CLIFFORD is a Boston-based progressive/technical deathcore metal band made up of 4 Berklee students: Luke Green (Drums), Lucas Koughan (Bass), Thomas Reuter (Guitar), and Drake Plotkin (Vocals). Their distinct style combines elements of different extreme metal genres such as deathcore and tech-death, perfectly exemplified on last year’s 

their debut album. They’ve been playing numerous gigs around Boston and the general New England area, and are looking forward to their appearance in 

, a festival this July. WRBB’s Ben Gardner met up with Thomas and Drake to discuss their future plans and learn about their artistic process.

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.

Ben Gardner: How are you guys feeling about your upcoming festival Inkcarceration? What does it mean for you guys as a band?

Thomas Reuter: Yeah, it's definitely something we're very stoked about. We got it through this great thing that Berklee has: the Berklee Popular Music Institute, where they basically just go through a huge application process where they have, I think it's seven festivals that they have ins with, and each one is a different style. You just apply and then they pick which bands they feel like are the best fit for each one. And we were lucky enough to get onto the metal festival, which is Inkcarceration. There was some competition with our neighborhood rivals Nailed Shut. And by neighborhood rivals, I mean some of our best friends. And, you know, they deserve it just as much as we do.


Are there any artists you are excited to see or also share the stage with?

Thomas: On the day that we're playing, the two huge metal bands are Megadeth and Slipknot. I know for the metal core side on our day specifically is Gideon and Dayseeker. That'll be cool.

Drake Plotkin: We Came as Romans is a cool one. There's Asking Alexandria on our day too. That's going to be fun.

The first CLIFFORD show I went to actually was a little over a year ago, in a Berklee Ensemble room with Nailed Shut. It was one of your first shows.

Thomas: It was our first, like, big show. Not 

, but it was the first show that we organized. Yeah, because everything before that was a Berklee thing.

You've grown a lot in just one year — now you guys are playing more shows at bigger venues. Is there anything specific you would attribute your success to?

Thomas: Just people. People we play with. And then those bands like us. And then they want to book shows with us. I know when we started, it was a lot of us reaching out to bands and begging them, “Please put us on your bills,” and stuff like that. And now, there's still some of that, but it's definitely about an even split of us asking to be on shows and people asking us to be on shows, which is very cool.

Thomas: It's kind of up in the air. We have a lot of music that we're working on in the background and are eventually going to release. Right now, Inkcarceration is our next big step. And I think a lot of our future depends on how that goes. Maybe there will be someone from a record label or some band that is a lot bigger than us, that likes us and tours with us or signs us. There’s also a new EP on the way.

is the composition. All your songs definitely have a definitive and interesting shape/structure. How do you guys even come up with the structures for your songs? Is there a defined process you have figured out?

Drake: Yeah, we have. We are still trying to specifically dial in our process, but around half of the album, half of the 

album was written at least instrumentally before I joined. So you'll hear around half of the songs have a very similar feel to them because that was Thomas and Luke or Thomas and Lucas at a computer working it out. And the common denominator there is Thomas. So you know, you have songs like “Dark Descent” or “Grandeur,” which have very similar forms… I wouldn't call myself a songwriter, but when I have ideas, I can structure songs in my head, but I am not good enough on any one instrument to make it happen. So having me and a person like Thomas, who over time we found out that we work really well when it comes to me having ideas and Thomas being able to put them onto a guitar works for us. It also helps that I play guitar so I can at least communicate effectively rather than just saying noises and stuff in order to make it happen. Some of the other songs were structured and the seed of the idea was me, and then me and Thomas would sit in a room and just go through it. Now that me and Thomas are writing stuff together consistently rather than me not being in the band for half of 

, it might not be just ‘riff, riff, riff, riff, chorus, breakdown,’ for every song. And especially with this new release we're working on. It's an EP. It's less about the form of the song and more about how it flows in terms of the message we're trying to get across because it's a concept EP. Thomas takes more influence from composed, super heavy songs. And I take influence from really basic metalcore, which has really catchy songs and also pop music. So it's a blend of styles that kind of merge together to get the best of both worlds. And you'll see that a lot when we end up releasing the EP. It’ll hopefully come out in the fall of this year.

Thomas: That's accurate. Drake will be like, “I have an idea for a riff,” and then I'm like, “All right, let me do that real quick.” Me and Drake are probably the core songwriting duo of the band. We've definitely found that we work really, really well together over time, and when the new EP comes out, it is going to be insane.

Would you say your songs are generally written around the guitar?

Thomas: We usually write an instrumental demo first and it'll be real recorded guitar and then programmed bass and drums. So by that nature, it's going to be guitar-centric. And it's also helpful working with Drake because Drake is also a drummer. And the bass is generally just doing what the guitar is doing because that's just metal.

Would you say the guitar-centrism is a reflection of the genre? Or is that a CLIFFORD thing?

Drake: I feel like most metal either starts with guitar or vocals. We start every song with an instrumental demo and vocals come last, but I feel like there are definitely bands where vocals come first. maybe you'll have the rare case of drums first, but that's definitely not a common thing. I will say that this EP that we're writing is pretty guitar based in the fact that it needs to kind of flow with each other. So it's more about writing the guitar riffs that convey whatever we're trying to convey. For any songs post-EP it could be really anything because I've had ideas for certain drum beats just in my head, and I just haven't acted on that before. As our band grows and you see what we have in store, you might see a bit more drum-centric parts or parts where I have a certain vocal rhythm. Maybe some songs will be guitar-based, and others will be vocal-based. So I know I’m being pretty vague right now, but in due time, I think you'll see how CLIFFORD might become a bit more all-around centric rather than specifically guitar.

