According to my calculations, “I Know NIGO!” is supposed to be the best album ever assembled.
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TOP 5
5. Come On, Let’s Go
Tyler, the Creator’s admiration for The Neptunes is dope as f**k.
“Come On, Let’s Go” would excel on Tyler, The Creator’s CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST album. In the song, he drops bars about dealing with a chick (Yes, a chick) that is always late to s**t but has a booty that is so big, it deserves a spot in NATO. The song’s smooth vibes mixed with its hard-hitting raps make it a Tyler special. The song’s The Neptunes-sounding beat makes it a The Neptunes special.
4. Remember
Pop Smoke’s presence is felt significantly in “Remember.”
Do you know what’s chilling about “Remember?” In the song, Pop Smoke gives me Tupac vibes. Backed by a beat that is both dramatic and eery, the fallen rapper hits us with ferocious bars that will let you know exactly how he felt about his opps, his guns, and his money. What is noteworthy about the song is that Pop sounds focused on it, but at the same time, like someone that knows he has his listeners on a string.
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3. Hear Me Clearly
Pusha-T is a top 10 rapper when he spits the way he does in “Hear Me Clearly.”
“Hear Me Clearly” is one of those muddy-ass songs that drug dealers all over the globe will love. Over this ghoulish beat, Pusha-T slyly raps about his dope selling mentality and the street rules that he follows. The song is one that reiterates that Pusha should be compared to only the hardest rappers in the world.
2. Arya
Rocky goes the f**k off in this song!
First and foremost, the beat that powers “Arya” is fire. That s**t is mean and has a bop to it that will get anyone hyped up. As good as the two things that I mentioned are, the reason this song is five stars is because of A$AP Rocky’s performance on it. I love the grit, the precision, the swag, and the tricky-ass flows that he raps with (The flows Rocky hits us with is on some Wack-A-Mole s**t). I swear, when Rocky is motivated, he’s unguardable.
1. Lost and Found Freestyle 2019
This song gives me flashbacks to the dusty-ass mixtapes I used to listen to as a teenager.
When A$AP Rocky and Tyler, The Creator decide to spit spit, they can go toe to toe with just about anyone in the game. With that being said, in “Lost and Found Freestyle 2019,” the two rappers/friends spit spit over two different Slim Thug beats (The “Three Kings” and “Like A Boss” beats). Not only do they flow extremely well over them, but the punchlines, the competitive fervor, and the sly lyrics they gift us with are outstanding.
SONG BY SONG RATING
1. Lost and Found Freestyle 2019 (5/5)
2. Arya (5/5)
3. Punch Bowl (4/5)
4. Functional Addict (3/5)
5. Want It Bad (3/5)
6. More Tonight (3/5)
7. Paper Plates (3/5)
8. Hear Me Clearly (5/5)
9. Remember (4/5)
10. Heavy (3/5)
11. Come On, Let’s Go (4/5)
RGM RATING
(C+)
I miss the days when both the music and movie industries had cliques. Think about it: The comedy movie genre went down after Seth Rogen, James Franco, Judd Apatow, and Jonah Hill broke up. With that being said, one of my favorite music cliques was The Billionaire Boys Club’s clique. While I don’t quite think we should count on a full reunion from them, in I KNOW NIGO!, you do at least get to hear what they sound like together again (Along with some of their admirers).
The Neptunes’ influence is felt in the beats, the choruses, and the guests on this album. Though every guest feature doesn’t deviate far from their usual styles on I KNOW NIGO!, I feel like they are exactly who Pharrell and co. would call on if they needed someone to spice up their songs. With all due respect to NIGO, I think this album is a long-awaited sequel to the very interesting The Neptunes Presents: Clones album from back in the day.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
