Review Summary: Not going to change your opinion but its pleasant enough.
Wiz Khalifa operates in a genre I once read in some blog called cloud rap, airy instrumentation, smoking weed, and generally just being really chill, cloud-rap. Cloud rap comes as a response to the negative economy, furrowed brows of news reporters, and what is starting to feel like the end of the world. Nobody in cloud rap talks about the troubles of the world, just getting high and being happy. It’s the musical equivalent of relaxing in a hammock and saying “f*** it”.
Which brings me to the star of the show, Wiz Khalifa, his new album
Rolling Papers has completely divided the rap world, some people hate it and some people love it, and they may both be right.
Heres what I mean:
Wiz Khalifa is a laid back dude whose rhyming style suggests someone you could see your self hanging out with.
Or.
Wiz Khalifa is a rapper with no style or charisma who complains on the first track about people thinking he only raps about bitches and champagne then proceeds to spend the rest of the album doing just that.
See, both could be considered true depending on how much of the Khalifa Kool Aide you drink. People complaining that Wiz has gone pop are stupid because he always has been; his music has always been stressing the hook, sure on Rolling Papers that pop side has been totally spit shined and brought to the forefront but it isn’t the unmitigated pop nightmare that
The Adventures of Bobby Ray was for a few reasons. Firstly Wiz is not as good of a rapper that BOB is which is why
Bobby Ray was such a painful release since his flow was buried beneath guest artists, which brings me to my second point, Wiz sings every hook on the album which plays to his advantage since he can handle a melody. This feels like Wiz's album while
Bobby Ray just crushed B.O.B. in its gears.
So as far as the songs go, it just depends on which side you fall on. Did you like Wiz Khalifa before this album? If you did, then this record should be quite satisfying. On My Level pushs Wiz’s
Cabin Fever night time work as far as it could go, creating an eerie crawl of crunching syths. Black and Yellow, No Sleep, and Roll Up are going to sound a lot better once they fall off the radio. Fans of Kush and Orange Juice are going to be happy with more chill schtick’ like The Race, Hopes and Dreams and Rooftops.
The bad is there too, the vocal sample in Top Floor just grates against me dispite a good melody and Star of the Show is just plain boring. Acutally the whole album is a chore to listen to all the way through but it sounds pretty great in small bursts. Bottom line is if you like Wiz then you should like this album. It’s thoroughly solid and could have been a ton worse. If you don’t like Wiz this won’t change your mind. So if your tolerance level of Khalifa’s laugh (“Meheheheheeh”) is high, pick up the singles that grab your attention.
