Strange Clouds

Reeg Edit: Welcome guest writer/reviewer Mota.

Though B.o.b. has made himself seem more like a Pop star than a Rap Pro, his sophomore album “Strange Clouds” holds a true balance to it.

The follow up album to his debut “The Adventures of Bobby Ray”, opens up to “Bombs Away”.   The album begins with the voice none other than Morgan Freeman, sending shivers done your spine as you feel like God is talking to you.

The tracks “Both of Us” featuring Taylor Swift and “Never Let you Go” with Ryan Tedder (frontman of OneRepublic) seem to show signs that Strange Clouds is headed in a more pop direction.  However, to balance this pop façade, B.o.B. has an R&B style to cover up the seemingly pop sounds by utilizing Chris Brown on “Arena”, which also features T.I. (who’s flows are always pleasing) as well as Trey Songz on “Castle”, a song that with Trey’s singing and Bob’s rapping, automatically becomes one of the best songs on the album with a solid beat and a positive feel.

To further balance out the album, tracks such as “So Hard to Breath” and “Where Are You (B.o.B. vs. Bobby Ray)” Bob truly show his emotions and lets you into the world and mind of B.o.B, becoming some of the strongest tracks on Strange Clouds.  However, every album has it’s weak points.  That’s where Nicki Minaj comes in.

In the song “Out of my Mind”, Minaj once more tries to be Roman and turns a song that has potential into a catastrophe.  She flows like she just got out of a mental institution. It’s really a surprise it made it on the album.

Another weak track would have to be “Ray Bands”.  Bob’s flow is there and it’s actually pretty decent until you realize that he did a song very similar to this one on his debut album.

So what about his rapping?   With features such as Lil Wayne on the lead single “Strange Clouds”, to Playboy Tre on “Just A Sign”, B.o.B. certifies himself as a solid rapper.  With flows that stick to the brain and word play that leaves you thinking, you feel the balance that this album has.  It contains Pop, R&B, Rap, and Morgan Freeman.  Add those together and you have Strange Clouds.  An album that deserves to be heard.

It is a Cole Cole World

Welcome to the Blueprint 1 number 2 review.

Before I go into the actual review I’d like to provide an intro, an actual intro. Not the 1 minute and 22 seconds of senseless rambling about Oreo’s (honestly shit sounded like J. Cole still is having sleepovers with the homies) that transitioned into 8 recycled bars about hellishly hot flows…how original. Oh wait, I guess the review HAS started.

Cole’s first offering off the instant classic Cole World is the third in the series of Dollar and a Dream’s. Apparently this song is providing more dream’s than dollars. He take’s absolutely squanders lines like “I got the nerds rapping hard shit, dummies rapping smart shit, Mozart meets Humphrey Bogart with this from the heart shit” by following them up with lyrics that boast that no rapper will “out fart” him. Nice.

I’ll do Young Simba a favor and pretend that song with Trey Songz is just a strategic move for radio play. Even Trigga sounded bored. Five days after they released a visual for Cant get Enough Mr. Steal yo’ Girl issued a statement that said he “rapped better than most rappers with deals”. Just saying.

Next up we get into Lights Please… now I get this song. J. Cole wants these hoes to respect themselves. Thanks J. Cole. Thanks for reaching out to each and every girl who likes to suck our dicks. Thanks for providing them some perspective. Good look bro.

We get another interlude with Ray J playing the piano in the background while the Cole sleepover continues. Oh yeah… there’s snacks.

Sideline Story has moments, but again Cole tries to do too much. He ends up delivering recycled Black Album lines about David Blaine… which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but he doesn’t improve on the original line. This is a good moment to introduce where J. Cole lacks as an artist. He tries too hard, so hard that it becomes obvious to the listener that he’s still a very immature artist. You don’t give a fuck if Hov shouts you out? Then don’t mention it… that’s hoe shit man. You really coming off like my ex girl telling all her new men she don’t care what I’m doing while I’m staring at 81 missed calls from her.

This album was really on hold until he could produce a Mr. Nice Watch. This is the only production on the entire album that is actually fire. Cole manages to hold the song down until Jay comes through and does work. The highlight of the entire album is this 16 from Hov. Jermaine has the difficulty of having to live up to all the legends the Rocafella brand has produced already, but this is the pressure it takes to create a diamond. Kanye West would of still had a classic album in “College Dropout” if you completely removed Never let me Down. I’m not sure that anyone even gives “Cole World” a listen without this Jigga verse.

“My man Nate asked if I been gaining weight. I said, “Na. My pockets got fatter that’s all”… okay is this Cole World? Sounds really similar to “Papi tell me I’m gaining weight, I tell him I’m getting paid”. It’s ironic that previous to this he claims he’s NOT flattered by imitation raps. I fuck with this hook tho. The beat sounds straight off a Mega-Man game, but it grew on me.

The fact In the Morning made the cut really tells the story of how much confidence Cole’s label has in him.

Let’s take our own interlude real quick. If you are still interested in this album at this point you really need a job, but don’t stop now…because this is also where Cole catches his second wind, and actually goes the fuck in for 5 songs.

Lost One’s should have been the only song where he approaches the distressed female audience. We only really need one Cole in that lane bro. Let Keyshia live kid. Seriously though, he tapped into some really deep emotions on this one. I hope some of his “coming of age” audience really heeds the warnings hidden in this record.

You knew shit was getting thick when he recruited Missy the fucking Misdemeanor Elliot for his debut. Nobody’s Perfect is the only thing that even resembles a hit on this entire album. This is the first time I’ve ever seen Cole provide the type of bar’s that can be tweeted about, or posted as a Facebook status… BUT… oh yeah… there’s a but… he still says shit like “Cole heating up like leftover lasagna” after a slew of dope bars. Cole why can’t you just ride a hot line out? You need to get every Oreo, Nutter Butter, and Slim Jim eating homie you have all the way the fuck out your recording sessions. These are not your friend’s b.

Never Told was such an original concept to me. I really appreciated it.

“The ones you thought could hang with me can’t even tie my noose” …finally. Yeah, for once Young Simba roars. I want to hear an album full of Cole talking this shit. They ARE Shane Battier lames and should be told for 16 tracks. Rise and Shine achieves exactly that in regards to this album. It rise’s and shine’s over every other attempt. I’m inspired to recklessly tell bitches today that my shoulder isn’t for crying on. Why? I got a city on my fucking back.

God’s Gift is my personal favorite off the Sideline Story. Cole take’s off the humble hat and introduces a much bolder persona that lacks for a good portion of the album.

Last two tracks are trash and I won’t even waste time talking about them.

If he would have had the confidence to let some of the bonus tracks make the album I’d give him some credit, but he didn’t.

So did “Cole World: The Sideline Story” live up to the hype? I mean… homie did make a blueprint… on how to make a debut album without one clear hit on it. His production is borderline terrible. The entire album sounds like it was laid over 3 for $20 beats he found on soundclick.com. Maybe I’m confused… maybe bedtime rap is a new lane and I’m missing the demographic. Maybe he’s a business genius and he’s racking up on residuals after spending no money on the actual quality of his product. Maybe… Na. Nope. Fuck that, this shit is trash. Even the good tracks are getting erased from my iPod because he had the audacity to compare this Frisbee of a CD to the Blueprint.

Illsay one thing positive… I have a whole new respect for Big Sean as an up and coming artist.

    ‘dugb

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