“My first album had no famous guest appearances, the outcome: I’m crowned the best lyricist.” Nas’ reflection on Illmatic perfectly describes Logic’s debut Under Pressure. After building an immense fan base with country wide tours, consistently impressive mixtapes and the help of Visionary Music Group, the buzz for the album was massive. With the most iconic hip-hop label (Def Jam) backing him, the Maryland native opted to make a twelve track project that contains no rap features. Striving to make his own Illmatic, Logic wanted to create an album that was truly his. The album was executive produced by the legendary No I.D. and features production from 6ix, Logic, Dj Khalil, and more. Logic takes listeners on an intense journey that veers from uplifting and feel good vibes to dark and disturbing and everything in between. With too many standout tracks to highlight within a standard review, I felt it was necessary to dissect each track individually. So get ready to take a ride through the 2014 album of the year.
Intro (Produced by 6ix)
The minimalistic and uplifting piano based backdrop allows Logic to spit with a conversational style that gives listeners the feel that he addressing them directly. The keys and delivery are reminiscent to Drake’s ‘Over My Dead Body’ but the differing song structure ensures the sound is still original. It’s the perfect warm-up to wet listeners appetites without getting too heavy too soon. The song contains a ton of quotables including his reflection on sales projections, “But I’m not defined by the sales of my first week, cause in my mind the only way i fail if my verse weak”. The track also introduces the album’s narrator Thalia who provides interesting facts throughout the album. The concept may seem familiar as it was borrowed from A Tribe Called Quest’s classic album Midnight Marauders.
Soul Food (Produced by Alkebulan, DJ Khalil, 6ix)
It doesn’t take long for the album to intensify with ‘Soul Food’ covering a wide range of topics from splurging on jewels, befriending hip-hop legends and most notably; the inner workings of his household growing up. It’s the first track that explores the darker aspects of his life, from crack being cooked in his family kitchen, to his sister facing domestic abuse and much more. The pictures painted are so vivid you can almost feel his pain through the music, “Welfare, food stamps, and stealing from the store, come home and see an eviction notice taped to my door, can’t take no more, momma on drugs, daddy M.I.A, what can I say? I just wanted to be a kid and play“. The second half of the track sees the beat and subject matter change. Logic addresses his career including early doubters, naysayers who claim he’s changed, and fans who constantly want more.
“Making a single before your album, is like putting together a trailer for a movie you have yet to shoot”
I’m Gone (Produced by 6ix)
This is one that the Bobby Soxers (female fans) will be bumping on repeat. It’s definitely not Logic’s most impressive feat lyrically or conceptually but it’s a smooth listen and the vocals from Jessica Andrea add a sexy back-and-forth that would otherwise be missing. Though it’s more geared towards the ladies, even hip-hop heads can’t help but bop to it. The closing also features the most insightful quote from the album’s narrator, “Making a single before your album, is like putting together a trailer for a movie you have yet to shoot.”
Gang Related (Produced By 6ix)
Debatably the best cut on the album, ‘Gang Related’ takes listeners into the streets of Maryland. 6ix absolutely murders the beat and Logic comes through even harder. The track opens with eerie stretched vocal samples that sound like losts souls trapped in the beat. Further setting the scene the producer layers the percussion with iconic KRS-One samples conjuring imagery of stray bullets flying through the streets. The first verse sees Logic exploring memories of violence, drug trafficking and waking up to the sound of gunshots. His rapidfire flow adds a further element of intensity causing listeners to absorb his anxiety. In place of a hook is a real life news clip describing “a massive manhunt underway” in Logic’s neighborhood. The second verse sees the artist rhyming from the perspective of his older gang-affiliated brother. The bars provide deeply personal information, striking wordplay and a trip into the mind of a man in the streets, “Selling crack to my own pops, pushing this weight on my own block, if I sell a brick I can buy a house, if they find the key they might lock me up, but I take the chance cause I need that shit and don’t give a fuck”. The track closes with lightening quick delivery that further makes a case for best flow in the game.
Buried Alive (Produced by Dun Deal & Logic)
The most recent single off the album ‘Buried Alive’ is the most catchy and radio friendly. The song centres around Logic coming to terms with his recent stardom. The hook puts the rappers concerns at centre stage, “I feel like the grass is green, and everything I do is unseen…Look around everyone changes, it feels like I’ve be buried alive” and features one of my favourite simple but witty punchlines on the album “people only in your life as seasons, word to aunt Viv”. The track shows Logic’s ability to make a song that is radio friendly without compromising his integrity. A feat that is one of the greatest challenges for young artists.
Bounce (Produced by S1, M-Phazes)
Now this is an anthem primed for the upcoming tour. The track features a number of hard hitting drops and easy to sing along bars (“out the blue like a crip, but I never bang though!”) and a variety of flows. I can picture him on stage turning up to this, busting jumps and spin moves as the beat drops. One of the highlights of the track is about 40 seconds in as the verse gains intensity and a drum build convinces listeners that something heavy is about to hit. A “psyche” ad-lib let’s you know that it’s not coming just yet. It’s little touches like this that show Logic’s sense of humour and illustrate his attention to detail.
