Aug 5, 2017 Not saying it was a bad thing, I just noticed it when listening. There was a shade of Big Sean as well. Don't know this artist tbh, but I didn't think it was bad. Definitely didn't hold a candle to the original, but was still enjoyable imo
Aug 5, 2017 The Joyner Lucas disrespect on here is crazy. Joyner Lucas wrote a song backwords something had done in hip hop, and before you mention nas its two different things because nas told a story backwards
Aug 5, 2017 d--- "There was a shade of Big Sean" is probably the quickest way to get me to NOPE an artist
Aug 6, 2017 Kendrick tells a story to illustrate a point that usually fits into an album with specific thematic intentions. You can guess what "The Art of Peer Pressure" is about. You can see how it fits into GKMC. Can nonfiction accounts serve the very same purpose? Yes. Does Joyner's song measure up to Kendrick's? Not at all. Let me preface this by saying that Joyner's story telling skills aren't bad. My problem is with why he tells that story and what the listener gains from it. Ross Cappichioni is a true story, to say Joyner's exact characterizations are true goes beyond what I'm comfortable standing behind. Regardless, does the story teach you anything of value or is driven by suspense and narrative tricks? Kendrick does both. Joyner succeeds at the second, but what do you walk away from his song with? Don't trust people? Take advantage of people? The subjectivity of perspective? The only one worth anything is the third imo, and from Biggie's n----s Bleed to Eminem's Guilty Conscience etc we've got many examples of that. I think Joyner definitely could've benefited by adding a short sign off verse from Ross's perspective about surviving the ambush and how that drove home some greater insights and lessons. Preferably not as bluntly as my wording would suggest. How does Kendrick work differently? As the title states, and the chorus reminds us, his song isn't about the robbery. It's about the social pressures that can drive people into bad situations. He also crafts a compelling narrative, but it's all in service of a point which is in service of an even bigger work in GKMC. To reiterate, Joyner isn't bad at storytelling. He's just not concerned with using the form for anything greater, in this specific instance ofc. Biggie had songs like that, including doing multiple characters himself sometimes even lending the characters different voices, but that was two decades ago. Do I think Joyner has updated or innovated that? Not yet?
Aug 7, 2017 Joyner Ross song isn't his only story telling song. Keep it 100 and I'm sorry way better than any of Kendrick story telling songs.
Aug 7, 2017 Kendrick makes concept albums, this dude makes concept songs, both dope but Joyner barely even rapped the same verse backwards, every bar only had like 3 of the same words
Aug 7, 2017 Been done. Always been corny. Again, it's just a narrative trick. The novelty wore off the first time somebody did it. Somebody tell me this doesn't read like cliche poetry from a sad 14 year old's diary. Go ahead and call me a coward and say I'm not strong Because I'm not like you Go ahead and call me crazy cause I live in a maze Tell me how about you? I think I live in my head, sometimes I think that I'm dead I hide behind my youth No, I been losing my mind and I'm a little behind Step inside my shoes Cause I've never been happy with myself And I don't need no one feeling bad for me Trying to offer me pity and throw jabs at me Wanna give me advice and then laugh at me Behind closed doors Just close the door, let me be by myself Just me and myself I'm tired of living, I cry, I hear it's easy to die I wanna see for myself And I know that sounds crazy to everyone else But I'm depressed as f--- Stressed as f--- Ain't no medicine that could cure what's the test as drugs I mean, I need extra love And that ain't even enough 'Said that ain't even enough And where the f--- is God? (God, god) d---, maybe I ain't believing enough But today we gonna see if he's real And if he is, I guess I'm probably going to h--- Look, I ain't wanna die like this I ain't picture my life like this They don't know what it's like like this Pretending I'm happy so I can smile like this And laugh like you Sometimes I wonder if I ever act like you Could I finally fit in and maybe relax like woo Or would you feel lost without me? Cause honestly, I think the world is better off without me And my mind's spinning, this is the line finish Truth is, I don't care how they feel about my feelings I made up my mind, I'm going out like Robin Williams I guess I'm not the Ordinary People of John Legend And I've been suicidal since the day I was nine, s--- Okay, the day I was nine I've been tired of being bullied, couldn't stay out the fire Grandma told me I should take it one day at a time And d--- it, look at me now, f--- f---, pens runnin' out s---, fu—, ugh Look, just know it's a new day But if you reading this Then it's probably too late, blaow!
Aug 7, 2017 I mean you can tell he's not exactly speaking from personal experience as what he says is cliche but he has good intentions so I think its prolly his best song tbh
Aug 7, 2017 Yes he did read the lyrics every thing was backwards and Joyner last mixtape was a concept mixtape what are you talking about?
Aug 8, 2017 7 years ago 5 years ago These are just the ones that pop up when you type "backwards rap" into YouTube. At least these guys used it to show contrast instead of Joyner's Alphabetical Slaughter s---.
Aug 8, 2017 ok I'm ignorant to ppl doing it, but what Joyner did is totally different from what these two did, shoutout to DeStorm anywho let me show you. Destorm ends the first verse by saying I'm a loser, and reversed he says I'm a loser, and the way Joyner did his it would've been loser a I'm, and I know that doesn't make sense, but just giving you an example. Joyner goes like this. In a hurt position its absurd addiction got me laughin. Now his reversed Laughin' at a addiction absurd in this position. So I say that to say Joyner is way different from these two videos, since just rapping the same words with flip
Aug 8, 2017 Failing to actually rap the same gibberish backwards is not more impressive than doing it consistently with a discernible purpose in mind. Anyway, you should check out these songs by Bender. Most underrated storyteller imo.
Aug 14, 2017 There's always rappers on the come up that try to throw shots at the heavy hitters to get attention. It barely ever pans out
