Written by Alex Kehn
Vince Staples makes a triumphant return to the hip-hop scene with his newly released 10 track LP entitled Vince Staples. With a runtime of only 22 minutes, Vince Staples' self-titled album is very easy to listen to in one sitting, thus making it a very accessible project. The production on Vince Staples is very similar to production on his previous projects, specifically his 2018 LP, FM!, due to the fact that both projects were produced by Kenny Beats. Kenny Beats pairs signature 808s with deep and intricate samples that are distorted and implemented to perfection. Kenny and Vince work outstandingly well together throughout this project. Lyrically, Vince Staples takes on a deeper and more paranoid tone throughout his self-titled LP, which is a massive change of pace for the Compton, California rapper. Vince speaks on how fame has affected his daily life, going as far as to say "when I see my fans, I'm too paranoid to shake they hands/ clutching on the blam" on his track Sundown Town. Later on in the album, Vince shares that he can't even go to the beach without having a gun in the trunk of his car. These paranoid thoughts are very different than what listeners are used to from Vince Staples, who typically raps in a more lighthearted style. In typical Vince Staples style, there is a large influence from his gang affiliation although once again it is presented in a solemn way that listeners are not necessarily used to. On the opening track, Vince reminisces on his friends that died due to gang activity with the lyric "whenever I miss those days/visit my crips that lay/ under the ground, running around/ we was them kids that played". Overall, Vince Staples' self-titled LP is a strong depiction of gang activity and what fame does to a person. Vince takes strong creative control over this project and as a result, the entire project is outstanding. The only problem that I found throughout listening to Vince Staples is that a few of the songs sound very similar to one another, which sometimes makes it hard to differentiate between tracks. Overall I would rate this album 8.5/10. Vince Staples by Vince Staples is definitely worth a listen.
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Great review. I personally wasn't big on the album myself but you gave me a new perception of it. Definitely need to give it another listen