Growing Pains III (Produced by Tae Beast, Skhye Hutch, 6ix)
In his autobiography Decoded, Jay-Z discusses how Run’s (Run DMC) flow enabled him to “bang out a rhythmic idea” and that it is as “exciting as watching a middleweight throw a perfect combination”. The rhythm and form in which he delivered each bar punctuated what he was saying and truly functioned as it’s own instrument. When I heard the first verse on ‘Growing Pains III’ it immediately reminded of Jay’s description. The way Logic enunciates each word and delivers the verse serves as the percussion until the drums comes in. The second verse features one of the deepest and most tragic trips into the rapper’s mind as a child. “Turn on the TV let it wash my brain, pretend that family’s my family to avoid the pain, hello children, how was school?, It was good, how bout you?, I love you (I love you son), I love mama too, are you ready for dinner? I’m able to set the table, till I snap out the fable when that TV turn off and I realize I’m back in hell.” It’s such a vivid memory that you almost feel as though you’re there with him. Some fans were initially disappointed that he changed the structure from the earlier Growing Pains tracks (no Kanye sample) but after a few spins it’s hard to disagree with Logic’s decision. This is easily one of the most impressive songs on the near perfect album.
Never Enough (Produced by DJ Dahi)
A long laid back intro gives this track an early feel of an interlude, that is until almost a minute in when the beat and bars start flowing. Paying homage to Kid Cudi and Outkast, Logic borrows classic lines to sprinkle within the verse that give the track instant familiarity. This is a party track for hip-hop heads. There’s no heavy bass or banging 808s but a nostalgic feel good vibe and bars about getting faded make it perfect to sip something and vibe to.
Metropolis (Produced by Rob Knox & Logic)
‘Metropolis’ sees Logic reflecting on his travels with wordplay that hops from trains, planes and automobiles. “Okay, doing what I gotta do, flying at this altitude, I look out of the window like goddamn, that’s what I really do” & “Stop giving a fuck cause music gotta be the only motive, mind racing on and off the track, I’m going locomotive”. Taking him from his first sold out show in Chicago to smoking blunts in Amsterdam. It also has some bars dedicated to Nikki which is sure to have you wondering Who is Nikki already!? Don’t worry we’re about to get there.
Nikki (Produced by Logic & 6ix)
One of the most highly anticipated tracks on the album. A few months prior to the release, Logic teased fans with the hashtag #WhoIsNikki. The Twitterverse was running wild with their suspicions but with the album’s release, the question was finally answered. ‘Nikki’ is nothing short of amazing. The track is positioned as a love song personifying his greatest addiction. Logic drops subtle (“I love it when you’re fresh, I love it when I take your top off and we share the same breath”) and not so subtle hints (“You the only girl I need I gotta have you back, even though you turn my lungs black”) throughout. And doesn’t blatantly spell it out until the end of the second verse. The impressive double entendres and wordplay are reminiscent of legends who have gone in similar directions. Most notably Jay-Z’s ‘I Know’ and Common’s classic ‘I Used to Love Her’.
Under Pressure (Produced by Logic)
When you see a song that is nine minutes long on an album’s tracklist it builds a certain level of expectation. The title track is a two part effort, the first served as a single, with strong production and a viscous flow. The hook foreshadows the second half with Logic tapping the perspective of his sister and father trying to get in touch. In an album that is deeply personal this song stands out as the most telling. The subject matter is quite heavy and ranges from various forms of abuse experienced by his sister to disagreements with his dad “But do you think you could stop rapping about my drug use?”. It’s rare for an artist to give this much of his family life on a song and it even features samples from his father to add to the authenticity. The final verse has him finally getting back to his family. The fact that he addresses them all with one verse instead of separately really supports his lyrics outlining his overly busy life. It’s a heavy listen but it is definitely one of the strongest efforts on the album. Subtle samples from first half of the song are layered throughout creating enhanced pulses of anxiety.
Till The End (Produced by S1 & M-Phazes)
The album closes in a similar vein to its beginning. Under Pressure takes listeners on an emotional ride so ending on an upbeat note is a great decision, especially considering how heavy the previous track is. From the production to the lyrics the feeling is that of triumph and Logic does find some time to stunt in a humorous way “won’t speak on my bank account, so many commas I’d have to pause, and I really can’t afford to waste the bars”. It also has him showing his loyalty to VMG, the label who helped to grow his career. “Tell Def Jam if they don’t cut the check, I’ll send Chris to go cut their neck, I love the building, no disrespect, but yall better ride when I’m in effect, that’s radio, that’s TV, but Visionary got the internet, if y’all fuck around or try to throw the ball to another artist, imma intercept.”
Under Pressure is the most impressive debut since Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City and is the best album of the year (so far). We previously named Logic The Best Rapper Without and Album Out and though that title is no longer applicable, his rookie effort has cemented his status as the best up-and-comer in the game. It’s only the beginning of what we predict to be a long and impressive career for the talented young artist. You can stream the entire project below and be sure to grab a copy on iTunes. The deluxe version features ‘Driving Ms. Daisy’ ft. Childish Gambino, ‘Now’, and ‘Alright’ ft. Big Sean. All 3 songs helped to build buzz for the album but would feel slightly out of place within the main body of work. By adding them as bonus tracks they serve as additional support that doesn’t impact the overall feel of the album.