So back to what you said about having to write your vocals over pre-made instrumentals for half of the 

songs. How was that for you as a vocalist?

Drake: I had just joined, so I tried not to overstep when it came to completely changing songs, but there were a couple of songs where I was sent the demo and then because of what I had in mind for vocals, after hearing that demo, I changed a couple of things up. There are a couple of songs that were sent to me, I didn’t change anything and it was done. But I'm not going to write vocals over a song that I’m not happy with. For this upcoming EP, we’ve had songs that we have considered done or at least pretty much done as a demo but something about them doesn't feel right. And then we’ll go back and rework it. And then once they’re reworked, then I’m confident that I can write vocals over it. So all the stuff that CLIFFORD sent me when I first joined was either good enough for me to write vocals or required minimal change in order for me to write vocals. And because it was our first album, we were just trying to get music out. There was no concept for the vocals. It was just like whatever I would come up with at the time. So it was pretty easy, I didn’t have to constrain myself in terms of topics. I guess the most difficult thing was exploring my influences and seeing what I could do, pushing my limits as a vocalist. I take a lot of influences from pop music and rap music. So I pay attention to the way I say my words and the flows that I use.

For Thomas, a lot of the rhythms you play are really complex. How do you guys come up with that stuff? And how are you able to execute it consistently at a high level?

Thomas: It's so dumb. What I'll do sometimes is, let's say it's an eight-bar thing. I'll just take eight bars and I'll put the kick drum on every single 16th note, and then I'll go through and I'll just delete random ones. And then I'll workshop it from there or something. That's how “Dark Descent” was written. I mean getting it under your fingers and into your brain and being able to play it, that’s a difficult thing but it comes with practice basically. It’s also just because this is a style of metal that I’ve played for a while before CLIFFORD. I also listen to bands like Periphery and Meshuggah which have a similar style.

Is there anything you want to tell the world about your new EP?

Thomas: It’s all not necessarily guitar-based songs or guitar-centric songs.

Drake: It’ll be different, but it'll be cool.

Thomas: I’m just excited about it because it’s going to be played on one guitar as opposed to 

, which is on three, so I won’t have to do as many guitar swaps live.


All right. I have one more question for you guys. Do you guys have any other local Boston artists you think people should check out?

Thomas: Date Nite, Nailed Shut MA, Yet To Bloom. Survive the Sun. Those are the big ones.

CLIFFORD is planning more gigs around Boston before their festival performance in July. Check out their 

CLIFFORD talks their upcoming perfomance at Inkcarceration, their creative process, and whispers of a new EP

I started hearing the chants of “Piano G” outside my window as soon as I conceived of my idea for this article. At that time, they were a faint whisper. Now, as I write these opening sentences, their sound is deafening. The haters have arrived at my doorstep, and my time is limited. Hear me out – and if you aren’t convinced to give Polo G a chance by the end of this article, join the mob at my door.

Polo G, born Taurus Tremani Bartlett, is a rapper from the West Side of Chicago known for his style that combines elements of drill, trap, and melodic rap. He is most famous for his singles “Pop Out” and “Rapstar,” and has released three albums at the time of publication. As he rose in popularity, Polo G was increasingly criticized for his apparent boring beat selection, selecting only beats with piano melodies, hence the mocking nickname: “Piano G.” While I do agree his production could be more interesting, I believe that he has the tools to be great.

I started listening to Bartlett in high school, right around the time of the release of his second album, 

 (a reference to his astrological sign). He hooked me with his catchy melodies and emotionally packed lyrics. Even though I don’t listen to him as much now, my respect and appreciation for his music has not faded. 

One of the strongest elements of Polo G’s music is his lyricism. He is able to put on the facade of a confident, braggadocious, playboy in one song, and then seamlessly remove it to tell a heartbreaking tragedy in the next. One of the best examples of his storytelling prowess is “Bloody Canvas” off of his third album 

, on which he tells a heartbreaking story of revenge and gang violence. The majority of his songs have a dark tone to them which reflects Polo G’s harsh upbringing and the tragedies he has had to endure. Tracks such as “No Matter What” display that Bartlett is grateful for his success and hasn’t forgotten where he came from: “Used to daydream of shinin’ in the hood with these bands / Tryna leave these hard times and run through millis with my friends.” On “Martin and Gina” he shows off his playful,romantic side, playfully teasing the subject of the song with lines like “Even on your worst days, girl, you still kind of cute.” Two of the best examples of his raw lyrical talent are his XXL freshman 

, dropping lines we can all relate to such as: “Damn, a new disease dropped, causin’ mass hysteria / It’s always some bullshit, welcome to America.” Overall, Polo G is an underrated lyricist with the flexibility to create a diverse array of moods with his words, already proving he is more than the one-trick pony his critics claim him to be.

I recently have noticed that I prefer artists who display raw emotion in their lyrics. Many artists that I like such as Kendrick Lamar, Big Thief and Ecco2k wear their heart on their sleeve and aren’t afraid to express their deepest feelings to the world. While Polo G isn’t on that level, he does display flashes of raw, emotional lyricism that I appreciate. His first album 

 provides the best examples of this, as it is his most musically and emotionally raw work. On “Chosen 1” he laments: “I put my life on the line, you wouldn’t take that risk for me / Fucked up my trust, wish I could delete all our memories.” Bartlett’s bars centered around themes of betrayal and regret are not unique to this track; it is clear as you go through his discography that he is haunted by memories of his past. While some artists merely hint at the low points in their lives in their songs, Polo G pushes his pain to the forefront of his music.

