CyHi The Prince
is an amazing rapper. I praise Kanye West for signing him to the G.O.O.D. Music
imprint. It is another of those overly intelligent that he tends to do.
Although he is
one of the few members of G.O.O.D. Music who hasn't put out a studio album, it
doesn't mean he is lazy by any scope of the word. Mostly he's been doing
features and mixtapes. I liken it to training before a major title fight. Given
my general love for his mixtapes Jack Of All Trades and Royal Flush 2, it is my
humble opinion that he's ready. Give either mixtape a thorough listening and
tell me I'm wrong. At this point I'm not keen on waiting on you to get up on
something like this. Do it on your own time. Let's call it homework.
As I said, CyHi
isn't lazy. Because of that he has given us another mixtape to cut out teeth on
while we wait hungrily for his first studio album. The title this time is Ivy
League Club. Between the samples from such films as School Of Rock and
Lean On Me, there are tracks that reinforce the theme and others that
bolster the mixtape itself. What it comes together to make is quite wondeful.
Now, if you'll allow me, I'll show you my tour of the Ivy League Club.
It does my heart
well to hear "Crazy" Joe Clarke from Lean On Me on "Intro".
It's that scene where he makes those boys sing the school song in the bathroom.
I also loved how "Ivy League" and "Prynceton
University" played well into the title, Promise being featured on the
former. "Honor Roll" does a lot of the same thing but with a
twist. Here the term 'honor roll' is a reference to rolling weed. I heard it
and was amazed at how clever that is. As with any Atlanta rapper (or any
rapper, honestly) there is the obligatory song to represnt your hometown. Enter
"A-Town", a rousing track set over the familiar chant of the
Atlanta Braves. CyHi is joined on the track by heavy drums, B.o.B., and Travis
Porter. It is a war chant, an anthem that the album needs. I loved it. "Slick"
and "Real Talk" add an element of the streets to the project,
the latter featuring rapper Dose.
Now, I know I'm
walking a little fast so I'll slow down enough so you can catch up and catch
your breath. We'll pause on the "Ivy League Skit" with its sample
of Jack Black and Miranda Cosgrove from School Of Rock.
And we're
walking...
"Food
Savers And Scissors" is a song about selling weed which, truth be
told, is a part of the college experience. Even in the Ivy League, I imagine.
ScHoolBoy Q is featured on the track and the two play well off of each other.
"Tool"
is a contradiction...maybe. Do you remember that Sade track "Smooth
Operator"? That's the sample for this one. It seems momentarily
contradictory to sample that song for a track about shooting people or rather
defending yourself. But looked at another way, maybe a smooth operator in the
tense this song uses it in is something akin to regulators of Warren G's "Regulate".
You know, regulating any stealing of his property...only with self-defense.
This track ("Tool", not "Regulate") features
fellow Atlanta rappers Pill and Trouble, who seem to agree with the idea and
expound on it well.
"Drank
And Smoke" is that cool vibe track about good weed, good drink, and
generally feeling good. For this track it is a Southern collective. He teams
with Alabama native Yelawolf and Mississippi born Big K.R.I.T. for this theme
for the decadence of drinking and smoking. "Bachelor", the
next track, strikes as a man's desire to have someone special in his life. It's
easily relatable to most men who've gone through this.
This brings me
to my favorite track on the album, a song called "Tomorrow".
This is a love song, pure and simple. The line he [CyHi] spits here are
beautiful and clever. All this is over a beat produced perfectly for the
sentiment. The message? Let's love each other now because tomorrow may never
come for us. It's something good men dream of telling the woman they love.
"Grits"
is an ode to my Southern women. Don't get me wrong, as a heterosexual male I
have love for the female gender as a whole. But it's something about Southern
girls that just does something to me. And it is apparent by the track that CyHi
agrees in that opinion.K-Camp and Stuey Rock join in and honor our Southern
women they way they need to be honored. "Feet Up" is another
good sample, this time sampling Anita Baker's "Sweet Love". It's a simple song about his life and just
relaxing with his feet up. I could see myself sipping a glass of something and
vibing to this.
Need another
rest? Take it...but hurry. We're almost done with the tour. Just be patient.
"Can't
Stand Y'all" is basically for the haters. CyHi is just telling the
busters, suckers, haters, clowns, and other negative titles that he personally
cannot stand y'all. Being honest, neither can I. Sorry. "100 Bottles"
originally appreared on Chris Brown's mixtape Boy In Detention.
As with anything, remixes will happen. This one include CyHi and label mate Big
Sean. I loved "100 Bottles" when I first heard it but the
addition of those G.O.O.D. Music boys hits an amazing new chord.
Aother sample,
kids. "Summer Madness" is heavy throughout "Lives",
a rather smooth track featuring Kris Stephens. It is a man speaking on life.
Another of those songs that make your head nod. The hook is well placed with
the verses and the result is magical. "Entourage" features
producer/rapper Hit-Boy, sampling "Mountain
High, Valley Low" to perfection. This track shouts out to the G.O.O.D.
Music family. Hit-Boy is on point alongside CyHi talking about their label
family. What more can I say other than outstanding?
"Changed"
is a song for those people who say that CyHi has gone Hollywood and sold out.
Here he says that because of his changing situation, he is changed. Moreover he
says he changed for the better, something that the people you sometimes leave
behind don't get.
Finally, we
reach "Outro". It ends how it began with Stand By Me.
This well thought out album ends with the soulful singing of Eastside High's
school song.
And that ends
out tour. I ask you earnestly not to allow me to be your tour guide. Return on
your own, look around. I promise that it's worthwhile.
written by
Lucius Black for Royalty Magazine
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