Noname's debut album is a banger (Full review inside)
The Chicago rapper comes of age with her debut album
Noname’s Room25 is what the female rap game has been missing. In a sea of Nicki and Cardi beef along with the overall underwhelming releases of albums comes this beacon of hope. Noname’s debut album touches on multiple subjects from God, love, gentrification, sex, the façade of the American dream, police, brutality, stereotypes and everything else under the sun. The album boasts features from Adam Ness, Phoelix, Ravyn Lenae, Saba, Smino, Yaw, and Benjamin Earl. Each feature on this project feels natural and not artificial, mind you there are 6 features on this 11-track album. The production is good to say the least, ranging from solid to simply amazing. Songs like “Window” stick out because of the violin being intertwined with the mind spinning lyrics of Noname along with the vocals making it a godsend.
"The production is good to say the least, ranging from solid to simply amazing."
Tracks that you as a listener should go for are Self, Window, Regal, Montego Bae, Ace, and With You. Self because the first track of an album can sometimes make or break it, and this one passes with flying colors and is quite memorable. Window talks about her relationship with her man or a man with a no strings attached, who she has feelings for now, it feels like a situation that’s all too familiar, especially currently with young adults. Regal's production is simply melodic heaven and the drums are great finishing touches to a short but sweet song. Montego bae feels smooth to the point it of viscosity and is complimented by background vocals and Ravyn Lenae joining along for the chorus.
The bars are funny as well in the song with the knockout being “so he gone fuck me like I’m Oprah, classy bitch only use a coaster.” And name dropping famous black author Toni Morrison. Ace is the holy trinity of Noname, Smino, and Saba, it feels like the big 3 of new neo-soul rap each doing incredible with a beat each one of them could have handled if it was a solo song. Smino going mondo crazy on the hook and Saba just flowing on his verse with lines that are eye catching like dust. Albums, especially the debut one can show you where an artist is going to be heading career wise from Travis Scott’s Rodeo to Chances’s Acid Rap. It can be reassured that Noname has place in this rap game no matter how big or small, she'll be here for years to come.