The last line of the aforementioned “Chosen 1” is “I’m way too solid for the gimmicks, fuck the industry,” which is quite ironic considering the stylistic choices he would make a few albums later on 

. Polo’s rapping ability and lyrical depth are seldom criticized, yet, as I alluded to earlier, his production is the most controversial part of his music. I must admit that some of his beats sound generic and uninspired, especially on the latest album. But what his critics fail to see is that he does have some songs with interesting production, as well as the potential to rap over any beat. The first example that comes to mind is the last track off of 

 “Wishing For a Hero,” which samples 2Pac’s iconic hit “Changes.” Both the sample and lyrical content of the song pay homage to the soulful, sobering, yet hopeful original song. My one criticism is that the mix is pretty shaky, especially the hi hats, but that doesn’t have as much to do with Polo G himself. Another Polo G song with more interesting production is “Last Man Standing,” on which Bartlett delivers bar after bar about police brutality over a textbook soul sample and light drums. While not too innovative, the beat is a bit different that what he normally would rap over.

I truly believe that Polo G has the raw talent to rap over most beats. If he decides to rap over more experimental and varied production, I would be all for it. While I doubt he will make that stylistic choice, I will continue to hold out hope – but even if he doesn’t, I will still continue to believe that Polo G is actually good.

Polo G is actually good

OVO Sound, Republic Records, & Slaughter Gang · November 4, 2022

Before I listened to the album for the first time, I saw a 

 that read: “This album feels like 79% Drake, 21% Savage.” Although it was a bit exaggerated (the ratio is more like 65%-35%) 

 feels more like a Drake album in which 21 Savage is featured guest, rather than a full-on collab album. There are multiple Drake solo songs, and Drake handles the chorus on most tracks. Even though 21 Savage was relegated to a smaller role than expected, it seems that his presence was enough to ignite a fire under Drake. After his past two disappointing efforts 

, I was pleasantly surprised by the improved effort on this one. After their success with past collaborations such as “Mr. Right Now” and “Jimmy Cooks,” the pairing of Atlanta’s cold-blooded spitter with Canada’s emotional pop-rap king was a no-brainer.

The album starts off with a bang in “Rich Flex,” which has become the subject of 

 due to Drake’s comical yet enthusiastic appeals to 21 Savage to “do somethin’” and “talk to the opps’ necks” for him during the start of the song. After a solid 21 verse and Drake interlude, the beat switches to set up skillful bars from both artists over a Nardo Wick-esque beat – all in all, a great intro track. Next up is “Major Distribution,” which starts off like a classic, slow Drake ballad before another abrupt switch to a threatening beat. The two rappers have great chemistry on the track, mirroring each other’s verses a couple of times. For example, Drake spits the line “Bad Bunny numbers, it’s a robbery,” followed by 21 Savage’s “Harry Styles numbers, it’s a robbery.” The Metro Boomin’ beat on “More M’s” has 

 vibes, and 21 Savage obviously feels comfortable spitting over a dark and sinister beat. Drake also seems at home rapping aggressively.

 are less impressive. The first beat in “Broke Boys” is atonal, harsh, and hard to listen to; it ruins an otherwise decent vocal performance from Drake. “Circo Loco” is currently getting dragged online for sampling Daft Punk’s legendary “One More Time.” The producers essentially just slapped Drake’s typical hi-hats onto the sample, which was a downright lazy decision. Drake’s vocal performance is also uninspired: he just sings the chorus from the original Daft Punk song with minimal interpolation. I appreciate when artists pay homage to past music in creative ways through sampling and other means (see Drake’s own “Nice for What”), but he failed to do so in this attempt. “Pussy and Millions,” meanwhile, is just okay. Travis Scott’s verse (the only feature on the album) is average, but the beat he raps over is mixed weirdly. Drake’s chorus is also boring and uninspired, a trend continued on some songs in this album such as “Treacherous Twins.”

The majority of the chill tracks range from okay to decent. On “Privileged Rappers,” 21 Savage drops an equally seductive and murderous verse, while Drake handles the chorus and slips in a goofy “purr” adlib. “Spin Bout You” is clearly the best song on the album: both rappers serve up strong vocal performances over a smooth soul sample and solid 808s. Drake drops a clever line with “R&B group from the ‘90s / I’ll get you in Vogue” in connection to the duo’s fake magazine cover they posted to promote the album. Weirdly, Vogue Magazine is 

 Drake and 21 Savage for that promotion. Drake also drops the seemingly feminist line “…seen that men who never got pussy in school are makin’ laws about what women can do” in reference to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. From this, you would think that Drake has outgrown his womanizing ways, but unfortunately, the rest of the album proves otherwise. He disses various women throughout, including Serena Williams, New York rapper Ice Spice, and most notably Megan Thee Stallion on “Circo Loco.” Here, he implies that the Houston rapper lied about 

. Both Drake and 21 Savage drop their typical women-objectifying bars throughout the album, so it’s safe to say they aren’t feminists.

“3AM on Glenwood” is the only solo 21 Savage track on the album. He sticks to his tough persona, but also gets vulnerable about his past and the losses he’s experienced. “Hours in Silence,” the longest track on the record at around six-and-a-half minutes, starts with Drake rapping with a 21 Savage-esque flow — but 21 fails to return the favor with a lackluster follow-up verse. The song then slows down into an extended, monologue-y verse by Drake for the last four minutes of the track. It sounds good, but is just too long – not to mention Drake comes off as whiny and toxic, repeating the line “It’s my fault.” By contrast, he demonstrates some emotional growth on the outro “I Guess It’s Fuck Me,” admitting to his hypocritical ways and begging his partner to come back. Despite the confident album title and energetic, braggadocious themes that dominate the tracklist, Drake ends the album on a regretful and desperate note. These slow, emotional tracks define the album, coming off as a mix of toxic masculinity and regret. It’s clear that when Drake puts effort into his songs, he can produce a decent output, and even though this album has various flaws, it genuinely sounds like 21 Savage was able to inspire him to have fun creating music once again.

