SmokePurpp – Deadstar (Album Review)

The album artwork/title should already tell you that this might be one of the more outlandish rap projects you will hear this year. As a ‘Deadstar’, is SmokePurpp talking about the rise and fall of being a rap star? Or is the fair-skinned rapper talking about the box he was projected to be in growing up in the dangerous side of Chicago? I don’t know, and this review will probably answer that question for me.

TOP 5

5. STREETS LOVE ME

He can stay in those streets all he wants, just stay away from the suburbs please…. I enjoy having a Target that is violent-free.

I never really understood why people have such an attachment to the streets, but I can’t deny that this attachment for people like Purpp has probably turned into a full blown addiction. On his contributions to this song, you can just hear this glow he has for the criminal activity that the streets encourages him to do, making it feel like he could blow all his ever growing fame to do something reckless. I ain’t mad at the mindset, I just don’t understand it. (I sound like such a non-street dude right now).

The instrumental on this song is very ‘Three Six Mafia’ inspired, which is why I am shocked and appalled that you didn’t get any “Yea Hoe’s” on it. We still got a Juicy verse though, and he did a good job of adding some of that Memphis flavor to the song.

4. AUDI

The chorus is hyphy as s—t, and I love it! The beat is evil as s—t, and I love it too; when you combine the two, you get this menacing track that will scare away your parents.

3. I DON’T KNOW YOU

I’m always a bit skeptical when an artist opens up an album with a bunch of features, but this song serves as a great intro because of its eerie sound production-wise (I mean the n—a is dead on the front cover).

Smokepurpp does a great job of exploding on to the scene on this track, delivering this catchy/highly trippy hook/verses. The lyrics aren’t fantastic, but I do think it serves as a great representation of the reckless individual that he is.

This instrumental fits Yo Gotti’s style, but to me, this is one of his more lackluster features. Gotti follows SmokePurpps style throughout his verses, sounding just as useless as him. I feel like Gotti at 30-Something years old should not be sounding as useless as these other whipper snappers.

I feel like Chief Keef created this style of rap, so it’s fitting that he’s featured on this song. Out of all three rappers, Keef’s verse is probably the most dynamic, as he decides to rap his own way, displaying his savageness in a more debonair manner. (Chief Keef and debonair are f—king antonyms)

This is a nice little solid song.

2.KRISPY KREME

We all love ‘Magnolia’ by Playboi Carti right? Well this is Magnolia 2.0 by a much lighter version of Carti!

The energy on this song is impeccable to me. The instrumental is strip club worthy, and the erratic behavior that you get from Smoke on the verses/chorus is Tiny Toons Adventures-level wacky. You know, I know, your mama knows drugs were involved during this songs making, which doesn’t only make this song sound exciting – but also National Geographic-esque.

1. FINGERS BLUE

I think ‘Fingers Blue’ is SmokePurpps most unique track on this album. Though the lyrical content may not reflect that notion (the song is still about drugs and money), I think Travis Scott’s presence makes him step outside the box vocally. Aside from the vocal aspect, I feel the vibe of the beat is a little more toned down, which is certainly different from majority of the other tracks on this album.

I love me some Travis Scott, especially on hood n—a songs like this! I feel like Travis Scott doesn’t care if the song is dark, or if it’s about some s—t he’s outgrown, he still hops on it with this black hippie like mentality that always seems to elevate the songs enjoyability to another level. Mr. Kardashian baby daddy 3, I thank you!

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. I DON’T KNOW YOU (4.5/5)

2. DROP (4/5)

3, AUDI (3.7/5)

4. OK (3.9/5)

5. STREETS LOVE ME (4.5/5)

6. NO SAFETY (4.1/5)

7. BLESS YO TRAP (4.4/5)

8. FINGERS BLUE (4.8/5)

9. NOSE (4.4/5)

10. KRISPY KREME (4.7/5)

11. TOPIC (2.7/5)

12. HOLD IT (4/5)

12. COUNT UP (3.8/5)

13. DIFFERENT COLOR MOLLY (4.2/5)

14. TO THE MOON (3.5/5)

15. RIP MAX (3.1/5)

16. PURGATORY (2.8/5)

OVERALL RATING

(7.7/10)

SmokePurpp is one big immature n—a who used his deficiency to create an exciting album. Something about the mentality/mindset of Smokepurpp is riveting to listen to, despite the fact it revolves around violence, petty crimes, and drug usage. (Something I have no interest in doing myself)

My one beef with this album, is that his s—t sounds a little too identical to the other rappers out there: Sometimes SmokePurpp sounds like XXXTENTACION (Fingers Blue), sometimes he sounds like MadeinTYO (multiple songs), sometimes he sounds like ILOVEMAKKONEN (Nose), and sometimes he sounds like Playboi Carti (Krispy Kreeme). While one of my favorite characters in Mortal Kombat was Shang Tsung (because he can morph into other characters in the game), I’m not sure I like my rappers doing that. Does this particular assertion mean the album was bad? No, it just means SmokePurpp dropped something that didn’t quite allow me to designate an own lane for him.

I like this debut a lot. No I can’t relate to 93 percent of the s—t that he says, but I do feel like he has a certain sound/theme that I find to be pretty entertaining to listen to. He embraces this Halloween like sound, and if you know me, you know I love me some horror movies n—a!!!!