XXXTENTACION, 17 (Album Review)
- Lord M.R.F
- Aug 29, 2017
- 3 min read
~ If you call yourself a fan of the internet era of rap or to get more specific someone who uses Soundcloud heavily you probably know who XXXTENTACION Is. In the recent years XXX has seen his popularity sky rocket and with that the criticism and the looking at everything he does under a microscope has also picked up. Two major criticisms I see coming from some online Is that he has this aura of being edgy and seeming like he's SOOO much better than everyone else. While others dislike him In a more personal sense due to his actions In the past which include fights, multiple feuds, arrests (one of which was based on the accusation of him beating his pregnant girlfriend. But while this should be taken seriously If true. It needs to be heavily stated that he was never charged with the assault and they remain accusations until proven In court.) , and some unsavory social media posts (but lets not forget his age either). But If you're on the flip side of this and you like his music and ignore the sensationalism you've come to know that XXXTENTACION Is a VERY versatile artist. Hype, boom bap, trap, alt, depressed and emotional he can do It all and as he let us know before hand 17 was going to be an album to make us feel. An album made for the depressed ones out there. He did a pretty good job of doing just that luckily.
First off lets just get my dislikes out there because we all know that's what the online community loves. The album Is a little too short for me. With 11 tracks the album clocks In at only 22 minutes and with an album like this which tries to capitalize on emotion to paint a bigger picture...It just ends before It gets there. It doesn't ruin the album but, It does leave you wanting just a few more tracks. My second and only other complaint Is that XXX should of left Garrett's Revenge off the album (It's simply titled revenge on 17). To me the song came out so long ago that It just doesn't hold up well against most of the other tracks. The album would of benefited better In my opinion If a newer song was included.
Other than those two complaints 17 is a pretty solid debut album. Production wise a lot of these songs have a somber and more emotional feel to them with many being backed with acoustic guitar. Tracks like Jocelyn Flores, Depression & Obsession, Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares, and Carry On are the standouts that really succeeded at giving you a view into what emotions XXX Is dealing with and captures that feeling of depression and other raw feelings many of us deal with on the daily. Going even further the type of feelings captured In these songs and across the album as a whole helps bring some much needed subject matter and dialogue into hip hop. Not since Kid Cudi's Classic Man on the Moon: The End of Day have we seen a rap artist put their insecurities and vulnerabilities center stage for all to see. ESPECIALLY not when this is their debut album. While 17 won't quell the debate inside of the hip hop community about depression and other "sensitive" emotions. It has helped In getting people inside of the community to discuss It more openly. That In It's own Is something worth giving praise.
If you're not a fan of XXXTENTACION for any of the reasons mentioned earlier this album probably won't change your mind. However, If you have an open mind and you're new to his music as a whole this project Is something that you can enjoy. If you're already a fan of his music then this Is just another welcome addition. XXX will continue to be a controversial figure In hip hop as long as he can stay in the spotlight. But with an album cosign from Kendrick Lamar and strong debut album sales It looks like his time In the spotlight might be longer than the naysayers would prefer.
Listen to 17 by XXXTENTACION on Spotify and Apple Music
Commentaires