G Herbo delivers several wise street-inspired verses in “Survivor’s Remorse: A Side.”
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TOP 5
5. Blues
Two levels of toxic are featured in this song.
G Herbo uses Future exactly how I would use him in a song: As the ultimate hypeman. In “Blues,” the Atlanta artist hits us with amped-up raps about getting to the money, dealing drugs, and smashing the finest of women. As for Herbo, he raps about his brand new tax bracket and love for smashing the finest of women (There’s a theme here). I think the song is a good mix between grungy, club-ready, and action-packed.
4. Flashbacks
“Flashbacks” is one of those heartwarming street tracks that every rapper needs in their catalog.
In “Flashbacks,” G Herbo raps about the pressure that comes with fame and being from the streets. What I really like is that you get a version of Herbo that sounds aggravated and competitive in the song. As for featured guest Jeremih, he co-signs Herbo’s sentiments with a hook that even the unthuggiest person can sympathize with.
I love “Flashing Lights” more than the next person… I don’t like how the song’s sample was used in “Flashbacks.”
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3. FWM
G Herbo is one of the best intro-makers in hip-hop today. He literally turns into Super Saiyan on them.
For those of y’all that don’t know who G Herbo is, you’ll get to know him as soon as you press play on this album. In “FWM,” the intro, Herbo reminds the world that he is the ultimate street savant, the richest underdog, and the coldest heartbreaker. Since the song is powered by a soulful, hard-hitting beat, you get the heiniest of deliveries out of the Chicago rapper.
2. Shordie
Anyway you slice it, “Shordie” is a hit.
I’ll be blunt: There’s a lot of gangsta-ass music on this album. It’s clear that G Herbo loves sliding. With that being said, there are about three songs that I see as club bangers; the best out of the three is “Shordie.” The combination of G Herbo’s trendy/quirky flows, the flute-heavy trap beat, and Gunna’s extremely infectious/Ty Dolla $ign-Esque melodic raps makes for a very damn entertaining listen.
1. Real Rap
I just realized that G Herbo and Benny The Butcher are cut from the same cloth.
The moment I saw that Benny The Butcher is featured on this song, I got excited. The moment I heard the old-school, Roc-A-Fella-Esque beat this song boasts, I got hella excited! The good news is this: Nothing about this song is a disappointment. In it, Benny The Butcher and G Herbo trade verses that are anti-blogger era, anti-soft-ass rappers, and pro-streets. What I absolutely love is how both Herbo and Benny throw nothing but haymakers, making sure every line they deliver hits harder than Draymond Green.
SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN
1. FWM (Ft. Yosohn) (4/5)
2. Flashbacks (Ft. Jeremih) (4/5)
3. Aye (Ft. Offset) (3.5/5)
4. Blues (Ft. Future) (4/5)
5. Shaderoom (4/5)
6. 4 Minutes of Hell, Pt. 6 (4/5)
7. Real Rap (Ft. Benny The Butcher) (5/5)
7. Paid (3.5/5)
8. Shordie (Ft. Gunna) (4.5/5)
9. After That (4/5)
11. Outside Looking In (3.5/5)
12. Survivor’s Outro (4/5)
RGM RATING
(B-)
I truly believe that G Herbo is a gifted rapper. While he doesn’t always flow the way I would like him to, his ability to drop hard-hitting verses is top-notch. Survivor’s Remorse: A Side is a twelve-track body of work that I think fires from all cylinders (Both figuratively and literally).
Production: I’ve said it before, and I’m going to say it again: When G-Herbo raps over soulful, Dipset-type beats, he is special. I was in music heaven listening to him do work in “FWM.” Unfortunately for me, Herbo doesn’t rap over soulful/Dipset-type beats a lot on this album; instead, he diversifies his palette by feeding on everything from booming trap beats to menacing trap beats to whatever the hell you would call the beat you hear in “Aye” (Interestingly, there isn’t a drill beat on this album). If you are someone that thinks that Herbo is one-dimensional, the production on this album alone will let you know that’s a lie.
Guest Appearances: I’m very satisfied with the guest appearances on this album. Jeremih added some well-needed soul to “Flashbacks,” Future put up a fire-ass hook in “Blues,” Benny The Butcher put up masterful raps in “Real Rap,” and Gunna absolutely shined in “Shordie.”
The Performances: More than anything, G Herbo is going to make you feel him when he raps. Nearly every single verse on Survivor’s Remorse: A Side features lyrical content that is delivered in a way that is mighty and ferocious. With 95% of this album being about some profound street s**t, I get why Herbo approached it this way. You cannot walk away from Survivor’s Remorse: Side A feeling like his messages didn’t get across to you (Even if you aren’t in the streets like that).
The biggest thing I would change: G Herbo’s biggest strength is also his biggest weakness (BTW, I use this line in every job interview I do). While I am all for him speaking his truth and really digging deep into his experiences growing up in the streets in this album, at times, I feel like he gets a little too lost in his stories. In other words, there are songs in which he sounds like a rambling father telling an uninterested son a story about how he almost got taken out in a war. I don’t think Herbo’s approach to songs content-wise is bad at all; I just don’t think it’s for everyone.
The biggest reason you should listen to this album: You can’t find unadulterated, honest, gritty, and powerful street albums like Survivor’s Remorse: A Side these days. In a year where doubling down is something a lot of artists are doing, Herbo is showing that he is a one-of-a-kind artist when he decides to double down on some street s**t.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
