Observations From Jack Harlow's Loose

Louisville, Kentucky has never been the hotbed for aspiring emcees and artists coming up, but Jack Harlow is trying to change all of that. Though he may feel as if his "youth is wasted" (probably because the Aaron Taylor Johnson looking mother fucker spent all that time and energy being Kick-Ass), he wastes no time in his music, detailing the coming of age stories that develop with sex, girls, and finding yourself. In terms of sound and ability, Harlow is no slouch in the singing or pure rapping department, often cartwheeling and backflipping the tight rope between R&B artist and underground emcee, though in an interview with online hip hop publication DJ Booth, Harlow emphasized that his focus as an artist lies in making real music; "it has to feel good to me every time, from the first bar I start writing. There has to be that feeling that 'this is me, this is real, this is genuine,' and when it's genuine, it really hits. That's how you make something profound, and profound doesn't mean deep or serious. Profound means something that feels real and feels right."

Profoundness, depth, emotion and imagination are as important to Harlow as having a Billboard Top 40 hit. So what more from a rapper can you ask for?  The Louisville bred emcee details this in his latest project, Loose. Does this mean Harlow is finally warming up to the idea of becoming something special?  Or is he moving "too fast" and Loose for his own good?  Let's check out some observations from the up and comer's latest project below.


Potential As A Lyricist Is There


Harlow's efficiency with multi-syllabic rhymes and slick punchlines show immediate promise, though Loose lacks a definitive track to set the tone and give reasoning for opposing emcee's to fear him. "Sundown" gives just enough of foreshadowing into Harlow's abilities as an emcee, but also tows the line between "skilled emcee" and "talented artist" a bit too much: you wish it would be 100% one or the other at times and more focused. His heart is in the right place with attempts at catchy, lighthearted R&B songs ("VACATE" ft. Taylor, or "SLIDE FOR ME") but at times lack identity and sound like he's chasing a hit more than looking to make music for himself, as he so honestly says in his DJ Booth interview. One R&B highpoint of the project is the final track "TOO MUCH", where Harlow's distinctly high voice shine through in a track that has potential to have ladies everywhere jamming in their Uber to on Saturday nights, which is mind-boggling because just about halfway through (about the 2 min. mark), Harlow can be heard asking the producer how it sounds, which leads one to believe; wait, is Harlow freestyling the entire song off the top of his head?!  If this is the case and such a song is made without any planning, I can't imagine what else Harlow could accomplish with some actual planning and song structure. Also, Harlow as a rapper has so much room for improvement that he's practically moving into a house of greatness as we speak; a house he may very well soon call his own.



(*I do not own these songs, or the rights to them*)


All in all, Harlow's potential to become more of his own artist is there, but I need to see it and hear it instead of think about it what he could become.  He makes great music in terms of sound and sound quality, but I'm looking for more from Harlow. Where's that emotion that he was talking about in his DJ Booth interview?  What would he sound like over a DJ Premier beat?  DJ Mustard?  What about a sample heavy beat from a master like No I.D.?  These are the things I think about when I think of the many possibilities of Harlow's musical longevity. But for now, I'm not thinking too much about it, because as his project states; Harlow is just now getting Loose.          










                  












            

Observations From Mac Miller's Swimming

When it comes to Mac Miller, it's always been difficult to define his sound as one particular style or subgenre of hip hop, sometimes even as music as a whole (the man makes hip hop Beatles experimental music, let's be real). His transformation from budding retro kid with a goofy grin to the serious hip hop artist (and I didn't say "rapper" because Mac cannot be boxed in) he has become has been truly spectacular. From fun projects like Kids and Best Day Ever, to some of his most serious content like Faces and Watching Movies With The Sound Off, Mac has always been willing, able, ad ready to tackle a new challenge both mentally, and sonically. But what is Swimming? What does it mean in relation to Mac's past and discography as a whole?  Is Mac trying to make us feel better by saying that he's not drowning in things anymore, or is Mac truly Swimming and flourishing like the Olympian we all know he can be?  Here are my observations from Mac Miller's latest peculiar project below.


