“The fact that it was acceptable for Kendrick to drop an album that was unmastered and unfinished proves my point… If Stormzy’s debut album was unmastered and not entirely complete, people would’ve been up in arms.”

A Tribe Called Quest’s most recent album was a resounding success across the board. It was the final helping from a group that has done so much for hip-hop and been in the minds’ of fans for quite a while. To see them put together such a modern piece of work and still maintain the style we know and love was what really bound it together, and to some degree that’s the main reason why everyone was so impressed by it. Usually when an artist or group is nearing their last album or two, they operate off of their reputations, leading reviews to be skewed as to who the artist was rather than what their music is now.

Take for example Nas. One of the quintessential icons of hip-hop in the 90s and the third member of the genre’s Holy Trinity along with the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac. He’s best known for his debut offering ‘Illmatic’ which is a timeless collection of music. It’s often said that much of Nas’ work after ‘Illmatic’ isn’t half as good, but those critics are immediately shot down by those who demand that such a big player in the rap game deserves more respect given his effect on the culture. There’s no denying that Nas is and always will be a mainstay in a conversation about hip-hop legends, but it’s difficult to pick a classic album from the rest of his catalogue, despite a litany of singles that match the quality of the tracks on ‘Illmatic’. Nas isn’t the only artist that’s cushioned by his deserving reputation.

A more recent example would be Kendrick Lamar. ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ has been recognised by a handful of Universities in the States as a work of modern art, which it is – however, his most recent release ‘Untitled Unmastered’, is not. Of course, there are aspects of the project such as ‘Levitate’ that are undeniably good, but overall in comparison to the Compton native’s three other albums it’s a lazy attempt at remaining relevant. The fact that it was acceptable for Kendrick to drop an album that was unmastered and unfinished proves my point.

We let artists rest on their reputations.

If Stormzy’s debut album was unmastered and not entirely complete, people would’ve been up in arms. When it comes to new and up and coming artists, fans are often a fair jury, giving clear verdicts whether debut albums were good or bad, simply because the artists haven’t had time to develop a reputation to dictate the narrative surrounding their output and music.

“…they shouldn’t be restricted to the one box that we are used to them being in, but when they do step out and don’t do it well, it’s also fair to criticise them”

People that are too afraid to call music ‘bad’, describe bad music as “experimental”. That’s not to say that the music in said experiment is bad, but for the artist to produce said music is the bad part. One example that jumps to mind it Tyler the Creator’s ‘Cherry Bomb’. While his first two albums had more than their fair share of critics, they did garner him a notoriously loyal following, which didn’t fail him after he released his last album which seemed like a convoluted mess. With plenty of over the top instrumentals, screechy vocals and dramatically jazzy vibes, the whole thing was all over the place and completely different to his other work, because it didn’t really work at all. That’s not to say that artists shouldn’t try new things and experiment; they shouldn’t be restricted to the one box that we are used to them being in, but when they do step out and don’t do it well, it’s also fair to criticise them. A Tribe Called Quest delivered a relevant album with vintage style, so clearly it’s possible for artists to put their own stamp on music we don’t usually associate with them.

As much as he is maligned, Drake is the epitome of an artist that brings all these traits together. While he could easily record a series of farts and release them to critical acclaim, Drake has always given 100 per cent on any project he has put his name on. He has managed to change his style more than a few times but still blend it so it remains within his lane. His most recent release ‘More Life’ is an obvious example; with features from Giggs, Skepta and Young Thug, three artists that are perfect fits for Drake to collaborate with now, that we wouldn’t have predicted when he first arrived on the scene. Whether you like him or not, Drake’s music is popular because of its widespread appeal, not because it’s Drake’s.

Kanye’s ‘Yeezus’ is well-known as his worst album because it’s easy to criticise him due to his hit-and-miss persona. People are quick to criticise Ye if his work isn’t up to scratch – there are plenty who rely on the fact that he isn’t well-liked across the board, so it’s easy to take shots at him, maybe not entirely because of his music.
It’s not just in rap to any degree. Each genre puts its legends and innovators on a pedestal, and could be the reason that many of them fall off the wagon; rather than making music and people liking it, they make music and make people like it. Plenty of artists have ascended to the top of their respective genres and then rested there, leaving their music looking equally as lazily put together. Daft Punk are a prime example with ‘Random Access Memories’ being a big smack in the face of Jazz and Disco ‘experimenting’, and Justice too, however their new collection was more so a spin in a different direction rather than a clear commercial sell out.

Fans aren’t the innocent party with all this being said, and neither are any music media outlets. If something’s bad and doesn’t resonate with you, judge it fairly and say it as it is, as if the artist didn’t exist and all you had was the song. There have been countless times where bad albums have been replayed and replayed in search of some golden nugget that high quality musicians would expectedly have somewhere among 10/15 songs, but when you have to go looking that deep, it’s clear that it isn’t up to scratch. If it were a new, unknown artist’s album, it wouldn’t scrape a positive review, let alone any review at all.

Everyone is guilty of joining in a mob mentality of either loving or hating something based on extenuating circumstances. To like something because it’s cool to like it isn’t a new phenomenon, but deeming music good because some reputable person made it is. Any parents sitting in front of a TV watching Paul McCartney jumping awkwardly with a guitar next to Rihanna and Kanye will see right through it. It’s very easy to say you’re a fan of someone because of their reputation, but in the end of the day what’s better: a good taste in music or a trendy Spotify listening history?

Photo Credit: Ellius Grace