Lil Pump - Lil Pump

Lil Pump
Lil Pump
2017
Spotify

The change that hip hop has gone through in the past few years shifting further towards the mainstream has meant that trap songs finally have the stage they deserve, but it also means some clearly pandering artists make it through. Lil Pump is 17 years old and has gained millions of streams and followers through soundcloud alone. The kid looks more like 2017 than damn near anything in this world with Lil Yachty hair and Lil Uzi Vert's penchant for design and fashion. Most of his tracks are unmastered, quick beats recorded in the now famous soundcloud rapper style. It is a genre that is super specific most of the time and one that you are either into or not, doesn't seem like there are a lot of people saying that Soundcloud rap is just ok. The aggression, violence and drug overtones feel, well, awkward for someone this young to be delving into. Rae Sremmurd are similar in both youth and style yet they seemed much more polished and groomed to be who they are but with Pump it feels like it just comes out of no where. The production sounds unmastered which is the point, but you can;t shake the idea that some editing or some more refined production could really set this album apart. When Lil Uzi Vert repeats himself, as all Trap artists do, it feels like it has a point some direction He is trying to get but Lil Pump just repeats himself so fucking much. I can name any song and it is likely that song will repeat the title at least 50 times throughout the track. It can be maddening, but the style is becoming more and more common. However you don't see Gucci doing it on "Youngest Flexer" and He has one of the strongest features on the record.

More and more substance is taking a backseat to style in hip hop. If you are looking for lyrical prowess from Lil Pump you won't find it, If you are looking for savage lines, move on and if you want Lil Pump to care about the history of hip hop He likely doesn't give a shit. That is simply that way music goes, with Rock and Roll each new generation of bands cite the bands that came just before them as influences but don't feel forced to play by the same rules those bands did. Why would Hip Hop be any different? The old things fall away and new ones take their place, whether or not those new things will end up being all timers is something on time can tell. The problem with Soundcloud rappers usually is their fans because they cannot stop with thinking each new rapper is the greatest of all time. Enjoy the songs for what they are but let's not claim that Lil Pump is re-inventing the game, it's just foolish to think that's the case. Lil Pump is at it's best when Pump goes all out, when the beat destroys your speakers and His voice strains from trying to get all the words out like on "Molly". I don't know how many drugs Rick Ross took before recording "Pinky Ring" but it sounds like he is crawling through syrup throughout the entire tack. Lil Pump is not the future of hip hop nor is it a signal of it's demise it's just a new facet for us to take in. Listen to it loud, blow out your speakers and you might just catch a vibe.

6.5 out of 10