Credit: GOOD/Def Jam
K.T.S.E. - TEYANA TAYLOR
The G.O.O.D Music family had a great summer. Alongside
the controversial releases of both Nas’ Nasir, Pusha T’s
Daytona, and Ye’s self-titled album Ye, Teyana Taylor’s
K.T.S.E. album proves to be the least problematic of the five
productions released by the label this summer. K.T.S.E.,
short for Keep That Same Energy, is Teyana’s second studio
album since the release of her first studio album, VII, in
2014. The long overdue album features some of the best
of Kanye’s old beats. From the compelling sample of The
Delfonics’ “I Gave to You” on “Gonna Love Me” and the
sexy, seductive story of a threesome on “3Way,” the album
exudes both soulful and flirty vibes.
Despite the emphasis on her tremendous vocal talent
on the album and the excellent production, K.T.S.E. fell
short of the appreciation it deserves by the mainstream
world. Opening at No. 2 on the Billboard, K.T.S.E. still
faced disappointing first week sale numbers raking in
23,000 sales (7,000 being CD sales). Despite the numbers,
K.T.S.E. proves yet again why Taylor deserves more
recognition and appreciation for her versatility as an artist.
EVERYTHING IS LOVE - THE CARTERS
America’s beloved industry couple never fails to break the
internet, whether it be in relation to their music or their
marriage. Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s surprise album, Everything
Is Love, revives the “‘03 Bonnie and Clyde” feel that we
grew to love about the Carter couple. The nine-track album
is a follow up to both Beyoncé’s Lemonade and Jay-Z’s
4:44, where both express their vulnerabilities and admit
to the imperfections of what seems to the general public
to be their “perfect” relationship. Everything Is Love is a
testament to all the hopeless romantics that even the most
complicated relationships can get through all hardships
through self-reflection, communication, and pure love.
The album opens with the sultry sounds of
“SUMMER,” which features Beyoncé crooning about
making love to her husband. We rarely get to enjoy
Beyoncé’s singing as she kicks up the pace on the
thunderous “APESHIT” track, spitting some superb bars
to make you question which one of the Carters were the
better rapper on the album. Everything Is Love doubles
down on the themes of generational wealth, black
excellence, and prosperity in songs such as “FRIENDS”
and “BLACK EFFECT”.
Everything Is Love was a great concept and
production that did splendid numbers on the chart; however,
the delivery of the content could have been stronger given
both their abilities to create better content. The themes
discussed throughout are solid, but better lyrics associated
with them could have really strengthened the album. In
closing, Everything Is Love will undoubtedly be a vibe for
all the lovers out there going into the next season.
With the release of tons of great content this summer from
both our new and old favorite artists, it’s certain that the fourth
quarter of the year has so much more in store. With expected
releases from Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea, and Childish Gambino,
the end of the year is going out with a bang.
Credit: Parkwood/Sony/S.C/Roc Nation
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