Review Summary: Mike Posner is a pop star - who will in all likelihood achieve mainstream success - posing as a rapper with a concept and an alternative style. He doesn't even have a rap format. Mike Posner = Kanye West + Drake/Pop.
Mike Posner is a singer/songwriter/producer. Interestingly enough, he is a senior currently attending Duke University. He’s signed to J Records. He’s on the same stages as the likes of Akon. His second album “One Foot Out The Door” was released on iTunes (for free) October 28th, 2009.
Right out of the gate you can tell where Mike Posner is going with the album. The first track and the album say all that needs to be said. His style certainly falls under the “alternative rap” category. The productions he uses are unconventional, futuristic, and kooky. And rather than rapping, he sings. Not to mention he obviously uses autotune. His lyrics aren’t conventional, true rap lyrics. He raps – no, sings – about love, life decisions, and money. In fact, I change my mind - he’s not a rapper, he’s a pop singer. This is evidenced by one song featuring 3OH!3 and all the house music DJ remixes. He’s basically another Drake, except a little bit worse.
His flow and voice is euphoric and abstract like a Kanye West album cover. Oddly, you feel like you’re sort of floating when you listen to him sing. But, he attempts to be a concept rapper, and results in being just another mainstream-sounding pop star. He’ll show up on the radio, I’d bet money on it. But, he should not declare himself a rapper. Why other rappers like Saigon and Bun B collaborate with him is perplexing. He sings, his beats aren’t necessarily rap beats, and he doesn’t sing rap lyrics. The format doesn’t sound like a rapper to me.
He has a terrible formula, and he overuses it. This album is very poor. Mike Posner has some talent, but it’s not as a rapper, because he isn’t one. He attempts to be a Drake or a Kanye West type, and he somewhat succeeds as a watered-down pop version of them, which is not by ANY means a compliment. The only reason he is being labeled as hip-hop (for the review) is because people consider him to be that.He will, in all likelihood, achieve mainstream success. But, if you like real rap, you should dismiss Mike Posner entirely. It’s not worth a download, even when it’s free.
