VINCE STAPLES: ALBUM REVIEW
Vince Staples’ newest album is like sitting next to a guy at a bar that has a ton to say. Every story he tells will sit with you for the rest of your life, but he never actually finishes a story. You just get to hear snippets of narratives and understand pieces of who he is.
Vince Staples isn’t that California kid anymore. His self-titled project is full of stories from the past, the present, and the future that don’t follow any specific narrative but make up a fitting story of Vince’s journey through music. It’s one of the most affecting and subdued projects of the year: an incredible journey that shows Vince’s fearlessness to go against the grain.
Often, media criticism conditions us to expect artists to perform their sadness. Incredible rappers like Kendrick Lamar and Tyler, the Creator have made careers out of being able to perform their trauma to the extent that they force listeners to walk in their shoes. Vince Staples completely subverts this expectation, and as a result, delivers a project that excels in ways that performance cannot. This project makes you ask questions about why we expect artists to act out their trauma rather than address it.
The subject matter on Vince Staples follows many of the same tropes that Vince has always addressed. He still talks a lot about death, fear, and violence. The lead single from the project, “LAW OF AVERAGES,” perfectly sets the tone. While in the past, Vince Staples singles have been flashy and fun, “LAW OF AVERAGES” is reflective and subdued. As Staples spits, “You will never catch me slipping out in traffic,” the anger and conviction that was present on previous projects has disappeared from his voice. He sounds matter of fact, like he’s reciting the facts of someone’s life that he barely knows. The feeling from this single permeates through the project as Staples’ voice rarely rises above a murmur.
The relaxed flow on this project fits Vince’s style perfectly; he sounds completely comfortable and at home on Vince Staples. This comfort can easily be mistaken for a lack of passion on first listen -- at times he sounds so secure that it feels like he’s not pushing himself -- but with further inspection, it becomes clear that this relaxed vibe is purely aesthetic. Vince is using these relaxed flows to convey his coming to terms with trauma in his life. For example, the first track, “ARE YOU WITH THAT?” is one of the most depressing tracks I have heard in a long time. Vince spits the lines, “fill these voids or fill my blank,” and “some of them outside still, some of them inside graves,” in a singsong, effortless flow that sharply contrasts with the grim subject matter.
Vince Staples is one of the most thoughtfully produced albums of the year, as Kenny Beats crafts simple and structured beats that allow us to hear intricacies in Vince’s delivery. These beautiful instrumentals highlight the vulnerability in Vince’s voice, making the tapestry of pain and memory on this project even more potent. Tracks like “TAKING TRIPS” and “TAKE ME HOME” highlight Kenny and Vince’s symbiotic relationship and show the extent that they push each other to be great.
Vince Staples is doing something different on this project and he executes it extremely well. This album has the potential to grow on people and live in all of our memories for years to come.