Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Album Review: Vince Staples- Hell Can Wait EP

Vince Staples
Hell Can Wait EP
** out of *****
The first release from Long Beach, California MC Vince Staples finds him working with different producers of beats and a pure street rhyme style on Hell Can Wait. Partnering with very varied styles of production lend a more mix-tape feel but Staples flow seems locked in, making one question what this will lead to.

The opener "Fire" is more of a skit/tone setter, which is odd for a quick EP, but it does it's job projecting a barren outlook and "going to hell anyway" attitude that colors things from the get go. The most engaging production on Hell Can Wait comes from Infamous for "65 Hunnid" as a funeral procession is warped via slow sweet trumpet keys and deep ass bass drums providing a killer backing on the highlight track.

Staples goes back and references Goodie Mob's "Cell Therapy" with window peepers on the codeine slinging story contained in "Screen Door", unfortunately calling to mind the more successful song dwarfs this effort.  

"Blue Suede" finds producer Hagler falling in love with a god damn annoying siren that never lets up, acting more as an irritant then enhancement. Hagler seems to be taking a minimalist artistic approach which works better on "Limos" via a repetitive piano line that floats around a minimal club slow jam but perhaps the best matching of Staples flow and beats is on "Hands Up" where California based No I.D. produces a tale of anger over police violence in the year 2014.

Overall the bleakness of Staples rhymes are buoyed by some unique production work and Hell Can Wait is a brief showing of talent. Nothing mind shatter, or hip swaying but a decent first effort from Staples and the producers involved.
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If this is the best 2014 Hip Hop has to offer things are pretty barren. It also doesn't surprise us that our favorite song here, "65 Hunnid" has a NOLA influence.

Support the artist here, buy the album here, peep some video below:

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