Drake overshadows 21 Savage on "Her Loss"

When I first heard Bladee, I laughed. He was trash. How could anyone want to listen to this random Swedish guy’s low-effort, autotune-heavy, weak excuse for music? I was completely against the idea of listening to “Be Nice 2 Me” again, much less becoming a “drainer.” Yet, on one late night last year, I was sitting in my Hastings Hall single when I felt an ungodly urge. My hands, controlled by an unseen force, opened up Spotify and typed in HIS name. I shamefully tapped on “Be Nice 2 Me” while attempting to suppress my excitement, and sat back while the goofy/catchy synth lead started, quickly followed by the beat drop. It… slapped. My shame was immeasurable. I listened to jazz and conscious hip-hop! I was pretentious about my music, and to keep up that image, I had to listen to music worth being snobby about. Yet, there was something about his music that kept me coming back.

Now, one year later, I’m a proud drainer. You could even call me an honorary member of the Drain Gang, their collective. I was sent by Thaiboi Digital, Ecco2k, and Bladee himself to deliver the good word and convert you, the reader, to join our cause. On first listen, the music Bladee and his peers make sounds abrasive and low-effort. After more listening, I found that their music can be hypnotizing, intoxicating, and immersive. A year later, and I’m a proud fan. Before I fawn over Bladee for the following few paragraphs, I must clarify that as a new fan of his, I have yet to explore his entire discography. I’ve only dipped my toes in the water. My opinion is based on 

, as well as some other songs from albums such as 

I used to think of Bladee as just another lazy SoundCloud rapper, lifelessly mumbling over generic beats. As I listened closer, I realized he’s the proponent of a unique style that offers something genuinely different in the oversaturated rap scene. Bladee and his contemporaries such as Yung Lean grew up outside of the U.S., hip hop’s mecca. But instead of becoming a crutch, their unique locations forced them to create a new, unconventional style from a myriad of influences. Bladee’s music is a mesh of rap, pop, hyperpop, and R&B. His cryptic lyrics are often cloaked in heavy autotune, and it’s sometimes difficult to remember that the sounds you’re hearing come from a human mouth. His vocals are paralleled by his dense, glittery production, which often comes from Drain Gang’s in-house producer, Whitearmor. If aliens came down to earth and were captured by the U.S. government, given a microphone and production software, and forced by the CIA to make music, it would probably sound something like Bladee.

One main criticism I had of Bladee before was that his lyrics seemed random and meaningless. Now that I’ve been converted, I realize that he does have meaningful lyrics, although there’s still a share of questionable bars. His lyrics are esoteric, even poetic. One of my favorite lines comes on “White Meadow”: “Sky comes down, peace be found / The noble strive, the great perfection / Deep, deep down, silent shout / A flower sprouts, tries to reach heaven.” There’s some good imagery here: I interpret these lines as Bladee’s description of his struggle to become perfect through the metaphor of the flower trying to reach the sky. He isn’t just rapping about the typical rap topics of drugs, violence, and sex – he has the ability to go deeper. Some of his lyrics are just straight-up weird, such as “I can’t even trust myself when the night comes / Step on my head twice like a cockroach” on “Obedient.” His weird words add to the mysterious and alien nature of his music. Bladee is rapping about things only he can understand, which gives the listener freedom to assign their own meaning to his words.

 page, Bladee describes his musical style as “pain.” I’ll assume he was probably just trying to be edgy there…but regardless, the output is a distinct sound that contains many elements of modern music. As I mentioned earlier, he uses a lot of auto-tune, which is frequently criticized as gimmicky and faking uniformity to popular sounds. These criticisms are valid: look no further than the stagnation of the modern trap sound. Many new rappers have attempted to mimic the auto-tune heavy sounds of the likes of Playboi Carti and Future, but often come off as boring and uninspired. Bladee’s flavor of auto-tune is different. It’s more lethargic, which contributes to his dreamy and distorted sound. His production is often very dense and layered, similar to genres like hyperpop. 

 describes Bladee’s relation to the genre perfectly as “hyperpop but left in the freezing cold”.

Throughout the past few paragraphs, I’ve attempted to explain my affinity for Bladee in a logical way. If you weren’t convinced to listen to him from that, I have one more argument for you: Bladee’s music has an intangible, addictive quality to it. When I listen to certain songs, I instantly feel happy; my walk to Algo is always improved by listening to “Waster.” He also does small things that make me appreciate his attention to detail and love of music. For example, “Be Nice 2 Me” slows down and changes keys around halfway through the song, and on “Mallwhore Freestyle,” there is a funny 

 sound effect before a beat drop. Moments like these make his music memorable.

Now, there is no doubt that I have piqued your interest in Bladee, the auto-tuned dark angel. I recommend you start by listening to 

, his recent collab album with Ecco2k, and go from there. Happy listening!

Bladee is actually good.

The hip-hop duo Armand Hammer, made up of rappers Elucid (styled E L U C I D) and Billy Woods make bold, captivating, and thought-provoking music and are on the forefront of the New York underground scene. WRBB’s Ben Gardner and Temi Akinyoade sat down with them to discuss working with the Alchemist, their influences, and more, right after their performance at Northeastern’s Common Cents festival on Oct. 3.

