2 Chainz - Pretty Girls Like Trap Music

2 Chainz
Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
2017
Spotify

When 2 Chainz first burst onto the scene it did not seem like he was serious. Two Chains meant that people were going to quickly make the "but, He is only wearing one chain." joke over and over. Let alone that one of his former alias' was Tity Boi, but since then 2 Chainz has done nothing but prove himself. Pretty Girls Like Trap Music feels like 2 Chainz's opus. At 39 He has been in the game long enough to know himself incredibly well, and know exactly what works for him and what doesn't. That is why his features of late have been so great, He know exactly what He can and cannot bring and acts accordingly. With that confidence comes and ease to his music, he can be funny, serious or romantic and it all works and works really well. This record is much more toned down than last year's Daniel Son: Necklace Don which was a straight wild album. The song with Nicki Minaj "Realize" rolls out slowly, relies on trap beats but doesn't beat you over the head with them. 2 Chainz is so aware of how fleeting success is, on the opener describing how amazing his new kitchen looks but then laments how he never wants to go back to trapping. His age allows him to see both sides of his life with some distance and thus make better judgement about them. Sure the Trap can provide some great content for songs, but actually going back to the lifestyle is something 2 Chainz has zero intention of going back to it.

The features on the record are simply out of control: Migos, Pharrell, Drake, Nicki Minaj and MONICA just to name a few. What 2 Chainz does though is draw the absolute best out of these people, you can hear their excitement in working with the man. Whenever a feature is used the collaboration is just effortless like they have been working together for years and know how to get the best out of each other. Yet 2 Chainz always comes out on top in these exchanges, letting people know that this is his album and his vision. 2 Chainz makes trap music that you can play for your parents, but not by dumbing it down, but by making it better. It could be considered Dad Rap at times, but it is not out of touch. At over an hour the record is long, but each track feels totally necessary and it doesn't really lag. This record does not feel as inspired as Chance the Rapper's last, but it also has a relaxed style the Chance could never hope to imitate. Louis Farrakahn sums it up perfectly on the last track when he says "There's a certain power presence that he gives off". You just sense from the first note of Pretty Girls Like Trap Music that you are in the presence of greatness. Don't be surprised if the next time you see some of your older friends they have a few 2 Chainz tracks on their playlist. Don't be alarmed it's that good.

8.9 out of 10