I've loved these two knuckleheads since the first time I heard their in 2014, so I was really looking forward to this album. I'm a big fan of Mike Will Made-It's production and I love that he helps Rae Sremmurd create the perfect balance between atmospheric pads and gritty, buzzy sub bass sounds. Their sound is part of what will go on to be considered a historically important era in the evolution of the Hip-Hop genre.
It's important to note that without Rae Sremmurd, there would be no Formation.
Like them or not, you cant deny that they're making big moves in the business right now.
Their sound creates a carefree, dreamy artistic realism. The moody synth chords coupled with square wave "video game" sounds playing the melodies and lyrics about debauchery, excess and substance abuse are like a sonic expression the transition from childhood to adulthood (and from poor to rich).
An instrumental like Black Beatles sounds nostalgic to me. It evokes warm, fuzzy memories of a more analog era of the 21st century where children were playing with GameBoy Colors instead of iPhones. It's certainly not that was made with childhood or family in mind, but the soundscapes and lyricism create an accidentally ironic social commentary. I think that's why a lot of people in my age range like this . It's like the perfect soundtrack to the America's narcissistic, youth-driven culture in the millennial age. If you listen to a song like "Swang" and look at images of a big city at night with people standing in line for clubs and car break-lights flashing, it seems to fit the backdrop perfectly. It's that sounds like the time in which it was made.
Their lyrical content is witty, carefree and completely irresponsible. Every song talks about using money to woo the opposite sex, drinking and smoking excessively, partying, living lavish, wearing fancy clothes... all things that the average young American dreams of experiencing in hopes that it might take all their troubles away. These are two ordinary kids living out a real-life Cinderella story and seemingly loving every minute of it. They've acquired, in a short time, the level of money and attention that our overtly capitalist mode of living in the West makes everyone feel that they should spend their lives working to attain. It's every young person's dream.
Hip-Hop is to this era what Rock was to the generations who grew up in the late 60s or the 80s. the Zeppelin's, Bowie's and Morrison's of yesterday have evolved into Sremmurd's and Gucci's.
Black Beatles indeed.
I need something to take up the rest of the space here, so enjoy this old freestyle