Logic releases ‘Bobby Tarantino II’ mixtape
by Andrew Szendrey
2018-03-30
Logic
Bobby Tarantino II
Def Jam · March 09, 2018
I think Logic did exactly what he was trying to do.
He pretty much lays it all out for us in the Album’s introduction, ‘Grandpa’s Space Ship,’ when he explains that Bobby Tarantino II is going to be like old-style mixtape Logic with some new beats and some new verses. I was excited to hear the album after the legendary introduction, but I was underwhelmed by the lack of substance.
This album is Bobby Tarantino style. It is ATL brand rap and much more aligned with the kind of “mixtape” that allows Bobby to show off his control of the verse at any speed with any beat. His tracks are showy: yes. His tracks are impressive: yes. His tracks lack substance: also, unfortunately, yes.
This is the kind of track list that allows Bobby to flaunt his fame without saying a word. With features from Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean, & 2 Chainz he pulls in listeners from a style of silly rap that he usually doesn’t tap into. Furthermore, these nonchalant features help Bobby Tarantino II feel more like a mixtape by disrupting Logic’s tendency to move smoothly from song to song. Yet a second look at the names on this feature list explains my disappointment. Wiz Khalifa doesn’t bring much besides his laugh and some weed, and 2 Chainz struggles to come up with topics unrelated to hookers. To follow up such a diverse and impressive list of features as one found on Everybody with five totally average (albeit popular) male artists is disappointing to say the least.
Everything about this release is less serious than his 2017 album Everybody. The random breaks from music that include dialogues from Logic, classic cartoon TV show characters Rick & Morty, and Wiz’s laugh help lighten the mood on this mixtape. So forgive me when I struggle to take seriously the remarks about his rough upbringing when they are placed alongside his rant about his favorite strain on ’Indica Badu.’
I think Logic did exactly what he was trying to do, and I think it came out alright. I’m not disappointed—Logic will likely remain one of my favorite artists. And I will hold on to the fun and unique parts about this album. But, in my humble opinion, this album will be quick to be forgotten when placed next to the excellent work he did on The Incredible True Story and Everybody. Every artist has a worst album, and this might be tied with Bobby Tarantino (the original, released in 2016) for Logic.
This album, however, is much more than just the music that makes it. It is the sum of many hours of work that numerous people put into telling these stories in Bobby’s style. This includes the album cover art. On the front of the album sits Logic’s wife, Jessica Andrea. Oddly enough, it was just announced that these two are separating. This divorce will go one of two ways: it will be emblematic of Logic’s fade into irrelevance, or it will give him enough material to make something great. I truly hope that the latter will be true.
