The Standards Issue #1: Gunna, Chief Keef, 4batz, and More
The Standards Issue #1: Gunna, Chief Keef, 4batz, and More
It's time for The Standards, where we tell you if some mainstream music is worth the listen, featuring Gunna, Chief Keef, 4batz, Yung Bleu, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Future, GloRilla, Bryson Tiller, and more.
The Standards Issue is your go-to place to find out if the latest popular albums/singles are actually good. We’ll tell you straight up if an album/single is worth your time or if you should skip it. No confusing words or fancy talk here, just honest reviews from people who know their stuff.
In each Standards Issue, we’ll look at the most talked-about albums in the mainstream. We’ll tell you what works and what doesn’t and give you the real deal on the lyrics, beats, and overall vibe. By the end, you’ll know if an album/single lives up to the hype or if it’s just a bunch of noise. So if you want to stay up on the latest music without wasting your time on the duds, keep checking back for new Standards Issues.
Gunna: One of Wun (Hip-Hop)
One of Wun is Gunna’s fifth album. The name shows his ego and how he is one of the only rappers to win against the justice system recently trying to make rap a crime. The album has him not worried at all, trying to be the coolest guy in the world with every smooth melody. No matter what haters think, he just wants to give his fans the sound they love. He changes up his flow, which helps the 19 songs not all sound the same, but using similar beats over and over makes you realize the album is pretty long. The beats aren’t bad by themselves, but the whole album could have used more variety. It would have been better if he talked more about his life and thoughts, but it’s still a good album that his biggest fans will love.
Favorite Track(s): “Prada Dem,” “$$$,” “Life’s Changing”
Rating Recommendation: Sideways Thumb (👍🏼)
Chief Keef: Almighty So 2 (Hip-Hop)
Chief Keef is only 28 but has already made a ton of music in many different styles. You can hear his impact all the way up to the biggest rappers. He helped create the Chicago drill sound, and even though he’s had ups and downs, since making a lot of music fast often means not everything is perfect, he’s always kept the exciting quality he’s been working on since he was young. After a lot of delays, Almighty So 2 is finally out, and it’s as colorful, lively, and carefree as anything Keef has ever done. It’s a big moment that brings the original drill sound he helped make popular into the future in a loud way. Instead of getting a lot of different producers, Keef makes the beats himself on all but one of the 16 songs. With that self-assurance comes a new focus on his legacy. Keef still cares about doing well now and in the future, but on Almighty So 2, he also spends just as much time thinking about his hard path to success.
Favorite Track(s): “Banded Up,” “1,2,3,” “Drifted Away”
Rating Recommendation: Thumb Up (👍)
4batz: U Made Me a St4r (Gentrified R&B)
4batz is an [attempted] R&B singer and rapper from Dallas, Texas. Last year, he had two songs go viral that got him some attention for a little while. Drake even remixed one of the songs, and Kanye West and SZA talked about him publicly. Because of this, record labels and fans were interested in him. He signed with Drake’s OVO Sound label for future music, but his first mixtape, U Made Me a St4r, came out on the Gamma label instead. The retail mixtape has his hit songs “Act II: Date @ 8” and “Act III: On God? (She Like),” which are focused on his flow, and also some other new songs about heartbreak, sex, relationships, and the hurt that comes with love. Even though 4batz has already had more fame and interest leading up to U Made Me a St4r than most artists get in their careers, and big celebrities have supported him, his music now doesn’t have much life or a unique style other than sounding like a Kroger brand version of Brent Faiyaz.
Favorite Track(s): “Act V: There Goes Another Verse”
Rating Recommendation: Thumbs Down (👎)
Yung Bleu: Jeremy (Melodic Hip-Hop)
In his latest studio album, named after his first name, Yung Bleu has crafted his most personal work yet, shedding light on events that have kept him under public scrutiny beyond his musical career. The opening track, “Everybody Hates Jeremy,” features a blend of news coverage concerning a 2022 shooting incident involving Bleu, his split from his former spouse, and a legal dispute with Boosie Badazz regarding an alleged contract breach. In response, Bleu chooses to remain silent with a simple “no comment,” though his lyrics within the album subtly refer to these incidents. This allows the individuals who enjoy his music to form their own opinions about the events of his life. The album skillfully mixes intense rap pieces with softer R&B melodies, showcasing collaborations with notable artists such as Leon Thomas, John Legend, and Jacquees.
Favorite Track(s): “Confirmation (Remix),” “TARAJI”
Rating Recommendation: Thumbs Down (👎)
PARTYNEXTDOOR: PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 (R&B)
Between his 2020 album PARTYMOBILE and his 2024 album PARTYNEXTDOOR 4, PARTYNEXTDOOR didn’t release much music of his own. He produced or helped write songs for a few people, such as Rihanna, Drake, and French Montana, though. At that time, he didn’t really change his sound or lyrics much. His fourth album has small changes with a bit more detail in the production and sometimes hints that he’s grown up slightly in how he thinks about relationships. But most of the songs are about the same things as before: empty hookups in fancy places.
