Album Mode Demar Grant & Adriel Smiley

This week Démar and Adriel discuss Billie Eilish's third studio album 'HIT ME HARD AND SOFT', Eilish's versatility accidentally causing her to make blander music and her ever-stellar songwriting. 

Démar’s rating: 6 / 10
Adriel’s rating: 6 / 10

The Love List: LUNCH, L'AMOUR DE MA VIE, THE DINER, BITTERSUITE, BLUE

2:07 First time hearing Billie
5:08 Happier than ever left Demar underwhelmed
7:05 What she said about the project and the title
7:53 Liking her popular songs
10:06 Skinny as the introduction
13:40 Not as many songs that are unique to her
15:43 Drake issue in reverse
18:35 Sounds like Costco music
23:02 Stunning when she gets more complex (autotune)
27:05 Jacking Missy Elliot’s style for years
30:02 Aligned with black music without working with black artists
31:41 Juice Wrld type of flow
36:46 Arlo Parks
39:52 A big part of her fans who are not here for the lyrics
44:09 Is Billie apologizing?
54:46 Relating to your sister putting her face in a vagina 
58:02 The Coolest Girl in pop
1:00:57 The Cover
1:04:00 The Score

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Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft / 2024 / pop, alt-pop

DJ Akademiks's fat is back in the fire after a string of hip hop sexual misconduct allegations that have been plaguing 2024. Ak is facing a new lawsuit accusing him of rape, sexual assault, and defamation by Fauziya “Ziya” Abashe for an alleged incident in 2022. The duo breakdown what it means for Ak and hip hop as sexual misconduct allegations continue to pile up against men in the industry. Then we talk about what we've been spinning lately and possible song of the summer candidates.

TIMECODES:
3:18 - Ak and a lot of venom for Rory
3:55 - Usually when Reddit is right about something it is not good
4:22 - He has some friends in the industry – embedded in the Drake camp
6:52 - These people exist in a sphere
7:25 - Who’s the type of artists is AK interviewing
9:10 - Perception online and people aren’t surprised
9:55 - AK had 69 on-call
11:05 - Hip-Hop is in a turbulent time / Mee Too
12:01 - See some light that women can feel safe in hip-hop  
13:51 - What have you been listening to recently / cookout music
14:41 - Might delete later – J Cole played it right
19:03 - Still banging Yeat to this day
21:07 - Geo cities
22:03 - Might give a white man in hip-hop the number 1 album
22:40 - Albums you are excited for 



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This week Démar and Adriel discuss Gunna's fifth studio album 'One of Wun', its surprisingly impressive production and Gunna never killing the vibe.

Démar’s rating: 3 / 10
Adriel’s rating: 5.5 / 10

The Love List: hakuna matata, back in the a, whatsapp, one of wun

TIMECODES:

5:41 - Demar’s favourite Gunna song
8:30 - Very little hype around this album
9:45 - Is there another hit we can find
10:45 - Gunna is somehow getting better
12:00 - Title track  - I understand why you like listening to it
12:50 - Production is the best part of the project
15:10 - Still bangs without knowing the words
16:34 - Cybernetic & aquatic
20:00 - Sonics he is miles ahead, in this genre lyrics is not the emphasis
22:00 - Nav level monotone  - no emotion
23:27 - Not listening with the same “Ears”
25:16 - His music is not going to break up the vibe
25:33 - Fans also like on Spotify
27:30 - When it comes to his voice – black Nav
30:34 - Yeat & Gunna demo
31:54 - Favourite feature
32:15 - What happened to Roddy Rich
33:29 - Leon Bridges singing
35:45 - Gunna’s voice gets on Demar's nerves
37:19 - A singer but a rapper – Rod Wave
41:35 - Money don’t make me real that’s on my life"
42:35 - Mice is plural
44:53 - This fanbase doesn’t have the appetite for new sounds, new lyrics etc..
47:44 - The hooks are subpar
50:14 - Almost a No Skips
52:55 - The Cover
54:08 - The Scores

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Gunna - One of Wun / 2024 / hip hop, rap, trap

Kendrick Lamar has obliterated Drake in the beef with the hit diss song 'Not Like Us' with 'meet the grahams' to set it up. Drake had a chance in this beef but it look like that time is over and he's left to salvage what's left of his reputation. Adriel and Demar analyze how Kendrick dismantled Drake in the beef, whether the pyrrhic victory is worth it and if Drake is still too big to fail.

TIMECODES:

4:20 - Demar is always right
7:05 - Mistake with family matters (20v1)
9:10 - The Nuke didn't nuke
9:40 - New Ho king
11:48 -It’s almost as if Family matters didn’t happen
14:16 - Kendrick Lamar aims to represent Blackness on Not Like Us
16:00 - Women are the butt of the joke in this beef
17:15 - Do we need receipts?
19:40 - This beef is bad for Drake's corporate deals
23:00 - Drake did what he was supposed to do on Family Matters
25:56 - Kendrick's release schedule was brilliant
29:37 - Drake’s missed opportunity
31:52 - Kendrick gives Drake a history lesson in blackness
34:05 - The art of avoiding allegations / pyrrhic victory
34:40 - Cancelling is fake
37:55 - How Drake lost Black women in his fan base (The great hollowing)
42:52 - Ranking the songs in this battle
47:08 - Who won this battle?
47:57 - Shots fired at Drake’s home
50:58 - Is this the end for Drake?


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This week Démar and Adriel discuss 4Batz's first mixtape 'U Made Me a St4r', Aaliyah's sound inspiring another R&B revival and whether 4Batz is just Brent Faiyaz with a mask on.

Démar’s rating: 7 / 10
Adriel’s rating: 8 / 10

The Love List: act i: stickerz "99", act ii: date @ 8, act vi: made man, act v: there goes another vase, get out yo feelings ho

TIMECODES:

5:44 Do we need to see 4batz face?
10:25 OVO deal
13:12 2000’s R&B is making a comeback
14:57 Sounds more like real instruments
15:40 Innovations on Aaliyah's sound
21:35 How much can he really sing?
25:26 He is open to being at fault
30:30  23 minutes 11 songs
33:16 I’m the goofy one paying for your girl's hair  
36:33 Hurt his first week numbers but helped him in the long run
37:49 The cover
40:21 Reminiscent of PARTYNEXTDOOR
42:45 The Scores 


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4Batz - U Made Me a St4r / 2024 / R&B

Kendrick Lamar has finally dropped his reply diss track to Drake, 'Euphoria' and it's everything we thought it'd be and more. Join us as we bask in the heat of Kenrick Lamar cooking Drake for 6 straight minutes.

TIMECODES:

0:15 - Intro
1:30 - Euphoria is officially out / The oven mitts are out
3:10 - Kendrick Lamar is up right now
3:50 - People catching strays
4:23 - Kendrick Lamar's approach
5:33 - Demar is everyone's opp
6:42 - Diving into the diss track / Kendrick Lamar's musical density
8:41 - Is replay value important?
11:30 -The internet is judging Kendrick Lamar
12:00 - His Toronto Accent
15:27 - How this beef will age over time
16:33 - Pre-Drake rap beef
18:00 - Kendrick is praising Drake
19:25 - Drake isn't tough or black enough?
22:12 - Taking shots at Drake's femininity
23:55 - ‘Euphoria’ is for the older crowd
29:18 - The cease & desist
31:25 - Is Drake a deadbeat dad?
34:15 - Demar is right again!
36:55 - Where does ‘Euphoria’ rank?
41:48 - Does Adriel actually like Kendrick Lamar?
46:05 - Are Kendrick’s bars too problematic?

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