This was one of my most anticipated albums, ever since I saw the name and cover art, which guffaws my craws. I knew this album was going to be a banger. It also turns out, this is probably one of his most important albums to this day, despite Big Fish Theory is my favorite from him still. Vince Staples is a hip hop artist that hails from Compton, California and he and his family were no strangers to hardships. I feel like he was able to gain his empathy when he sees how overworked his mom was while diagnosed with cancer and the number of times his dad went to prison. So, he has been a pioneer and a fighter since he can remember. He grew so much on his Dark Times album as he was able to mesh his charisma into his music as performance art, without being performative. This is a man that is very self-aware. He not only raps about the systemic issues of the red, white, and blue, but as well as his struggles with mental health as he goes behind the loudspeaker. Here in Cry Baby, the loudspeaker gets amped up and Vince Staples does something different by implementing elements of rock and punk into this new LP. My first exposure to him was through his feature in electronic artist Flume’s album, Skin where he was able to flow through this zany beat. A feat that a lot of rappers cannot do, however he did it as easily as breathing. So, this skill made me follow him into Big Fish Theory when that project’s beats were the most eccentric, giving Staples an edge that can cut butter like a hot knife especially with the late great electronic producer, SOPHIE (one of my favorite artists). This has been proof that this man has been ambitious his whole career. He’s not only a silver tongued lyricist, but he charismatic. I was entranced on how well he uses his words when he was sharing his picks in his Criterion Closet Picks or being cheeky and hilarious with his comedic interview with Ziwe’s Iconic Guest Series. The man is an art’s artist. So, here comes Cry Baby and you can guess what he’s going to be talking about in his latest album. It’s an angry album that he is upset about and talks about his and our grievances on what’s wrong with America today on how they treat their black people. This new fresh coat of paint sound is a rock vibe, so again with Staples just challenging himself to just be different as much as he can. The rock vibe does work as it does bring out that punk energy and the hooks even have that anarchistic angry feel. Staples decides to weaponize his words, not out of hostility, but because he’s fighting back with them fighting words.
And right out of the gate, he’s throwing hands with the single that gave hype with this album with the relentless and unforgiving “Blackberry Marmalade.” with the first line criticizing the dark origin of the U.S. and the second line smack talking Kanye West. It is a no holds barred post-rock banger and Vince shouts his grievances on top of a mountain of the systemic racism that has been happening in this country towards blacks since its inception. A laid back “Go! Go! Gorilla” has this chant and cheer on the chorus that seems to be dehumanizing people like Staples as if they are the villain, no matter what they do. As Vince Staples telling us they even brand the victims had a gun on the news. What I love about “White Flag” even though the instrumental is kind of underwhelming, is the tidbit that hip hop fans love the art, but not the people who create the art on the verse, “Squabble up, I see the Devil in the audience.” We have seen this time and time that some racists do love the culture, or what they’ve done in sports, but the subconscious voice in the back of their mind will refuse to see them as equals. It’s still heartbreaking that people who go through this turmoil sometimes give up at the end. In “The Running Man” I like the echoed “run run run” chant and evolves into they can’t “run or hide” anymore, but also there is a sense of urgency and suspense in this one. “TV Guide” goes into how propaganda makes us overlook so many injustices happening here. I love the shade against the crypto bros.
You can guess who the wolf is on “The Big Bad Wolf” and I love the sample and salute to the classic rap classic that is Slick Rick’s “Children Story”. Next song, “Only in America” I like the catchy chant and how hard it is to love the place you live in when there’s so much against you. We have this sinister beat on “Do You Know the Devil” as the aesthetic is oh so appropriate on who the Devil is. Staples opens up on how he used to collude with him and was not the role model we would see him today as he truly was in the past. He voices regret. He voices redemption. Props to anyone who has grown out of their past self and tries to do right today. Vince visualizes himself as cotton in the next song. It’s not a coincidence he chose “Cotton” to be his altar ego as that’s what others see him as….a commodity. A negative connotation behind this specific commodity. In his case, it’s the music industry, but you can apply this to many other fronts that is occupied by African-Americans. “Keep politics out of my *blank*.” they say! We end things off with “7 in the Morning” talks about the genocide that is happening in Gaza right now as it sounds like a somber western. There’s a bonus track to this album called “Tulsa, OK” referencing the “Tulsa race massacre”. I’m already going to give props and points to that song, since that historical event was not taught to me in school, so everyone should be aware of that bullcrap. Unfortunately, it’s only found on physical copies of the album.
The last leg of the album is ok, but half of the beats of this album can be underwhelming. I really empathize with the message of the songwriting and that is the strongest element to Cry Baby. The instrumentals can be really forgettable sometimes. I do fuck with the message of all of the songs even for the last one. I just wish it didn’t go out in a whimper.
This album is definitely going to ruffle up some feathers and pearls will be clutched, since it’s a subject matter that is definitely sensitive and unfortunately will fall on deaf ears. However, it’s an important subject as Vince Staples just smashes subtlety with a sledgehammer and tells it like it is and how it has been. I like Big Fish Theory more, but I’m so glad Staples lets it out on here. It is an angry album and why shouldn’t it be? This stuff should make you angry if one should love thy neighbor.
FAVORITE TRACKS: BLACKBERRY MARMALADE, GO! GO! GORILLA, THE RUNNING MAN, THE BIG BAD WOLF, ONLY IN AMERICA, DO YOU KNOW THE DEVIL
LEAST FAVORITE: 7 IN THE MORNING
You can purchase this album on Bandcamp and his discography is also available for streaming.
https://vincestaples.bandcamp.com/album/cry-baby
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