After dropping his chaotically amusing new Atroworld LP Travis Scott drops an equally psychedelic free form video for his single “Stop Trying To Be God” with lyrics and message just as sparse and open-ended as the video and album.
Featuring Philip Bailey, James Blake, Kid Cudi and Stevie Wonder on harmonica Directed by Dave Meyers
The GOOD Music releases continue with Kanye West & Kid Cudi’s ‘KIDS SEE GHOSTS’ a collaboration album that seems like it’s been 10 years in the making. Sonically it is a unique blend of both their alternative sensibilities, from final product to conception, with Kanye back to -in his own words- “chopping samples from the sunken place” we get an interesting sonic palette, Louis Prima and Kurt Cobain loops flow seamlessly on this LP. With little regard to genre this LP has Kanye rapping more on it than his own solo effort released a week prior.
As far reaching as the samples are the features and audio snippets used are just as baffling considering Kanye’s recent ideological revelations- Mos Def, (now known as Yasiin Bey) a Hip Hop activist who has already done interviews expressing his disdain for Trump and his administration, resurfaces on the title track. Even more mind boggling is the Marcus Garvey audio snippet used on ‘Freeee (Ghost Town pt. 2) the renown black nationalist and founding father of many Pan-African ideologies, someone many other Trump supporting stars most likely have never heard of or if they have would not be that fond of. The sentiments on ‘Freeee’ are liberating and haunting given the high social status of Kanye and Cudi and also their large platforms. The accompanying instrumental teeters from hard hitting to soothing and back again sonically mirroring the complex and contradictory messages in the album and personal life of both stars.
‘Reborn’ plays as a mission statement for both artists who have battled mental illnesses and depression ‘keep moving forward’ seems to be a mantra must needed in their lives and ours. ‘Cudi Montage’ finds Kanye sympathizing and condemning gun usage and gun violence eerily over a Kurt Cobain sample, a loop found on his recent ‘Montage Of Heck’ documentary. Conflicting messages again are scattered throughout this album closer ‘stay strapped’ is repeated constantly. All and all ‘KIDS SEE GHOSTS’ is an interesting album and a much needed collaboration between two stars who at once fell out of touch with each other but who obviously fit and work well with each other,
Rating 8.1/10
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