Here comes a hot take: The completely reasonable drought of music releases from March 2020 - May 2021 seems to have benefited music quality as a whole.
I can't fault you for disagreeing with me, as that time period was miserably boring. But if you need proof, look no further than a handful of comeback albums via Harry Styles, Kendrick Lamar, Denzel Curry, and, heck, even Camila Cabello. Just in the past four months fans have been on the receiving end of impressive bodies of work, with no end in sight of this output.
Undoubtedly, younger artists and some that grew in popularity due to the pandemic took the temporary hiatus to cook up some truly special sounds. Just this past week, two stellar rappers gave the world two very different rap albums, and proved that some time off is good for everyone.
Rico Nasty and Flo Milli have exhibited what it means to be a musician in 2022: fearless and uninhibited. Rico scrapped an entire album in 2021 to begin work on Las Ruinas, which defies industry standards of "rap." On Ruinas, Rico embraces a sonic soundscape very different from her previous work, meshing her hard-hitting delivery with house beats (courtesy of Fred, again...) and drum&bass. On "Black Punk," Rico sounds closer to the duo Soul Glo than her own unique style.
However, that doesn't mean Rico has abandoned her roots -- there's plenty of rap songs, like standout track "Gotsta Get Paid" -- and Rico shows why she's not to be forgotten in her feature on Flo Milli's "Pay Day."
On You Still Here, Ho?, Flo Milli's major label debut and first studio album, she commits to her bit all the while giving extremely clever punchlines and quotable bars in every song. The albums first official single, "Conceited," preaches self-love over a bass-heavy beat. She dips her toes into R&B waters for the first time, then flips the classic "FBGM" catchphrase later in the album. It's one of the strongest debut albums in recent memory, and never once seems stale or repetitive.
This isn't to say that Rico and Flo Milli weren't already unstoppably talented, bound for glory. Both were fortunate to have chart-topping hits, like "Smack a Bitch" and "In the Party."
So what specifically is it about the pandemic that has improved the quality of new music? Besides the extra time allowed to hone their craft and truly focus on their pen, a lot of artists have clearly found a new understanding of what is important in life. Rico follows the path of other rappers like Kendrick on "Chicken Nugget", devoting the song to her son. These instances of vulnerability have truly supplied a new depth to music that many might overlook otherwise. Here's hoping this quality is here to stay.
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What did you think of Flo Milli and Rico Nasty's albums? What are your favorite tracks? Who is excited for the "Party in the USA x Lil Jon" mash-up? Drop a comment and then come back here Friday for our Roundup and Fresh Friday!
- Ritter
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