concert Reviews
Joey Bada$$ 1999-2000 Tour
July, 28th, 2022
On July. 28th, 2022 just 6 days after he dropped his 3rd studio album 2000. Joey put on a concert at the Novo in Downtown, LA. My amazing friend bought me a ticket for my 26th birthday and I was more than grateful as Joey Badda$$ is one of my favorite rappers of all time. Between his conscious flows, witty deliver, and his ability to give you boom-bap New York rap, smooth California cruise flows, and everything in between. I fell in love with 2000 instantly. If you ask me the album is a fucking classic.
When the concert starts, Joey lets the crowd know that we were going on a ride with him. He started with Summer Knights, Waves, Hard-knock, Survival Tactics, and Righteous Minds. He even brought out CJ Fly to perform his verses on the songs he was featured on. It took me straight back to the summer after 10th grade. My little brother was my go-to for all music that wasn’t LA mixtapes, and Lil Wayne. But my little brother was always on the underground scene and putting me on to Joey, Mac, Wiz, and Curren$y specifically. It was a summer filled with truly discovering whom I was becoming and also mourning the death of my cousin. He was also dealing with the death of his best friend Capital Steez.
He then went on to perform his discography in chronological order. Which allowed us the audience to travel and reminisce with him. From his new album 2000, he performed Where I Belong, Make me Feel, and Head High. It was beautiful since the album at that moment was four days old. So it was amazing to get the performance and enjoy watching him perform the words.
He performed the song Head High which was his tribute to XXXTentacion. Which for me was just a personal reminder that people may not always start good but respect when they change and are good people at heart. He then followed it up by playing his song infinity(888). He performed a song Love is only a feeling which he gave the audience a first listen. And it instantly became one of my favorite songs by him til this day.
The show ended with him performing these three songs The High & The Low, Temptation, And Devastated. The show felt very personal and gave a jazz club vibe. I loved it so much and would definitely go to another Joey Badda$$ concert.
DonMonique: Givin Body
July 2020
My introduction to DonMonique was on Twitter, sis gave a snippet of Givin' Body with a cute tik Tok video. The tweet said, "Beyonce please don't sue me." This created anticipation for me not only was the song for the mellow bad bitches but her deep yet sexy voice captures your attention forcing you to listen to what she is saying. So with anticipation for the song, I went and searched for her discography. I discovered one of my favorite songs Drown.
Drown starts off with
"Cause when I'm chilling, I be coming down
Told him roll me up blunt, I need another round
And he hit me his chirp, he want it by the pound
Niggas call me when they need it, cause I be around"
The lyrics mix with the slowed-down mellow beat, giving a boost to whatever high you are feeling, whether it'd be high off life or marijuana. The first verse introduces her and the type of woman she is. She gets to the business and to come into her life you must be serving a purpose. My favorite verse has to be the second one.
"Finessing the plug, lettin' a bitch nigga know I'm thinkin' bout getting a nut
Smokin' a dub, Hennessy all in my cup, never forgettin' the thugs
Hittin' the club, all of my bitches a 10, niggas be yellin' wassup
Never in love, these niggas know I'm a G, Ow"
The song alone made me a fan. I felt like I found a female rapper that made songs for my day-to-day life. Being a boss bitch who is smoking through life. Keeping calm through both the highs and lows.
While still fixating over Drown, Givin Body finally dropped. This beat and song differ from Drown as it is more upbeat and her delivery is cocky asf. She knows she’s the shit and she reminds listeners why she is dubbed "The Black Kate Moss". The first verse doubles as my favorite verse, it starts off strong and demands you see that she is indeed tha Don Dada.
It's easy to see that she has definitely gained a fan in me. She has two projects that hold songs that I really enjoy especially while smoking a leaf.
The first project is called Thirst Trap. This project holds my fav Drown along with Untld which shows her versatility and I love a bitch that knows how to work her deep voice.
The second project she dropped was called The Black Kate Moss. This project is a favorite of mines out of the two. From Tha Ball, H.B.I.C, Black Kate Moss Chocolate Bunny, and New Kim, Old Nicki. These songs definitely made their way to my daily playlist to remind me that I indeed am that bitch.
Below are links to connect and check her and her music out on your own.
Ari Lennox: Shea Butter Baby Album
July 2019
In Ari’s debut album, she gives us old soul, with a splash of new R&B. The album feels like you are being inducted into her life and well as she asks in the beginning “Are you ready to be my friend, it gets deep.” It feels like a secret glimpse into the life and mind of Ari. Which comes right after the beautiful serenade of Chicago Boy.
Broke is one of my favorites with J.I.D putting his own sense of humor on the track. It is a reminder that we have all been or are still broke. Feels like a reminder to never ponder but to remember that one can and will get past the broke stage in life. Sometimes we forget that being broke doesn’t equate to the end of the world.
New Apartment shows what believing in yourself can do. You can leave that toxic partner and do all they said you shouldn’t previously. Owning the fact that you have your own shit. Embracing and celebrating that you got this new apartment and the furniture you picked. The ending though is the touching part. Reminding us that with everything that you pick for your apartment with all the time and energy you spent being alone. You are still lonely and need people to make the apartment home.
The entire album brings back true R&B and shows the different styles that Ari possesses the album almost feels like a live album feeling and hearing every instrument and appreciating their position on each song. The entire album is one that you will never ever skip a song. You need the flow and you don’t want to miss any piece of this story.
I am a big fan of Ari Lennox and the body of work she puts out. I have no doubt in my mind that she is one of the best R&B girls of our generation and also of all time.