Mackenzie Cummings-Grady
is a music journalist based in New York. His work has previously appeared in The Boston Globe and Billboard Magazine
Music Features
On "From King to A GOD," Conway The Machine Is Eager To Lead His Community
The rappers debut album was finally released today.
09.11.2020
When Buffalo emcee Conway The Machine was shot in the back of the head in 2012, it paralyzed the right half of his face and left him grief-stricken.
"I just got into this shell, and I was just f*cked up," he recently told Complex. "I didn't want to come out of the house or come out of my room. I thought people were going to be looking at me crazy." But in his eyes, this depressive episode wasn't due to the life-altering trauma he experienced, but due to "in a sense, [caring] what people [thought] for a small moment."
<p>He embraced his injury and curated his newfound lisp into a distinctive flow that added an ominous tone to his delivery. His tragedy didn't derail his ventures but instead inspired grit, and he openly aligned himself with the street culture that had threatened his life. "You can't relate if you ain't never stood on a curb," he rapped viciously on 2018's "Eight Birds." He eviscerated any naysayers who spoke down on his lyrical ability and wasn't interested in converting those who couldn't relate to his sound. </p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"></div>
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<!-- End Ezoic - under_second_paragraph - under_second_paragraph --><p></p><p>Anyone who has followed Griselda's explosion over the last few years knows Conway remains the group's strongest writer, but on past records, his undeniable talent was often marred by his adamant focus on the sounds of '90's hardcore rap. His music was inflexible by choice.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-634"> </div>
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<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">CONWAY - LEMON ft. Method Man (GXFR WU TANG)</small>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js1QOwJsSKo" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
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</p><p>Not caring what people thought inevitably made him difficult to relate to at times. "I was a piece of sh*t" he told <em>Complex</em>. "I was broke for a while. And my baby mother used to be on my back about all that sh*t...and I'm over 30. It [was] looking like you're a piece of sh*t, you know what I mean?"<br></p><p><em>From King to A GOD</em>, his debut album and most versatile effort to date, is meant to rewrite this narrative. He is not so much aligned with his Buffalo-roots grime as he is "elevated" above it, his actions now serving as a direct reflection of his community rather than as a result of it. "I done a lot of sh*t that I regret," he sings over uplifting piano chords on "Seen Everything But Jesus." "But I was tryna just get my respect." On <em>From King to A GOD</em>, his sound is less stuffy and more alluring to the peering eyes who don't quite understand the Griselda hype.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-635"> </div>
<!-- End Ezoic - incontent2 - long_content --></p><p>There remain plenty of grubby instrumentals for the Griselda devotees–"Spurs 3" is a disorienting odyssey of xylophone chords that sound like a music box breaking down–and plenty of complex bluster (he refers to his old neighborhood as the place "where the fiend clean your whole backyard just to smoke a piece"), but the album thrives when Conway visibly pushes himself out of a corner. </p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-636"> </div>
<!-- End Ezoic - incontent22 - long_content --></p><p>Conway's emphatic delivery is elevated by a DJ Premier instrumental ("Nothin Less"), but he also tackles the metallic sheen of a Murda Beatz record with youthful buoyancy and precision ("Anza,") and he even sings an R&B hook ("Seen Everything But Jesus.") Meanwhile, "Front Lines" serves as a political call-to-action ("We ain't takin no more, we ain't just pressin' record. Can't watch you kill my brother, you gon' have to kill us all,"), as he embraces his cultural prowess more directly than he ever has.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-637"> </div>
<!-- End Ezoic - incontent3 - longer_content --></p><p>He takes a few moments on "Spurs 3" to list off iconic hip-hop personalities who have deemed him and Griselda "the best" and uses further praise from DJ Sway as standalone interludes. On <em>From King to A GOD</em>, Conway has realized that he actually <em>does </em>care about a lot of things, and that those benevolent intentions are a sign of strength rather than weakness. "Was in the streets, but I still provided the hope for those guys," he raps on "Fear of God," "I'm just lettin' my soul fly." </p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-638"> </div>
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<strong>From King To A GOD</strong></p><iframe src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:album:6DGCEJKSnaK626YgoElkjk" id="2cb7d" frameborder="0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d761adb0c729cc30ec044420219d8620" expand="1" height="480" width="100%"></iframe><h2></h2><iframe src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify:album:6DGCEJKSnaK626YgoElkjk" id="2cb7d" frameborder="0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d761adb0c729cc30ec044420219d8620" expand="1" height="480" width="100%"></iframe>
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Travis Scott fans went insane across the country when the famous rapper debuted his collaborative McDonald's meal earlier this week.