You guys mentioned during the show you worked with the Alchemist, a living legend. What was that experience like?

Billy Woods: I would say that it was pretty easy in the sense that he and I are pretty close in age. We have a lot of similar reference points in music and life. Obviously, he’s been a big deal for a long time and has an enormous resume, I have a lot of respect for him. He’s just very down-to-earth and easy to work with. And really it was really interesting to see how he worked, especially in the post-production phase and seeing, like, a super pro, you know what I mean? We work with a lot of great producers, but there’s still something about sometimes seeing somebody who’s, like, been in the NBA for ten years and just knows exactly how to get to where they want to be on the floor to take the shot they want. They don’t have to be the fastest or jump the highest. They just find their way to that spot and put the [shot] in.

Do you guys have any advice for younger artists? Not just even rap, but for any kind of artists coming up right now?

Woods: Well, you gotta do it. You got to take the time and put in the time to work on your craft and try to find your voice… Maybe there’s some type of person who just wakes up and it’s just there. But I think no matter who you are, you got to try to find your voice — and that’s an always-evolving process and yeah, I would say you got to work. I guess I’d say, think carefully about what name you pick, because you might be stuck with it forever. And really figure out to some extent what is important to you about doing it, why you want to do something. Because sometimes people want to make strange music… or you’re doing something different and unconventional, so they should be prepared for people to be like “I don’t like it.” And be prepared to both keep doing what you’re trying to do, but also be willing to be like, “If I’m doing something that’s out of the ordinary, I’m going to have to do it better than people who are just doing the things that everyone wants to hear already.”

Elucid: I second everything he just said.

In some songs, your verses contrast each other and sometimes they’re similar. How do you guys decide to relate your verses to each other?

Elucid: Sometimes it happens due to chance. Sometimes it comes from a conversation or the song title, and we just see where it takes us.

Woods: For example, on our song “Falling Out the Sky,” it was a progressive game of telephone, where Earl Sweatshirt did his verse, and then I said, all right, and I wrote my verse. And he said, “What are you writing about?” And I said a summer that I spent out on the west coast. My first summer out on the West Coast. And he was like, all right, and then he wrote about a summer camp thing. So the song ended up having a whole summer theme. Sometimes you get to hear what the other person did first and then figure it out.

Do you ever hear artistic comparisons to you that just don’t make any sense?

Woods: People sometimes say we sound the same. We sound more different than the members of OutKast do. And if somebody thought OutKast was one guy, that’s strange… but we sound very different. I would say that sometimes there are comparisons that I understand, but, I think to a certain extent, can be lazy. If you say Def Jux had an era in New York City rap, just like other certain artists have an era, that’s one thing. But actually being like, “This is something just like Armand Hammer…” I just don’t see it. It just seems kind of lazy.

Elucid: Sometimes they even compare us to groups I’ve never heard of. Maybe that’s just my own ignorance, but sometimes they say that I was influenced by people I’ve never even heard of. And I don’t even know who these people are.

As a rap duo, how are you influenced by other legendary rap groups and duos?

Elucid: I’m a lifelong rap fan. And I came up in an era and it was just like it was already, like, super big, and regional sounds existed. Like, I’d watch Rap City and be like, oh, this is OutKast. This is Goodie Mob. Wu-Tang too. I was, like, absorbing it all. So just being a rap fan, I could point to so many different artisans. The energy that Goodie Mob generated was always special to me.

What are your most unlikely musical influences?

Woods: I think depending on what’s unlikely to other people, one answer might be like, a certain period of Cam’ron’s music, Sizzla, or Lee Perry. I don’t think people think about reggae a lot, and dub music. I’m not a producer, but I do feel like especially earlier on, sometimes I’d listen to those things, thinking about how to get better at writing courses. And that was just music that I enjoyed in different ways.

Elucid: I feel like making music for maybe as long as I have and having exposure because of my family. I’ve heard so much music growing up and understand that rap, it’s like it’s the total synthesis of all music that came before it. So it’s like, so much shit has been sampled on everything, all sorts of genres. So I don’t know, I have just been listening to a lot of things. People probably think, like, rappers only listen to rap, maybe, or like a specific type of rap. Like, I would only listen to underground rap. I think I’ve been talking about Swans for probably a couple of years. And then Sonic Youth, like 80’s kind of shit.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q&A: Armand Hammer talk after a stellar Common Cents performance

I first learned about Kenny Mason from an Instagram post by the hip-hop account @fantastichiphop_ titled “Predicting Every Album of the Year For The Rest Of The 2020s.” I knew most of the artists mentioned in the list, and the poster played it pretty safe, predicting that popular, talented artists such as Kanye West, Denzel Curry, and Earl Sweatshirt would drop amazing albums in the future. What caught my eye was his prediction for the year 2029: Kenny Mason. As it’s only 2022, Mason has 7 years left to craft his magnum opus. In the meantime, he’s dropped three projects in as many consecutive years: 2020’s 

, as it introduces Kenny Mason’s unique blend of hip-hop, alternative rock, and shoegaze in a clear and intriguing way. I’m not that enthusiastic about the supercut due to its cleaner, more mainstream sounds, but it does have some standout tracks. Mason’s newest, 

, sounds like a mix of the previous two, which is both beneficial and detrimental.