Emotional Weight Not Only In The Lyrics, But In The Music As Well


As far as vulnerability in his lyrics, Swimming proves to be Mac's most introspective and personal album to date. That raw feeling and emotion that Mac has shown glimpses of in the past shines through like the morning sun glaring through a set of freshly opened curtains, hitting you unapologetically and prideful in it's openness and willingness to share, through the ups, downs, and balances of life. On "Come Back To Earth", Mac discusses his regrets, comparing them to "texts I shouldn't send." It's lines like that and "things I tell you, I shouldn't even tell myself", that set the tone early for Mac's raw candidness that takes place throughout the album. On the first song of the album to receive the music video treatment, "Self Care", Mac spends his time doing what the title insists; taking care of himself. A different take from the average Mac narrative, the struggle is still evident in Mac's day to day lifestyle, but after the beat change up just over halfway through the track, the realization sets in. Mac keeps referring to the "oblivion" he almost gets stuck in, as well as navigating the fear of the unknown and not only his, but the average person's willingness to proceed through it. Certainly a powerful message when taking Mac's drug-fueled past into account, "Self Care" is an eye opening refresher to Mac fans, as well as a pleasant thing to hear that he is pushing through life with no fear, or at least not as much as before.


A Funky Subtleness That Strays Away From The Rap Sound, But Isn't A Complete Experiment

          

It's always seemed as if Mac's boredom with the "run of the mill" hip hop sound has propelled his own sound into new heights, and Swimming is another continuous demonstration of that. His use of more live instrumentation and less instrumentals throughout the album adds a more raw, emotional sound (along with the elements I discussed above) that give a more organic, "naked" feel to the atmosphere of the album as a whole. In the representation of what this means for the album's theme, this adds not only a layer to the more purely musical aspect of the album, but also another layer to the emotional weight that the album carries; Mac is as real as the instruments he uses. On "Wings", Mac uses a very lighthearted snare to (in weird ways) represent a much more upbeat sound and feel, almost to say "I feel like how my music sounds; happy."  As the hook sings, "these are my wings", which says "I know my low points can be bad, but I have some high points too." On one of the album's last songs, "Jet Fuel", Mac continues the use of that smooth, cool calm and collected types of basslines and jazz instrumentation to represent his feelings of confidence and reassurance to himself, and it shows in the closing of the song's chorus; "but I never run out of jet fuel." The evolution throughout just Swimming alone is an excellent summary of Mac's journey through depression, drug addiction, and his continuous road to recovery and happiness; a road that we can all relate to wanting to travel through.


Is Mac Miller Finally In A Better Place?

(*I do not own any of these songs, or the rights to them*)

If you've paid any sort of attention to Mac's discography in the past, you'd have to be a deaf Stevie Wonderin' what the eff is going on with Mac Miller's life. The Pittsburgh emcee has made some of the darkest, most experimental music that hip hop has seen in the 2010's, and a lot of it has been due in part to his past drug problems. The places that the drugs have taken him in terms of his "music making methods" have been some definite experiments, and whether they've done more right for him musically, you have to admit this Swimming version of Mac Miller sounds like Mac Miller version 3.0. While still able to keep the hallucinatory vibes with his dream-like entities of songs, Mac has come out the other side somehow completely clear minded and headstrong; able to reminisce without getting stuck, and able to look forward to the future without getting frightened at the idea of it. The epitome of the meaning of Swimming can be embodied by one line in the song "Jet Fuel"; "my head under water and I ain't in the shower and I ain't gettin' baptized." But what does this mean for Swimming as a whole?  The album does a beautiful job of starting out with those negatives that we all know so well; the reminiscing, the drugs and alcohol (okay maybe not everyone knows those that well), the break ups, the never being able to forgive yourself, and the seemingly drowning atmosphere that life can provide at times. But this is why the album is named what it is; the transition from those beginning negatives turn into Mac figuring it out, and turning those negatives into positives. He's not doing drugs anymore, he's using his time productively. He's not dwelling on a break up, he's putting those feelings into a song for you to relate to, and to use as therapy. And he's not dwelling on the past and the negative, he's realizing that he's only human, and that it's okay to make mistakes. But just because you make those mistakes, it doesn't mean you have to drown in them, no. Mac is proving on this album, that after everything you've been through and being thrown in the deep end, you can come out of the other side Swimming.          


                    










   

J. Cole Returns With "Album Of The Year" Freestyle

Just earlier this evening, J. Cole took to SoundCloud to release a sort of celebratory freestyle, titled "Album Of The Year".

Cole takes to doing typical Cole things on the new freestyle, this time shredding the Nas and the Bravehearts instrumental "Oochie Wally" from way back in 2000.

The description of the track on SoundCloud reads as follows:

"The Off Season coming soon... All roads lead to The Fall Off."

Could this mean we'll be getting one, if not multiple new projects from Cole?  Nothing has been announced just yet, but this little teaser certainly seems enticing to say the least. 'The Off Season" certainly sounds like a title that could fall in line with his previous mixtape releases, like The Come Up and The Warm Up, so is Cole looking to continue the series?  Check out the video to the freestyle below, and be sure to keep an eye out for Cole in the coming months.


(*I do not own this video, song, or the rights to them*)