On the day of the launch, Scott arrived at Mickey D's oldest location in Downey, California, to greet fans as they waited in line for the coveted burger–which is merely a quarter pounder with bacon, shredded lettuce, fries, and BBQ sauce. Videos show that the fans, who (mostly) wore masks but otherwise did not maintain social distancing, immediately swarmed the rapper.
<p>Scott's security struggled to contain the onslaught of screaming teens. But such ape sh*t behavior isn't new for Scott fans, who have often demonstrated their love of the artist by <a href="https://www.inquisitr.com/5293008/travis-scott-fans-riot/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rioting and breaking stuff</a>. As a result of such ludicrous behavior, Scott fans have garnered <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/travis-scott-mcdonalds-launch-leads-to-cringe-memes-and-videos-news.117459.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">meme-able infamy</a> and are often stereotyped as dorky, simp white boys in baggy luxury brand clothing. </p><p>But Scott fans' asinine behavior over a McDonald's meal serves as a reminder of all the other annoying fan bases that have come to plague Hip-Hop. From the basic softies that make up Drake fans to the cult-like nature of Kanye West's groupies, here are Hip-Hop's most annoying fans.</p>
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Logic
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzkyMjI3MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyODYwNzAwN30.NNjy0SIs8e0AmAIZI-jB2ahyrdwfz170H_mY1kt9g7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="eaa35" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c51ee7cac36d3f2b84a41a6eb4f51038" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Logic fans" /><p>"LoGiC iS tHe GrEaTeSt rApPer aLiVe" is often cited by Sir Robert Bryson Hall II's fans, but "Rat Pack" aficionados have often mistaken the emcee's spitfire delivery for lyrical substance. In reality, Logic has never rapped anything <em>that </em>groundbreaking. He is by no means a talentless hack, but his subject matter is often recycled, and the Hip-Hop community regularly clowns him as a result. He is a technically gifted emcee, with his nerdy persona and belief in universal empathy admirable (at least on the surface); but in execution, the biracial emcee often breezes over the very subject matter he prides himself on dissecting.</p> <p>"Logic's calls for civic action seem woefully ignorant to how oppression and white supremacy work," wrote <em>Pitchfork</em>. "[N]ot once does he consider how being white-passing could skew his perception of what it means to be black." His ambitions, much like his raps, are so general and <a href="https://www.theringer.com/music/2018/3/29/17176208/logic-rapper-netflix-rapture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">grandiose that they're </a>callow. His fans, as a result, are usually just as naive. </p>Nicki Minaj
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzkyMjMxNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMjQxMzA5Mn0.bb0rqTYpaWbuvtB-dNIvstmgbnQ2-sZ1EFQAwJC_fZE/img.jpg?width=980" id="6329e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="09b59ae2878f1ed581aaad5c7eec8058" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>The Barbz remain some of the nastiest fans in music. They stan Nicki Minaj to a toxic extent, often harassing anyone who besmirches their coveted emcee. In the past, they've initiated campaigns of death threats, texted disturbing messages to <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/nicki-minaj-and-the-abusive-stan-culture-epidemic-where-do-i-draw-the-line" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">people's phones</a>, and have even tried to have the rapper's <a href="https://www.bet.com/music/2017/03/06/remy-ma-nicki-minaj-fans-probation-officer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">past foes arrested</a>. Despite Minaj's recent onslaught of problematic behavior, the Barbz have remained steadfast in their admiration of their queen, ready to pounce at anyone who has a problem with <a href="https://www.popdust.com/nicki-minaj-on-sexual-abuse-2638971246.html" target="_self">Nicki Minaj's duplicitous behavior</a>. </p>Eminem
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzkyMjM5NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDU4NzQzMH0.fNy7oiJ4tw93ytlPcknwEcQYOek2ZIRnkQHPDs8jJjo/img.jpg?width=980" id="984f6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4840a400bae1139ea1fd88c73f0d9a13" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Eminem fans" /><p>To be fair, Eminem's bandwagon fanbase is well-deserved. Despite the rapper's problematic notions, he remains one of the greatest emcees of all time. But why do his fans have to be so irritatingly passionate? This question may go eternally unanswered, but his fans are annoying nonetheless. In part, his fame came thanks to his shock-and-awe tactics, many of which have aged poorly, and he's even acknowledged that they <a href="https://medium.com/@victor_c13/the-problem-with-eminem-fans-by-an-eminem-fan-bbb9b8024235" target="_blank">were immature and misogynistic</a>.</p> <p>But in the eyes of Eminem devotees, anything he touches turns to gold, and refusing to hold your favorite artist to any sort of standard is undoubtedly problematic. Not to mention the phrase, "I don't listen to rap, but I like Eminem" is one that comes up time and time again when referencing the rapper's fanbase. In the end, that speaks volumes about a person's tastes, considering Eminem's pop-rap aesthetic made him one of Hip-Hop's most commercially accessible rappers in recent years.</p>Drake