The second track “HALOS” has all the hallmarks of a typical Kenny Mason song – muted drums, vocal distortion, and his signature sing-songy yet steady flow. Mason discusses his rough upbringing with his single father, who would sometimes leave for weeks, leaving Mason to fend for himself. He describes vivid images such as “When he got stabbed, had to scrub all the blood out the sink,” engendering sympathy from the listener. Mason continues to describe the realities of his upbringing on “MAMA DON’T KNOW” over a melancholy trap beat. He humanizes the stereotypical drug dealer trope found throughout modern rap by confessing “Truth be told, I’m terrified, hope my partner don’t know.” The best song on the album, penultimate track “SHELL,” features a gorgeous soul sample and a phenomenal vocal performance from Mason. Here he continues to tell stories of his upbringing “in the city with closed eyes, a city with no god.” The track has a warm feel, despite its dark subject matter.

When I saw the tenth track features experimental pop artist Jean Dawson, I was excited. Dawson and Mason are both genre-bending artists who have created their own distinct styles. Indeed, “NOSEDIVE” starts out strong, with a high-energy beat and an aggressive verse from Mason. He raps like he’s in a fight, spitting rapid-fire jabs and never relenting. Sadly, Dawson’s verse is not as energetic, nor as impressive. The instrumental changes to a slower, plodding beat while Dawson comes in with a short sung verse. The abrupt change halts the momentum of the song, and even though Dawson picks up the pace at the end, the track ends with a whimper. “NOSEDIVE” had the potential to be amazing, but a strange production choice and a weak verse from Dawson made it fall flat. Both artists are very talented, so I’m sure that their future collaborations will work out better.

was produced by two of Mason’s favorite collaborators, COUPE and Julian Cruz (who also works heavily with Dominic Fike), and this choice helped maintain a cohesive sound typical of Mason’s previous work. This uniformity works against the album, however, as many tracks sound pretty similar. Most of the songs on this album are slow and relaxed, such as “DOUBLE UP” and “SPIN N FLIP,” which both feature beats that sound straight out of Nintendo games. The latter features Young Nudy, whose vocals are mixed very differently from Mason’s. His performance is okay, but his verse sounds like it was copied and pasted from another song, which is distracting.

Mason’s vocal performances are generally good, but I wish that he would experiment more with his vocals. He’s already defined his sound: vocal distortion and a melodic style that sits right on the threshold between singing and rapping. As a songwriter, his lyrics touch on serious subjects, but at a surface level. As a rapper, he often employs intricate rhymes and flows, and his sung melodies are some of the catchiest I’ve heard. 

is solid overall – it’s hard to point out any definitively weak tracks – but it’s also a bit of a boring listen. Aside from a few standouts, the rest blend into one another. It seems like Kenny Mason is pushing himself in many different stylistic directions, but isn’t fully committing to any of them. If he can connect with one of these new directions, and develop it on future albums, then Mason has the potential to create that 10/10 album by 2029.

"RUFFS" has its moments but feels repetitive at times

JID is one of the most talented rappers out right now. Period. From a technical standpoint, he can spit on par with legends of this generation such as Kendrick Lamar and Lil Wayne (just watch his 

). He crafts creative, smooth, and sometimes rapid-fire flows effortlessly, while also maintaining an interesting and distinct personality in his rhymes. His two previous bodies of work, mixtape 

 (referenced in this album’s title), are good, but many listeners could tell he had a much higher ceiling. Personally, I was expecting JID to take his artistry up a step on 

 – and he blew those expectations out of the water.

The album starts off fast after a brief intro with the New York drill-inspired “Raydar”. JID immediately drops listeners into a rollercoaster ride of rapid-fire flows, two smooth beat switches, and sample recordings of a football game, most likely a reference to his brief college football career. Next comes the second single off of the album, “Dance Now,” featuring up-and-coming fellow Atlanta artist Kenny Mason, who JID also collaborated with on Dreamville’s hit “Stick.” The track’s pulsating beat fuels JID to spit catchy and clever bars throughout. There’s a slick double entendre on this one: “Lemme bear it all when I’m tellin’ God / You know I’ma rant when I talk to Jah.” Ja Morant (I’ma rant) is a basketball player who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies (bear), and Jah is a shortened name for God in a handful of Abrahamic religions. Sheesh, man.

JID’s fellow Dreamville labelmates EARTHGANG (rappers Olu and WowGr8) bring tons of energy on “Can’t Punk Me.” All three of the rappers deliver sonically pleasing and expressive verses and create great chemistry – unsurprising, considering they’ve been rapping together since they met in 2010. Kenny Mason returns later in the album along with Lil Wayne on “Just in Time,” which features a flowy orchestral loop and enticing performances by all three rappers.

Don’t worry, the album isn’t just filled with bangers. There are more laid-back songs such as “Can’t Make You Change” and “Stars,” on the latter of which JID soothes the listener with smooth vocals and a steady beat. At the end of the track, there is a sudden beat switch and Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) spits the best guest verse on the album, criticizing modern hip-hop culture. He has some great alliteration at the end of his verse: “Bey tap in, they tap out like a tabloid typist / the touch too tiny to the titan.”

JID displays his storytelling skills on “Crack Sandwich,” which details his relationship with his siblings and parents through the story of a brawl in New Orleans they all participated in. Through the somewhat comical and jarring story of him and his siblings fighting their way out of a club together, JID eloquently paints a picture of his upbringing. He portrays his parents as harsh yet loving, which led to the creation of the strong bond he now shares with his six siblings. The tracks “Bruddanem” and “Sistanem” continue the themes of family and sibling relationships: on the former, JID teams up with Lil Durk to rap about the bond they have with the brothers over a minimalistic beat. The latter is dedicated to his sister and the impact she’s had on JID’s life.

