Rapper Vince Staples continues to push himself as an artist with his new edgy EP, containing feature artists such as A$AP Rocky and producing credits from English electronic artist James Blake.
Of all the upcoming rappers making a mark on the hip-hop scene, Vince Staples has certainly been one to observe closely. His 2015 full length album Summertime ’06 may have dragged over its lengthy two disc structure, but it had a distinctive style with its gloomy beats and emotionally rich lyrics. He continued to impress with appearances on tracks from ScHoolboy Q and Aussie electronic artist Flume, the latter being a standout from the album Skin.
Where some artists would direct their music to a commercially friendly crowd upon receiving such success, it seems Vince Staples is doing completely the opposite, intent on challenging himself through smaller projects before his inevitable second LP arrives. We have Prima Donna.
Upon first glance of the comical image presented on the cover of the album, it’s easy to be fooled that Vince might be bringing out his playful side. If Summertime was a gloomy reflection on his past, then Donna is where he delves into his present concerns of achieving fame and the growing depression resulting from his success.
Interspersing a haunting ballad of a broken Vince Staples voicing his pain over the seven tracks, listeners are drawn into a series of narratives that are dripping with evocative imagery, sinister instrumentals and Staples’ unrelenting vocal rhythm. On this EP, we get some of the strongest work Vince Staples has ever put out.
The ominous track ‘War Ready’ is a militaristic chant with the repetitive hook of ‘Born Ready, War Ready’ expressing the reality of African Americans born and bred to be soldiers within the confines of the ghettos. The accompanying low-key synthesisers evoke the tension of a horror film soundtrack to great effect. Staples is also on raw point lyrically when he expresses in the stark verse, ‘Turned the African into a n#gger then they hung him’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE7no4dBIes
Another standout track is the tragic ‘Smile’, an expression of Staples’ discontent for fame, detailing what he lost on the road to his success. Friends, family, home. The most basic of needs important to a human being. The line, ‘I made enough to know I’ll never make enough for my soul’ is heartbreaking material and the song only descends further into morbid thoughts of contemplating suicide and asking for a light at the end of the tunnel with a simple smile.
Vince Staples is not alone on this album however. Having a hand in producing some of the big album releases this year (Beyonce’s Lemonade and Frank Ocean’s Blond to name examples), electronic artist James Blake works with Staples to create an aggressive and grim soundscape. Production-wise, the final track, ‘Big Time’ is a standout, an interesting mix of Blake’s downbeat synths and resembling Detroit rapper Danny Brown’s latest psychedelic work.
Those looking for a substantial appearance from A$AP Rocky will be disappointed with a relatively forgettable role in the repetitive hook of the titular track ‘Prima Donna’. Kilo Kish fairs better, playing Staples’ soothing inner voice in the trippy ‘Loco’ track.
The seven tracks on Prima Donna show a maturation of Vince Staples as an artist who prioritises storytelling and substance over glamorous production value, using the genre to question and explore edgy ideas. Many could be put off by Vince’s dark tone, but if you pay close enough attention, you’ll find a young artist that has a lot to say and hopefully, has a lot more under his belt.
Prima Donna is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
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