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzkyMjQzNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDYyMTc0NH0.Oyg59zbr_jTWm6COzyD18AhqMHWyHSsZMCPdiujuYvg/img.jpg?width=980" id="2b870" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dbda4956a5f7da7547e150eef3d7fe3d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="drake fans" /><p>Another artist who is rarely held to any standard by his fans, Drake has stans who can never stop talking about how Aubrey Graham is the best at everything. Look, we understand, Drake is truly the most prolific artist of his generation, but it's undeniable that the quality of his songs has been on a downward spiral for years. "I'm Upset" was <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/drake-im-upset/" target="_blank">abysmal trash</a>, "Toosie Slide" was a vapid attempt at a TikTok track, but both tracks still charted high and went platinum. Drake fans will consume anything the man puts out, and that's just... annoying.</p>Chance the Rapper
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzkyMjQ2NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNDEwOTM5NX0.1inffmYPH9HKZxD0365OZ1BSCvEsI6EcF5a2u8PPXGs/img.jpg?width=980" id="5eaa1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4a846a453c3e4c0d94239bd0f3d7c98a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="chance the rapper fans" /><p>Chance seems like a real stand up guy, but his music as of late has been pretty mushy gushy. Despite groundbreaking features that should have elevated the project, Chance's debut <em>The Big Day</em> was one of the <a href="https://www.popdust.com/chance-the-rapper-debut-album-review-2639372937.html" target="_self">most disappointing efforts of 2019</a>. The record was an exhaustive slog, and at times it was just plain corny. "Hey there, lovely sister, won't you come home to your mister?" Chance muttered on the cringe-worthy "Let's Go On a Run." "I've got plans to hug and kiss ya, I've got plans to hug and hug and hug you!" Chance fans are often just as corny as <em>The Big Day's</em> lyrical content. Many discovered the Chicago emcee after his <em>Acid Rap</em> mixtape and have kept him up on a high horse ever since.</p>J. Cole
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzkyMjUxMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzOTk1Nzg2OX0.Ln_M8wXgIu1BxODBTfg_7QhyzFkugyQqdAMMkvk-T2I/img.jpg?width=980" id="337fe" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76c3ad67ab400b018c1021bbb14211ad" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="J cole fans" /><p>It's true that <em>2014 Forest Hills Drive </em>is a classic. It's true Cole went triple platinum with no features, but Cole fans refuse to let you forget the latter, and that's annoying. The phrase "J. Cole went platinum with no features" was so abused on the internet by Cole fans between 2014-2018 that even the emcee couldn't stand it. "I was loving it," he told GQ. "But the second or third time, I was like, 'All right, it's almost embarrassing now. Like 'All right, man, y'all gonna make me put a feature on the album just so this sh** can stop." </p><p>Cole fans remain relentless in their worship of the rapper, so much so that his name and discography are always being <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Jcole&src=typeahead_click" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">discussed on Twitter in some form or another</a>. Not to mention, fans are known to get over-the-top emotional every time Cole <a href="https://twitter.com/DJFessa/status/986055935809474560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E986055935809474560%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.complex.com%2Fmusic%2F2018%2F04%2Fj-coles-rabid-fanbase-is-actually-pretty-great" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announces his return with a new album or single</a>. The jokes are all in jest, but Cole's latest efforts, both musically <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2020/06/j-cole-noname-snow-on-tha-bluff.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">and otherwise</a>, have been either <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/j-cole-kod/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dull or self-righteous</a>. Plus, with the <a href="https://www.popdust.com/noname-response-j-cole-2646210430.html" target="_self">Noname drama far from resolved</a>, it remains to be seen whether Cole fans have been riding the bandwagon a little too hard.</p>Kendrick Lamar
