Rapsody – God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops (Album Review)

Rapsody’s “God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops” is the kind of album that gives you something to think about.

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TOP 5 SONGS

5. Free Yo’ Mind

“Free Yo’ Mind” comes in with a good vibe right away. At its core, the song is about breathing, releasing the things you can’t control, and not allowing everything happening around you to mess with your peace. I love how liberating the message feels because the track itself is equally relaxing. Sometimes life gets heavy, and you really just need to breathe, let that sh*t go, and keep it moving.

4. Abandoned Me

“Abandoned Me” takes things down a notch, but emotionally, it hits pretty hard. The song is beautiful, elegant, and incredibly soulful, with a pain that you can hear throughout the entire track. It feels like the aftermath of being betrayed by someone you truly loved, trusted, and believed would stand beside you through everything, only to realize they weren’t going to be there. The track definitely sat heavy on my heart, but that’s what makes it so effective. It hurts while you’re listening, but you respect how openly that pain is expressed.

3. God Gotta Afro

The title track, “God Gotta Afro,” demands to be heard, and it IS very empowering. It radiates black excellence, the beauty of womanhood, and knowing that you, individually, are a force. This track made me feel proud and strong, but more than anything, it made me feel good in my own skin and at peace with my soul. The message is impossible to ignore, and I think that’s a huge part of what makes this song so powerful.

2. Pick A Side

“Pick A Side” has such a fun beat and sounds so light and carefree, but it’s deeper than that. It’s about privilege and people going back and forth on what’s “acceptable” and what’s not. It’s very real, very brutal, and honestly something that needed to be talked about. Rapsody doesn’t sugarcoat the hypocrisy she’s pointing out, and that makes the track hit even harder.

1. Apple Juice

“Apple Juice” is such a sweet, addictive track. From the jump, it’s fun, breezy, and has this natural ability to put you in a good mood. The song is about developing real feelings for someone and wondering if they feel the same way, while being a little too nervous to actually find out. I love how light and vibey everything feels because it keeps the song from becoming too heavy. There’s definitely some vulnerability underneath the surface, but “Apple Juice” mostly feels carefree, catchy, and incredibly easy to play over and over again.

SONG BY SONG RATING

Peace, God! (N/A)

Free Yo’ Mind (4/5)

No Way (4/5)

Apple Juice (4/5)

Never Break (4/5)

God Gotta Afro (4/5)

OMG! (3.5/5)

Black Love (4/5)

Pick A Side (4/5)

Abandoned Me (4/5)

The Peejays (3/5)

You! (4/5)

Black Is Beautiful (4/5)

Pretty Bird/ Way U R (4/5)

Joyful (4/5)

Act II: Bloodline/ Growing Older (4/5)

RGM RATING

(C+)

Rapsody’s God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops is the most emotionally powerful album I’ve heard in a really long time. This project is filled with important messages and life lessons, good emotions and deep struggles. There’s a balance here, and it really makes every single track count.

Sonically, this album leans heavily into hip-hop and R&B, with different cultural influences intertwined throughout the tracklist. Lyrically, the album speaks heavily about self-love and self-worth, along with injustices in both society and your private, more personal life.

This whole album makes you want to stay steady, find comfort in your own skin, and have a voice that doesn’t go silent when it comes to standing up for your beliefs. It’s strong, motivational, and beautifully done.

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