The title of the closing track, “Lauder Too,” references the closing track of 

“Lauder,” and similar to its namesake, this track ends the album with a bang. JID flawlessly delivers verses about struggling with fame over a pulsating bassline, and then at the minute mark, the beat drops out to reveal an absolutely gorgeous chorus from singer Ravyn Lenae. Afterward, JID continues to serve bars so intricate and tight that the listener can barely comprehend them on first listen, only to have an ‘ahh’ moment when they understand his genius.

Not only does JID show off his rapping chops throughout this album, but he also sings quite well on a number of songs. “Kody Blu 31” and “Better Days” are phenomenal tracks on which JID delivers beautifully sung choruses. JID’s singing capabilities were known, but he had yet to show off those skills as he does on 

. Through both his rapping and singing, as well as great beat and feature selection, JID has given his fans what they expected from him and more. He has proven himself to be a multi-dimensional and insanely talented artist whose artistic ceiling knows no bounds. If he continues on this path, he will be remembered as a legend.


JID goes above and beyond expectations on "The Forever Story"

New York drill is one of the most popular sounds in modern rap right now. It’s characterized by pulsating basslines, slower tempos than conventional trap, and rapid-fire bars. The subgenre emerged in Brooklyn in the past few years and was spearheaded by an array of young rappers — most notably the late Pop Smoke, who passed away in a home invasion in February of 2020. After his death, the future of drill looked uncertain, but Fivio Foreign (born Maxie Lee Ryles), one of Pop’s contemporaries, has stepped up to the plate as the new leader of the scene.

Fivio Foreign burst onto the scene in 2020 with his breakout hit “Big Drip,” and gained an important Kanye cosign when he appeared in the track “Off the Grid” on his 2021 album 

. The feature catapulted Fivio Foreign into mainstream status, and exposed him to an audience that wasn’t that familiar with him or drill music as a whole. Kanye took Fivio under his wing and ended up being the executive producer on his new album, 

Kanye’s influence is clear on the album, especially in the first part. On the first track, “On God,” Fivio raps over an angelic choir, which is reminiscent of Kanye’s religious tape 

. The song is nothing like anything Fivio has ever released before — it is devoid of drums and the other prominent elements of drill beats. Up and coming rapper/singer KayCyy provides uplifting vocals on the chorus, preaching, “And if all fails, at least we don’t gotta struggle.” Fivio provides inspiration as well, spitting bars about his success and his come-up.

The next song, “Through the Fire,” continues the religious themes over another vocal-heavy, gospel-infused beat. Fivio is assisted by Quavo on this track and the next, marking a more upbeat section of the album. The track pays homage to Chaka Khan’s hit single of the same name, as well as Kanye’s track “Through the Wire.” The next track “Magic City” is a more traditional trap banger. The single off of the album “City of Gods” deserves a mention as well. Fivio has some big names on the track: Alicia Keys sings the chorus, and Kanye delivers his self-proclaimed “Feature of the Year,” a dubious claim. The song is an ode to Fivio’s home city, he pays homage to recent New York rap legends Pop Smoke and Bobby Shmurda. The track is coherent and delivers a more mainstream version of the drill sound.

The album gets somewhat monotonous after this point. Fivio experiments with more mainstream pop and RnB sounds on tracks such as “What’s My Name” and “Hello.” The latter is executed well, as Fivio is assisted by singers Chlöe and KayCyy (again). The track “World Watching” samples Ellie Goulding’s 2010 hit “Lights” on a drill beat, an unexpected combination that turns out better than expected.

Of course, there are the expected drill tracks. Some go hard, while some are forgettable. A$AP Rocky effortlessly hops on a drill beat on “Confidence,” and Lil Yachty delivers his best performance in a while on “Slime Them.” Fivio is obviously comfortable rapping over drill beats, and he has his best verses on those kinds of tracks.

Even though Fivio generally performs well on most of the songs on this album, it feels oversaturated and repetitive, especially towards the end. The album has 17 songs, with 16 features in total. Fivio has demonstrated in the past that he is capable of strong solo performances, but he relies too much on features on this album. He also attempts to take New York drill into a more mainstream form, with varying degrees of success. Fivio has the potential to be one of the faces of modern rap for the foreseeable future, but he failed to make himself stand out significantly with this tape. The form of this album is not surprising, but it is disappointing.

Fivio Foreign’s attempt to take drill into the mainstream disappoints

Denzel Curry is one of the most consistent rappers out right now. After his breakout hit 

, he released a slew of critically acclaimed albums, from cult classic 

, to what is widely considered his best album, the emotional deep dive into Curry’s psyche, 

. After solidifying himself as one of the best young rappers out today, many wondered where Curry would take his next album. He has demonstrated that he is capable of harnessing a variety of sounds and seemed to be heading on an experimental route after 2020’s Kenny Beats-produced tape, 

, has a more refined, mature sound than any of his previous releases. It starts off with the ethereal “Melt Session #1,” on which he is assisted by a fellow Loma Vista artist, the great jazz pianist and producer Robert Glasper. Right from the start, Curry sorts through his insecurities and past failures, lamenting: “Dealt with thoughts of suicide, women I’ve objectified,” and “me and my so-called best friends don’t speak often.” Curry has always been a lyricist of substance — look no further than 

 — but on this track, and throughout the album, Curry demonstrates that he has matured as an individual and sorts through his feelings in a methodical way.

In a recent interview with Anthony Fantano, Curry revealed that he started going to therapy at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed him to reckon with his feelings and his past. If you listen to earlier tracks, such as “BLACK METAL TERRORIST” off of 

, Curry sorts through his issues. On the closing track, “The Ills,” he opens up with: “My mind is a playing field for mental arguments / My thoughts are sayin’ my emotions is who started it”. This evolution of Curry’s lyricism should serve as a relief to his fans, who can rest easy knowing that Curry is in an improved headspace.