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzkyMjUyNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTAwMTQxMX0.zj-yyfrhQgwX919TH3aglIT4joZ_lzZsp9JFkZ7zSL8/img.jpg?width=980" id="19159" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="29c3d04e105adca377db03109df7dc45" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Kendrick Lamar fans" /><p>We've all met a Kendrick devotee at one point or another. They call him the GOAT or the new Tupac, and they present themselves as Hip-Hop purists and often appear disgruntled when shown mumble rap or anything that's not lyrically dense. That's not necessarily a bad thing; Kung Fu Kenny deserves all the praise and accolades he's accumulated. But there is so much good music out there and so many other artists who are just as talented as Kendrick, with the emcee himself co-signing a bunch of them.</p><p><span></span>"Kendrick Lamar is sitting atop the hip-hop throne, but he's no selfish ruler," wrote <a href="https://www.xxlmag.com/kendrick-lamar-artist-cosigns/" target="_blank"><em>XXL</em></a>. If he's able to expand his musical tastes, his fans should be able to as well.</p>Kanye West
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzkyMjU1Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNzg0MTYzNH0.49tsNzHOtQSSsFjyEFZyS9HY9cRdmlQzwtsGRLZ3V5o/img.png?width=980" id="04a81" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e6a5d3d0fc65763d34fe8a686253497f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Kanye West fans" /><p>At this moment, Kanye West fans are so problematic that they may lead to another four years of Trump. The creative genius has <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/marcusjones/kanye-west-controversies-timeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">trivialized everything from slavery to women's rights</a>, and his fans still go toe-to-toe with any naysayer who says West is mentally unstable and problematic. The artist's interviews in recent years–in which he's often indignant about the criticisms that trail him–are filled with ramblings that are impossible to follow, but any Kanye West clansman will often brush off such critiques with a "he's just smarter and more woke than you, and that's why you can't understand" excuse. The answer to that is: No. He is mentally ill, self-destructive, and<a href="https://www.popdust.com/why-you-shouldnt-vote-kanye-2020-2647173266.html" target="_self"> should not be president.</a></p>
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Music Lists
Happy Birthday Wiz Khalifa: Remembering the Rapper's Best Mixtapes
The legendary rapper turns 33 today.
09.08.2020
Wiz Khalifa's albums have never been as good as his mixtapes.
On his earlier efforts, the Pittsburgh emcee's breezy attitude and malleable delivery made him a perfect poster child for weed rap. His bars were never steeped in metaphor or even necessarily clever, ("Groupies wanna leave the club wit' me/Ain't nothin' to a G'/Let your hair blow in the breeze/ Roll some bomb-a** weed,") but gliding instrumentals and a splash of melody made his discography the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon smoke sesh in the 2010s. Where his mixtapes thrived in their cruise-control chilled-out vibes, Wiz Khalifa's albums have always suffered from a strange stiffness he's never been able to escape.
<p>The emcee's hotly-anticipated debut album <em>Rolling Papers</em> was rigid, uneven, and curated for frat parties more than wake and bake's. "When I'm Gone" found Khalifa trying to sing, and songs like "On My Level" sounded cumbersome, with Khalifa straining to sound like a club rapper over the track's gritty, instrumental, ("Gin got my drunk as f*ck stumbling out the bar/Plus I'm struggling tryna find the keys to my car/ 'Cause I be going hard.") Khalifa was suddenly an aspiring mainstream act, a potential pop-rap sell-out and the effort was panned by his loyal fans and <a href="https://www.spin.com/2012/03/wiz-khalifas-taylor-allderdice-unnecessary-apology-rolling-papers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">even the emcee himself</a> at one point. </p><p><!-- Ezoic - under_second_paragraph - under_second_paragraph -->
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<!-- End Ezoic - under_second_paragraph - under_second_paragraph --></p><p>The fluctuation between "Mixtape Wiz" and "Album Wiz" has remained apparent for the entirety of Cameron Jabril Thomaz's career, but the emcee is a Hip-Hop legend, despite his cool factor perhaps waning in the process. While film soundtrack singles have become his forte, it's worth reflecting back on the iconic mixtapes that at this point are ripe with nostalgia for any 20 something who smoked weed back in the 2010s. In honor of the emcee's 33rd birthday, here are his best mixtapes.</p>
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Taylor Allderdice
