Album Review- Chiddy Bang- Breakfast

So I saw these guys on a video a while back and I had no idea who they were. They look like average new school skateboard rappers so I am not expecting too much as I post the album review of Breakfast by Chiddy Bang. Imagine my surprise after seeing them that they are from Philly, hell I had to wiki them because I wasn't even sure it was actually a duo as I listened to the album I can't tell them apart.



The album starts with the title track, "Breakfast" and these dudes aren't talking about anything, but the beat has a nice new school vibe to it and they rap a lot better than I was expecting. As an introduction, the one thing you get is that they smoke weed which is highly unoriginal but not really that important. The aptly named "Handclaps and Guitars" follows and reminds me of a B.O.B. track and is about how the duo is just trying to have some fun. "Mind Your Manners" is aimed at the group's detractors and features a hook by Icona Pop. They also use a slight west indian accent to start their verses in a more melodic- manner than a normal verse. The lead single was "Ray Charles" and I can't discern what the song is about but it is very catchy and a solid single.



"Does She Love Me" of course is about determining if their female interests are returning the feelings. Meanwhile they try to throw out a 'harder' set of verses on "Run it Back" where on the chorus Shirazi suggests if you like the song you run it back. The switch between chorus and verses is awkward and it doesn't fit. Lyrics are fine but it's not that ill where I have to do what they suggest. "Out to Space" is either about getting high or getting money, probably a little of both. Similarly the theme is echoed on "Whatever We Want" and you should be able to guess what its about.



They speak a little bit on how it is when you can't find the way to communicate on "Talking to Myself" which is better than the previous couple of tracks because it is less monotonous. "Happening" sounds like a faux- Rihanna  dance track where they talk about the fact that life is going on right now. The hook also sounds like it samples Gwen Stefani or something and is actually annoying. "Baby Roulette" is about having safe sex so there isn't a mistake about conception. "4th Quarter" is more bragging and rounds out the album with the most aggressive track of the album-and thats not very aggressive at all.


Listening to this album I think about this could have been Smilez and Southstar had they come out about a dozen years later then they did. I have seen Mac Miller's music described as "Capri Sun and Lunchables" but that is Chiddy Bang even more so. It's a very happy sounding album, and there is nothing wrong with that, but when you have 3 or 4 songs that are relatively the same, with almost identical sounding hip-pop production and singing hooks, it can get kind of old. While I think this album isn't bad, it isn't really all that good either. It reminds me of that last Lupe album and needs some balance on the darker end of the spectrum to add some weight to it, a beat by the Cool kids, would have helped to round it out. I think they have potential because they can actually rap and I prefer the tempo and feel of this album over Diggy Simmons'. I see potential in this duo I just don't know if they will ever have anything to actually say.


Rating: 2.5/5

edit: so to show how much I know- there is only one dude rapping- I decided to let my ignorance about them show. I can learn things you see. Either way I was confused as hell listening to it because I knew it was some sort of duo.

Comments

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  2. Agreed. I really would like to.be a bigger fan. I enjoy the vibe of Ray Charles and Too Fake off of Big Sean's mixtape was super, but that haven't made a song that I've heard that would resonate with me since

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