Saturday 10 August 2024

REVIEW - ScHoolboy Q: Blue Lips

SCHOOLBOY Q - BLUE LIPS 

Yo, what’s good, fam? It’s ya boy Dondi White, the man with the plan, the reviewer in demand, aka "the internet's busiest music critic," the swiper of random titles, and the slickest snake in the grass. Let’s peep what we got on this joint. They say it's fire, but we gon’ see.



Funny Guy

Aight, this beat startin’ off smooth. Got that Galaga sample looped up and flipped. Vocals creepin’ in, light guitar vibes. Okay, okay. Now the vocals really kickin' in. Eh, it’s aight. More like a chant than a real joint, though.

Pop

Too $hort sample right out the gate. That’s a nice throwback. It’s cool. Lyrics are cool. But those ad-libs? Man, they straight up annoying, like dude’s caught a cold or somethin’. Now it’s driftin’ into some abstract beat stuff. Feels like a weird almost-track. Q spittin’ now, it’s solid but basic. Rico Nasty jump on, and she smooth with it, but still, it ain’t hittin’ right. Oh, damn. She went off, murked the dude in eight bars flat. Poor Q got bodied on his own track, and we just gettin’ started.

Beats - 5/10
Lyrics - 3/10

8/20

THank God For Me

This one starts off soft, aight, we chillin’. The flow is decent, delivery on point, but those rhymes? They ain’t cuttin’ it. But I’m feelin’ the vibe, even if the rhymes are trash. He’s just rhyming "fine" over and over. SMH.

Beats - 8/10
Lyrics - 5/10

13/20

Blueslides

Most these joints are soft, so I’m just gon’ accept these basic a-a-b-b rhymes. But this one’s got some depth. It's cool, talkin’ fatherhood and self-reflection. Good for a wind-down after the last track. Some Kendrick vocals in the back, that’s tight, but prolly just samples. It’s chill, but low-key might put me to sleep.

Beats - 5/10
Lyrics - 6/10

11/20

Yeern 101

Beat’s fire and he’s spittin’. These rhymes hit different, way better than the rest. It’s dope even though his flow gets weird in the second verse.

Beats - 8/10
Lyrics - 6/10

14/20

Love Birds

This joint’s nice too, but again, basic rhymes. Some lines are straight-up trash. Dude keeps repeatin’ himself, like he ain't got nothin’ to say. Devin Malik steps in and does his thing, nothin' special but better than Q. Somebody’s singin’, prolly Lance Skiiiwalker. Soft vibes, it’s cool.

Beats - 6/10
Lyrics - 5/10

11/20

Movie

Some cat named AzChikie is on this. I’m hopin’ Q finally steps up ‘cause he been gettin’ bodied by all his features. Nah, AzChikie smoked him too. This track is weak, maybe the beat saves it.

Beats - 5/10
Lyrics - 0/10

5/20

Cooties

Please, let this be better. Nah, this dude's rhyme game is weak as hell. This is Dr. Seuss-level corny. Not good at all.

Beats - 7/10
Lyrics - 4/10

11/20

oHio

This beat’s sleepy... here comes the rap. This dude’s flow and rhymes are so basic, man. Oh, beat switch! He better go hard. Freddie Gibbs jump in and he straight up eats Q alive. Seriously, what’s up with Q? Every feature’s killin’ him on his own joints. Gibbs murks him again at the end.

Foux ft. Ab-Soul

This better be fire. Ab-Soul usually kills it on features. Q’s just rappin’ about whatever. The hook? Straight trash. Just a string of words, for real. Ab-Soul saves the day, though, with some real ish to think about. His verse was basic but dope. Everything else? Nah.

Beats - 6/10
Lyrics - 5/10

11/20

First

This one’s aight. But them rhymes? Trash again. Why this dude so basic and empty? He’s boys with Kendrick, and none of that lyrical genius is rubbin’ off on him.

Unless Q's got some hidden codes other than his gang affiliations, this is just generic.

Beats - 8/10
Lyrics - 4/10

12/20

Nunu

Oh man, this moaning flow is painful. But I gotta power through. As a reviewer, I can't skip. Ugh, this is so basic and generic though.

Beats - 6/10
Lyrics - 4/10

10/20

Back N Love

Devin Malik about to murder Q again on his own joint. Malik’s voice is annoying and his raps are basic, but he still kills Q. Q’s tryna sound spooky and deep, but the lyrics flop hard. Some of these rhymes are straight misses. I’m sitting here guessin’ his next line, and I’m right. That’s how predictable this is. SMH.

Beats - 7/10
Lyrics - 3/10

10/20

Lost Times

Might as well name this album after this track. Jokes aside, it’s basic again. It’s a hood tale, aight, better than some of the other joints. If Q could rhyme better, he might be a top MC.

Beats - 6/10
Lyrics - 6/10

12/20

Germany 86

Nice, soft beat, I’m feelin’ it. Seems like this one’s for his moms. Q grew up on an army base in Germany, and this track’s about that. Feels too short, though.

Beats - 6/10  
Lyrics - 4/10

10/20

Time Killers

This one’s pretty good. Vocal effects are interesting, but overall, the weak lyrics make it dull. At least son stays on topic.

Beats - 5/10  
Lyrics - 5/10

10/20

Pig Feet

This track starts off strong. The beat is dope, maybe one of the best. But damn, those constant ad-libs are annoying. Thought we were gonna get a story, but nah. It’s an anti-cop joint. I’m with it, it does what it’s supposed to. Wish Childish Major got more shine, though.

Beats - 8/10
Lyrics - 5/10

13/20

Smile

This sing-song vibe is cool, but where’s the substance? That’s it?! Really? Finished weak, only a minute of outro.

Beats - 6/10
Lyrics - 4/10

10/20

That was mid, fam. Let’s tally it up:

178/340

52%

This was pretty weak, no cap. The beats and guest spots saved it, but ScHoolboy Q just ain’t cuttin’ it. Felt too soft, and the lyrics were basic and weak. Some tracks had a message, others were straight-up filler. I like my rap with substance. That’s why I rock with KRS-One, Gang Starr, K-Dot, Lupe Fiasco. These cats bring messages, philosophy, and deep thoughts to their bars. Been on that conscious rap wave since Chuck D was my fave at twelve. But that era’s slippin’ away.

There’s too many corny lines and bad jokes. That hook on Foux? Wack. Would’ve trashed the song if Ab-Soul didn’t save it. And don’t even get me started on Q gettin’ smoked by every guest except the singer on Lost Times. This was a letdown. Guess rollin’ with Kendrick don’t automatically make you lyrical. And that outro? Pure trash. Yikes.

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