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="53eb08fd2c12837a2ad54d98db7f814c"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OsWy-1x1jQo?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Meant as an apology for the commercial stain that was <em>Rolling Papers</em>, 2012's <em>Taylor Allderdice </em>served as a return to form for the emcee. Sporting another batch of muggy instrumentals, Khalifa demonstrated that he still had plenty of ways to rap about his favorite plant, ("Still rollin' weed on my <em>XXL</em>, only difference is that's me on the cover.") <em>Taylor Allderdice</em> wasn't as cohesive as some of Khalifa's past efforts, but it offered a refreshing amount of versatility that felt true to Khalifa himself. </p><p>"My Favorite Song" was bodacious enough for Juicy J without trying to sound like a Juicy J song, and "Number 16" was bouncy and lighthearted without straining into pop-rap. It's a well-groomed effort and is one of Khalifa's last remaining underground tapes to not be introduced to streaming.</p>Flight School
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f94a4fb47e8fe002c57cfe154a419f9c"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X44MEYwCZpM?list=PLddSkUxmPEC-7sbbrmG07XynEMZNFI35T&rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Before he adopted a hazier persona, Khalifa was trying to be a success any way he could. <em>Flight School</em> was braggadocious and brash. Songs like "Ms. Rightfernow" and "Kleenex" were all hype and soaked in autotune, the latter merely being an ode to money ("Kleenex paper all I blow is money.") While the motif of Flight School wouldn't last much longer, the project was infectious and fun thanks to Khalifa's relentless charisma as a rapper. "Sky High" is so vivacious and optimistic, it's almost too silly to be real, and the horns and ad libs on "Teach You To Fly" are just so ludicrous one can't help but laugh, ("Hey, don't trip, b*tch/ Matter fact I got something you can trip on/ Gonna need your expensive luggage for this one.")</p>Burn After Rolling
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9e1982dd030e30eb6f3416fba01d88c6"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gSn5swCQCjs?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>One of Khalifa's last mixtapes before mainstream fame, B.A.R. finds the emcee just letting loose. He raps over a handful of already established instrumentals, from Pink Floyd's "Keep Talking" to Empire Of The Sun's "Walking on a Dream" and does so carelessly. While fans and critics lamented Khalifa's absentmindedness, <em>Burn After Rolling</em> was one of the last purely fun projects the emcee ever did. It wasn't his magnum opus by any stretch, but songs like "The Thrill" remain a perfect beach day accompaniment.</p>Cabin Fever
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="83d0a027a4bd020a72df58781e304823"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y8YNFYBjXuA?list=PL9y_aRAKmsdvMTTnNtWHJz1YakZ0iR0e_&rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>The beauty of <em data-redactor-tag="em">Cabin Fever</em> was that it had the slick production of a mainstream effort but without any of <em data-redactor-tag="em">Rolling Paper</em>'s stale commercialism. Sporting production from Lex Luger, Sonny Digital, and Drummer Boy, among other well placed features like Big Sean and Juicy J, <em data-redactor-tag="em">Cabin Fever</em> was what <em data-redactor-tag="em">Rolling Paper</em>s should have been. "Phone Numbers - Remix" is a perfect blend of Khalifa styles old and new, with Trae Tha Truth's ghoulish growl not sounding the least bit out of place. Meanwhile, outings like "Cabin Fever" and "GangBang" played around with braggadocios club rap without being cheesy about it. It's perfect for those who want to see multiple shades of their favorite weed rapper.</p>28 Grams
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="eee437bb71475b1f601d7ca57a94f515"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KxYA_x_jKUQ?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Marketing himself as "Trap Wiz," 28 Grams was one of the artist's most divisive projects. The mixtape was soaked in autotune and featured nothing but relentless 808s, rolling snares, and clamoring synths. While many critics complimented Khalifa's bravery in experimenting with trap music, many fans disregarded the effort since it wasn't weed rap, and frankly, they shouldn't have. 28 Grams features a lot of dope songs. It is far from a perfect project, the project's relentless hype gets lethargic by its second half, but tracks like "James Bong" and "Aw Sh*t" actually vibe pretty well if you don't listen too closely to some lackluster bars. </p>Kush & Orange Juice
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5de645b8fe0a7fb24ee561eba71ea60c"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RnUu7VlIVfc?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Khalifa's undisputed magnum opus, Kush & Orange Juice, is a hazy odyssey that reinvigorated weed rap in the mainstream. If you smoked weed around 2010, this was almost definitely your favorite album at the time. Khalifa's relatable charisma established him as a rapper you felt you could invite to your family BBQ, while his easy-going instrumentals and relentless good vibes make Kush & OJ a certified stoner classic.</p>
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