NBA YoungBoy rings in the new year with a brand new sound in “I Rest My Case.”
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TOP 5
5. Rage
On the real, half of the reason that I like “Rage” is because of the beat.
That s**t will literally take your soul for a ride. Even the producer’s tag asks “who made this s**t?” I wouldn’t say that NBA YoungBoy sounds amazing over the beat, but I will say that I do enjoy how he comes across as unchained in the most organized way in the song. Like, honestly, I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about in his verses, but the urgency that he raps with makes it sound like he’s saying some historical s**t.
4. Groovy
NBA YoungBoy’s flows in “Groovy” are borderline Godly.
I feel like “Groovy” isn’t as experimental as the other songs on this album, but it’s experimental enough to make you say “I like it when NBA YoungBoy experiments” (Excellent writing by me here). The experimental side of this song comes from the colorful beat. As for NBA, he toys with flows we’ve heard him use before and touches on topics that everyone else touches on. I will say this: The song sounds slightly colder than the others on this album.
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3. Red
On the first listen, I didn’t like “Red” at all. On the second listen, the song clicked with me.
While I have a love-hate relationship with this song, in the right setting, it can be loved. So, what kind of setting should “Red” be played in? Clubs that are known to house oxycontin users.
I will rhetorically ask you this: We can all agree that the myriad of flows that NBA YoungBoy relies on in “Red” are impressive, right? S**t, there’s a moment in which he even sounds like Lil Uzi Vert.
2. Black
For those of you that wanted NBA YoungBoy to enter into PlayBoi Carti’s lane, Merry f**king Christmas!
No bulls**t, I like “Black” a lot. I think the song features a very catchy hook, a beat that ragers like myself will absolutely adore, and rebellious lyrics that effectively showcase NBA’s playfully spoiled ways. Here’s the thing, though: I didn’t expect that I would like this song at all when the beat first dropped.
1. Louie V
How can we make “Louie V” a little longer? (And do not tell me to add water to the song like you ratchet-ass people do with your Kool-Aid).
Literally, the only issue that I have with “Louie V” is that it’s too short (the song is only 1:34). Everything from the acidic beat to the high-pitched vocals to the hyper flows to the defiant lyrics moves the needle for me.
SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN
1. Top Girls (N/A)
2. Black (4/5)
3. Louie V (4/5)
4. Swag On Point (3/5)
5. Bitch Yeah (3/5)
6. Red (4/5)
7. Double Cup (4/5)
8. Fight With My Sheets (4/5)
9. Rage (4/5)
10. Top Haters (N/A)
11. Just Like Me (4/5)
12. Ride Me (4/5)
13. Not My Friend (3/5)
14. Mini Me (4/5)
15. Clear (3.5/5)
16. I Love YB Skit (N/A)
17. Groovy (4/5)
18. Same Thing (3.5/5)
19. Hey Pops (3.5/5)
RGM RATING
( C ) (74%)
Rappers don’t have fun anymore. I feel like folks are too damn serious nowadays. Though NBA YoungBoy is more than capable of creating the best emotional bangers on the planet, in this particular project, he f**ks with a bunch of energetic, mind-numbing beats that the Lil Uzi Verts and Playboi Cartis of the world would love. Matter of fact, let me give myself some credit here. I once said that “Kacey Talk” was an amazing NBA YoungBoy song; most people that I have talked to don’t feel the same way as I do. I feel like a bunch of the songs on this album sound like “Kacey Talk” doppelgangers. The Lousiana rapper knows just like I know that the sound he f**ks with in his 2020 hit is one of his best. See, I’m not that bad at pointing s**t out!
So, with all the praise that I gave out in the second paragraph, why did I give this album a C? I feel like the more fun NBA YoungBoy has in his songs, the lesser his lyrical content moves me. I just feel like there weren’t many verses on I Rest My Case that made me feel something in my soul. I’m not complaining because I usually get that from NBA’s emotional tracks; I just wanted to point that out. I also feel like the album could’ve been cut short by about three or four songs. I might be in the minority here, but I wouldn’t mind hearing NBA in reasonable doses these days (After listening to all 25 of his projects last year, I have some NBA fatigue. S**t, I don’t even feel like watching the Nets game tonight). I will say this: The skits on this project are fantastic. All in all, NBA YoungBoy should be praised for being an artist that isn’t afraid to experiment with different sounds. IÂ highly recommend that you give this album a shot.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
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8/10
10\10* YB BETTER