Even though Curry gets more vulnerable than ever on the album, he still delivers some clever one-liners. On the 3rd track, “Worst Comes to Worst,” he discusses various problems within the USA, as well as spitting: “They draw guns so how could lead erase me?” The posse cut, “Ain’t No Way,” is perhaps the best song on the album. It features artists 6LACK, Rico Nasty, Jasaih, and JID, as well as producer Powers Pleasant — all of whom are Curry’s frequent collaborators. Tracks with this many features can often feel bloated and lack synergy, but the energy on this track is irresistible. It starts off with a chill chorus from 6LACK, over a sample-filled beat, before Jasiah and Rico Nasty’s aggressive vocals come in. The second part of the track is more low-key, with a minuscule 8-bar verse from JID, before Curry finishes it off with another substantial verse. Here, he raps the most clever line on the entire album: “Run the Jewels, ‘cause I kill the mic on any LP” (Run the Jewels is a hip-hop duo made up of rappers Killer Mike and EL-P).

The other features on this record are well-curated, too. “Troubles,” the album’s second single, is the product of an unexpected collaboration between Curry and T-Pain. The two trade bars over a bouncy, light beat, as T-Pain delivers one of his best verses in the past couple of years. On the banger “Sanjuro,” Curry teams up with fellow South Florida rapper 454 for an energetic performance and ode to their home state.

The production on this record is diverse; Curry displays a variety of sounds, some of which are familiar to his fans, and some of which are nothing like anything he’s ever done before. The fifth track, “The Last,” sounds like old-school Curry, with a beat similar to many of those found on 

. On the track, Curry discusses how the pandemic affected him emotionally, and the United States as a whole. Yet, on the interlude-length “The Smell of Death,” Curry raps over a bizarre, dense, Thundercat-produced beat. Other tracks have more jazzy production, such as the aforementioned opening and closing tracks. “Walkin” was the first single released for this album, and helped generate hype for 

. On the track, Curry raps over an old-school beat with a catchy vocal sample. Curry even explores a mumble rap sound on “X-Wing,” over a Gunna/Lil Baby-esque trap beat. Throughout the album, Curry demonstrates that he is not only willing to try out new sounds, but is able to assimilate and make them his own.

, Denzel Curry has added yet another standout piece to his already impressive resume, and has proved himself to be a multi-dimensional artist who is capable of switching up his sound at will. Curry was vulnerable on this album, which marks his evolution not only as an artist, but as a person.

Denzel Curry dominates new sounds on his latest release

Peach Pit is mostly known for melancholy indie-pop tunes such as “Alrighty Aphrodite” and “Shampoo Bottles,” but their sound takes a more mature, positive, and reflective turn on their new 11-song album, 

 The Vancouver outfit, made up of guitarist Christopher Vanderkooy, bassist Peter Wilton, drummer Mikey Pascuzzi, and guitarist-vocalist Neil Smith, has released two prior albums, 

, in 2017 and 2020, respectively. This album represents a step forward for Peach Pit, both in terms of lyricism and musicality.

 starts off with the bittersweet “Up Granville,” which was released as a single approaching the album’s release. On the track, Smith laments his efforts to love someone who doesn’t want to be loved, over a steady groove accented by Vanderkooy’s smooth lead guitar riffs. The next track, “Vickie,” is perhaps the most playful and lighthearted track on the whole album, the ‘Vickie’ in question being Smith’s best friend. The song serves as an ode to their friendship, as well as a platform for the lead singer to throw playful jabs. He thanks Vickie for being by his side, then does a complete 180: “But I thank God you don’t live next door to me.”

The instrumentals on this record range from upbeat to lethargic, and Peach Pit nails both sides of the spectrum. The fourth track, “Pepsi on the House,” is undoubtedly the most energetic cut on the album. It features a driving beat from Pascuzzi, as well as more playful lines from Smith. Conversely, the eighth track, “Last Days of Lonesome,” sounds like it belongs on a bedroom pop album. The song has an almost eerie melody due to Smith’s vocal falls and memorable chorus. Smith isn’t afraid to let notes bend out of tune momentarily before returning back to pitch, demonstrating his vocal chops.

Reflection on past relationships is a common topic in Peach Pit songs, but the lyrics on 

 are more emotionally mature compared to past tracks. Throughout the album, Smith dissects his feelings regarding former flames. On “2015,” Smith wonders about going back to a past lover and describes his inability to move on from the past. With dramatic lines such as “Without you, there’d be no color / There’d be no sound,” Smith pulls listeners into an exploration of his dependency on a person he is no longer in a relationship with.

Continuing the theme of regret concerning past relationships, the track “Look Out!” describes the difficulty of resisting the temptation to go back to an ex. The struggle and subsequent aftermath of breakups seem to be the main theme of the album, and the wide array of emotions associated with moving on are on full display. This mood is supported by the nostalgic-sounding instrumentals and Vanderkooy’s smooth lead guitar playing.

The album is closed by the title track, which continues the themes of former love and regret over a slow and hypnotic instrumental. Smith pleads with a former lover to either leave him alone or get back with him, as he is unable to move on from her. The song closes with a lush instrumental outro that unexpectedly lands on a high note, literally. This uplifting ending represents newfound optimism and the possibility of moving on from the past.

The album cover depicts the four members of the band walking out of the darkness into a bright doorway, which fits nicely with the themes of the album. Through their matured lyrics and carefully orchestrated instrumentals, Peach Pit has demonstrated that they are ready to move on from their past work into a more mature musical space.