Favorite Track(s): “Control,” “For Certain,” “Resentment”
Rating Recommendation: Sideways Thumb (👍🏼)
Future & Metro Boomin: We Still Don’t Trust You (Hip-Hop)
Just three weeks after Future and Metro Boomin put out their #1 album, We Don’t Trust You, they released another one called We Still Don’t Trust You. It’s not a deluxe version of the first album, and it’s a whole different project. We Still Don’t Trust You is almost 90 minutes long and split into two parts. The first part is over an hour and doesn’t sound like the trap music the duo usually makes. The title track features The Weeknd and sounds kind of like his mix of dark, neon synth-pop and sad R&B. The other songs aren’t as dancey, but they often have shiny synths and painful melodies. The features on the album are good, but Metro’s beats are really creative, and Future sounds okay. If Drake and Kendrick weren’t beefing, people probably wouldn’t be as excited about this album or paying as much attention to Future and Metro.
Favorite Track(s): “We Still Don’t Trust You,” “Red Leather,” “Show of Hands”
Rating Recommendation: Sideways Thumb (👍🏼)
GloRilla: Ehhthang Ehhthang (Hip-Hop)
In her EP Ehhthang Ehhthang, the Memphis rapper GloRilla is an unapologetic, easygoing woman who loves to have a good time and beat her competition. Even though our lives are really different, her music reminds me not to take life too seriously. What I like about this EP is how GloRilla never holds back or fakes it when she raps; in every verse, she throws hard punches and matches all the big, loud beats. It’s interesting that she also doesn’t sing or use any melodies at all. GloRilla’s words aren’t super deep and the songs aren’t varied enough to totally love, but it’s good just to enjoy the zone she’s in right now.
Favorite Track(s): “Yeah Glo!,” “No Bih,” “Opp Shit”
Rating Recommendation: Thumb Up (👍)
Bryson Tiller: Bryson Tiller (Self-Titled) [R&B]
Bryson Tiller’s first album since 2020’s Anniversary mainly was made with producer Charlie Heat, whom he had worked on a hyped-up song. He also had a team of over 40 other producers help him make an album of modern R&B slow jams full of sweet talk, bragging, complaints, and demands that fit together pretty well, which is a nice surprise. The best songs usually have a bit of an old-school feel, like the rich-sounding Victoria Monét duet “Persuasion,” the yearning song “Outside,” and “Ciao.” “Ciao” is the meanest and rudest song on the album, but it doesn’t feel out of place. Sadly, the middle of the album is pretty boring and drags things down, even with the other good songs. The order of songs on an album matters a lot, and Tiller messed that up here. Whatever he wanted to do at first got lost along the way.
Favorite Track(s): “Persuasion,” “Ciao,” “Outside”
Rating Recommendation: Sideways Thumb (👍🏼)
Flo Milli: Fine Ho, Stay (Hip-Hop)
With the release of her latest album, Fine, Ho Stay, Flo Milli concludes the Ho series, which has been instrumental in shaping her unique and playful image in the music world. This series began with her 2020 mixtape Ho, Why Is You Here? and was followed by her 2022 debut album You Still Here, Ho? The smash anchors the latest addition to her discography hit “Never Lose Me,” marking Flo Milli’s initial foray into the Billboard charts. The album features the original track as well as a star-studded remix with contributions from SZA and Cardi B.
The album maintains a laid-back vibe with tracks “New Me,” featuring Anycia, and “Life Hack,” which employ a similar approach to the breakout hit, using airy samples that complement the smooth flows and chilled beats. Meanwhile, Flo Milli turns up the intensity with faster-paced offerings such as “Understand,” the electrifying “Clap Sum,” and “Tell Me What You Want,” highlighting her nimble lyricism. A departure from the rest, “Edible” incorporates a heavier synth bass and catchy sung refrains, punctuated with robust verses from Flo Milli and the featured artist Gunna.
Favorite Track(s): “Understand,’ “Edible,” “Tell Me What You Want”
Rating Recommendation: Sideways Thumb (👍🏼)
Joyner Lucas: Not Now, I’m Busy (Hip-Hop)
In his sophomore album, Not Now, I’m Busy, Massachusetts rapper Joyner Lucas demonstrates his impressive rap skills and swift wordplay. The album showcases diverse musical styles, from the intense “Cut U Off,” featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again, to the thoughtful “Broski,” which echoes the narrative style of Eminem. The production is polished, meshing classic hip-hop beats with modern R&B flavors. Lucas easily navigates through different moods and genres, delivering head-nodding grooves with Conway the Machine on “Sticks & Stones” and switching gears to bass-heavy beats in “24 Hours to Live.”
His collaboration with Logic and Twista on “Still Alright” is a highlight, offering a thrilling display of fast-paced lyricism. The album also benefits from contributions by Jelly Roll, Symba, DMX, and others. Despite the album’s strengths, Lucas often dwells on themes of distrust and unrecognized talent, asserting his superiority in the industry with a mix of confidence and bitterness. His claims are backed by the album’s standout moments, but there are times when the message feels overstressed, particularly when the content doesn’t hit the mark.
Favorite Track(s): “Best for Me,” “I Didn’t Go,” “Still Alright”
Rating Recommendation: Sideways Thumb (👍🏼)