Fm!

Breezy SoCal rap from 2015 XXL Freshman Vince Staples. A short and hard-hitting album framed as a radio program takeover on the LA airwaves. Like much of his other work, this album is hyper-regional, which is reflected in both the cruisy Long Beach narratives and the star-studded features lineup of entirely California natives. While the production and hooks scream block party on the surface, Staples tackles a variety of social issues all without breaking his razor-sharp snappy flow. The kid is super talented, the hype is real. This is the edited version, so all tracks are FCC clean, except for one they missed on track 4. All tracks are strong (apart from the three skits) but start with 11, 1, 8 or 7. RIYL: Schoolboy Q, Domo Genesis, Kendrick Lamar, Freddie Gibbs, Casey Veggies, Earl Sweatshirt

*1. (2:29) Explores the grim realities behind the mellow summertime vibes in Long Beach. Ty Dolla $ign contributes some smooth vocals
2. (2:05) Upbeat and bouncy production, lyrics explore gang affiliations and turf wars
3. (2:28) Crunchy bass and 8-bit noodling on the production. Reflections on stardom/fame contrasted with omnipresent gun violence. Jay Rock on the chorus
4. FCC (2:18) Drug dealing, dodging the DA, broader commentary on the US justice system
5. (0:23) Radio program interlude skit with a 20-second Earl Sweatshirt snippet. Wish it was longer
6. (3:08) Midtempo eerie minorchord–heavy beat, lyrics about armed robbery
*7. (2:51) Upbeat hyphy production (think Droop-E) with a hook from the man himself, E-40. Gang affiliation narrative with Staples’s signature left-field allusions: “Christian Dior, I'm crippin' Björk”
*8. (2:04) Trunk-rattling bass. Gritty street violence and snitching. Kamaiyah’s guest verse slaps of course
9. (0:35) Radio program interlude skit with a 30-second Tyga snippet. Random as hell but I guess it fits the overall radio takeover narrative?
10. (0:53) Radio call-in skit
*11. (3:06) Contemplative track about violence and oppression. Hard guest verse from Compton’s Buddy and candy-sweet R&B vocals from Oakland’s Kehlani. Great chemistry all around